Reg Dempster, Albany.
Plea to Greens
I grew up in a predominantly National-voting household, and naively followed this trend during my first two elections. This year, however, I decided to vote Green as I wanted to see some real change in the way we address environmental issues in New Zealand. My plea to the Greens: find some common ground with National and end the miserable stalemate we find ourselves in.
I believe "Green" is not just about socialist policy, but a facilitator in MMP to insert a rigid environmental backbone and sensible social influence alongside a proven economic model. At least, this is why I voted Green.
For too long this country has been held ransom at the whim of Mr Peters. His posturing, self-centred, obtuse brand of politics is barely an orange wig away from Trump. The Greens have an opportunity to make history, seize the opportunity and catapult New Zealand forward.
Hamish Snow, Epsom.
Spare us
After that disgusting display of arrogance that poured out of our television screen at Winston Peters' press conference, could Labour and National please do the country a service and form a coalition. Our lovely country is sick of his ranting and raving. We do not need him as he has nothing to contribute. Shots of Shane Jones arriving in Wellington and acting up his smart arse persona is another thing we can well do without for the next three years. I've been in favour of a Labour-National coalition for the past 12 months so please make it happen.
John Mead, Waiheke Island.
Deserves better
The recent political cartoons in the Herald depicting Winston Peters as an ageing prostitute and other gutter level figures are vile and reprehensible. A man who has stuck to his policies and moral convictions year after year deserves better. Of course he is waiting to make his decision, all the votes aren't in yet. A sincere printed apology is in order.
Karl van de Water, Maungaturoto.
Pensioners' interest
Winston Peters and NZ First voted for National's tax changes in the last Budget which are due to come into effect on April 1, 2018. These changes will not only reduce the tax paid by all employed New Zealanders but will provide a significant increase in the superannuation payment to pensioners, $680 a year for a couple.
Labour and the Greens have said they will scrap these tax changes and spend the money in other areas. Winston Peters always talks of his concern for pensioners, so if he goes with the Labour/Greens, not only will he go back on his vote but he will deprive the pensioners of this increase.
Ken Graham, Greenlane.
System not to blame
MMP receives a lot of criticism, particularly over the results it has produced in 1996 and 2017. This year it seems on the face of it that under 'first past the post' the major parties would have won every seat except for the Epsom farce, but I believe it was different in 1996. New Zealand First won Tauranga and all the Maori seats that year, and neither of the major parties would have had enough to govern on its own. New Zealand has had coalition governments in the past and it is common in other democracies, so it seems compromise is often called for.
Alan Tomlinson, Herne Bay.
Few disenfranchised here
Impatient Kiwis grizzle about a "tail wagging the dog" and "kingmaker holding the country to ransom". I've just spent four hours watching a TV documentary, Divided States of America. What I noticed was the startling superiority of our Westminster system enhanced with MMP over the sheer misery that passes for government in the US. We're actually getting things pretty well right. People who voted for minor parties have their policy concerns. They don't want to be ignored, and they don't want to be disenfranchised.
Arch Thomson, Mt Wellington.
Majority welcome
It is disappointing to see so much whingeing about the election result, MMP and NZ First's influence. Please remember whichever way Winston chooses to go, the result will be a government representing a majority of New Zealanders, whereas under FPP, every government I can remember garnered significantly less than 50 per cent of the popular vote. A number of times the opposition had won more of the popular vote than the governing party, but had not won enough seats.
MMP is not perfect, but it is certainly more just and fair than FPP. It would be even more so, had Judith Collins not stymied the implementation of the Electoral Commission's recommendations.
In the eight elections where I voted under FPP, in all but one my vote was essentially meaningless because I lived in a strongly Labour or strongly National seat. Only once in that time was my vote actually effective, when I lived in the most marginal seat in the country, Kapiti. Under MMP, at least my party vote counts every time.
A. J. Forster, Mt Eden.
Like Corbyn
Having just returned to the UK to visit my mother I found myself sitting listening to Jeremy Corbyn's closing speech to the annual Labour Party conference. Jeremy is rather less "youth adjacent" than our Jacinda Ardern, but their policies are well aligned. UK Labour are campaigning under the banner, "For the many, not the few". The message is simple, a government is needed that will deliver for anyone, be they rich, poor or somewhere in the middle.
In the words Corbyn has just uttered, it is time to end the neo-liberal experiment - a plea as relevant to New Zealand as to the UK. Winston Peters, please examine your conscience and do the right thing.
Dr Mark Jones, (usually) RD Albany.
Rural response
After reading yet another piece where dairy farmers take a hit, (Rachel Stewart, September 27) I feel, as one of these creatures, I finally have to respond. Let's start with water quality. I live in Northland and my waterways are pristine. I know that because they are rigorously inspected. Are yours? I would like to bet your nearest river is not as clean as mine.
Beth Parker, RD Kamo.
Top salaries
There is a Chinese proverb that even the richest man can eat only one bowl of rice. Theo Spierings and other CEOs on multi-million dollar salaries are earning considerably more than they need to live the most comfortable life. We are told this is necessary to attract the top global talent. But will they really be lured away from their jobs by being offered even more money, which they don't need? If so, it raises questions about their values. Do we want such people leading our biggest companies? Perhaps values such as loyalty, the innate desire to do your best and empathy with your fellows are more powerful motivators. Perhaps we would get the really good CEOs if we paid them less.
Andrew Thorpe, Welcome Bay.
Elective surgery
I am very curious to know exactly what constitutes elective surgery. "Elective" strongly suggests this surgery is from choice and not urgent. For example, cosmetic surgery or caesareans for convenience. I cannot imagine people electing to have hip or knee reconstruction, shunts inserted, cataract surgery, skin grafts, bone straightening, and many other surgical procedures considered by the medical profession to be elective, just for the fun of it.
Surely damage that is self-inflicted, like smoking, is more to be considered elective since it is the result of choice.
Gail Webster, Greerton.
