‘Harry’s’ story warm, human, but worrying
Congratulations Otago Daily Times and your journalist Mary Williams for publishing a warm humanitarian story about "Harry" and the help he needed and wasn’t getting.
It is reassuring too, to be aware of the advocacy, kindness, and care extended to him beyond the boundary of journalism, to help when our agencies are falling short.
Thank you for exposing the dysfunction in the Ministry for Children (Oranga Tamariki) who are obviously struggling with their core business around children and vulnerable young people in every community. We have been led to believe, through publicity and promotion that all is well.
Does this experience with "Harry" rest with our bureaucracy in Wellington, who have sidestepped from their role to hide behind regulations, when many young people are desperate for more relevant ongoing care?
Thank you for reminding us, that there are still many good people working in our communities who do everything they can to support children, and the disenfranchised and disabled youth. The young are our future and in need of quality care, nurturing, and skills necessary to manage whatever life has in store for them.
Agree and disagree
Like you I am relieved the plug has been pulled on the Lake Onslow pumped hydro scheme (ODT 24.10.23), but your analysis of why the generators don’t use their profits to over-build capacity to meet dry years is wrong.
This is because the market is set up to pay all generators the cost of supplying the last few MWh to meet demand. An over-built capacity of renewable sources will still supply a fluctuating quantity of energy. And so the cost of supplying those last few MWhs will still provide the generators with their "biggest returns". But now the biggest returns will have to meet the maintenance and capital costs of looking after billions of dollars worth of idle capacity. Those billions of dollars will have to be paid for in electricity prices. This means that all the over-built capacity will do is increase electricity prices.
Asked, not answered
Could Health NZ reassure us that the piles for the inpatient building (ODT 17.10.23) will suffice to support the new hospital, now that we are reverting to the original plan, as National has promised?
[A Te Whatu Ora — Health New Zealand spokesperson replies: It is a standard and well-established practice for government agencies to be politically neutral at all times, particularly during the pre and post-election period, so therefore we can offer no comment on any political party’s policies or election promises.]
In transit
I see in today's paper (ODT 19.10.23) Greta Thunberg has been protesting in three different countries, Sweden, Norway and Germany. I wonder how did she get to those three countries? Walk or bike?
Why, oh why
What is the reason why we do not have international flights from Dunedin Airport especially to Sydney? Like lots of other Dunedin people we have family and friends in Sydney. We used to have direct flights
The ghastly situation in the Gaza Strip
The terror and humiliation inflicted on Israel by the atrocious attacks by Hamas on innocent civilians on October 7 have generated an Israeli response which may be understandable but is proving fatal to any rational or humane outcome.
The whole Gaza Strip is a new Warsaw Ghetto. Every rule of war is being violated. The West Bank is under siege by rampaging settlers. Any dissent by Palestinians living in Israel leads to arrest or dismissal. The West continues to speak of Israel’s right to self-defence, but neither Israel’s security nor the rights of five million Palestinians to land and liberty can be secured by what has become a "total war", barren of any moral compass.
The West, including New Zealand, must begin to speak and act in more measured ways, and demand an immediate ceasefire. Otherwise the current humanitarian catastrophe will morph into an irremediable political and military cataclysm.
Utterly wrong
As events unfold in the Middle East, sides are taken and opinions voiced. It strikes me that there is only ever one clear winner — the arms industry.
Given that the US produces 40% of the world’s weaponry it seems little wonder that their leadership in efforts for peace seems so weak.
A country with 4.5% of the global populace are trying to dictate global direction. If the US was a nirvana of democratic societies and lead through example perhaps this could accepted, however we know this is not the case. The industrial supply of armaments for profit is utterly wrong.
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