Tony Sullivan (NZ Herald, January 6) wrote regarding tax rates in Scandinavia, and a lack of capital gains tax in New Zealand. It seems quite incredible that Kiwis just do not seem to appear to understand the relationship between overall tax take, and the ability for Govt to provide services. Here in NZ, we are getting what we pay for: Inadequate hospital facilities and numbers of healthcare workers resulting in huge wait times for surgery and long queues in EDs; inadequate levels of policing ability and countless robberies and dairy attacks; inadequate education facilities and numbers of teachers and teacher aides. The level of funding for healthcare remains very low comparative to other OECD countries. You simply cannot have your cake and eat it, expecting further tax reductions! Scandinavians, at the upper end of overall tax collection enjoy phenomenally good, and free, healthcare and education, and appear amongst the “happiest” nations of the world, in regular polling on the issue. We need, as a nation, to agree to raise levels of taxation commensurate with decent healthcare, decent policing, and decent education. Otherwise, we are doomed to mediocrity. Dr Julian Fuller, Campbells Bay
Political predictions
The Herald’s gallery team (Claire Trevett) is not going to win (or lose) any bottles of wine over their predictions for 2023 politics. Being prepared to be wrong, here are some of my thoughts on other possibilities: National/Act will be able to govern alone (just) after New Zealand’s next election. Not because of their scintillating new ideas and policies but because of Labour’s fumbles and stumbles. Act, especially David Seymour, will perform very well and take a bigger slice of the total vote. Labour will be thrashed for their experimental ideology, over-reach and non-delivery. Labour will have defeated themselves (and their consultants). Lots of retirements. NZ First will get back into Parliament, Shane Jones starring. Greens will not become the “Teals” in NZ as they do not know what they stand for and do not achieve anything either in or out of government. The economy (inflation) and Covid (another outbreak) will be the main problems testing voters. Gary Carter, Gulf Harbour
High-powered cars
There has been considerable discussion recently on whether speeding is a major cause of road accidents, with some even arguing that speeding is only a very minor contributor to road deaths and speeders should not be hounded by the police. We live on a major road in the eastern suburbs of Auckland which has a 50km/h speed limit and is used by many speeding vehicles which has caused some of the residents to complain to the police. The police have responded by using their helicopter to track the speeders and have reported that they have seen speeding at up to 140km/h, which is almost three times the legal speed limit. However, in many cases the offenders’ vehicles were not old cars, but expensive high-powered European vehicles being driven by their owners. Drivers speeding at such levels should lose their licences for a considerable period of time and incur severe fines, with no licences for work purposes only being granted. Maybe then the speeders will get the message. David Mairs, Glendowie
Road safety
Re-fixing roads and lower speeds. I can add another solution to that, employ better road safety planners. Having covered 3200km in the past 13 days I can quite safely say our road safety planners spent a lot of our money ensuring we have head-on crashes. There were so many roads I drove on with new steel side rail guards on one side and cheese cutters on the other. Now, I am not one to complain about safety, but I would much rather end up in a paddock or drain than in a head-on accident . Surely any preventative accident devices should be placed in such a way as to avoid collision i.e. the centre of the road and not placed so as to avoid damaging a farmer’s fence. Lots of money not very well spent. Jim McCormick, Gisborne
Drive to conditions
In the early years of my experience as a civil engineer in the UK road construction industry, circa 1950s, it was standard practice to design all new roads for V70 (a velocity of 70m/h = 112km/h). Of course, there were (and still are) many rural roads which are not up to this standard, So drivers were expected to use their common sense when driving along these roads, irrespective of the legal speed limit. The severity of the damage to the car and its occupants resulting from an accident is obviously related to the mass and speed of the vehicle, for kinetic energy reasons. But the root cause of accidents goes deeper than that. The mantra “drive to the conditions” is paramount – not trying to match the posted speed limit, even if it has been reduced. So the solution to the road accident problem is as simple as that. And clearly – the Road to Zero initiative is pie-in-the-sky stuff. Jack Waters, Taupō
Army of detractors
If there are keen observers of New Zealand from other countries, they would be bemused by the situation here. Despite having so much going for it they would see deep divisions, rising crime, smart people leaving and other unhappiness. What is the reason for this they might say. Delving deeper they would discover a small army of detractors, commentators, erstwhile politicians, radio announcers, continually tearing at the country’s fabric. According to these people, NZ is in deep trouble economically and socially with the Government a shambles and in disarray. Constructive criticism is one thing but their barrage goes well beyond that. Criminals thrive on confusion and see the time is right for their activities to go ahead. Intelligent and inventive youngsters sick of this negativity will take their talents elsewhere. Any worthwhile projects proposed by the Government and backed up by expert advice, are rubbished with opposition politicians vowing to scrap them when they get into power. Surely, our observers might say with climate change, pandemics, inflation and wars the country should come together. No, say the detractors, we want things done our way. Our observers quietly walk away saying where have we heard this before. John Michael, Snells Beach
Covid cases
All New Zealanders know that our hospital system is short of nurses, doctors and specialist staff. We also know that our existing staff at our hospitals are stretched to the limit, and our hospitals are at near full capacity. How then could our Prime Minister, allow an open-door policy on all Chinese tourists, without a Covid test, when we all know that a rapid rise in Covid cases will overwhelm our already fragile hospital system? Will these Chinese tourists have access to our hospitals? What about other tourists? Or is it going to be New Zealanders get first preference? Please note this is not a beat-up on our Chinese tourist guests, who I like, and bring valuable dollars into our country. But they also need to know their fate too. My question here is there seems to be “lack of common sense” as the answer to this problem has not been discussed with us. Tom Reynolds, St Heliers
Supply chain security
Not too long ago a fuel pipeline from Marsden Point to Auckland was damaged causing severe disruption to airline schedules. This mishap followed the Kaikōura earthquake, and preceded the dry docking of Cook Strait ferries, Covid and a Labour Weekend rail shutdown, all of which caused major disruptions to the supply chain for passengers and freight. In light of a history of supply chain vulnerability it is therefore surprising that civic leaders, journalists and many Herald correspondents in their rush to share Auckland’s port work between Northland and Tauranga have failed to take into account the chaos that would ensue should one of the 150k-plus single-track rail lines carrying the bulk of its container imports, vehicles, relocated empties and FCL exports be out of action for even a few days. For the sake of supply chain security it makes no sense to relocate the port from its current site to a far distant one but to focus its relocation to one within the greater Auckland area. Gavin Baker, Glendowie
Sand at Orewa
Are Auckland ratepayers aware their council has spent upwards of $12 million of their money shifting sand/silt to raise the sand level by 2m along the beachfront by Orewa reserve with the aim of protecting the trees, providing easy beach access and somewhere to sunbathe? Most of the sand is washed away by storm surge/high tides. With the higher sand level the east wind picks up the sand and spreads it over picnic areas, roads, gutters, in houses, and footpaths. The once-flat grassy picnic area is now an undulating sand dune up to 1.8m high. Paths are frequently blocked with sand making it difficult for prams, bikes, wheelchairs etc to negotiate. With gutters blocked by sand, flooding is commonplace during downpours. Nearby houses/shops have silty sand throughout. When the sand is partially washed away sand-cliffs up to 2m high make beach access difficult and dangerous. Solution: Either put the rocks back that were there previously and prevented all the above problems or build a decent concrete wall/promenade. Michael Baxter, Orewa
Short and sweet
On political chaos
The chaos and disfunction that is characterising right-wing parties around the world should serve as warning for what will happen in New Zealand if we get a change of government in November. Although Morrison and Bolsonaro are both gone, they are remembered for their attacks on democracy and democratic principles. The Republicans are reprising National’s antics of the past few years and there’s a new word to describe the Tories’ rule - “permacrisis”. We can’t say we haven’t been warned. Mark Nixon, Remuera
On roads
Glen Koorey’s comment in The Slowdown feature last Friday that roads kill people sends the wrong message. Discounting rare events such as a road subsidence under a vehicle in motion, roads are just an inanimate path, albeit of varying quality, for vehicles. People are killed by people behind the wheel, not responding to, or flouting the road, weather or traffic conditions. This should be the message from the transport engineers and the basis of efforts to reduce crashes. Clive Skipper, Pukekohe.
On necessities
I have a surplus of toilet rolls, that I will happily barter for an egg. John Ford, Napier
On Harry
For a guy that wants to slip under the radar with his family, revealing to the world you have taken out 25 people in Afghanistan is not a good start: other than putting an unwanted bullseye on the back of your shirt. Glenn Forsyth, Taupō
So Prince Harry moans about his brother pushing him on his butt but boasts about killing 25 Afghans. Time he got rid of the baby’s dummy. Ian Doube, Rotorua
HRH Harry lost me with his seriously strange disclosure claiming 25 Taliban killed in action. He had no need or justification for this disclosure unless it was some perverted form of personal bravura and aggrandisement. Larry Mitchell, Rothesay Bay
On tennis
What is the more likely: getting a retractable roof over the centre court at Stanley St, or producing consistent, world-class tennis players? Bruce Tubb, Devonport
On holidays
Year after year for as long as I can remember people have had to pack up tents during the Christmas period, holidays ruined by miserable weather. Year after year there is a call to move the long holiday to February. Will common sense ever win? Susan Grimsdell, Auckland central
Premium debate
New Zealand v Pakistan draw labelled ‘nail in the coffin’ of test cricket
Umpires were at fault but NZ could have been a lot more aggressive, which i believe would have won both tests. I have switched my alliances to the shorter form of the game as i am sure many have. Paul S.
The Black Caps could have batted more positively on day four which would have given them more time and more runs to bowl Pakistan out. Odd that the game did not finish early for bad light on day four when the conditions on day five seemed the same? Colin B.
And that is exactly why the short game has rocketing popularity. Hope those disgraceful umpires enjoy retirement. Wayne F.
Seems to me that test matches in Karachi need to start 30 mins earlier as most days the light comes into play by day’s end. Jill B.
You gotta wonder what goes through the umpires’ heads in these circumstances. Rules are always made to be flexed, they lost the spirit of the game with their stupid by the book enforcement. Both teams wanted to stay out there, the irony is had it been a club game they would have. Surely the highest level of the game can surpass the standards of club cricket. How ridiculous. Colin K.
I hope neither of those umpires officiate again. Disgraceful decision. Neither batsman to my knowledge had appealed against the light, three overs to go of spin which is about 10 minutes play. Do these umpires have any idea of what constitutes sport, contest, and that the whole purpose of sport is to entertain? Clearly not. Glenn P.
