ACT New Zealand MP David Seymour entered the End of Life Choice Bill into the private member's bill ballot in October 2015. File photo / Mark Mitchell
It appears the End of Life Choice Bill on euthanasia, which has been in the too-hard basket for some time, is finally up for some action in Parliament. Care Alliance, comprising most of the professional caregivers and charities, has lobbied against it with its own statistics, while
New Zealand First's Winston Peters wants a referendum. Advocates like Grey Power and Age Concern might be reluctant to query their members because of a sensitivity split, but the members might want to register their wishes. Recognised polls have included the country as a whole rather than target the elderly, who would seem most concerned and would be an easily defined sector to identify for polling. This kind of poll could be demonstrably accurate. In the meantime, we get inserts in the mail almost daily announcing the opening of another paradise retirement village where all can enjoy their increasing disabilities until they get too painful.
Anne Wilks, Devonport.
Dennis Horne (NZ Herald, June 17) quotes the IPCC (an internationally government appointed group of scientists, which in itself makes it a dubious source) as authority on a coming mini ice age. He may not be aware that there is an equally qualified group of scientists and experts set up (the NIPCC) with no axe to grind or vested interests whose sole purpose is to check and test the IPCC findings. The results are, in many instances, at odds with the IPCC findings. As a further authority, and in my view the most reliable, are the Nasa scientists as they have the best satellite equipment measuring temperatures available in our outer atmosphere which are already recording highly unusual record cold temperatures as result (predicted by Russian scientists) of the loss of magnetic and solar activity on our sun which began as far back as 2014 and mimics the minimum maunder effect of 1650 to 1710 which triggered a mini ice age. The results, when you sum up the premier authorities on the possibilities of a mini ice age, are at 40 per cent and, according to Nasa, we will know one way or another by the end of 2020.
Gary Hollis, Mellons Bay.
The Act Party wants to remove legislation banning hateful speech directed at other people (NZ Herald, June 17). But in New Zealand, under the existing laws, as of 2018 only one criminal prosecution has ever been brought for language deemed likely to incite ill will or hostility against a racial or ethnic minority. That was in 1979. What is Seymour's problem – one prosecution in nearly 40 years yet he wants to remove any legislation altogether? Talk about tilting at windmills.
Susan Grimsdell, Auckland Central.
So, before its expensive rebranding, ACT stood primarily for large tax cuts for high income earners. And after it, ACT stands for large tax cuts for high income earners. This against the background that most developed economies have a more redistributive tax system, higher incomes, and higher productivity than New Zealand.
Sir Michael Cullen, Ohope.
Once again we have a study which concludes that obesity is linked to poverty (NZ Herald, June 17).
If this were the case why was there not more obesity during the depression or in poor countries? The inconvenient truth is that poverty and obesity are caused by the same thing, poor life choices.
For example, eating takeaway food is fattening and expensive compared to a meal of meat and three vege. Unfortunately the latter takes time and effort to prepare which some of us can't be bothered with.
While we continue to ignore this truth, the situation will not improve.
D Adams, Mt Albert.
Before film director James Cameron sets about ridding the planet of ruminant based meat and dairy production he should at least understand the ruminant methane cycle.
Methane from ruminants cycles from the animal through the atmosphere to carbon dioxide and back to pasture via photosynthesis ready to be eaten again in approximately 12 years.
The sheep meat industry today produces more product from far less stock than in 1990, which makes many sheep farmers the equivalent of carbon zero for methane.
Unlike the aviation industry, which continues to increase the amount of carbon dioxide emissions it spews into the atmosphere, all to remain there for around one thousand years.
Cameron is free to refuse our low carbon intensity lambs. The choice is his. All the more for other people.
Maybe he should put his fertile imagination to work figuring out how to move between his homes in New Zealand and the USA without the associated large carbon dioxide footprint.
Maybe he could harness up an Avatar or two?
Jim Walker, Waimiha.
John Roughan (NZ Herald, June 17) doesn't know who his real friends are. All the people who travel by means other than cars are doing him a favour. He should be glad to pay them not to drive their cars so that he can. Don't be such a Grinch, John, it's cheap at any price.
Martin Ball, Kelston.
A family member had to leave her beautifully renovated brick and tile home in the Bay of Plenty for work in Auckland. This house is now rented through a property manager. It seems that every fortnight the tenants find something else that needs doing. A simple thing like replacing a fuse wire (provided) is beyond either the tenant or property manager who is getting well reimbursed for her job.
Looking at the figures, I would say that the return on this property is a minus.
With all the new rules and regulations leaning heavily in the tenant's favour, I can see in the very near future, a lot of landlords being so disillusioned that they will leave the rental market and find other ways of making their hard-earned capital work for them.
Linda Lang, Henderson.
Two cost-effective measures to reduce the carnage on the roads are:
One, improve the abysmal state of road markings, particularly in rural areas. Note the picture in the Herald June 14 - head on collision on a blind corner with a dotted white line. How many other accidents show the same thing? We need more double yellow lines before and around corners. Locals may know the road, but a tourist or others driving at night could assume it's safe to overtake where there a dotted white line. This will assist drivers to make better decisions, particularly at night.
Two, cellphone use while driving - confiscate the phone, plus a $500 fine. An $80 fine is pathetic.
Dr Graham Irving, Ohope.
Like letter writers Tony Berg and Peter Slocum (NZ Herald, June 14 & 17), I have been donating whole blood since 1964. In the early days after donating, we were issued with iron tablets. With my O negative blood being in demand and living in Onehunga then One Tree Hill, I would often get a phone call to urgently donate blood for an unborn child's transfusion. However, now I'm over 71 (an odd cut off number) I'm told that as I take iron tablets, my blood is no longer needed so goodbye 1002515. Also no letter of thanks or any show of appreciation for over 55 years of more than 220 donations.
Don Park, Onehunga.
I can confirm Brian McDonnell's timeline for the CAB building (NZ Herald, June 18).
In 1965 as a 15-year-old, I got a temporary Christmas holiday job through a manpower firm working at the CAB site. I was operating a screw thread cutting machine to extend the threads on all the 1" diameter bolts being used to hold the building's steelwork together.
My vivid memory is that I could see the Town Hall clock from my work position. I watched every minute of the day slowly pass as I put bolt after bolt through this machine.
I could also watch the elderly Chinese gentlemen in the old houses, still at the lower end of Grey's Avenue, hanging their meat strips out in the sun to mature.
Our world has certainly changed.
Rhys Morgan, Northcote Point.
On nurses
One word: Benchmark!
Mike Wells, Kawerau.
On obesity
There has to be another carrot stick sweetener to deal with obesity other than barking or squeaking at colonialism.
Justine Adams, Ohope Beach.
On cannabis
Opinions about cannabis are as pointless as opinions about global warming.
Andrew Montgomery, Remuera.
On Hisco
Apparently, ANZ Bank chairman Sir John Key attributes the behaviour of the chief executive to "ill health". Does he mean in body, or the illness of greed?
Kenneth Lees, Whangārei.
It is disappointing that the old boys' network is still alive and kicking in 2019 and that this entitled man leaves without having to repay his customers.
Mary Tallon, Morningside.
First Mainzeal now ANZ. Who started this belief that politicians are capable of running a company?
Pim Venecourt, Torbay.
On Napier-Wairoa rail
Can someone please explain why this now usable rail line will lie idle for three months?
Derek Mills, Waihi.
On Cameron
James Cameron seems to be unaware that New Zealand is a great place to live because of our farming sector.
C C McDowall, Rotorua.
Thirty-six recruits re-sat psychometric tests without the six-month stand down.