We should all strive to stop nuclear weapon use
On August 6 great publicity was given to the marking of the 80th anniversary of the atomic bomb that destroyed Hiroshima, killing 200,000 men, women and children and causing immense suffering from radiation.
However, not many New Zealanders know radiation fell on our New Zealand Navy sailors during Operation Grapple on the frigates HMNZS Pukaki and HMNZS Rotoiti in 1957 and 1958 when the British Government tested hydrogen nuclear bombs over Christmas Island and Malden Island in the mid-Pacific.
The biggest of the detonations was equal to 140 Hiroshima bombs.
The servicemen on these two frigates were ordered to stay on deck to observe nine explosions over many months during this period. Medical investigations here have now proved severe damage to the sailors’ health.
So, we in New Zealand have had a tragedy that has not been acknowledged by any formal apology from the New Zealand or British Government.
Medical evidence has proved that this radiation has caused tragic results for most of these New Zealand servicemen and some of their children and grandchildren.
Also, one nuclear explosion in a port or on land in New Zealand would contaminate our food-producing industries.
We should all strive to stop the use of nuclear weapons on Planet Earth.
Spare a thought
An element of humility might serve Christopher Luxon and Nicola Willis better than flippant comments and brush-offs when asked about unemployment. We know you’re "sorted" but the rest of us might not be.
Solar farm impact
Large solar farms in the United Kingdom do have an impact on the environment, so let’s introduce solar power well in New Zealand.
I agree with Dr Duncan Connors (ODT, 3.7.25) their place is best on top of large shopping centres, car parks and new builds, but not over the land.
We needed an upgraded waste collection, but look how the highly coloured plastic bins now line our streets and distract from the character and colour of properties.
It would never happen in Bath.
Visual planning is important.
Especially in a heritage city like Dunedin.
Metiria Turei’s opinion piece (ODT, 8.8.25) suggests late voting enrolments should be allowed.
However after the unnecessary delay in forming the new government, due in part to late enrolments, it seems counterproductive to democracy.
In life there are always deadlines. If a person can’t take their voting seriously enough to be enrolled in time, then it’s a life lesson learned to their advantage.
On allowing prisoners to vote, it should be taught in schools that to offend in society means losing societies privileges, one of which is voting.
This might disadvantage the Greens, who propose to defund police and abolish prisons, but that’s my opinion.
Failing to face the truth will get us nowhere
Now the world is finally coming to see Benjamin Netanyahu for the criminal he is, it is time to move on to the next phase in the Israel/Palestine tragedy. That is not recognition of a Palestine state which, even if it ever got off the ground would be nothing more than a failure to face the truth.
The Arabs hate the Israels almost as much as the Israelis hate the Arabs, which is almost as much as white South Africans hated black South Africans and vice-versa. However, the people holding all the power tend to have an extra bite to their hatred, a sort of paranoia. Ask any colonist.
Who thought white and black South Africans would one day live together in a democracy? But that, as difficult as it was to swallow and as difficult as it will continue to be for many years to come, was preferable to annihilation.
No-one should be surprised that people who have been oppressed for generations find it difficult to immediately respect democracy. After all, the other lot didn’t.
Tough as it is, democracy is the only civilised way out of this horrible mess. Talk of recognising a Palestinian State is either foolishness or deliberate deceit. Nothing short of one adult one vote and sharing the land will (eventually) solve the problem.
Address Letters to the Editor to: Otago Daily Times, PO Box 517, 52-56 Lower Stuart St, Dunedin. Email: editor@odt.co.nz
