OVER TO YOU
A bit of balance
Finally, a front page lead story ‘‘balancing’’ the debate about ongoing seismic surveying in New Zealand waters.
The Government has for several years required all seismic vessels operating in New Zealand waters to have at least one marine mammal observer, plus passive acoustic monitoring equipment, on board at all times monitoring any sightings of marine mammals, particularly whales and dolphins.
This should ensure that when any marine mammals are sighted operations stop, as Gully Thorpe says in the story.
So claims by Greenpeace that seismic ‘‘blasting’’ is hazardous to, even hurts marine mammals, are inaccurate and misleading to say the least. And, even the oil and gas industry is concerned about climate change, with the Petroleum Exploration and Production Association of New Zealand (PEPANZ) recently admitting things will have to change.
However, that does not mean ‘‘overnight’’ and natural gas is by far the cleanest fossil fuel - the ideal ‘‘transition fuel’’ - producing only about 40 percent of the carbon emissions that coal does when used/burnt/consumed, etc.
To effectively ban the continued exploration for oil and gas would mean greatly increased costs for importing oil to be refined at the Marsden Point refinery and shortages of LPG and natural gas for industry, commercial and domestic users. And I, for one, will never be able to afford an electric vehicle.
Neil Ritchie
Free expectations
Talking to a young German freedom camper the other day, she was disappointed in the lack of free toilet and shower.
Coming from Germany myself I had to remind her that using a public toilet in Germany costs approx NZ$1. Don’t expect any FREE service in NZ which your own country does not provide.
Through the social media among young people NZ gets promoted as the country of pushovers and freebies, but it should be promoted for reasons that benefit us, not restrict us. Daniela Krumm
Waitara
A silver concern
Denna Coster’s article, ‘‘When you’re not the retiring type’’ was inspiring but concerning. Octogenarians still working is inspirational, however, the warnings about the ageing population, dubbed ‘‘the silver tsunami’’ is disturbing.
By 2039 the number of people aged 65 and over will increase from 650,000 to more than 1.3m. Baby Boomers have enjoyed unmatched largess from the State (which is no longer available): cheap Government home loans, generous family allowances, no university fees and virtually full employment.
This lucky group have also seen their wealth increase through their homes appreciating in value. NZ purports to be a fair society, however, our youth face the prospect of being worse off financially than their parents and grandparents.
Getting a job, when you’re young is difficult enough, without having to compete against 40 per cent of 65 to 69 year olds who are still working - while collecting a pension.
It’s disappointing that NZ, unlike Australia, does not have compulsory superannuation (requiring employees to save at least 10 per cent of their income).
Assisting young people into the workforce, without discriminating against the elderly, is an important issue that must be addressed. Since Robert Muldoon reversed Third Labour’s contributory superannuation scheme, the cost of the universal pension has been a financial albatross for future governments.
Historian Keith Sinclair called Muldoon’s universal noncontributory super scheme, ‘‘the biggest election bride in NZ history’’ (with the cost of super rocketing from $200m in 1972 to $2.5b in 1984).
Bryan Vickery
New Plymouth
Strategic advice
I believe the National Party are doing it all wrong on the way they are going about selecting there new leader. There are three or four members in the running and I say too many.
There should only be one. Why three or four will make infighting within the party. The party itself should all get around the conference table and select the best one they think will outclass Labour and scrap well with Jacinda. Otherwise Labour will still be in power at the next election.
Gary Stewart
Foxton Beach