Former Prime Minister Sir Robert Muldoon. Photo / NZME
Muldoon’s missed opportunity
John Mackintosh writes in his letter (NZ Herald, Sept 25) of the damage done to our economy by Roger Douglas’ decisions in the 4th Labour Government.
On coming to power in 1975, Robert Muldoon’s National Government made the decision to repeal the 1974 NZ Superannuation Act introduced by Norman Kirk’s Labour Government.
That decision has been a disaster for New Zealand. If the Labour scheme had continued our country would now be one of the richest countries in the world. What Muldoon destroyed was the reality of having $500 billion in our retirement account as well as the resources to fund the health, education and housing needs of our society now.
To also quote the late Brian Gaynor in an NZ Herald column from 2007: “Without this decision we would now be called the Antipodean Tiger and be the envy of the rest of the world.”
Gaynor also said “a dreadful political decision announced on December 15, 1975, transformed NZ from the potential Switzerland of the Southern Hemisphere into a low-ranking OECD country”.
Maybe all governments, not least this current one, could well stop and take a breath to consider what is best for our country and heed the whakatauki, “Kia whakatomuri te haere whakamua”. I walk backwards into the future with my eyes fixed on my past.
Lynore Craig, Whakatāne
Reserve Bank risk
Choosing a new Reserve Bank governor from the other side of the world who doesn’t have any instinctive understanding of the NZ economy and doesn’t do bank regulation, a big part of the function of the Reserve Bank and other financial institutions, makes the appointment a high-risk choice. With two [substantial] drops in GDP in a row, this has all the hallmarks of a government in panic mode.
Gary Hollis, Mellons Bay
Quake risk: Misunderstood measures
Leonie Freeman makes some good points in her article about the shifting quake rules. However, there are a few points worth making to clear up any potential misconceptions about the safety of buildings in an earthquake.
The 33% NBS measure of “EPB or not” simply defines when a building can be required to be strengthened by law. It is not a measure of safe or not. Buildings are not “safe” or “unsafe” either side of an arbitrary NBS number. The legal definition is important as it governs considerations of liability of designers, owners and local authorities. In this context the changes made to EPB settings in 2016 have not been helpful.
Design of buildings for earthquakes is different in different places around NZ and has been since 1965. Auckland currently uses earthquake design forces which are about a third of those used in Wellington. Thus, over time Auckland’s earthquake risk (as opposed to its earthquake hazard) is becoming similar to Wellington’s. A sobering thought.
Because variation in earthquake hazard is allowed for in our design standards, it should be possible to devise sensible EPB rules which apply all over the country – without the need for exemptions for regions of low seismicity.
David Hopkins, Remuera
Silence on the Gaza flotilla
A flotilla of 52 small ships with nearly a thousand citizens from 44 different countries is moving through the Mediterranean towards Gaza carrying medicines and basic life necessities, all in an effort to beak the inhuman siege imposed on Gaza by Israel.
The ships have been reportedly attacked at least thrice by Israel. Following which the government of Italy has decided to send a naval ship to protect and escort the flotilla, with Spain announcing it will do the same.
The United Nations issued a report earlier in the week concluding Israel’s actions in Gaza amount to a genocide.
This is an unparalleled event in history where thousands of unarmed civilians are risking their lives for the sake of humanity. Sadly, not even a mention of this in NZ Herald or other leading NZ news media.
Please ask yourselves, what is this silence if not complicity?
Adnan Shaikh, Greenhithe
UN paralysis: Who’s to blame?
So Trump is critical of the UN for its inability to act on the big issues. But it is his government that has exercised its veto power 51 times to block UN criticism of Israel and refuses to join worldwide action on climate change.
Certainly the UN should be reformed, particularly the veto power of the “big 5” on the Security Council. While some have been relatively sparing in their use of the veto (France – 16 times, China – 19, and the UK – 29), the US has used it 89 times, only exceeded by Russia’s 129 times.
Perhaps the worst example of this occurred in 1994 when the Security Council was paralysed by weeks of pointless big power wrangling as over 100,000 Rwandans and a dozen UN peacekeepers were massacred.
Graeme Easte, Mount Albert
Praise for hospital care
Hello Simeon.
I went into Palmerston North hospital (Mid Central Health) yesterday, September 24, for two procedures and I must say a huge thank you to all staff who looked after myself sooooo well.
I have never met such a beautiful bunch of people who were soooooo caring and friendly, so I thank you, Mr Brown, for the way I was treated.
I am due to go back in for a CT Scan on October 8 and really looking forward to it.
Gary Stewart, Foxton Beach
IN BRIEF
What happened to plans 79-119?
If the old Auckland City plan was called PC78, and the new plan is PC120, what happened to plans 79 through 119? Seems like a lot of planning for no tangible result. Perhaps you could put Simon Wilson on the case?
Duncan Simpson, Hobsonville Point.
The hypocrisy of drug enforcement
I see the NZ Police have got 10 tonnes of marijuana in Auckland raids, well done NZ Police. One question though, when someone, and there are thousands every year, dies as a direct result of alcohol consumption, how many alcohol wholesalers and retail shops get raided and their alcohol destroyed? I am going to say none ever because the Government gets so much tax fromalcohol and tobacco it can’t afford to make either illegal.
James McCormick, Oamaru.
Well done on ‘Mood of the Boardroom’
“Hats off” to the NZ Herald and to the executive editor Fran O’Sullivan for this year’s Mood of the Boardroom supplement.
For both a budding overseas investor or for local business people, this largely survey-based production delivers an enormous depth and range of expert opinions.
These views and their attendant commentaries are compulsory reading to gain a take on our country’s current and future economic and financial states of health.
Larry N Mitchell, Rothesay Bay.
Where’s the accountability?
Simon Wilson gave an interesting account of the city council’s debate over the new housing intensification arrangements. However, he left out a list of how each councillor voted. The issue has been much discussed in the Herald and the community. As there is an election coming up readers should be informed of how their councillors voted on this controversial measure. That will enable informed votes.
Nick Hamilton, Remuera.