Let’s lower the voting age

Last year, we were told by scientists that if we don’t make significant changes to the way we run our economy in the next 12 years, we would miss our window to reverse the damage we have done to our planet.

World leaders ignored this warning. In protest, thousands of teenagers, who are essentially going to bear the brunt of this crisis, walked out of school and marched the streets.

I think about that now, in an election year. I think about all of us teenagers, who understand and care about the issues facing our planet, and can think for ourselves, but whose voices will be silenced because of our current voting rules.

Whenever we suggest that the voting age should be lowered, we are told by adults that we are too young to think for ourselves, that we will be coerced by what our parents think.

Why is it that we can demonstrate more leadership in that situation than any adults did, but still be told that we are too young to think for ourselves?

I don’t want to watch yet another election from the sidelines. I understand the political system, I care deeply about the issues facing our society, I can think for myself and I don’t blindly follow my parents’ beliefs as is being implied.

Maja Skilling, Auckland

Taking the knee

Sharon Murdoch’s cartoon (June 7) is the perfect illustration of the attitude of POTUS towards his own country. Whatever happened to the golden tapestry of hope held out by the early immigrants from Ireland, the UK and Europe as they sailed past the Statue of Liberty towards what they thought would be The Great American Dream? Those times, it seems, are well and truly past.

Rangi Faith, Rangiora

Donald Trump promised he would make America great again. Well, we’re still waiting. Meanwhile, amid the howling anger on the streets, greatness of sorts is struggling to life in spite of Trump and his cronies.

History may record it all started with the #MeToo movement. Now, thanks to a Neanderthal cop on bended knee he used as a lethal weapon, a sort of #KneeToo movement has taken shape as well. And out of this, who knows? All we can do is await the US election, some of us on bended knee, praying. Dean Donoghue, Papamoa Beach

Cancer check

What a relief to have an independent Cancer Control Agency headed by someone prepared to put the record straight on cancer policy issues. This made little difference to your somewhat sensationalist and unbalanced article on cancer ‘‘delays’’ (News, June 7), but at least Professor Diana Sarfati had her say.

We have to date lacked balance to the vociferous advocates among the cancer charities. This has rendered policy debate in this area rather one-sided. Almost nobody has been prepared to inform the New Zealand public that, when it comes to the many contentious and emotional policy issues in cancer, there is usually another side: the glass can be ‘‘half full’’ and not always ‘‘half empty’’! Peter Davis, Auckland

Tax system fails

Finance Minister Grant Robertson has stated that Labour, like National, will not introduce a capital gains tax. Why not?

When a young family is saving for a home deposit via a bank savings account the interest is taxed, including the portion lost to inflation. With inflation currently greater than the interest banks pay, this young family’s home deposit savings are going backward. However, we have the ludicrous situation where an investor can borrow this money plus more from the bank, buy a house and rent it to this young family, who then pay off the investor’s mortgage.

The investor can also claim the mortgage interest plus repair and upkeep costs against tax due on the rental income, something a live-in homeowner cannot do. The investor can also reap a taxfree capital gain if the property is sold after five years. A homeowner buying a second house to rent out is not running a business, just choosing a taxfree form of investment.

Something is massively unfair with our tax system which has helped create our present have/have not society. David F Little, Whangarei

Quarantine gaps

New Zealand should be very concerned at the revelations of inadequate policing of the 14-day quarantine restrictions supposedly being applied to foreign visitors on their arrival.

Cases of quarantined arrivals being allowed to mingle with other guests at the hotels they are confined to, or to wander in public unsupervised, make a mockery of the Government’s promises to protect New Zealanders following our attainment of level 1.

The prime minister and her team are at risk of undoing the achievement of the the costly and inconvenient eight-week lockdown.

Anthony Mercer, Auckland

Remembering Janet

Sunday magazine’s cover story (‘‘Remembering Janet Frame’’, June 7) provides a personal view of Janet Frame’s early literary life. Jill Studd and I got to know Jan in Whanganui in the early 1980s, as she emerged from a dark period to begin drafting her memoir.

The friendship grew and she became an important mentor, while I acted as a defacto PA. My interest was in continental writing so I was surprised to find how well she knew key writers, from Kafka to Camus and de Beauvoir, then Beckett. She would linger at her front door as

I tried to leave, and muse wistfully upon Kafka and how she would never write a story that good. Well, for me she had.

I’ve encountered many Kiwi cultural magnates, but no internal light burned near as brightly as hers.

Derek Schulz, Raumati Beach

‘No’ to cannabis

The Drug Foundation advertisement in last week’s

Sunday Star-Times is a lot of bunkum.

1. In encouraging more people to smoke, it is a bit sad to say the tax revenue will go towards extra drug education and treatment.

2. More police will be needed to catch the increased number of drugged drivers – it’s bad enough with drunk drivers [see no 7].

3. Mental health services and hospitals already have access problems without all the new cases that will appear.

4. Age restrictions: Yeah right, is there any under-age drinking?

5. How will all the outlets be checked for the potency levels?

6. The illegal trade will remain, and undercut prices.

7. How will this be policed? It will be virtually impossible to enforce without a police presence at every park and on every street.

8. Millions of dollars have been spent over the years to try to make New Zealand smoke-free, so why does the drug foundation want to encourage more people (youth) to smoke?

Vote ‘‘no’’ in the referendum.

Alan Eustace, Auckland d