Letters: The value of life, Christmas promises, Auckland borders and welfare bashing

Pedestrians and joggers taking advantage of the lighter than usual traffic in Wellington during August's lockdown. Photo / Mark Mitchell, File

Opinion

Is new life better than all out war?
It's understandable that business people, tourist enterprises, the young, fit and healthy, and the economy in general want life back to normal.
Maybe not everyone is that keen.
There are hundreds of thousands of people who don't have businesses, are not involved in tourism, who aren't young, fit and healthy, who are quite content to live on one slice of bread rather than have a whole loaf, who have carved a new normal for themselves.
And there are those who have treated Covid-19 with respect from day one — masked up, socially distanced, sanitised, observed what is happening in many overseas countries, and lived accordingly.
Those who have lived that constrained regime have adapted to a new way of life, they are living a new normal. They can look on pre-opening border life as a dress rehearsal.
When borders open, the phoney war (a term coined by journalists at the beginning of World War II, when for several months there was little fighting) will end.
The real fight will begin.
James Gregory, Parnell.

Commitment doesn't last
The Prime Minister said she was "committed" to Aucklanders being able to travel at Christmas.
On September 13, she was "very committed" to summer festivals going ahead, yet on November 5, Minister Kiri Allan revealed that commitment had evaporated.
"Committed" means precisely nothing. Fool us once, shame on you; fool us twice, shame on us.
Adele Little, Balmoral.

System fair for all
A great system for 30,000-plus Aucklanders wanting to cross the border is the virtual lobby for holiday system.
Travellers simply enter their time and day they wish to leave Auckland. There will be 10,000 places available for January and a further 10,000 for February.
Those who are successful will need to be double vaccinated and have a recent negative test.
The system is fair to all, will allow border checkpoints to cope and will also prevent the spread of Covid outside Auckland.
Neil Hatfull, Warkworth.

Welfare bashing
Once again, someone is choosing to demonise people on welfare benefits for not getting vaccinated.
The people in our society who are driving the anti-vax campaign are mainly supposedly well-educated, and some of those who are opposing government mandating of vaccinations are teachers, nursing professionals, border workers and others.
For some who are on benefits and living in remote areas, finding enough money to pay for petrol to get to a vaccination station is nigh on impossible.
Patricia Guptill, Wattle Downs.

Unvaxxed need lesson
In Paris there was discontent amongst the people and we know what happened. I sense the same sort of discontent amongst the people about our leaders' actions in regards to Covid-19.
There are more and more people out and about, in a lot of cases disregarding the rules. It is time that the double-vaccinated are given their reward. Only allow double-vaccinated to enter shops restaurants and venues.
When the laggards and anti-vaxxers find they can not go about their lives, watch how quickly they fall into line and get the vaccine.
Other countries are allowing their citizens to go about their lives with a much lower level of double-vaccinated.
Now it is our turn, Jacinda.
Colin Bray, Mairangi Bay.

Out with the PR spin
It's good to see both the printed press and TV interviewers finally showing some reluctance to meekly accept patsy answers to serious question from our Government ministers.
For too long expert PR spin has been allowed to dominate when questions requiring answers not favourable to those in power are asked.
It's obvious from the reluctance to answer questions that they don't actually have the answers.
Obfuscation is not good governance.
James Archibald, Birkenhead.

Fast-food fail
Thank you, thank you, thank you for publishing Dr Mark Craig's letter, and letter of the week in the Weekend Herald of November 6, no less.
Of course, it is the poor health of those in certain demographics that we are trying to keep safe from Covid-19; however, keeping the rest of the country hostage is ludicrous, as this sadly is not a quick fix.
If healthy diet/exercise and lifestyle choices, as he correctly states, are the key to avoiding hospitalisation from Covid, why are we offering fast food to entice these very people to get vaccinated, when one in three New Zealanders over the age of 15 is obese?
In my opinion, it is shameful.
Vivien Davimes, Waiake.

Criticism coming
In some ways one cannot wait for the Government to be in the opposition.
Then it will be my turn to criticise every move that the new government makes, regardless of its merits.
Like many critics, I will be so wrapped up in my political beliefs I won't see the wood for the trees.
The very last thing I will ever do is admit that I was, or am, wrong in my assumptions or criticisms.
Life was much simpler in the year 2019 BC (Before Covid), whereas in 2021 AD (Annus Deplorable) even a haircut is only a dream and face coverings previously regarded as unacceptable now mandatory.
Reg Dempster, Albany.

Govt should go off rail
Our old, decrepit Harbour Bridge is in danger of collapsing from age and fatigue and our Government is planning to waste $15 billion-plus on an impractical light rail system that only they seem to want .
It has just been revealed that the bridge's foundations are not as stable as first thought. This was revealed when they did tests for the Sky bridge.
This logically means that given a decent earthquake the bridge will be severely weakened and may become unusable .
Why not use the money for the light rail for a new harbour crossing which will at least benefit traffic flows?
Light rail is very overrated, just ask Sydney and at least they had wide streets to work with.
Jock MacVicar, Hauraki.

Toxic financial mix
Fran O'Sullivan's excellent feature (Herald, November 6) highlighted her concern, our high debt levels, which would be exposed in an economic downturn.
The global financial crisis originated, of course, from excessive debt in the US housing market in 2008 and subsequently spawned the global downturn which largely bypassed New Zealand, as our exporters fell back onto a resurgent Chinese economy. As she indicated, that luxury may not exist in any future decline as that country's growth is slowing.
Large debt and inflated-asset values due to loose monetary policy make for a toxic mix.
P J Edmondson, Tauranga.

Supermarkets on big winner
The Working for Families payments boost makes little "cents", apparently an extra $20 a week for many families, who are wrestling with higher costs because of Covid-19. I think we all are.
A sector not wrestling is our uncompetitive supermarket duopoly. These guys were handed business on a plate early last year, became all too powerful, and you can't tell me their profits have remained modest since.
Fresh is where they maximise profits, as all fresh suppliers have such limited markets to sell to and even more limited timeframes within which to make their sales, given perishable products. To achieve the result, we need Government and public to push for transparency, and make sure the public receive a stable supply of reasonably priced groceries.
Otherwise, the supermarkets continue to win, as their margins are based on percentages and, of course, they will continue to increase their margins.
This is where the Government should be looking for the money. All that this recent boost lapse has done is increase the gap between the rich and poor more, and we are getting a lot of unproductive people lately.
Jazmin Pudney, Tauranga.

Short & sweet

On borders
Hone Harawira says Aucklanders will not be able to travel to Northland if his district doesn't have 90 per cent vaccination rates. I say to Mr Harawira, when the Covid minister states I can travel north during Christmas I will go there without his permission. Rex Head, Papatoetoe.

Auckland's road borders could be opened reasonably safely by the Government if all traffic leaving or arriving at the borders were to be photographed. Vehicles belonging to unvaccinated people will be identified and those who own these vehicles fined. Ray Peel, Kohimarama.

On vaccination
Has Auckland Council confirmed all their staff are fully vaccinated? They work for us. If I was CEO anyone not fully vaxxed could no longer be contracted or employed by it. Adina Thorn, St Heliers.

On referees
The All Blacks facing Italy with their newbies had to contend again with an English whistler and an opposition who played offside ... all day. Larry Mitchell, Rothesay Bay.

On fireworks
This was the quietest Guy Fawkes in years — no doubt due to The Warehouse's decision not to sell fireworks this year. Many thanks to The Warehouse. Frances Dallas, Mt Maunganui.

The Premium Debate

Auckland's border rules

A family member (double-vaxxed, negative test and working from home) sought a travel exemption to be with her dying parent. She was let through the border by a compassionate police person. Arriving at her destination, she received notification from a faceless bureaucrat declining the exemption. She got to see and be with that parent. She was grateful "real" people understood. Mike I.

I am concerned about primary and intermediate school kids. They have been stuck at home for almost three months without seeing their friends or others their age. This can't be good. Similarly, those single adult households in Auckland, of which there are tens of thousands. People, stuck at home for months apart from the occasional supermarket trip, or visit from a bubble buddy. It must end. David N.

I'm one of the stoic going from day to day, managing and suppressing any longings for a more "normal" life. In short, not complaining. But: How much longer, for heaven's sake?Judith B.

We have a right to know how these decisions are made. When you read of people declined exemptions and their situations there is no logic. Janet N.

I don't mind doing what is needed, staying home, restrictions, etc. But the soft approach on rule breakers irks. Gary R.

Pandemics are tough. We are all sacrificing. If we weren't controlling that border we'd all be receiving many links to live-streamed funerals. Encourage vaccination. Better times are ahead. Fleur N.

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