Letters to the editor: Benefits going up but so is cost of living

Finance Minister Grant Robertson reading his Wellbeing Budget 2021 in Parliament. Photo / NZ Herald

After a swift appraisal of the Budget and further glance at the real facts, it is all very well the Government giving extra money to those who need it but the power companies are raising their prices, councils are raising rates, fuel is going steadily upwards, food - already far too expensive in New Zealand - is on the way up (we check prices weekly), rents and house purchase prices are in the clouds - so at the end of the day we're back to square one.

How about a realistic attack on the cost of living where it hurts - profit-making companies and out-of-control landlords? They need curbing before any Budget will mean anything to anybody.

Jim Adams
Rotorua

Road barriers

I had to travel to the beach to go fishing at Otamarakau.

I can handle the silly 80km/h and 60km/h restrictions along the way and I can also agree with the wide centre-line, but to see more of those barriers being installed makes my blood boil.

Who decides where these things are installed?

Barriers on one side and drains and drop-offs on the other side. Why don't they stop this nonsense and put more money into resurfacing what are good roads that need attention urgently?

Another thing, who decides to shorten or remove passing lanes?

The three-lane going up to Tarukenga has about 30 per cent of its length removed.

The three lanes after you go up from Okere Falls have been altered, and redesignated a slow-vehicle lane.

This won't make the left hander at the top of the lane any safer because stupid motorists will still want to roar past the slow vehicles (trucks) to beat them to the lane ending.

Who decides to remove these passing opportunities? And why?

They should be increasing the passing opportunity for the 95ers who speed up to 100km/h when they see the sign so no one else can pass.

The police are half the problem because they've got the average motorist petrified to exceed 100km/h.

Rod Petterson
Rotorua

Intersection shrubs

It is with great elation I type this email.

Whether it was my letter to the editor, published on May 6, (Intersection shrubs are a safety issue), that finally had somebody listening to me, I have yet to find out.

But, on Thursday, as I came up to the Fenton St-Devon St roundabout, I noticed I could actually see the oncoming traffic.

The four scruffy shrubs had been removed; such a surprise, I drove around the roundabout twice.

Thank you, thank you, to whoever is responsible for the removal.

Pauleen Wilkinson
Rotorua

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