Letters: Money talks, airport shares and Waka Kotahi

Letter of the week: Delay shows why we lag behind

As we edge closer to the long awaited opening of the Pūhoi to Wellsford leg of the northern motorway let’s hope Waka Kotahi NZ Transport
Agency and Government are not stupid enough to repeat the $336,000 spent on opening Transmission Gully. A more modest spend with deep and symbolic meaning would be the erection of two large cast bronze plaques that would simply read:

• Welcome to Ara Tūhono “The Holiday Highway”

• “A colossal waste of taxpayer money” David Shearer 2010

When it comes to improvements to the nation’s roading network how appropriate is the old adage “all good things come to those who wait”! Forty-two years on from the planning stage through to completion is a classic case study in why this country is decades behind in building modern future proof infrastructures. The history of this highway perfectly reflects the befuddled mix of red tape, bureaucratic inertia and political meddling that besets the country’s economic development.

Bruce Eliott, Tokyo

We want substance not smiles from our PM

Claire Trevett’s Beehive Diaries is always an amusing read, with Chris of the Week (Herald on Sunday, June 4) highlighting a week in which Chris Hipkins did nothing, even at his own Labour Party Congress. Unfortunately for Chris Hipkins, doing nothing and achieving nothing has been the hallmark of most of his ministerial portfolios, and now the pattern is repeating itself as Prime Minister. I just do not see many world leaders wanting to have a serious chat and a sausage roll with Chris Hipkins as the leader of our New Zealand Government with the image of an office boy promoted beyond his capabilities with no leadership skills. Smiles are good but need to be backed up with substance.

Gary Carter, Gulf Harbour

Bilingual signs

I have lived and worked in England, Scotland and Ireland. During that time I have navigated bilingual road signs in Wales, Scotland and Ireland. They have all been with English on top and the Celtic language below. I agree with Neil Jenkin’s letter (June 4) and believe that we should follow international practise and use English above the indigenous language and I agree with his reasoning.

Anthony Murphy, Napier

Unbiased decision?

Michael Wood, who is currently stood down for his airport shares debacle, has another issue. Wood has denied North Shore Aero Club’s request to become an airport. Just think of the savings in fuel and reduction in emissions this would mean, to say nothing of the time saved by people from as far north as Warkworth. This decision was made while Wood owned shares in Auckland Airport which would be in competition with North Shore Aero Club. One wonders if this a totally unbiased decision?

Janet Boyle, Orewa

Cunning stunt

Suggest selling all of Auckland Council’s airport shares and create a furore … Then agree to sell half of them, which was what they always wanted in the first place, and everyone is expected to think they have won.

Bruce Tubb, Devonport

Transparency

I believe there needs to be a much fuller investigation into who may benefit from the sale of the council’s stake in Auckland Airport than just the mayor and councillors who voted this week. With the revelation that some Auckland councillors or their spouses have shares in Auckland Airport ahead of the vote on whether to sell council’s stake or not, amid the lack of clarity on alternative funding for the budget deficit, would it not be timely to investigate whether those council officers directly involved in setting up the sale process for the mayor or their families or trusts also hold airport shares? Insider trading is a serious offence and anyone directly or indirectly involved, or whose family, trusts or close associates who may benefit from the sale of the shares causing an increase in the value should also be revealed in the interests of transparency around the sale process.

Coralie van Camp, Remuera

Mammograms

When the Government reneged on its promise to make mammograms free for women aged 69-74 , I wrote to the then Minister of Health, the Honourable David Clark. I did not receive a reply. However, the Breast Cancer Foundation has been lobbying for this cause since 2017 and has recently published a Report Card which shows the views of each political party on this particular matter. It makes interesting reading. I also fall in the age bracket no longer subsidised for free mammograms and, as my mother developed breast cancer in her 70s, I wish to continue to have mammograms but the cost is almost prohibitive for me. I feel many women’s lives will be lost due to the Government failing to keep a promise.

Andrea Dorn, St Heliers

Hop Cards

Susan Grimsdell is incorrect in writing that AT Hop cards are not available at the airport (Letters, June 4). AT Hop Cards are available at RELAY in the International Terminal, and at AIRGO at Domestic.

JP Kania, Long Bay

Airport transport

Susan Grimsdell is correct that very few people have knowledge of public transport services provided for Auckland Airport. There is no visual wayfinding signage, digital display advertising and intercom announcements at the airport to advise of these transport options to the travelling public. Public transport available are:

• The Airport Link: Auckland Airport via Puhinui Railway Station.

• 38 bus service: Auckland Airport to Onehunga Transport Centre.

• SkyDrive bus: An express shuttle service between Auckland Airport and SkyCity in Central Auckland.

Providing AT kiosks at the Airport selling prepaid AT Hop cards is an excellent idea. Auckland Transport and Auckland Airport must advertise and promote airport public transport services to give their customers more travel choices to use.

Patrick McFarlane, Onehunga

Read the HoS and save millions

Susan Grimsdell needs to be applauded for her letter for revealing the existence of the rail-bus service to the airport that incorporates the Southern and Eastern train lines. The advantages of this and the improvements necessary to make this service more readily available to the public and in coming tourists she outlined with clarity and common sense. She did this whilst also casting doubt on the billion-dollar light rail to airport project. In order to take advantage of her sage advice, all an MP has to do now is to pick up the Herald on Sunday and read her letter without the huge cost of a million-dollar consultancy fee of tax payer money.

Bernard Walker, Pāpāmoa

Money talks

What’s next for Jay Monahan now that he has pretty much sold every male professional golfer on the planet, down the river. A place on the Saudi Arabian equivalent of New Zealand’s National Honours List, an honorary Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia perhaps? And what is Saudi Arabia going to buy next, the Olympic Games? Or one or both of the two Fifa World Cups? Or perhaps the NBA first? Saudi Arabia and Monahan have proved once and for all that honour and integrity mean nothing in today’s world, money can buy anything if you have enough of it. Everyone has their price, and Monahan has just shown us his.

Phil Chitty, Albany