Hopes for peace deal and end of Hamas sway
I sincerely hope the current peace deal holds, with the hostages being released and there is an end to the suffering for the people in Gaza.
Winston Peters should stick to his principles and recognise Palestinian statehood when they have a leadership that wants peace. Since his speech to the UN, I have not heard a single logical argument why he should change that stance.
Erich Kolig (Letters 7.10.25) mis-characterises Mr Peters’ position and dismisses all other opinions as ignorant and misinformed. John Hobbs (Opinion ODT 7.10.25) says the government decision is morally repugnant and severely damages our standing in the international community.
I disagree. Prior to this latest conflict less than one third of OECD countries had recognised Palestine. Many other countries have a similar position to New Zealand.
That position has not changed from previous administrations, both National and Labour led.
New Zealand stands firmly alongside the vast majority of UN members calling for a two-state solution. Hamas does not want that. They openly call for genocide.
According to their charter, their sole reason for being is to kill every Jew, wipe Israel off the map and replace it with an Islamic state. It would be morally repugnant to recognise a state run by terrorists with Jihadist ideology.
Mark Finnie
Mosgiel
Opposite views
Erich Kolig concisely described New Zealanders’ polarised perspectives on the Gaza war (Letters 7.10.25). Then he himself polarised on the issue, claiming that his second perspective was the legitimate (right) one.
The opposing perspectives he suggested do however also embrace common threads which could make it possible for New Zealanders to see eye to eye on Gaza rather than opposing each other.
For example, Kolig describes opposing perspectives on history. One view supposedly ignores historical depth while the other supposedly has a knowledge of history and can even attempt to rectify the course of history.
These opposing perspectives could be resolved with a little shared education.
Kolig also describes both perspectives as having beliefs about what is right. One view espouses the right to defend while the other even claims to be on the right side of history.
These opposing perspectives could be resolved if each abandoned what it arrogantly believes to be right. Not even might can claim to be right as of right.
Being human means being willing to work out such differences together rather than pretending to be right.
Thirdly, both perspectives that New Zealanders have on the Gaza war decry the power mongering and carnage that is occurring there among civilians.
Furthermore, both of Kolig’s perspectives suggest the same goal: a two-state solution.
The United Nations first proposed something similar in 1947 to solve this conflict that has now been going on at least since the earliest 1900s when European anti-semitism fuelled the Zionist movement for a Jewish homeland in the Ottoman Empire.
The two perspectives that New Zealanders have, do therefore have a chance of being brought together without polarisation, protest or prejudice as a collective stance.
Such a collaborative exercise could involve slower track, non-provocative, inclusive citizen discussions of the kind that Sir Geoffrey Palmer seems to be promoting for New Zealand politics in his book How To Save Democracy.
Ron Adams
Dunedin
Make new industries contribute to road repairs
Having just travelled State Highway 72, the Inland Scenic Route through Geraldine and Tekapo, I must register my disgust at its state.
Potholes, stripped seal, asphalt folding on bends; largely caused, I suspect, by the myriad monster trucks now on our roads. In several open speed-limit places, speed was restricted to 50kmh because of the state of the road surface.
So it’s not just our hospitals and schools and other infrastructure being under-funded, our roads are suffering too. We seem to be on a path to being a Third World nation.
Help could be provided by the proposed Santana gold mine in Central Otago which is projected to create 850 direct and indirect jobs and generate approximately $1.8 billion in government revenue through taxes and royalties. The aerospace industry had a conference in Christchurch recently and highlighted potential jobs for Kiwis in this growing industry.
Both the proposed mine and aerospace industry would generate significant income for government coffers which protesters against these activities seem to be oblivious to. You cannot have good roads, hospitals and schools by ignoring opportunities such as these.
Gavin Dann
Alexandra
Thin size belied by bumper-size ripper of a yarn
Even though I’m an avid reader of the Otago Daily Times I often find the Friday edition a bit lacking.
The thinnest paper of the week, it seldom runs to more than 20 pages plus a sports supplement. I’m often worried it will blow away from my gate in a stiff breeze. But the Friday of the 10th of October paper was a ripper.
No heavier than usual but it had everything in the story on the front page. It started with a school principal, who had gained her job by divine intervention (wouldn’t we all like Him as a referee on our CVs?) announcing her return to the job then a contradicting announcement to the effect she wasn’t.
Then there was a report from an anonymous source who feared reprisal for speaking out but shared tales from the staffroom of negativity, snobbery, gossip and tea drinking.
Following that there were reports of a dress code out of the 1950s with a ban on trousers at formal events and instruction for the girls to avoid wearing ‘‘sleeveless attire’’ for fear of making men ‘‘uncomfortable’’. Something the men may need to deal with rather than the girls.
Then reports that the chaplain may be making work for themselves by discovering an evil presence in one of the classrooms which would need a prayer group cleansing. The chaplain was also busy helping a girl lead a prayer meeting for President Trump’s deceased mate Charlie Kirk.
Not surprising really as the whole story seemed to have Maga themes of religious and ultra-conservative overtones, suppression of differing opinions and a lack of transparency.
To be honest this whole story wasn’t really news as rumours had been doing the rounds in Dunedin for some weeks but I found it entertaining in its ridiculousness.
Maybe the ODT could run the continuing debacle as a weekly series? I’m sure there is more to come.
Brian Langley
Dunedin
Address Letters to the Editor to: Otago Daily Times, PO Box 517, 52-56 Lower Stuart St, Dunedin. Email: letters@odt.co.nz
