LETTERS Passing the buck over rough sleepers

• Published date: 18 April 2024
• Publication title: Northern Advocate, The (Whangarei, New Zealand)

Instead the council pass the buck stating that it is a problem for a multitude of government agencies to solve. Shame on this council

John Nicole

Whangārei

Tale of the tape(s) So what exactly is meant by red and green tape, a favourite term used by our prime minister in his public commentary when criticising our democratic processes. Red tape in the past referred to the binding around administrative files. Perhaps the reference today is used to justify the axing of administrative and ‘backroom’ jobs throughout our public services. Green tape appears to be Mr Luxon’s description of the practical application of our country’s environmental legislation to protect our ecosystems, flora and fauna. Sadly, in other countries such as India and the United States, right wing governments use violence, corporate cover ups, and the blatant removal of environmental legislation to remove any opposition from local communities to the destruction of their land, forests air quality and waterways. Seventy-two per cent of India’s energy is sourced from coal mines. The US government has destroyed the air quality and ground water supplies of whole communities by removing environmental legislation and encouraging corporations to drill for natural gas (fracking). Now, in Aotearoa New Zealand, we have the proposed Fast Track Approvals Bill looming, with a prelude of coalition MPs actively encouraging businesses, corporations, and even local government to put their pet projects forward. All public land apart from gazetted National Parks will be up for grabs. This bill will override all existing environment laws in our country, and entirely remove the public consultation process. An excellent Bill to give the go ahead to such developments as coal mines, gold mines, the flooding of native forests for huge dams, unfettered roading projects, and housing development requiring no resource consent, all reliant solely on the whim of three male MPs.

Sandra Meyst

Whangārei

Lessons in life On April 10, I read an opinion piece in the Herald, written by our Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour. According to him, children using their voices, taking charge of their future, and exercising the basic human right of protesting is “bad for their mental health”.

I would love someone to explain to me how what we did during The School Strike for the Climate was bad for my and my peers’ mental health.

There was not a single bit of evidence I could see that made me think my or my friend’s mental health was...