Voting David Seymour as politician of the year is a bit like giving the 100m gold medal to a sprinter who can run fast but didn't actually turn up and race, writes Eric Skilling.
Sacrifice isn't okay
Before Aucklanders had even time to blink and enjoy a few days of freedom, as the numbers began to track down, we were told a patient from Rotorua had been transferred to Auckland.
What we understood, from our Minister of Health, was that everything had been put in place around the country to deal with Omicron patients should the need arise and we could enjoy our freedom in the belief Auckland would no longer be called on to do the hard work for all. The burden could now be shared.
So why have Aucklanders, who have been in lockdown for over 100 days woken up to the news that we now have Omicron in a facility in Auckland along with the consequences if it should breach the border? Not someone who flew into Auckland but was transferred to Auckland as a result of having Omicron.
Is it okay to again sacrifice Auckland so that the rest of the country can live pretty close to normal lives? And if so, why — when there was every opportunity to build a purpose-built facility.
Robin Harrison, Takapuna
Carless days next?
Instead of increasing spending to make roads safer, Transport Agency Waka Kotahi has opted for reducing speed limits to make us all drive slower.
Wouldn't be surprised if the next step is carless days, to get motorists off the roads altogether.
They might refine it by putting petrol cars off for two days a week, and hybrids and electric one or maybe even no days a week.
Chris Bullen, Whakatāne.
Unions and pay
John Denton (Weekend Herald, December 18) talks of "unionisation by stealth" as if it was a bad thing. I have a relative aged 63 who works as a care worker in a rest home. She is on a low wage, despite the bump up a couple of years back. That bump up led to fewer staff and a greater workload.
Last week she was telephoned early in the morning and asked to do a double day/afternoon shift. She refused but agreed to do a noon start. She was then shouted at by her manager who also told her that others had worked so she could have her (entitled) holiday. She asked me for advice. I said this was a clear case of bullying, but advised her to think carefully as she is vulnerable as a worker.
I also advised her to talk to her union, E tū. They gave the same advice. She is the only union member in the facility.
She swallowed her pride and continues on with very little protection or reward for doing what is essential and important work. This is the low-wage, low-respect New Zealand that John Denton approves of.
Niall Robertson, Balmoral
Cannabis fears
Neil Hatfull (Weekend Herald, December 18) raises the conundrum of banning tobacco whilst in the process of doing deals to legalise cannabis, with it not being based on health and wellbeing. Both drugs have well-documented listings of their toxicity and dependence. Usually, the more toxic a substance is the more dependence and destruction it creates, with tobacco right up there with heroin and morphine.
Funnily, that hideous drug cannabis is way down at the bottom with no known consumption rate available to cause of death, which seems unbelievable considering how long we have been consuming it. I can't remember hearing a news report of someone in an Amsterdam cafe dying from the direct consumption of cannabis but I wait to be corrected.
James McCormick, Gisborne
Free flu jabs
We should always get an annual influenza jab, it seems sensible. It stops spreading disease and killing people. We were ambivalent to this piece of common sense, until recently. One of the barriers to getting a flu jab, prior to Covid, that had been overlooked, was the cost.
It had only been free to a select criteria of people. Why was that? Now that a precedent has been set for government-funded vaccination for all against the flu, if we overlook the small matter of it being essentially mandated; we should expect it to be fully funded in perpetuity.
John Ford, Napier
Equitable country
I always enjoy articles by Simon Wilson. He has so much sensible advice to offer readers.
In response to his Saturday column "Rise up better", I'm surprised he did not suggest we need a more equitable country, financially, which would enable us to deal with so many of our problems, from poverty to crime and mental illness.
There are problems with such a policy — people are already leaving for jobs in Australia where pay is better. But surely there are ways we can dissuade this. A massive tax for anyone leaving?
I'd welcome Simon's and other responses.
Valmai Shearer, Remuera
Moves set in stone
Again it seems the Government and Ministry of Health are locked into earlier decisions and refuse to change based on new and developing circumstances.
With the arrival of Omicron, many nations have reacted and changed their requirements regarding the timing of the booster vaccination; i.e. the UK changed to three months after the second jab and Australia to five months. Do our health experts believe they have information the Aussies and English experts do not?
It would seem clear this is the correct decision and coupled with the fact the vaccination centres are now not busy it should be a simple and easy decision to make a similar change.
Perhaps decisions such as this cannot be made at present as they are all on vacation.
Philip Dawn, St Heliers
Inadequate funding
In a caring society like New Zealand, services like ambulances and rescue helicopters should never have to rely on charitable donations. No one would expect the police or fire services around the country to be dependent on collections on street corners.
This lack of funding for ambulances and rescue helicopters (to name just two life-saving public services) is even more incomprehensible when one considers the enormous waste of money this free-spending Government is throwing around.
Starting with "small" amounts like the $36 million they failed to collect from overdue MIQ fees to the hundreds of millions spent trying to get that last 10 per cent vaccinated (they never will), to the fantasy of a light-rail system to the airport (like the buses and cycleways on the North Shore which will never be used).
Please, can we get our priorities right?
Chris Parker, Campbells Bay
Seymour call
Commentators voting David Seymour as politician of the year is a bit like giving the 100m gold medal to a sprinter who can run fast but didn't actually turn up and race. Surely only those who actually have to implement and be accountable for their policies should even be considered.
Eric Skilling, Auckland