McCain was man of war, attrition

Your recent editorial on John McCain in which you name him as “a lone beacon of decency and dignity”, makes no mention of the countless deaths and human misery that he and his fellow American warmongers have caused, and continue to cause, in many parts of the world.

Just how did McCain represent the “America that the world admired”?

It’s a rather long list and has very little to do with decency and dignity.

From the people of Vietnam who were subjected to unrelenting bombing, to the millions of victims of both Gulf wars, to the Serbian recipients of Nato aggression, to the quagmire of brutalised Afghanistan, the making of Libya into a haven for warlords, the unleashing of moderate rebels across the Middle East, the remorseless pounding of Yemen — I could go on.

But all these conflicts had John McCain’s full and enthusiastic support.

No lover of progressive politics at home, he helped scuttle Obamacare among other progressive and socially minded legislation.

As a man of war and attrition, John McCain has helped make the world a more dangerous and uncertain place.

His legacy will be one of blood not decency. David Aston, Milford.

Blowout reminder

The cost blowout of the Queen’s Wharf artwork is a stark reminder of the challenges facing the entire building and construction industry. A project that presumably started with a budget of $1.5 million had blown out to $2.5m.

Given no land cost and a structure that is basically an empty shell depicting the humble Kiwi state house, it has, in reality, become a monument to the city’s exorbitant code compliance, consenting processes and building costs.

The final cost of this curiosity is symbolic of Auckland’s unaffordable housing conundrum.

Bruce Eliott, St Heliers.

Saving beauty

Sir Ben Ainslie and his mates might well take home the America’s Cup but they cannot take home one of the most beautiful harbours and cities in the world in the luckiest country in the world. New Zealand is a winner either way. Andrew Montgomery, New South Wales.

Time to look in mirror

Regarding the Queens Wharf Lighthouse sculpture, I was appalled but not surprised to learn that the total cost of this misconceived and inappropriate structure has mushroomed to $2.5 million. I acknowledge the generosity of the donors who footed $1.5m of the bill but the balance represents a very poor investment by the council on the part of the ratepayers. The same can be said of the mirror in O’Connell St with its immediate maintenance problem. The profligacy and lack of taste within the council knows no bounds and continues to go unchecked.

Peter Clapshaw, Remuera.

Get real about art

Perhaps one was born in the wrong century or even an alien from outer space but who ever called a state house on the end of a barren wharf art obviously needs medical intervention. What’s a few million for a light to embellish this monstrosity when it could be spent on something more tangible and worthwhile?

People who call this art need real jobs where one has to work for a living and drink from the experience that is actual life. Would it be possible for ordinary people and ratepayers to have their say on this waste of space or are we deemed as too uncultured? The bronze Ma¯ ori chief in Queen St is art, not a wooden house likely to be filled with borer.

Reg Dempster, Albany.

Making racing a winner

The closure of race tracks in New Zealand. If this is to happen please do it right and do it once and close as many as you can. I know this sounds cruel but times are changing and the family picnic day has gone.

I know what race courses I would close to keep this industry alive, but who am

I to speak out? I am only a racehorse owner and these are only my thoughts.

Today we are in the professional horse racing industry and we need more Randwick, Caulfield, Flemington tracks in New Zealand so I would be closing more than 20 and building new ones. In my area the Foxton Racing Club has been closed for a number of years due to a major fire but still have 90-plus horses train there each morning and last week had 28 trials.

We have one of the best tracks in the country; ask the trainers, jockeys, they will tell you, and if I was on the racing board I would be saying to Winston Peters to close Trentham, Otaki, Awapuni and Wanganui and build a Flemington in Foxton on State Highway 1, very centralised to all.

Gary Stewart, Foxton Beach.

NZ lacks Trump’s strength

All the vitriol aimed at Donald Trump here in New Zealand conveniently dismisses the fact that under his leadership America has had the longest-running bull sharemarket in its history and for those who don’t know what a bull market is, they are characterised by optimism, confidence and expectations that strong results should continue, usually for months or years, and take place when the economy is strengthening and when it is already strong.

Donald Trump, putting aside his personal life which the media has focused on, has something which New Zealand politicians never had; vast amounts of large company, business management and entrepreneurial expertise.

As long as we vote in intellectuals, teachers, lawyers, farmers, money traders, accountants (wannabe economists) lacking Trumps’ and large company directors’ business expertise, we will continue to muddle on with trial and error ambulance-at-the-bottom-of-the-cliff politics thoroughly dependent on other countries like China, Australia, Great Britain, and the US bailing us out.

That is a sure sign that we have been governed by a succession of weak governments. Gary Hollis, Mellons Bay.

Landlords may cry enough

The changes outlined this week to strengthen tenants’ rights, plus the previously announced requirements for residential property are commended. The publicity surrounding the subject, however, has left many owners feeling maligned, often portrayed as rapacious or inactive. Public perception should also be aware of the responsibility shown by the many owners who care for tenants’ wellbeing and personally manage and maintain the property.

Teenage years in the carpentry trade, gravitating to property is a natural progression, and over the years, if you also become immersed, skills may be acquired and honed, even leadlighting, almost obligatory for the repairs and redecoration that will arise, often laborious and not without anxiety. Believe me, it is not an easy “game”.

Many investors may now capitulate, a perception the cycle has peaked, ever fearful of their future responsibility to ensure compliance with pending legislation which will appear daunting, the consequence, a void will emerge which government alone must fill.

P. J. Edmondson, Tauranga.

Business nous lacking

No wonder the Government needs external committees to advise it on business issues. Not one Labour Cabinet Minister or MP has run a business producing goods or services they then had to sell, at a profit, in a competitive market. Our country’s prosperity is in the hands of a bunch of political apparatchiks, union organisers, lawyers, teachers and ex-public servants. God help us!

Malcolm Bell, Forrest Hill.

Ardern right on Manning

Chelsea Manning’s only “crime” was being convicted for her conviction to expose the truth about those in positions of power in the US. That’s why Obama commuted her sentence — it was unjust. As an aside, I would argue Trump is the real traitor not Manning.

In 2014, John Key allowed a convicted felon, fraudster Jordan Belfort, to visit NZ to give a “motivational” speech (yeah right). Now I call that “making money out of crime”, as former Minister Woodhouse has tried to infer about Manning.

Simon Bridges’ stout support of hate speechers Lauren Southern and Stephen Molyneux doesn’t tally with his strident calls to refuse Manning entry — it ranks him alongside that great immigrationist “Dexter” Dutton from across the “dutch”. Jacinda Ardern has made the right call and for me it reflects a healthy state of affairs and maturity by our millennial leaders (with a soupcon of Winnie’s boomers to add spice).

Tony Kaye, Hamilton.

Bookshop heartens

How heartening it was to read of Sophie Edwards’ endeavours along with her parents, in creating the innovative Little Unity bookshop.

Seldom are primary school teachers rewarded with the news of former pupils who have continued to apply their creative skills through the love of reading. This is more the fortunate domain of secondary school teachers.

Sophie’s former teachers of Ellerslie School are delighted to learn of this resourceful means of channelling another diverse pathway to encourage the habit of being a life-long reader.

Robyn Speller, St Heliers.