Letters: Political courage, not centrists, required to answer hard questions
Letter of the week
No country for old centrists
The article (July 24) by Richard Shaw, a professor of politics at Massey University, proposes that the political centre is a strategy not a set of beliefs.
It was enlightening and reinforces the need for the public and the media to not accept claims of political parties and politicians being centralist as a way of avoiding difficult questions.
The explanation, that centralist politicians also tend to describe themselves as policy moderates for the same reason is important. Asking what a moderate position on climate change is, is a good example of how political parties and politicians generally avoid this issue - which will have catastrophic consequences for the planet.
The age we live in requires us to reorganise global governance, and of course resource use, which we are all avoiding as an issue for political discussion.
We need to look for leaders who have the courage to state their positions clearly and offer solutions. The public and the media must have the courage to ask the right questions and not accept claims of being centralist or moderate as an excuse for inaction on anthropogenic climate change.
Dennis Worley, Birkenhead.
Delmore fast-track
The fast-track approval of the Delmore subdivision near Orewa is another example of fast-track development proposals leading us into another leaky home disaster.
Several development proposals have been approved by the fast-track process without proper infrastructure solutions to water and waste treatment, let alone adequate access and infrastructure solutions.
In Delmore’s case we have a return to the old “night cart” regime where sewerage will be trucked out of the development for, wait for it, the next 30 years at least. No wonder it’s essential that the RONS project to get an expressway to Whangārei is also on the fast track - to ship truckloads of human waste up north, so their ratepayers can process it.
Looking back at the leaky homes crisis, ratepayers, taxpayers and poor unsuspecting homeowners got lumbered with the costs of remedial work when developers failed and their building guarantees went with them. Are we on a fast track to another crisis, one where developers can no longer service the sewerage and we have a “s…t happens" crisis?
Neil Anderson, Algies Bay.
Super city not a Capital idea
Wellington city councillors have been told the amalgamation of Wellington’s Super City could cost $273 million and that “studies have found no evidence large amalgamation authorities are more or less efficient than smaller ones”.
Why is the coalition trying to push this before the election under fast track? Surely ratepayers should have a say. With a population of 208,000 in the city, plus the wider region of approximately 400,000, this means a family of four will pay nearly 1800. Why, when it seems to be an ideological desire by Chris Bishop, is this happening? We should have a say. It should be an election policy so we can vote on it. How much will this cost the whole of New Zealand? We are paying for the cost of “waters done well”, now amalgamation, and we’re told to keep rates rises under 5%.
Frankie Letford, Hamilton.
Hard data centre questions
I’m happy to see Invercargill citizens querulous about the foreign-owned AI data centre. They should go further and seek guarantees for the 20 jobs alluded to; question the doubtful assertion that the south’s cold temparature will obviate use of water; demand their contingency plans for a hot summer; and seek guarantees from government that energy prices will not rise because American business will pay more but energy shareholders will benefit.
Why do Kiwis lie down and die, without a single political party to represent us? Or is there no " us" anymore?
Keith Burgess, Christchurch.
There’s ‘peanuts’ in them thar hills
The Herald (July 23)revealed the truth about gold mining. There’s wealth to be made, but the ones who make it are overseas companies, not us.
Since 2019, New Zealand has gained a total of $54 million, or less than $10 million a year in royalties. This is peanuts. The company, meanwhile, made more than a billion profit last year alone – a proportion of which came from NZ.
The royalty rate increased in 2013 from 1% to 2% of revenue. Mining is an incredibly lucrative activity, but not for us.
We are the suckers left with vast piles of tailings and landscapes destroyed. The plan is now to tear up Central Otago – and what will we end up with – huge piles, not of money but of toxic tailings.
Susan Grimsdell, Auckland Central.
Wealth tax
Wealth tax - clutch your pearls! Michael Cullen had a good phrase for this kind of comment - an “ideological burp”.
In 2007 former prime minister John Key called Kiwisaver a “cruel hoax”; in 2001 the Cullen fund was labelled a “political gimmick” and any other good move was attacked. Surely, it’s better to understand how unprecedented wealth expansion has damaged our economy and prevented growth. How? Super wealthy people buy assets, driving up the prices, which leads to unprecedented private debt, which inversely correlates with lower spending into our economy. Investigate this.
Michael Laurie, Eden Terrace.
Māori Battalion film required viewing
Last night I watched the movie Sgt. Haane. Powerful emotionally, it should be compulsory viewing for everybody in this country. The men of the 28th Maori Battalion exemplified everything about what it means to be a New Zealander.
What bravery, not just by Haane Manahi, though he was exceptional, but by the entire battalion. What ferocious warriors.
No wonder the Italians and Nazis were scared witless when confronted by them.
Manahi and his comrades climbed a near-vertical cliff face without ropes or pitons to capture strategically vital high ground at Takrouna in Tunisia.
Three generals and Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery himself recommended Manahi for the Victoria Cross yet some bureaucrat in Whitehall downgraded it to a Distinguished Conduct Medal. What a disgrace.
David Morris, Hillsborough.
Fossils in fuel and politics
Winston Peters is looking for the future in his rearview mirror if he thinks spending $1 billion on a speculating gamble has merit. Fossil fuels are last year’s technology and a financial return (if any) from fossil fuel prospecting would not provide a return until 2050, when fossil fuels will be even more redundant.
We need younger minds with bright ideas in Parliament.
Ian Brady, Titirangi.
‘Crass’ parlour game
Regardless of the outcome of the “Shoot, shag, marry” game on Radio Hauraki, it appalls me that the item exists at all, and that some male politicians engage in it. It’s a crass example of the predatory mindset of the manosphere.
Aspiring MPs crave publicity and no doubt fear that a refusal to participate would brand them humourless and a bad sport.
In my view it would indicate that they have a sense of propriety and a respect for others, especially women.
Norm Murray, Browns Bay.
A quick word
Message to NZ First: do not waste $1 billion on oil and gas exploration; spend it on renewable energy to get a much higher return for taxpayer money and NZs future.
Marie Kaire, Whangārei.
Whangārei ratepayers should be very proud of the sewage processing plant they have funded, for an Auckland housing development, but I am not sure they anticipated providing this service for Aucklanders as well? Waiting for answers in the “little room”!
Don Ashby, Whangārei.
Why do pointy top beanie woollen hats these days (with no " bobble"), make a wearer look like an elf?
Bring back the genuine beanie with the “tea cosy” look.
Larry Mitchell, Rothesay Bay.
I agree completely with Harvey White: please NZ Rugby get the names of our All Blacks on their backs. Far more enjoyable to watch if we know who we are looking at. Only way to get to know our new players.
Marilyn Newland, Blockhouse Bay.
I can understand the reasoning behind reducing the hot water temperature at the tap, but restricting it to 50C is too low. At this temperature the water in the kitchen sink is less than that. Add in cold greasy dishes and it can’t do the job properly.
Utter madness.
Angela Thomas, Greenlane.