Contraception costs? An IUD can be inserted for free for the woman in yesterday's Herald, for 10 years of contraception at no cost. Or a cheap $18 visit to a doctor twice a year and a $5 chemist fee for contraceptive pills, twice a year. Having large families you cannot afford is the real driver of child poverty in New Zealand, not healthcare costs.
Ron Baker MD, Auckland.
Out of our league
There are sports where the best team is the one with the most expensive players, and the owner with the most money buys the best and almost always wins. Then there are sports where the best machine is the most expensive, so the owner with the most money buys one and almost always wins. Then there's the America's Cup, where in addition to the above the owner (who also has the most money) also sets the rules to his or her advantage.
New Zealand, with a fraction of the financial resources available to win the Cup, is competing in this event. What's wrong with this picture?
Malcolm Giles, Hamilton.
Local TV
I got the nuances of what Duncan Greive was on about in praising Julie Christie being made a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit. What struck me most, though, was, in valuing the move from state monopoly non-commercial broadcasting to the present model he refers to "our statist central control and fetishisation of a very specific era of Britain".
Although there needed to be change and evolution, we have merely reached a point of another type of fetishisation. Is this one more desirable because it is our own? We are bombarded about the evils of sugar and fast foods and what they are doing to our bodies and the good of our society. What is evolution in broadcasting doing to our minds?
Peter Nicholson, Ruatangata.
Terrorists' families
When Winston Peters told Parliament terrorists' families need to notify authorities about them, I was disgusted with David Seymour's reply that Winston's remarks were "political opportunism". Surely Winston's remarks were "political realism". I know which politician I would rather support.
Kay Robinson, Henderson.
Intolerance
Peter Dunne's suggestion that bigotry and intolerance (something he ascribes to Winston Peters) give rise to terrorist attacks displays a shocking level of ignorance. Intolerance of others lies at the heart of Islamic doctrine and Sharia and the evidence is everywhere.
Jews in Europe and Britain are experiencing a level of persecution not seen since World War II. Coptic Christians in Egypt are being annihilated and gays are being rounded up and interned in Chechnya.
These groups are not responsible for inciting anything. Islamic terrorism is inspired by its religious texts and Winston Peters is right to want to future-proof New Zealand from the type of events we are witnessing around the world.
Susan Nixon, Glen Eden.
American emissions
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson told us the United States has an "unparalleled" climate change record. America's accumulated, current and per capita emission of carbon dioxide is very high. If it has dropped it is as much to do with shifting manufacturing to China as a shift to wind and solar.
Mr Tillerson cannot say two things. Informed people, including leaders of industry, know we cannot continue business-as-usual and there is a misfit in the White House.
Dennis N Horne, Howick.
Hypocritical
Something should be done about "global warming", right? We hop on planes and go soak up the sun - planes that spew thousands of tonnes of carbon into the atmosphere. We go on cruise ships that burn huge amounts of fuel while we eat and drink. We make unnecessary trips in cars all the time.
We buy food that has travelled thousands of miles because "we like it". We don't car pool to take kids to school: "it's a pain". We drive into town to meet up with friends, have a coffee and talk about that horrible President Trump. "He just doesn't care," we say.
Bruce Turner, Cambridge.
Plane noise
I strongly endorse comments about flights over the city. More people, more traffic and intensified housing means we live in a noisier city. Air space has received little attention, yet there has been a significant increase in air traffic and corresponding noise and disruption.
This increase is from regular commercial flights but there have also been more tourist-type activities from helicopters and seaplanes.
Over Auckland Anniversary Weekend, for example, Ports of Auckland has for a number of years allowed helicopter flights every six minutes for two days.
Complaints were batted away by Ports staff and it seems there is no mandated authority to monitor air traffic noise. Auckland topography is such that the helicopter noise reverberates around the bays . Air traffic noise issues need immediate attention.
J. Taylor, Parnell.
Less tolerance required
"Rivers of blood," warned Sir Enoch Powell about foreign cultures immigrating to Britain back in 1962. He was vilified as a xenophobe. But it's not paranoia if they really are trying to kill you. Now, 55 years on, the British Prime Minister concedes, "We need to be less tolerant of extremism." Who knew?
One successful little country, always minding its own business, knows how to avoid trouble. Switzerland allows no outsiders to achieve citizenship, or even buy land - you have to be born there.
Too many greedy Western politicians are swayed by a plethora of economists chanting the mantra that we need more people. Absolute rubbish. China's Government knows fewer people is better, and cuts off benefits to those who gain citizenship elsewhere.
Jim Carlyle, Te Atatu Peninsula.
Sky deprived
Any Kiwi without Sky can't watch the America's Cup, or All Blacks and Black Caps games. Additionally, most prime-time TV features low-cost overseas programmes. The taxpayer saves money, but what is the effect on our national identity? Tens of thousands of immigrants will be unable to watch the sports we once watched on free to air. Neither will their kids growing up.
Over time the national pastimes that bond Kiwis will be less watched and shared together. I'm an avid sports fan but I've never watched Kiwi footy, cricket or soccer together with my kids.
Peter Millett, Waiake.
Food scraps collection
Your correspondent Roger Russell questions the roll-out of Auckland Council's food waste collection as he predicts adverse effects from increased truck movements. Food makes up about 40 per cent of the waste stream going to landfill and the methane it produces has a warming effect 21 times that of carbon dioxide. My experience is that separating out food waste, recyclables and soft plastics reduces the need for a rubbish bag from weekly to fortnightly.
Generating change across Auckland requires a simple, convenient system. This is what the Auckland Council aims to provide. Any adverse effects from increased truck movements could be minimised by the use of electric vehicles.
Jan Diprose, Herald Island.
