Letters: No Kiwi left behind, light rail, Rod Emmerson, child abuse, and Jacinda Ardern

Pregnant Charlotte Bellis. Photo / Supplied

Opinion

Charlotte Bellis situation is a disgrace
When Afghanistan fell back into Taliban control, our Government and Jacinda Ardern declared every effort was to be made to ensure no Kiwi was left behind to face the brutal regime. So we must ask, was this declared concern and postulated empathy more about reaping political profit out of the situation rather than genuine commitment?
The fact is, we now have a situation where Charlotte Bellis, a New Zealand journalist and open critic of the Taliban, female, unmarried and pregnant, having the means to get home if only MIQ would grant her a priority place, but denied, and remains trapped in Afghanistan.
This is a disgrace, and only goes to prove the bigotry of what this Government says compared to what it actually does.
I suspect now the proverbial muck has hit the political fan, we will see a sudden reversal of this decision.
Ralph Rogers, Wainui.

Journo had chance to get out
Charlotte Bellis had every opportunity to leave the war zone when the Taliban took control but chose to stay. Now she has got herself into an awkward situation and is demanding priority treatment on the basis of who she is. Who does she think should miss out to allow her to jump the queue ?
Jock Mac Vicar, Hauraki.

Taxpayers' light rail bill
A recent Herald headline reads "Govt to pick up most of $15b light rail tab". Surely this should have read "NZ taxpayers to pick up most of $15b light rail tab"?
The poor Auckland "ratepayers", of course, will be hit with a double whammy; with both their taxes, and their rates contributing toward the light rail bill. To add insult to injury the rates will also attract 15 per cent GST.
There is also the 10c per litre petrol surcharge that Aucklanders have been paying for some time now towards this light rail programme.
So glad the Government is footing the bill. Yeah, right.
Philip Lenton, Somerville.

One eye on the cartoon
Even by his standards, yesterday's cartoon shows Emmerson's unparalleled ability to act as cheerleader for this Government.
Where almost everyone else complains about the Government being asleep at the wheel in the holidays, (no RATs on order, needing to confiscate private supplies; confusion over Omicron rules; and MIQ inequities), Emmerson takes a path less travelled. How he can draw with only one eye is a miracle.
Malcolm Pollock, Mount Eden.

Kids still die, yet no comment
Tucked inconspicuously in last Friday's Herald (p8, January 28) is the information that in 2021 one abused child died every five weeks. New Zealand's atrocious child abuse rate does not appear to have changed since the public flailing of Oranga Tamariki CEO Gráinne Moss and her department's policies in January 2021.
It has been surprising not to see letters to the Editor or any comment from those who orchestrated the changes to Oranga Tamariki. Why not? What improvements are being made to protect young children, society's most vulnerable citizens, who have no control of their birth or lifestyle circumstances?
Christine Foley, St Heliers.

Get on board rail, Nats
Christopher Luxon, please direct your colleague Simeon Brown and any other doubters to buck their ideas up and agree with the proposed light rail to the airport. Auckland requires a major upgrade to all public transport but light rail must be a priority to capture the tourist and Auckland residents when we open to travel again .
It is disgraceful there is no public transport at all to the airport at present. Imagine London cancelling tubes and buses and only having taxis to Heathrow.
Taxi fares are horrendous from the shore to airport and it is more cars on our full roads.
Auckland needs an efficient, fast transport system for the airport (and all of Auckland to be an efficient city). Also, yes, in time the now cancelled North Shore airport bus could connect to the light rail.
I agree with Grant Robertson — start digging now.
Lynne Lagan, Takapuna.

Shallow outlook on PM
The fact that Jacinda Ardern's popularity has dropped is inevitable but is rather a shallow outlook by the public. Few leaders in the world are regarded as popular by their public during Covid as they have to make decisions that restrict living. It's like asking whether one is ecstatic about the format of a bill they receive. The Opposition has constant fodder to criticise the Government, but never has to worry about its far-out reasoning reaching reality.
Covid is almost parallel to a war footing, then of course the Christchurch massacre, White Island and let's not forget Pike River. Add all this up and remember this was a Government faced with a health system that was run down and hundreds and thousands of workers such as nurses, teachers etc underpaid and under-appreciated for a decade.
The question is do you think Jacinda Ardern in comparison to other world leaders in similar circumstances has bitten the bullet and in doing so made this one of the most liveable countries in the world?
It's easy to criticise and think you or someone else could do better when you're sitting in the stands.
Reg Dempster, Albany.

Sentiment turning
The recent political poll suggested mounting concern regarding Government policies as mainstream sentiment turns.
Without public consultation, initiatives to establish Government agencies which excludes the interests of all Kiwis, the 3 Waters Reforms and the appointment of non-elected members to local authority councils are matters forming public opinion.
A government consumed with policies of social engineering is indicative of the emergence of increasing state dominance, this at the expense of our democracy. No surprise a mood swing is evolving in the minds of mainstream voters.
P.J. Edmondson, Tauranga.

Why no mandate?
Can someone please tell me the logic in our Government allowing each individual council throughout the country to determine whether patrons to their public facilities, i.e. libraries, swimming pools etc, should be required to be double vaccinated and present a vaccine passport before gaining entry?
Surely it would be sensible that our Government should mandate that as part of our national team of 5 million in the fight against covid.
Warren Cossey, Morrinsville.

Fruit label the final frontier
Nasa has achieved the incredible feat of designing, building, trialling, launching and deploying the extremely complex James Webb Space Telescope a gazzillion kilometres from Earth.
We in NZ cannot even make a biodegradable fruit label.
John Mackie, Waitakere.

UK no longer NZ's world
How relevant to us — if at all — are the opinions of some UK shock jocks and tabloid journos on our Covid measures? They hardly are "the world". Have some people forgotten that we ceased being a British colony a long time ago ?
E.J. Bax, Epsom.

Dairying credit
A welcome editorial (Herald, 28/1/22) highlighting the role dairying is playing in supporting our nation's economy during this period of increasing economic pressure and ballooning public debt.
This recognition will be appreciated by a sector often unfairly vilified as polluters and wreckers of the environment by political antagonists who have little knowledge of farming and are quick to promote the worst examples of farm management as normal practice.
Media sources will make much of the record pay-out but the rapid rise of on farm costs will erode that extra income to some extent.
Tourism, our other major industry historically earning international revenue, has been decimated, leaving our primary industries to do the heavy lifting.
In times of uncertainty, the one enduring certainty is that dairying and our other primary industries remain the bedrock of our economy.
George Williams, Whangamata.

Short & sweet

On RATs
The Government imposed a ban on the importation of RAT test kits in mid 2021. Now it's confiscating orders for them from the private sector. Why the first decision; why now the second? Nick Hamilton, Remuera.

On Bellis
It was sad to hear Ms Bellis' problems with MIQ. However, she and her partner overlooked a simple solution: if it is illegal to be unwed and pregnant in Qatar, they could have married and Ms Bellis then could remain in Qatar. Andrew Parsons, Ōrakei.

Charlotte Bellis's experience with the Government's disgraceful MIQ lottery illustrates its contempt for the fourth estate and the international press. The Wiggles enjoyed greater priority despite their lives and liberty not being in a "clear a present danger". Ian Brady, Titirangi.

On isolation
Anyone not wanting their life disrupted by long isolation periods won't get tested for Covid. But those wanting to be paid for doing nothing will flock to testing stations regularly knowing they get paid for days off. Wendy Tighe-Umbers, Parnell.

On buyback
First the cops buy back all the guns at great cost to the taxpayer. Now we are told the use of guns is out of control, and the cops should be armed to prevent members of the public from being innocently shot. Talk about mixed messages. Bob Wichman, Botany.