Letters: Better businessmen than career politicians

Mike Baker, Tauranga.

Ugly attitudes towards leaders

I don’t contribute to social media, but I often visit some of the websites to see what others are saying and various responses and comments.

What seems increasingly clear is that we are becoming a nation just like the United States – full of diatribe and hate.

This is especially the case when past and present political parties and their leaders are involved.

We may not like a party, its policies and/or its leader, and we are certainly entitled to openly criticize each of them.

However, it is simply wrong to proceed with hostility and denigration (and worse). Remember that these parties/people (for those in power) are really doing what they think is best for the country and its people.

Those who don’t think so and get nasty and aggressive really need to earn a living – and that includes some of those in the political parties mentioned.

Rob Peterken, Golflands.

Driving knowledge

With the holiday season upon us, we will no doubt be subjected to a barrage of reminders to ‘drive carefully’.

These are the same reminders distributed whenever there is a possibility of bad weather.

I thought we all knew that we should drive carefully all the time, not just if the road conditions are a little different than normal.

Unfortunately, regardless of the conditions, you don’t have to go far to see someone who doesn’t “drive carefully.”

Greg Cave, Sunnyvale.

Passing interest

The New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) is lane closures on holidays. They say this is to improve traffic flow. Yes, correct.

What it will do is force drivers who need to pass slower traffic to do so where there is no dedicated passing lane. Probably while feeling frustrated by this strange decision.

I wonder if anyone other than NZTA thinks this is a sensible and safer alternative for holiday travel.

Graham Carter, Herne Bay.

Lack of respect for customers

New Zealand’s big three supermarkets show total disrespect for their customers.

Despite their huge profits ($53 million of Foodstuffs in 2023), they cannot afford the courtesy of efficient service at a busy time for us all.

Instead of supporting their communities and paying minimum wage ($23.15 an hour) to hire one of their empty checkout lines, they think it’s acceptable to have long wait times and make their customers form long queues that extend down the supermarket aisle.

Come on, Pak’nSave, Woolworths and New World – show us, your customers, some respect. Support your communities and secure the facilities you have during this busy time.

Kim Jobson, Waiuku.

Thought of Christmas

At the risk of sounding Pollyanna-ish, and for those who missed it, I can reiterate his words Sir Cliff Richard (ClothDecember 21): “All people are born children – exactly the same. Somehow the world separates us and makes us think in different ways; we should all just come together and say we love each other.”

What better message for Christmas?

Glennys Adams, Waiheke Island.

Acting

The Act Party was exposed as libertarians only for themselves, says Roger Douglas, attacking his own group as selfish to the core.

Leader David Seymour doesn’t believe in welfare, he says.

I don’t agree. The owners are entitled to $3 billion in taxpayer money.

What is this if not welfare? Welfare for the rich is called no capital gains taxation, but benefit losses are welfare.

Cut school lunch to save the money we don’t have for a hospital building to give back to the wealthy owner class.

They know they are rich and sorted with Seymour in charge.

Steve Russell, Hillcrest.