The need for an additional $32 million to be spent fixing urgent design and operational problems three years after the much-publicised opening of the $1.25 billion Transmission Gully Expressway is clearly unacceptable.
There has been no firm opening date given for the luxurious $5.5b City Rail Link.
What the final cost will be for the proposed $18b Northland Expressway is anyone’s guess.
There appears to be a cost-plus attitude where public money is being spent and nobody seems to care if there are cost overruns. Clearly, this attitude has to stop now and a senior Cabinet minister should be urgently appointed to oversee these matters with full public transparency and accountability.
At the same time, Judith Collins’ open cheque book should be removed to avoid more waste of public money on military spending after the $4b deal to buy five Seahawk helicopters and two Airbus aircraft.
Bruce Tubb, Devonport.
Room for hope
The article “Hopeless and helpless” (Nov 1) mentions mental wellbeing as “worsening … having implications for the future … a public priority”.
Many of the influences affecting mental health are outside direct control, contributing to the feeling of “helplessness”. The article’s listed factors don’t seem to directly address any spiritual component as fundamental to human existence. There is hope and we need not be helpless.
The fundamental necessities of physical life include oxygen, food/water, warmth and shelter.
The fundamental spiritual necessities have been defined as faith, hope, love. Every other mental factor springs from these. Each component is dependent on the former. Love cannot be sustained without hope, realistic hope cannot properly take root without faith that is factually and intelligently grounded.
Atheist Bertrand Russell noted: “Unless you assume a God, the question of life’s purpose is meaningless”. Starting points, the world around us – a “Goldilocks” Earth (all parameters just right, smallest deviation in any one disastrous), the universe (“declares His glory”), the human body (“we are fearfully and wonderfully made”). Both believer and atheist have the same evidence from which to come to a conclusion.
Al Smith, Glen Innes.
Cats versus dogs
I enjoyed reading the article about Mark Vette’s book Cat Zen (Nov 1). I was, however, disappointed to read the statement that “unlike dogs, which see their owners as a mentor or a more dominant member of the pack, a cat attaches to its human as a kitten to its surrogate mother”.
There is actually overwhelming evidence to the contrary about how dogs relate to humans – dogs form secure, healthy attachments to humans and both humans and canines benefit from positive relationships between the two species. “Pack philosophy” and “dominance theory” are outdated theories extrapolated from a faulty study of captive wolves. These theories often lead to harsh treatment of dogs, which is unnecessary. Dogs have evolved to communicate with and work with humans cooperatively.
An article in the Journal of Veterinary Behaviour notes that “dogs form attachments in ways comparable to humans (Riggio, 2020). These bonds are essential not just for providing emotional security to the dog, but also for promoting overall wellbeing, encouraging exploratory behaviors, and reducing stress levels, especially in unfamiliar or challenging situations, including periods of separation (Cimarelli et al, 2021)”.
Sarah James, Glen Eden.
Corporate taxes
With all the dialogue regarding a capital gains tax (CGT), it would seem to this relic that there is something incredibly wrong with this line of reasoning.
When the average Kiwi, even when employed, now cannot make ends meet, pay rent or, heaven forbid, actually own a modest house, can one turn the page and look at corporate profits?
Corporates, often owned by overseas interests, would seem to roll over huge profits year in, year out, often at the expense of their low-paid employees.
Perhaps our current batch of incumbent politicians could, instead of the impossible hot-air dialogue, seriously consider addressing this imbalance and make this little country what it once was.
Robert Reece, Manurewa.
Odd-jobs Andrew
When Mr Andrew Mountbatten Windsor moves to his new digs at Sandringham, no doubt he will be helping to maintain the property by mowing the grass and doing a spot of gardening.
P. Harlen, Mount Maunganui.
