Colleen Wright, Botany Downs.
Scams and sympathy
I find it incredible that despite the almost daily publicity, people are still being scammed. It’s greed. Chasing that “12 per cent” return or guaranteed capital profit. Have they not heard of “if it sounds to good to be true, then it probably is”? It is not up to banks to police our payments. Sometimes, these “victims” have been asked by their bank if they’re sure about the payment they wish to make and they insist they wish to proceed. I have zero, absolutely zero sympathy for anyone scammed looking for that extra percentage of return. It’s different regarding the elderly who are tricked into divulging passwords etc, as they truly are vulnerable. But the greedy seeking wonderful returns? Nah, serves you right.
Glenn J Pacey, Glendowie.
Parental prosecution proposal
I and many others like myself are getting fed-up with hearing about 9 to 15-year-old kids ram raiding, committing burglaries and assaults, and bullying others. When one eventually gets to court, their horrible childhood is blamed and a lighter sentence is handed down. Why are the parents not prosecuted, or made to participate in some sort of “learning how to bring up kids” programme? I believe in Ireland, parents were prosecuted and the crime rate came down.
Wendy Galloway, Ōmokoroa.
Anthemic anathema
I’m not sure what turns me off most before rugby games - it’s either the haka or the national anthem. Probably after the dreary anthem, we need a bit of a rev-up with a stirring haka. Surely our anthem was written on a rainy cold night in Palmerston North by a politician who lost their Parliamentary seat a week earlier. If we have to put up with it, let’s compromise and sing half of it in English, the rest in Māori, or vice versa. To sing it twice is more than one can stand. Some relief would be appreciated. Perhaps Winston Peters or Shane Jones could be approached to this end.
Reg Dempster, Albany.
Careless caregivers
When is the New Zealand public going to stand up and shout “enough is enough” regarding child abuse? Which family a child is born into in NZ is a random lottery.
In the latest case, which had been occurring for months under the watch of the police and Oranga Tamariki, there was an appalling lack of care displayed by professionals and caregivers.
These children should have been removed from their situation much earlier, and all the adults dealt with accordingly. No - those in the know need to have the guts to intervene before real damage is done, not weeks and months after a serious event. Deal with the consequences of those actions later. The safety of our tamariki should be our top priority, not scumbag caregivers. There are no consequences today. When is any government going to give court judges the power to prosecute all those who hide while our most vulnerable suffer horrendous, heinous acts of violence? Children do not ask to be born, and many deserve far better than what they receive from despicable adults. These abused children often go on to repeat the crimes taught as the norm by their caregivers.
Marie Kaire, Whangārei.
Brown’s bumps
Minister of Transport Simeon Brown has said he wants to “flatten speed bumps”. If that means removing existing speed bumps, I will nominate him for a knighthood.
Rex Beer, Whangaparāoa.
Royalty, rumours and remorse
Now we know the sad truth about Catherine, Princess of Wales, perhaps those who spread rumours about Kate and William might learn a wee lesson and, in future, say nothing until they have all the facts.
What they spouted forth in the last few weeks has been nothing short of disgusting and the rumour-mongers are, hopefully, ashamed of themselves.
Janet Boyle, Ōrewa.
Rowdy renters responsible
Critics of Kāinga Ora’s eviction of unruly tenants miss the mark. The responsibility to reform and behave civilly lies with tenants. The organisation provides warnings and support before resorting to eviction, aiming to maintain a safe living environment. Prioritising responsible families from the waiting list is fair and necessary for those in genuine need. Let’s focus on accountability and positive behavior, rather than faulting Kāinga Ora.
Alan Walker, St Heliers.
