‘Sacred cow’ never discussed
In discussing the Let’s Get Wellington Moving initiative and the 2050 greenhouse gas emissions target, Brenda and Robert Vale decry the amount of land set aside for public car parking ( City visions wide apart, July 5).
They are offended by this and say it is senseless in a world where the population is predicted to reach about 11 billion by 2050.
What is really offensive is that population growth is predicted to grow by a further 3.5 billion, or almost 50 per cent, in as little as 30 years.
As the planet’s dominant species, humans allow themselves the entitlement of having more rights than all other life on Earth, including an unfettered right to breed without consequence.
In a finite world this is ultimately not sustainable, yet this ‘‘sacred cow’’ is never discussed as solutions are sought to global issues such as climate change and humanity’s role in its creation.
If the Vales are serious about meeting the 2050 emissions target then taking steps to manage and control human population growth must be part of the solution.
John Morrow, Island Bay
Wonderful? Hardly
On Friday, I took the last 81 bus from Jessie St, Petone, into Wellington at 10.40am. Returning, I would have picked up the first 81 of the afternoon, which was in the past at 2.30pmish outside Farmers. But on Friday the first returning bus was not till 3.25pm, meaning I could not use my GoldCard.
I got on a 91 bus, the Flyer, at 2.30pm so that I could use my GoldCard, but then had to pick up another bus to Jessie St, which I had to pay for as it was past 3pm.
I received an email from Snapper.co.nz telling me all the wonderful things that the new Snapper card and the latest bus service provide. Yeah right. Anne Hall, Petone [abridged]
Depleted defence
‘‘’Peace in our time’’ is the inference to be drawn from Ron Mark’s announcement of our so-called defence policy. What are the armed forces going to do about climate change, shoot it?
Hardly likely. We have an air force with virtually no fighting capability, a navy with frigates that do not carry much in the way of weapons, and an army that could, and is surely willing to, fight, if only it could get to the war.
Japan now has many more frigates than the Royal Navy, China is arming at an alarming rate – and North Korea? Has Kim Jong Un been pacified by a meeting with President Trump?
Roosevelt championed the idea that a country should talk quietly and carry a big stick. Well, we’re good at the first part.
What about the idea that one should plan for the worst and hope for the best? We seem to have the second part of that one sorted. Perhaps if we talk quietly and hope for the best, everybody will forget we’re here.
However, we have potentially large oil deposits in our marine territories. How long will it be before some covetous eye notices? We can’t wait for the US to sort it all out, we must at least make a contribution.
Chris Uruski, Featherston
Ideas are fair game
Our treasured freedoms are once again being eroded by Leftwing socialists in local government nervous of being accused of supporting Rightwing activists who are critical of Islam.
Mayor Phil Goff and his Auckland city councillors have banned Stefan Molyneux and Lauren Southern from speaking on council premises, claiming they are hate-filled, Right-wing fascists . . . when in fact they’re not (take the time to view them on YouTube to decide for yourself).
Molyneux and Southern swim against the tide to expose the failings of liberal socialism and dangers of sharia law, which is enough it seems to trigger venomous attacks by liberals and Muslims who preach equality and tolerance but don’t practise what they preach.
Ideas are fair game. Freedom of speech advocates have the guts (and strength of conviction) to support the rights of those with opposing views to speak freely. Only tyrants and soy-boy weaklings with little confidence in the strength of their argument want to censor/outlaw opposing views that they deem to be politically incorrect.
In doing so, they are taking our nation down a slippery slope that will one day take their own feet out from under them as our government becomes more sharia-compliant and totalitarian.
Christopher Watson, Porirua
Hoping we’ll forget
It was refreshing to read that Wellington councillor Andy Foster voted against doubling our debt in the 10-year Plan (June 28).
Good for you, Andy! Typically, I note that, particularly in mid-term, many councillors are merely sycophants who will agree with any spending at the ratepayers’ expense, with the expectation that there’s plenty more, and continue pushing their personal agendas.
Come election time in 15 months’ time, we’re not going to remember.
But to see a councillor who actually cares about trying to cut councils’ frivolous ways is a real pleasure.
Rayward Chung, Broadmeadows
High-handed view
Dr Lance O’Sullivan thinks parents on benefits should be docked for refusing to vaccinate their children.
The so-called doctor for the underdog thinks it’s fine to blackmail the poor into submitting to his agenda by reducing their benefit and putting their children into greater deprivation.
This is simply forced immunisation.
This high-handed attitude that the medical profession knows what is best for us all and that the poorer in society need to be managed by the profession is common.
Parents have the right to make medical decisions for their children, informed or not. If they believe immunisation is not the best choice they can make, they should not be penalised for it just because they are dependent on a benefit.
Equally, schools have no right to be involved at any level in parents’ responsibility around children’s medical decisions. O’Sullivan’s suggestion is to further deplete parents’ rights in regard to their children.
It is typical of know-all dogooders who have all the power and wield it against the poor in society, taking away their dignity and rights as parents. Teresa Homan, Upper Hutt
Cartoon on the mark
Tom Scott comes in for criticism from time to time, although I guess any cartoonist takes a risk. But his lion advice about poachers, ‘‘Leave the shoes – they’re bad for your teeth’’ (July 7) really hit the mark. It was far superior to my muttered ‘‘Serves them right’’ when the item appeared on the TV news. Perhaps lions are better conservationists than we’ve previously thought. I wonder what else they eat that we don’t even think about.
Daphne Tobin, Aotea
Let’s cut our plastics use