Competitive model the problem

Media Council

Surely Ian Powell’s cri de coeur for intervention in the RMO doctors’ strike (How to resolve doctors’ strike, Jan 16) requires immediate attention.

His diagnosis that the competitive model involving individual DHBs, amended if not rejected in the recent review of the education sector in favour of collaborative hubs, is the real problem. And one requiring more intervention even than the present mediation mechanism.

DHBs can still regard themselves as negotiating ‘‘in good faith’’ because they are acting in their own best interests; and within the present model.

But why cannot the minister intervene in the case of essential services when impasses are reached, following a pre-determined trigger-point time limit or in the national interest? In this case, involving clawbacks that will again allow 12-day work periods that most experts agree are in no-one’s interests. That is, no-one interested in patient safety and hard-won self-care provisions for doctors wishing to be more than body mechanics.

Surely it’s not a question of toughen up, and if you can’t stand the heat get out of the kitchen/profession – as one letter-writer suggested – but of what’s best for all concerned. Action please, minister.

Steve Liddle, Napier

Unfit version

Demetrius Christoforou and Peter D Graham (Letters, Jan 16) have hit the nail on the head regarding the crippling defects in the FIT version of light rail (12 Jan), described to me by one regional councillor as ‘‘loopy’’.

The alarming thing is that the gauge-incompatible, limited, inconvenient and more expensive version of light rail advanced by FIT has, I am told, been adopted by the Let’s Get Wellington Moving study as its proposal. This defies the 140-year-old legacy of local tram-train studies, copious examples of world best practice and expert overseas advice which is readily available, and which I have already supplied to the study. Not to mention plain commonsense.

Is LGWM trying to set up light rail as a concept to fail? Brent Efford, NZ Agent, Light Rail Transit Association

No wit or insight

I was under the impression your columnist Joe Bennett was there to provide light relief in the form of witty commentary. Instead, judging by his rant Out damned orange spot (Jan 16), he seems to have joined the tediously long list of selfrighteous Trump obsessives. Not many laughs there; worse, no wit or insight either.

Perhaps Bennett is just toeing the company line because it seems the Dominion Post itself has jumped on the anti-Trump bandwagon. All its US political coverage is from news outlets that are outspoken critics of the president.

And on that point: imagine if Hillary Clinton had won the race for the White House and was receiving one-tenth of the bile being heaped on Donald Trump, whether it be his policies, personality or appearance. Social media would be ‘‘outraged’’, claiming sexism, ageism and any other ism you can imagine. But, of course, a prosperous white male is right at the bottom of the political correctness totem pole and therefore fair game for abuse.

Which all make makes the hypocrisy of most Trump critics breathtaking. Give the poor man a break.

Alison Gilbert, Newtown

Keeping us safe

While many people are blaming police over the deaths of those driving away from the police, we need to remember that most of these vehicles only came to police attention because they were being driven way too fast or dangerously already.

Ignoring speeding drivers is not going to save lives; the drivers are already on the fast track to the undertakers.

We have a habit now of placing the blame not on the drivers – after all their families are already grieving or will be in the future – but on those who really are the innocent party in all of this: the police who are trying to keep us all safe. Jenny Gigg, Titahi Bay The Dominion Post is subject to the NZ Media Council. Complaints must be directed to editor@dompost .co.nz. If the complainant is unsatisfied with the response, the complaint may be referred to the Media Council, PO Box 10-879, Wellington, 6143 or info@media council.org.nz. Further details at presscouncil.org.nz Email: letters@ dompost.co.nz No attachments. Write: Letters to the Editor, PO Box 1297, Wellington, 6040. Letters must include the writer’s full name, home address and daytime phone number. Letters should not exceed 200 words and must be exclusive. Letters may be edited for clarity and length.