Hopefully, in time, the traumatic events of the past week will become a distant memory for Ember, Jayda and Maverick Phillips, the children of fugitive father Tom Phillips, a reader writes. Composite photo / NZME
Letter of the week
As one pens these thoughts, the first are for the police officer who sustained critical gunshot wounds.
We can only wish the very best to him and his family. As for the children at the centre of this tragedy, one can only hope that, in time, the last four years become a distant memory.
When custody of children is involved, regardless of the outcome, they are the meat in the sandwich and often are the losers in the end. One can only imagine Tom Phillips’ state of mind, which would have got darker as the years passed, ending in a shootout with police.
Despite the fact his actions were totally wrong, it is amazing the children, although apparently living in very rough conditions, are in relatively good health. It would seem that Phillips had help, and one would deeply wonder why would these people do that at a risk to themselves.
When strong emotions are involved they can impair decision-making, and living in the bush without other adult company would not have assisted Phillip’s well-being. As for the authorities, it was one of these instances of damned if you do and damned if you don’t. There are no winners in this tragic, real-life saga.
Reg Dempster, Albany
Dangerous drivers
Re “Rotorua fatal crash: Taupō truck driver was using phone when he killed oncoming driver” ( NZ Herald, September 3). “Taupō truck driver who was looking at his phone when he crossed a centre line and killed an oncoming driver has left a ‘catastrophic’ impact on a Rotorua family”.
The stupid light punishment in New Zealand will never, ever, stop people from using handheld mobiles while driving.
For years, I have been asking the Governments to lift their paltry $150 fine, if unlucky to be caught, to $1000, as has been the law in Queensland for decades. It will make thousands of drivers here urgently change their very selfish driving habits and save many lives of innocent drivers.
So please, Prime Minister, just do it right now as we badly need it done asap.
Far more importantly needed than your major number one priority of just getting very wealthy people to come here.
So just do it, please, right now, to save many New Zealand lives in coming years.
We absolutely deserve a $1000 fine for using a handheld mobile while driving, for sure.
(abridged)
Murray Hunter, Titirangi
Trade surpluses
Johann Nordhuis “Power realignment” (Letters, September 7) makes the statement: “Harsh tariffs to punish countries who have in the past exported vast quantities of goods to the US”.
Mr Nordhuis fails to mention that New Zealand is in this category, but has failed to recognise that running a huge trade surplus is ultimately counter-productive.
Is there something about the US that requires it to grant unrestricted access to its vast consumer market, while neglecting its exports? To hear the Minister of Defence chortling over the RNZAF purchase of Airbus passenger jets to replace the Boeings is bizarre.
According to official stats, our trade surplus with the US in 2024 was US$2 billion.
President Trump has said “enough” and quite rightly, too.
Rob Harris, Masterton
Tragic reading
What painful reading was the final year of former rugby player Shane Christie’s life (HoS, September 7).
What struck me was that although there were various experts knowledgeable about head injuries and their effect, including chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), involved with Shane in various ways, ultimately it was the way in which he was embraced by those who convinced him that “society was the enemy”.
Shame on them, but also shame on us for not protecting our most vulnerable.
Glennys Adams, Waiheke Island
Housing problem
[Housing Minister Chris] Bishop won’t go back to a “free for all” at $1.5 billion over five years for emergency housing, but he’s happy with landlords getting a “free for all” at $2.9b over four years.
Can he work out the cost per year of the relative strategies? One has record rough sleeping, the other records a $5/ week reduction in housing rents – and $725 million a year to put downward pressure of $5, versus $300m a year to house those desperate for shelter.
The Nats have holes in their arguments, not just fiscal holes in their budgets. But Luxon is hallucinating, seeing the light in every hole.
I see rough sleepers because the Nats have no compassion.
What does discretion actually mean? Putting big tobacco and wealthy, sorted landlords first?
Steve Russell, Hillcrest
Where’s the vision?
The fact that no large, regional coastal parks have been purchased in Auckland for over 25 years indicates an appalling lack of vision and foresight exhibited in spades by our previous statesmen and women.
Whilst on the one hand we seem quite happy to squander billions of dollars on dubious, failed transport and defence projects, we seem to be doing very little to enhance and promote the physical, mental and spiritual well-being of our present and future generations.
Bruce Tubb, Devonport
It’s a free country
Over recent days, I have been astonished by the negative and silly comments made by those who have condemned the visit of Helen Clark and John Key, who chose to attend a victory celebration in China.
It marked 80 eighty years since the defeat of Japan in World War II. The critics do not seem to understand that we live in a free society. Our citizens are free to go to any country they want to go to.
Also, during WWII, our enemy was Japan. Now, we trade with Japan, and we regard Japan as a friend.
During the war, China was our friend, and she is now our largest trading partner. It is sensible and realistic to engage in discussions with countries even though we may have differences with those countries.
Our country, and especially our farmers, benefit from the trade with China, and we should try to increase the trade, which benefits both countries.
A witty person once said that “empty vessels make a lot of noise”. And we should reflect on those words when rednecks attack the integrity of two ex-Prime Ministers who love their country and who both served New Zealand well when they were in power.
Johann Nordberg, Paeroa