While New Zealand does require foreign investment to grow, the Government needs to ensure it is managed carefully.
Thanks goes to Anne Gibson for her journalism skills in digging deep and revealing what is going on in the building and real estate industry.
Margaret Kelly, Panmure.
What can’t we afford?
Governments keep getting away with claims of not being able to “afford” things, the latest being fees-free university.
Governments assign money to whatever fits with their ideology. This coalition believes in helping well-off people. They do not believe in helping those struggling and everything they do shows this. They gave landlords $3 billion – apparently we are wealthy enough as a country to be able to afford this, helping those who already own at least two houses – but we can’t “afford” to pay for medicines that will save people’s lives.
It’s not a case of “we can’t afford that”, but “we don’t believe in that”. If governments would stop lying, it would help us decide who to vote for.
Susan Grimsdell, Auckland Central.
A taxpayer’s choice
Given a choice, I’d sooner my taxes subsidised university students than landlords or Philip Morris.
Chris Cottingham, Te Henga.
Respect they deserve
Another Mother’s Day has passed. I didn’t get the bangle or the bauble, or the mask meant to rejuvenate this ageing skin.
I realise retailers are doing it tough, but do we really need to be bombarded with endless gift ideas for four weeks prior to Mother’s Day to prove how much mothers are cherished?
Here’s a novel idea; just affirm and respect women, mothers or not, all year round simply because they deserve it. That’s worth more than anything one can buy in a store.
Mary Hearn, Glendowie.
Equal respect, please
The coalition Government and its followers are making a concerted effort to diminish women’s lives in comparison to men. We all know that pay parity has been dumped so women continue to earn less than their sons and husbands. So of course they retire poorer with much less Kiwi super.
Luxon wants to raise the retirement age, which has a negative impact on the hard, physical work and poverty pay of women carers of the aged, the sick or just family.
Then there is the hateful vitriol women politicians face that males don’t have to put up with. Consider the treatment of Jacinda Ardern, Kiri Allen and Tory Whanau among others.
Why do reasonable men accept this and vote for increasing the poverty lives of the females doing a job we depend upon? Give them equal respect, please.
Frankie Letford, Hamilton.
Animals deserve care
I read with interest the article on Auckland Council’s pound dogs (May 8). Shame on the owners of these dogs left to roam uncared for. When you get a dog, or any animal for any reason, being pet or working, you also take the responsibility of caring for it. And if for some reason you cannot provide or care for it any longer, you are morally required to take it to where it will be cared for and rehomed.
The council does its very best to pick up the pieces of these animals but a lot of the time neglect has imprinted on them that trust in humans is not longer viable.
Wouldn’t it be great to not need to have man’s best friend in council pounds. In the meantime, thanks to the council animal control folk for the work they do.
Nickie Frye, Pt Chevalier.
Too many cooks?
The All Blacks now have a head coach, an assistant coach, a front-row coach, a lineout coach, a defence coach, an attack coach, a back-three coach, a kicking coach, a fitness coach, a mental coach, a skills coach etc.
With so many coaches all pushing their own agenda, there will be difficulty getting them all singing from the same sheet.
The old saying comes to mind: “Too many cooks spoil the broth”.
Jock MacVicar, Hauraki.