Horticultural hazard
Foot and mouth is a very serious, highly infectious, incurable, viral disease that affects cloven-hooved animals. Sheep, cattle, pigs, deer, and goats.
Presently there is a serious outbreak in Bali, where hundreds of New Zealanders
travel each year, and where livestock can roam around free. With the virus within minuscule animal droppings on the street, humans can unknowingly pick up the infection on their footwear, and clothing. It can then very easily be bought back to this country.
Few people, except farmers, seem to understand the seriousness of this potential disaster. The Government should consider immediately banning any travel between Bali and New Zealand. Anyone returning from now on should also be vetted thoroughly by quarantine staff, discarding footwear or being cleaned with virus-destroying chemicals.
This is one of the most important potential catastrophes in NZ's history. It must be acted upon immediately.
Dr Hylton Le Grice, Remuera.
Here's an example
Rod Lyons (NZ Herald, July 19) writes that he cannot recall a major project in New Zealand over the past 20 years which has been completed on time or within budget.
Can I refer him to the duplication of the Mangere Bridge and widening of State Highway 20 from 2009 to 2011? This project was completed on time and within a multimillion-dollar budget. It won many local and international awards and has made a huge difference to traffic to and from the airport and its environs.
I am proud to have been part of the team that delivered such an excellent outcome.
Peter Brooks, Mairangi Bay.
Tax excised
Fred Jones seems to have assumed (NZ Herald, July 19) that fuel tax is calculated as a percentage of the retail price, like GST. He, therefore, concludes that the 25 cent cut represents only half of the extra tax collected as the retail price has jumped.
However, fuel tax is an excise tax. It is applied as a fixed amount per litre of petrol, similarly to alcohol and tobacco taxes.
Increases in market prices do not cause increases in excise taxes. Of course, GST increases with the market price, but by nowhere near as much as the amounts suggested.
Rowan Hill, Mt Eden.
Continued presence
John Minto's recent attack on Israel (NZ Herald, July 13) lacks foundation.
Archaeology and definitions of indigeneity confirm Jews are tangata whenua to Israel. The Jewish people have had an unbroken presence in the land, including directly prior to the rebirth of Israel. We have expressed through our prayers, teachings and songs a desire to return there since at least the time the Romans expelled the Jews from Jerusalem in 70AD.
Masafer Yetta was declared a military training ground in the early 1980s. There had not been any permanent settlement on this land. Those who had dwelled there tended to be nomadic Bedouin passing through the area. The High Court decision on Masafer Yetta was made due to proof from historical photos that no villages or buildings have been in the area, meaning its residents" arrived after the IDF closed off the area for military use, thereby debunking that its "long-standing residents were evicted from the land".
Rob Berg, president, Zionist Federation of NZ.
Call for support
Thanks are due for publishing John Minto's alert (NZ Herald, July 13) to Israel's aggressive colonisation, which is proceeding largely unseen by most people. What is happening in Masafer Yatta is a possible precursor to wide-scale annexation in the West Bank.
This latest decision by the Israeli Supreme Court enables a population of over 1000 Palestinians to be expelled.
Successive governments here and abroad waffle on about being committed to a just and lasting peace for Israelis and Palestinians alike as if they were equal partners with equivalent power.
Come on Kiwis – lend your support to the Palestinians and let your MP know where you stand.
Janfrie Wakim, Epsom.
Naked city
Two things stood out in a news clip of mayor Phil Goff and, I presume, some of his councillors proudly walking Queen Street's new boulevard.
Firstly, there was no one else in it and, secondly, the day before we read (NZ Herald, July 18) of a worker who feared crossing it for being mugged.
All of which reminded me of the Hans Christian Andersen fable, the moral of which was no one believes but everyone believes that everyone believes.
Gary Hollis, Mellons Bay.
Cowboy capital
In my youth we enthusiastically watched lots of cowboy films: the characters, both male and female, drew their guns and shot each other at the drop of a stetson. Baddies would ride into town and shoot up the saloon bar.
But it didn't occur to us to use real guns on each other or terrorise our neighbourhoods. So why is Auckland becoming like 19th century Dodge City? I don't think violent movies are the cause.
Anne Martin, Helensville.
Over a barrel
I was aghast to read your headline in (NZ Herald, July 19) confirming gun crimes in Auckland had reached 109 incidents in May alone.
This is not the Auckland I remember from my superb visit to your beautiful country in 1992 and brings into question the effectiveness of New Zealand's strict gun laws.
These gun crimes must be extremely worrying for residents in Auckland on their doorstep.
Dennis Forbes Grattan, Aberdeen, Scotland.
Heritage departures
Niall Robertson's article (NZ Herald, 19 July) regarding the Resource Management Amendment Act 2021 was pure common sense.
It is unbelievable that the four political parties who contributed to the dictates dare to profess any interest in a green agenda.
Current council heritage proposals actually exclude many heritage homes on the grounds that they are not in original condition.
An assessment of individual properties was undertaken by the council and, where heritage houses had been renovated to include extensions or where garages had been built on the road frontage, points were deducted for each departure ( from a possible six). This despite all renovations having been careful to maintain character. This score then contributed to the local zoning determination.
Even if the council manages to persuade the government to let them protect the areas they have deemed heritage, many heritage properties will not be afforded that same protection.
Chris Chrystall, Epsom.
Down town
I had cause to walk down Queen St last weekend and was shocked at the disgusting place it has become. At 2pm, folk were sleeping in blankets: stuff was strewn all around: rubbish: empty shops; and filth like I had never seen before.
Intimidatingly, folk were demanding money from passers-by; folk obviously under the influence of something and no enforcement authority in sight.
I now understand why people won't go to the city, it has become a slum and a very unsafe place to be.
What has happened to this once beautiful city? How has the mayor let it lapse to this state and leave it as his legacy?
Nickie Frye, Pt Chevalier
Farming practices
Country Calendar has been a favourite programme in many New Zealand homes for years, so it was disappointing to hear of the critical comments that some viewers have been posting online.
Farmers should be applauded, not criticised, for developing different practices to benefit their animals.
The people with closed minds who want farming to remain as it was decades ago and don't want to see new ways of doing things have two options, use the remote to change channels or turn the TV off.
Lorraine Kidd, Warkworth.
Short & sweet
On democracy
Perhaps the Government has forgotten the definition of democracy is "a system of government by the whole population or all the eligible members of a state, through elected representatives". Ian Doube, Rotorua.
On boxing
Surely there are other ways to raise money apart from people bashing each other? Mark Young, Ōrewa.
On inflation
There is only one way to lower the cost of living and that is to improve productivity. The difficulty is in sharing the gains. Ross Robertson, Drury.
On Uvalde
That terrified teacher screaming "Get in your rooms!" says it all. People having guns in highly charged, awful situations do not make anyone safer, even in "redneck" Texas. John Mellor, Pāremoremo.
On supermarkets
It is bad enough having to deal with inflationary grocery prices without having to be alert to pricing anomalies at the checkout. In three recent instances, had I not been vigilant, I would be seriously out of pocket. Ray Gilbert, Papamoa Beach.
On mayor
Auckland does not need Leo Molloy as its mayor, but it does deserve him. C C McDowall, Rotorua.
The Premium Debate
Will Grant Robertson realise fiscal spending is inflationary?
Someone order Milton Friedman's book for him. He'll learn that inflation is created through the tsunami of money printed by governments in the UK, Europe, the US and Robertson's own efforts with his government credit card. John W.
He either doesn't know what drives inflation or he does know and doesn't care and will do anything to keep hold of power... even if that means sinking New Zealand. I seriously don't know which option is more scary. Emma C.
Is it possible they know exactly that spending fuels inflation? But they like it because as the price/wage spiral goes up, the value of funds of those who saved (albeit on low wages) erodes whilst high consumer prices yield more tax revenue which can be redistributed by the Government to low-income earners, beneficiaries, i.e Labour voters. It is taxation by stealth. Once again foresight and performance seem to be disincentivised and dependency rewarded. Wolf T.
There is no evidence suggesting that Government relief at the pump is contributing to inflation. The argument isn't even logical; not all spending is inflationary. Those that can't afford to fill up aren't driving inflation; they have cut way back on consumption. Helping these people is unlikely to drive demand to even 2021 levels. As for those with inflation-proof incomes/wealth, a discount at the pump isn't going to affect their consumption. Many businesses have blamed transport costs for their myriad price hikes to their consumers, despite these price hikes not aligning with their real bottom lines. Rebecca B.
The law of demand is a fundamental principle of economics that states that at a higher price consumers will demand a lower quantity of a good. So, the Government removal of the fuel tax means that more will be purchased at a lower price than if it had been at a higher price. Increased demand equals increased inflationary pressure on the price.Thus, removing the fuel tax is not helping the big picture in New Zealand. Viv W.