Take another look at calculating rural activity

With respect to Dame Margaret Bazley in her letter on Monday the use of GDP as a measure of our well-being is outdated and quite frankly wrong.

Gross Domestic Product (GDP) measures all dollar transactional activity, whether it is a positive activity or a negative one. For example, spending money on cleaning up rivers or dealing with downstream health problems from obesity currently adds to the GDP.

An alternative measure of our well-being is termed GPI or Genuine Progress Index. This is a method by which the dollar value of negative activity transactions is taken off the total (GDP). Then we will know, at least in financial terms, if our activities are improving our overall wellbeing. Some years ago Treasury embarked on such work that more correctly measured our well-being but I believe this has been dragged to a halt. For Canterbury rural activity it would be worthwhile calculating the GPI – then I will read Dame Margaret’s words with more interest and belief.

BRIAN WARD

Richmond

Quite revealing

Dame Margaret Bazley’s response (Sept 22) as chair of the Canterbury Mayoral Forum to SM McNeill’s letter (Sept 14) questioning the benefits to urban ratepayers of increased irrigation to fuel the dairy boom was quite revealing. As the National Government appointed commissioner in charge of Environment Canterbury her apparent zeal for the economic benefits without mention of the environmental costs speaks volumes.

P ROBINSON Pines Beach

Alternative effects

Dame Margaret Bazley cleverly uses facts from the website of the Canterbury Development Corporation to explain what she sees as the desirable downstream effects of rural activities. I suggest that she pay a wee bit more attention to the facts on her own website at ECan. They paint a picture of alternative effects and read as follows.

Our regional economy is increasingly dependent on water. Land use intensification and discharge of contaminants are affecting Canterbury water quality. Pressure from rural and urban land use and discharges and water demand is placing stress on ground and surface water systems.

This is why rivers and streams are drying up, and streams, rivers, lakes and groundwater are being contaminated.

DAVID O'NEILL

Harewood

Referendum cost

There has been a lot of debate recently about the cost of the flag referendum. Twenty-six million dollars may seem like a lot, but it needs to be kept in perspective. It is merely eight hours of government spending on social security and welfare, or four hours if you include health and education.

TF DAVISON

Cuverden