Bad fellers running amok
Clearly, the felling of mature urban trees, both exotics and natives, is of increasing concern for Aucklanders, as there have been many objections raised during the last decade, including some very
recent ones, not only by the communities in which these trees under threat are located, but also by qualified arborists.
In a climate change emergency, trees have taken on a more expansive role than their already accepted values as providers of shade, a buffer for noise, habitat for birds and other fauna, and visual amenity.
Indeed Council's "Auckland's Climate Plan" includes the following under Action area N2: "Grow and protect our rural and urban ngahere (forest) to maximise carbon capture and build resilience to climate change. We need to follow the principles of knowing the benefits of trees in the Auckland region, growing the right tree in the right place and protecting existing trees."
It surely follows that Auckland Council should heed its own words, uphold the status of any trees that are scheduled, and encourage developers to consider all trees as assets and work to incorporate them into their developments.
Allan Matson, president, Civic Trust Auckland.
Under covered
Brisbane has 44 per cent urban tree canopy and growing. Fantastic. Auckland has 18 per cent and shrinking. Appalling.
Our city"s trees (especially large, established ones) are being decimated by the worst ecological weapon of mass destruction; the chainsaw. Central government blames local government and vice versa and all sit around on their hands. Meanwhile, the environmental degradation of Auckland continues at an increasing and alarming rate. The senseless sacrificing of trees is immoral, unprincipled, disrespectful to current and future citizens (as well as our forefathers who had the vision to plant them), utterly at odds with messaging around the importance of sustainability coming from the government and council, madness in times climate crisis, and downright ugly in every sense. A shameful legacy. Both the evidence and the public outcry overwhelmingly demonstrate a very, very urgent need to establish blanket protection for urban trees. RMAA09 (removing protection) was easily able to be enacted. It should just as swiftly be reversed. Let's get cracking.
Charlie Haddrell, One Tree Hill.
Fast-track doctors
There will not be enough doctors to go around and see everyone if the Government makes it free.
It takes six years to train a doctor at medical school and, say, another four years or so to get them fully up to speed to become a General Practitioner.
My suggestion is that Andrew Little allows urgent entry to doctors from around the world who want to come here to live. We also have doctors who are living here but have been declined registration as they do not meet our medical registration qualifications.
We employ a lovely lady who is a qualified obstetrician and gynaecologist but does not meet New Zealand medical qualifications. So she has changed direction and is now a food technologist. What a waste of talent.
Little could set up a "fast track" say two-year course fully paid for by the Government to get these doctors fully qualified to our standards and pay them a salary while they do this. Obviously each person would need to be vetted as to suitability. After all, many are in their 30s and 40s with heaps of practical skills already in place.
Tom Reynolds, St Heliers.
Health is all
The truth that record-breaking Covid statistics in India only refer to hospitals is a devastating signal how quickly Covid can overwhelm a country. Hospitals are refusing entry, so deaths in the community without much oxygen make these figures much worse than reported. Sixty thousand dying each day is mind-boggling.
It makes 60 per cent of the world's vaccines but cannot provide enough to save itself. A classic example of economy first, health second, and forewarns us to question right-wing philosophy during pandemics. The number one priority is health.
Will the bubble finish us off too?
Steve Russell, Hillcrest.
Doing nicely
Regarding Brooke Van Velden's article "New housing laws hurt those they try to help" (NZ Herald, April 28).
The Government's new tax changes do not demand that rental owners increase rents.
These people are already charging rents well above what is required to maintain these properties and make a nice profit.
Her examples: the couple with several rental properties wanting a nice retirement will just need to sell one house to obtain this; the farm people can pay their mortgage off fast with the money from rental; and the ex-husband will surely get half of the family home money, he says he has "hardly any money" yet we presume he has a house to live in and a rental property.
They will all receive superannuation at retirement and have a nice little nest egg.
Barbara Soljak, Three Kings.
Care given
The New Zealand Government's new health service could save a large amount of money by doing the same as is done in the UK, where they train and employ the caregivers, who earn very good money.
In New Zealand, we have another layer of bureaucracy, who can't afford to pay their staff well, but charge $70 for each visit to a client's home.
To cut corners and make it more worthwhile for themselves, the carers can give a three-minute shower and be in and out of a home in fifteen or so minutes.
There is no incentive to cut corners like this in the UK.
Margaret Bellard, Ōrewa.
Council costs
Georgina Campbell's "Capital Letter" (NZ Herald, April 28) reports the huge costs of the Wellington City Council's social housing.
Campbell discloses that, for the 24-year period from 2007 to 2031, the council will have received Government funding, the bulk of which being property maintenance, for its 1927 social housing properties of $666m. That equates to $346,000 per property or $14,400 per property per year.
This sum is just the tip of a much larger iceberg. Add to this, the (unreported) direct property costs and depreciation funded by the city itself; the costs of any related debt funding; and the staff and other costs associated with the notoriously demanding administration of anything "social".
With rentals pegged at 70 per cent of the market, there is a forecast "budget deficit" for social housing of $402m over the next 20 years.
Taken together with my NZ Herald letter of last week, reporting the Auckland Council cost of speed bumps at over $130,000 each, it is now well past time for all New Zealand councils to rein in their rampant and excessive expenditures.
Larry Mitchell, Rothesay Bay.
Outlier cases
Re: the Lower Hutt man with schizophrenia who repeatedly stabbed his mother (NZ Herald, April 28).
It is unfortunate, but when a person with mental health difficulties does something outlandish, people begin to associate the crime with the diagnosis. Suddenly, a whole class of mental health consumers become demonised, creating practical problems for them - like obtaining employment, finding accommodation and even making friends.
Most people with schizophrenia shun confrontation and are more likely to harm themselves than others. Those who fall through the cracks of the system are extreme, outlier cases; a fact that should be highlighted when they do to prevent societal prejudices becoming an unbridled discriminatory force against them.
Murray Dennett, Papatoetoe.
Mall pall
While we all have wonderful memories of Queen St and are upset with the changes, the real cause of the demise of Queen St is the suburban shopping malls.
Most people would prefer to shop in the malls because they are indoors, have lots of parking and are close to home. Now a lot fewer people would think of shopping in Queen St.
Janet Bailey, Henderson.
Pick a side
Over 30 years ago, I came across a Footrot Flats cartoon, where the Dog insightfully, and profoundly, declares that "To be neutral is to support the oppressor". If one honestly thinks about it, it is a statement of eternal truth and applies universally.
At this point in time, it is a truth that Labour, and particularly the Foreign Minister, needs to be honest with when trying to explain their position on China. Taking a so-called 'independent position' is just being neutral by another name. We are made impotent by taking the neutral route in some vain attempt to try and appease everyone. While it may be more challenging and confrontational, in the end, it is right to make a stand and be counted. After all, freedom from oppression matters. If in doubt, just ask the Uighur people.
M. Boardman, Dunedin.
Well fed
I feel duty bound to respond to E Richard Leary's letter on "feeding wellbeing" (NZ Herald, April 26).
I recently spent 10 days in Ward 51 at Auckland City Hospital, during October of 2020. Interesting timing.
The only word that I could use to describe the food was excellent. Not only top quality but a range of interesting selections for every meal.
I would, however, agree regarding the nurses and care that I received.
Good food was vital to morale and, accordingly, recovery.
Gary Hodgson, Hillsborough.
Short & sweet
On vaccine
False anti-vaccination claims are spread by those who have never seen or experienced the dreadful results of polio, TB and, lately, measles. All preventable in a vaccinated, intelligent society. Mary Thompson, Te Aroha.
Relatives and friends in Australia and the UK are so surprised that I have not had at least one Covid vaccination, and that I cannot tell them when I will be vaccinated. Wendy Galloway, Ōmokoroa.
On fashion
Looking at the nomination for a design award in this week's Viva (NZ Herald, April 28), if it is now fashionable to wear shabby, ill-fitting clothes with holes torn in them, I'll take my suits to the charity shop. Gerald Payman, Mt Albert.
On freedoms
Clyde Scott, (NZ Herald, April 28) in response to my letter, believes that our servicemen and women fought for a world where freedom of speech could have its limitations. Can I assure him that, as an ex-serviceman, I know exactly what I fought for. Michael Sommerville, Beachands.
On fuel
Anyone noticed high petrol prices back in vogue. Is the pandemic all done? John Ford, Taradale.
On downtown
The anti-car fixation gives no thought to 12 per cent of the population with temporary or permanent mobility challenges - and is against the law, both internationally and in New Zealand. Hylton Le Grice, Remuera.
The super-wealthy property mandarins obviously haven't been able to travel recently and see how successful cities have pedestrianised their centres and main streets throughout the world. Bill Mathews, St Mary's Bay.