NZR then let Joe Schmidt go to Australia. Schmidt had coached the winning Ireland team for six years. Clearly, no thought was given to developing All Blacks coaches.
Instead, NZR appointed Scott Robertson, Jason Ryan and Jason Holland, all with connections to the Canterbury region, and none with any international experience.
This incestuous approach will not develop any fresh ideas, just more of the same old same old.
Time is running out ahead of the World Cup, and Scott Robertson’s resignation comes not a moment too soon.
Chris Parker, Campbells Bay.
MacDonald was the right coach
Now that the review of one of the worst coaching tenures in All Blacks history has been completed, it is painfully obvious that Leon MacDonald should have been appointed in the first place. His achievements with the Blues were always far more impressive than those of Robertson, who inherited a winning team and culture. Then broke it by the time he left.
If we can’t get MacDonald away from Yokohama, then the best replacement for Robertson would be John Hart. If only to have a laugh at the meltdowns we would see in Canterbury.
Kent Millar, Blockhouse Bay.
Health data hacking
I am very concerned by the recent hacking of the ManageMyHealth (MMH) website and the accessing of a large number of documents that were stored on its database.
This was not because MMH did not have two-factor authentication for client access. The hackers must have gained some sort of system administrator access to obtain so many different documents at the same time.
You will be aware that responsibility for health records rests with the health providers: doctors, pharmacists, specialists, PHOs, etc.
Health portals, such as MMH and MyIndici, are secondarily responsible, but only to the health providers who contract their services.
However, there are hundreds of different health providers using a very small number of internet portal systems. Health providers don’t have the time or resources to individually audit the portals that hold copies of the data relating to millions of patients.
There needs to be a certification system to inspect, audit and monitor the operations of internet portals, such as MMH and MyIndici. The Ministry of Health (not Health NZ) needs to establish and operate an NZ Health Portal Certification system as soon as possible.
Peter D Graham, Helensville.
The return of the Shah?
I was working in London in 1979 at the time the Shah left Iran, supposedly for health reasons. He never went back. I recall widespread celebration among Iranian people.
Forty-five years on and today’s young demonstrators, driven by anger and daily hardship, are similarly demanding change. Some are even looking hopefully to the son of the former Shah, who has signalled he is ready to return. It’s a reminder of how short political memories can be.
The Pahlavi monarchy delivered stability and modernisation for some, but it also ruled by fear, censorship and inequality. Today’s regime is different in form but similarly intolerant of dissent, as has been witnessed. The danger is in mistaking opposition for solution. Removing an unpopular system does not guarantee freedom. Replacing one unaccountable power with another rarely ends well.
James Gregory, Parnell.
Iranian ambassador
It is time the Iranian ambassador was kicked out of New Zealand. It is the very least we can do to show support for the innocent Iranian lives lost in the recent slaughter of those protesting the current regime.
The excuse for not doing this is that we should keep communication open between the two countries.
If we truly want to work with the Iranian people, then we need to kick out the Iranian regime puppet currently residing in the embassy, and demand he be replaced by a representative of the people.
If we do nothing, we are complicit in condoning the current behaviour.
J. Hansen, Hastings.
Workman blaming his tools
Some of the opinions expressed in the letters pages can’t go unchallenged.
Firstly, there was the claim that all of NZ’s present-day ills are the fault of “both Labour and National, with the dysfunctional minor parties chipping in”.
But these parties together represent all of the voters in NZ. Essentially, we get what we ask for, and blaming our ills on the politicians we vote for is the equivalent of a workman blaming his tools.
Then there were the claims that “farmers enrich themselves … regardless of the damage done” and “Mining and fishing companies extract wealth while despoiling the environment”.
Both statements, delivered with zero proof, are patently ridiculous given the amount of environmental legislation in place and the well-documented efforts to meet or exceed these requirements by the people involved in these industries.
It may be fashionable to slag them off but, without these industries, NZ could not afford to exist.
John Denton, Eskdale.
Stick to your lane
So, who was out of their lane, Anna Breman or Winston Peters?
Dr Breman joined the governors of the central banks of the free Western world in supporting the independence of the US Federal Reserve and its chairman against pressure and outright insults from the temporary occupant of the White House, a well-known former bankrupt.
Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell seems to have been trying his best to juggle a teetering economy whose collapse would take a lot of the West with it.
It’s ironic that the story on Peters accompanying the Herald report of his rebuke to our governor had him singing the praises of Warren Buffett, among others.
In recent weeks, Buffett has been highly critical of White House economic adventures and has highlighted the dumping of trillions of dollars of US Treasury debt by China and Japan. He is cashed up and awaiting a crash that Powell is trying to prevent.
Peters’ lane is towards good relations in foreign affairs. That would seem to be a slow lane while we await the popular American verdict on the Trump presidency.
James Irvine, Mt Wellington.
A quick word
I suspect the Reserve Bank Governor’s future prospects will be better served by her aligning herself with the governors of the major central banks of the world than with Winston Peters.
Rowan Hill, Mt Eden.
Gregor Paul’s article (January 16) on Razor’s faults was well written, but I disagree with his praise of Ian Foster’s abilities and what made him a great coach. We must remember that Ian Foster was struggling in 2022. In 2022, two coaches were dismissed, and only with the injection of Jason Ryan and Joe Schmidt did the team stabilise.
Neil Hatfull, Warkworth.
Auckland Council says that only about 35% of households are using their food scrap bins. There must be a higher usage in other areas, as fewer than 10% of households use the bins in our street. It would appear that the scheme is a big failure, and councils around the country are beginning to reconsider. The big question is, as I see it, will the food bins end up in the recycling bins or the general rubbish bins when they are dumped? It will be interesting to see.
Bob Wichman, Botany.
Sadly, rugby is no longer a game to be played and enjoyed. It is a business and they have to win, which is sad. I guess we all want to be best in the world, but at what cost? The All Blacks have always been admired from afar, and I understand that, but it looks like it is a cruel business of winning or you lose a job. I would not want to be an All Black or coach as the stakes are too high. Winning a cup is great, but at what cost? Enjoy the local games and appreciate their talent.
Marilyn Cure, Pāpāmoa.
What could the most formidable new All Blacks coaching team look like? Director of All Blacks rugby Joe Schmidt, All Blacks coach Jamie Joseph, assistant All Blacks coaches Tony Brown and Jason Ryan. Plus specialist skills coaches.
Gary Carter, Gulf Harbour.
Bring back Fozzie – all is forgiven!
Glenn Forsyth, Rangatira Park.