Your letters: End of life debate, homsexuality, pensions and late submissions

Letters to the Editor.

End of life choice
In response to Simon O'Connor's personal rant about David Seymour (7/5), I would like to respond not about Mr O'Connor as a person or a politician, but about the content of his article. I believe that discerning New Zealanders are far more interested in the facts of the End of Life Choice Bill than Mr O'Connor's political point-scoring.

I totally agree with Mr O'Connor that there are many people, in particular those who are elderly, chronically sick or disabled, who are vulnerable to abuse, bullying and exploitation. However, denying everyone the opportunity to request assisted dying despite the very stringent guidelines of the EOLC Bill is not a solution to that problem. Instead, insisting that a person who is facing death in the not-too-distant future must see it through to the bitter end against their will, no matter how much they are suffering, is in itself a form of abuse.

Mr O'Connor is clearly worried that such people would be open to coercion from members of their family, particularly those who stand to gain financially. Has he actually read the End of Life Choice Bill, I wonder? Fortunately, the Bill is very stringent in its requirements, including protecting patients from coercion. It's worth remembering that doctors are already very used to obtaining informed consent from their patients before administering treatment, and that includes ensuring that they are not being coerced by others.

Does Mr O'Connor not have faith in the medical profession to act within the provisions of the law? Given that every case of assisted dying will be independently scrutinised and later reviewed independently, what doctor would risk prosecution by not adhering to the letter of the law?
LINDA KENNINGTON
Raumati Beach

Homosexuality
" We could choose to remind him ( Israel Folau) and others like him that their beliefs are simply that – their beliefs, not the truth." Philip McConkey ( Chronicle, 30 April, 2018).

So what is the truth? This needs to be answered for someone is absolutely wrong.

This discussion over Israel Folau reminds me of images I have from the film The Gladiator with the public roaring for blood of the innocent in the Colosseum who is brave enough to take on the social justice of our age which has no moral absolutes.
Now if you are unsure about moral absolutes ( necessary to build good and lasting laws) try this. Murder is always unacceptable. This is an absolute. Is abortion and euthanasia wrong? Where is the truth?

It seems Philip McConkey would be a better councillor than Steve Banon as he is at the negotiating table of right and wrong. Where do we go from here?
F R HALPIN
Whanganui

PJs in public
Our Editor Mark's editorial comment on modern day satorial standards of some in our society illuminates what's happening in our society. As our lives get easier and easier, some portions of our society are getting lazier and lazier, as shown by wearing bed clothes to a picture theatre. Lazy parent syndrome has a severe detrimental effect on their children's lives. Some are really lazy in the don't get pregnant area, meaning they have way more children than they can afford.
G R SCOWN
Whanganui

Pension inquiry
The question must be asked of the now Labour Government why is (an inquiry into pension portaibility) not being initiated by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern? Might it be because the 3 political parties concerned, now in Government have a severe case of amnesia? Or could it be because the Government might find they will lose the over half a billion dollars a year that they currently steal from self-funded retirement immigrant pensioners savings if this inquiry is initiated? (Abridged)
PAUL REA
Hawera

Late submissions
Re front page Chronicle May 4 re split vote re late submission causes me some concern. I wonder if the Mongrel Mob, Black Power, Hells Angels, or the Wanganui Branch of the Muslim Brotherhood (assuming we have a branch here?) would be treated the same by the District Council. Your paper states five late submissions come from the local iwi, "which the council had an obligation to involve" really? The Mayor and the council need to be reminded they have an obligation to serve this city's ratepayers "without fear or favour" (not sure if that's covered in any treaty or not?).
Sometime ago I believe (again from your paper) that the WDC employed the services of a local person to act as a Iwi Liaison Officer, wages paid for by the ratepayers. With that type of assistance being available to local iwi how come these five submissions were submitted late?
Finally, it would be good to know who voted for/against/ or abstained on this vote. Your paper only acknowledges Cr Taylor and Cr Vinsen as having enough nous to vote against extending the deadline, that's hardly a split vote?
BOB WALKER
St Johns Hill