Letters: Oil infrastructure needed regardless of war
Letter of the Week
Fuel concerns
Regardless of whether the ceasefire continues or not, fuel shortages and their high prices will continue for months. The main reason is the Middle East is the world’s largest provider of crude oil and liquid fuels, and its infrastructure has been severely damaged. The number of days we have fuel supplies is decreasing, which is of big concern, especially diesel as it affects the commercial side of transport and also the farming community.
Although the Government has a plan, we are still in the first stage and they are loath to move from it as they have been very critical of Labour’s alleged overreaction to a crisis. The plan should be to reduce fuel usage and costs for users. This can be done by making public transport free and reducing road user charges for commercial users. The current plan seems to be strategic inaction.
Reg Dempster, Albany.
Ardern did well
Jacinda Ardern did not divide the country. She did her best to save lives and that is the most important outcome.
Did any worker refuse to accept the Covid subsidy? Did any of the critics refund the subsidy? Haven’t heard any reports about that yet. Is there any other infectious disease plan out there to adapt to in a hurry? Just hot air, I believe. Also, jealousy that a woman managed the situation well, given the timing and science.
Nishi Fahmy, Avondale.
Thread of resentment
A (female) Herald correspondent (April 11) sneers at Jacinda for having a “pretty face”, reminding me of the startling, televised Covid era complaint from a (male) protester about being told what to do by “some girl in a skirt”.
Of course there are legitimate reasons to criticise the Ardern Government, as with all governments, but these attacks on Jacinda’s appearance, age and gender continue years after her tenure. Where does this particular thread of resentment come from, and why does it persist?
Rowan Hill, Mt Eden.
Speedway protest
So, the Supercity council have decided that Western Springs will be developed into a concert venue at a cost to the ratepayer of $2.5 million.
Well, hello, Western Springs is already a concert venue, has been for decades. I have lost count of the number of concerts I have attended, all a huge success, as is.
Eden Park has already been consented to double the number of concerts held annually, plus, we already have multiple other venues including Spark Arena, Mt Smart, North Harbour Stadium, Bruce Mason Centre, Town Hall, etc. How many concert venues do we need? Are they all booked out every weekend?
What Auckland needs is a speedway. We had a speedway called Western Springs Speedway. This land was donated by the Motions family to the people of Auckland for a speedway.
The Auckland Council has stolen this land from the people of Auckland. Council will tell you they have, out of the kindness of their hearts, relocated speedway to Waikaraka Park, a vastly inferior site, capacity 3000. I have attended many a huge speedway night at Western Springs with over 15,000 people. Try relocating the All Blacks to North Harbour Stadium, see how that goes.
This is a very, very, sad time for speedway fans. Western Springs cannot be replaced, it is world famous, with 96 years of rich history. It belongs to the people of Auckland.
Generations of families have enjoyed a night out with the kids, there is nothing like it. Lost forever.
So, to the councillors who fought to save Western Springs Speedway, thank you for your efforts. To the rest of the council, including the mayor, thanks for nothing.
Douglas Anderson, Whitianga.
War technology
The current wars in the Middle East and Ukraine show that technology has reduced warfare to something impersonal and even refined.
Combatants can sit comfortably in front of a computer screen and direct a drone or rocket with something innocuous like a mousepad on to a battlefield target. In many cases, people can be hundreds of miles away from their targets.
This kind of impersonal interaction of people detached from destruction has not been a recent observation. Renowned New Zealand poet M.K. Joseph wrote of this detachment in his World War II poem Drunken Gunners. The last stanza sums up the contrast he observed between battlefield disconnection and human emotions.
Housed under summer leafage at his ease,
Artillery board set up, the captain sees
His rule connect two dots a league apart
And throws destruction at hypotheses,
Wishing that love had ministers like these
To strike its distant enemy to the heart.
It would appear that humanity has “progressed” disproportionately in its ability to destroy itself compared to the scant gains made in emotional connectiveness.
Bernard Walker, Mount Maunganui.
Changing tastes
Perhaps recent wastewater sampling results would indicate the Stats NZ data showing alcohol consumption hit a 15-year low in 2025 was not the result of “encouraging a well-balanced lifestyle”, but more likely a swing towards “other delights”.
Peter Dodd, Chatswood.