Braking news
The Minister of Transport is proposing increasing the speed limit between Ōrewa and Warkworth to 110km/h, citing productivity and economic development.
The distance between these two points is about 30km. Travelling at a constant 100km/h the journey will take 18 minutes, travelling at a constant 110km/h the saving in time is less than two minutes.
I would be very interesting to know how much such a saving will benefit the economy, especially when heavy vehicles will still, presumably, be restricted to 90km/h.
Greg Cave, Sunnyvale.
Teen mental health
Psychiatrist Dr Ian Soosay’s opinion piece on how to tackle the decline in youth mental health (NZ Herald, Aug 27) raises some distressing issues.
He is clearly a dedicated physician who has worked tirelessly to improve the mental health of our young people in Aotearoa. But he wonders why the New Zealand public is so pessimistic about this issue.
Surely Dr Soosay must be aware of the reasons for our pessimism when over half of all New Zealanders aged 15-24 experience anxiety and depression, and a 2022/2023 New Zealand health survey found that even though our young people experience high mental health needs the percentage who can’t access support when they need it has risen by 77%.
His comprehensive research for the Lancet Psychiatry Commission summarises what is needed to improve these appalling statistics. The report emphasises that the way we live now, (social media, isolation, economic impacts, and climate change), has influenced how our children cope and how they feel about life.
Cross-party consensus and a desire to make a difference by policymakers hasn’t made a difference over successive governments, and our much-lauded service innovations mean little if we’re unable to treat children whose wait times for treatment are literally the difference between life and death.
Dr Soosay’s recommendations contain one alarming but necessary word: expensive. We must face the reality that an effective integration across agencies on a national scale is, as he suggests, a 10-year plan.
There are no instant and cheap fixes here, but if we’re serious about this country’s future, then we must be serious about our future generation’s mental health.
Mary Hearn, Glendowie.
Pity a pensioner
Rates and insurances for my property and car will top $10,000 this year or $192 per week.
My (winter-time) universal Super is $433 per week. Just as well my home is mortgage-free. Are there any tips out there to save on power, gas, new tyres for the car, doctors’ bills, food prices, entertainment, phone and internet, sports and club subscriptions or do we just have to go without them unless we have managed to save up half a million for retirement?
With the miserable wages on offer in this country that will be a struggle for most. Business and political leaders just don’t get it.
Henry Ford realised that if his workers couldn’t afford to buy the cars he made he would be in trouble. For me this is basic economics. Still, there is always Australia – and the weather is better.
Paul Cheshire, Maraetai.
Government bill
When ratepayers get their council rates bill it seems to be a lot. Particularly when they see or are reminded about various “vanity” projects being undertaken.
These same council ratepayers are also taxpayers. And they don’t know all the hidden ways they are paying for central government services. They might be paying income tax, GST on everything they buy, fuel tax on their vehicle use, contributing to dividends paid by government-owned energy companies, paying various government fees etc.
The list goes on as to the various and gradual ways the government collects its money. If the government sent each person a bill each year for all their contributions to government income and services, like councils do, such transparency might cause an outcry.
But might there still be those who want more people (other than themselves) to pay more?
Bruce Anderson, St Heliers.
Council benefits
While Christopher Luxon’s somewhat scathing (but accurate) comments regarding the use of ratepayers’ money by mayors and councillors was obviously welcomed and endorsed by many, it must be remembered that the government is also responsible for local government shortfalls.
The Government does not pay rates on its properties. It does however expect local government to provide safe roads, footpaths, collect their rubbish, and so forth. The properties have the benefits without the responsibilities.
Ian Doube, Rotorua.
