Do better for health of our elderly
Andrew Little recently announced that the Government had committed $9 million to research vulnerable communities so we could understand what had worked and what needed to change.
Ma¯ ori, Pacific and disabled communities were those that were identified and rightly so.
There is no doubt that these groups feature highly in our hospital statistics, but there is another group, not included in the above who are vulnerable and not well served.
The group I refer to is the latter end of the 60-69, 70-79 and 80-plus age group who do not fall into the category of Ma¯ ori, Pacific or disabled, and yet remain at significant risk of being hospitalised.
So, have we got it right? I don’t think so, if we fail to include a group who are such high users of our hospitals services.
Robin Harrison, Takapuna
Varied podiums
Hayden Munro’s opinion regarding the National party having no policy (“No policy not a problem for Nats’ Luxon”, Herald on Sunday, April 17) is ironic given his Labour Party’s making up policy on the hoof from the 1pm “Podium of Almost Truths” for the last two years.
Gary Carter, Gulf Harbour
Luxon’s dogma
The disaster is not that Christopher Luxon stumbles, or his utterances betray what he really thinks — it’s that he shows no sign of the intellect to solve the problems facing the country and the planet.
Air NZ might keep flying on a wing and a prayer — i.e. generous state handouts — but God and the “free” market will not deliver us from transport carbon dioxide or farming methane and nitrous oxide. All have increased and National dogma won’t talk them down.
Dennis Horne, Howick
Saving disincentives
All around the world, governments are shedding crocodile tears at increasing inflation.
They have borrowed money to the point where repaying can only be achieved by reducing the value of currency through inflation. This effectively means savers will have to pay for this exuberance.
With inflation at 6 per cent and rising, savers are earning 2 per cent with the added insult of being taxed. This is theft on a grand scale.
Vince West, Milford
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