Frank Greenall, Whanganui.
Bill speech weak and fuzzy
Paul Goldsmith’s speech on Thursday in which he gave coalition negotiations as the excuse for the grubby, divisive Treaty Principles Bill was weak and fuzzy. It wasn’t essential, as Willie Jackson said.
Can we trust the National negotiating team to stand up for the Treaty? Will they repeat this again, as Seymour won’t relent?
Only foolish politicians try to repeat the same failed legislation.
The Treaty Principles Bill was an attempt to incite fears, to garner votes from those who were aggrieved at things like Māori names on school signs, and Māori privilege (such as being stripped of their land, mana and language).
Seymour swears we all need “equal” rights. A shame this couldn’t have started in 1840.
A prejudiced majority will always vote to reduce minority rights if blitzed with fake, emotive appeals to fears of losing rights.
Steve Russell, Hillcrest.
The value of growth
It’s becoming clear that while farmers, big business and property dealers are making lots of money, the majority of the population is going downhill.
Luxon’s mantra of “growth, growth, growth” applies to a small section of the population. Meanwhile, the austerity argument, that short-term pain will create long-term gain, is patently untrue. If we continue with our current direction, running down the public sector and selling off public assets built by previous generations, we are on the road to nowhere.
Privatisation and profit-taking are trumping the wellbeing of the public. And even the concept of the public good has been labelled as “woke”. The wise Māori proverb of “e tū tangata, e tū tangata, e tū tangata” has been replaced by “money, money, money”.
Vivien Fergusson, Mt Eden.
A case of free speech
I am rather bemused by the incident involving a District Court judge and members of NZ First that took place last year at Auckland’s exclusive Northern Club.
My initial thoughts were that it was a New Zealand version of the Gunfight at the OK Corral. And then reality kicked in. Wait a moment, this all took place in Auckland last year.
We also live in a democracy. So that means that District Court Judge Ema Aitken exercised her right of free speech. So what is the problem?
Johann Nordberg, Paeroa.
Not plain sailing
The Royal New Zealand Navy website proclaims: “We are a force of highly trained professionals.” At the release of the Manawanui sinking inquiry report, the Chief of Navy stated: “We need to do things differently. This means investing in new technologies ... reviewing and adapting training.”
For some years our Navy has focused staff training on core values, leadership (there exists a “Lead Self, Lead Others, Lead Leaders” programme), emphasising the value of diversity, and attempting to eliminate harassment and sexism.
What our Navy needs to focus on firstly is teaching its sailors how to drive a ship, surely?
John Walsh, Green Bay.
Our trumbolic moment
During Covid, we started using the word “Cluster” to describe the results of shambolic management.
I recommend “trumbolic” is a word we can use to describe how we feel about the Trump dump on the whole world this week.
Trumbolic is an adjective describing chaotic or shambolic organisational behaviour, especially when the organisation is led by a person with a personality disorder or a lunatic or nobody.
Trumbolic is a compound word using components of Trump, shambolic, hyperbolic, and bollocks.
If you’re feeling a little bewildered at the moment it’s because the whole world has gone trumbolic.
Geoff Roberts, Shelly Park.
Money talks
It is understood that only people within a democratic country have the power to change their situation through a vote. However, the people of the world do have a voice and that is through their wallets.
What is happening through the despotic and autocratic actions of the US President sadly affects more than his own people. If each and every one of us around the world boycotted US products, choosing instead to buy local or friendly nations’ imports, then ultimately his ego would be damaged and hopefully he would be forced by the Senate and Congress to reverse some of these appalling decisions. We should all speak with our wallets.
Julia Cameron, Ponsonby.
Trade opportunities
Donald Trump has presented the rest of the world with a gift, a golden opportunity to trade and prosper without the US. America may be the world’s largest economy but it is small compared to the sum of all the others. Both China and India are growing rapidly.
New Zealand, like many other nations, can wean itself off dependency on exports to the US. In the meantime, the US may find it has dug itself into a hole that is hard to get out of, while Trump denies that the hole even exists.
Peter D Graham, Helensville.
More tests, please
Following on from your editorial (Apr 5), it is disgraceful that it will be nearly eight months between the NZ cricket test series with England and the next series, with Zimbabwe, starting on July 30. Is this really the best that the NZ Cricket Board can come up with? Yes, we know that the ICC dominates schedules but what sort of fight has been launched to improve New Zealand’s test schedule, if any?
How can we expect to strengthen our test-level performance when our budding new players have no contest for them to gain experience?
Jim Coley, Long Bay.
