Commuter practice at Swanson station. Photo / Michael Craig
Meanwhile the west nonetheless waits
None of the recent transport plans for Auckland (together with Auckland Council’s Rail Business Plan) extract the advantages obtainable from the western rail line. When the CRL is accomplished, passenger companies
to the west will run each 7 minutes, however bizarrely finish at Swanson, whereas freight will proceed on previous Huapai, Kumeū and Waimauku all the best way to Whangārei. Why? Auckland Transport says there’s a tunnel previous Swanson that’s not sufficiently big. Make the tunnel larger or trench? Auckland Transport has not defined why it will probably’t, however this current route is being sidelined in favour of pricey nor-western new builds. Meanwhile, the west waits for larger park-and-ride services at rail stations and grade separation the place the rail intersects roads. More frequent companies means rail obstacles shall be down more often than not inflicting mayhem on key roads. Transport companies in Auckland are too continuously deliberate round “flavour-of-the-month” reasonably than building on what we’ve got. Let’s extract the potential from what we have already got first, earlier than we hare off after the subsequent brilliant concept.
Sandra Coney, Piha
Finding options
Do politicians, metropolis and city councillors and authorities managers learn and digest the letters web page? Day after day I learn of options, issues to be solved and good solutions and so they appear to not be observed or acted on. The letters web page is a good sounding board for extraordinary individuals to place ahead good concepts; they need to be listened to extra severely.
Chris Blenkinsopp, Beach Haven.
Lemming support
It appears naive to consider that, as a result of precise election night time outcomes have mirrored precisely these of pre-election opinion polls, that the polls should be trustworthy predictors of how voters will vote. I consider the other — that pre-election polls are a serious affect on how a fantastic many individuals will resolve who to vote for — the “herd mentality”. Or what I name the “Lemming Syndrome” — as one lemming stated to a different, “Why are we running over this cliff? Said the other: “I don’t really know — but all of us are, so it must be the right thing to do.”
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Clyde Scott, Birkenhead.
Hybrid concepts
I’m involved a recent correspondent doesn’t perceive what a hybrid automobile is. Hybrid vehicles have a petroleum engine AND a battery/electrical motor mixture.The battery is just charged when the car slows down or brakes. This leads to a lot decreased gasoline consumption, decrease emissions and a nice driving expertise. Hybrid house owners pay much less street tax as a result of they use much less petrol. It is time purely electrical automobiles paid street tax.
Brent Murdoch, Greenlane.
Majority guidelines
Willie Jackson and Kelvin Davis are proper to worry a National/Act Government. Under Labour they’ve had issues their very own manner for 3 years. I’ve not forgotten the interview Jack Tame did with Jackson. Alarm bells rang after we heard Jackson’s veiled threats concerning the liberty of interviewers. We have the possibility each three years to resolve the course we would like our elected members of Parliament to take. This might not be the best way Jackson and Davis want, however it’s as much as the bulk to resolve. Freedom of the press is crucial to a wholesome democracy.
J. Hansen, Hastings.
No joke
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No-one really believes David Seymour was severe about blowing up the Ministry of Pacific Peoples. But a joke about terrorism reveals a marked lack of the frequent sense the Act Party promotes itself as having in spades. It additionally reveals a grandstanding diploma of immaturity, in addition to insensitivity that doesn’t change into a celebration chief.
Alan Jenner, Mairangi Bay.
Money issues
Andrea Dawe thinks the plan to show kids monetary literacy appears like one other manner of blaming these on the backside for their very own misfortune. I’d thought this concept — smart, and lengthy overdue — could be universally welcomed. It sounds to me like a plan to assist individuals to keep away from being on the backside.
Chris Elias, Mission Bay.
Highway to hell
I cant await Labour Weekend to check out the brand new Motorway North. I’ve heard it’s a panorama designer’s dream. But I’m wondering why the nickname Holiday Highway was rejected. It fires off immediately in the direction of Matakana and the coast whereas entering into Warkworth appears an afterthought. That stays a nightmare and includes driving the identical previous route via the notorious worst intersection in New Zealand. Travelling from Warkworth to Auckland includes first negotiating the well-known Hill St junction, then heading north for Wellsford earlier than turning South on to the motorway. A farcical waste of time.
David Kisler, Freemans Bay.
Booking a spot
The Takapuna library was inbuilt 1989. It was deliberate to change into the central library for the newly amalgamated North Shore City. It homes the Northern Research Centre and Angela Morton Room Te Pātaka Toi Art Library with over 10,000 Aotearoa artwork books, journals and artist information. It was the primary library in NZ to offer a pupil examine space. Yet the Devonport Takapuna Local Board appears to think about this building too previous. It used Facebook to seek the advice of with 25,000 ratepayers as as to if they want a focused fee to assist fund a brand new “enhanced” library and neighborhood hub of the “same calibre” of the Te Manawa Library at Westgate Massey. That was inbuilt 2018 at a cost of $35m. It is 45 per cent of the dimensions of the present Takapuna library. There shall be no carparking on the popular web site on the previous Anzac St carpark. There is an previous saying the native board ought to contemplate: “We all have dreams but not all of us are dreamers”.
Jan O’Connor, Takapuna.
Own units
Peter Davis (NZ Herald, Aug 22) states “Pharmac has had considerable success. Aside from saving the taxpayer a lot of money,… fewer than 5 per cent of patients report financial obstacles to receiving medications.” Pharmac not solely supplies medicines, but additionally medical units. Provision of steady glucose screens for diabetics is into consideration. At the second, we’ve got to privately present our personal and on the cost over $200 monthly many people can not afford this. Pharmac may enhance diabetics’ well being and save taxpayers money if it funded steady glucose screens. Diabetics may self-manage extra successfully and keep away from visits to hospital, at $1587 per night time.
Valerie Green-Moss, Whangarei.
Problem solved
Susan Grimsdell’s letter is completely proper on the mark. I’ve already made various related pitches to the Government to zero avail. Somebody with actual imaginative and prescient wants to unravel that housing challenge, as it’s able to being solved. If you retain doing what you probably did previously, the top consequence would be the identical.
Dennis Pahl, Tauranga.
Right flip
Ah, the polls are clearly trending to the correct. Aotearoa is damaged and struggling on this post-pandemic, climate-crisis, war-torn world. How to repair it, particularly our unaffordable cost of residing and declining tax income? Our opposition events, as soon as in energy will rapidly permit comparatively free rein to business, together with eco-unfriendly choices, so larger income could be made and dealing individuals can “get ahead”. Such a Government will “take us back” to the twentieth century and “on track” to overseas possession of our businesses and homes. But worse, they’ll legislate (scary) “real change” that’s prone to improve racism and undo the gradual beneficial properties of beneficiaries and low-wage earners, making life inconceivable for them.
B Darragh, Auckland Central.
Time to develop up
New Zealand has extra of a chance than most democracies to foster co-operation between the 2 main events, as each have ideologies extra centrist than at some other time within the final 20 years. The points we face are similar to the issues different OECD international locations are going through. But on the core of this disquietude is the juvenile and petty squabbling between Labour and National, and Act’s ham-fisted, derogatory joke concerning the Ministry for Pacific Peoples and Guy Fawkes. In their effort to attain political factors, senior ministers are making foolish however severe errors about their very own insurance policies and behaving like petulant 5-year-olds. Our politicians want to think about rising up and urgently discover cross-party consensus to resolve the crucial challenges we face.
Mary Hearn, Glendowie.
Short & candy
On income
Why is Labour attacking Foodstuffs for having a revenue of $300m when it has been reported ANZ has made an after-tax revenue of $1.6b and continues with fee hikes? Mark Young, Orewa.
On dentists
Forget the large cost to the taxpayers. Where are all of the dentists going to return from? Obviously Green Party members haven’t tried to get an appointment with a dentist. Jock Mac Vicar, Hauraki.
On Hansen
Apparently Steve Hansen has, in some parochial Kiwi eyes, dedicated treason by providing his companies to Eddie Jones and the Australian bid to win the World Rugby Cup. I miss out on any unsuitable. Surely two very skilled rugby teaching heads are significantly better than one? Jeremy Coleman, Hillpark.
Judging by his final efficiency of teaching and choice in opposition to England in 2019, Hansen gained’t be a lot assist to Jones. Peter Beyer, Sandringham
On Sio
William Sio’s excellent valedictory speech in Parliament must be reprinted in full. It is vital for all to know who’re the a number of races that make up being a New Zealander. Gary Carter, Gulf Harbour.
On vaping
How can it’s that there are 600 vape shops and for that to be okay? The truth there’s that many goes to show it has change into a business of revenue, not abstinence. John Ford, Taradale.
The Premium Debate
Richard Prebble: National and Act ought to be taught from Labour’s damaged guarantees
I believe Labour’s intentions had been at all times good, simply sadly many issues on execution of coverage and typically ignoring professional coverage recommendation. Jason P
The financial system, Health system, Police/Justice and Education system are in want of a smart evaluate by an incoming new Govt. Kirsty G
The greatest drawback for Luxon is that the majority of us realise that NZ’s present vary of issues are all right down to the pandemic and its influence over practically three years of the present authorities. Tom B
All polls are too subjective — relies upon what questions are being requested, of whom, and by whom. You can get any outcomes you need by asking slanted questions of fastidiously chosen individuals. Only ballot that issues is on Election Day. Gordon T
I’m very considering National and Acts first 100 days agenda. This agenda must be introduced previous to the election. What I don’t need is a brand new authorities stating that the books are in such a state that we can not undertake some or all of their insurance policies. Robert S
Someone sensible stated: “If a government majors in the minor issues then people start noticing that the major things aren’t working anymore.” This authorities has targeted on id politics, pet tasks and different wasteful ideology whereas not delivering on Health, Education, Housing and Justice. Voters have observed that they’re paying extra tax whereas authorities spending is uncontrolled. Craig T