Just how much hospital would that money buy?
When is a promise not a promise? When you make an election promise to deliver the new Dunedin hospital to full specification and then equivocate because funds are short.
Of course if we’re talking about $3billion in tax breaks for landlords or over $200million for tobacco giant Philip Morris that’s a completely different story. Think how much hospital that money would buy.
Gio Angelo
Belleknowes
Slipping off the radar
I am totally confused. It was reported (ODT 31.7.24) that the government has set aside $216m to pay for heated tobacco product tax cuts lobbied for by tobacco giant Philip Morris. The products are harmful. It’s not even clear whether the tax cuts will benefit consumers. Yet, millions have been set aside for this while people have lost their jobs, public services are struggling and the Dunedin hospital funding is still up in the air.
My confusion boils down to two questions: Apart from Philip Morris, who is benefiting from this and why are they not held to account? The demise of the smoke-free project just kind of slipped off the radar; let’s not allow this project to do the same, thereby adding insult to injury.
Leoni Schmidt
Dunedin
Columnist praised
Well done Sarah Ramsay (Opinion ODT 31.7.24). I enjoyed reading Sarah’s article on her experiences with bullies over the years. A very topical and relevant issue that most of us have memories of.
It’s scary standing up to intimidation; you have to weigh up your options and think about the outcomes. If you lack self-confidence or moral support then the situation can turn into a nightmare.
Susan Johnston
Mosgiel
Think of the workers
Has anyone thought about the men and women that work on the road and have to put up with motorists that take no notice of signs? They are only trying to look after these people, and they put all these cones on the road to try and protect the workers. I have worked on the road most of my life and it is unbelievable how some people drive. Think about the workers’ lives, not the amount of road cones.
Stewart Johnston
Palmerston
Power prices
In his letter (ODT 27.7.24) John Neilson approves the sale of Aurora, contending that the Commerce Commission will prevent ‘‘outrageous electricity power increases’’.
Under the watch of the Commerce Commission, since 1986, domestic electricity prices have risen at twice the rate of inflation. There is a clear consensus that our electricity is overpriced. I recommend John read research conducted by highly esteemed Wellington economist Geoff Bertram revealing, inter alia, profiteering amounting to billions.
My sympathy is with struggling ratepayers, but selling Aurora is a short-sighted palliation. The Commerce Commission has proven itself to be a totally impotent regulator.
Ian Breeze
Broad Bay
Boot camps...They might be effective. PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES
There is a case to be made for boot camps
Boot camps may work, in part. I was in 18-year-old camp years ago and saw boys come in as wimps and go out as men, mostly from the right examples by others who came from the better families. And the treatment by them.
So what we need is to establish a camp that attracts both girls and boys from a stable family — like Outward Bound — and mix the young ratbags with them. Lecturers/controllers cannot be with inmates all the time and other young people would probably contribute half the benefits of the camp and not stand for any nonsense.
I ran a business using inmates in a prison and had incredible success — some time after release only three of 35 had reoffended when around 75-80[%] is the norm.
One of the rules I had was they do not talk about prison stuff while in my building, read the newspaper and take an interest in outside stuff. They should also be taught to cook and housekeep. They must be able to converse and integrate with others in society to break the offending rate after boot camp
Address Letters to the Editor to: Otago Daily Times, PO Box 517, 52-56 Lower Stuart St, Dunedin. Email: editor@odt.co.nz
Coley Ellison
Picton
