Letters: We need parties to offer long-term planning solutions to pressing issues
What do our parties say on these crucial issues?
So far in this campaign, each major party seems to be focused on reducing the profits of the supermarkets and gentailers.
But where is the vision and leadership to provide long-term solutions to these really important issues?
A rapidly ageing population: increasing healthcare cost; the unaffordability of future superannuation; reducing tax take from proportionately fewer workers.
Social issues: growing inequality and poverty; the shortage of affordable housing; increasing violence.
Climate: increasing infrastructure repair costs; displacement from flood or slip-prone areas; reducing emissions instead of more pines.
Other issues that need to be planned for: reliance on imported energy; improving productivity; management of AI and data centres.
Perhaps populist issues are what win or lose elections but it’s long-term vision and planning that determine our future prosperity and living standards.
Bill Irwin, Nelson.
Betrayal of humanity
In United States President Donald Trump’s General Assembly speech at the United Nations, he threatened to annihilate Iran and called Cuba a failed state.
The US has imposed harsh sanctions on Iran and Cuba; in Cuba’s case, for over 60 years, crushing its people under an unforgiving blockade.
During Trump’s second term, these measures have worsened, causing food shortages, medicine shortages, and the deaths of innocent children in hospitals. It is a tragic betrayal of humanity and justice.
Dana A. Patterson, Ōneroa.
Fees-free study
The 2018-2025 first-year fees-free government subsidy was indeed ineffective (Sept 23). But the universities didn’t “pocket” $1.25 billion as your article claimed.
We would have received the fees anyway, from the students.
As our then Vice-Chancellor, the late Professor Stuart McCutcheon, pointed out privately, in our case the major beneficiaries of the scheme were the well-off middle-class parents of Remuera who actually paid the fees for their children and now pocketed the subsidy instead.
Stuart explained that Auckland Uni’s high academic admission standards in effect blocked out nearly all students who hadn’t been educated at the elite “Grammar Zone” schools of Remuera and Epsom.
So just another case of “middle-class capture” of the welfare state.
Tim Hazledine, Emeritus Professor of Economics at the University of Auckland, Freemans Bay.
A matter of time
During World War II, New Zealand moved its clocks forward half an hour to save electricity. This was made permanent in 1946.
This weekend, we again go through the ritual of adjusting our clocks for daylight saving time.
Instead of changing our time biannually, why don’t we simply add another half an hour to the half hour we already have, creating a permanent New Zealand standard time.
A few Pacific countries, such as Samoa, have adjusted their time zones or dates to suit their circumstances, as we did in 1946.
An extra half an hour through summer and winter could save us a lot of trouble at not a great extra cost.
Harry Allen, Maraetai Beach.
Quiet concern
While having some sympathy for the residents of Landscape Rd, Mt Eden, who are fighting a planned three-level aged-care home for 29 residents in their street (Sept 23), it does sound like a case of nimbyism.
In streets all over the city, homes are being demolished and high-density housing developments are being built in their place.
It’s a case of “coming soon to a street near you”.
But, on the plus side of what is proposed for Landscape Rd, the aged-care residents will be quiet – there’d be no noisy parties or loud, blaring music.
Lorraine Kidd, Warkworth.
What about the ref?
The column from Ben Francis (Sept 23) made some very appropriate points about the Warriors’ season and performance.
However, I strongly disagree with his writing that “the Warriors have only themselves to blame”. I believe they can rightly lay the blame for their loss on the referee and quite probably the bunker as well.
They worked hard on Sunday and dominated the last 20 minutes of the game, putting themselves in points-scoring positions at least three times. Each time they were denied the opportunity by dubious and incorrect refereeing decisions.
The team had a wonderful season and they did us proud. It is a shame it had to end in this way.
Joe Silcock, Waihī Beach.
Mt Smart best
Michael Burgess’ analysis of the difference between the Mt Eden and Mt Smart stadiums (Sept 23) was particularly insightful.
The distance between the players and the fans is the vital difference that means Mt Smart will always be the better venue of the two.
The proximity to the action in a rectangular stadium creates excitement and atmosphere unmatched by ones that are oval or circular.
Tony Waring, Grey Lynn.
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