‘Tough on crime’ doesn’t pay

The Leader of the Opposition wants to maintain a tough on crime approach. This may sound like he is wanting to do something about cutting offending. The only result is more people in prison for longer. There is very little reduction in the crime rate and no clear evidence either way to explain that small decline. Mr Bridges needs to explain why he believes in this approach. The evidence is that this costly policy has not worked.

Each time somebody is sentenced somebody else has been made yet another victim. If we want to reduce the number of victims we need to address the root causes of criminal behaviour before crime happens. We would be wise to keep offenders apart as much as possible to prevent the spread of what could be called criminal skills. This could also reduce the scope of gang recruiting. There is a place for prisons, that is not being debated. To get tough on all offenders is just silly. Because offenders are not all the same.

Selwyn Irwin, RD Hikurangi.

Women’s rugby

Did anyone else notice the lack of spectators in the stand in Sydney for the Black Ferns against The Wallaroos? How disappointing. Reminds me of the powder puff derby in Tauranga, 1969, when the female jockeys rode on to the track. There was a lot of laughter from the spectators in the stand. Nothing appears to have changed in 49 years with women’s sport.

Jenny Petersen, Kawerau.

Counting Ma¯ ori

It takes a lot to shock this Ma¯ ori from Rapaki but I was shocked by the Herald’s leftist writer, Simon Wilson, whose piece last Friday referenced the Kahurangi National Ma¯ ori membership group who attended the National Party conference and then bizarrely stated we weren’t “well represented”. The only way he could have made that assertion would have been by looking at the colour of our Ma¯ ori people in attendance and deciding some of us weren’t brown enough to be counted.

He didn’t attend the Kahurangi National breakfast I hosted where more than 40 Ma¯ ori and Pasifika (and not a small number of Pakeha) were in attendance. If he had, he would have noted that Ma¯ ori come in all shapes, sizes and hues. I remember when people in Christchurch used to say there were no Ma¯ ori living there. My Ngai Tahu whanaunga were too polite to correct the ignorance on display.

I’m wondering if it would be more helpful to Simon Wilson if Ma¯ ori at National Party events wear grass skirts to make his count a little easier.

Nuk Korako, National’s Ma¯ ori Development spokesperson.

Exporting water

If the Government cannot think of how to exploit the most valuable resource on earth (our fresh water), then build an appropriate plant, bottle that which would otherwise just flow into the sea, and sell it to those less fortunate. Just examine what the Chinese are doing or planning, then do it ourselves. They might even create employment opportunities and grow the economy in the process.

Brian Main, Hamilton.

Recycling

Jacinda Ardern is clearly keen on recycling and wants us all to join her in the war she is waging on single use plastic and fossil fuels. Am I therefore correct in assuming that our new Mother of the Nation will ensure baby Neve will only be using reusable cloth nappies like her parents and grandparents who were the real recycling pioneers? If not, could she please explain why we lesser mortals should accept yet more hypocrisy from this Government of green idealogues.

Alastair Brickell, Kuaotunu.

Path rules

It was a somewhat harrowing experience bike-riding along the shared pedestrian and cyclist pathway to Mission Bay from the city last Sunday at midday. So many other users: walkers, pram-pushers, scooters, roller bladers, family groups of cyclists including wobblers and stragglers. We need to make clear to cyclists the simple rule of stick to the left. Cyclists riding towards the city should stay in the cycle lane, leftish. Cyclists going eastward stay nearish the centre line. Pedestrians, if the path is crowded move to the seaside edge. How do we categorise scooters and rollerbladers? Finally, electric-bike riders tend to go fast, because they can, I guess. If they want to speed, why not just go on the road instead of terrorising others on the shared pathway?

B Darragh, Auckland Central.

Waka jumping

In 1996 I voted for the Alliance Party only to have my vote devalued when Alamein Kopu left the party, leaving it with one less vote in Parliament. In 2011 I voted for NZ First. When Brendan Horan left the party my vote was again devalued. I did not vote for either of these people personally, I gave my party vote to their parties. How can the opponents of the waka-jumping bill claim this is democracy?

Jeanette Dowling, Whangamata.

Mid-term leavers

The waka-jumping bill doesn’t go far enough; it should include all who abandon the ship during their term. Rather than causing a byelection at great cost to taxpayers, the party that holds the seat should retain the seat. Failing that, the incumbent who is in effect breaking their contract, should be required to pay any costs incurred due to their defection.

Maxine Samson. Whakatane.

Hate speech

Something people need to understand is that what Garth McVicar has to say comes in the category of “uncomfortable truths”. But to some, it comes in the category of “hate speech”. This is what “hate speech” mostly is these days: truth that hurts the progressives who are responsible for the evil that is being criticised. So listen to Mr McVicar while you still can, and thank the Herald and other media that are occasionally brave enough to publish people like him. And remember that “progressives” who get to determine what is “hate speech” are the last people morally qualified to make these judgement-calls on behalf of society. If “hate” is manifesting anywhere, it is among the “progressives” with their playground-bullying screaming and spitting and slogans and slanders and intimidation. Do your own research regarding anyone shut down on the grounds of “hate speech” — most likely they are saying things that you need to hear. Phil Hayward, Naenae.

Trams and cars

Your picture of light rail last Wednesday showed two vehicles, and pedestrians jaywalking across the lines, but no cars. I hope authorities take into account that cars will be on the roads too and, as in Salt Lake City, apply hefty instant fines for those who do not walk with the traffic lights or wait in barrier areas in the centre of the road until cars go by.

N. A. Sutton, Botany.

Investigate rugby

The Work and Safety Act 2015 was brought in to protect workers in business and and public work places. With increasing incidents of concussion in rugby, headgear should be considered. New rugby rules have obviously failed and with increasing game time for top players the problem will get worse. Treating brain injury is a huge cost to the taxpayer. It is time WorkSafe investigated NZ Rugby as they do when serious accidents happen in other work places.

Neil Hatfull, Warkworth.

So much plastic

We are trying to do our best to reduce our plastic use. We trot to the supermarket, soft bags in hand and collect our veges. We have very little rubbish with composting and a worm bin. We notice, though, that the majority of our fortnightly rubbish bag contents are plastic packaging we can’t avoid. What we would like clarified is: what do the farmers do with the green plastic covers over their hay bales? This surely cant be reused and the amount of plastic would be far in excess of any lettuce wrapper.

C. Johnston, Katikati.

Alternative news

Your correspondent J. McKeown on Monday is backing the wrong horse. I applaud the Herald and New Zealand television news for ignoring the unrelenting drivel that pours forth daily from Hannity of Fox News and The Hill about Russian interference in US elections. The volume and tone of their shrill attempts at rationalising Trump’s bizarre behaviour exhibit an obvious contrast to the measured, confident reporting of the staff of CNN, NBC, and MSNBC. For most of us, tone is the initial indication of who we should believe, even before we assess content.

Gary Ferguson, Epsom.