Residents need open spaces

Hundreds of people filled a hall in Takapuna on Sunday to express their concern over Auckland Council’s proposed sale and development of Takapuna’s central car park. With so much discontent over the behaviour of the Auckland Council and its planning organisation, Panuku, selling off to developers open spaces they label as “surplus to requirements”, I am sure we will be seeing many more such protest meetings around Auckland.

In its haste to reduce the city’s enormous debt the council appears not to understand that with the rapidly increasing numbers of people moving into town centres, most into new apartments with no gardens, keeping the open spaces will be more important than ever for the health and well-being of residents. Susan Wann, Milford.

Downtown plan

Bernard Orsman’s interesting article on the waterfront area in 2021 indicated a population of 70,000 residents in this high-density part of the inner-city. Yet there appears to be no allowance for proper green spaces. A few small pedestrian squares just do not cut it. If the inner city is to become a world-class liveable space for the influx of high-rise residents, then there is a very urgent need to provide additional recreation areas for these residents, and the workers and tourists who come into the city.

You cannot plan to keep packing more people into ever smaller spaces without providing these spaces. It would be a start if Captain Cook and Marsden Wharf were to be grassed over and made into a small city park, then at least the Quay Street promenade would have a purpose. Currently these wharves are used solely for the financial benefit of vehicle importers and this benefit to the few can hardly be balanced by the needs of 70,000 downtown residents, as well as workers and visitors. Neal McCarthy, Auckland Central.

No comfort

Paula Tesoriero’s column in yesterday’s

Herald on the Human Rights Commission’s recommendations to the Government should not comfort anyone concerned about free speech. The acting commissioner tries to link words with action, stating free speech must be balanced with the rights of individuals to be physically safe. The failure to make a distinction between words and actions is intellectually dishonest and a go-to justification for those who seek to muzzle freedom of expression.

Legislation already protects the right to physical safety. Words are not actions. The commission seeks new legislation to sanction “hateful and disharmonious speech targeted at the religion and beliefs of ethnic minority communities”. Who will define these terms and why would they seemingly only apply to speech directed at minority communities? Gywnn Ryan, Grey Lynn.

Free speech

Paula Tesoriero, acting chair of the Human Rights Commission, seeks to reassure us there is no intention of limiting free speech in New Zealand as long as we are “respectful, dignified and informed”. Can she tell us just how respectful we have to be to a political and religious organisation that preaches from its holy book that non-members, apostates and homosexuals should be killed? Stewart Hawkins, St Heliers.

Rail opportunity

Speedway is to move from Western Springs to Price Rd (Puhinui Reserve), close to the airport. Here, it has been suggested, there is also space for a stadium. Yet there is limited practical access by public transport, virtually forcing the need for large car parks, potentially congesting access to the airport and further choking roads.

Our politicians are set on spending millions installing 20km of light rail to the airport on congested corridors such as Dominion Rd. Yet a practicable, vacant greenfield corridor exists from Wiri Station to the airport, right past the speedway site.

Imagine a twin track, heavy rail securing passenger access to the airport via the speedway to Ma¯nukau Station and the new bus depot, connecting with local and long distance bus routes and doubling as alternative freight access to the airport. Only 8km of rail would be needed.

At Wiri, an interchange station would enable immediate access to the existing southern rail line. Have planners ignored this option or simply not seen it? My plea is, consider it. Discuss it. Cost it. Talk to KiwiRail. Talk to Auckland Airport. But if you do nothing else, designate the corridor now while it still lasts. Greenfield opportunities only come once. Roger Evans, Ranui.

Not the top seven

If the G7 truly represented the world’s seven largest economies, China and India should be included. China is the world’s second largest economy behind the US. India comes in at number seven, behind France. In actual fact Italy (eighth) and Canada (10th) would not make the list. Interesting, too, that Donald Trump wants Russia back in the old boys’ club. Statistically, Russia only has the 11thlargest economy and Brazil should be included before it. Glen Stanton, Mairangi Bay.

Air deal

When Teal, now Air New Zealand, was formed in 1939, Australia was a third shareholder along with England. Air New Zealand has, over the years, had very successful commercial arrangements with Qantas. Whenever they have tried to go it alone it’s caused them major heartbreak. Remember Ansett Australia?

Christopher Luxton attempted to do the deal, so to speak, with Virgin Australia. It didn’t work. So now he has done a deal with Qantas. Travellers on both sides of the ditch will benefit. I wonder why financial analysts in this country have such short memories. Nigel Bufton, Pauanui.

Charging tourists

Recently I had visitors from Germany. They were in their 30s, and had bought a van to travel, predominantly in the South Island. They told me everyone near Milford Sound having to pay a daily rate to stay in their van and use a long-drop toilet felt infuriated and ripped off.

I enlightened them, in the nicest possible way, of the huge cost of keeping the facilities, tracks, trapping, toilets, water, parking, signage and other “free for the day” walks going. They agreed it was entirely reasonable and had that been clarified at the point of payment it would have been helpful. Similarly when it comes to doubling the track rates, if we explain the added cost of helicoptering in materials and supplies, people will be much happier to pay. Sam Cunningham, Henderson.

Burn rubbish for power

Eighteen years ago the Herald reported that a plan to build a rubbish-to-electricity power plant in Meremere was shelved because it failed to obtain a resource consent. How things have changed. Sweden now has 32 incineration plants whose emissions are at half the allowed level. The plant was going to cost $223 million in 2000 so in today’s dollars it will cost $500m. That is a fraction of what we plan to spend on a new sports stadium.

With a rail line running past its front door and the Waikato River for cooling, it is the perfect location. The old Meremere power station building is standing idle. What are we waiting for? This is exactly the kind of project the Cullen Fund should be investing in. The project would easily get resource consent today. John Caldwell, Howick.

Miniscule CO

2 Maureen Coxhead’s otherwise excellent letter yesterday, “Carbon Conundrum”, was grossly inaccurate on one important aspect. Carbon dioxide is not 4 per cent of our atmosphere, it is 100 times less: 0.04 per cent (400 ppm) from all sources, making human contribution, 0.0012 per cent. For that minuscule drop in the greenhouse gas bucket, James Shaw and his Greens, with the connivance of his Labour and NZ First pals, want to wreck our economy and way of life. Terry Dunleavy, NZ Climate Science Coalition.

Plenty of oil permits

People criticise Jacinda for scrubbing new oil exploration licences but fail to mention about 50 licences out there are still to be opened up. This will take 20-30 years to do, so where will we be in 30 years’ time energy wise? Solar power is becoming more usable. If everyone was to put a solar water heater on the roof, the power saving would be huge and offset the amount of power needed for more electric cars coming on the roads. J. Longson, Kawerau.