US President Donald Trump holds a signed executive order after delivering remarks on reciprocal tariffs during an event in the Rose Garden entitled 'Make America Wealthy Again' at the White House. Photo / AFP
Trump’s tariffs display woeful ignorance
Donald Trump’s reckless imposition of reciprocal tariffs once again demonstrates his hypocrisy and woeful ignorance of history.
He has imposed a 48% tariff on Laos on the grounds that it has for a number of years “looted, pillaged, raped and plundered” the United States.
During the Vietnam War, the US dropped 2 million tons of bombs on Laos, an officially neutral country, making it the most heavily bombed country per capita in history.
The bombing was the equivalent of one plane load of bombs every eight minutes, 24 hours a day for nine years. Over 50,000 Laotians, mainly civilians, have been killed or injured from the bombing, including 20,000 dead or maimed since the bombing stopped from the unexploded cluster bombs. Forty per cent of these are children.
In addition, Agent Orange was sprayed along the Ho Chi Minh trail, leading to an estimated 5000 to 7500 children with subsequent disabilities and birth defects.
Henry Kissinger, who oversaw this campaign, was of course awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1973 - a prize that Trump himself so desperately seeks.
Brian Pointon, Tauranga.
Salary sacrifice
All Members of Parliament take an oath of office that “as an MP I will be loyal to New Zealand and will respect its democratic values and rights and freedoms” and this is accompanied by a salary of $168,600 plus perks, all by courtesy of the taxpayers who elect MPs to act in New Zealand’s best interests.
Te Pāti Māori can certainly express their disdain for Parliament’s customs and refuse to appear before the Privileges Committee, but will this disdain be accompanied by their refusing to accept their salaries and perks?
Somehow, I suspect that they will still be expecting that their salaries will be paid into their accounts at the end of every month.
Johan Slabbert, Warkworth.
Undoing progress
Had te Tiriti o Waitangi been honoured no one would question the right of Māori MPs to express outrage at the erosion of indigenous rights with a haka and the Privileges Committee would uphold the right for such expressions of disagreement (April 3).
Now we learn that thousands of carefully crafted submissions regarding the despicable Treaty Principles Bill will not be considered. This Government is chipping away at the decades of progress made toward more equitable outcomes in Aotearoa and the loss will be felt by all.
Debora Lee, Point Chevalier.
Lacking vision
The Government’s decision not to contribute $75 million to make up the shortfall to host the America’s Cup lacks vision and borders on hypocrisy (April 2).
Even if the event was to generate only half of the $1.9 billion from last year’s regatta at Barcelona, the GST content alone would more than offset the investment, let alone fill the restaurants and hotels but also lift the economy.
We need to get out of the doldrums and give the country a much-needed boost. I can well understand the hue and cry that would follow, the money could be better spent providing more healthcare, more police, more houses etc.
But for all that, the Government needs to show some balls at a time when it is consistently lecturing us about stop saying no – this is a time to say yes.
It also makes a mockery of the Government’s latest buzzword – growth, growth, growth. Christopher Luxon should have tried harder.
Dennis Knill, Parnell.
Goff’s truth
Reading your story “Phil Goff breaks silence over sacking”, I could only feel heartened that we have - or is it now had - leadership that stands by values of truth. And indeed like the Hans Christian Andersen fairytale everyone did in fact know the emperor had no clothes. Thanks Phil for not being fearful of speaking the truth.
Kathryn Bilbe, Rotorua.
Driver incentive
Congestion charging works most effectively when implemented during peak hours or on specific congested roads (April 3).
The congestion charge acts as an incentive for drivers to change their travel times and use alternative modes of transportation, such as public transport, cycling and walking to reduce traffic congestion. The time-of-use charging system will only work if the Government and Auckland Council have optional, affordable and viable public transportation systems for commuters.
This will improve travel times on our motorways and main arterial roads, reducing the need for new costly roading infrastructure.
Patrick McFarlane, Onehunga.
Disconnected thinking
In Thursday’s Herald, a headline story about the idea of congestion charging and wishful thinking on how it may slow down the inevitable rise of traffic gridlock.
Also an opinion piece from a Northland Regional councillor, Joe Carr, pointing out the obvious need to get a decent transport connection to the north. Both somehow gloss over the major issue.
Roads will continue to clog without proper transport alternatives. We need a reliable, cheap, regular public transport option to cut down the congestion. And in the Herald example of the Kumeū commute, we have a rail line passing right through the centre of town that is totally unused other than for some minuscule amounts of freight.
In his opinion piece on Northland, Joe Carr actually says, “One of the two major ways that imported goods enter Auckland is by rail from the Port of Tauranga”, but utterly fails to say a sensible solution to getting Northport more involved in importing goods to Auckland, and off the problematic stretch of road he wants fixed, is by building a rail spur from the existing northern rail line.
Therein lies the problem, disconnecting thinking.
Neil Anderson, Algies Bay.
Congestion and commuting
The Herald headline asked “Is congestion charging fair?” (Apr 3). Directly beneath that question is Auckland Transport’s answer by way of an announcement of a two-week full rail closure. Ordinary people, who have been pushed to the outskirts to buy a home, are forced to commute to and from work. If there is no affordable and reliable public transport, what can they do?
Carrick Bernard, Mt Albert.
Hospital pass
Correspondent Reg Dempster (April 3), rather than writing about the health system, is mainly talking about the ambulance at the bottom of the cliff. That is, hospitals.
While these services are important there is much more to health than illness. According to the WHO, reorienting health services calls for a healthcare system which prioritises health and requires the shared responsibility and contribution of people, communities, health professionals, organisations and government.
Putting money into the hospital system, without addressing the causes of ill health, will not change the overall health status of the population.
Glennys Adams, Waiheke Island.
Remembering Ardern
It’s difficult to find words strong enough to express how much I disagree with Bruce Cotterill’s piece on Dame Jacinda Ardern (Mar 29).
He’s not the only one of course who just can’t cope with the fact that a young, attractive woman could be such a great leader. Misogyny is still rife.
As an elderly woman I very likely owe my life, or at least the avoidance of serious illness, to the decisive way Ardern managed the pandemic. Had National been in charge, the borders would have stayed open far longer and who knows what the death toll would have been.
Ardern is decisive, compassionate and intelligent and makes decisions based on her values. She will be remembered as an outstanding politician.
Barbara Grace, Grey Lynn.
Defend our anthem
Our national anthem, with its beautiful words, has blessed this nation. We all want a free land defended from strife and war. This is a good thing. We all want our country guarded from dissension, envy and hate, don’t we? Our anthem acknowledges people from every creed and race and is sung in both Māori and English wherever I hear it. Surely New Zealand’s praises have been heard afar and God has been defending New Zealand, as we ask for in this anthem. Let’s keep it that way.
Jo-Anne Fendall, Te Atatū.
The Greens say people are attacking Benjamin Doyle as they are part of the rainbow community. No one really cares what community they are part of, Doyle is being addressed as an individual. They need to come out and clarify what was meant by those posts. Also, Chloe Swarbrick and Marama Davidson say “we don’t understand how the rainbow community uses this word” – well, explain it to us then, this is your chance. Whether people accept what they say is another question.
Mark Young, Ōrewa.
In two recent articles about a stadium proposed for Western Springs the capacity has been stated as being 12,500. The proposal, made by parties associated with Auckland FC, has been described as a home for the A-League football club. But Auckland FC attract, in just their first season, an average crowd of around 20,000. Something doesn’t add up.
Tony Waring, Grey Lynn.
Congratulations to Auckland Council for their superb decision about the greatest rugby ground in the world. It serves as some compensation for the same council’s abominable decision about the greatest speedway stadium in the world.
Phil Chitty, Albany.
Now that Auckland Council has settled on an enhanced stadium at Eden Park, we could look at naming this venue “The Helen Clark Memorial Stadium”. Our much-overdue defence build-up might provide squadrons of F16s to do the fly-past for the opening ceremony.
Hugh Webb, Hamilton.
There has been a decrease in the tax take from cigarette smokers, that is a good thing one would assume.
It would indicate that there are fewer smokers, again a positive step. It is easy to see that smoking numbers have dropped by the fact that you never see people congregating during their tea break to have a fag as we once did.
Dare I raise the argument of legalising THC along with nicotine. Imagine the income from the tax generated; even though both THC and nicotine both cause harm. That’s a tough political sell for many to grasp.
John Ford, Taradale.
The proposal to extend mother and baby to 72 hours in hospital should not be decided on availability of beds but its necessity.
Having been present in theatre watching my children being born and seeing the effort and sometimes trauma of the births, one has to wonder how heartless we have become.
The idea in the past was to give mum a chance to recover and to learn how to deal initially with a newborn. It’s an important step in life, let’s not trivialise it. A bit more respect for the mother wouldn’t do any harm, just glad it wasn’t me.
Reg Dempster, Albany.
On the whole I agree that people should be appointed to responsible positions on merit rather than DEI principles.
However, rejection of DEI does not guarantee competence or any other desirable qualities. Just look at the current US government.
Ron Hoares, Wellsford.
Another outstanding view expressed by Richard Prebble on the debate over whether Parliament’s term should be three years or four. What a pity Prebble is not a coalition MP, which needs some action if they are to remain the Government. Keep up the good work Richard.
Garrick Larsen, St Heliers.
As the last America’s Cup was such a huge success in Barcelona, they may wish to host it again.
Brian Cuthbert, Army Bay.
Much of the South Island is set to plunge below 0C tonight and tomorrow.