Bus to work proves just the ticket

A big pat on the back for the Auckland Transport and Ritchies bus services. Who knew getting to work would be so easy? After years of having a staff car park, a company move meant no car park so it was down to bussing. I have been pleasantly surprised at how easy, quick and efficient getting the bus to work is.

All the drivers I have come across have been friendly, helpful and polite. So thank you all, AT and Ritchies’ staff, for making going to work that bit easier.

Get out of your car and try the bus, surprise yourself at how easy it all is.

Barbara Cox, Albany.

Mental health report

The elephant in the room, ignored for six years since the alcohol reforms, has trumpeted once more just in time for the festive season. Apparently we still have a problem despite a conscience vote on the age of purchase choosing 18 being rubbished by experts such as Sir Peter Gluckmann. Nothing is new, just another report due to be mothballed in the interest of the mighty dollar and the profits to be made from a legal drug.

Steve Russell, Hillcrest.

National’s fault

I wonder who the National spokesman on mental health thinks he’s kidding when he remonstrates with the Government for taking a whole year to investigate the chaos in our mental health service. Who is responsible for the decade of underfunding and and lack of care that has brought on this crisis? Have they no shame?

I can assume there is a loyal base of supporters who’ll believe them whatever they say. It will be interesting to see how the Government starts to unravel the mess in the provision of mental health. I hope they succeed in bringing about a much-needed change in attitude as well.

V. M. Fergusson, Mt Eden.

System at fault?

The Herald reports Iain Lees-Galloway is staying put to “fix the system”. The system is not at fault, he is. The system considered all the evidence and recommended Sroubek be refused residency. The minister ignored his department’s professional advice and granted residency to this convicted criminal.

Why he did is anyone’s guess. Maybe he had some inside information of which his department was not aware, if so why did he not publish this when the affair blew up? The only alternative conclusions are that he had some incentive to grant this residency or was incredibly naive.

He has done incalculable damage to his party, the Prime Minister, and to this country’s reputation as being concerned about security and citizens’ safety.

Rod Lyons, Muriwai.

Marina developer

I was amused to see Simon Herbert made a 1400 per cent profit on the sale of the former Hall Farm at Orewa which I understand he was preferentially allocated by the former Transit New Zealand. Why did TNZ not use an open tender? Similarly, why did the Auckland Council-controlled organisation, Panuku Developments, preferentially allocate him the Gulf Harbour, Bayswater, Pine Harbour and Hobsonville marinas, including their reclamations, which were public open space, to build multimilliondollar apartments? To be fair to everyone, especially ratepayers, a tender open to all should have been used.

Bruce Tubb, Belmont.

Turning right

Why is the Labour Party to the left during elections when it takes a turn to the right in power? They promised to cut immigration by 40,000 but now are considering joining the UN Migration Pact. It seems PM Ardern’s “kindness” is more for foreigners than the homeless or Kiwis struggling financially. And giving another $22.5 million to the America’s Cup is just downright pathetic. Jacinda’s hero, Norm Kirk, would not understand giving to the rich, yet ignoring the poor.

Rex Head, Papatoetoe.

Rooms not taxed

D. B. Smith’s letter states renting out rooms in a house returns rental income and will attract income tax. My understanding is that people who rent rooms within a home, sharing kitchen and bathroom facilities, are classified as boarders. Therefore the rental paid is not taxed.

Alison Reid, Orakei.

Use deductions

D. B. Smith is correct that Dylan’s $18,720 rent for two bedrooms is taxed but it should be tax free after he claims a deduction of two thirds (two bedrooms out of three) of his annual mortgage interest, rates, repairs plus depreciation on furniture and fittings in those rooms. So no tax to pay on rent received for years. In fact he may even have a rent tax loss to deduct from the tax paid on his wages, creating a tax refund every year.

Murray Hunter, Titirangi.

Doctors’ obligation

I am sure well-intentioned palliative care doctors like Dr Ian Wynne-Robson offer great support to the majority of dying patients in their care. Nevertheless, Australian research has shown that about 8 per cent of people suffer unrelievable pain in their final days, in addition to the many who fear this could be their fate. Who knows this better than Roz Metcalfe who has already watched the agonies suffered by her sister Gina for several years and who is now experiencing the same genetic disease?

Doctors who disagree with medically assisted dying are entitled to their beliefs but the rest of us should have an alternative choice if we meet the criteria in the End of Life Choice Bill. Doctors are trained professionals, like plumbers or airline pilots, but this does not mean they should be allowed to determine the laws.

Mary Panko, Beach Haven.

Leave speedway where it is

The Auckland Council has decided to reconsider its stadium strategy, in large part due to the latest cost predictions for moving speedway out of town. After 53 years of involvement, I realise that in spite of minority views to the contrary, the venue still provides outstanding racing in a family-friendly atmosphere and with the best possible safety provisions for competitors. Limitations on the speedway are worked around satisfactorily.

If speedway is moved from its natural home, suggested advantages will be illusory and the council’s legacy on stadia will be the burden on ratepayers of a white elephant new facility and Western Springs minus the income from speedway or test cricket which will inevitably be at a new stadium, probably downtown.

I hope Regional Facilities Auckland’s new chairman, Andrew Barnes, will bring less-blinkered thinking to this issue. RFA seems to have had a fixed objective from the start without fair evaluation.

Moving speedway out will benefit nobody. Alan Smail, Murrays Bay.

Sroubek’s appeal

A convicted criminal from overseas who is a drug smuggler and gang associate is now doing jail time but has received topclass QC lawyer defence, no doubt at taxpayer expense, and whose case has virtual unlimited exposure in the press. Why all the trouble and expense? Mainly because a government minister failed to do his job. If it were someone from, say, the Pacific Islands involved they would have been deported almost immediately. The criminal and Iain Lees-Galloway should be distant memories by now.

Paul Beck, West Harbour.

Emmerson’s politics

Your cartoonist, Emmerson, wears his politics on his sleeve. Cartoon after cartoon of snotty, snide commentary on National. Absolutely no criticism of our inept socialist coalition Government.

Trevor Elwin, Half Moon Bay.

Rose withers

Rod Emmerson’s brilliant cartoon today needed a famous quotation added to complete it — “and like all roses she will wither and die while the stem of thorns continues upward to grow stronger and succeed again”. Dave King, Avondale.

Legislate neutrality

If Jacinda Ardern is serious about her philosophy of kindness she should legislate a policy of neutrality for our country. I agree with Keith Locke that we should take a “non aligned” stance in the stand-off between the US and China. Switzerland’s neutrality policy dictates it is not to be involved in armed conflicts between other states. Switzerland has not participated in a foreign war since neutrality was established in 1815.

We need to get on with our largest trading partner, China, while remaining close friends with the US and the UK.

Glen Stanton, Mairangi Bay.