Could David Kirk be an executive chairman for New Zealand Rugby, a reader asks.
Rugby boss
With New Zealand Rugby offering a relatively low package for the CEO replacement, I wonder if David Kirk wants to act as executive chairman.
Many strong, capable leaders find it difficult to employ more talented senior executives and the $700,000 to $900,000 level indicates this.
A highly skilled, intelligent CEO for New Zealand Rugby should be offered a $2 million package. The New Zealand Rugby board will have to rethink their package to get the right CEO.
Gary Carter, Gulf Harbour.
ODI cricket
What an exciting cricket match, New Zealand versus England! Congratulations to both teams, the match was both exciting and entertaining and our team were worthy winners. Eagerly awaiting the next game.
Rosemary Howell, Ellerslie.
Small crowd
How disappointing to see such a small crowd for the one-day cricket match at Sky Stadium/the Cake Tin, when it was originally scheduled to be played at the iconic Basin Reserve.
Katherine Swift, Kohimarama.
Fracturing of Te Pati Māori
I think Matthew Hooten is probably correct: the current fracturing of Te Pāti Māori is good news for the Labour Party and the Greens. The Greens and the Labour Party have much to offer Māori voters, both in candidates and in policies.
Both parties also believe in a better deal for Māori, who are currently suffering in so many ways. Te Pāti Māori (TPM) voters should learn from a previous incarnation of the Māori Party, led by Dame Tariana Turia and Sir Pita Sharples. Those leaders made the fatal mistake of aligning their party with the National Party, resulting in the rapid demise of their political project.
It is time for TPM members to recalibrate their political involvement to protect themselves from a deeply hostile Government. We know that large numbers of Māori voters gave their party vote to Labour in the last election and should not find it difficult to support Labour or Green electorate candidates next year.
A dedicated party for Māori can easily become a target for racist opponents and it may be better to promote specific ideas outside Parliament. The Toitū te Tiriti movement is a spectacular example of this and should continue to advocate for Māori rights and the Treaty.
There are so many talented Māori leaders who are skilled at promoting their culture and language – we all have much to learn about their unique contribution to our country.
We need to listen to their voices within Parliament and outside it.
Vivien Fergusson, Mt Eden.
Capital gains tax
John Roberts in Saturday’s letters asks us to spot the irony between Christopher Luxon trying to do trade deals and Chris Hipkins proposing a capital gains tax.
I honestly couldn’t. Apart from the revenue-raising aspect, they seem mutually exclusive to me.
I have an irony for him: when I sell my product (for export), I get a lump sum upon which I am taxed. When a hard-working property speculator gets their lump sum, they don’t get taxed.
Some people doth protest too much, methinks.
Andrew Moyle, Kerikeri.
Fireworks
If Labour wants to win the next election, it should announce a policy to ban the retail sales of fireworks in New Zealand.
That’s a winning policy most voters are crying out for, rather than the capital gains tax, which was not received well.
Chris Mann, Mount Albert.
Ethical farming
It was so heartening reading the article about the ethical farmer who planted trees to provide shelter and shade for his stock and it’s great to hear it has also been successful in increasing his milk yield.
Driving through New Zealand, it is very common to see cows and sheep trying to get under trees if they are available or against hedges for shade – even before the summer arrives – and it should be compulsory for farmers to provide these for protection from hot, cold and wet weather.
Most small farmers do this, although not all, and many large farms removed trees for ease of irrigation and fertilisation.
Shame on you. Well done Snow Chubb for showing that treating your animals well pays dividends for you also.
Joan Mitchell, New Zealand.
Andrew scandal
Can I suggest that The Tower of London is now the most appropriate residence for Andrew Mountbatten Windsor?
Garry Wycherley, Awakino.
Elon’s political fail
It appears Elon Musk’s gloriously famous and brief foray into US politics has cost his company Tesla about one million sales in the US alone.
From free, presidentially touted car promotion on the White House lawn to Trumpian exile, Musk deprived his company of profits to the tune of $3 billion.
Though this gap was fully filled by Tesla’s EV competitors, the irony is that it’s still in sync with Musk’s original vision of a world electrically transported, rather than fossil-fuelled.
Rob Buchanan, Kerikeri.