Member of Parliament Michael Wood responding to Opposition questions over his Auckland Airport shares. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Letter of the week: Peter D Graham, Helensville
There seems to be a worldwide tendency for political leaders to believe that their exalted status gives them immunity to long-established laws and even laws they have enacted. Donald Trump believed that he was above the laws regarding state secret documents. He also thought he could generate false electoral counts, and so be re-elected. Boris Johnson believed he was exempt from Covid-19 rules on social gatherings; the same rules he enacted and proclaimed. In New Zealand, former Minister of Health, David Clark, also flouted the rules of the Covid-19 lockdown by going mountain biking, for exercise. Stuart Nash broke cabinet rules by disclosing confidential information to party donors. And Michael Wood failed to declare conflicts of interest by not disclosing his holding in shares. We must not allow our leaders to be infected by delusions of “Trumpian” omnipotence.
Editor’s note: The above letter was, regrettably, originally published with David Clark’s name wrong.
Out of class
When high school student leaders express their concern about the disruption to education caused by two seemingly intractable forces of teachers represented by the PPTA, and the Government, represented by the Ministry of Education, we need to take notice (Weekend Herald, June 17). The students have one chance at getting their necessary academic achievements. It appears the PPTA and MOE have got themselves into their respective corners - a most unwise negotiating position for both. The needs of students need to be at the forefront of deliberations. There has to be a better way of sorting this mess out. Student voice has sounded the alarm. Steve Horne, Raglan.
Keeping it real
There could hardly be more fumbling and bumbling in New Zealand politics over the past few weeks, and we’ve gone from casual carelessness about conflicts of interest, to ham-fisted quips about our negative, wet, and whiny country. Could Labour be headed for an own goal? Possibly, but silly soundbites from the Opposition don’t inspire confidence either. Living in New Zealand for a long time now, I’ve observed the one predominant characteristic of Kiwis is their authenticity. They say what they think with honesty and politeness. They don’t dissemble and distort issues to gain points on a political scoreboard. They are politically astute and aware the economic downturn is a worldwide phenomenon. Our political landscape hasn’t yet become a wasteland as in my birth country, where the gold standard of disrepute has now been achieved with a presidential candidate leaving highly classified documents strewn across a spare loo. But it’s baffling that our politicians don’t seem to understand, nor do they respect, the genuineness of their fellow New Zealanders. The political party who candidly admits they don’t have all the answers but will work tirelessly to achieve positive outcomes will get my vote.
Mary Hearn, Glendowie.
The long run
John Napier (Weekend Herald, June 17), seems not to understand what actually happened with land use on the East Coast. In the late 1800s and thereafter, European settlers felled/burned the native forests covering those steep and inherently unstable upper catchments and turned them into farms. In the 1960s, the old NZ Forest Service was directed by the government to acquire some badly eroded properties and plant them, in mostly radiata pine. Mangatu Forest in the upper Waipoua catchment was one of the first. The Lange government later sold such forests to private buyers. These are the ones who accumulated excessive logging slash. The Waipoua River now has the highest suspended yield of any river in New Zealand as 35 million tonnes of sediment flow out to sea each year. This excessive flow comes off the farms and picks up everything in its path. Who should be called to account? The farmers, local government, central government, or the foresters? Federated Farmers is very quiet. I’m a forester turned farmer, with East Coast experience, so have a good idea of the reality.
David Field, Rotorua.
Weapons down
The cost of the war in Ukraine is the slaughter of Ukrainian and Russian people, as well as its global impact. Countries in Africa and the Middle East risk famine as their usual supply of grain from Ukraine and Russia shrinks. There is also the prospect of dangerous escalation and the use by accident or design of nuclear weapons. Even before Russia announced it would deploy nuclear weapons to Belarus, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists estimated the danger of nuclear war at 90 seconds to midnight. How will this war end? Commentators agree it is highly unlikely that either Russia or Ukraine will capitulate. If there is not to be endless war, diplomatic negotiation offers the only sane alternative. Mediation offers have come from an eclectic list of countries, Brazil, Indonesia, China, the Vatican, and Turkey. Six African countries led by South Africa recently advanced a proposal which reportedly included de-escalation of the fighting, removal of nuclear weapons from Belarus and an urgent start to negotiations. New Zealand should reconsider its military and intelligence support to an unwinnable war, and instead add its voice to the growing global call for negotiation.
Maire Leadbeater, Mt Albert.
Rectifying inequity
Claims have recently surfaced that the public health service is tainted by racial attitudes that have impaired access to services for Māori and Pasifika. In fact, ethnicity has now been included as a priority marker on waiting lists. From my perspective, having practiced in the hospital sector for over four decades, I am unable to recall any instance of racial intolerance among colleagues or front-line staff working in the wards or outpatient clinics. Some might attribute this to an imperfect memory, cultural insensitivity, or unconscious bias (a circular argument) but I do not think this observation should be lightly dismissed. We are all aware that inequality in health care does exist, but its rectification requires a deeper understanding of its causes - and a more considered and effective response. For instance, the eradication of our high incidence of rheumatic fever is now years overdue.
A Coverdale, Remuera.
Let it be
As tragic as the deaths of those aboard the submersible Titan are, I believe there is a lesson to be learned through this. The Titanic sank over 100 years ago and until recently had been respected as a sacred gravesite. It should remain so, undisturbed and left, with the lost lives that went down with her. We can now add another five who join those just for the sake of a tourist venture gone terribly wrong. There should be no more visits to the wreck for any reason. Enough lives have already been lost and there is no need for any new research or recovery of relics. We should consign to the pages of history, and the sea, the old and now the new tragedies. Let them all rest forever in peace.
Jeremy Coleman, Hillpark.
Police are welcome to access my DNA record (WH, Jun.17) whenever they like as, if it will help identify some individual who has chosen to hurt one of our citizens, I will be best pleased. Evelyn Ross, Fairview Heights.
Recent conflicts of interest ”mistakes” were less likely under a written constitution; administered by an Upper House filled with, say, 40 proven achievers with rectitude. Kenneth Lees, Whangārei.
David Seymour’s suggestion that Michael Wood might have a useful career as a stockbroker is an insult to all stockbrokers, both good and not-so-good. Duncan Priest, Te Awanga.
Billy Joel sang, “Honesty, it’s such a lonely word”. Add “accountability” and I would advise anyone who represents us in Parliament to consider these two words and take them to heart. B. Watkin, Devonport.
The dog registration department of Auckland Council managed to send reminders yet the department responsible for communicating with flooded property owners is still not working as it should. Pauline Murray, Henderson.
Wendy Tighe-Umbers clearly has our Leader of the Opposition in mind when she writes “experience” is needed (WH, Jun. 17). Does he have it? Ummm, no. Judy Lawry, Golflands.
Steven Joyce commended the opening of another motorway (WH, Jun. 17), while criticising the Provincial Growth Fund investment in the neighboring railway. This reveals the National Party’s mindset, reminiscent of the 1960s, favouring motorways over rail development. Niall Robertson, Balmoral.
The banking system (WH, Jun. 17) requires in-depth changes as it is seriously implicated in allowing customers to be fleeced. Sandra D Riggir, Otūmoetai.
Do Musk and Zuckerberg really have to behave like clowns to maintain their status? Keith Duggan, Browns Bay.
Correspondent Bruce Armstrong (WH, Jun. 17) is right to criticise the tardy official investigation and reporting of recent dangerous maritime incidents. These delays perpetuate unsafe conditions and place the public at risk. R N Mirkin, Muriwai.
The team of 5 million in Norway appears to have a surplus of NZD$243 billion for 2023. Any chance we could swap Governments? Gerry O’Meeghan, Pāpāmoa.
Drivers do not have to know or understand non-English text on signs. They simply need to read the language with which they are most familiar. Dianna Roberts, Mt Albert.
What happened to the shout “howzat”? To my father’s horror, cricketers now hug one another. Jackie McCabe, Kaitāia.
The woman was shaken by the incident.