Leave stars in holiday peace
Can we leave poor Harrison Ford and his family alone and let them enjoy themselves without hapless people wanting selfies or asking them if they're Richard Gere? If famous visitors to our shores eschew private planes and the like, can we please respect their right to mix with us plebs without bugging them.
Where I live, we have many celebrities visiting, most of them preferring private helicopters etc, but the ones that don't get left in relative peace. Apparently the trick is to get on the public ferry as late as possible and get off as early as possible to stop any rubberneckers.
A friend of mine, a local retailer, said Dawn French came into her shop some years ago and ended up leaving in disgust as people kept bugging her and that the people in question were offended when she gave them a smart send-off saying that she was trying to have a holiday. A bit of maturity please, fellow Kiwis.
Susan Wilson, Surfdale.
On changes to gun laws
I would like to be allowed to own a nuclear bomb. After all, it's not bombs that kill people, it's people who kill people.
S. McIlroy, Kohimarama.
Aussie welcome
A message to all New Zealanders from Australia. You are welcome to work here as long as you do jobs no Australians want to do. You will have to pay taxes but get few of the benefits available to Australians including unemployment, student allowances and disability allowance. To make sure you don't become "one of us" we will make it harder for you to become Australian citizens than any other immigrant group. But if you have any special talents from athletics, rugby league or rugby union we will open every door possible and throw cash at you to become one of us. So where the hell are ya?
Geoff Minchin, Kawakawa.
Rear vision
The artist's "impression" of light rail in Dominion Rd is actually an impression of Dominion Rd halfway through last century with a modern tram inserted. The Labour Government promised a dedicated (not shared) rapid rail with 10-minute frequency. If anyone thinks about this for more than 20 seconds they will know that "shared road" is incompatible with "rapid" or "frequent". When will Twyford own up and admit that this is a daft idea, and focus on upgrading heavy rail to the airport and west.
Derek Paterson, Sunnyhills.
What's in a name?
While we are at it, rename the Blues "Auckland", Chiefs "Waikato", Hurricanes "Wellington", Crusaders "Canterbury" and Highlanders "Otago". Simple really, and I don't require a consultant's fee.
Neville Nielsen, Orewa.
What threat?
Anzac Day commemorations are "under threat" apparently. From whom? New Zealand is on high security alert, but again where is the threat coming from? After terrorism elsewhere the response has been for society to return to normality so that terrorism is not rewarded. It would be helpful for the public to be made aware of who and what threatens our security, even on Anzac Day.
June Kearney, West Harbour.
On Euthanasia
It is very likely that there will be future expansion in the categories the new law applies to. There would be circumstances not covered by the new law where people dying horrible deaths will want to end their lives. This is not a slippery slope but an improvement in equality. For centuries attitudes have been set by the religious nonsense that suicide is a sin. To me the greater sin is for our society to demand that a person suffering must have their life prolonged against their will. My life, my choice.
Andrew Tichbon, Green Bay.
