Who’ll make up shortfall?

As an ex-smoker (and glad of it!) I would like to correct one misconception about smoking held by most vehement antismokers. That of cost.

Marg Pearce (Letters, April 20) would like smokers to ‘‘ . . . cough themselves quietly to death at no cost to the national health . . .’’

Duty on cigarettes is now so punitive that smokers not only cover the cost of their own healthcare but also help to subsidise the care of non-smokers as well.

Statistically, smokers can be relied on to die at a younger age than smokers, thus savings millions in superannuation payments.

When society successfully stamps out smoking it will also stamp out the smokers’ ‘‘health subsidy’’ of those who condemn them.

Who will make up that shortfall? Perhaps we now need to look at the one area of society’s bad habits that causes the greatest damage on many levels, not just health.

The one area that goes nowhere near to paying its share of the ‘‘cost to the national health’’ – alcohol.

Darrell Phillips, Paremata

Lackeys of government

The gagging order published by the State Services Commission, as regards elected district health board members, is nothing short of draconian (Ban on DHB members making political comment may prevent criticism of health reforms, April 20).

If I were a board member I would be challenging that on the basis that, as an elected member, the provisions of the Crown Entities Act override the edict from the SSC.

The latest Operational Policy Framework issued by the Ministry of Health states, under code of conduct, that board member conduct is regulated by members’ individual and collective duties under the Crown Entities Act. Specifically as regards elected members – not government appointees or employees – that includes duties to act with honesty and integrity, in good faith, and with

reasonable care, diligence and skill.

I did not elect DHB members to be lackeys of the government, sitting in dumb silence while the DHB falls apart around them due to a lack of funding while people suffer.

As far as I am concerned, we elect members to act and speak on our behalf. Otherwise why have elected members at all? Instead, the government should just appoint its own lackeys to do its bidding.

Maybe that is what will be announced today – a nail in the coffin of democracy. Dr Michael Gousmett, Christchurch

Muscling in

Amazon, or rather Jeff Bezos, is welcomed in New Zealand, starting a subsidised Lord of the Rings project (Subsidy deal gets ‘look in’ at Amazon, April 16). What can this guy do that Peter Jackson can’t?

This was the company whose consultant said a couple of years ago that it would ‘‘destroy the Australian retail environment’’. Next it will destroy the New Zealand movie and game industry.

Well done, Economic Development Minister Stuart Nash.

Martin Herings, Silverstream

Banks the kings

As far as internet banking is concerned (Internet fails the vulnerable, April 9), the real issue is choice, or lack of it.

The irony is that the internet promised an abundance of choices, and it certainly fulfils that promise when it comes to things like movies and music, where there is such a plethora of choice that one can be struck by option paralysis.

But in the case of matters of substance such as our interactions with public and private entities, including banks, the internet has limited the choices. Face-toface contact is mostly unavailable and cheques and cash, like the phone, are on the way out. It’s ‘‘our way’’ – not necessarily ‘‘your way’’ – or the highway.

To put it simply, banks, not their customers, are the kings and they make the rules. As for customer service, forget it. The only service most banks provide their average retail customer is guiding them safely out the door as quickly as possible.

Ian Badger, Christchurch Central

Landlords’ costs

For Lester Hanson (Letters, April 19) to suggest a weekly rent of a maximum of $300 is just crazy. Does he not realise that landlords have other costs, such as repairs, insurance, loan interest, to name a few.

Landlords have also been hit with extra costs over the past few years, all mandated by the current Government – insulation, fans, heating come to mind. David J Miller, Himatangi Beach [abridged]

Well done, NZ Post

In response to Bruce Utting’s letter about the slow delivery of a letter (April 16), I received a letter on Thursday, April 15, in Levin that was posted in Hamilton the day before. Let’s have some positive comments for a change. Thanks, NZ Post. Fleur Perry, Levin

Lost-sock ode hilarious

Jane Bowron, you have truly lost the plot, as well as the sock (Unconscious uncoupling, April 19). And I lost my composure reading your hilarious ode to a lost sock. I can’t wait to use your torture techniques on mine . . . if only I could find them.

Beatrice Cheer, Christchurch

Good things take time

Successive governments have failed to deal adequately with the many serious social problems that exist in New Zealand that are now far too numerous to fix as quickly as we expect.

Excellent policies to deliver a more equitable society for all of us have been announced but the changes signalled will take a long time to deliver results.

We can only hope that future governments of whatever political ‘‘colour’’ pledge to keep up the momentum and continue to develop and improve the lot of all New Zealanders.

Marie Woods, Christchurch