Russian to judgment

Today’s Express has an article syndicated from the UK’S Daily Telegraph, lauding Theresa May’s decisive leadership in assaulting President Putin.

It rejoices over how other NATO members have expressed solidarity with Britain by also expelling attaches from Russian embassies. Also today, RNZ carried an interview with an American correspondent warning Winston Peters that NZ, by its failure to join the flock, could be risking our national interest.

In fact, Mr Peters deserves credit for putting NZ first and his refusal to be dragooned into this calculated sabotage of diplomatic relations with a major power. It cannot be in NZ’S national interest to alienate Russia and its ally, our major trading partner, China, on the UK’S shrill claims that are as yet unverified.

Nothing has been proven todate except that Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia were poisoned by some unknown nerve agent.

Given that the Skripals are still hanging onto life, this one must be of remarkably low lethality when compared to other such agents, which kill in 10 minutes. The only other fact we know for certain is that the only laboratory which admits to holding the samples of this agent that would be necessary for its identification, is the UK’S Porton Down, just eight miles from the crime scene.

I have seen nothing in any Stuff reporting that deals with the very serious doubts that the British rush to unverified judgment must raise. No chance of a bit of investigative journalism I suppose?

HUGH STEADMAN

Blenheim, March 28. March 28) is true. People respond best if rewarded.

Risk and reward is how insurance works. The reward for being low risk means lower premiums; it’s logical. But logic does not apply in NZ.

Unlike many other countries, NZ does not have compulsory vehicle insurance (CVI). So if a bad driver is quoted with a high premium they can legally drive uninsured.

In countries that have CVI dangerous drivers pay higher premiums and thereby subsidise good drivers. CVI premiums are set by the driver’s insurance company and depend on their driving record. Anything that increases the risk of an accident can increase the CVI premium.

In the UK at least, reporting of accidents and driving offences to your insurance company is a legal requirement. And if you’re thinking that drivers wouldn’t comply, please think again. Insurance companies find out, and then it’s even worse.

Under CVI it really does pay to drive safely. I have asked Minister Julie Anne Genter to get around ACC law and introduce CVI legislation. But until CVI becomes law in NZ it’s all risk and not enough reward.

EVAN ROBINSON

Blenheim, April 3.