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Home / New Zealand

Letters: Restricting travellers, Three Waters, masks, and the vaccine passport

NZ Herald
6 Dec, 2021 04:00 PM11 mins to read

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A checkpoint on the border between Auckland and Northland. Photo / David Fisher
A checkpoint on the border between Auckland and Northland. Photo / David Fisher

A checkpoint on the border between Auckland and Northland. Photo / David Fisher

Opinion

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.

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Not so easy
I have spent the last two days assisting the public to get their vaccine passports at a vaccination hub in Rotorua.
It has become very evident that the system was rushed and developed by a group of tech-savvy Gen-Xs and Millennials who have absolutely no concept of the challenges facing the senior sector of society, and those that have not had the advantages of growing up with email and smartphones.
To effectively get your vaccine passport on a smartphone device, you need to have a good understanding of how to use it. It seems to me that there is a significant sector in society that are severely disenfranchised on this front.
The motivated who are vaccinated deserve better from a Government that preaches being kind to one another but, is only inflicting frustration and anxiety on its people.
Tak Tothill, Rotorua.

A proper passport
I have a son living in the UAE. He received his vaccine pass in March after he had been double-vaccinated with Pfizer. It has his photo, New Zealand passport number, plus date of birth and name of vaccine he had plus dates he received them.
Every time he has a Covid test, it updates to record the results. A very sophisticated pass compared to ours.
If they can produce, this why can't New Zealand?
Wendy Tighe-Umbers, Parnell.

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Armed response
Isn't it interesting that all these armchair experts - most of which, I suspect, have never been put in harm's way - have a view that police should essentially remain unarmed. Last week, three police were wounded by gunfire and there is an increasing prevalence of armed incidents all over the country.
With health and safety and the protection of our police force uppermost in our consideration, I believe that it should come to down individual choice by the police officer.
In other words, if they are appropriately trained and believe their safety will be enhanced by carrying a sidearm, then they should be free to do so. Their choice, not anybody else's.
Brett Hewson, Parnell.

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Non-theistic religion
I agree with Bruce Gilberd who, speaking of politics and faith, says faith is not an "add on" but rather "a core motivator to address all life" (NZ Herald, December 3).
How individuals of faith function in politics is a different issue from the necessary separation of Church and State. It is a matter of acting in good conscience and having the humility to realise certain beliefs and values are not common ground in a secular society.
The same is true of people whose faith is in something other than God – e.g. the possibility of a human-made utopia, built on principles they espouse but which are similarly not common ground in our society.
The thinking that calls itself "progressive" or "woke" is increasingly recognised as a non-theistic religion. There's a new "church" in town and the same conscientiousness and humility are required of its adherents.
Gavan O'Farrell, Lower Hutt.

Chances are
Mike Hosking (NZ Herald, December 2) states that "all I want for Christmas is a government that's up to the job ... fat chance".
During the past six months, Mike Hosking has recommended his preference for numerous governments from around the world, including Sweden, Singapore, Ireland, Australia and Taiwan.
Sadly all his recommendations have failed miserably to date when compared with our Government's Covid 19 and Delta variant management record.
Comparing Covid-related statistics from around the world certainly demonstrate that our current Government is up to the job.
Would Mike Hosking honestly swap New Zealand for any other country? Fat chance.
Richard Ward, Remuera.

Discover more

Opinion

Letters: Should Aucklanders go north?

05 Dec 04:00 PM
Opinion

Letters: Sir Brian Roche's reports timely

03 Dec 04:00 PM
Opinion

Letters: A time for hope and faith

02 Dec 04:00 PM
Opinion

Letters: Building over Auckland

30 Nov 06:08 PM

Short & sweet

On checkpoints
As a double-vaccinated, likely traveller to Northland, can I receive an absolute assurance that anyone stopping me and talking through my open car window will also be double-vaccinated? Patrick Grant, Stanmore Bay.

I suspect unvaccinated people may be coming into my suburb. I think I'll go and block off Cambridge Rd and demand Police Commissioner Coster immediately provide me with police support so I can check vaccination passports. M Brown, Hamilton East.

On commissions
Regarding real estate agent fees, structural engineers get paid about 1 per cent of the value of the building only to design the structure and take responsibility for their work for at least 10 years. David Hopkins, Remuera.

On Nats
What does the 180m drive tell us about the new National leaders' approach to energy efficiency and the baubles of office? Carolyn Campbell, Herne Bay.

On Patel
Ajaz Patel and his perfect 10: one more hero making two countries very proud. Sivaswamy Mohanakrishnan, Mt Roskill.

On vaccine passes
It is easy for authorities making the rules, as they don't have to face irate customers. The police can't protect businesses 24/7 that are enforcing the rules. Tiong Ang, Mt Roskill.

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On crate day
David Seymour, who now wants to make Crate Day a public holiday, opposed the Matariki holiday stating: "This is a perfect example of the Prime Minister doing what's popular versus what's responsible." Michael Smythe, Northcote Pt.

The Premium Debate

Investors and property prices

It's a perfect storm of circumstances that's led to this. The "bad guys" are the get rich quick property investors who aren't leaving homes for people to settle in whether tenanted or first homers. I propose a big-as tax on empty homes which will force down prices as it forces buyers to occupy or sell to those who will. More rentals means lower rent and homes for those who can buy. Simon R.

Kāinga Ora bought the largest slice of first home buyer stock. Building costs are relative as well - It costs more to build than to buy existing - multiple factors here from land supply to building material costs to restricted immigration of construction workers. In actual fact, home ownership has stayed the same in the two decades at 65 per cent - and the last 12 months have seen more first home buyers for 12 years. I find it's first home buyers often paying overs for houses - It becomes negatively geared if you're an investor paying too much. Jan W.

I've been to 10 auctions over the last four months trying to buy a home for my family... I would say at least half of those have been bought by investors - not long after, I see them on trade me for rent at astronomical rental rates. Leave family homes for families... there are plenty of other properties out there investors can get their teeth in to - flats, apartments, some of the in-fill townhouses taking over suburbs now. Johnnie M.

This is self-evidently true, a factor of supply and demand. When there's more demand than supply, there are problems, and those who can leverage capital can buy a property and make those who missed out pay the mortgage for them in the form of rent while waiting to collect huge windfalls of unearned and untaxed capital gain. It's a rort, a massive transfer of wealth from working people to property speculators, and everyone knows it. Steve E.

I wonder if those respondents who feel that they cannot afford a first home because house prices are too high, will then want house prices to go up the same way as now, once they have managed to get their first home...or will they be happy to see their house price continue to fall in order to help all the others get on to their affordable home? If only. Suhail R.

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