Why the silence on migration compact?

On December 10-11, many UN member government representatives will attend a conference in Marrakesh, Morocco, to sign the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration.

The authors, the UN-related International Organisation for Migration, describe it as ‘‘a new historic effort to shape the global agenda on migration for decades to come’’. Signatory governments commit themselves ‘‘to facilitate and ensure’’ such migration and ‘‘to ensure that migrants without proof of nationality or legal identity are not precluded from accessing basic services nor denied their human rights’’.

Which rights? Are illegal migrants included? Convicted criminals? Like much of the compact, the wording is contentious and ambiguous.

While the compact states explicitly that governments

I will love the day when economists finally acknowledge they can’t decouple economic growth with energy growth and face up to the reality that the fundamental structure of the economy needs to be changed. remain free to define their own migrant legislation, some international law experts believe the compact may be used in future jurisdictional disputes to determine the degree to which signatory governments have

increase our albedo. Each one of these will involve a serious investment. In the short term, the first is easiest for us: plant a lot more trees.

We must also change our attitudes. As an example, if international flights over oceans ejected long-lived contrails, that would help with the albedo, but imagine the protests. Nobody really wants to solve this problem.

If we did, the question comes, how much more money are we prepared to spend on science to try to find ways to overcome this problem? The short answer is, nowhere nearly enough. There are ways in principle that will solve this problem, but each needs a lot of money and effort devoted to it.

Neither is happening right now. Ian Miller, Belmont surrendered sovereignty.

About a dozen countries, including the US and Australia, will not sign the compact. Italy and Switzerland will do so only if and when there is parliamentary agreement. There has been no

hub costs ($5m bus hub blowout provokes disbelief, Nov 27) but I fear Metlink has simply exhausted everybody with the scale of crosssystem debacles.

You report transport advocate Tony Randle as saying, ‘‘[at] $2 million per bus hub, it is amazing how pathetic they are. These are just bus stops, not bus hubs’’ (Nov 27). Spot on! And not even good bus stops.

It beggars belief how they spent that much money, with their wonderful extra-cost ‘‘design’’ features merely helping the rain get inside and soak the already-scarce seating.

And then their tactic is also to close down public social media debate by pretending to engage with you personally – with pointless messages at 6.30am just to further annoy you. Customer service? Yet to be detected. Graeme Buchanan, Karaka Bays equivalent public discussion of the issues in New Zealand, our Government’s intentions are unknown and our national newspapers have stayed silent. Why?

Peter Clemerson, Khandallah

of this issue, but our mayor could do well to fix his own backyard first. Waikanae Beach residents have asked the council for months to address the significant problem of speeding vehicles on the main road at the beach, Tutere St.

Vehicle numbers have increased exponentially, it has poorly constructed corners which force most vehicles, including buses, to completely cross the centre line, and it has become a ‘‘bypass’’ for the poor intersections on Te Moana Rd, both of which should have had mini roundabouts years ago.

This lack of action funnels all commuters from the southern beach area along Tutere St, instead of using a more direct route. Boyracers add daily layers of black rubber, and increasing numbers of cyclists, many children on holiday, venture out at their peril.

The council uses many pretty words about improving the beach environment, aware of the huge increases in rates from popular beach real estate, but it is slow to act on glaringly obvious basics. Leave the pretty stuff till later.

Sue Smith, Waikanae Beach