TO THE POINT

Given they are unelectable, the Greens may as well promise that half their Cabinet ministers will be goblins or garden gnomes – assuming they merit it, of course. JIM YOUNG, Lower Hutt So now there is a childhood obesity epidemic in the country that requires action. Didn’t seem that long ago there was a child ‘‘poverty’’ problem, with starving kids having to be fed by schools because of irresponsible or incapable parents. KEVIN CLARK, Plimmerton While society and media in New Zealand focus on the rights and wrongs of assisted suicide, the other side of this coin is receiving attention online from media overseas: it seems the unassisted suicide rate in New Zealand is much higher than in many other OECD countries. The suicide debate here should be widened to both sides of this coin. It is time to lift the veil and consider these matters more openly; otherwise, the needless slaughter will continue to leave us in the dark. JOHN MAHONY, Christchurch I notice that the poll you reported (October 20) had John Key as the person preferred as prime minister. My memory may not be entirely accurate, but I cannot remember any poll over the last 20 or 30 years in which the incumbent prime minister was not the preferred PM, before the election. Probably the polled people call to mind the first name they can think of. PETER WARING, Eketahuna Rather than constantly bleating about the Australian laws on deporting criminals and their strong stance on immigration criteria, we should be copying both policies. REG FOWLES, Waikanae Chicago is known as the windy city because it was founded by a bunch of pompous windbags. The title has nothing to do with the weather. TRISH FRITH, Karori