Letters: Immigrants, United Nations, attack politics, Transport Accident Investigation Authority, and forestry slash

Letter of the Week: Anne Martin, Helensville

I am prompted to write after reading the harrowing story of Val Bird’s elderly husband, Rosney’s end-of-life care. (Weekend Herald, June 10). We have a wonderful health service
in New Zealand. It is seriously hampered by a shortage of staff; rural doctors, nurses, specialists, caregivers in hospice and rest homes are caring, skilled – and overworked. Anyone who has needed these services, as I have in recent years, must be incredibly thankful for the contribution of the immigrants who come here for a better life and use their talents in these vital areas. How would we cope without them? If you catch a bus, get a blood test, get a prescription filled at the pharmacy, get a postal or parcel delivery, need a taxi, or any other important service, you are very likely to be helped by someone who has come from another country to live and work. Maybe it’s time for a National Immigrants Appreciation Day.

UN impotence

The editorial (Weekend Herald, June 10) provides solid evidence of the catastrophic damage Vladimir Putin is inflicting on Ukraine and its citizens, along with intended outcomes and ultimate ramifications, by the medieval principles of his leadership of the Russian Government. This reporting and analysis of the current conflict in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, further serves to underline the sheer impotence of the United Nations, in its present ongoing failure to halt any such outrageous rampage of carnage, death, and destruction in the world. With “rogue” nations Russia and China having the power of veto in the Security Council, they can block any efforts by the UN to effect any sort of peaceful solution. China/Taiwan will be next – and nothing short of outright war will deter them, if “reclaiming” is China’s aim regarding Taiwan. The UN has failed totally to ensure world peace. Just as the League of Nations, formed with Identical aims after World War I, had ultimately failed by 1939 – resulting in World War II. The UN is no longer “fit for purpose” and must, therefore, be dissolved and replaced. But already the world may be too late in addressing this. Clyde Scott, Birkenhead.

Attack politics

Mike Munro seems to condone actions that send a message that ad hominem attacks are acceptable when he writes that attacking opponents and negative campaining has always been part of electioneering. Contrast this with sports commentator, Scotty Stevenson, who is characterised as always seeing the good in people and is never cruel (both articles, Weekend Herald June 10). Surely, if we want better social cohesion, more than ever, we need role models such as Stevenson rather than those who feel it is fair game to play the woman/man and not the ball in a demeaning and destructive way. Glennys Adams, Oneroa.

Lengthy inquiries

Once again, we read (Weekend Herald, June 10) that the Transport Accident Investigation Authority (TAIA) is going to take an inordinate amount of time to investigate a maritime accident, this time the Russell Ferry collision. Up to two years, it says, when the cause and implications are simple and obvious to everyone. This follows the Cook Strait ferry engine failure and the container ship engine failure, both serious accidents but easy to diagnose, in less than one month. Time to disestablish TAIA and put a sensible efficient agency in charge. Doug Armstrong, Glendowie.

Culpability indicated

The inquiry set up by the Prime Minister reported on the direct cause of the slash and substandard finished logs, wantonly discarded by logging and forestry interest, choking rivers, and smashing bridges during heavy rain. The report attaches blame on local councils for failing to adequately control the companies. This assumes that mutually agreed contractual safeguards existed, requiring oversight and inspection. If that is the case, any failure locally can only be of a secondary nature. The prime responsibility and statutory duty of care lie with the logging and forestry interests, whether private, public, or overseas-owned. Some four years prior, a similar but smaller event occurred which demonstrated if rain and logging increased in volume, this latest event would occur. The senior boards of these companies should be asked what evidenced knowledge of these risks they were aware of. They could be either complicit or ignorant of the dangers increased logging would create if logging practices were left unchanged. Either way, they are in breach of the statutory duty of care to the communities they operate in and should be brought to account. John Alan Napier, Waiheke Island.

Cache busting

Thomas Coughlan’s (Weekend Herald, 10 June) front page article “reveals” that “the rich stash $470 billion in trusts”. To stash means to hide or keep a secret. The settlors, trustees, and beneficiaries of trusts are recorded in the trust register, and trusts have IRD numbers. No “stashing” here, and nothing to “reveal”. Trusts have to furnish year-end accounts and are taxed accordingly. The tax rate is 33 per cent, which also was the maximum personal rate until the government raised it to 39 per cent. The new tax rate for trusts is 39 per cent. No “tax avoidance” here. I would have no problem with a rational debate about tax. What I detest is political agitation masquerading as journalism. K H Peter Kammler, Warkworth.

Health agency

Bruce Cotterill appears to miss the point when he states (Weekend Herald, June 10) that centralisation of the health service is not as important as making sure that people get the medical attention they need and then stating without evidence it isn’t helping. One of the main drives for the change is to ensure equitable access to healthcare that is funded, but with such a large shift, it will not happen overnight. Alan Johnson, Papatoetoe.

Trialing times

I see (Weekend Herald, June 10) that Sky TV was going to put up the price of its Sky Sport now it has a virtual monopoly. Like all in such a situation, it can provide for the majority of sports viewers without considering the small group who might want to watch some of the best in the world – namely, our equestrian heroes. Many years ago, before Covid, I paid $15 each time to SkyTV just to watch the Burghley and Badminton horse trial broadcasts. They may not have been held during the Covid pandemic but they resumed in 2022 – not that we heard anything. Seeing as we have regularly produced world-class top riders in the past are we going to get the chance to see them again, even if we are willing to pay for the individual broadcast? David Speary, Northcote.

A quick word

Act’s plan to cut regulatory red tape could result in savings, but it would be wise to consider the parable of Chesterton’s fence. Every regulation that exists was created by someone for some reason. Any move to abolish one should declare what that reason was. Morgan L. Owens, Manurewa.

Everything Bruce Cotterill writes about our parliamentarians is true and applies equally to our local body politicians. Murray Reid, Cambridge.

Everyone should read Bruce Cotterill’s opinion piece. Our political leaders need experience, capability and judgment skills, not inexperience and ideology. Wendy Tighe-Umbers, Parnell.

Someone suing a restaurant for $2000 for not providing a bottomless brunch as advertised at $65 each so they could eat and drink themselves silly. I think this says more about those suing than the restaurant itself. Alan Walker, St Heliers.

The talk from Labour and the Greens about a wealth tax is telling us all that, if you work hard, are successful, and get ahead in life, they will tax you back to the standard of socialism. Mediocrity. Mark Young, Ōrewa.

Your Scotty Stevenson story portrays the beliefs and hopes of a great New Zealander who has been through a traumatic personal loss. Scotty will be a magnificent addition to TVNZ. Gary Carter, Gulf Harbour.

I loved Steve Braunias’ piece, “The neglected secret of life”. As my friend and clinical psychologist Des O’Donnell used to say in his lectures: “Take the lid off your id and celebrate.” Cabrini Makasiale, Māngere Bridge.

Legally-constituted governments have tried to create a marine reserve at the Kermadec Islands but are stymied by “co-governance”. Never has the need for humanity to behave rationally been greater than now. Dennis Horne, Howick.

Let’s get real here, Trump won’t take the fall for his current dilemma; some other poor sucker will. John Ford, Taradale.

Agreed, Russia is most certainly accountable for the Kakhovka Dam collapse to impede the counterattack. Nato has to give Russia an ultimatum to stop missile attacks and withdraw or face Ukraine joining Nato. Steve Lincoln, Botany Downs.

Just a few days ago students and their parents were almost crying because secondary school teachers had the temerity to continue planned strikes and “the children’s education would suffer”. Then the entire small town of Ōpōtiki closes all schools for a whole week because of “gang tensions” and no one says a word. I don’t understand. Fiona McAllister, Mount Maunganui.

Quite a turnout for Steven Taiatini’s tangi. As the great Rubber Duck would have put it: “Mercy, sakes alive, looks like we got us a convoy”. But where were the long-haired friends a’ Jesus in a chartreuse micra-bus? Behind that suicide jockey needing all the help he can get? Dean Donoghue, Papamoa Beach.