An electronic monitoring bracelet. Photo / Rotorua Daily Post, File
Foiled by electronic monitoring
In our so-called justice system, who ever decided that electronic monitoring would work in the manner intended in New Zealand is clearly a hopeless ninny. Kelvin Davis is the minister in charge of this debacle and needs to resign. The idea that a criminal has 80 minutes before an alert is raised on a blocked or removed bracelet is insane. A person could use this time to pass through an airport and leave the country. Allowing people who subvert these devices to remain in the community is ridiculous. The minister will no doubt be removed from his position soon, but the Pollyannas in the Ministry will remain. Those responsible for stupid decisions need to be held accountable and sacked. Neville Cameron, Coromandel.
A clever Act
I feel Heather du Plessis-Allan needs to clarify her comment about the Act leader often being the smartest person in the room. The only time he is the smartest person in the room is when it’s a meeting of his Act colleagues. Act’s tax policy would see the economy collapse quicker than you can say Liz Truss. Health and education funding would be decimated by reducing the top tax bracket to 28 per cent. Roger Douglas is right, it’s become a party for the rich. Paul Kenny, Ponsonby.
Paying for promises
Can we please have election policies on how an incoming government is going to increase our country’s revenue other than fiddling with or increasing taxes? There really is a shortage of anything to help our exports grow. And so the country’s dire financial situation will be pushing infrastructure promises, cycle ways, feel-good projects and the like further into the distance regardless of what may be promised by politicians. As in previous elections. Policy announced is rarely policy delivered. Stuart Mackenzie, Ōhura.
Dead tree danger
Driving around Auckland suburbs recently, mostly lost, looking for an actual bank rather than an ATM machine, I noticed many dead trees on berms. Many of these will probably burst back into life when spring arrives but many need to be removed. Healthy trees obviously have to be protected. Does the council have an inventory of all its trees? Are they regularly checked by arborists? Overseas experience with runaway fires might alert us to the incendiary nature of dead and decaying timber. Barbara Matthews, Ōnehunga.
Throwaway society
The Herald on Sunday article “Don’t replace it when you can repair it” sums up my motivation to be a dealer in “old things”, not just because of their design but because we too easily throw out items that could well be repaired (like “sewing on a button or fixing a seam”). This attitude is a major contributor to pollution and subsequently global warming. Retail therapy is a short fix and the satisfaction of repairing and reusing an item lasts a lot longer. Hamish Walsh, Devonport.
Spare the rod and ...
An adolescent is a person between the age of 10 to 19 and, unfortunately, that age group is where we see violence occurring and too many involved in crime. Whilst it was right to ban corporal punishment, it is obvious by the lawlessness of too many adolescents that there hasn’t been a non-violent alternative to curb their attitude and actions. These miscreants need to understand there are real consequences to misbehaviour from childhood to when they become an adult. Parents are the only people that can make this happen but perhaps we have been remiss in not supporting them as much as we should. Basically we cut off their method of discipline overnight and said it’s your responsibility. There are support systems but it is obvious more help is needed otherwise we wouldn’t have the problems we have today with youth. Reg Dempster, Albany.
Pull your black socks up
Fozzie called that an uppercut and Coles said it was a punch in the face. Armchair critics would say that was an outright body slam. Pull your socks up fellas; we hope you are not going to make the Boks back-to-back World Cup winners this year, which would make it one more tournament win than the All Blacks. Glenn Forsyth, Rangatira Park.
A plan so cunning ...
Brilliant AB strategy to fool the rugby world with such a convincing pretence at ineptitude. They are now undisputed World Cup underdogs — so cunning! Everyone is now completely off-guard — just where Foster wanted them to be! Clyde Scott, Birkenhead.
Positive sport outcomes
Awakening to the news from London on Saturday morning, one would have thought Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny had both died. While I understand Kiwis are fickle supporters of the All Blacks, there are in fact two real issues of importance. First the repercussions of the red card and second the repercussions of the injured players. Everything else can be overcome within the heads of the team members. I agree with the sentiment that it is far better that this happened now. I also would not be surprised to see the All Blacks coming out against France with a point to prove. Have a little faith people. We can and should support canoeing, Formula 1 or, dare I say it, the Warriors. They all had positive outcomes today. Dunstan Sheldon, Hamilton.
Covid’s collateral damage
Stephen Joyce is absolutely right: an inquiry into the Covid response needs to delve deep into the aftermath of our Covid policies. The catch-cry was “follow the science” but isolation and quarantine is not science — the principles have been followed at least since the plague. What the science will tell us is how many deaths have occurred because of deferred scans, surgeries and treatments. The science will give us insight into the psychological damage across society and the economic hit to individuals, companies and the nation. We need to see the data. The media seem to have ignored the study out of John’s Hopkins University that concluded the collateral damage was much worse than the direct damage averted by lockdowns and mandates. That research had its critics but I hope it will be studied by the Commission. Jeff Tallon, Hauraki.
Jet lag jeopardy
The Springbok defeat of the All Blacks at Twickenham was a train wreck waiting to happen with New Zealand’s rugby administrators totally to blame. Why would anyone accept playing one of the toughest teams in the world after leaving New Zealand on August 18 only a week before the game? The effects of jet lag would barely have worn off. It would appear that the Boks were already in the UK acclimatising, given that they played Wales on August 19 probably when the All Blacks were still in the air. It takes around 24 hours to fly to the UK and the time difference is around 12 hours. Whether you are flying first class or economy the effect on the body takes its toll differently on individuals meaning that team members were not in sync with each other which is vital in a team game. The Boks definitely had the advantage as they had settled into the country and were ready to just step out of their hotel to drive to Twickenham. The All Blacks by comparison had barely stepped off the plane. Bernard Walker, Pāpāmoa.
Astonishing donations
What an astonishing list of big donations to the National and Act parties, recently published by Bryce Edwards. Thousands, tens of thousands, even hundreds of thousands of dollars given by businesses and individuals (named) obviously keen to see a change of government. What do they expect from their generosity? Surely they are not trying to purchase future legislation that favours their interests and profit-making, such as deregulation in the wage, property, farming and immigration arenas. They just want more competence and aspiration, in a new government of greater caucus talent (unproven) that hasn’t had to deal with “the headwinds”of a Trumpian world, M.bovis, a steady flow of 501s, a pandemic, a massacre, a European war, and extreme weather events — as referenced also by correspondent D. Holms. A new government that will back-burner the climate crisis until they finally realise it has become the foremost fiscal and survival issue, here in Aotearoa and across the planet. B Darragh, Auckland Central.
On road user charges
EV drivers have no right to complain about the state of the roads as they pay no road user charges. Because EVs are very heavy they damage the roads more than petrol-driven cars. Neil Hatfull, Warkworth.
On AB discipline
The All Blacks’ performance was hampered with penalties. Penalties result from poor discipline. Poor discipline results from poor leadership. Ian Brady, Titirangi.
On foiled monitors
The fact alone that electronically-monitored lowlifes are regularly foiling police should be an indication that these scumbags should be locked up. Wendy Tighe-Umbers, Parnell.
On donations cap
I wonder if people would be asking for a cap on political donations if it was Labour receiving large amounts to their campaign fund. Mark Young, Ōrewa.
On Trump mugshot
Donald Trump has authorised the use of his police mugshot on merchandising products with the words “Never Surrender”. Churchill would be spinning in his grave. Randal Lockie, Rothesay Bay.
On fireworks risk
With global warming and the wildfires overseas, will our Government ban the sale of fireworks this year? Chris Mann, Mt Albert.
Heather du Plessis-Allan: This hard week a warning to Act and Seymour
David Seymour was absolutely right not to back down and apologise. An apology wasn’t necessary. It confirms he has a backbone and stands by his principles, unlike other political leaders in the house. Labour and Te Pati Maori only made a song and dance about it because they could and it was a welcome (to them) distraction from everything else going on. Neil Y.
Seymour has made a few unusual errors as he appears to have taken his eye off the ball with thinking ahead, rather than the present. He needs to start thinking and expressing himself like a government leader in waiting, rather than an opposition MP attack method. He is looking more like Winston at the moment. Now is the most important time for Act and Seymour to be on song. Mark I.
He was absolutely correct in criticising the wildly excessive expenditure on the CEO’s departure function. He was absolutely wrong in the Guy Fawkes analogy. The Pasifika community is generally not so advantaged in our country and definitely not pandered to as others are. Ralph H.
Time to stick to your policies for the next few weeks, Mr Seymour, and leave playing the man to the Labour Party who are expert in this field. If we have to have a ministry for Pacific people living in NZ, why not have separate ministries for all the other ethnic groups that call NZ home. We also have a ministry for women but no ministry for men which shows another imbalance. People I have spoken to agree with DS but say now is not the time to give other parties an opening. David S.
The pause in aid affects health, education, and tourism marketing.