Farmers are doing their bit
Media Council
Two thank-you letters in Tuesday’s newspaper caught my eye.
Firstly, thank you to all MIQ workers, it is so good to read something positive rather than the usual negative complaints.
But the letter that really excited me was the one expressing thanks to farmers.
I am a lifelong farmer, both cropping, sheep and cattle, and for the past 40 years have been a clean green dairy farmer at huge expense to ourselves – effluent upgrades are hugely expensive.
We continually hear from the prime minister and the finance minister how well the economy is doing in spite of Covid, but they never mention that the farming community is responsible for 80 per cent of our international income. I suspect there are no votes for Labour in congratulating farmers.
We Kiwi farmers will get the problems with climate change right. I understand a vaccine for dairy cows for the emissions of methane gas is close. Our waterways are fenced, our farming footprint is already minuscule but will be even better.
We were brought up by our parents to leave our farms in better shape than when we got them, and that is exactly what we are doing.
John Williams, Levin
Misinformed on royal
We welcome letters to the editor, which should be sent to letters@dompost.co.nz or PO Box 1297, Wellington 6040. They should include the writer's full name, home address and contact phone number; should not exceed 200 words, and be exclusive. In keeping with Stuff's editorial commitments, we will reject or edit letters that are discriminatory or express prejudice on the basis of race, ethnicity, country of origin, gender, sexuality, religion or disability. the personalities of the royal family and conveniently forgets about the advantages of a constitutional monarchy versus the disadvantages of a constitutional republic.
The list of constitutional republics starts with Angola and finishes with Zimbabwe, and the entries in between contain few functioning democratic countries.
The list of constitutional monarchies, while starting with Australia and finishing with the UK, contains most of the functioning democracies in the world, including our own. These countries are also wealthy and stable.
What is the secret? The top job is not available!
This simple fact does not allow the despot to be elected and then become a dictator, as happens to so many republics.
Has Bishop looked at the mess that South Africa and India are in?
Gordon Macadam, Christchurch
Teens’ wait for booster
The Dominion Post is subject to the NZ Media Council. Complaints must be directed to editor@dompost.co. nz. If the complainant is unsatisfied with the response, the complaint may be referred to the Media Council, PO Box 10-879, Wellington, 6143 or info@mediacouncil.org.nz. Further details at presscouncil.org.nz same time as me, but while I qualify for my booster soon, they must wait until they turn 18.
As weight and height go, many teenagers are on a par with adults. But when Omicron comes, our young adults will have waning immunity and will be at risk.
Jo Shaw, Kingston
Building failures
No takers for $23m quake-prone apartment scheme (Jan 13) made me ask why so many buildings built in recent decades have had to be demolished. Examples include the Tasman Gardens apartment building the article describes, Freyberg House, Statistics House, BNZ Harbour Quays and several others.
How is it that buildings are erected only to be demolished within just a few years of being completed? Surely this is a huge waste of money, effort and natural resources?
J Chris Horne, Northland
A fairer tax
another is suggesting that ‘‘knowledge is needed to tackle tax unfairness’’. Both carefully avoid the only fair basis, being ‘‘each according to their means’’.
GST is surely the most unfair of the plethora of taxes as it impacts most on those who can least afford it, while to the well-off it is a mere flea-bite and easily manipulated/avoided.
The only way this debate and unfairness can be avoided is by levying a financial transaction tax (FTT) on all movements of money with no exceptions, as has been promoted by the Social Credit movement for decades, with banks being the collection agent on behalf of the government, ie the people. For example, the banks’ ‘‘paywave fees’’ (clipping the ticket) show how simple (and lucrative) it would be.
John McCaskey, Waipara
Relations with China
Congratulations for publishing the excellent commentary Twelve predictions for China in 2022 (Jan 15).
If the public commentaries in capitals like Washington and Canberra are any guide, Aotearoa New Zealand’s closest friends are not hesitating in offering our own leaders advice on how we should conduct our relations with China. And this at a time when the views of Beijing in those capitals are steadily darkening.
After a decade of living in China, spread over some 30 years, observing the enormous changes there, I believe that managing our relationships with both China and at the same time with our traditional friends is likely to become increasingly complex and interesting.
Having experts of our own with the understanding of China and the good sense of Jason Young and Peter Harris is invaluable – and reassuring.
Michael Powles, Eastbourne
War in Europe
World War I was a war that no-one wanted or expected. After all, Europe had been enjoying relative peace and prosperity for 100 years.
Yet decisions made and actions taken by kings, emperors, and prime ministers in July 1914 led to a catastrophe.
The question is, could it happen again? The EU was created to avoid another war in Europe. Yet, ironic as it may seem, as the EU and its military arm, Nato, push eastward towards Ukraine and the Russian border, a war that no-one wanted or expected could happen again.
In some ways the Ukrainian confrontation between Nato and Russia resembles the 1962 Cuba crisis, but in reverse. President Vladimir Putin may be bluffing with his military build-up on the Ukrainian border and his talk of ‘‘red lines’’, but, to quote The New York Times (Jan 9), ‘‘European wars have broken out over lesser bluffs’’.
Ian Badger, Christchurch