Iraq position
In response to Vince West on the unjustified war in Iraq (NZ Herald, March 7). He should know that millions in the United Kingdom protested long and loud about going into that war.
Since then, Tony Blair is probably the most reviled man in the country and there have been many, many calls for him to be tried as a war criminal.
There is also much anger about him being created a Knight of the Realm. He is certainly not a "popular statesman".
Margaret McDonnell, Glenfield.
History ignored
The anti-mandate protesters' claim of violence from Ngāti Whātua (NZ Herald, March 8) displays a total ignorance of local history. I very much doubt Ngāti Whātua were violent but I have no doubt that they were angry, and rightly so. The protesters were demonstrating at the front door of the Ngāti Whātua marae.
Their tūpuna lie there and the protesters were trampling over Ngāti Whātua mana. Up to 1952, a number of prominent Ngāti Whātua families lived at the village on the foreshore of Ōkahu Bay when the Government and Auckland Council razed the village to the ground because, tut, tut, less the Queen visiting would see a poor Māori village. The families were accommodated up the hill, hence the Bastion Pt occupation during Rob Muldoon's tenure as Prime Minister.
I have no doubt the protesters are too young to remember the village, but I do and so would others my age. However, the urupā is visible and perhaps they should have respected that if nothing else.
Patricia Guptill, Wattle Downs.
Oil shock
Many thanks for publishing the two letters (NZ Herald, March 8) on retaining our refinery capability in New Zealand. I've been astonished previously that no one seemed to question this move.
The recent hostilities being carried out against Ukraine by Russia surely should bring this proposal into sharp focus.
It seems illogical to be contemplating this at all, never mind in these uncertain circumstances.
S D Riggir, Tauranga.
Supply issue
Refined, or not, all our fuel is imported. Fuel is a commodity that is price-dependent based on the supply and demand model; the mere fact it may have been refined at Marsden point makes no difference to the pump price. We are well aware of this and a recent government pledge to moderate fuel prices has come to nothing.
It would seem practical for our small market, to buy fuel already refined.
Wars and pandemics et al, are the driving force behind the need for a sustained supply of fuel. Ultimately, we need to provide for six months of fuel storage to avoid us running dry no matter how the raw product gets here.
John Ford, Taradale.
Fiscal prudence
At Luxon's clumsy state of the nation speech, he dusted off the tired old National Party tax cuts bribe while fudging on where the inevitable social services cuts would be to fund the tax cuts. An analysis of these proposals by Bernard Hickey reveals that Luxon's rushed promises would produce a $2.5-8.5 billion fiscal hole!
When you consider Steven Joyce's embarrassing $11 billion fiscal hole, Paul Goldsmith's failed simple maths debacle and now the Luxon clanger, you've got to ask - where on earth does the myth of National being the party of prudent financial management come from?
Roger Laybourn, Hamilton.
All hours
I responded to an advertisement placed by Whakarongorau (formerly Homecare Medical), which runs Healthline, seeking people, full-time and part-time, to be on the Covid response team. I was asked to perform a variety of listening and typing tests online; submit my vaccination certificate; and supply proof of an internet speed test. I did so and was asked twice more over succeeding weeks to do the same thing until I begged them to stop.
I plainly passed, because last week I was offered the chance to work either 10 hours a day for four weekdays a week or eight hours a day for three or four days from Friday to Monday.
It might have been smart to give an indication at the very beginning of the process of how much time commitment they would be requiring. The minimum commitment is 24 hours a week, including at least half the weekend. I was never going to be available for anything like that. One weekday a week I might have considered, and I would have done it for nothing. I wonder how many others went through this long and tedious eligibility assessment for no reason.
Peter Calder, Westmere.
Stay the course
It appears to me that NZTA's latest television advertisement is promoting unsafe driving.
My understanding is when driving is not to swerve to avoid small objects or animals, such as a possum unless you can do it safely.
To swerve without checking can endanger those in your vehicle and potentially oncoming traffic.
David Henry, Bucklands Beach.
Short & sweet
On sanctions
I suspect banning Vladimir Putin from visiting New Zealand will have minimal impact on his travel plans. Jack Waters, Taupō.
On supermarkets
The supermarket inquiry achieved nothing other than to cost an awful lot of money and once again delay the Government in having to make a decision, which it is brilliant at. Mike Baker, Tauranga.
I'm going to pop the Commerce Commission report on NZ supermarkets in the same file as the last one about how their business practices are all tickety boo and nothing to see here. Richard Irwin, Te Atatu South.
On tax
GST should never have gone on food in the first place. Taking that tax off is doable. J Longson, Kawerau.
On pandemic
What a topsy turvy world we're living in. It's okay to walk into a bank wearing a mask. If your RAT is negative, that's a positive. B. Watkin, Devonport.
On roads
Has Auckland Transport's Safe Speed Programme factored in the 40 per cent increase in pollution from slow-moving buses, trucks, and cars? Chris Parker, Campbells Bay.
On reality
I am more and more coming to the belief that we are not living in a real world at all but that we are all actors or extras in a dystopian movie. Alan Milton, Cambridge.
The Premium Debate
ComCom report a major backdown
The planning recommendations to account for land banking and land covenants will take another generation to have any real impact, and the recommended interventions in wholesale supply backed by legislative muscle will be theoretically helpful, but there are no guarantees the anti-competitive behaviour of two big players which has kept food prices in this country higher than most OECD countries will change in any significant way. Once again, incremental pragmatism wins again as the Kiwi way. Tino P:
Just a repeat of the look into petrol prices. See where that has gone. Judith B.
A very weak response. No surprise really, from the body wholly responsible for creating this duopoly. New Zealanders will continue to be ripped off. A shocking indictment at the efficacy of ComCom. Geoff M.
What a limp conclusion. The code of conduct will be meaningless. However, the anti-competitive restrictions on leases and titles are very significant, it has been for many years. What is needed is to immediately annul all existing restraints. Otherwise, we would be waiting for decades to see any change. John A.
Maybe try taking GST off fruit and veges? It seems all the investigations this Government makes into the cost of anything all trail back to excessive tax. They need to look closer to home before spending millions on investigations and workgroups. Clive M.
A third grocery sector player is desperately needed. Make it easier for Aldi to come here. Consumers would benefit enormously. David K.
One million dollars in profit a day! But relative to what? The return on investment is actually what? They are entitled to a reasonable return. What would happen if the major players left NZ? The same argument can be applied to other sectors of our economy. Colin R.
The banks make many times this profit every day without risk and they are closing branches all over the place. Sort them out first. Richard F.
