A new study reveals a doubling of emergency department presentations with excess alcohol.
Why are we drinking so much?
The study by doctor Laura Joyce illustrates a doubling of emergency department presentations with excess alcohol, from 5 per cent to 11 per cent, from 2013 to 2022 at Christchurch EDs (NZ Herald, April 12). What could be the reason?
The older age groups have increased, the youngest decreased. Is this generational shift due to education? Alcohol was removed from the science curriculum, but a drink-drive limit of zero was introduced for under-20s in 2016.
Is the availability of alcohol to youth gradually becoming price-limited by rapid increases in rental accommodation costs, but older age groups are more likely to own their home or have been experiencing historically low interest rates during the latter study period?
The recent cost of security to protect emergency department workers from abuse may end soon, Heath Minister Shane Reti has hinted. This study will inform him, hopefully, that it is an increasing problem and will cost. Nicola Willis and Simeon Brown will be informed as well.
Reducing the drink-drive limit for over-20s and increasing penalties will be cost-effective, but is it anathema to Act and NZ First lobby groups?
Brown has indicated there is an increasing drug-driving problem. Alcohol industry advertising occurs throughout the media. Could that be part of the problem? Algorithms can target those susceptible.
Is it a case of people with time and money and increasing mental health stresses turning to alcohol? Should the problem need further study to protect ED staff, police and ambulance officers?
Priorities need reassessment by the coalition before all three groups increasingly waste their time and taxpayer money on drunks. Pruning waste is currently the coalition mantra so it’s hard to defend doing nothing.
Would raising the alcohol excise tax help? It did with tobacco. But coalition lobby groups might object?
Who runs this Government? We’ll obviously find out.
Steve Russell, Hillcrest
Confronting climate change
When Christopher Luxon vowed to get New Zealand back on track, who realised that his track was when climate change was some distant future problem?
As we hurtle towards 2030, we should be achieving goals limiting our dependence on fossil fuels, but his 100-day plan is all about the economy. Is he not aware that our economy, dependent on weather, is probably more vulnerable than most?
Recalling last year’s pictures of kūmara rotting in the fields, of precious soil being washed out to sea, with unwanted slash and a season’s apple crops carried on swollen rivers destroying bridges and roads on the way, clearly indicated that without the land’s products, and its natural beauty attracting tourists, the economy has little else to sustain it.
He promised charging stations throughout the country enabling EVs to confidently travel long distances, but has now removed all incentives to change from fossil fuel, even plans drilling for more of these polluting substances with only a brief nod to developing renewable energy.
Meanwhile major motor companies plan on discontinuing producing petrol-driven vehicles.
Our small country can do little to halt the world’s crazy reliance on polluting substances — but we don’t need to add to it. When will we see plans to protect ourselves from the worst of this?
The young are calling for action now, for it is they who will bear the brunt of our folly.
Phyl Belsham, Mt Albert
Schooling protesters
I applaud the stance David Seymour is taking to mark the students absent after missing a day off school. As he said, why didn’t they strike on Tuesday when there was no school.
Education is a privilege. There would be many parents around the world who would give their eye teeth for their children to get the opportunity of an education that is so readily available for every single child in New Zealand.
The fact that it is spurned by some is detrimental to New Zealand now and in the future. Furthermore, do these young protesters practise what they preach? Do they decline the offer of a ride in their mum’s SUV and walk or ride their bikes to school?
Do they decline an offer of a trip overseas? The saying “put your money where your mouth is” comes to mind.
Anna Murphy, Ōrewa
Top priority
The electrified rail link between Auckland and Wellington, much of it through stunning scenery, is about as climate friendly as it gets and yet annually per capita, only eight Aucklanders use it.
If we were ever to get serious about climate change, surely such mode of transport needs to attract business people and commuters, perhaps by providing conference-friendly business cars, video conferencing facilities and conference catering, inter-city and tourist promotion, links to suburbs etc.
Posting a loss of $167 million annually, it should be abundantly clear every effort to promote this grossly underutilised asset should be a top priority.
Gary Hollis, Mellons Bay
Water woes
Sometimes I really despair for this country and our people — well, most of the time to be honest, but on a moving feast of topics.
We have been hearing a lot about our creaking, groaning infrastructure recently and the fact that almost all of it is underfunded in some way or another.
In terms of water infrastructure there has been local government, central government, a transient species once known as Three Waters; and while they argue about everything else, one thing they agree on is that everything to do with water is underfunded.
So, what happens when WaterCare does the numbers and comes up with a pricing level they think will fund present and future needs?
The mayor, the minister, every man and his dog it would seem, jumps in to try to stop them.
We need to learn to grow up, take our medicine, eat our vegetables or however else you want to put it, and just get on with it.
If we can’t face up and stomach reality for this one single thing, what hope have we for the rest?
John Christiansen, Mt Albert
Pigging out
The front-page story in the Weekend Herald (April 6) refers to the police as “pigs”. The fact that the Hells Angels gang refer to them by that name doesn’t mean we should legitimise it in print.
The headline “Pigs on the Payroll” would be more appropriate on the front page of the Herald’s business section. Here we learn of one CEO’s pay increase of 177 per cent. Another being paid $8.4 million in 2023.
These CEOs have their noses in the company trough like greedy pigs. This in a cost-of-living crisis while many workers struggle to put food on the table for their families.
In my view, nobody deserves to be called a pig. But if the name is bandied about it should definitely not be used in conjunction with our fine policemen and women who literally put their lives on the line keeping us all safe.
Glen Stanton, Mairangi Bay
Rubbish idea
The progressive removal of rubbish bins from public parks is a potential public health hazard.
Numerous dog owners walk their dogs in popular parks such as Waiatarua Reserve, and removing the rubbish bins will discourage owners from picking up dog poo and lead potentially to contamination of soil and water with bacteria and parasites.
The council savings made for not providing rubbish bins in these areas will be negated by the extra work required down the track to remove discarded plastic dog poo bags (and general litter) and to remove the public health hazard.
Enforcement and policing of the $300 fine for not picking up dog poo is unlikely to happen given the council’s already-stretched resources and the large population of dog owners in Auckland.
Alison Feeney, Remuera
Music madness
I totally agree with correspondent Glenn Pacey about choice of music while waiting for someone to answer your call (Weekend Herald, April 6)
The same applies to shopping malls with music blasting out from each store. While in Auckland recently, I went to Albany Mall, with music from a DJ in the centre, then different music in every store.
One store I entered asked if they could help me, my reply was “look at the age of your shoppers — all over 50 and the teenage music playing very loudly”, and I walked out without buying or looking at items in the store.
Wendy Galloway, Ōmokoroa
I for one am so pleased to see pseudoephedrine will be back in pharmacies soon for people who need it. It worked for me for a problem I had and nothing else available has worked as well since. If it was thought that some people would go from pharmacy to pharmacy to get enough to manufacture P there is a simple solution — do what the United States does. There it is available over the counter without prescription, but you have to have an ID and address and that is entered into a database and is flagged if someone is trying to buy an excess amount of it. I’m sure that system wouldn’t be too hard to set up here.
Annette Turner, Warkworth
Surely 1News isn’t so cash-strapped it can’t afford an umbrella for drenched Thomas Mead reporting from the sodden West Coast? Two nights in a row he was soaking wet.
Robert Howell, Onehunga
I am dismayed that TVNZ has decided to cancel Fair Go. This is such an entertaining and worthwhile programme. For many years the people of New Zealand have been able to use the threat of exposure on Fair Go to bring shonky tradesmen and other people who had ripped them off to account. It is a backward step in consumer rights to cancel this show.
Jennifer Paxton, St Heliers
Many parents are unable to take leave during the school holiday due to company policy or being self-employed. School holidays — not always overseas during term time — are the only option for family holidays. The Government needs to focus on those children who are regularly absent from school on Mondays and Fridays and when it is raining.
Pauline Murray, Henderson
I have worked shift work most of my life. I was never able to take holidays during routine school time, so not all of out-of-school holiday time is financially motivated. The school was very accommodating and the travel experience was more educational than any class time. On the issue of schoolwork whilst on holiday; get real people, these kids are not undertaking PhD studies. They will catch up.
John Ford, Taradale
The Great Depression taught us through John Maynard Keynes that a recession, even a slight one, is no time to cut public sector staff and expenditures. Doing so will exacerbate the recession. The appropriate policy is to increase public sector expenditures and finance them with borrowing. What in the world are these Coalition Government people thinking?
Robert Myers, Auckland CBD
I hope when the Remuneration Authority reports the latest politicians’ salary increase that all the coalition politicians refuse it or donate it all to charity (preferably foodbanks). They’re cutting other Government departments’ budgets, so it would be disgusting for them to accept a salary increase.
Rick Vine, Ponsonby
The decision to remove Auckland’s litter bins is inconsiderate, dirty, unhelpful, wasteful and unhygienic.
John Norris, Whangamatā
Shame on Greens co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick actively encouraging schoolchildren to demonstrate during school hours when attendance is at an all-time low. Using children for political point-scoring is a fresh low for an MP. It certainly reveals where Swarbrick’s integrity lies.
Bill Capamagian, Tauranga
Instead of demanding “safe places” at a university, wouldn’t it be better if the whole university was a safe place?
K.H. Peter Kammler, Warkworth
Tere Livingston died after receiving two head knocks within several weeks in 2023.