A slide into insurrection
Simon Wilson (NZ Herald, February 15) is on the button with his analysis of the current Wellington protest occupation. He rightly highlights the concerning link to far-right organisations, both local and international.
Yet there is no clear or overarching leadership with whom mediators can negotiate a resolution.
This is no "ordinary" protest. It is a mixed bag, seemingly united only in promoting self-centred and self-serving protestations, with more than a little touch of anarchist anti-establishment sentiment. A clutch of dissidents, a vocal minority, voicing petulant objections to mandates, the vaccine, or whatever else they perceive as infringing their imagined right to do as they please.
Since when are peaceful protests in our country accompanied by internationally phoned-in threats to private businesses and citizens, warning them to not take legitimate action as requested by lawful authorities? Is the widely respected right to protest here being honoured, or is it being abused? When, I wonder, does such protest slide into an insurrection? What then?
G. D. Pratt. Waiheke Island
An embarrassment
The Speaker of Parliament is our third-ranked individual behind the Governor-General and Prime Minister. The Speaker has traditionally had the supreme task of upholding the dignity of Parliament. As a consequence, it has always adopted a position of being above politics and continuing neutrality in all situations,
The present Speaker, Rt Hon Trevor Mallard is the first person in NZ's history to deviate from this honoured and respected stance. His biased conduct on several occasions over the last four years was such that the Prime Minister was asked to seek his resignation - but he survived.
Mallard's present childish and embarrassing behaviour concerning the protesters at Parliament has, however, broken all accepted rules. This time he most certainly must resign. Serious matters require deep thought.
Hylton Le Grice, Remuera.
Duty of law
While observing the antics of the demonstrators outside Parliament, I have been amazed at just how restrained the police have been.
Contrast the behaviour of the police to their actions when the Springboks toured in 1981. To reinforce the rule of law at that time the police attacked demonstrators. People were hurt and maimed and there were many court cases.
This time though the demonstrators are intimidating people and they have created a public nuisance as well as trespassing.
I was also astonished by the remarks of one aggressive lady who stated that her partner was out of her life because they had chosen to get a booster shot. She has demanded her right to demonstrate but, seemingly, she has denied her partner the right to choose to have a booster shot.
Johann Nordberg, Paeroa.
Goodwill hunting
"That which is not good for the beehive cannot be good for the bees" - Marcus Aurelius.
Any politician who delights in spraying children and babies with water (including their parents) looks Machiavellian.
I had hoped that the Commissioner for Children would have made a plea for mercy on their behalf. Similarly, it is unacceptable for schoolchildren to be jeered at for wearing masks, as they are necessary for prophylaxis, so is hand hygiene.
Street congestion caused by adult protesters is also unacceptable. Clearly, "all wrongs never make one right".
It is manifestly clarion that there is a thread of despair running through New Zealand, Aotearoa at the moment. Misery loves company and it can draw people from all walks of life united in a common cause of suffering.
Progress is impossible without change and I think the public is entitled to an estimated time of delivery when the borders will reopen and finally when the mandates will be lifted, albeit consequentially.
A dose of reassurance, goodwill and communication might just help this nation to heal.
E. Smith, Henderson.
Basic economics
It is unsurprising that Peter Davis argues the merits of the Labour Government's proposal on unemployment insurance. It does have merit but it is very costly.
Ironic, therefore, that on the next page economist David Schnauer gives a basic economic lesson on the inconvenient truth that governments cannot proceed with every good proposal. They simply do not have enough money.
Therefore, they must choose those which give the most overall benefit and which can be funded within the available resources.
The employment insurance scheme will cost $3 billion. How many deaths could be averted and lives could be improved if that $3b were to be spent on our creaking health system? What benefits would accrue if it were invested in education? What needs to be shelved to afford the $10b-plus light rail?
You don't need a degree in economics to understand that we are only being told half the story. You just need common sense.
Peter Donnelly, West Harbour.
