PM’s pandas

The Prime Minister announces he is willing to spend millions of (our) dollars to bring giant pandas to Wellington Zoo. He is not doing this from a conservation point of view but as a blatant fund-raising tourist attraction. It’s as phoney as kissing babies during an election.

Giant pandas are a critically endangered species and their preservation should be the priority rather than taking them out of their natural environment for our amusement. The money he is willing to spend on the pandas would be better spent in-situ, on the conservation centres, but of course he is not thinking in terms of conservation. No popularity in that.

When I worked at San Diego Zoo in 1991, that zoo, through their wealthy sponsors, decided to contribute what was said to be a million-dollar deal with China to import two pandas. Within a short period of time a pair of pandas was produced for San Diego Zoo. It was widely suspected by zoo staff that for the type of financial enticement that was offered; China may have removed the panda pair from the wild.

China has a deplorable attitude regarding endangered species for financial gain; ie, they are the world’s foremost consumer of elephant ivory and rhino horn.

Just like the flag debate, why do we have millions of dollars to throw at meaningless projects when so many of our people live in squalour, go hungry, can’t afford heating, can’t afford housing; and the list goes on? It has been said that third-term governments can be frivolous and arrogant. No kidding!

STEVE YOUNG

Papanui