Yes things are bad but they could be even worse
Are people mad? Yes, we are suffering from another oil crisis because of a testosterone-laden world gone mad, again.
Yet, when I open the newspaper, I see the dichotomy of car rallies and big truck racing versus people now fighting over fuel at petrol stations. Shouldn’t all of us, who don’t have to be out and about for perfectly essential reasons, be pulling back on the wasteful use of fuel?
EVs may sound like the answer, but lithium batteries have their own nightmares attached. They are cruelly expensive to produce and are only good for short distances and a few years, and I’m talking about wasting the earth’s resources here. In addition, they can spontaneously combust and are very difficult to extinguish when they do.
We need to remember when people went nuts stockpiling toilet paper during Covid. We all need to take a deep, deep breath and calm down.
Things may seem bad but at least we, here, can all go to bed at night without the worry that a guided bomb will mean we never wake up.
More gas guzzlers
Unbelievable. At this time of fuel uncertainties and shortages, when our primary industries are facing the inability to operate normally, the Warbirds Over Wānaka airshow, which uses colossal quantities of fuels and emits tonnes of carbon emissions, is still going ahead.
Surely this is blind madness of the most perverse and selfish sort, and a kick in the guts to our farmers, horticulturalists and essential services.
In addition, we should remember that this airshow celebrates war and machines that were, or are designed to kill thousands of people and destroy vast amounts of infrastructure and housing.
Warbirds Over Wānaka must be cancelled without delay.
Leadership needed
We are living in uncertain times and it is important to see that our prime minister is taking charge and inspiring confidence in his government.
Unfortunately with very few appearances from Christopher Luxon, who seems to be leaving it to his ministers to inform and reassure people, this is not the case at present.
We need a competent and engaged leader, not someone who appears to avoid tricky situations. I would advise Mr Luxon to take note of President Truman’s words: If you can’t stand the heat get out of the kitchen.
Heinz-hearted
This is a lesson to any company selling out to foreign, especially US, companies. You completely lose control of your destiny.
The parent company doesn't invest and probably doesn't pay any tax in the host country either. All the profit is returned to the owner's country. Consequently, the company becomes inefficient and is bound to fail.
I wouldn't hold out much hope of a change of heart from Heinz. The only solution is to invest at a local level to secure the food supply for New Zealand. Hopefully a local firm will rise to meet the needs of our citizens.
West is best
If anyone doubts the benefits of goldmining, including the requirements to look after environmental issues, they only have read the article regarding the West Coast (ODT 17.3.26). There is no reason to believe such benefits will not occur in Central Otago .
Cromwellians, rise up and protect your lake
Here we go again, the talking heads around the table at the Queenstown Lakes District Council think tank admit the only cheap alternative is to release thousands of litres of grey water, or realistically sewage, into the Kawarau, albeit over a few cobble stones.
This situation has been festering for years, yet the QLDC has continued to encourage developers to increase the building frenzy in this area.
Wānaka and Hāwea are also not immune, with extensive housing developments. It must be a relief to have the Clutha River strategically placed downstream from their sewage ponds, with overflow straight down to Lake Dunstan.
But of course like Wānaka, and Hāwea, their pristine lakes are upstream from these sewage ponds so no issue there: out of sight, out of mind. Let’s just let it go downstream to our poor cousins into Lake Dunstan, eventually turning it into a septic tank.
Come on Cromwellians, make a stand. I understand Cromwell has kept pace with their sewerage and fresh water control, so why would we ever consider our lake turning into a Third World scenario? That is not acceptable in 2026.
[R Wilson is a past Guardian of Lake Dunstan.]
