Many hospital emergency departments have been overrun this winter.
Electricity reforms clearly not working
It is very sad that the Bradford electricity reforms have so predictably come back to bite us.
I looked at them when they were first proposed and predicted that these “market forces” type structures would not work for vital national energy supply and distribution.
There are many different shades of meaning for the word power. National power is defined as the sum of all resources available to a nation in the pursuit of national objectives.
The weak-kneed neglect by successive governments to bring electricity generation and distribution back under the one authority has led to many viable businesses failing under the pressure of inflated energy costs. They might well name such a body the “Electricity Department”, although the current fashionable name might be “the department for equitable electron distribution”, acronym DEED. Our present system is DEAD.
It is any government’s job to foster local industry over foreign, even if there are marginally greater costs. These costs are offset by having more of our population in paid work.
Can our politicians walk away from photo opportunities, roll up their sleeves and sort this shambles out?
Hugh Webb, Huntington.
‘Sick to death’
As Monty Python once said, “I’m sick to bloody death of them”, and in this instance, it’s the Government when one reads in the Herald (Oct 1) that the police had to cut funding to services to meet budget restrictions. Then, in the same paper, EDs, including those at Middlemore and Wellington hospitals, were swamped over winter.
We are in reverse. The cost of living is ridiculous and people are leaving for Australia.
Could a real politician who actually understands how to run a country please stand up.
Reg Dempster, Albany.
City centre concerns
Simon Wilson once again writes an informative article about Auckland Central development (Oct 1), but what about the residents?
It’s all about bringing outsiders into the city and providing convenience for them. As a longtime resident of the city centre, I am appalled at the lack of investment being allocated to support the 40,000+ residents currently living in the city centre.
The majority don’t require parking, but would appreciate a bit of green space and public toilets in the area bound by Hobson, Union, Nelson and Wellesley West streets. Better footpaths, and reduction in rough sleepers, would also help.
Are any candidates willing to commit to an upgrade for this area?
Dick Ayres, Auckland.
Not speaking for me
I read the opinion piece by Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick (Oct 1) claiming the Government had “revealed its outright cowardice” by not recognising Palestinian statehood at the United Nations.
I can assure you that she does not speak for me or any of my friends. I am very happy with the position our Government has taken on the Palestine issue.
In addition, I am not happy with members of the Green Party wearing the Palestine uniform (the kafiyeh) in Parliament. The speaker should have banned it some time ago.
Roger Harris, St Heliers.
Not a peace plan
The Trump peace plan promises that Palestinian statehood might happen one day if they meet endless conditions.
Meanwhile, Gaza would be run by international committees and Trump’s “Board of Peace”, not by Palestinians. They have to completely disarm while Israel keeps its military and stays in Gaza until it decides it’s “secure enough”. Which could take forever. Nothing about settlements or the West Bank.
But here’s the real problem - if Palestinians reject this plan, Israel could just take what it wants by force anyway.
So the “choice” is, actually, to accept the possibility of permanent foreign control and maybe-never statehood, or reject it and face something even worse. That’s not a peace plan. It’s just telling Palestinians to decide which form of defeat to accept.
How is this supposed to lead to the two-state solution most claim to want? It looks more like a plan to permanently erase any chance of real Palestinian self-determination.
James Gregory, Parnell.
Trump, Blair in charge
On reflection, it is a good thing the New Zealand Government has delayed recognition of Palestine, now the proposed peace plan would put Donald Trump and Tony Blair in charge.
Alan Johnson, Papatoetoe.
Fighting talk not helpful
In a scarcely believable, unhinged Dr Strangelove rant, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth delivered a long and rambling address to a Quantico senior officer military audience that reeked of ugly American exceptionalism.
Followed and backed up later by Trump, he was bellicose, aggressive and arrogant and exhorted his dazed and bemused servicemen to adopt aggressive postures that will only increase the risk of dangerous international conflict.
Nowhere in his lecture did he mention peace, collective cooperation or the role agencies such as Nato or the United Nations could play.
Larry. N. Mitchell, Rothesay Bay.