Many councils - particularly provincial, have efficiently maintained their three water systems and made capital expenditure when needed. Photo / NZ Herald, File
Some years ago, I had a 10-year involvement at a senior level with local government. I found many councils - particularly provincial, whose councillors were closer to the real infrastructure issues - efficiently maintained their three water systems, and made capital expenditure when required. This is still going on. An example is the Hastings District Council, which recently spent $80 million to upgrade its water systems.
The Three Waters project will bring all councils under four new centrally controlled organisations. This will result in many highly paid executives and head office staff, some likely unproductive, duplicating existing council staff. I doubt they will reduce the overall cost to ratepayers.
Many excellent engineers at councils could be redundant or their work duplicated. Many councils don't want this, although some of them have not maintained their water assets as they should.
It's time to change course. Select the best six council water engineers from across the country, put them with a leading local civil engineering firm and let them come up with a sensible proposal to do the job for New Zealand, not Scotland.
Eric Millar, Ōrākei.
Step up, men
Reading the second article on the recent rape and murder of a woman out walking in Tamaki Makarau ('NZ Herald, September 28) I am again struck by the elephant in the room. Which gender is largely responsible for this type of attack? Men.
The article gets close when it describes "those bad people who would seek to have us live in fear..." But not close enough.
It's time more focus was placed on the perpetrators of these kinds of offences as well as the interminable efforts by women (and some men) to find ways of living with this never-ending threat: only walk/exercise outdoors with others, for example.
There are women "jittery" the world over for the same reason. The threat and reality of male violence severely restricts women's (and some men's) ability to confidently and safely simply go for a walk/exercise alone. Men, what are you going to do about this?
Elizabeth Eastmond, Waiheke.
Welcome mat
To those saying end all lockdowns, such as John Key and the Act party, will you then take personal responsibility for the deaths that result? Will you be prepared to front up when the health system becomes overloaded and fund more equipment and beds?
It is interesting to hear from my sister, a school teacher in Vancouver. Five-to-12-year-olds are now increasingly getting Covid. Will those advocating more "freedom" front up once again and take personal responsibility? I think we all know the answer, but they will continue to complain and point the finger.
I am tired of the moaners and complainers. Unless you have something positive to contribute or well-reasoned arguments, rather than unsubstantiated opinions, then shut up like the rest of us and just get on with it.
Until we have 90 per cent+ fully vaccinated, including our children, the moaners need to accept measures to contain this killer disease.
Kevin Menzies, Onehunga.
Winging it
What is it about right-wing politicians that makes them ignore expert advice and, in this case, ignore the disasters that similar policies have created around the world?
Australia, the UK, and right-wing states in the US have all either never tried, or have given up trying, to control Covid-19. As a result, they are having more Covid-19 disruption than ever. Their hospitals are overflowing, and their economies are declining.
It seems that John Key wants the same for New Zealand. Surely he must know that the survival of an economy depends on the movement of money, meaning that people must spend money?
We are not a "smug hermit kingdom". We are sensibly following the science. You can help us best by doing the same.
Gerry Beckingsale, Torbay.
Call of duty
With the Government announcing a self-isolation trial for returning travellers, it might be timely to adopt one of the more effective UK initiatives I experienced earlier this year.
After arrival, I was domiciled to a residential address where I received a daily phone call and symptom check (at random times) on my mobile phone. Whether my location was remotely checked at the time is a moot point but clearly the technology exists to do so.
Failure to answer the call would have resulted in a home visit and, if absent, I could expect to be arrested for breach of isolation conditions.
The system appeared simple, cheap to run and effective.
Dr Steve Maric, Warkworth.
Testing times
When will we go with the latest technology and self-test?
In European countries, you can test yourself 24/7 at a service station even when it is not open. You get the result on your mobile phone in 15-30 minutes and the test is good for three days. These tests are free.
In a lot of restaurants, you have to show a negative test; this could be easily started here.
Siegfried Jordan, Royal Oak.
Destiny's chided
Surely the most appropriate way for Brian Tamaki (NZ Herald, September 29) to approach this issue which, by the way, all of us would like to see gone, could be organising a pro-vaccination rally?
If Mr Tamaki really has the influence among people he believes he has, it would be a far more fruitful exercise to involve these as well as all others who remain unvaccinated and encourage them to do the right thing, rather than promote civil disobedience and potentially invite public retaliation against those involved in such a protest.
It would certainly help us reach the 90 per cent target more quickly, thereby making redundant any further need of lockdowns.
That's what should be the agenda, not just raging against the machine to little, no or negative effect.
Jeremy Coleman, Hillpark.
Innovate and pivot
In a country revered for clever IT development and solutions, NZ should have had "gold plated" Covid track-and-trace and MIQ solutions.
Instead, what we have is an embarrassment.
It's never too late, let's convene a "brains trust" and sort it out.
Randal Lockie, Rothesay Bay.
Hooray, Henry
I have never been a fan of Paul Henry but, after reading his comment (NZ Herald, September 28), I would like to see him running the country.
Our leader is talking of opening the borders. Twice I have had flights to Queenstown cancelled for myself and the grandchildren.
Neither my family, or Queenstown, have Covid. Thousands of dollars are not in circulation. Open the borders? I can't even move around my own country.
Alan Duffield, Browns Bay.
Oh no, Henry
Paul Henry (NZ Herald, September 28) is in awe of the US response to Covid 19, which he feels is now far superior to our own.
Perhaps he could personally explain this to the 2000 families each week who lose a loved one to the disease?
James Gilderdale, Mt Albert.
Insanity theory
I believe it was Einstein who defined insanity as doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
Auckland Transport must have an aspiring Einstein on its payroll who has decided that - notwithstanding its recent decision to reduce the speed limits on some 600 Auckland roads, with increased deaths subsequently recorded - it will now reduce the speed limits on a further 800 Auckland roads.
Is it time for the man with the red flag to precede motor vehicles around the city?
John Olesen, St Heliers.
On Henry
Paul Henry (NZ Herald, September 28) is only trying to get more people to break the rules and get us in the same bad state America is in. Gale Gibson, Sunnyhills.
On song
I'd like to propose a theme song for Aucklanders - that old ripper from The Animals - "We Gotta Get Out Of This Place". Barry Watkin, Devonport.
On vaccine
Thank you the Herald and NZME. The "Let's Get Vaccinated" poster should be put up on all sites where the public can see it. Let's get proactive and wipe this disease off as far and as fast as possible. Gillian Dance, Mt Albert.
On Destiny
Brian Tamaki, advising his congregation against vaccination, needs to pray to God for better scientific advice. Dr Hylton Le Grice, Remuera.
On Aotearoa
We New Zealanders are known as Kiwis the world over. The logical and most simple choice for any change of name would therefore seem to be "Kiwiland". Yvonne Amery, Clendon Park.
Would "New Tearoa" keep everybody happy? Mohammed Yakub, Māngere East.
Labour clearly don't understand the consequences of this policy, mainly because they think they know best. They need to consult more with people in the industry. Ian U.
There is absolutely no handbrake on this crowd now. MMP was designed for collaborative law-making and policies. We are looking at unilateral law-making with no consultation with affected parties whatsoever. Luka D.
With by far the majority of rental accommodation in New Zealand being privately owned, and nominally 80 per cent of that by single-property investors; why is this Government hell-bent on not only decreasing the amount of privately owned rentals but increasing the cost of renting? Brian N.
Economists at CoreLogic have been saying that the amount of increase in tax is small in comparison to the bright-line liability. In other words, it would appear to be no more than scaremongering to say landlords will sell up. Also worth noting is that the UK made similar tax changes some four years ago and rent didn't go up. Brian H.
The Rental Index (Stats Dept) shows that rents have only gone up 3.2 per cent pa for the year ended August 2021. So no massive increases as predicted by National and Act. In addition, house price sales numbers show clearly that there has been no wholesale exodus of landlords from the market. The Government's new Property Tax Laws announced in March are creating no fuss at all. Rick F.
An important point: whether landlords sell their properties or not won't make a hoot of difference to the number of renters or number of potential renters in the market. Why? Because the buyer could be another landlord, or a first home buyer - either case making it a zero-sum game. Will landlords sell? Who cares? It won't make one iota of difference to the ratio of renters to the number of houses. Timothy T.
At its peak, 20 fire engines were on-site battling the blaze.