This was different because there is much more at stake perhaps, the future of Māori as a race. The adversaries to the Treaty Principles Bill should be acknowledged for their boisterous but dignified actions in Parliament and similarly to the huge gathering of the hīkoi.
Christopher Luxon has the power to send this bill back to the House and end it – if he has any sense, he will do so.
Reg Dempster, Albany.
Stupid driver questions
Re “Grieving son blasts cops’ medical role” (HoS, Nov 17). It is so tragic that the effect of taking Doug Domigan’s driver licence made him commit suicide that same day he received his cancellation in the mail. It ruined his life solely after a minor accident, after he had held a driver’s licence for well over 60 years.
I really hope the investigation puts the blame exactly where it should be.
However, very sadly, there is another huge area where suicide could occur after older people lose their licence ridiculously. To renew their licence every two years they need to answer many stupid questions such as naming animals or groceries in a very short timeframe.
Driving a car is real life and freedom to visit friends, to exercise, go shopping and go on holidays etc. These questions have absolutely no reflection on your driving abilities. Hence Grey Power is objecting very strongly to stop the verbal test continuing. If it succeeds, it is very likely it will save many lives in New Zealand.
Please fix both these major driving problems this year. We need it now. It makes total, absolute lifesaving effect.
Murray Hunter, Titirangi.
Evoking woke
Well now, I never thought I would see the day that I would agree with Heather du Plessis-Allan. But she is right when she says that those on the right love simplistic solutions to complex questions (HoS, Nov 17).
To which I would add they are also quick to dismiss an argument they have no response to with a derisive name. Don’t believe me?
Then ask yourself, how many times over the past five years have you heard the word “woke” and on what side of the political divide was the person who uttered it?
John Capener, Kawerau.
Seismic rift
David Seymour’s bill attempting to ride roughshod over 180 years of a founding treaty and our history, without even talking to tangata whenua or the 40-plus King’s Counsels, illustrates what he thinks of our constitution.
To then criticise the haka, an expression that says more than words – a challenge well respected worldwide – shows his blinkered stance by saying it can’t happen again.
You could equally well and quite justifiably say his bill, so contemptuous of Māori, should never have made it into the coalition agreement and should never have had a first reading.
I respect the Māori stance. The challenge – read it a second time at your peril. You know what will happen again. This time the bill will finally be torn in two for good, but meantime it is causing a seismic rift between us all.
Steve Russell, Hillcrest.
Dance culture
In view of the haka recently being performed in the House of Representatives, I would like to ask the following question.
Is it okay for this pale, stale and male person to be allowed to arrange a morris dance in the House?
Or maybe even perform one at the local marae or wharenui? Then claim it is part of my culture to do this when I want to.
Given what has happened recently, I can only guess it would give no offence to anyone in New Zealand.
Not even Lorde can object.
Michael Walker, Blockhouse Bay.
Ghost of Trump
Apparently, tens of thousands of Americans registered on NZ immigration websites in the days after Donald Trump’s election victory.
However, maybe these people should do their homework before committing themselves to coming here. Upon arrival they could be confronted with another ageing right-wing politician like Trump in the form of a grinning Winston Peters, perhaps even waving a SuperGold Card, to show his magnanimous attitude towards all persons elderly.
Peters will then possibly try to explain to the bemused immigrants how he became one of the more powerful people in this country of ours with just over 6% of the vote in the last election and without even holding an electorate.
With this in mind, shouldn’t they be wary that the ghost of Trump is not embedded in the spirit of Winston Peters? Or will they be impressed enough with Peters and feel New Zealand has rampant geriatrics under control and feel confident that New Zealand is the country of their dreams?
Bernard Walker, Mount Maunganui.
Kids and pubs
While Michael Walker’s letter “Grow up Aotearoa” (HoS, Nov 10) doesn’t say what part of the UK he visited, it’s hard to believe the pub would serve alcohol to 13-year-old children even if they were with a parent, grandparent or guardian who told the bar staff they were buying it for a minor.
It’s also hard to believe at that time of the day, most of the people in the pub were teachers from his granddaughter’s school.
That would mean the teachers leave the school as soon as the “home time” bell rings and rush down to the pub. Sounds like a good idea, though.
Approaching his granddaughter’s teacher, who happened to be in the pub, to have an “informal PTA meeting” with her regarding a subject the child was having difficulty with was intrusive, and in reality I very much doubt the teacher appreciated the discussion.
In New Zealand I’d imagine one of the quickest ways to clear a pub where teachers go to have a drink and unwind would be for parents, with or without their child in tow, to bail up their teacher for an informal PTA meeting.
However, I do agree with Walker’s comment: “Handled correctly, alcohol is not a bad thing at all.”
Lorraine Kidd, Warkworth.
