Govt truly ill-equipped to govern

It seems inconceivable that the Prime Minister was not aware of something so important as the entrenchment clause in the Three Waters Bill, which would ultimately require support from 60 per cent of MPs to repeal it.

This same lack of awareness would seem to be the case for other senior Labour Party members, including Attorney-General David Parker, with principal responsibility for the Government’s administration of the law and the principal legal adviser to the Government.

To not be aware of a clause that would have such far-reaching consequences for New Zealanders and their Parliament demonstrates governmental incompetence at the highest level.

To be unaware of something as to alter the constitutional landscape supposedly far into the future does not mean you can relinquish responsibility by saying “I didn’t know”. It also makes a mockery of Jacinda Ardern’s comment that her Government would be the most honest and transparent ever as she could always render the excuse that, if challenged on something controversial, she was unaware of it.

Bernard Walker, Pa¯ pa¯ moa.

Watershed moment

The Labour-Green Government have found out how wrong they were with entrenchment in Three Waters legislation and will remove it. Co-governance is next to go. There is a way forward — go back to the 88,000 submissions mostly against Three Waters and read them this time.

Then enter into genuine discussions with councils, interested groups like farmers and other large water users to come up with a policy acceptable to all.

Government must comprehend the opportunity to take popular opinion along with the central idea of managing water in everyone’s interests. This is a watershed moment — the Government’s future as well as that of all Kiwis depends on it.

Gary Carter, Gulf Harbour.

Entrenchment lies

Having read Fran O’Sullivan’s article Weekend Herald (December 3) article, l am slowly starting to see red and have smoke pouring out my ears. Jacinda Ardern and Chris Hipkins saying they had no knowledge of the entrenchment clause and weren’t at the meeting is outright lies, when it has been proven they were there.

The word democracy has gone out the door. We can do nothing till next election, as they have the majority. Till then they are going to cause as much damage as they can and then leave the sinking ship, having caused more poverty, distress to farmers and small businesses, ruined the health system, added to illiteracy, a soaring crime rate and an economy on its knees.

Vickie Corbin, Ka¯ eo.

Nats must give facts

According to a National Party advertising pamphlet, it supports: “Reducing New

Zealand’s greenhouse gas emissions, including methane. About half of all New Zealand’s emissions are from agriculture, so to achieve New Zealand’s international commitments, emissions from agriculture need to come down. National wants to see a regime for measuring and pricing carbon that has the broad support of the primary sector because that’s the only way to find an effective and enduring solution.”

The Labour Government has developed a policy for consultation on pricing agricultural emissions. This was based on the recommendations of a steering group which had an independent chair and representatives from Agriford Processor, Beef and Lamb NZ, Dairy NZ, Federated Farmers, Horticulture NZ, and the Ministry for Primary Industries. In my view, this indicates “broad support from the primary sector”, exactly what the National Party espouses.

It is disingenuous for National to make statements in advertising material that it supports reduction in agriculture emissions without being specific about how it is going to achieve this or who it is going to consult. There are only two possibilities, neither good enough.

The first is that National has no policy as to how agricultural emissions are to be reduced to put out for consultation and with whom. The second is that it has a policy but is not sharing it before the election because it fears it will not have the “broad support” of the primary sector and thus diminish its voter appeal.

Janet Hogan, South Auckland.

Corner-dairy assaults

How the image of “the corner dairy” has changed — confronted with bollards, roller doors, security cameras, fog cannons and met by a wary proprietor confined to a cage. Subject to assault, theft, a defence, a solitary hockey stick, the vision is tragic. Government’s belated response to quell the tide of assaults on shopkeepers was too little, too late.

One suggested initiative? Fast-track adult assailants and juvenile offenders through the judicial system and take them off the streets, their freedom confiscated, and address the gross misuse of home detention as “punishment”. National’s youth-crime policy for confinement in correction academies should be explored.

P.J. Edmondson, Tauranga.

Fighting youth crime

The article on how the police brought down the gang boss surely proves we as a country need to invest more in our police. What a commendable job they are doing and under difficult circumstances, with having to prove every single action along the way.

How can we help discourage our youth from being involved in these gangs and in unlawful drug and other criminal activities? If our young are trapped in poverty and see no way of climbing out of it then surely the attraction of gangs will always be there.

We all strive to get off the bottom rungs, however when we see that some individuals can earn more in a year than others can in a lifetime then surely that’s a sign there is something wrong in our society.

I wouldn’t deny any of these successful persons their wealth or lifestyle but how can we even up the gap without destroying what we already have?

Graham Jamieson, Titirangi.

Jackson loose cannon

The most enlightening aspect to Willie Jackson being interviewed by Jack Tame on Q&A is to realise that such a loose cannon as he, Jackson, is one of the MPs devising legislation and laws that New Zealanders subsequently have to live under.

Murray Brown, Hamilton East.

Workers scapegoats

Liam Dann unravels the complicated reasons for the “will we or won’t we inflate” as best as he can (Herald on Sunday, December 4). It seems good things should happen with bigger numbers of migrants easing pressure on the labour market, helping to reduce wage inflation — meaning of course, keeping wages down.

This is seen as a positive move. Then another whammy on workers with the rise next year on home mortgages with banks raising these to a higher level.

Now here’s the question: aren’t they already creaming off trillions of dollars from the hoi polloi? And why are workers always the scapegoat every time something challenges the economy?

Why can’t banks help out by pulling their belts in for once? Why does the economy always have to be about business/banking successes? There has to be a better way for people’s lives to matter. If we admire Scandinavian society, then raise taxes at the higher level and raise the level before paying them.

Emma Mackintosh, Birkenhead.

Bridge busway

Garth Falconer writes (NZ Herald, December 2): “Many industry experts consider the tunnel option to be a monstrous money pit”. He also writes we need to consider the aesthetics of another bridge crossing.

I would like to suggest that another road crossing of the Waitematā Harbour will only act to increase Auckland’s traffic woes at a time when we need to be cutting our transport emissions.

Instead of more road connections, prioritising public transport on the infrastructure we already have would be a far cheaper option addressing both our carbon emissions and traffic congestion.

To this end I would like to suggest that Waka Kotahi and the minister look into taking two lanes on the Auckland Harbour Bridge away from private vehicles for a dedicated busway. As an incentive for commuters to leave their cars at home, make this cross-harbour busway fare-free.

To satisfy the cycle lobby that have been campaigning for years to be allowed on the Auckland Harbour Bridge, the buses can be directed back onto the main carriage way and the bus lanes given over to cyclists when traffic is light.

A win-win for the climate, commuters, cyclists and taxpayers.

Pat O’Dea, Papakura.