It is nice of Paul Henry to include us all in his conclusion of collective shame, and that there has been a gross miscarriage of justice in the findings of the various courts which have reviewed the Hope-Smart case over the last 25 years. I, for one, have grave doubts that Henry is correct in his assumptions. If some DNA and hair was found on Watson’s sea vessel which originated from contact with Olivia Hope, then that is likely good enough proof for most people - but apparently not for Henry, who seems to think that he is suddenly an expert in criminology. Bruce Woodley, Birkenhead.
Easy suspect
Great piece by Paul Henry, ‘Justice had no chance’. I totally agree with it, except he went too easy on the Crown case and Rob Pope. The greatest tragedy of the case is that there were sightings by reputable people of Ben Smart and Olivia Hope alive for a few days into early January 1998, both on and off the suspect two-masted vessel that the police had suddenly decided to disregard to hone in on a much smaller, one-masted vessel owned by easy suspect Scott Watson. Had the police followed the sightings of the distinctive ketch, the pair may have been rescued and the real perpetrator(s) apprehended. Michael Crombach, Māngere Bridge.
Sir Ashley
Sir Ashley Bloomfield does indeed deserve this recognition of a knighthood (Weekend Herald, December 31). An intelligent, quiet man moved into the nation’s living rooms during the early pandemic months to share what needed to be done during a time of world chaos and little information or understanding of the threat awaiting. Bloomfield stayed on course the whole way through, enlightening us with sensible health measures based on the best scientific advice. We all followed it. He, and therefore, we, ignored Europe, Britain and America’s stand against locking their people down. Bloomfield had complete support from the Labour Government right from the start. They backed him all the way, showing him their respect and trust. One wonders what National/Act would have done. What they did call for during this feared and dangerous time was born out of a desire to show opposition. Opening the borders and keeping businesses going would have been very dangerous moves, and criticising quickly-erected safe, but not perfect, environments for returning Kiwis, didn’t take into account that people wanted to come home from all over the world. Why? Because our infection and death rates were well down. Compared to other countries, we were a success. People didn’t side with National/Act’s calls. We wanted to bring our family home, as we were well aware of what was happening overseas. We knew where the safest place on Earth was. Emma Mackintosh, Birkenhead.
Cruise ships
Cruise ships are arriving daily in downtown Auckland during January and February. These ships bring thousands of visitors to see our wonderful city, and each of them has money in their pockets. After lean pickings through lockdowns, this spending will revitalise downtown Queen Street, the Britomart precinct and the Viaduct basin. In my view, investment is urgently required to increase capacity and upgrade facilities at Princes Wharf and Queens Wharf. On Saturday, the MS Queen Elizabeth was at Queens Wharf. But the mammoth Oasis of the Seas, with more than 5000 passengers, was too big for Princes Wharf and tied up at the Ferguson Container Terminal. This was less than ideal, as evidently it took hours just bussing passengers into the downtown area. With the ship arriving at 8am and departing at 5pm, precious time was wasted whereby these tourists could have been shopping and spending their money. Personally, I don’t share Mayor Brown’s vision of moving the port. I would much rather see it expanded and upgraded. After all, the port, along with Māngere’s airport, is the gateway to the city. Glen Stanton, Mairangi Bay.
Port’s future
The port of Auckland currently handles the highest number of containers and other freight and motor vehicles in the country. If the policy indicated by Mayor Brown is followed, here is what will happen: containers and motor vehicles will be unloaded at Northport, and be delivered by road to customers in Auckland. Rail and road in place couldn’t cope. Money spent on local rail tracks, which is happening now, with an upgrade on the rail tracks on port land to efficiently increase the movement of containers and other freight, will be better spent. This means less cost to clients of the port and more efficient moving of the containers. One of the questions that hasn’t been publicly asked is, what does the Ports of Auckland Board think of Brown’s directive? Brown wants to move to virtually no port except maybe for cruise ships, which would still be possible. What will the land be used for? Hotels, high-rise residential apartments, maybe with a small view of the water. Who benefits from the above? A few. And who pays? Everyone else, because of the higher costs from Northport etc. Removing the port from where it is will be at the greatest long-term cost. Gordon Rodger, St Heliers.
E-scooter use
We were recently in the UK, Bristol mostly, for a couple of weeks. I could not believe the number of e-scooters used as a mode of transport by young people on the roads - not pavements. The roads in Bristol are narrow, double-parked, and full of double-decker buses navigating them with e-scooter riders, cyclists, and motorists. I saw not one e-scooter user with a helmet. Yet it appears to be legal, given the number of users, and none apparently stopped by police. However, I can say honestly that I did not see one e-scooter user take unnecessary risks nor flout traffic management systems such as lights, intersections or pedestrian crossings, and heard of no accidents. Bristol has minimal cycleways, yet cyclists are numerous, and indeed, our daughter cycles a round trip of 20 kilometres, five days a week. I guess the difference between the UK (Bristol, at least) and NZ is that in NZ, motorists have a ‘the road is mine’ attitude, many cyclists likewise, and e-scooter users frequently ignore road rules, ride on pavements not fit for purpose, and have a psyche of stupidity and recklessness. Glenn J Pacey, Glendowie.
Personal responsibility
Glenn Forsyth (Letters, December 28) is absolutely correct with regard to driving - treat everyone else as an idiot (as many appear to be), and neither the police nor the Government are responsible for your lack of skill or you neglecting to wear a seatbelt. If you choose to take to the water after boozing and neglect to wear a lifejacket, ignore the weather forecast, and don’t take a phone along in a waterproof cover, [then] the consequences are yours, [and] sadly coastguards, police and others have to pick up the pieces. Choose to ignore the daily warnings regarding safety; wear the consequences. J Wallis, Blockhouse Bay.
While I have a great deal of respect for Greg Murphy’s expertise in all matters motoring, I feel he is mistaken to think that lack of driver education is at the heart of our road death statistics. Lack of enforcement is, in my view, a far bigger contributor to people’s poor behaviour on the road. Motorists drive at 75km/h in a 50km/h zone, use their phones while behind the wheel, over-run red lights, and fail to indicate when changing lanes because they know our road laws are enforced so haphazardly. NZ drivers calculate, quite rightly, that their chances of being nabbed doing the wrong thing are close to zero. Enforcement, rather than education, is the only way to address our climbing road statistics. Until we get serious about compliance with road laws, we should prepare ourselves for another 350-odd people to perish on our roads in 2023. PJ Houlahan, Titirangi.
Potholes overseas
Potholes are only part of a much wider problem with construction and maintenance of highways and urban roads. The problem with chipseal, the main method of construction used by Waka Kotahi [NZ Transport Agency] and councils across the country, is poor design, implementation and quality control. Driving around northern Queensland recently, I passed through numerous road resealing spots. They use a finer chip, a high-temperature tar, roll it down properly, sweep away loose chips, and tar was not seen to be melting in the heat. They do one side of a road at a time, which is properly rolled and swept before traffic is allowed on it, and not a loose tarry chip is to be seen. In contrast, here, a coarse chip is used, a low-melting-point tar, there’s utterly inadequate rolling and a reliance on traffic to compact it over time after construction crews are long gone, with inadequate sweeping away of loose chips. John Allen, Devonport.
All the recent articles and letters on the potholes in our roads reminded me of an amusing incident. While working in Samoa in the late 1960′s, Beach Road, the main thoroughfare through the capital Apia, became almost impassable due to potholes. The Public Works Department assessed the situation and had someone check the stock of the 44-gallon drums of tar-seal. It was determined that there were some 70-odd drums sufficient to complete the work. The road was completely dug in preparation for the reseal, when Murphy’s Law struck. All the drums of tar-seal were, in fact, empty drums waiting to be shipped back to New Zealand! Needless to say, it was necessary to import more tar-seal, and the main road was a total disaster for the next month or more! Randal Lockie, Rothesay Bay.
With all the recent discussion of potholes, perhaps Waka Kotahi might like to adopt a progressive, proven strategy from Indonesia. Thirty years ago in Jakarta, my wife witnessed local people taking it upon themselves to fill in potholes for a small fee so that you could safely drive through. Of course, they then emptied the potholes out again, ready for the next paying customer. This would create employment, and have the added benefit of slowing down traffic to reduce speed-related deaths as per the ‘Zero by 2050′ goal. Cliff Hall, Blockhouse Bay.
Paying rates
Can someone please explain to me why we pay rates? I have made two complaints to Auckland Council over the last couple of years (relating to building non-compliance). The most recent one was now. Both times, I have been told that they are working through a backlog (don’t have enough staff) and that my issues are not likely to cause “serious harm”. The complaints have been “lodged for our records then closed”. So, in other words, my issues are not high enough of a priority for them. What if I were to say that paying my rates was not a high enough priority for me, and that by not paying them I am unlikely to be causing serious harm to anyone? They are never too busy to send the bill out. Vanessa Kuran, Kelston.
Short and sweet
On optimism
Many thanks to Mary Hearn (NZ Herald, December 30) for encouraging us to retain our hope and optimism and reminding us about the kindness and humanity of the many ‘quiet heroes’ in our communities. New Zealand is, indeed, a lucky country. At least the potholes we complain about on our roads have causes other than bombs and missiles sent by an invader. Anne Martin, Helensville.
On co-governance
Co-governance: does the Labour Party have a death wish? C.C. McDowall, Rotorua.
On transport
The reason for potholes on rural roads is Waka Kotahi diverting funds to pay for expensive cycle lanes in urban areas. While flooded roads in Northland and Nelson will take months to repair, under-used, expensive cycle lanes have priority. Neil Hatfull, Warkworth.
The roads in NZ need millions of dollars spent in repairs. To know the money is available four to six times over, right here in Auckland, simply by cancelling the construction of the unwanted and unnecessary Burswood bus diversion. It is terrible to think over $1 billion is being wasted on a road that may only save five to 10 minutes on a bus journey twice a day, five days a week. Come on guys, get your priorities in order, and you might even save somebody’s life. Bob Wichman, Botany.
On options
Paul Cheshire’s litany of National’s past political failures, leaves us with a familiar vexing situation at the next election - which is the least incompetent party to choose? Nick Nicholas, Greenlane.
On ACC
Charge the operators of e-scooters $12 per e-scooter, per day, weekly in advance. Make them pay the funds directly to ACC to help offset the horrendous cost to the taxpayer. Warren Prouse, Papakura.
On two talents
In my view, Steve Braunias must be the journalist ‘match’ to the wonderful cartoonist [Rod] Emmerson. Hey, collaborate on a book, you two. Jean Goodall, Matamata.
On Covid testing
Mandatory pre-departure Covid testing? This isn’t asking for the world, and is intended to keep all travellers safe, especially from Covid hotspots. It is not meant to be mean-spirited, either. If travellers are sick, they shouldn’t knowingly infect others. Forewarned is forearmed with a simple test, and facts before feelings to protect the collective good of everyone. E Smith, Waitakere.
Premium debate
The Slowdown: Men almost three times as likely to die on roads as women
Ah, statistics... very few people die on urban roads. Most females clock up lots of short distances in the local area - school run, supermarket etc. Not a sexist point, just the reality of the way most families we know work. The man, meanwhile, is driving to Hamilton, let’s say, for work, leaving early. So females don’t drive as much in situations that could lead to fatalities. Maybe this should be included in the analysis? Paul A.
Agree that the roads in NZ are not up to standard. Been driving around the USA - much faster driving speeds and significantly better highways. People drive faster but keep their distance, probably as [they] don’t want to be sued after an accident. Simon A.
Another interesting statistic would be the number of people that do not have a driver’s licence that are killed, or cause fatal accidents. I suspect that there are a good number of unlicensed drivers actually on our roads. A lack of driver training amongst our young people is where the problem starts, and that, along with no apparent need for retesting throughout one’s lifetime, leaves us with a fairly low skill base. Keith T.
I love the comment that, regardless of the cause of a crash, speed is a factor every single time. Well, I guess if you aren’t stationary, of course speed is a factor. Driver education and common sense will reduce crashes far more than reducing speed limits will; putting some arbitrary limit in place does not stop people exceeding it, or even crashing while obeying it. Learning to drive within the limitations of you as the driver, the car, the road, weather and traffic conditions, and to maintain focus on driving without distraction, are the things that will prevent accidents. Peter S.
I’m a guy, aged 58. I started driving at 15, and the only reason I even lived past 25 was pure, dumb blind luck. In those years I just really enjoyed taking risks, and there are a couple of crashes I had where I very easily could have died, especially one - motorcycle vs tree. I eventually grew out of that, but if I think back to those years and ask myself if there was anything anybody could have said or done to change my attitude, I’m honestly stumped for an answer. Sometimes I think that those years for some guys are a period of temporary insanity, and you either get yourself killed or grow out of it. I wish there was something I could say or do for today’s generation of teenaged mes, I really do, but I just can’t think of anything. John C.
We clearly need a separate driving school with all male tutors to improve the shocking statistics that prove our need for this specialist, tailored care. Mark W.
It seems to be a bloke thing, wanting to be at the front of the queue regardless of how fast everyone is going. The risks taken to do so continue to astound me. I’m not surprised at the stats for all male age groups - some never grow up. Wendy M.
Quelle surprise! Over and over again, studies have found that men overestimate their abilities and performance, and women underestimate both... while their performance is of equal quality. Add to that the abysmal lack of driver training for young people, then it is no wonder we have a high accident rate on the roads. Draw a line in the sand and require everyone applying for a new licence to undergo a defensive driving course, and preferably professional driving lessons, and also require anyone losing their licence to actually re-apply and pass the latest test requirements (and a defensive driving course) before regaining their licence. Anna S.
