Renters have no access to the same wealth creation as homeowners. Photo / Doug Sherring, File NZH 06Jan21 - Landlords will be banned from advertising without specifying the exact price. Photo / Doug Sherring
Trickle treat for wealthy
I am surprised to see some politicians and others are still espousing “trickle-down economics”. It is a total fantasy; more like “trickle-up” whereby the working poor enable the rich to get richer. One example is greedy landlords who as David Hood (NZ Herald, July 5) rightly points out, have no compassion for those less fortunate. If the government tries to impose rules, these landlords say they will sell. Well, let them sell. The house hasn’t gone out of existence. Ian Doube (NZ Herald, July 4) says taxes and regulations are just “envy”. I don’t think so. Most wealthy people I know are miserable. Perhaps they know they are ripping other people off but they think they are entitled to, or are they just addicted to the accumulation of wealth. Some of these wealthy people say they will leave New Zealand if they have to pay more tax. Again, let them. Unless they want to live in Russia or China, in any other OECD country they will pay a higher top tax rate, capital gains taxes, stamp duty, and in Australia their pension will be means and asset tested.
Diane Anderson, Sunnynook.
Caring few
Everyone acknowledges that there is a worldwide shortage of doctors and nurses. Both of these professions require individuals who are caring and empathetic. The news is full of reports about people who are anything but caring, in fact, the term evil may be more appropriate. It would be tragic for us all if the pool of the caring and empathetic is shrinking, making it even more difficult to staff our hospitals. Where are the politicians who are prepared to stand up for a decent society?
Greg Cave, Sunnyvale.
Train in vain
You say in your editorial in regard to our health workforce (NZ Herald, July 5) that we must train and retain our best. Yet the Government refuses to employ foreign medical graduates trained in New Zealand. We let in low-skilled workers and yet do not employ locally-trained foreign doctors. Why? The new draft science curriculum will ensure few local students will be able to reach the standards required for entry into New Zealand and Australian medical schools. Let us hope that common sense prevails and that physics, chemistry and biology will continue to be taught by well-qualified science teachers in our schools to give our best students a chance in the world.
Sue Jancys, St Heliers.
Student body
Australian newspapers tell me NZ universities are thinking of recruiting Chinese students to boost revenue. Do not blunder down this path after us. At present you have a sensible component of overseas students to bring diverse backgrounds and viewpoints, and to become new friends. A large contingent from any one country results in those students hanging out with fellow countrymen and reduces the opportunity to socialise with locals and become fluent in the local language. On return to their country, they will be much less likely to retain working links and positive attitudes towards New Zealand. The funds brought in provide a real opportunity to buy the latest stuff: hardware, software and big-name overseas researchers but the downside begins with a total dependence on a fickle cash flow. The university becomes a corporation where the key objectives are maintaining cash flow and the flow of glossy stuff for the (rapidly growing) PR department. The business manager is then more important than the vice-chancellor until the compliance supremos (diversity, gender, environment...) displace him/her/them as top dog. Keep your sanity: a broad and deep student education, focused and intelligently planned research, good people, independence.
Jon Hinwood, Melbourne.
Mob mentality
The Prime Minister’s Science Advisor’s report on gangs drew a predictable response from Act and the National Party. But if the report had been on the need to update construction standards of concrete floors, there would have been little response. Yet both reports would be scientific, evidence-based papers. The difference of course is that people have varied opinions on one topic, and not on the other. And when peoples’ opinions are challenged by new evidence, many react by questioning the expertise, or lack of it, of the report writer. It is too difficult for them to admit they were wrong. Act says the gang report is out of touch with public views. But why should it consider public views, which in many cases are developed from long-held racist, Eurocentric attitudes? The challenge we face as a nation is, do we wish to be at the mercy of yesterday’s attitudes of cultural superiority, or do we wish to have a nation guided by rational, evidence-based research?
John Shapcott, Manurewa.
Success formula
The trend in science has always been to dumb down the curriculum. Engagement and relevancy are not mutually exclusive. It requires confident, experienced teachers who understand the concepts and inter-relationships. Merging these solely for the engagement factor will turn Science into an incoherent smorgasbord of colour and whizbang effects but leave the student as bewildered as many young teachers. Experienced teachers are a rare commodity. It takes years to just grasp new concepts let alone impart a relevancy which takes decades. There has been a generational decline in real experience in teachers; declining standards required to teach, inflation gnawing away at wage rounds increasing admin tasks and marking, less personal life balance, all making teaching far less attractive. The declining standards beginning in primary schools are feeding through after nine years of National Party mantra. Covid finally laced teaching as a dead-end menu to stressful poverty. Teaching is not a business, nor fodder for wage slaves, but to lay the grounds for further education. We need geo-engineers inspired by a rigorous curriculum. Ultimately this political tampering will create a two-tier standard. Private schools and top state schools hogging the best teachers versus the rest coping with the dregs.
Steve Russell, ex 40 years chemistry and physics teaching at Rangitoto and Westlake Boys.
Feeding a problem
A steady diet of junk food from an early age has obviously contributed to the need for incarceration of these youths. If any young child disrupted my classroom, I asked the desperate mother (and they were usually desperate) to try, just for five days, taking out all preservatives and additives, especially artificial colours from the family diet. Water only. There are many colours in New Zealand’s processed foods that are banned in Northern European countries. By the end of the school week, with dramatic improvement, the dietary approach was five days/forever. Í also gave families a copy of psychologist Sue Dengate’s book Fed Up. A “water only” policy has been adopted in many schools. Daily quality physical education is as important as a whole-food diet. Youths on roofs could be helping on farms, orchards, beaches etc and building up some sense of self-worth.
Julenne S. Law, Snells Beach.
Going, gone
Councillor John Watson’s comments (NZ Herald, July 5) should give all Auckland ratepayers cause for concern. As he points out, there is little left now in the form of income-producing assets. There must be an experienced investment expert out there who can assist our council with some budgeting advice?
B. Watkin, Devonport.
Such rudeness
Pauline Blithe asked (NZ Herald 4 July) “When did it become acceptable for cafe customers to use their mobiles on speakerphone to make and answer calls?” Probably when “self” became a societal norm, as in “selfies” and that pompous use of “myself” instead of “I”. Cafe behaviour is a microcosm of our society, from parking over the lines in the car park to holding a conversation while standing in the doorway; pushing in front of others; standing with hands on hips when space is at a premium; sprawling at the table with chairs pushed well back; talking loudly; not putting chairs back under the table on departure; leaving the complimentary newspaper in a shambles; not bothering to close the door to the toilets despite clear signage … and yes, the phones. Apparently and unfortunately our national concerns about privacy don’t extend to these generally deeply boring conversations. I am hopeful of one day hearing one that starts with “I won’t pay the ransom!” or “No, don’t cut the red wire!” Meanwhile, some people could leave their phones at home and just shout. They’re loud enough.
Barbara Purvis, Casebrook.
On crime
Another daylight dairy robbery. Owner and another in hospital. KFC anyone? Ian Doube, Rotorua.
On youths
It’s great to read that Minister Kelvin Davis is going to sort out the issues at Oranga Tamariki. He is going to “have a review“. Garry Wycherley, Awakino.
On politicians
We badly need refreshers for our politicians. They seem to totally ignore evidence when they make their policies. Kushlan Sugathapala, Epsom.
On housing
The worst landlord of unfit homes is often the government itself. James Archibald, Birkenhead.
On emissions
The price of carbon credits in the Emissions Trading Scheme is at a three-year low. Why is the Green Party and its very own Minister for Climate Change silent while corporate emitters must be rubbing their hands with glee? Ed Porter, Herne Bay.
On signs
I think Geoff Leckie’s question (NZH, Jul.6), “Or are we just stupid?” is rhetorical. Peter Brooks, Mairangi Bay.
Mike Hosking: Don’t believe the political polls
Definitely a change of government, Labour has been an absolute disaster for this country. Agree about a reduced Green vote, they have been useless this term as well. I think it will be an election that Labour is voted out rather than National/Act voted in. I think a lot of Labour voters simply won’t vote in this election. Bridgit F.
To me, this and most other articles that focus on the party vote emphasise what is wrong with MMP. Because of the way it is structured and implemented, the value of individual electorate MPs has become irrelevant to a lot of voters - possibly because only the parties themselves have a say over the other half of the Members in Parliament. It would therefore not be too much of a stretch to say MMP is the reason why there are so many unelected MPs sitting on benches that no one ever hears from, who do not appear to be contributing anything to the good of the country. They seem happy to collect a decent salary plus perks for doing so in many cases though. Sandy C.
I don’t think National will make it to the 40s but agree it will be a change of government. Te Pāti Māori will take votes from both Labour and the Greens. John D.
I too remain hugely sceptical of the polls which seem increasingly to sample from a captured population of opt-in pundits. Out here in the real world, I struggle to find a single person who will confirm they are voting again for this government, let alone the 30-40 per cent the polls claim will. David P.
David Fordyce previously had a blemish-free career of more than 30 years.