Letter of the week: Rob Buchanan, Kerikeri
Along with investigative journalists, who bravely ferret out incriminating stories, the world needs to praise the young freedom fighters who tackle incumbent dictators and bullies leading countries where the military and police are armed, loaded and ready to shoot.
Currently, courageous opposition parties in Russia
and Uganda are battling intimidation and detention for wanting free speech, fair elections and the right to investigate corruption and no doubt the murky finances of governments whose expiry date is long overdue.
Yoweri Museveni and Vladimir Putin are two of these leaders that have no qualms about illegally detaining, or poisoning or maiming or silencing opposition led by popular people, Bobi Wine and Alexei Navalny.
Little countries like New Zealand can and should make bigger noises and be respected for that global concern at the same time.
Vehicle for change
Simon Wilson concluded his excellent four-part series (Weekend Herald, January 30) on our future prosperity as a nation and how inextricably it is tied to the welfare of our planet.
In the same edition, we have four broadsheet pages advertising an expensive off-road vehicle utterly unsuitable for day-to-day use on New Zealand roads, using visuals from a time and place appropriate to another continent last century.
How do we as a nation come to terms with sustainability and climate change in the 2020s and permit this extravagant indulgence? We can only hope that a future-focused Government will further promote electric/PHEV vehicles and phase out fantasy, macho dream machines that belong to another age.
Peter Smith, Devonport.
Oranga iho nui
In these challenging times, it was so encouraging to read the excellent articles by Simon Wilson (Weekend Herald, January 30) and Liam Dann.
The two journalists complemented each other splendidly in referencing the new Productivity Commission head Ganesh Nana and the Kate Raworth concept of "Doughnut Economics".
Oxford economist Raworth is championing this new economic model but I prefer the circular Māori version with its focus on the longer-term towards providing the same opportunity for all of humanity to thrive and for ecology to regenerate. I was also heartened by Wilson's apparent endorsement, when writing about Judith Collins, of a potential New Zealand cross-party accord to address much-needed reforms in general.
Brian Griffiths, Warkworth.
Party poopers
I see (Weekend Herald, January 30) Auckland Transport is going to turn parts of Queen St into a pedestrian mall with public seating and shade trees.
If what happened in a similar situation in Henderson a few years back is anything to go by this decision will turn out to be a real disaster, as in time, the birds in very large numbers discovered these trees. Birds being birds they defecate to such an extent that the seating and ground beneath were covered in bird poo.
The council persevered for a couple of years before coming to the conclusion that the birds would never leave and the only thing to do was to cut down the offending trees leaving a desolate barren plaza which no one enjoys.
AT, you have been warned.
Ross Harvey, Remuera.
Sailing on
Thank you for your great article "making waves" (Weekend Herald, January 30).
I was in Fremantle, Western Australia during the America's Cup racing and, with other Kiwis, managed to enjoy everything every day.
However, your article has shown another side to Sir Michael, and his many challenges for such a long time.
Thanks to him we now have another opportunity to show our prowess on the water - this time in our own backyard. Good luck all you guys and girls who are part of the racing which is so enjoyable to watch.
Margaret Ellis, Northland.
