Mandate muddle
Last November, the Government imposed mandatory vaccination for all staff working on-site in early childhood centres. Based on public health advice and in the interests of the 100 per cent unvaccinated children who attend
ECE services, these primarily small business owners implemented the mandate at significant cost.
On March 23, the Prime Minister announced the mandate would be lifted at midnight on April 4. Legislation and promised guidance would follow shortly to support affected businesses to implement the shift.
Here we are, two working days out from this significant change. The health order rescinding mandatory vaccination, the updated risk assessment guidance from MBIE, and the updated public health guidance for early childhood from Ministry of Health have not been published.
When the vaccine mandates were introduced, it should have been clear to the Government and officials, that at some stage they would be lifted. Why was the work not done on how businesses would transition to a non-government mandated world?
ECE services, through no fault of their own, are now stuck between parent demands for ongoing vaccination requirements, and exposure to an employment case from staff who oppose vaccination.
Sue Kurtovich, Tauranga.
Inclusive nation
Gary A. Glover's historically accurate letter (NZ Herald, March 30) mentioned in the first sentence the wording "our inclusive, bicultural democracy".
It is my understanding that today, New Zealand/Aotearoa is a multi-cultural democracy and that it could well be in the best interests of multi-ethnic equality that discussions on "co-governance" give priority to "inclusive equality" for each and every one of us.
Many aspects, even provisions, of The Treaty of Waitangi of 1840 must be close to, or have passed, their use-by-date.
It is 2022. Equal rights should be established along with the encouragement, opportunity and ability to come together as one people: New Zealanders.
Richard Ward, Remuera.
Let's talk
The media asked the National Party leader if he would entertain the idea of David Seymour's call for a referendum on co-governance. Christopher Luxon said, "Look I'm not interested in that conversation at this point."
Mr Luxon, you may not be interested in hard conversations but those you hope to represent might be.
I, for one, would like a better understanding of what co-governance entails and what democratic rights we may be losing.
Let's have that national conversation now; no pun intended.
Wendy Clark, Pukekohe.
Food for thought
Good nutrition doesn't just lead to better learning. Learning can not take place when mood is unpredictable. Good mental health begins at the dinner table.
Health dollars would make more impact when the nutritional status is initially assessed. Simple blood tests can be taken for coeliac disease and intolerances.
New Zealand needs an effective provocative neutralising allergy clinic such as those available in London now dealing with long Covid. Vaccines are used with less scepticism.
Schools and prisons could reintroduce cooking lessons.
It's not all in the mind.
Julienne S. Law, Snells Beach.
Power shock
I have just received my new electricity rates from Mercury and I am flabbergasted.
My daily rate has increased from 33.33 cents a day to 66.66 cents a day, a whopping 100 per cent increase. How can it possibly justify such a huge increase?
If I sign up for a year Mercury will give me a $5 discount but that still equates to a 50 per cent increase. No doubt all the electricity companies will be slamming their customers with similar increases. Is this what is referred to as price gouging?
Surely this huge increase warrants an investigation by the Commerce Commission?
Jock Mac Vicar, Hauraki.
Oily relations
The widely touted climate crisis has indeed produced some weird bedfellows during this Ukraine war. Europe proudly proclaims its sanctions on Putin yet quietly continues to spend over $US1.1 billion a day on his oil and gas; thus propping up his military while still refusing to develop its own fossil fuels lest it angers the IPCC.
UK charity Save the Children is so afraid of offending Greta and the climate kids that it piously rejects a £750,000 donation for bombed Ukrainian kids because it was offered by a North Sea natural gas producer.
Meanwhile, Biden self-righteously wages his own war on US oil production, fracking and pipeline projects and has vigorously discouraged domestic production since gaining power; yet now happily cuddles up to rogue regimes in Venezuela and Saudi Arabia and seeks rapprochement with Iran, pleading for more of their oil.
Putin may indeed be despicable but surely the hypocrisy of the climate-obsessed West is not far behind.
Alastair Brickell, Whitianga.
Bio fools
Front page news (NZ Herald, March 28) reported a biofuels mandate is to be introduced by the Government. This is simply more shallow political posturing to boost a thin veneer of costly green policies.
No doubt the focus will be on the renewable aspect of biofuel with little acknowledgement of negative elements of the policy. Blended fuels will have a relatively small amount of biofuel added to create the illusion of a cleaner option.
Maize will likely be the crop of choice to produce biofuel but the growing season is limited and the input costs are on the rise as much of the fertiliser, ironically, is fossil fuel-based. The limiting factor in any farming operation is the area of productive land available and biofuel crops will inevitably take the place of current food crops. The suggestion that biofuel production may attract subsidies will add further pressure on food production. Other countries' food prices have increased as a result of this competing land use, particularly the poultry industry is impacted as grain feeds become limited and costs rise.
The Emissions Trading Scheme already adds to the cost of fuel and biofuel will add further cost while neither will have any discernible effect on climate.
George Williams, Whangamatā.
Growing concern
It is "amazing" that Bruce Turner (NZ Herald, March 30) didn't think that all those vehicles he quoted in maize production, wouldn't be using biofuels as well.
If we don't start working on getting rid of fossil fuel dependence then global warming will mean that Mr Turner no longer has the climate conditions to grow his maize.
Neil Anderson, Algies Bay.
Running a mile
In response to John Turner (NZ Herald, March 31), may I proffer a couple of reasons why "mileage" lives stubbornly on despite our conversion to kilometres nearly 50 years ago?
First, "kilometrage" is at best a vile word: it's hard to say, and even harder to spell.
Second, and probably more profoundly, "miles" and "mileage" have over time morphed from the units of their origin to authentic generic expressions in their own right: Saying that there is "little mileage" in a suggestion, or that something is "miles better", or even that it "sticks out a country mile" are all accepted modern-day idioms, with many users perhaps even unaware of their non-metric etymological origin.
"Mileage" is fine - it's understood, and dare I say it, "trips" nicely off the tongue.
Barrie Graham, Remuera.
Reign in Spain
If he successfully defends the America's Cup, I suggest Grant Dalton should find out which country will offer him top money to celebrate his victory.
I am certainly not going to Queen St, to welcome him with his win.
I suggest the team should now be called Team Dalton or Team Spain, as that country will now reap the benefits that New Zealand should have enjoyed if the Cup was defended in Auckland, especially these days with recovering from Covid-19.
It's only fair that a referendum is held on whether the name New Zealand should be taken from the team and they be then left to call themselves whatever they like.
Tevita Lavulo, Massey.
Headwinds forecast
Congratulations to Grant Dalton for having the foresight to take the cup defence to Barcelona. Who knows what our country will have become in two years' time?
A J Petersen, Kawerau.
Short & sweet
On MPs
Chris Hipkins, 4 (portfolios); Louisa Wall, 0. Game over. Glennys Adams, Oneroa.
On Am Cup
The next defence of the America's Cup is not in New Zealand due to MBIE's unfortunate mismanagement of Team New Zealand during the last event. Gary Carter, Gulf Harbour.
Team Spain to defend the America's Cup in Barcelona. Adios forever, Team New Zealand. Peter Mayall, Tamahere.
I've consigned my NZ America's Cup Team socks, my red socks, my NZ "team" red cap, and my T-shirt, proudly emblazoned, all to the flames. David Haigh, Kawau Island.
The good news about not hosting the next America's Cup here is that it will save taxpayers and ratepayers $99 million. L H Cleverly, Mt Roskill.
I reckon New Zealand should enter a challenge for the America's Cup. Callum Gunn, Turangi.
On buses
Good luck to Auckland Transport's struggle to get motorists into buses. One bus an hour along Riddell Rd to St Heliers is not a service. Ian Davies, Glendowie.
The Premium Debate
Kāinga Ora buys properties to house homeless
To assume all homeless people are anti-social riff-raff isn't fair. Many are families that just can't find affordable accommodation in these tough times. As long as they build what is needed, and that's three and four-bedroom family homes. Please don't build a bunch of one and two-bedroom, small, sorry, "cosy" townhouses. Build real homes with real space for real people to live, thrive, and build a home. Kylie T.
Throwing in these people together will create a slum. Concentrated poverty and all the problems it brings from these types of housing projects are well known. There are plenty of examples. James S.
Six new two-bedroom homes were built near me. Before hitting the market, Kāinga Ora bought them. The results are six first home buyers missed out (people helping themselves) and more taxpayers' money being spent. Warren B.
The real shame is the motel housing blatantly being used by gangs. Police happily used force on unarmed, peaceful protesters but don't go near the gangs dealing drugs and prostitution from government-provided housing. It must be terrifying for the parents and children who genuinely need emergency housing. Gangs are much more prevalent throughout New Zealand, we're all scared of them and the government and police are doing nothing. Claire S.
I grew up, went to school, and played club rugby in Mt Roskill in the 1970s and 80s. This was one of the largest state housing areas in the country and remained so until around 2000, I think. Surrounded by Mt Eden, Mt Albert, Onehunga, and Lynfield, it was and still is a fantastic suburb to live in. There were a few pockets of trouble, but pretty darn good. It wasn't all rosy, and all sorts of things changed under successive governments, but it certainly wasn't a slum. Was it different elsewhere? Maybe, but not there. There was a certain "stigma" about being from a state house suburb though. Marcus H.