Protection for the weaker party
Simon Wilson’s opinion piece (May 21) states a concept so fundamentally obvious it deserves to be repeated: “Rules reinforce the authority of those who make them.”
This coin has two sides. Rules will only be accepted by both if they fairly protect the weaker party.
I wonder what the residents of the likes of Ukraine, Gaza, Southern Sudan, Haiti, Mali, Yemen and Myanmar think about rules?
Nigel Meek, Raglan.
As bad as Question Time?
The scales of justice in Parliament are lopsided to say the least, as Simon Wilson points out. This is a Westminister system and, although we have our own Treaty, what allowance was made for Māori culture when governing the country?
As a long-time viewer of Question Time, with its insults and untruths flung backward and forward, the haka was akin to a Sunday picnic.
Reg Dempster, Albany.
Entrenchment of power
Simon Wilson, well done brother. I’m not the only whitey who understands Parliament’s rules entrench power.
Steve Russell, Hillcrest.
All just theatre
If Te Pāti Māori MPs want to be performance artists, then perhaps they should join their local amateur theatre society.
C.C. McDowall, Rotorua.
Speed limits not too low
Recent publicity of the slow relative speeds of New Zealand traffic by international standards ignores the obvious ... that higher speeds kill.
There are many of our open mainly rural roads where speed limit reductions are entirely warranted.
Any impression given that our speed limits are too low is a misplaced and dangerous presumption.
Larry Mitchell, Rothesay Bay.
Deal for doctors
In order to become a fully qualified primary school teacher in the 1960s, I was required to sign a bond/contract for five years.
Part of this requirement was to teach in a “country school” for one of those years.
Would a similar system not work for overseas doctors wishing to practise in New Zealand? After a period of “supervised” retraining, the commitment to practise in a country area would solve several of our current problems.
Sheryl Wales, Fairview Heights.
The trouble with trickle-down
Reputable economists, here and overseas, have pointed out that there are many anomalies in our system of taxation which are contributing to our soaring inequality and poverty.
There is no shortage of wealth in this country, but it’s not fairly distributed. That is why we must face the fact that our regressive tax system needs major reform.
While low-paid workers are denied living wages and pay steep taxes on their meagre incomes, wealthy landlords and big business are subsidised with low taxes while they splurge on travel and luxury houses.
We need a society where children are well-fed and well-housed and where their parents receive decent wages.
Trickle-down is a myth, and current tax settings are a recipe for a broken society.
Vivien Fergusson, Mt Eden.
Slight easing of blockade
Israel has minimally eased the almost three-month-long total blockade of aid into Gaza. It previously denied there was a humanitarian crisis. Is that because it does not regard Gaza’s inhabitants as human beings?
In any case, according to Benjamin Netanyahu, a negligible amount of aid is being allowed in out of “practical and diplomatic” considerations, now that Israel’s “friends”, such as the United Kingdom, are finally growing squeamish.
Michael Rovers, Laingholm.
What are our leaders thinking?
The situation in Gaza is disastrous, dangerous and beyond being deplorable.
We are seeing images of children, waiting at food delivery points with their small containers. The kids are all skinny, some just 5 or 6 years old. They are the same age as my granddaughter.
Why are we allowing Gaza’s people to suffer so much? Why are Gaza’s children starving and slowly succumbing to malnutrition?
I don’t know what the world leaders are thinking.
Kanwal Grewal, Hamilton.
Thanks Westlake
One does not often read of the good things that our young people do in the community.
Westlake Girls and Boys High Schools are to be congratulated, their Music of the Lake concert was outstanding. The talent of such a large group of students is to be commended, and the teachers are to be recognised for the time they give to these young people.
Thank you students and teachers at Westlake.
Jan Ellin, Milford.
