Govt needs to feed its lean kitty

There is “no more money in the kitty” said the Finance Minister, who was trying to curb pay claims by registered nurses. Pay levels should be based on professional skills and working conditions; not the other way around. If the minister insists that the kitty has run dry, let the Government find the funding in other areas; initiating a review of parliamentary salaries, allowances, the number of MPs, and the size of their secretarial staff.

The Prime Minister’s unilateral announcement on licences for oil and gas search, without Cabinet consultation, shows that a number of Cabinet members are surplus to our democracy; and we do not need 120 MPs.

To find the funds to pay nurses and teachers what they deserve: Cut back parliamentary back-bench salaries to a level that they would be likely to get if they did not have the privilege of being an ordinary MP. This would likely be no more than $80,000 p.a, likely much less in some cases; Legislate to cut the number of MPs to 60 at the 2020 general election; cap parliamentary allowances (including travel); and cut back the salaries of Cabinet ministers to reflect the constraints of the “kitty”. Review all departments.

Hugh Webb, Hamilton.

Unsated tax hunt

For the first time Auckland Council is able to tax beyond its rating powers, via the petrol tank.

Magna Carta rights demand that additional representation attaches to such additional taxation. No matching developments in this respect are apparent. However, the unsated hunt for new I-haven’t-put-the-rates-up taxes (think kauri trees, compost bins, Airbnb beds) perhaps explains why Phil Goff is spending $375,000 finding out where our homeless are hiding.

Tony Gavigan, St Marys Bay.

Public park priority

The Council’s proposal to sell public land without considering the wider park, outdoor recreation and heritage use will impoverish future generations. More public parkland is urgently needed for outdoor recreation as well as to protect heritage areas as Auckland grows.

Parks like Maungawhau, Mt Eden provide over a million visits a year and have limits on use even with the good management and consultation coming from the Tupuna Maunga Authority.

I see little co-ordinated planning and consultation on informal recreation across the whole region. Priority is needed to get all council agencies, DoC, community groups and the private sector together to ensure easy access to green space as well as protect heritage areas.

Kit Howden, chair, Friends of Maungawhau.

Road safety apathy

The number of road fatalities in this country is dreadful with public apathy towards basic safety often ignored.

Statistics tell us that not buckling up causes around a third of deaths, however, that is not the root cause. A driver has to make a bad decision which results in losing control of the vehicle. New Zealand drivers lack road courtesy and drive far too aggressively.

People understand and react to money taken out of their pockets and being penalised driving points. Whilst heavier penalties may not solve all issues they will have some effect and save lives and reduce traffic accidents as a whole.

Reg Dempster, Albany.

Trust tax rate

Some of Mr Tamihere’s opinion about inequality (June 28) reads like a piece of agit-prop worthy of Pravda. This should not go unchallenged.

If wealthy people only declare $70,000 as personal income it is because their assets are vested in a trust. The reasons for establishing a trust are many but avoiding tax is not one of them.

A trust pays the maximum tax rate, just like an individual. If the earnings accrue to a company, the company tax is 28 per cent but as soon as the dividend is paid to the shareholding trust or individual, a further 5 per cent tax has to be paid bring the total to the maximum rate.

K.-H. Peter Kammler, Warkworth.

Running on rumour

The recent M. bovis and Psa debacles, plus the outing of the “Meth Myth”, as reported from Sir Peter Gluckman’s recent public commentaries, are all proof that we have become a nation that runs on rumour, conspiracy theories and bureaucratic arrogance — or a combination of all three.

Science, evidence and rational assessments are often eschewed in favour of more ignorant, tribal and often ideological public policy decision-making.

In future, we should insist on genuine science, evidence and disciplined analysis in place of prejudice and predetermined outcomes.And also, for our highly paid bureaucrats, demanding of them that they do their jobs properly.

Larry Mitchell, Puhoi.

Grassroots rugby problems

A long-standing Northland rugby referee has refused to ref any more games due to constant abuse from the sideline. Apparently, other diehard rugby supporters told him him to suck it in because that’s how the game is.

Mix that with escalating concussion issues, constant law changes that even top referees seem to be struggling with and red cards that destroy the game result, it is no wonder player and supporter numbers are diminishing.

NZ Rugby needs to redirect the millions it spends on its elite All Blacks to address the problems of grassroots rugby. NZ Rugby is a charity-based business. Rugby ACC costs are escalating and the NZ taxpayer deserves better outcomes for our national game.

Neil Hatfull, Warkworth.

California road rules

I understand in California they have a rule that at many T junctions or intersections there are no lights. Instead every car comes to a halt and they take it in turns to complete their manoeuvre.

This means at an intersection the first four cars at the beginning of each queue take a turn to either travel straight ahead, turn left or turn right. Then it is the turn of the next four cars. Every queue of cars moves forward equally. What a great idea as it gives everybody an equal turn and it slows down traffic at intersections and T junctions, thereby reducing accidents.

Brenda Barnes, St Heliers.

Monitoring fuel tax

Can the paying public ensure that all the money collected by the fuel tax is really being spent on roading maintenance and improvement?

It is often stated that only a portion of fuel tax actually finds its way into the roading fund. It would be great to have a proper monitoring system.

Jock MacVicar, Hauraki.

Union ‘pay back’ time

Herald columnist Fran O’Sullivan has outlined in detail the intended changes to employment law which will emanate from the Employment Relations Amendment Bill and its ramifications.

We will all applaud wage increases in the work place for those most in need. However will the legislative changes trigger confrontation, disruption and future strike action if trade unions gain greater dominance?

The days of individual bargaining and flexible wage rates which reward workplace initiative may be in jeopardy as the return to collective agreements across entire industries in the private sector evolve.

If enacted, will this workplace legislation which is well intended and with the best interests of the work force at heart, be construed as “pay back time “for the union movement for their unstinting loyalty to the Labour Party?

Are we about to turn back the clock, and will these intended changes prove to be “Labour laws of yesteryear”?

P. J. Edmondson, Tauranga.

Road toll causes

Speed and attention must be the two major contributors to fatal road accidents, and I hope we get told what caused the accident at Waverley that claimed seven lives.

One relatively cheap setup on the roads are those bright flashing signs that light up “slow down” when they detect your vehicle is going too fast for the approaching corner.

However they’re a waste of time if you’re not looking, and this must be the cause of many accidents by drivers gawking at their phone and not the road.

These aren’t smartphones at all, they’re fatality phones. Glenn Forsyth, Taupo.

Fees-free study effect

Some of the media have fixated on whether fees-free tertiary education has increased the numbers of students enrolling in 2018. Here’s a different way of looking at the issue, drawing on Lucy Bennett in the Herald.

First, about 55,000 students have the chance to go into tertiary education without having to pay fees. That also means better opportunity for study.

Second, those among the 55,000 students who study this year can now plan for a second year in tertiary education, even though they’ll presumably have to pay for it.

Third, borrowing is down $151m compared with the same period in 2017. That means less student debt.

Fourth, tertiary education enrolment dropped from 2010-2016, so fees-free may simply have stopped the fall.

David Cooke, Pt Chevalier.