Leaders are not to blame

For many months now there has been a relentless campaign against Oranga Tamariki chief executive Grainne Moss, mostly by Ma¯ori for Ma¯ori.

I amMa¯ori and an executive director of aMa¯ori social service trust that cares for 200 homeless families and 4000 walkins every year. Our trust was started by the Ma¯ori Women’s Welfare League 37 years ago and is still going strong, so, yes, we too are by Ma¯ori for Ma¯ori.

We have a Pa¯keha¯ woman chair, a retired lawyer, who has been with us for 14 years, never once accepting anything but aroha in return.

Blaming our Pa¯keha¯ chair for all the homeless wha¯nau we care for is akin to blaming Moss for all of the uplifted tamariki and the broken families they are taken from.

For the record, Moss has visited us at the front line four times now and is totally supportive of our tikanga approach to reconnecting the lost, the lonely, the broke and broken-hearted.

Since Covid-19we have doubled our numbers of homeless, many of them from meth-addicted backgrounds.

We as a country need to stop blaming true leaders who visit the front line, and start accepting the inconvenient truth about ‘‘te taniwha ki roto tewhare – the elephant in the room – and that is meth. Tommy KapaiWilson, Te Tuinga Social Services, Tauranga Moana

Fire mitigation lacking

Recent fires on the Port Hills remind everyone of the risk of fires in forest lands and the need tomanage accordingly.

Forestry on both sides of State Highway 5, between Napier and Taupo¯, from Rangitaiki to near Mt Tauhara (about 30km) is a classic example of how poor management can create the potential for a disastrous forest fire. Fire breaks have not been maintained or, in most cases, not even formed, even though forests of varying age are on both sides of the road.

In places, I have measured less than nine metres from the edge of the road seal to pine trees. In other places the power lines are so close to mature pines that any strong westerly could result in trees falling on the lines and causing a fire.

Along some of the old forest blocks, wide gaps still exist between the road and the trees, Generally, these have patches of native scrub, broom and other fire-prone scrub species spread across them.

As of December 17, the grass was not mown. In most areas if it wasn’t for the offroad vehicles there would be no bare ground adjacent to the trees. However, even these vehicles are a risk at this time of the year as any crash or fuel spill could lead to a fire.

In summer the tinder dry thinnings and prunings under the trees provides the ideal base for a fire.

Adding to these factors the area is prone to strong westerlies.

Together, these factors result in the forests being very vulnerable to accidental fires from the highway. We are being warned of increased summer fire risk, with long, hot, dry periods forecast.

Yet there is no evidence of mitigation of this fire risk on SH 5. Surely the forest companies have a responsibility to ensure fire breaks exist and are well managed? Garth Eyles, Taradale

Report on other transport

It’s yet another weekend where I skipped past the motoring section of the newspaper. This week it featured an SUV selling for up to $90,000.

That, for me, is roughly 24,000 bus trips to town – enough to getme to and from work for roughly the next 45 years. All this maths gave me pause to think. Why does the motoring section never feature a bus? Can the tens of thousands of us who travel by bus or train, rather than by expensive SUV, please have the occasional motoring section devoted to our transport – a review of buses and trains?

Perhaps we could even have an issue, here and there, that covered bikes or walking shoes?

Stephen Day, Island Bay

Creative PR

Referring to the article on the ratepayers’ bill of $350,000 for Wellington Water’s publicity (Dec 17), it is heartening that Upper Hutt Mayor Wayne Guppy and regional council chairman Daran Ponter are pointing out this is not an acceptable use of public money.

Last week an Audit NZ report was released that found significant problems with Wellington Water’s performance measures. The Wellington Water Committee, which oversees Wellington Water’s performance, includes mayors and councillors from the Wellington region.

Clearly this report shows the committee has no control over Wellington Water, and unless there is accountability, transparency, better-management and leadership with all parties, ratepayer funds will continue to be frittered away on creative PR to cover water issues not being effectively dealt with.

Michelle Laurenson, Titahi Bay

A wiser way to help

I tautoko the good intentions of new Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta behind the offer to broker amuch-needed rapprochement between Australia and China.

Nonetheless, the offer bordered on ‘‘provocative’’ given it so recently followed a sharply worded criticism by the Five Eyes group of China’s treatment of Hong Kong citizens. Since when is a security alliance that’s widely recognised as partisan, and at best suspicious of China, a wise vehicle for NZ to conduct its ‘‘independent’’ foreign policy announcements?

China’s rejection of New Zealand’s offer was as predictable as it was unnecessarily unfriendly.

Far wiser and in keeping with our reputation and standing would be to offer mediation services elsewhere. Perhaps the learnings from our experiences with Ihuma¯tao and Bougainville, for example, might be usefully offered to assist the people of West Papua and Indonesia to find a just and durable solution to that ongoing conflict?

And, or we could simply implement the agreed United Nations target of 0.7 per cent of our ‘‘gross national income’’ to development aid. Currently we provide 0.28 per cent.

Fulfilling this pledge, alongside the recently announced provision of Covid-19 vaccines for some of our Pacific neighbours, would be of notable humanitarian and strategic significance. Tom White, Island Bay

City risks ‘uglification’

For crying out loud, where are the quarter-acre city sections Jenny Nicholls bangs on about being consigned to the scrapheap ( Housing crisis isn’t unsolvable, Dec 19)? That is 1012sqm and has long gone as a norm for sections.

And shame on her for using her distant memories to perpetuate the myth of derelict, damp, old wooden houses in the inner city. Many have been skilfully renovated, are warm, dry, and light, and provide beautiful and healthy living spaces for multiple occupants.

Some new developments do the same; but many demonstrate New Zealand’s total disregard for aesthetics or healthy living standards, despite the natural advantages we have.

The housing crisis should not be a excuse to destroy vibrant communities and the little heritage housing we have.

Now that Levin has stopped pollarding its trees so that the main street no longer resembles amputee alley, and with Transmission Gully poised to bypass the hideous ribbon of fast-food outlets and petrol stations at Paraparaumu, Wellington, with its ‘‘housing at all costs’’ spatial plan, is set to lead the region in the uglification of one of the most beautiful environments in Aotearoa.

Marilyn Head, Newtown

Poor example

I have lost confidence in Jacinda Ardern because she has confidence in Trevor Mallard. Double standards doubly shared is a very poor example.

Mike Clear, Upper Hutt