Locals, be ready
I wasn't keen on vaccination. But I did the right thing and had both jabs, and without needing bribery or incentive.
Any area with concerns about potential infection needs to encourage their residents to do the same.
For their own protection they need to take responsibility and get vaccinated, as I and many others did.
When borders lift, only people who meet criteria can exit and move about.
Any areas with worries about transmission need to make sure their own vaccination numbers are up, not restrict entry.
Businesses have been deprived of income long enough without their own locals putting demands on who can visit.
The tourism sector needs to thrive again, The bottom line is, each one of us needs to do the right thing for everyone.
Margaret Dyer, Taupō.
Do what's needed
Among all the complaints and confusion about the Covid restrictions, very little thought (or reporting) is given to why we have these restrictions - to protect the unvaccinated.
These are people who won't be vaccinated, but also those who can't be vaccinated - mostly our children. The simple deduction is that when everyone is vaccinated there is no point in having any restrictions. Maybe just simple hygiene such as masks, distancing and sanitising hands - these work for colds & flu as well.
We hear that these are just the "Government's" rules and it's all Jacinda's fault. But if we are all vaccinated, there would be no rules. No levels, no traffic lights, no vaccination passes, very few people in hospital, almost no one dying.
So, until our tamariki and mokopuna can be protected as well; please stop complaining, please stop blaming.
Let's all make it work, and do what is needed to keep our little ones safe.
Colin Gates, Whanganui.
It will come
Tairāwhiti, Te Tai Tokerau, now Whanganui, and goodness knows how many others – all asking everyone else to stay away for the whole summer because of their low vaccination rates. Essentially, what they are saying is "We want Auckland to stay locked down indefinitely" because none have suggested a review date.
I have some sympathy for their position, despite approaching four months of stagnation in what is now the country's largest red-light district. Providing, that is, that they are looking for time to get vaccinated, and not for an excuse to not get vaccinated. The trouble with that is that it will come to you, as it came to Gisborne. You will have what we're having at some point, due to commercial movement – unless the ban is on all movement. In, and out. Permanently.
Movement by tourists is not the problem here. You become a danger to yourselves by not getting vaccinated, and if you delay too long your visitors will simply forget you exist. People will remember they were not welcome because of your lethargy, and stay away. Permanently.
Mike Diggins, Royal Oak.
Running costs
The Labour Party - having argued that the upgrades needed in Three Waters are too costly for ratepayers and should be funded by taxpayers - ignores the history of chronic underfunding and chaotic service delivery of central government agencies. Just three examples:
Department of Conservation. A wonderful agency, but chronically underfunded and relying largely on volunteer groups for much of its service delivery.
Waka Kotahi (Transport NZ). Travelling from Wellington to Levin on State Highway 1, from Tauranga to Waihi on State Highway 2 and various state highways from Auckland clearly expose the lack of planning and delivery. Local roads generally get much more rapid repair and upgrade.
The Covid vaccine rollout. The Government loves to talk of this as a success, but it only began to work when delivery was devolved to local community groups. If it had continued with the centralised approach, now being proposed in Three Waters, we would be in an even worse position in health and economic terms than we are.
Confiscating local assets and handing them to an unelected authority does not make sense as it does not provide health, economic or service delivery benefits.
David Peart, Mt Maunganui.
Task masker
Just about every shop you go into, there are multiple people with masks under their nose; under their chin; far too loose around the nose; or not on at all. What's the point in wearing masks incorrectly?
It doesn't help that many public health experts interviewed on the news are wearing loose-fitting masks falling off their nose and other notaries such as Chris Luxon, whose mask was far too small as he wandered around Auckland.
R Howell, Onehunga.
