Let’s make top-notch waterfront

Now moving the port of Auckland is being discussed, are we smart enough to create world-beating public spaces along the waterfront? Or will we block up the harbour again but this time with apartments, other commercial buildings or, heaven help us, a new stadium?

If relocation is to be approved it should go with top priority being given to having imaginative world-quality public access right along the harbour edge.

In which case, many of the Ports of Auckland monstrosities like the recent parking building, cement silo etc must go.

Having a comprehensive total outcome for Auckland should be built into the costs being discussed. It is not just about new railways and wharves elsewhere.

Bruce Anderson, St Heliers Bay.

Walls and bridges

It’s 30 years since the fall of the Berlin Wall. It’s also 15 years since the International Court of Justice declared Israel’s wall on Palestinian land illegal. Planned to extend 810km, it is 8m high in some parts — twice the height and five times the length of Berlin’s wall. Morocco has built a huge one, 2700km long, 3m high with bunkers, fences and landmines throughout. And there’s the Trump wall under construction on the US-Mexico border.

Walls are monumental policy failures. A world without walls is what humanity needs. Janfrie Wakim, Epsom.

Australian fires

While we all have sympathy for the thousands of Australians affected by the huge bush fires in Australia, the fact remains so many build in the gum forests.

The leaves of those trees emit vapour which is highly inflammable, in fact this vapour causes the blue colour in the air throughout the Blue Mountains.

In its natural state, these forests catch fire regularly and the vapour causes those fires to jump big distances to other trees whose leaves are highly inflammable.

These fires are caused by lightning strikes and are the gum trees’ natural way of regenerating.

The only way to overcome this is to move all people out of those areas and have a much smaller, controlled burn-off every year. Otherwise those huge fires will continue with loss of life, injuries and the destruction of homes and businesses.

Eric Strickett, Henderson.

Tree protection

What a pity the Mt Albert tree controversy has become a conflict between residents and Ma¯ori. The real culprit is the last National Government, which, in 2013, prevented local authorities from having tree-protection policies for urban areas.

Auckland’s tree coverage is 18 per cent — compared with Vienna (56 per cent), Brisbane (49 per cent), New York (36 per cent), Seoul (33 per cent), Mumbai (30 per cent), Jakarta (26 per cent) and Shanghai (24 per cent). And we are regressing, 61ha of tree canopy has been lost from the Waitemata¯ Local Board area since 2009.

Most other countries have policies that value trees as a community asset. Penalties handed out are in some recent cases have been significant: $275,000 in Britain, $325,000 in Australia, $500,000 in Spain, $850,000 in the United States and $2.5 million in Canada.

In New Zealand, National ensured there can be no strategy for tree protection in Auckland or any other city and the effective maximum penalty in rural areas is $300. It is time the law was changed.

Colin Beardon, Waiheke Island.

Urban exemplar

Many Mt Albert residents are upset with the unwarranted removal of so many trees from the top of our mountain.

The first time we were aware of the changes to take place was a letter drop from the maunga authority announcing the start work dates.

Suburb-wide consultation would have increased people’s awareness to the proposed changes to the mountain and in turn provide residents with the opportunity to voice their concerns.

In such times of climate change and environmental impacts from humanity, why would it have ever been a good idea to remove trees? By all means plant more.

Mt Albert is one of the few maunga that still have trees on their summits and we will endeavour to keep it as a green urban example to the rest of Auckland city.

Simone Ross, Mt Albert.

Precious space

The Mt Albert trees — exotic or not — are very precious. They must be protected to prevent the same situation that happened in Newmarket Park 10 years ago, when one politician on a single visit saw an old TV someone had rolled into the native bush that covered the huge hillside.

The result: Removal of the entire birdfilled bush, to be replaced with long weedy grass, struggling small shallow-rooted trees, and the disappearance of the local resident users who had lost their muchloved and much-used local gem.

Pamela Russell, Orakei.

House proud

In spite of the headline about funding glitches, it was great to see the delighted smile on the face of Rayray Connor on your front page ( NZ Herald, November 12). I don’t imagine she cares exactly how her new home was funded. The main thing is she will now have a home, something she never thought would happen.

Instead of selling state housing, as National did, Labour is building them by the thousand. Meanwhile, National wants to return to its policy of returning social housing to the private sector — look where that got us!

Sky cabs

V.M. Fergusson, Mt Eden.

I haven’t generally agreed with Richard Prebble, but I was very impressed by his piece about “sky cabs”. Something like this down Dominion Rd would be a no-brainer.

Driving along the Northern motorway, I considered the existing “busway” that apparently is lauded as a great idea. But, to me, it’s a stupid idea.

Here’s a suggestion: Install a sky cab overhead track over the existing roads, stopping at the existing “stations”, and use the busway for two more motorway lanes.

R.A. Beer, Whangaparaoa.

Rugby and equity

I have really enjoyed reading the insightful comments of your World Cup writers, on challenges that urgently need to be addressed for the ongoing wellbeing of rugby in NZ. It has been very obvious that some of these rugby issues provide a helpful insight into wider equity problems in NZ schools.

The story of gifted athlete Kieran Read, who abandoned his scholarship at an elite school to return and excel from a community base, gives valuable insights, while the speech from Cup-winning captain Siya Kolisi gives a timely reminder on the importance of opportunity for all.

As the rugby writers wisely point out, this means putting policies in place that do not advantage the few at the expense of the many. Ann Dunphy, Parnell.

Looming threat

I was intrigued to see that Winston Peters’ generation is described as the “silent” one ( NZ Herald, November 12). I can’t help but wonder that if a number of his generation had been a little less silent while others were waging war, us Baby Boomers wouldn’t have been the first generation born to live, even today, under the everpresent threat of annihilation by nuclear weapons. I’m sure every generation has sobering questions of the one which preceded it. It seems the questions now are becoming more urgent.

Jeremy Coleman, Hillpark.

Wealth comparisons

I question some of the reasoning being used in the analysis of the wealth gap between so-called Boomers and others. A true comparison could only be made if the generational wealth gap was looked at historically. I am 69. When I was in my thirties my parents had a far greater wealth than I did, in income and assets.

I never expected to be better off than them as I knew I needed years of earning to be in the same situation.

My parents owned a house when they were 15 years younger than I was when I owned my own. Three of my children are mortgage-free and are in their late thirties or early forties. I was 59 when I became mortgage free. I think a lot of the analysis being made in terms of generational asset wealth is flawed.

I never inherited any material wealth from my parents. I inherited good values.

Mark Beale, Wattle Downs.

Boom times

New Zealand’s post-war baby boom peaked in 1961, not 1964. So 1961 is a more logical cut-off point between the Boomers and Generation X than the randomly chosen 1964. That, and the fact that I was born in 1964 and I do not like being lumped in with people such as Prince Charles and anti-Vietnam War protesters.

C.C. McDowall, Rotorua.