Letters: Loose lips on sinking ship; rich MPs and the politics of envy

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Royal New Zealand Navy vessel HMNZS Manawanui ran aground near Samoa last weekend. Photo / Profile Boats
Treating workers like children
It’s admirable that the Government is trying to crack down on truancy.

This problem is at the very heart of our falling standards in education and it is the Government’s responsibility to try and resurrect and maintain these standards in this sector.

However, Nicola Willis and Christopher Luxon’s no more work from home edict goes beyond a government’s mandate and is tantamount to treating a segment of the workforce like school children.
Surely any workforce in a modern economy should be able to work out what is best for them and not be treated like a bunch of recalcitrant children. In any case the modern work environment has changed considerably over the years due to the internet making redundant the need to trek in and out of the CBD, creating traffic jams and smog.
This edict also has the smell of a socialist endeavour by trying to treat everyone the same without giving people the chance to make their own decisions. The last Labour government did this, with one highlight being a minister exhorting the virtues of a shower in less than five minutes to save power and water.
At least National aren’t trying to get into my bathroom – but they need to stay away from workplace decisions and let people just decide for themselves what is best for them.
Bernard Walker, Mt Maunganui.
Loose lips on sinking ship
It is easy to understand the upset and obvious frustration felt by our Minister of Defence Judith Collins at some of the quips by the “armchair admirals” over the sinking of the HMNZS Manawanui.
This issue was also highlighted by Ryan Bridge in Wednesday’s Herald with his article “That sinking feeling over diversity dig”.
However, as soon as I realised that the captain was a woman I knew there would be the inevitable “woman driver” quips, it is just par for the course, so to be expected and not to be taken too seriously.
Such comments are a little old-fashioned for these days, however, I don’t think anyone means any real harm. People frequently jest about serious situations as a way to play them down.
Straight-talker Judith Collins was not faint-hearted when she put a truck driver from Melbourne firmly in his place.
I suspect further messages from him on the subject would be highly unlikely.
Colleen Wright, Botany Downs.
Political perspective
Heather du Plessis Allan’s opinion piece talks about comments relating to the Prime Minister’s wealth as the “politics of envy” (HoS, Oct 6).
This opinion is surely one of perspective.
If one is on a low income, one has seen the reversal of legislation set by the previous government, as one that has benefitted those on higher incomes whilst those on lower incomes have had their entitlements to negotiate for better wages eroded by this Government’s legislation, not to mention those on “seeking work” benefits have had their entitlements eroded as well. I think particularly those who are disabled have been hit hard.
When the previous government was in power, there was a perception that Māori were given too much power, such as the Three Waters legislation and compulsory local council wards and again this legislation has been reversed.
It is all a matter of perspective.
Patricia Guptill, Wattle Downs.
Unmanly exchange
I find your editorial “Ioane’s response worth celebrating” strange and disappointing (HoS, Oct 6).
The verbal exchange at last year’s Rugby World Cup between Ireland’s Johnny Sexton and Rieko Ioane, in my view, was pathetic and at best unmanly.
You state, “Sporting bodies should encourage their star athletes to go rogue on social media”. I, and I think many others, would suggest the reverse.
The Herald on Sunday editorial should concentrate on timely and relevant issues, while Rieko should endeavour to find better form.
Kevin O’Carroll, Windsor Park.
Credit and no credit
I have had to cancel my credit cards with ASB due to probable fraud attempts and the bank service was excellent.
ASB texted me twice to alert me to the fraud and one phone call by me to a real person in New Zealand completed the cancellation of both cards immediately, with replacements received in the same week.
I then made a list of all the utility companies I pay on my credit card monthly and tried online to replace payment with my new card number. Mercury was excellent, I phoned a person in NZ who asked the questions, I answered with the detail, job done.
What I expected really.
Then there was the companies that made paying them as difficult as possible. I got tied up with chat bots (useless things), websites that cannot complete the simple function “how to pay us” and finally after long wait times, talking to a person (some not in NZ) who were hard to understand (you would expect good English to be a requirement for customer service – but no).
Then “we will connect you to an automated service” to enter your new card details together with a list of instructions, which numbers to press to get what you want. Enter your account number – I did – your account number is not valid (it has been the same for the last 20 years) and there are no hyphens on my mobile keypad? Press 1 to get a call back. Phone back tomorrow we are closed now.
Gary Carter, Gulf Harbour.
Teacher workloads
In reply to the letter ”Poverty drives truancy”, I find that reasoning is just another excuse (HoS, Oct 6). I bet next to no children missed school during the Great Depression and during the two World Wars.
Merilyn McAuslin wrote in her letter that instead of fining parents for their children not attending school, that a more effective way would be to provide minibuses to underprivileged children so they could get to school. Well I believe most people could see where that would go. More and more parents would say they require that service. The cost would be astronomical to the taxpayer.
Teachers are constantly been portrayed as these hard-working people who have to mark papers in their time off.
Why don’t teachers tell the public how much you earn and how many days off you have a year. In fact why don’t you go out at 5am and see how many people are driving to work or already at work.
My wife and I have been self-employed for most of our lives. Could teachers imagine working seven days a week and having next to no public holidays off? Try imagining no wage at all for a while because your business account is at its limit in overdraft.
So just shut up and go to work because more and more of us are sick of hearing about your problems.
Bruce Turner, Cambridge.
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