General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party Xi Jinping. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has raised concerns with China over a doctored image insulting Australia. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Exposing concerns over "Five Eyes" obligations (NZ Herald November 30) alerts the public to dangers of this secretive agency.
"At issue is not the condemnation of China, which has been widespread globally and individually by each of the Five Eyes partners.." writes Audrey Young, but the way it
is used as a political vehicle without NZ public debate.
The Labour government must exercise diplomatic bravery to serve our "highest national interest".
We risk ridicule from "our friends" and allies, who operate in the old combative, wargame mindset and we may ruffle the feathers of trading partners, regarded as "enemies" by our friends. However, both clubs still listen to reason and can be guided by honesty, goodwill and shared higher common values.
NZ can reserve critical comment for particular policy behaviours, not condemn governments or countries as a whole.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern states: "We do have an independent foreign policy, we do need to raise concerns where we see them and it's absolutely the right of China to then respond to that."
The NZ Government can be kind but firm on human rights with China, and equally principled with the US on our peacemaking, defence and foreign policy.
Laurie Ross, NZ Nuclear Free Peacemaking, Glen Eden.
A great cartoon today (NZ Herald, December 2) by Guy Body. Australian politicians show more concern for China's cartoon of an Australian soldier holding a bayonet to a child's throat than they do for how the murdered Afghan children felt.
The same politicians also have no concern for the fate of their own courageous journalist, Julian Assange, imprisoned for years and now in a Covid-infected prison in Britain for making US war crimes known to the world. Is this "democracy" - suppressing war crimes, imprisoning journalists and whistleblowers?
Australia's politicians are also upset as their economy is suffering, with China withdrawing many of its economic benefits to Australia. It's odd, rationally, that Australian politicians think China should just accept without negative response, the considerable insults and threats Australia dishes out liberally and hypocritically to China.
Australia falsely parading as guardian of justice in the world along with America, must put their houses in order, make meaningful reparations, stop the appalling, unjustified wars they are engaged in.
Kay Weir, Wellington.
There are no "killer" roads in New Zealand. Crashes and deaths happen because of bad driving, loss of concentration and inattention.
Some roads, especially in country areas can be a challenge but the roads themselves don't kill. It is nonsense to say so.
Younger drivers with boom boxes and musical earplugs can't hear alerts nor trains. There are dangerous times on the roads from now on - beware.
Anne Glogowski, Paeroa.
Hamish Rutherford (NZ Herald, December 2) questions where the Government is going with the bright-line test and whether three months after stating that there are no plans to change it, they may in fact be clearing the ground for a U-turn.
For me, when the predictions of economists were that the housing prices would slump and instead they soar, I would expect the Government to change its position.
In fact, they should take immediate action with not only the bright-line test but any other measures they can muster to make housing more affordable, especially for first home buyers.
This may mean new tax imposts on investors and the better off, but so what? How else are we going to address our child poverty and general societal inequities?
Bill Mathews, St Marys Bay.
The current housing crisis is not unique.
At the end of WWII, there was an acute housing shortage in England, mainly due to extensive bomb damage in the London area, and a huge influx of returning servicemen being de-mobbed, all looking for a job and somewhere to live.
The Attlee Labour Government passed the New Towns Act 1946, enabling Development Corporations to be established to develop several self-contained New Towns (each for 60,000 people) in designated areas just outside London to relieve the housing pressure. As a young, recently qualified civil engineer, I worked for one of these organisations for five years in the 1950s, designing and constructing the roading and drainage infrastructure for these new housing estates. We used brick rubble from bombed-out buildings and crushed/broken concrete from disused bomber airfield runways for the road base-course.
There are other, more practical ways of solving a housing crisis, if the Government is bold enough to take the initiative.
Jack Waters, Taupo.
Why all the fuss about paying back the wage subsidy?
When applying for the subsidy, applicants were required to sign a statement stating that they experienced or were likely to experience a 30-40 per cent drop in revenue.
To gauge the accuracy (or honesty) of this information, the IRD can assess each individual's or business' income at their respective annual balance date.
If their turnover (and subsequent profit) was above what was declared, then they would be ordered to repay the subsidy?
Surely this is the commonsense approach?
Steve Hoeft, Pt Chevalier.
The article on retirement villages in need of major reform after 17 years (NZ Herald, December 3) is absolutely true but misses one vital change badly needed to fund other government improvements such as relieving poverty.
In the almost 20 years, Retirement Villages have earned profits of billions of dollars and paid almost no tax on earnings as they cleverly offset expenditure against yearly income and make tax free billions of dollars on the sale of their village homes even after charging rent for six months after the person dies.
This is one area that profit on the sale of their buildings should be hit with the 33 per cent company tax. It is ethically wrong and must be changed. This horrible yearly occurrence far outweighs even the $5m Parnell house buy for the university to allow the occupant to live in her desired Parnell.
Just one example is in just one year for one rest home. In 2018, Metlife Care reported a record $252m profit tax-free by deferring a token $6m tax, not the $83m tax other companies pay.
Murray Hunter, Titirangi .
The departure of Winston Peters from Parliament should not go unheralded. In the course of his long parliamentary career, he has been in government and in opposition.
He has performed with credit in a variety of ministerial positions and has been a worthy representative of us overseas. On the home front, he has been a quiet and sensible advocate for Māori, without being rabid about it.
While NZ First seems to have disappeared without trace, under his leadership it was a political force to be reckoned with. It is probably unlikely that we will see him back in Parliament again but he can retire with the knowledge that whether you agreed with his politics or not, he has earned our respect. Vale Winston
Peter Clapshaw, Remuera.
I was heartened by Rob Elliott (NZ Herald, December 2) questioning our overuse of the word "slammed".
All too often we unthinkingly pounce on the latest buzzword, usually provided first by the advertising industry before reaching epidemic proportions.
Also, are politicians aware of how often they open a sentence with the word "look"?
John Norris, Whangamata.
There is a fundamental flaw in Chris Lonsdale's letter (NZ Herald, December 1) regarding the Erebus crash. It is the same flaw espoused by Air New Zealand and Civil Aviation at the Royal Commission.
How could the safest route to view the American McMurdo Station and New Zealand's Scott Base on Ross Island be through the steam and particulate of an active volcano? The recent eruption of Whakaari/White island without warning highlighted the stupidity of such a route. The US Naval officer in charge of Air Traffic Control at Williams Field (attached to McMurdo Station) called it "palpably absurd" and told Peter Mahon that, had he had known it was the planned route, he would have vetoed it.
At the 40th Anniversary Commemoration Service, both the Prime Minister and the Chair of Air New Zealand acknowledged Mahon was right about the cause of the crash and apologised for their respective organisations' response to the crash.
Aviation safety has advanced thanks to Peter Mahon. That would not be the case if Ron Chippendale had had the last word.
Ian Hambly, Massey.
I have been a frequent critic of most Auckland organisations in recent times — Auckland Transport, Watercare, Ports of Auckland and the council itself.
Today, however, I bit my tongue. My wife and I had reason to attend the council's offices in the city on a dog registration matter.
The young lady receptionist who attended to us was very presentable, courteous and, most importantly, efficient. What we had anticipated to be a long drawn-out affair was all over in 10 minutes. Well done Daniela.
Dennis Ross, Glendowie.
In deciding who will receive vaccinations, both the US and UK are to give priorities to health workers (fair enough) and residents of homes for the elderly (economic stupidity) most of whom will be dead within a year or two.
Let the vaccine go to those contributing to our economy.
John Werry, age 90, Emeritus Professor, Psychological Medicine.
On suppression
Isn't it taking privacy a step too far when the name of the police dog shot in Northland has been given name suppression? Maxine Samson, Whakatane.
On rates
Our bank tells us that we're only going to earn 1 per cent on our savings now (before tax), and our mayor informs us our rates bill will increase by 5 per cent. Shouldn't it be the other way around? B Watkin, Devonport.
On university
Only after public criticism, the University of Auckland acknowledged its spending is extravagant. And now it will pay advisors to review its spending. Not a bright bunch. Anne Butler, Tauranga.
On emergency
Even the Upper Harbour Local Board declared a climate emergency in 2019. Seems the "emergency" has been a long time coming in Wellington. June Kearney, West Harbour.
I confess to being unclear about the declaration of a climate emergency. Hosking (NZ Herald, December 3) panned the idea, and that is enough to convince me it has real merit. Bruce Rogan, Mangawhai Heads.
On reality
Labour cares enough under urgency that you do not succumb to bad drugs at the summer festival. After the festival, you can return to your substandard overpriced rental and abject poverty. Pim Venecourt, Papamoa.
Lorenzo Tangira pleaded guilty to murder today. It was set to be the start of his trial.