Pedestrians’ phone risk
I accept Fergus Tate’s years of experience in road safety (Limit speeds and save lives, July 2) and that near-empty roads during lockdown reduced the number of fatal accidents – simple logic. Of course reduced vehicle speeds mean less damage – simple physics.
However, his statement that in pedestrian areas, speeds need to be adjusted ‘‘to the needs of pedestrians’’ misses the point! No-one would suggest 100kmh in cities instead of the 50kmh norm.
Reducing limits further not only risks boredom and inattention but fails to address the root cause of most vehicle/ pedestrian injuries, namely a lack of care by pedestrians when entering the domain of vehicular traffic. In a bygone age, every child was schooled in the kerbside drill of ‘‘look right, left and right again – only step out if all is clear’’.
Today, we have mobile phones and music devices. The old rule is still valid but needs to be extended – ‘‘put phone calls on hold and remove music devices from ears’’. This would do more for pedestrian safety than reduced speed limits and should be enshrined in legislation. Phone use while driving is banned; should pedestrians crossing a road be treated differently?
Jim Pearce, Newtown
Naive and irresponsible
The Australian government recently announced it is considering equipping its strike aircraft with modern US anti-ship missiles with a range in excess of 300km.
The Boeing aircraft recently acquired by our air force to replace the Orions are capable of being equipped with such weapons but there was no evidence in the announcement of their acquisition that modern conventional anti-ship or antisubmarine weapons were included in the purchase.
Throughout the decades-long life of the Orions successive governments of both Left and Right took the view that it was not necessary to go to the expense of having stocks of up-to-date weapons on hand for the aircraft. Such weapons could be acquired from the Americans if the need for them arose.
In today’s world, where military emergencies can develop within a matter of hours, not weeks or months, this stance is not only no longer tenable but also makes us look naive and irresponsible.
At present New Zealand spends on defence less than half per taxpayer the sum Australia spends. Australians can legitimately claim we are leaving them to carry an unfair share of the expense
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Some elements of the Australian media have linked the proposed acquisition of modern anti-ship missiles to the deteriorating relationship between Australia and China. No such link can be made in New Zealand’s case.
David Stevenson, Newtown
Slow action on act
The majority of New Zealand voters will not be aware that the End of Life Choice Act 2019 was conceived in 1995 when a member’s bill was introduced in in the name of Michael Laws.
Now, more than 20 years later, that conscious vote, although it has received the royal assent from Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy, will not come into force unless and until a referendum has received a majority ‘‘yes’’ vote.
Moreover, this act would still not be enacted until one year after the general election. Is this the way to run a democracy?
Brian Collins, Petone
Embassy already saved
Congratulations to Rex Nicholls for stepping forward to put the icing on the Embassy cake by putting back the ornamental doors and ticket box that were removed in the 1940s (2020s razzmatazz to save a 1920s building, June 25).
However, it is not a question of saving the Embassy, as your headline suggests.
That was done 20 years ago when the Embassy Theatre Trust (not the city council) purchased the building.
Bill Sheat, chairman, former Embassy Theatre Trust
I’m still waiting, Air NZ
Late last year I made plans to travel to Queensland this August but obviously now that is not going to happen.
Air New Zealand cancelled my flight three months ago and said that it would be in contact to arrange a credit. I am still waiting to hear back.
This week I contacted Airbnb to cancel and its policy regarding cancellations is that it may take up to 15 working days before the money is returned. Imagine my delight to find my credit card account bulging with the $1100 deposited the very next day.
So what is Air New Zealand doing other than alienating its local customers. Dave Mackay, Waikanae Beach
Labour’s gain
Recent correspondents have bemoaned any pressure being put on the Government over its response to Covid-19. We live in a democracy and that is what is supposed to happen.
The alternative is being in a one-party state being led by unelected people. With Ashley Bloomfield directing the response, in some ways we already are. We have closed borders and detained thousands of people against their will. Does this remind you of any other countries?
Jacinda Ardern and the Government have in reality actually been themselves using the situation for their political gain. We are basically paying billions of dollars to help them get re-elected. If there is ever a time when opposition is needed, it is now.
Graeme Power, Christchurch
Unbalanced coverage
It is a shame David Clark has resigned. Not because he was an exceptional, nor a bad health minister, but because I feel he had some unbalanced media coverage and a there was a beat-up by the Opposition.
His mistakes during the Covid lockdown were obvious, but not critical to the Government’s response, and he was rightly chastised by Jacinda Ardern.
Is there a journalist anywhere who has bothered to check what he achieved in his portfolio? As health minister, before Covid-19, he seems to have been at least satisfactory. Among other things, he has overseen improvements in the costs of GP visits, improved access to mental health services, increased funding for operations, increased funding to repair rundown hospitals, and significant increases to nurse’s pay.
The media assessment that public opinion was against him may be correct, but we should consider how the media shapes that opinion.
David Clark felt he was a ‘‘distraction’’ to the Government’s handling of the Covid-19 response. I’d suggest the media was the distraction.
It’s sad that we have come to this. Geoffrey Booth, Pukerua Bay
Wrong end of stick
Unfortunately, Annelise Schroeder (Letters, July 4) got the wrong end of the stick, complaining that I wouldn’t pronounce her name correctly.
I generally pronounce people’s names in the way they want them to be pronounced. Personal names are usually static and don’t change according to the language one is speaking.
I was talking about place names, which do change. For example, it’s ‘‘Germany’’ in English, ‘‘Deutschland’’ in German, ‘‘Allemagne’’ in French and ‘‘Tiamana’’ in Ma¯ ori.
As regards her other point, yes, there are a few words which are the same in singular and plural forms, such as ‘‘sheep’’; but why add to the confusion by insisting on not putting an s on all the Ma¯ ori words we use in English?
Josie Bullock, Newtown
Buses stuck too
Michael Pringle (Letters, July 4) seems to think that trains are the only form of public transport. He has forgotten that many thousands of people use buses. Buses were not able to pass the slip either.
Furthermore, even if people stopped using their cars there is not the public transport available to cater for them.
The only way to stop people using their own cars is to reduce the price of trains and buses dramatically and put more services on. I don’t see that happening any time soon.
Karl Oliver, Lower Hutt