Let’s go traffic-free in the CBD

Having just returned from a month in Europe I am convinced that Auckland is as good as any city to live. However we could make it even better if we made Auckland’s CBD a “car free” zone. Queen St and then later all adjoining streets between Albert St and High St should be set aside exclusively for pedestrians and cyclists. Malaga in southern Spain impressed us the most. Teeming with people walking and shopping and not a car in sight. The benefits are obvious. Healthy, civilised and free of the noise and pollution from cars.

Glen Stanton, Mairangi Bay.

Precious over ivory

It was appalling to read, in the Weekend Herald, of DoC’s vandalising of Professor Paton’s 1800s piano by removing the ivory veneers from keys under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (Cites). Does this mean precious medieval marquetry furniture from Europe and mah-jong tiles from China which contain ivory will be similarly vandalised if not accompanied by certificates of provenance?

If this is the case, when will DoC begin searching for and assessing every Maori bone pendant worn by those departing New Zealand to confirm that they are not made from whale or shark bone or teeth? Such items also require export certification under Cites.

Deane Smart, Farm Cove.

Maternal leave

On her most recent Facebook video, Jacinda Ardern says she will be “hitting the ground running“as “everyone”, is expecting her to do. This seems very outof-keeping with the extended paidparental leave that she and her party have fought so hard for, not to mention the absolute insistence that such leave could be taken only by the mother, to ensure no reduction in “the amount of time that baby has to bond with their primary caregiver”. Far from “expecting“this of her, I would have been delighted had she decided to utilise substantially more of that paid-parental leave. I am absolutely certain that Neve would have been delighted too. Ed Porter, Herne Bay.

The kids left behind

It’s all very well for Simon Bridges to ramble on about smaller classes — the question I would put to him is where? Bright children will learn regardless of the size of the class or the teacher put in front of them and I should know. I taught a class of 8-year-olds so bright you could set them assignments much as at university and spend most of the time marking them and making recommendations. Unless things have changed since I left teaching the bright children still get the smallest classes and the best teachers while the poor are saddled with the large classes and teachers with less ability. In other words, the bright continue to get brighter at the expense of the less endowed who continue their downward slide into being educationally deprived much the same as under National the rich got richer at the expense of the poor. If Bridges offers smaller classes for these children at the expense of those at the top who don’t need them, then and only then will I sit up and take notice. Gary Hollis, Mellons Bay.

Transport priorities

Most countries with common sense as to transport, such a Australia, are spending equal amounts on public transport and roading. They do not accept the Greeninspired nonsense that public transport assistance to commuters will ever rid us of unacceptable traffic congestion. It is high time for local and central government to embrace the fact that our economy, is absolutely dependent on adequate roading — especially in Auckland with its important lifeline port. It is time to get real and disregard the shambles of this present Coalition Government which immediately cancelled the already approved East-West motorway link because there was “no business case” for this vitally important piece of infrastructure.

Hylton Le Grice, Remuera.

Burger that

We have for a long time been warned against eating processed food, because it contains additions to give it the right colour, taste and shelf life. Now we are bombarded with news about the new nonmeat burgers, so my question is: Does it not have additions to give it shelf-life etc, that we have warned against? It is of course nice to think, that we shall no longer have battery nor free range hens, but how does that affect my morning egg? Are we now going to have printed eggs, and can I still have my meringue and eggnog? Axel Hansen, Auckland Central.

No more teachers

Simon Bridges has learnt well from preceding National leaders. He can face the camera and pronounce higher teacher ratios with a straight face. He knows that even current formulas have not been able to be filled for years because not enough people can live on the pay. But reality is becoming ever more scarce in 21st century politics. The biggest lie wins. And “more teachers” is a whopper. Labour already reneged on it. All parties know it’s ingrained in the Kiwi psyche to hate school and everything about it. More teachers would necessitate more pay, anathema to voters, including, most likely, you, dear reader.

Jim Carlyle, Te Atatu Peninsula.

Level putting green

Of all sporting titles, those gained in golfing championships are the most problematic, because playing conditions are not the same for all contestants. New Zealand could take the lead and ameliorate this unfairness by awarding golf titles to players with the lowest total of three — not four — rounds. Tennis is streets ahead in that although players experience the same playing conditions, slow starters have a better chance of winning than golfers who have a single disastrous round. If a male tennis player lost two games 0-6, 0-6, then won three games 6-4, 6-4, 6-4, he is the winner. Under golf’s cumulative scoring, he would lose 24 to 18! The recent golf championship at Carnoustie under a three-round score, would have resulted in a play-off between four players with a score of 204 — including the actual winner over four rounds and American Jordan Speight; whose disastrous final round 76 most probably cost him the championship.

Kenneth Lees, Whangarei.

Fonterra and coal

All that’s wrong with Fonterra is embodied in their response to the Auckland Coal Action protest. It’s nothing short of pathetic. I quote “It’s still our intention to work with government and understand the policies they have planned to support and enable a cost effective transition…..” Weasel code for “someone else’s problem”. They will lobby against change until the cows come home. Fonterra is the among biggest coal users in New Zealand. News for you Fonterra. You are despoiling our environment, not the government. So to drag your reputation out from the environmental toilet, present to your shareholders and wider community a capital plan to phase out coal over the next 5 to 7 years; report progress quarterly. Forget cute “Anchor feeding the kids and the world” ads. Take responsibility, show leadership, gain respect, save on your advertising budget.

Mike Kampkes, Narrow Neck.

No worries, Paula

At the National Party conference Paula Bennett made the comment that because she and her current leader were copping so much attention, the critics must be worried about them. Far from it. The fact of the matter is that after nine years in government, any criticism leaves her and her party open to the obvious comeback of why National allowed the said problem to get to the state it is now. To be fair I did agree with her leader’s announcement that class/teacher ratios should be reduced. Just like I agreed with it four years ago when it was proposed by Labour’s David Cunliffe.

John Capener, Bay of Plenty.

The Mount Smart option

I would like to point out to David Mairs, that there are the Eastern and Southern motorways at each end of Church and Neilson Streets, plus the Onehunga and Penrose Stations. Also lots of parking and hotels and motels in Onehunga, Newmarket, and the Great South Rd — all easily accessible from Mount Smart Stadium. Eden Park has none of these close by, and virtually no parking at all. Mount Smart Stadium was used for the Commonwealth Games with no problems, before we got the new electric trains which have improved the service. How much access to infrastructure do you need? John Laing, Drury.