A quick word
Re the $150 fine for driving more than 50m in the new Albany T2 lane after February 6. So why is the fine for texting while driving only half that? Murray Hunter Titirangi.
Damien O’Connor’s naive response to Taiwan is in line with our new Minister of Foreign Affairs’ conciliatory stance. Both compare badly with Australia’s refusal to bow to a practiced bully. Mary Tallon Takapuna.
I thought “Managed Isolation Quarantine” meant complete isolation, as is done in Australia. It appears this is not the case and the Health Minister “just tries to keep people apart”. We need a little less kindness as well as a new health minister. Rod Lyons Muriwai.
The onslaught of variants brought by returnees has burst the “save tourism bubble”. It appears tourism has been waiting for vaccines or control. Both have been foiled by Covid’s mutability. Is it time to admit defeat and get control back? Should returnees be told to wait? Some of them have disappeared back overseas so why should they get free MIQ and risk our freedom?
Steve Russell Hillcrest.
I’d like to share some information with our government (and the last National one). When you increase your population too quickly by too many people you run out of houses.
L.A.Meech Beachhaven.
The Republicans have got over their sudden fright in the light and are now returning to the Dark Side. Their Master calls . . . Ron Hoares Wellsford.
Why would the Government even consider using MIQ hotels in the central city, such as the Pullman, where there is no outside space to exercise, and then put returnees into vans in close proximity to transport them to somewhere where they can exercise. I would be very surprised if some of the Covid cases in the hotel were not passed on while on these jaunts. Annette Turner Warkworth.
The CCP playbook has worked perfectly with New Zealand: if Australia wants a pocket of gold, “show respect”, says Damien O’Connor. It’s easy until that respect morphs into acquiescence and silence. Who would have thought a nation like NZ that told the US it wouldn’t accept nuclear vessels in its harbours would roll so easily? How times have changed. A slippery slope indeed.
Nigel Macdonald Sydney.
I was surprised a number of people who spent time in quarantine at the Pullman have since left NZ and travelled to Australia and Hong Kong. I would have thought our quarantine facilities were for people returning to NZ, not for people who are in transit. Perhaps we should restrict entry to those who are genuinely returning.
Greg Cave, Sunnyvale.