Ratepayer opposition silenced

I was appalled but not surprised to read Bernard Orsman’s article ( NZ Herald, March 26) “Council asks opponents of public reserve sales to back off”.

There is obviously an ingrained culture within the Auckland Council that thinks the ratepayers shouldn’t have a say in what goes on in the city or, even worse, think that by intimidation any opposition will be silenced. Is this a “one-off” employee with a personal view or is it a deeply rooted attitude within the council? I venture to say it’s the latter. The attitude needs to be rooted out.

I realise that the council needs to find money from somewhere but intimidation doesn’t fit with democracy. Having worked for the council, I am aware of the loopy ideas, bullying and intimidation if the line isn’t followed. The council readily seeks feedback but more than often just ignores it.

The council needs to realise there is fierce opposition to selling parks. It is completely contrary to the provision and maintenance of recreational services for the residents of Auckland.

David Neil, Massey.

Mind my business

I am a “first business buyer”. I have been saving hard to buy my first business but because some businesses are making large profits, the owners of these businesses want too much money for them…more money than I can afford.

Could you please “be kind” and ask Grant Robertson to be “definitive” and close the “loophole” that allows these businesses to claim their business expenses as a tax deduction. This will reduce the profitability of these businesses and hence their value. I, along with many other first business buyers will then be able to afford to buy a business when the owners put them up for sale.

Michael Coker, One Tree Hill.

Not furnished

My wife and I bought our house in 1975 as a place to live in, not an investment and not as a step on the property ladder.

It was in a new subdivision and all we got was a house. There were no floor coverings or curtains, the stove was the only home appliance included and the section was bare except for some rubbish left by the builders.

Over the years we developed the section, laid paths and a drive and built fences. Our neighbours were all in a similar situation and we all pitched in to help each other and developed friendships which lasted even after most of the early neighbours moved away.

I am convinced that if our section had been fully landscaped with fences, paths and drives, and if there had been curtains and carpets provided, our home would have been beyond our price range. New houses today come complete with everything which we were happy to make do without and work on ourselves over the years to give us something we are proud of.

I wonder how much cheaper new houses would be if they came without all the things we were happy to do ourselves.

Greg Cave, Sunnyvale.

Spec tax

New Zealand experienced huge house price inflation in the early 1970s. The then Labour Government blamed property speculators for this and the Minister of Finance, Bill Rowling, brought in a 90 per cent “spec tax” to curb this activity.

The tax started at 90 per cent for houses sold within six months of purchase. The percentage reduced in stages for houses held for longer periods.

This resulted in the speculators taking their properties off the market, causing a shortage of houses for sale and a further increase in prices. I wonder whether the bright-line tax will have the same effect.

Bryan Airey, Waiake.

Ghost city

The Kangbashi District in Ordos City was built by the Chinese Government in the early 2000s and was intended to home up to one million people.

However, the city remains almost empty. The homes were bought by developers but nobody moved in. It is known as China’s largest ghost town. A warning for us?

Jeanette Grant, Mt Eden.

Mocking poverty

Weighing in on the current debate regarding the fate of Police Ten 7, I also agree programmers need to take a good hard look at the content and delivery.

The first (and last) time I watched it, there was a story on a young brownskinned man who was apprehended after stealing old food from a supermarket dumpster — expired yoghurt amongst other food items. Apparently, this is illegal.

I was appalled at the cavalier jocularity of the commentator. Food insecurity is a significant issue in Aotearoa and to make light of a young man’s attempts to feed his family shocked me.

The programme may accurately reflect the number of young brown-skinned men who are arrested on any given evening. That’s not the point.

Programmes can legitimately cover poverty, child sexual abuse, homelessness or a host of other social issues that we face. But aren’t we better than to turn such issues into light entertainment?

Fritha Parkes, Ma¯ngere.

Smoke screen

Working in the building next door to the Crowne Plaza MIQ facility in Auckland, I pass the smokers’ box every morning.

Returnees stand either side of a 3m open box, without masks on, smoking.

Australia has a no smoking policy in its quarantine facilities; why does New Zealand not do the same? Each smoker is given full support with nicotine patches and help. This could be a golden opportunity for people to quit smoking for life.

Rosemary Balme, Howick.

Bank opportunity

With the recent news of Westpac possibly considering selling its New Zealand business, this would be a prime opportunity for Kiwibank to expand itself in scale to become a major retail bank.

The Government should look to provide NZ Post with the capital required to enable Kiwibank to purchase Westpac NZ, which it could then use to help address the issue of branch closures by other banks in regional centres, providing more support for rural banking and a helping start to first home buyers.

A Government-backed purchase of Westpac by Kiwibank would be an investment in a profitable asset that will benefit the country and the Government both as a current major customer of Westpac and as the owner of NZ Post, as well as helping the financially struggling NZ Post with the returns which would come from a much-enlarged Kiwibank.

Isaac Broome, Pukekohe.

It’s a frame-up

There is only a framing shortage because that is what the big suppliers want. They know there is a potential building boom coming up and they want to make sure the price of framing goes up with the demand.

Having been in the industry at all levels for 40 years I have seen the methods they use, as with logs when the Lange Government sold off the state forests. The minute these companies got hold of the assets, they had a selling spree and doubled the price to the local manufacturers, closing down a lot of small operations. It put thousands out of work.

This, of course, drove the price of sawn timber up which benefited the big players, as they owned the timber supply chain.

The sawmills have been operating during the pandemic and to gear up to supply the framing market would only be hindered by the same corporates holding back log supplies to make a buck exporting logs, as there is no processing apart from debarking and anti sap treatment. The sooner the Government comes down on the ones controlling this, the sooner wood will appear for construction. Selling logs is money for jam.

Tom O’Toole, Taumarunui

Cone-certed campaign

Companies or subcontractors are dining out on the ratepayers’ or taxpayers’ largesse, while staff put out the road cones and stop work at three on a Friday and don’t come back until 10am on a Monday. They are too indifferent to move them to the side of the road and free up lanes.

These cones sit there for months, years and, occasionally, some work is done. A couple of hours at the most, in those weeks and months.

They need to be taught a lesson. I am inviting everyone who owns a trailer, a ute, a truck, to join me, in an act of sedition this Easter weekend. We will gather them up, put them through tree shredders, donate the end result to those clever Kiwi companies that will recycle the plastic into mats for playgrounds etc.

S. Turner, Greenlane.