Letter of the week

Posturing over Premier House

Chris Hipkins was right to call out Christopher Luxon for claiming an optional annual allowance of $52,000 to continue to live in his own apartment whilst forgoing
the right to live in Premier House.

Hipkins pointed out that this was hypocritical and irresponsible, given that many Kiwis are doing it tough due to the cost of living.

That Luxon subsequently bowed to pressure and decided to forgo the allowance showed poor leadership qualities and an inability to acknowledge the plight of many disadvantaged Kiwis.

However, before Hipkins can take umbrage at Luxon’s lack of empathy, he and his party also need to acknowledge the irresponsible way in which his government handled the economy when, during Labour’s tenure, New Zealand had a national debt of $5 billion ballooning to a projected $93b this year.

According to Heather du Plessis-Allan (HoS, Feb 25), this included an admirable expenditure of $20b on Covid but, as she pointed out, what happened to the other $73b?

If Hipkins and his government had shown as much attention to responsible expenditure as they appear to have given to a legitimate allowance of $52,000, then maybe disadvantaged Kiwis would not be in such dire straits as they currently find themselves.

Bernard Walker, Papamoa.

No justice for murder/suicide husband

Correspondent David Barber’s sentiments about the judge’s lack of compassion in the John Salter case (HoS, March 3) highlight judges’ inconsistent sentencing policies.

Matu Reid kicked and strangled a woman and was sentenced to home detention. He then went on to shoot and kill two people before taking his own life.

Jayden Meyer was convicted of raping four girls under the age of 16 and was initially sentenced to home detention.

A mother, Nikita Tekotia, failed to prevent her 2-year-old child’s death caused by her lover’s brutal assault.

The Weekend Herald (March 2) conveys the contempt she had for her “sentence” of home detention: “A few minutes after sentencing she was in great spirits with family among the muffins and sausage rolls at the court’s cafe.”

Salter, 80, and his wife of 60 years were inseparable in life but they engaged in a murder/suicide pact because they were terrified by something that is gripping thousands of elderly people in NZ today – dementia and Alzheimer’s.

The pact went wrong – he killed his wife but he survived. Justice Francis Cooke clearly considered Salter to be a threat to society and jailed him for four years (Herald, March 1).

Was there no compassion in the judge’s heart? If ever anyone deserved home detention it was John Salter. No wonder Nikita Tekotia enjoyed her muffins and sausage rolls.

Johan Slabbert, Warkworth.

Ropey argument

Rodeo is like rugby?

Rodeo supporter Callum Tahau’s response to being asked what he would lose if rodeo was banned was “everything” – “it’s like playing rugby that becomes part of their life” (HoS, March 3).

It’s not like playing rugby. For a start, rugby is a sport played between consenting adults and I can’t remember the last time I saw a cow score a try in a rugby game or someone being prevented from scoring a try by being lassoed just before the try line – someone please correct me if I’m wrong.

He does have a point, though, that if rodeo is banned the cowboys and girls could still meet up and chase each other around the arena then lasso and wrestle each other to the ground. Now that would be more like rugby!

Becky Leach, Herne Bay.

Dwelling DIY

My opinion of Christopher Luxon might improve if he were to live in Premier House (HoS, March 3).

It might give him an opportunity to find out how the other half (or maybe three-quarters) live: in dwellings that do not have the latest fixtures and have not been redecorated for some time.

He does not spend all his time in Wellington so he could then withdraw to one of his seven houses for a bit more comfort. Who knows, Mrs Luxon might even learn a bit of DIY.

Greg Cave, Sunnyvale.

Sense of entitlement

Either the Prime Minister or the people reporting the news don’t understand. Generally, people are fine with him not using Premier House because of its rundown state.

The whole point is that he is telling the nation to “tighten their belts”. He had the perfect opportunity to show empathy with the majority who do not own multiple houses freehold, some of whom are struggling to even get on the property ladder or for that matter stay on it, by voluntarily forgoing the housing allowance to which he is entitled.

If you want people to respect you and follow you, you need to lead from the front by being a good example, not by taking everything you can just because you can.

Joann Moon, Kawerau.

Why did the Air Force not use one of its new Poseidon P-8 aircraft to replace the 757 that failed recently when due to fly the Prime Minister to Australia?

These new Poseidon aeroplanes have been flying around the Hauraki Gulf quite extensively lately, presumably for aircrew training.

A transtasman flight would have been ideal training, one would have thought.

If the reason was a lack of range to cross the Tasman with adequate reserves then it would indicate that these aircraft are not suited for their role to replace the Orions.

Most of the Pacific islands they would be used to service are the same distance as, or slightly further than, Australia.

If they are not within flying range, these planes are certainly not the right aircraft for the Air Force to have bought.

Miles Usher, Murrays Bay.

Puerile advertising

Another reason for the demise of linear TV is the increasingly intrusive and puerile nature of TV advertising.

Recent examples include the man feeding yoghurt into a machine, the man miming Born Free ad nauseam, the man and woman in green promoting insurance and, perhaps worst of all, the “Call now!” ads selling massage chairs, fitness equipment, etc.

I am sure I am not alone in either pre-recording programmes and fast-forwarding the ad breaks or just doing something useful while they are on, whether it is washing dishes, reading the paper or whatever.

Ray Gilbert, Papamoa Beach.