Letters: Do Willis and Luxon think beneficiaries are undeserving of support?
Hard times ahead for beneficiaries
Apparently Nicola Wilis and Christopher Luxon believe that people recently made redundant in the current difficult economic climate and therefore re-classified as “beneficiaries” are undeserving of any emergency financial assistance. Low-paid workers without children can expect the same treatment.
Woe betide anyone of any walk of life who, in many cases through no fault of their own, receives the label of beneficiary under a National-led government. That moniker clearly bars you from any possibility of equitable treatment.
Richard Stirling, New Windsor.
No financial relief
So once again this government is denying beneficiaries assistance, making petrol price relief only available to the working populace.
This at a time of soaring unemployment when beneficiaries are struggling to put food on the table, let alone attend job interviews.
This is blatant discrimination. Many are struggling to attend hospital and clinic appointments where their car is the only means of travel. Many already have to check in personally with Winz or other government agencies regularly. It further disadvantages the disadvantaged. Or does this government think beneficiaries shouldn’t be permitted to own and drive a car?
Dee Parks, Takapuna.
Eat NZ-grown
New Zealand can never compete with the likes of China, Thailand and Vietnam for various products, including food, due to their very low labour rates. So when Wattie’s and now McCain start closing factories with the loss of hundreds of jobs because we cannot compete with canned Chinese-grown peaches or even frozen veges from Australia, maybe for food security we need to renegotiate free trade agreements to exclude food. While it is great to have a wider variety of food, do we really need access to food from overseas? Shouldn’t we be promoting New Zealand-grown food? And, yes, we should put large tariffs on imported food to protect our own food-producing industries.
Paul Carpenter, Rotorua.
Threat to Israel
I strongly urge everyone to listen to a speech given by the then-Senator Marco Rubio 11 years ago, which he repeated recently. He could see the “writing on the wall” and was warning how dangerous it would be for Iran to be able to build such a strong military and defence system that it could totally protect its nuclear facilities from attack.
Why is that important? Many times I have seen video of the Ayatollah Khamenei declaring that there will never be peace until Iran has wiped Israel off the face of the Earth.
Israel is fighting for its existence, and thankfully it is backed (mainly) by the United States. This conflict has also come as a very rude awakening for many Gulf States, who now realise the Iranian regime cannot be trusted.
J.M. Cooper, Eden Terrace.
Time for regime change?
Many Americans are unhappy with Emperor Trump’s expensive, illegal war of aggression on Iran, which has killed many, including more than 100 schoolgirls and decapitated its leadership, leading to Iran closing the Hormuz Strait.
However, Iran is allowing vessels through from regions that do not support the US/Israeli war on Iran. But the closure has brought rising energy costs, stressing many countries. So why not support regime change in America?
Hopefully an alternative leadership in America will be elected, bypassing the US military-industrial complex that has made America the most war-mongering country in the world.
The Iranian news agency Tasnim aptly reported recently: “Trump should take his head off his phone and social media for a while and from now on, his eyes should only be focused on the sky, the stock market and the price of oil.”
Kay Weir, Wellington.
Who can stop a war?
Any idiot can start a war but it takes a statesperson to stop one.
Bruce Tubb, Bayswater Heights.
In the fast lane
Improving bus reliability during rail closures requires more dedicated bus lanes and transit signal priority at traffic lights to keep services flowing and on time. This can be achieved within a short timeframe by converting parking or traffic lanes to reduce delays and bus services from being cancelled.
Reducing fares for public transport will encourage more people to try this transport mode as an alternative to car-based travel.
Patrick McFarlane, Onehunga.
Ode to Alker
Kiwi senior golfer Steve Alker won his 100th tournament on the Champions Tour, the Cologuard Classic, by beating Padraig Harrington on the first extra hole. He defended his title won last year and now has 11 wins from his 100 events.
Scoring one hundred at golf is not the norm;
It usually means you’re no good or out of form;
But he’s played 100 events on the Champions Tour;
Eleven times he’s been winner – at age 54;
Kiwi golfer Steve Alker is whipping up a senior-pro storm.
David Hopkins, Remuera.
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