Letters to the editor: McClay stood up for locals

Rotorua MP Todd McClay stood up for locals, says a reader. Photo / File

Congratulations to Jim Adams for injecting a touch of reality into the Covid-19 housing debate (Letters, July 1).

Much of your reporting, editorial and letters have completely missed the issue.

The point of Todd McClay's comments was that he was a city leader standing up for the locals.

No one really objected to returnees coming here for isolation, just that it would have been nice to have been told about it.

Until then we had been almost guaranteed Covid-free, with the returnees arriving in the city that guarantee went, and with it some modifications to our own precautions became necessary.

The possibility of Rotorua becoming an isolation centre had been on the books for two weeks prior to them arriving.

The decision was made on the Thursday before, mayor Steve Chadwick was told of the decision on the Friday, with the returnees arriving on the Saturday evening.

Does the rest of the general populace not matter?

McClay at least stood up and was counted. His lampooning by your cartoonist and those who published it (Opinion, June 23) was, in my view, very unfortunate, as was the tone of the articles which also missed the point.

We expect those who are elected and get well paid to look after our interests to do at least that.

Well done, Todd McClay. (Abridged)

Chris Douglas
Rotorua

Moving story brought tears

I was brought to tears by Danielle Maguire's moving, heartfelt story (Rotorua Daily Post, June 27).

It was a stark reminder my family also faces the desecration of our father's ashes by Rotorua Lakes Council's proposed Westbrook Sports and Recreation Precinct concept.

As foundation members of Springfield Golf Club, our parents Ron and Una Kusabs, played a major part in the formation of the course involving many volunteered hours planting trees (now 70 years old and home to magnificent wildlife) and transforming a swamp into the now wonderful Springfield Golf Course.

In that endeavour, Dad followed in his father Charlie Kusabs' footsteps. He designed several holes at Arikikapakapa, a course my father Ron was also a member of.

Ron was an accomplished golfer whose achievements included playing off a scratch handicap, attaining the feat of six holes in one and competing admirably in numerous NZ Pro-Am tournaments.

Prior to his passing, Dad expressed his wish to have his ashes scattered on his beloved Springfield Golf Course. When it was suggested some would be put in a bunker he jokingly replied "Oh well, I spent a bit of time in that bunker, so why not? His laughter always echoes softly in my mind when I stroll past said bunker.

I know there will be numerous families in Rotorua mortified at the potential desecration of our loved one's resting places because of this proposal, as well as the wholesale destruction of wildlife habitat, dark space and open suburban green space whose irreplaceable beauty and tranquillity was fully appreciated by many during Covid-19 lockdown.

Mydawny Nairn-Kusabs
Tauranga

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