Letter: Covid investigation, Sweden, Northland lockdown, government housing and electricity prices

A better way forward
World-class organizations adopt a philosophy of continuous improvement where they systematically implement the PDCA cycle (plan, do, check/study, act) and with it create a learning environment that largely produces improved results.
With the
bearing in mind, could the Prime Minister please reconsider the idea of ​​an independent inquiry into our approach to the covid pandemic?
Should there be another threat, my view is that New Zealanders would appreciate (and reasonably expect) to be better prepared with an understanding of what we would do differently and why.
The potential costs of not doing this work now are likely to be significant to our employees in the future.
Matt Hill, Mount Maunganui.

Swedish example
Readers impressed by Richard Prebble’s opinion (NZ Herald, September 7) that New Zealand should have copied Sweden’s response to Covid by opening everything up early might want to check the latest statistics on Covid deaths.
Sweden, with a population of 10.2 million, has now had 19,904 deaths compared to 1939. That is over 10 times the deaths for double the population.
Neighboring Denmark, which took similar measures to New Zealand, has had 6,960 deaths in a population of 5.8 million.
David Holm, Mt Roskill.

Answer, thanks
Congratulations to Richard Prebble on his article (NZ Herald, September 7) regarding the need for a Covid inquiry.
His article is one of many stating what is slowly becoming clear, that these worldwide shutdowns have turned out to be an unmitigated disaster.
A Herald editorial suggested over a month ago that an independent inquiry needed to be carried out, not to place blame but rather to reveal how we can do better next time.
Will the government have the courage to arrange it?
PC Sewell, Campbells Bay.

Finger pointing
I am heartily sick of John Carter’s ranting (NZ Herald, September 7) about faceless Wellington bureaucrats and the Northland lock-in.
Throughout the pandemic, Northland has shown one of the lowest vaccination uptake rates – often more than 10 per cent less than the national average.
Northland is labeled as an “underserved community” when the reality is that it is an “undermotivated community”.
If Carter’s bailiwick needs a free sausage and cuppa to get the sting, they fall into the “failed New Zealanders who let us down in a national emergency” category.
Rob Harris, Dannevirke.

Balancing books
J McCormick (NZ Herald, September 8) complains National sold $30m worth of state houses ahead of 2017 election to balance books. Perhaps they would be interested to know that before the 2017 election Labor said that if elected it would immediately end the sale of state houses.
In December of that year, former housing minister Phil Twyford issued a press release titled: “Government halts sale of state houses.” Labor then sold at least 146 state homes, worth more than $30 million, between the end of 2017 and 2020.
Labor also sold as many as 105 state houses to tenants despite spending time during the election campaign rejecting a national policy to do the same.
Mark Young, Ōrewa.

High wire act
I’m sure I’m not alone in being surprised by the electricity price situation facing consumers in New Zealand, as described by Bryan Leyland (NZ Herald, September 7). So, when Huntly has to fire up, all the hydro plants reap a windfall just because Huntly has to pay a carbon tax. What?
How hard can this be for a ministry with well-paid officials to sort out? Aren’t we supposed to be trying to take the financial pressure off people, especially during our cost of living crisis?
If our current minister cannot fix this, let’s get Leyland seconded to the ministry and empowered to fix this folly.
Stephen Hirst, Hamilton.

Head nodding
Tigue-Umbers criticizes Jacinda Ardern (NZ Herald, September 7) for “nodding and frowning” and claims such mannerisms will not solve the housing crisis. Of course they don’t.
But her comment provides an opportunity to suggest ways that it will definitely not be resolved.
Tax cuts for those earning over $180,000 will be of no help to those on lower incomes struggling to save and buy their first home.
Furthermore, economists have argued that tax cuts for high income earners will be inflationary and thus push up all the costs of building new homes. The government’s partnership with the private sector and its impressive housing development must be applauded.
Most sensible people compare the housing policy of this and the last national government’s efforts as a no-contest.
Do I have confidence that we can all look beyond the “head-nodding and frowning” to acknowledge a record to be proud of? Absolutely.
Diana Walford, Greenlane.

Clipping loose
The National Party will have over a year to see how their flagship tax cuts will work to reduce inflation in New Zealand now that Liz Truss has been elected UK Prime Minister on the same platform.
Everyone expects 25 per cent a year in the UK after the tax cuts. Does National have the same goals for New Zealand?
Mark Nixon, Remuera.

Super security
Liam Dann’s sober article (NZ Herald, September 8) on the disastrous abolition of NZ’s compulsory pension system in 1975 does not mention the added burden of the introduction of superannuation, at age 60.
It gave people like my mother some financial independence but the country could ill afford it
Denise de Groot, Browns Bay.

Is this to save?
David Shand (NZ Herald, 6 September) opined that “Some candidates are promising to cut prices by cutting red tape and concentrating on ‘core services’. In my view they are delusional. Auckland City has already made lots of savings.”
Auckland City’s financial statements are available online. In 2009/2010, the Group’s published revenues were $1.246 billion and expenses were $1.290 billion. In 2019/2020 published revenue was $5.168 billion and expenditure was $4.416 billion, of which $444 million was finance costs, up from $57 million in 2009/2010.
How exactly that is interpreted as a city that has made “a lot of savings” is beyond me.
Shand also says we shouldn’t worry about the city’s debt because it’s within “regulatory limits.” Shand wants us to seriously question the candidates but I would like to seriously question him on that point.
John Christiansen, Mt Albert.

Necessary mining
Josie Vidal ( NZ Herald, September 7) is perfect. Anti-mining activists ignore the fact that all prosperity in the Western world since the Industrial Revolution has depended on mining in one form or another.
As she says, everything we use daily has been mined or grown using extracted products. The mantra seems to be that anything that affects the earth is automatically bad and must be banned, even if the negative effects are non-existent or can be overcome.
If we continue to criminalize all forms of mining, we automatically return to feudalism and backbreaking physical labor.
The inflationary effects of this are already with us.
Gerry Sanders, Whitianga.

Spectral prices
Efeso Collins promotes full taxpayer funding of AT bus fares (NZ Herald, September 5). He should notice if he did his due diligence in the first place, that on the North Shore there are virtually no fares collected because the buses are essentially ghost buses.
No surprise that AT is struggling to get its contractors more drivers. Who would aspire to be a ghost bus driver?
B. Casey, Torbay.

Back on track
I read with great interest that the government will reintroduce long-distance trains as an alternative means of transport to what are now congested roads.
Anything that can reduce the congestion and chaos on the roads is worth considering – especially for the country’s children, some of whom have never been on a train or railway.
Jock Hume, Mt Roskill.

In short

About poverty
Poverty is like being punished for a crime you didn’t commit. Reg Dempster, Albany.

On mining
In addition to Josie Vidal’s provocative article (NZH, Sept. 7) on our addiction to mined products, hands up these anti-miners with jewelry on their fingers. David Tolmie, Mt Eden.

About confiscations
It is a dangerous precedent to allow an authoritarian state to confiscate property, even from the nefarious, without trial or criminal conviction. Ian Brady, Titirangi.

On Kyrgios
Nick Kyrgios is a disgrace to tennis. Watching him smash his rackets reminds me of the old saying “a bad workman blames his tools”. V. Hall, Whangaparāoa.

In Sweden
Had we followed the Swedish model, and thus died at the Swedish rate, at least 14,000 families here instead of fewer than 3,000 would mourn a death. Does this count for so little? J McDonald, Sunnyhills.

On the law
Richard Prebble and the Act Party remind me of the Japanese soldiers still fighting in WWII in the 1970s. CC McDowall, Rotorua.

The premium debate

Government to scrap traffic light system, other orders

Nothing has changed: “…and “working on” “suggestions” for future pandemic management.” Wouldn’t you think this would have already been done? Well, it’s Labour, so no. Angela S.

Although the virus has been real and is now endemic, the vibrant approach to mandates has conveniently masked ineptitude elsewhere. The main (only?) downside to removing mandates will be that other weaknesses (non-delivery) will be exposed. Peter C.

Right in the way when the headlines aren’t going their way – a message about a message about a distraction. Emma C.

Election driven decision, not scientific or public health driven. So obvious. Hey, you, look what I’m doing over here. Looks? No, no, don’t look at my other hand. Focus on this one. Paul M.

I sincerely hope that the people who choose to wear masks in public will not be mocked. They will have genuine health reasons for doing so. They must not feel like pariahs. And unfortunately, if an infected contagious person does not wear a mask, a layer of protection is removed. Antje V.

It really is a case of the law ending. If the caucus doesn’t extend beyond Wednesday next week, it will just disappear. Should have gone months ago as most of NZ gave it away months ago. Stop the silly money wasting ads. Move on. Garry R.