For adults, the prescription charge for each subsidised medication is $5, although high users can apply for a waiver. Photo / 123rf, File
Drop the charge
A recent survey shows the pharmacy prescription charge is egregious. Pharmacists reported the charges led to deterioration of the relationship with patients and blocked access to necessary healthcare. The charge is $5 for a single prescription. Heart attack patients require five medications to reduce their risk of further attacks and dying. Not paying $25, or $75 for a specialist prescription, may be the difference between life and death, being hospitalised or unable to work. The $5 charge does not go to the pharmacists nor do they get paid for collecting it. Furthermore, it does not go directly to Pharmac but is a government-imposed charge. The prescription charge is a travesty after going through all the challenges of seeing a GP, having laboratory tests, receiving an appropriate diagnosis and an appropriate treatment. Up to 20 per cent may not pick up a prescription; twice as likely for Maori and Pasifika. It is a real dilemma for patients to choose between paying the prescription charges or buying food and paying the rent, paying the power or water bills and buying petrol for the car. One of the easiest things for Te Whatu Ora to do to improve health equity and health outcomes is abolishing prescription charges.
Harvey D White, cardiologist, Epsom.
Taking advantage
In your report on the recent IRD investigation, a “rich-lister” claimed that it made them “look like criminals” (He didn’t want to be named, which says a lot). No, it didn’t. The investigation just confirmed what has been suspected - that the highest income earners are paying a lower percentage of tax on their income than those on lower incomes. The only reason has to be, is that these “rich-listers” are able to claim large deductions against their incomes which are not available to most taxpayers. It is also an insult to most ordinary taxpayers for wealthy people to say that they worked hard for their high incomes. I am sure they did, but so do most other workers. What the wealthy had were certainly opportunities, enterprise and business shrewdness, but also access to existing and inherited capital and considerable bank finance. One of the most serious challenges to most Western liberal democracies is the almost obscene disparity in wealth. This is not what we expected at this stage of our development. It is a level of inequality usually associated with feudal or medieval times. Unfortunately, this appears to have been just another report going nowhere.
Russell O Armitage, Hamilton.
More revenue
With so much debate currently devoted to suggested wealth and asset taxes, we might instead view the alarming expansion of centralised bureaucracy, the cost fed by the Government’s insatiable appetite for higher taxation revenue and tax rates, its current excessive expenditure is a major cause of current inflation. Our low productivity and growth is of major concern and a roadblock to prosperity, hindered by high direct and indirect personal tax rates. Increased growth, and productivity can only be attained by increased output, greater efficiency, and increased investment which lower taxation rates provide. Lower tax scales in fact generate increased Government taxation revenue, a matter often misunderstood.
P.J. Edmondson, Tauranga.
Tax exemptions
“Richie-poo”, writes Sasha Borissenko, (NZ Herald, May 1). Name-calling adds nothing to the debate. The point that is missing from this discussion is that some of the wealthiest organisations in the country don’t pay income tax, let alone Capital Gains Tax. The privileged few, such as iwi, Gloriavale, etc., have been given charitable status, even though they have large business interests. Where is the equity in that?
Brian McLachlan, Onerahi.
Inflation adjustment
My main concern with Capital Gains Tax is that a fair proportion of any gain can be attributed to inflation and, at the end of the day, the gain due to inflation does not buy any more than it did before. Any capital gain realised on the sale of whatever should be adjusted by taking into account the total official inflation rate over the relevant period.
Reg Briggs, Rotorua.
Lighten up
Headlights on during daylight hours are vital for visibility and safety on the road. LED daylight running lights fitted to most modern vehicles are generally ineffective; too thinly spread to catch peripheral and long-distance vision; in other words far less visible than headlights. Being seen is critical in so many situations, so the most important habit people can adopt to protect themselves and others on the road during daylight hours, is to drive with headlights on low beam. It doesn’t require a degree or an exhaustive study to work out it’d save hundreds of lives in the long term.
Kevin Tidmarsh, Paeroa.
Park sense
The editorial (NZ Herald, May 1) on the potential upgrade of Eden Park is spot on. New Zealand needs a 60,000-seat covered rugby and multi-use stadium for significant events (another Rugby World Cup) and must be used regularly for all activities. Good on the Eden Park Residents Association for agreeing. Finally, the transport to Eden Park and close by hospitality facilities shows promise. Why do world rugby players say the Principality Stadium in Cardiff is the best in the world? With a capacity of 74,000 and a covered roof (opened in 1999) the stadium has welcomed, on average, over 1.3 million visitors per year – and that is just tourists. An Auckland waterfront stadium is a dumb idea. If they are really serious about building it 28m below sea level. Why don’t they call it a swimming pool?
Gary Carter, Gulf Harbour.
Flooding in
No mega-stadium is feasible in Avondale - it’s on a flood plain. The racecourse acts as a dam. Its flat, grassy surface is constructed over a natural swamp that’s been topped up with rubble. So, it’s currently acting as both a flood barrier and a sponge for the surrounding area. Cementing the surface of the racecourse would lead to catastrophic flooding in our multi-storey housing-intensified neighbourhoods.
Janet Charman, Avondale.
Lone car
I have a question about rail in Wellington. If the existing Track Evaluation Car is roughly 40 years old, how is it that governments over that period haven’t insisted that KiwiRail purchase at least one additional car? If my maths are correct, this potential problem has been hanging over us since Robert Muldoon was the Prime Minister. I would have thought prudence would have recommended that you have at least two so that you can get the work done faster and have a backup if you have a breakdown. Maybe it’s time to question any living prior Transport Ministers about this apparent oversight, starting with Simon Bridges.
Dunstan Sheldon, Rototuna.
Balls, Prime Minister
The Prime Minister has owned up, stating that his Government has “dropped the ball” in respect of the current issue with Wellington Rail, perhaps we could also add to that the Cook Strait ferries, health, education, housing, and law and order. That’s a lot of balls.
Randal Lockie, Rothesay Bay.
Bright prospects
Mum-and-dad landlords are probably not motivated by the promise of a lower bright-line test (National policy dropping it to two years again, plus deductible expenses). My understanding is they mostly seek good, very long-term tenants, and sometimes keep the rent unchanged for years to this end. Owning one extra property, to supplement retirement income, is almost defensible, even in my narrow-minded view. It’s the professional property investors who of course will be greatly encouraged by this policy, enabling them to flip ownership asap and pocket the profit tax-free. In addition, as immigration numbers grow rents can climb, putting ugly pressure on those renters already struggling. But National knows who to thank for political support, and asset holders are near the top.
B Darragh, Auckland Central.
Taiwan straits
Has the joint communique in Shanghai in 1972 lost all meaning? America has moved from recognising Taiwan as an internal Chinese issue to it being a casus belli. The US side formerly declared: “The United States acknowledges that all Chinese on either side of the Taiwan Strait maintain there is but one China and that Taiwan is a part of China. The United States Government does not challenge that position. It reaffirms its interest in a peaceful settlement of the Taiwan question by the Chinese themselves. With this prospect in mind, it affirms the ultimate objective of the withdrawal of all US forces and military installations from Taiwan. In the meantime, it will progressively reduce its forces and military installations in Taiwan as the tension in the area diminishes. The two sides agreed that it is desirable to broaden the understanding between the two peoples. To this end, they discussed specific areas in such fields as science, technology, culture, sports and journalism, in which people-to-people contacts and exchanges would be mutually beneficial. Each side undertakes to facilitate the further development of such contacts and exchanges.” Is this another case of American overreach?
Frank Olsson, Freemans Bay.
Meat prices
In the recent correspondence on the price of chicken breast, nobody has pointed out that there is currently a shortage of whole frozen chickens. In a similar vein, this week New World is selling beef rump steak as a “super saver” for $14.99 a kilo. Pak’n’Save is advertising the same product as “extra low” for $18.99 a kilo. Both supermarkets are members of the Foodstuffs group. Variations such as this do tend to make one a little cynical.
Greg Cave, Sunnyvale.
Still counting
Television ads are still telling us we’re not too late to complete a census form. How much more time will be gjven? The date that was determined to be Census Day this year was March 7, almost two months down the track. I wonder whether the 2023 Census will be completed before the 2028 Census is upon us. Janet Boyle, Ōrewa.
On rebates
It would be far fairer to cut the clean car rebate on expensive hybrids and EVs and keep it on more affordable cars, like the Suzuki Swift. Tony Sparkes, Okura.
On water
Whoever controls our water controls a potential gravy train. In a semi-democracy, perhaps the elections may be able to indicate the majority concern. Rod Milne, Taupō.
On Brynderwyns
Ongoing issues with the Brynderwyn Hills section of State Highway 1, have rekindled my curiosity over the last 20 years as to why the original road builders didn’t go through the range (a tunnel), or around it, either to the west or east? John Walsh, Green Bay.
On wealth
Bernard Walker writes that the rich drive this country. I don’t recall us giving them the keys but it does not seem unreasonable to expect them to put some petrol in the tank occasionally. Howard Edwards, Coatesville.
On stadiums
What I don’t like about Eden Park is that it is constantly being bailed out by the Auckland ratepayers. L H Cleverly, Mt Roskill.
On property
A suburban section was worth one year’s salary in the mid-60s, now it’s five years’ salary, yet half the size. The “envy crowd” can’t explain, and the pollies always change the subject. Gerry O’Meeghan, Pāpāmoa.
EV Feebate scheme rejigged - $80m paid on Teslas
Does Transport Minister Michael Wood realise the baked-in carbon manufacturing footprint for an EV is much much larger than an ICE vehicle? Does he also realise the damage done to the physical environment with the extraction of the rare earth elements and metals to manufacture EVs? Does he realize the abuse of labour, even child labour, that goes into extracting those same rare earth elements and metals? Is he aware that at the moment there is no efficient way of recycling EV batteries without sending them overseas (huge carbon miles), and even then, there are not many plants (very energy hungry) that are capable of such, so huge battery dumps will start appearing just as EV dumps have. Millions of litres of toxic chemicals sitting in one place. EVs are not the clean green planet saviour he and his ilk are making them out to be. As all this happens overseas, I guess out of sight, out of mind applies. Oh, and it is about time EV drivers paid their way on our roads. Ross H.
Do you realise that almost every single line is incorrect? In the NZ environment (highly renewable electricity) EVs are far better for the environment. Your various claims about child labour and enviro damage in mining apply to ALL mining including the aluminium and steel for the utes and SUVs you seem so desperate to protect. I hope you consider child labour carefully next time you buy a coffee or a T-shirt. The real risk to the poor and disadvantaged in the world is climate change with millions likely to be displaced in the next decade or two. Perhaps consider that. Uncle A.
Nope. The increased demand for cobalt and lithium is an environmental disaster. From cradle to grave, EVs have as much, if not more carbon footprint. Rob K.
Does Wood know that if he doesn’t update our fleet with EVs, that we’ll fall behind technologically, in much the same way Cuba did with their vehicle fleet under Castro. The rest of the world moved while Cuba stayed in a time warp with 1940s-1950s old American V8s. If Wood didn’t move it’d only be a matter of years before we’ve got a dead loss vehicle fleet compared to the rest of the world. Just like Cuba. Mind you, when National were in power, they seemed quite happy to dismiss modernity in favour of taking in everybody’s rejected vehicles. They aimed for Cuba status. Wood aims higher than that. Thankfully. Timothy T.