Letters: Not the best time to usher in thousands of overseas students

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As the Chinese ambassador said before lockdown, Chinese students should be allowed into New Zealand. Now Todd Muller is under the pump to say the same.

Donations, trade deals and relationships at fundraising parties have consequences.

Muller is under the pump to live up to all these. Is that acceptable given the consequences for the team?

We are still highly vulnerable at our border with a rundown health system thanks to nine years of National but somehow that is not in Muller's mind.

Bringing in 5000 students just as a second wave starts in Beijing is not a brilliant idea. His justified criticism of border controls contradicts his proposal.
Steve Russell, Hillcrest

Bursting transtasman bubble

Jon Philip Smith vociferously demands an opening of the transtasman bubble (Letters, June 14).

Of course New Zealand can change the conditions of entry. But there is little point if travellers face quarantine on their return home, to Australia or to anywhere. His assertions indeed defy logic.

As for Covid-19 being mostly eliminated there — certainly there are few new cases in Australia. But there are close enough to 400 active cases still in "the Lucky Country". Do we really want to open our bubble to them while that situation exists?
Judy Lawry, Golflands

The case for cannabis

SayNopetoDope takes out a whole page ad (HoS, June 14) claiming that we can't legalise dope and promote mental health; it's one or the other.

Cigarettes are legal and display graphic health warnings on the packaging. If cannabis were sold legally its packaging could include health warnings.

SayNopetoDope doesn't want an increase in drug abuse. Nor do pro-legalisers. SND thinks cannabis can be harmful. Pro-legalisers agree.

I dislike the hypocrisy involved in saying "you can drink alcohol, but you can't enjoy a joint". I don't like my taxes wasted on unwinnable battles. I don't think people who enjoy something other than alcohol should have to deal with criminals. And I don't like gangs getting rich while Pharmac is underfunded.
Chris Elias, Mission Bay

Cutting parks budget sad

It has been time for all Aucklanders to have their say on the Auckland Council's Emergency Budget 2020-21.

While it is acknowledged the council has to make drastic decisions on its budget as a result of Covid-19, it would be wonderful if the impact on the Regional Park Network Budget, in particular, was minimised.

It has been reported that there has been a huge increase in visitor numbers to our iconic regional parks for those seeking to enhance their mental wellbeing.

It would be sad to see a loss of ranger staff and reduced maintenance of these iconic, scenic gems which have been slowly established during the last 100 years by forward-thinking New Zealanders.
You will not get a second chance.
Bruce Tubb, Belmont

Lockdown history recorded

Thank you for the supplement (Our Lockdown Life, June 14). We need this record for history. I hope it can be re-published in a more permanent form.
Robyn Snelgar, Manukau

Getting Flyer back on rails

As the Government seeks out large infrastructure projects to stimulate the economy, serious consideration should be made to reopening the former rail line between Gore and Kingston via Lumsden.

This project could be quickly started and completed, and would enable the iconic Kingston Flyer steam train and Dunedin Railways to run train services along a viable route between the city of Dunedin and the popular tourist and holiday destination of Queenstown via the Earnslaw steamer ferry.

Such a service would be popular, attracting visitors to do this new train-boat trip and would help save jobs and create new jobs by breathing new life into Dunedin and Queenstown and the many smaller towns along the route of this new service in this region which has been hit hard due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Isaac Broome, Pukekohe