Why should I vote for them?

I view with concern the large number of opposition list MPs who have, within six months of the election, resigned from Parliament.

By my count five Labour Party members have departed.

Add to that list, the ex co-leader of the Green Party, who is about to leave, and I note that party has already lost an MP due to theft. I note also, another Green MP, who by association with her partners alleged misdoings, finds her place at risk.

Can the leaders of those parties please explain why I should continue to consider placing my “list” vote with them when clearly, high-ranking list people don’t want to commit to another three years if they are not in government (or whose honesty is questionable)?

Philip Gibbons, Belmont

Unintended downside

Two of the policies by the present Government during the election campaign were about unemployment and crime.

Every day we learn of more redundancies, mainly associated with the public service. These redundancies will have a flow-on effect to small businesses, like cafes in Wellington, and force many to close, with fewer customers.

Higher unemployment will lead onto higher crime rates.

Well done.

Wayne McMahon, Carterton

Claims made

Brent Falaniko’s claim that "it was easier for the Crown to sign a treaty rather than bring the force of arms to bear, as was the standard practise of the times” is, at best, seriously confused (Letters, April 10).

Te Tiriti was signed in 1840. Various armed conflicts ensued over the next 30+ years beginning with Hone Heke’s war and ending with Te Kooti seeking sanctuary in the King Country.

Chris Lee, Tauranga

Proud moment

How inspiring it was to hear Winston Peters' powerful condemnation of the war in Gaza to the UN General Assembly in New York and of the UN’s failure to act decisively on the issue. This was in stark contrast to the weaklyworded criticisms from representatives of other Western countries. For the first time since our current government took office, I felt proud to be a New Zealander.

Terry Kennaway, Waikanae

Music therapy

A story in The Post alerted me to the fact that this week, April 10-14 is Music Therapy Week.

This fact resonates with me because Philippa and I have a 52-year-old son, Guy, whose hearing is fine, but he has no speech. Yet when his music therapist plays, for example, a glockenspiel or guitar, Guy reaches out to strum the guitar when the therapist changes the key on the instrument. A sense of enjoyment floods Guy's face as he reacts to the sound he makes having strummed the guitar, for example.

Guy is not alone among the residents he lives with. Of the 18 residents at the time, nine have hearing that is fine, but have no speech. To see and hear Guy interacting with the therapist’s guitar as the therapist changes key is precious to me as Guy is interacting with the world around him.

I write this to let Post readers know that the expense of a music therapist’s weekly visit is worth it in my view.

Simon Stephens, Karori

Poor decisions

If recent media reports on the controversial Reading Cinema deal are accurate, then it is clear that councillors are being asked to make decisions without being in possession of some key facts.

In any commercial organisation (or even household) this is the perfect recipe for shoddy decision-making leading to financial and other problems downstream.

John Shewan, Khandallah

Addictive habit

Once again, Lotto Powerball has reached $30 million. Many will be busy online or queuing up at shops, splashing money with hopes of winning. The question is, how much money will the Lotteries Commission to collect? Maybe $40 or $50 million? I’ve noticed people aren’t willing to spend extra money on necessities, but instead opt for Lotto tickets, some spending $150 or more. Why? Are we addicted?

This drains money from the economy, with billions wasted while advertisements claim Lotto is just a game. Really? Who’s kidding? Why are we encouraged? Powerball should mandate a maximum prize of $10 million to keep money circulating for bills or shopping. How long will this evil be part of our lives? Let’s take action before we’re all addicted.

Harish Patel, Strathmore

Heritage listings

Chris Cochran defends the indefensible, in continuing to support the retention of the Gordon Wilson flats and turning them into adequate housing (Letters, April 11).

The reality is the flats are beyond remedying, and should be demolished as soon as possible.

On the more general question of heritage protection, it is obvious that the heritage lobby in Wellington is still very strong in imposing its own views on many building owners (and city ratepayers) through unrealistic demands to retain buildings of marginal heritage value.

Due to the activist approach by the heritage lobby, Wellington City has ended up with many more buildings on its heritage register than any other city. The ratepayers of Wellington have never had the chance to debate the heritage orientation of the city, and we are now stuck with a situation which is untenable.

Let’s hope Chris Bishop can do the right thing with respect to the 10 heritage buildings proposed for removal from the list. And after that, lets get moving on ways for removing another couple of hundred of other buildings from the heritage list in Wellington.

Nigel Hubbard, Te Aro

Postal picture

In The Post’s Business Opinion (April 10) Susan Hornsby-Geluk wrote about the position of the Postal Workers Union in relation to the planned redundancy of 750 NZ Post employees and stated that an employer can make positions redundant to cut costs, but the decision needs to be fair and reasonable.

Commentators need to be careful when commenting on specific cases that they are fully informed.

The union’s case relies on specific provisions in the collective agreement that the union considers have been breached by NZ Post. The union claims that NZ Post has provided no financial justification for its decision to lay off all the posties so it is impossible for anyone to know if the decision is fair and reasonable.

The union’s case also relies on a claim that there has been a lack of good faith during consultation, due to a failure by NZ Post to provide relevant information.

These are complex issues that are not well suited to a general comment, creating the false impression that the union’s case is not strong.

The union’s claim is that its collective agreement with NZ Post precludes the company from making a decision to dismiss employees in these circumstances.

John Maynard, Postal Workers Union of Aotearoa co-national president

Letters

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Media Council

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