What about the financial benefits of euthanasia?
The article by Jo Moir on End of Life Choice Act: changes deemed needed (ODT, 24.4.24) is very clear that it wants to extend the availability of end of life legislation to include those who cannot make the choice themselves.
The one issue that was not mentioned is the financial benefit of this for an underfunded health service.
The cost of good end of life care is high.
Expanding the scope of the Act and presenting it as more caring will clearly be a great money saver for the health service.
It may also enable those families who want to safeguard their inheritance to do so.
The government has said it will reduce the cost of health services.
Encouraging those at the end of their lives and their families to choose death not life is another way to save money.
It deprives them of a very special time of family care.
I discovered this looking after three of my family members at the end of their lives and working in palliative care for 10 years.
Bemused on Albany
I am a regular cyclist on Albany St.
It is one of the more cycle-friendly streets in Dunedin.
I am completely bemused at the proposal to install a "cycleway" on it.
A few "shared roadway" signs, à la George St, is the most it needs.
Tough Sentencing
The front-page account of Iraia Burton’s crime spree and subsequent sentencing to six months’ home detention (ODT, 25.4.24) made me check the date. Yes it was Anzac Day and not April Fool’s Day. The poor man claimed he was "triggered" by counselling to commit his crimes.
Mr Luxon promised to get tough on crime; our laws and judges don’t seem to have the power or inclination to deliver.
Fractured debate
There's an interesting alignment of stories (ODT, 24.4.24).
One page 1, the main street playground; page 6, NZ Post unveiling its huge processing centre for online retail and on page 7 the debate on the Albany St cycleway.
Page 1 and page 7 underline the fractured debate around parking in town. A local said the site of the playground would have been better used for parking. If that's at the top-of-mind of a passerby in central Dunedin, then it's something to consider. The cycleway will cost the area 68 car parks, yet it seems from the story that some think the council has already made up its mind — cycleway all the way.
After arriving in Dunedin about three years ago I began to avoid going into town to shop because the free parking situation was so bad. Metered parking isn't particularly easy either, because of the demand. Basically, finding that car park is a stress I choose to avoid at all costs. When I read stories about the parking debate, I get the distinct impression the council has become an implacable enemy of anything pro-motorist. If it runs on petrol or diesel, it is evil. And that is why I do a great deal of my shopping online. I do try to support Dunedin retailers in this way, but unless you're there, on the spot, you don't know what many of them offer.
I am not the only one switching to online shopping. That is why NZ Post has created a massive centre to support online retail. The signals are clear: in taking everything away from local motorists the council is offering a cold shoulder to the retail heart of this city.
Ignore lessons from Pike River at our peril
The coalition government’s planned law change to loosen consenting restrictions to coal mining (ODT, 22.4.24) suggests in nearly 14 years the lessons of the Pike River mining tragedy have not been learnt.
In Development West Coast chief executive Heath Milne’s view "the checks and balances to ensure environmental standards etc are absolutely important". "But ... ", he then enthuses about the potentially "massive" economic opportunities "if the process is easier".
The Pike River coal mine was also vigorously promoted as a good investment, but from its inception was considered a risky prospect — and so it proved. Failure to undertake adequate geological and geotechnical investigations and a lack of expertise led to delays and cost overruns. This in turn led to corner-cutting, with the abandonment of normal industry practice, poor maintenance of health and safety mechanisms and a failure of regulatory oversight. Resources Minister Shane Jones may wish to overcome what he calls "the statutory constipation in the economy", but his glib endorsements of a fast-track process that bypasses "checks and balances" should be taken with a large dose of salts.
Gentle man was kind and quirky
I was sad to read about the death of Peter Robb (ODT, 23.4.24).
I met Peter as a young man through his enthusiasm for British motorbikes. He was intelligent, kind, and gentle, he always had a twinkle in his eye, a witty sense of humour and a great chuckle. Peter was a long-term member of the Dunedin Poultry Club and was particularly helpful at show times.
He loved his mum whom he lived with for many years. Peter became isolated and disconnected from society after his mother’s death.
I certainly do not condone his bad behaviour in relation to the two women mentioned in your article.
However, I was disgusted to see how the unfortunate details of his life and home have been smeared over national media.
This type of salacious reporting aimed at grabbing headlines and encouraging tutting and sneering by your readers reflects badly on your standards as our daily paper. It was totally unnecessary and disrespectful to someone who has died.
It is a pity Peter did not live in a place like Waitati where living off grid, hunting and collecting and having a quirky personality would be more acceptable, which was obviously not the case in the tree-lined streets of Māori Hill.
Lessons in numbers
Further to Greg Glendining's suggestion (Letters, 24.4.24) that Grant Robertson take the opportunity to start a degree in accountancy, can I suggest that after he has had his first lecture he pop back to Wellington to show Nicola Willis how to add and subtract.
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