A reminder to Ardern, from Extinction Rebellion

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern famously said climate change was this generation’s nuclearfree moment. But when Extinction Rebellion used the tactics of the nuclear-free movement, she said she wasn’t impressed.

We are a fire alarm, and fire alarms are disruptive.

We aren’t comfortable being the alarm. Before this emergency, most of our group would never have considered joining a protest. They would prefer to go about our daily lives, spending time with their families and enjoying themselves.

But this is an emergency. We acknowledge Ardern’s Government for doing more on climate change than the previous one. We celebrate the end of future oil exploration permits as a world first. We understand the ‘‘political reality’’, but the science is clear that it sadly isn’t enough.

On Monday Ardern told media she drew the line on illegal and violent action. This is a disappointing mistruth. The police acknowledged our nonviolence. No charges were laid.

Monday was just the beginning. We will take further non-violent civil disobedience and are willing to suffer any consequences. Sometimes you have to get burnt to pull someone out of a fire. But it’s worth it. Simon Oosterman, Extinction Rebellion Aotearoa New Zealand

Vote for me – or not

Although I’ve voted, some candidates didn’t make it easy for me; or did they?

On their profile, one said: ‘‘I’ve been on a John Kehoe motivational course giving me the leadership required’’; another: ‘‘I’ve been on the council for 27 years and it’s time for a change’’.

All stated, I guess, to give us confidence!

Robert Bicker, Auckland

Tracy Watkins (Editorial, October 6) presented an excellent analysis of the issues to consider when, once again we are wondering why our local government elections suffer from such very low voter turnout.

By now we will have some hard and fast numbers, but if the past is anything to go by, the turnout will be in the pathetic less-than 50 per cent.

Two of Watkins’ issues that I think need particular emphasis are the message to voters that local councils’ decisions have arguably more impact on our day-to-day lives than those made in Wellington, and secondly, that voters may feel swamped by the size and complexity of local government.

Until we teach civics in schools, the majority of the population are at a loss in trying to understand the system. It’s hard for people to be enthusiastic about something that largely remains a mystery. M. Carol Scott, Auckland

Speech risks

I dare say that if Damien Grant (‘‘Vote to express our free speech’’, Focus, October 6) had been around 90-odd years ago he would be dismissing Adolf Hitler as a raconteur with some interesting theories about the Jews and a possible solution to them.

But that’s the thing, the world is now aware of where that kind of speech can take us, and unlike Grant and his ilk, we’ve learned from history.

John Capener, Kawerau

Spark service

Do you realise that if you reverse the spelling of Spark it describes their services at times? That is the real reason why they changed their name to Spark so at all times they are totally honest with their customers.

Would a spark by any other name still smell as sweet? Murray Hunter, Auckland

‘Superfood’ hype

Does kiwifruit become a superfood because selective industry research contracted to a Crown Research Institute (CRI) makes it so?

Kiwifruit are not ‘packed with nutrients’ as claimed by Plant & Food Research. This is a subjective statement, not fact. Several years ago I was part of an Auckland research group which demonstrated in rats that this particular acidic fruit causes allergies in some individuals, and did not benefit immune function as hoped. No amount of industry investment will make this science research untrue, only forgotten.

By ignoring the limit of health benefits from one particular fruit, we risk shortsightedness in our medicinal crop research.

There is a whiff of fashion about the word ‘superfood’. Nutritional scientists ignore the unfounded hype which permeates nutrition advertising, and so should our government departments.

Janet Taylor, Hamilton

The whinge forecast

As Jordan Watson pointed out last week (‘‘Stop whingeing, Kiwis, our country’s great’’), we just love to complain, it’s what we do.