We will do the right thing after all else fails
My wife and I are 70’ish Americans, grandparents and recently retired, living near Boston.
Cold weather and snow have caused us to travel in the last couple of winters. This year we visited New Zealand in February.
I write to express my thanks for the warm hospitality we received from New Zealanders at every turn on the North and particularly the South Island.
Given the recent turn of events in our country we were not sure what the reception would be. Instead of a raised eyebrow or the cold shoulder, we found people everywhere wanted to engage and discuss what effects American policy changes could have on new and old friends.
Because of the sharp divide at home, the ability or opportunity to have these conversations is becoming rare. These conversations took place in Ubers, over beers with an old friend who lived with us for several months 20 years ago, at farmers markets, in restaurants, on boats cruising the fjords, and cash register checkouts.
One Kiwi even suggested the US should "adopt" New Zealand as another state to counter the growth of Chinese power and influence.
The idea of territorial expansion, of course, has been floated in the US for different reasons and unenthusiastically received by our neighbours in Canada.
Thanks for being curious and patient with us. We hope Churchill’s judgement of Americans retains vitality; he said the Americans will eventually do the right thing, after we’ve tried everything else.
No surprises
Earl Bardsley (Letters ODT 8.3.25) should not be surprised that Meridian is prepared to take yet more water from Lake Te Anau in a national security supply situation. It is a market response to a lack of coherent energy planning initiated by the Bradford reforms.
No lake needs to be sacrificed to avert this potential crisis, nor any river such as the lower Waiau which is a shadow of its former self thanks to decisions over 50 years ago to divert the bulk of its flow to power the smelter.
Waste not, want not should be a major part of future energy planting with an emphasis on energy efficiency upgrades and excellent building design.
A 2006 EECA report noted that if all households used energy efficient light bulbs, power savings equivalent to the output of the Clyde Dam could be achieved. Imagine how much power could be saved if wool insulation and double-glazing were an integral part of that strategy.
Introducing progressive pricing to ensure every household can afford electricity, promoting solar arrays on large buildings instead of putting more pressure on the national Grid, and promoting Dark Sky lighting with all its positive environmental attributes need to be part of a bi-partisan political strategy to avert any future energy "crisis".
In the meantime we know we can respond to a call to save power over this winter, one last time.
[Chris Henderson is a member of the Waiau River Working Party and a former Guardian of Lakes Manapouri, Te Anau and Monowai.]
Two words
The next time David Seymour argues for something to be privatised, we may say merely two words: school lunches.
The current omnishambles presents the latest example in a 40-year failed experiment in trusting the private sector with public services.
Let's properly fund the public sector, and give up on this neoliberal nonsense once and for all.
One of these things is just like the other, or not
I find it very interesting the number of letters published on 8.3.25 (including the editorial on more than this one occasion) condemning Donald Trump in all facets of governing.
Correct me if I’m wrong but isn’t this exactly the same as all the accolades bestowed on our own Jacinda Adern from so many abroad, while those who actually reside here find it hard to fathom let alone stomach considering where we’re at now? So many people have hard and fast opinions on another country’s politics without knowing firsthand how the average citizen is affected and what he/she thinks.
All they know is what mainstream media tells them and we all know how that can be extremely one-sided and not necessarily the reality that is, let alone covering all sides. We all do not want World War 3 and the US have far more information at their fingertips concerning Russia, China etc than we would ever know. Trump has been given a landslide mandate to govern their country. Surely, that must account for something — yet here we are ... we all know best seemingly.
Address Letters to the Editor to: Otago Daily Times, PO Box 517, 52-56 Lower Stuart St, Dunedin. Email: editor@odt.co.nz
