Majestic trees for the chop

Two healthy mature pohutukawa trees on a rental property in Brookfield St, St Heliers, are due to be felled today and tomorrow. These majestic trees, believed to be over 70 years old, are popular with tui, fantails and other birdlife. The owners cite a house-shading problem as the main reason for felling, but these trees are on the south side of the building, so shading is minimal.

Some branches overhang our driveway and yesterday we picked up a hatched bird’s egg which proves the nesting and breeding season has begun. It is a terrible feeling knowing there is nothing we can do for our resident tui and their young. These trees are not protected.

Jenifer and David Inverarity, St Heliers.

Unfit for office

Although Bill English has contradicted Paula Bennett’s statement that “some gang members” have fewer human rights, the problem is not that she said it, but that she believes it. Paula Bennett’s opinion is shared by tyrants such as Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines and signals her unfitness for public office in a just political system. Andrea Dawe, Sandringham. Commissioner confused Would someone tell the very muddled David Rutherford that equality of dignity and rights at birth is not inalienable. It is wilfully disavowed by those who infringe the dignity and rights of another. Equality is not a right of those who behave inhumanly. As a disabled veteran of World War II, when David Rutherford did not exist, what I have stated is that for which we fought.

Jack West, RD Waimauku.

Port plan

This port issue is not difficult. Here’s the plan. Create a secure import port at Wiri, an “inland port”. The export port could be Southdown. Ban all trucks from the wharves. All incoming freight to be railed straight out to Wiri on the eastern loop line. Connect Wiri port to the airport with a double railway line, for freight and passengers.

So stop mucking about, and get on with it. The “council controlled” port of Auckland can only use the wharves for parking imported cars because it regards these hectares as “free”. Having to buy some land for storing vehicles might smarten their ideas up.

Directors and management of the Auckland port should be shipped off to the Port of Singapore, not to come back until they’ve learned something about modern freight-handling methods.

Arch Thomson, Mt Wellington.

Innovation needed

Don Braid of Mainfreight talks of lack of vision from the Government. He talks of the need for the Government to show innovation and leadership in plotting the course for New Zealand’s future. Instead of identifying and developing solutions to the shame of the present time — homelessness, housing unaffordability and our abysmal record by world standards in relation to education, child well being and medical health — the Government has invented vanity projects such as the flag referendum, supporting Helen Clark in her bid for the top job at the UN, the wasted time on trying to get Tim Groser the top job at the WTO, completely driven by Groser who never earned his stripes as an MP, let alone for the WTO position.

While we are smug in that we escaped serious decline in economic growth during the GFC but we only followed the lead of the United States, there is nothing innovative in that. International businesses like Mainfreight, who create the wealth in New Zealand, do it in the main without the help of Government.

A Government’s job is not just to manage the business of government but to demonstrate leadership and innovation in doing the best for the country and all its citizens. Whoever is elected to power in three weeks must demonstrate that they are not there as managers but leaders who will deliver on the promises they are now freely giving.

Peter Burn, Gulf Harbour.

Absent fathers

Around 450 males took their lives last year. Have your thought why male suicide has gone through the roof the world over? It is because sons and fathers get almost no positive press nowadays, and are constantly the butt of media jokes. Why is that? Is it because corporate media constantly panders to the supermarket buying mother?

Paul McGreal, Birkenhead. Unintended text

Newshub receives a text from Winston Peters that they immediately realise is not intended for them. They say so. What would any normal person do? Ignore it. What do Newshub do? They publish it. What a lot of scumbags, they should be totally ashamed of themselves and Peters deserves an apology.

Graham Carter, Herne Bay.

Risks of change

It seems likely that we will get a new Government led by Jacinda Ardern. She is a passionate and dedicated young politician who deserves to succeed. But we know very little about her team or her party’s policies. That has raised doubt. Currencies and markets don’t like the uncertainty that comes with doubt. Already we have seen the NZ dollar sold down 4.5 per cent in the past month and we may see more. This portends inflation, higher interest rates and higher prices. The popular appeal of an attractive leader can never substitute for sound economic policy and management. We should all be careful what we wish for.

Graham Astley, Epsom.

Shifting the port

Julie Stout brings up the question of relocating the port and possible more future studies. There already have been many studies with no action. The port agrees a move at some time will be required and Winston Peters’ push for an upgraded rail link to Northport will at least get things moving. Northport would seem ideally suited to roll-on roll-off freight with the existing infrastructure and a large supply of low cost land.

Currently ratepayers are receiving a less than fair return for the Auckland Port’s use of what is arguably the most valuable real estate in New Zealand. The sooner the western port area is freed up the sooner the city can develop this area and put it to more valuable use.

Economics should determine how container handling is shared between Ports of Auckland, the Port of Tauranga, and possibly Northport in the future. If nothing is done, soon we will still have cruise boats anchored offshore or, worse, not visiting at all.

Neal McCarthy, Auckland Central.

Voting age

Professor Judy McGregor’s second opinion piece requires a reply. Unfortunately she chooses to ignore that voting is a serious responsibility. Moving the voting age lower is typical left wing strategy to entrench the left’s ability to sway elections.

Suggesting political education at what are Labour union-dominated secondary schools is unacceptable. A voter needs to be fully informed and engaged, and able to understand the consequences of accepting vote bribes that promote profligacy, “spend and enjoy now”, instead of delayed gratification that yields improved long-term outcomes.

Such values are developed in practice through real world experience when one enters work. Judging by last week’s junior mayoralty debacle, the voting age should be increased. Brian Casey, Torbay.

Party politics

Like many immigrants from “politically volatile” countries, I am passionately committed to democracy. Distressingly, I find myself unable to vote, since there is no individual person who can represent my voice in Parliament.

The individual has been subsumed by the party. I cannot vote for an individual person, but find myself having to vote by colour. The colour choices are wider than before, blue, red, green or brown, but are we really still voting by colour? Where are the individual voices and distinctive personalities who can represent me, fight my fight and give me a voice?

Mark Rodrigues, Hamilton.

Plenty of drama

What rock has Barry Soper been hiding under if he doesn’t think there’s been “theatre” in this election campaign? I mean — where do you begin? From the Todd Barclay circus to Metiria Turei’s suicidal act of solidarity with beneficiaries, to Andrew Little’s resignation in the face of poor poll results, to Jacinda Ardern’s stellar rise, to Paula Bennett’s continued gaffes to, yes, Winnie’s pugnacious defence of his integrity.

The only grey spot on the horizon has been poor old Bill English who wears “normal bloke” like a ballgown — it doesn’t fit and makes him look stupid.

Annie Cass, Henderson.