Alan Johnson, Papatoetoe.
Bizarre road-cone announcement
The announcement that a road-cone hotline is to be set up must be the most bizarre political announcement of recent times.
If it had been April 1, I would have understood.
Given the many issues faced by the country and to have time and money being wasted on this brings into question the credibility and commonsense of the politicians in power.
Gil Laurenson, Eastern Beach.
The latest fixation
Not long ago, we were fixated with the number of potholes we had to negotiate, with some roads positively dangerous because of them. This problem seems to have been somewhat resolved.
Now, the plethora of road cones is under scrutiny, and we even have a road-cone hotline we can use to report the excessive use of them.
Once the extra one million-plus road cones we are so used to seeing are put into storage, what will we be able to gripe about?
Lorraine Kidd, Warkworth.
Clear and present danger to our world
Following the destruction of one-third of Russia’s strategic bomber force, an enraged, humiliated and likely vengeful Russia, it is reported, is seriously considering a desperation-driven counterattack on Ukraine.
And such is the huge Russian loss of face that, for the first time in living memory, it is also reported that right-wing Russian zealots are calling for their country to employ (presumably “tactical”) nuclear weapons.
We now face a most chilling prospect, that the long-held, though to-date theoretical, belief of deterrence due to mutually assured destruction will, in these circumstances, not be in play.
We seem to be on the verge of a previously unthinkable nuclear catastrophe coupled with a deeply flawed American President at the helm. Not since the Cuban missile crisis has there been such a perilous and tumultuous clear and present danger to our World.
Larry Mitchell, Rothesay Bay.
Watching the polls
The first political poll post-Budget was always going to be lame. We are in mid-cycle, the election is still next year, months away. That alone gives no party incentive to promise.
The post-Budget poll in 2026 will be the one to watch. That’s when jobs are on the line, and the voters want to know what’s in it for them.
John Ford, Taradale.
Not such a hot idea
A recent letter (June 3) calls for a 100-year view to develop geothermal generation up to the level of our hydro system.
However, a 100-year view is already in place, namely to extract geothermal energy at a sustainable rate so the resources will still be available in 100 years or more. Too-rapid extraction risks the possible quenching of the geothermal systems by cold-water inflows, requiring a rest period of perhaps hundreds of years for the system to be restored.
Over-development of our geothermal resources is not the answer to our electricity supply woes.
Errol Anderson, Ponsonby.
Hope for the Chateau Tongariro
If the Government is seriously thinking of demolishing the Chateau, they should wait a bit to see if some of the groups come up with a plan to save it. If anyone can, it would be huge for Whakapapa and Tūroa.
To demolish the building and surrounding buildings would cost millions, and then there is the extra cost of getting the scrap off the mountain, which would be considerable.
I hope someone comes up with a good plan.
Mark Noble, Whitianga.
Swing that wrecking ball
I see the Government is looking to take a wrecking ball to the Chateau. May as well. They’ve done it to everything else of value.
But in the meantime, we have an orange-cone hotline and we can take our dogs to the hairdresser.
Always good to get your priorities right.
Geoff Leckie, Flatbush.
People ahead of economy
Our current Government has made its main focus fixing the “Economy”. They argue that if the economy is healthy, then all the people will be healthy. It is not doing that. To fix it, jobs are being cut, spending is being cut and people are suffering (food costs, education, healthcare).
Yes, I agree we need a healthy economy but the main focus of any government is surely to put the wellbeing of its citizens first.
The “Economy” (yes, the capitalisation is intentional) is being treated as a god. The Government is worshipping an abstract concept. The economy is a construct of the mind; it does not exist. The people are real, they do exist.
Adrian Pickering, Manly.
