Doug Armstrong, Glendowie.
Waka jumping
For once I agree with Winston Peters in his strong defence of the waka-jumping law. The issue is quite simple and I cannot see why some MPs say it as anti-democratic.
If an MP is elected by being on the party list, they are in Parliament only because their party got a certain percentage of votes. Their name was not on any ballot paper when the voter made their choice of party.
So if that MP leaves that party, they have no right to remain as an MP. What Peters says about maintaining the integrity of the electorate’s choice at the election, in terms of party percentages for MPs, must be paramount.
Those opposed to the law are putting the rights of the list-elected MP, if they have any, ahead of the voters who voted for a certain percentage of MPs in that MP’s party. That is a sort of nepotism and riding roughshod over voters. Typical of politicians driven by self-interest.
The waka-jumping law is more democratic as it puts the rights of voters first.
However I must say that the charges against the MP who has created this debate do not appear to have been substantiated and to me seem very tenuous. But that is a separate issue.
Russell Armitage, Hamilton.
Tolling on-ramps
Congestion charging in Auckland should be done by removing all the congestion-causing on-ramp signals on the motorways and replacing them with toll gantries. There would still be free routes using local arterial roads like Great South Rd and Great North Rd.
The second harbour crossing needs to consist of a new replacement bridge for the Auckland Harbour Bridge, running from Victoria Park through to Northcote Pt, using a design similar to the Anzac Centenary Bridge proposal, which includes road traffic lanes, bus lanes, with light rail and pedestrian and cycle paths underneath.
A new light rail tram line could run from Britomart to Takapuna via this new bridge, extended into a new central city loop running from the Wynyard Quarter to Britomart, up Queen St, along K Rd, Ponsonby Rd, down College Hill, back to the Wynyard Quarter. Light rail could also be added to the Northern Busway.
The South Eastern Highway, Ti Rakau Drive and Te Irirangi Drive need to become a state highway and be upgraded into a motorway with heavy rail running down the middle from Sylvia Park-Pakuranga-Botany-Manukau-Auckland Airport-Onehunga.
Isaac Broome, Pukekohe.
Wasteful projects
It defies belief almost when the amount of money wasted by grand ideas from recent governments is revealed: $229 million on a light rail project (NZ Herald, July 9), $51m on a failed cycleway over the Harbour Bridge, $26m on a flag referendum that went nowhere.
Not to mention recently almost a half-billion dollar waste, so far, on the cancelled Cook Strait ferry upgrade. In fact this is probably the tip of the iceberg but then this new Government tells us they cannot spend the trifling amount of $200m on essential upgrades such as at the Ōhakea Air Force base.
No wonder given the wastage above, all of which is just plain scandalous. You would never run a company like that.
Paul Beck, West Harbour.
Ambulance funding
The fact that Hato Hone St John Ambulance remains a charitable organisation is unfathomable and Governments present and past are responsible for this modern-day tragedy.
St John is funded by contracts with the Ministry of Health and ACC but would be in a parlous state if it did not fundraise. St John is not only our angels on wheels but is also involved in community health and youth leadership.
A recent expose from a former member of that team who is now being paid a third more in Australia for less hours does not help this under-paid under-appreciated body. Funding should never be part of their reason for existence.
We have to face facts – tax cuts will put a little more in one’s pocket but our core services will suffer with less government revenue to support them.
Reg Dempster, Albany.
