Natural diamonds will shine

Re: Your article “Diamonds a girl’s (manmade) best friend” (NZ Herald, September 9).

Man-made diamonds have been around a long time, the first was produced in the 1950s. However, manufacturing costs for gem-grade diamonds were prohibitively expensive, until recently. Being a man-made product, their source is infinite and, as production increases, prices can only come down.

There is misconception of De Beers controlling the price of natural diamonds. For the past two or three decades, it has had serious competition with other large mining companies; Rio Tinto, BHP Billiton and Alrosa to name but a few.

Contrary to the statement that manmade diamonds will finish De Beers, it has in fact started its own production of manmade diamonds and currently retail them overseas at US$800 per carat, regardless of size or grade, a lot cheaper than other companies currently selling them. It continues to market natural diamonds at premium prices.

While production of man-made diamonds will increase and prices fall, natural diamonds are rare and will continue to command high prices.

Rio Tinto expects to close its Australian Argyle mine next year, which was once the largest producing diamond mine in the world. Other mines in Africa are also expected to be worked out over the next few decades.

Far from being evil, mining diamonds from the Earth provides huge employment and wealth to many countries, not to mention the millions employed in India and elsewhere cutting them. Donald Francey, Jewellery Valuers Company.

Climate crisis

Malcolm Pollock (NZ Herald, September 9) may have missed the memo. For example, Auckland Council’s report in March on its sea-level rise exposure profile; opportunities for averting climatological crises without increasingly massive intervention in people’s “way of life” are rapidly vanishing; too many powerful people for too long saying “it’s not a real problem because it would be terrible for us if we had to do anything about it”.

So for cities, “planning for climate change” now means not just addressing the causes, but also trying to figure out how to survive the coming decades of disrupted weather, coasts, primary industries and economies.

Morgan L. Owens, Manurewa.

Child labour

Bill Mathews’ claim (NZ Herald, September 9) that the child labour and human rights issues related to the mining of metals for EV batteries are “a red herring” is offensive, indefensible and repugnant.

Having worked in East Africa, and spent time with colleagues directly exposed to the realities of life in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, let’s be very clear: These are militia-driven mines, using forced slave labour — often children — to dig rare-earth metals.

For any person — let alone a child — to experience such working conditions is a gross offence against humanity.

Yet, perversely, these conditions are seen as acceptable because batteries are treated as the neo-saviour for reducing climate change emissions.

The cost to people’s lives and the wider environment are being ignored.

If Mr Mathews — or anyone — truly thinks the mining of metals for EV batteries is a red herring, he is most welcome to experience the reality for himself. Murray Boardman, Browns Bay.

Water ownership

The headline in this week’s Australian newspaper reads “Water Barons spike prices”. It’s a salutary warning to maintain our water supply network as part of a council operation.

Auckland has, in my view, a public water supply that is as good as anywhere in the world, with high-quality treated water available for residential, commercial and industrial usage.

And the water left over is generally removed and treated as efficiently as possible. There is further work being done here, we want to see this expedited.

A company having a sole purpose of producing a return for the shareholders is unlikely to be spending large on identifying new water sources, or continuing the considerable investment in progressing the separation of the century-old stormwater and wastewater pipes.

Sell off Watercare? Just don’t go there.

Leo Neal, Ellerslie.

Intersection revamp

The intersection revamp of New North and Mt Albert roads has been completed for some 12 months plus. The improvements to this intersection are “nil”. Ask any user.

The negatives are: No traffic flow, serious traffic congestion, red light running, pedestrians at risk and flooding.

Motorists travelling Mt Albert Rd to Carrington Rd and vice versa only get six or seven cars through on one green light; that’s prompting red light running.

The traffic queues feeding this intersection are getting longer. Due to all these problems vehicles are using side streets to avoid this intersection.

How about AT having some dialogue with residents and users in an attempt at remedying the problems? Roll on the local body elections, maybe someone will stand up to AT. Trevor Bindon, Mt Albert.

Slowed under

Does anyone else sense that we have a traffic flow issue rather than a traffic congestion one?

One cannot turn right even if it’s safe and have to wait for the four-second green arrow that will only allow two or three cars to turn right. Surely a flashing green arrow will clarify that one can proceed with caution and allow more flow?

Another example is the previous traffic circle at the intersection of Wairau and Glenfield roads that allowed a constant flow of traffic until AT decided to replace it with a traffic light. The queues grow and grow. Also, the traffic lights allowing cars on to the motorway seem to be set to deliberately make motorists find alternate routes and wherever a cone appears on the side of the road for any reason, everyone has to slow down to 30km/h, even on weekends when no workers are around. On top of that, Auckland Council is constantly removing parking or making sure it can clip the ticket no matter where you’d like to park.

Paul Vermaak, Beach Haven.

Cannaphobia

Phobias are an irrational fear. People with a phobia often visit a psychologist to help them overcome their fears. So, it would seem that Paula Bennett is an admitted cannaphobic — she fears the effects of cannabis on New Zealand, as it appears so does the National Party.

Why is cannaphobia an irrational fear? Because there is sufficient evidence out there that cannabis may be highly beneficial for many health issues.

Unlike with allopathic medications, there have been no recorded deaths from cannabis alone as opposed to the deaths from prescription drugs, of which she could be excused for being fearful as that may not be an irrational fear.

With re-legalisation in various jurisdictions, such as Uruguay, Canada and Spain, their opioid, heroin, P and gang problems have almost disappeared.

New Zealand has a developing gang problem, with many coming from Australia, and we have an opportunity, nay, an obligation to keep New Zealanders and our many tourists safe.

We must overcome this fearmongering by cannaphobics, and re-legalise cannabis immediately to stop the harm caused by cannabis prohibition.

Beverley Aldridge/Kathleen Pattinson,

Seniors’ Voice, Otamatea.

Government criticism

The constant flow of negativity from the National opposition masquerading as “robust opposition” is becoming tedious, indicates a paucity of ideas and vision and a total inability to reflect on its own failure in government.

Nine years in charge, so little to show for it and much to be ashamed of: The three strikes legislation; the plan to build more prisons; the handling of Pike River; selling state houses; the Saudi sheep deal; welcoming Peter Thiel; the failure to address environmental issues; the degradation of water quality; the wasteful flag fiasco; over-dependence on dairy farming; and much more.

A remarkable achievement was never to utter the words “housing crisis” as property prices rose and rose and the homeless numbers swelled.

Now the Labour-led Government is expected to turn around this juggernaut of failure in one term.

Barbara Grace, Grey Lynn.