Pregnant pause

It’s correct that the Prime Minister’s pregnancy is big news around the world ( Editorial, February 3).

As pointed out, Jacinda Ardern and her partner will be parents with more options than most – not the least being that the support staff available to the PM will be at least 15 times the level it was in 1987.

In that year, I was married to Michelle Boag, who gave birth to our son by caesarean section and was back at her desk as the Leader of the Opposition’s press secretary and minder three days later.

Obviously, the job of prime minister tops the political ladder. However, the point remains relevant: there is nothing terribly novel about a woman having a baby and resuming her career with nary a blink of the eye. Women have exercised that option for decades. Leister Monk (Linwood, Christchurch)

The Editorial is right, but maybe not in the way intended. Winston Peters is a drag anchor not on attitudinal change but on social engineering that is adopted against the will of the majority.

The unpopular anti-smacking bill has had no effect on child abuse but has affected children’s behaviour and attitudes. The majority would like the Māori seats in Parliament gone, but if they dare say it, the pack howls racism. Yet having seats based on race is by definition racist.

To say 93% of Kiwis didn’t vote for Peters assumes 100% voted. Really? I’m glad you’re not my accountant.

I have never seen a politician attacked so regularly and unfairly by the media. Did some of the abysmal deputy leaders we’ve had in the past 10 years get the same treatment? Is it some pathetic revenge because he won’t play by your rules? Or was it something else? Luigi Girardin (Stoke)