Perhaps more to Amazon deal than meets the eye

ACCEPTING trade terms with

Amazon isn’t exactly Austrian economics. Or is it?

Lets face it — against all the odds, and the sacrifices all of us have made, AJ Hackett Bungy was offered an eightfigure sum to help keep it afloat, for goodness sake.

Maintaining the Lord of the Rings profile here in clean and green New Zealand may continue to reap dividends in the tourism field, but in the end, do we want to be outnumbered everywhere with visitors?

Our country has already altered labour laws to allow supply and demand economics to apply here. This is an aspect of big company involvement that should be discussed and debated.

On the other hand, some of these successful megacompanies may be able to teach us a thing or two about modern management techniques.

My mum used to say: ‘‘Better the devil you know, than the devil you don’t know.’’ It is good to see an end to the ‘‘under the table’’ deals that were the hallmark of crony capitalism.

At least here there is transparency, at long last.

David George

Cromwell

Fabulous festival

AS a visitor to Wanaka for the Festival of Colour, I was very impressed with the standard and variety of the dramatic and musical offerings, but I was incredibly moved by one, in particular, premiering there.

It was The Hall, by playwright Ro Bright and directed by Kitan Petkowski.

It was played in the round with the support of a choir composed of some members of Voices NZ and some local Wanaka singers. They were directed by Nicholas Forbes with songs composed by Pat Inwin.

The theme was dementia but it took a contrary view to the very depressing current awardwinning film with Anthony Hopkins called

The Father.

The Hall powerfully underlined the supreme importance of music in the lives of those touched by this sad disease. It was truly very uplifting.

Jeanette Forbes

Christchurch

Council rates

THE rates increase proposed by the Otago Regional Council is huge.

It should come clean and tell us what the major three items are that led to the increase, and what we can expect to get for our money.

We surely are entitled to know in some detail what this money will be spent on and how on earth it is likely to achieve whatever the outcomes hoped for are.

B. Keane Mornington

University editorial

MY compliments on your thorough, fair and balanced editorial (ODT, 6.4.21).

Any time there is a change in chief executive in a large organisation, while choosing the right person for the job is paramount, it is also the time to consider external versus internal appointment.

Your editorial seems to favour external.

While team building is the prerogative of an incoming chief executive, is it also a time to consider the appropriate leadership team for the new direction?

John Guthrie Anderson’s Bay ...................................

BIBLE READING: “Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” — Joshua 1:9