Letters to the Editor: dolphins, mining and Gaza
We might hope that a "New technique helping save Māui — Hector's dolphins" reported in the Otago Daily Times (14.7.25) is as good as it sounds.
Unfortunately clever research continually overpromises and underdelivers. Whether it's drone dolphin spotters, satellite tags stuck to dolphins, or now, DNA sequencing, accompanied by hopeful headlines suggesting that technology can save dolphins, what we still need is action.
What is overdue, is industry and government leadership that supports a transition for fishers out of Māui and Hector's habitat. No dolphin should be drowned in a fishing net. Yet at least 12 Hector's dolphins were killed by bottom trawling in the last fishing year. Set nets killed another three.
More research is no substitute for leaders in local, regional and central government, and the industry itself, who will actively support trawl and set net-free seas, required for Māui and Hector's dolphins to survive. Founder and chairwoman, Māui and Hector's Dolphin Defenders NZ Gone potty
Today Big Brother had me over a barrel or maybe a potters wheel?
Five days ago I was elected on to our local pottery group committee. Today I was informed I had to join Kiwibank and stay with the bank as long as I remained a committee member. Why? Because of the money laundering laws in our country. I am not a signatory on the club's bank account but still perceived as a risk.
Today I sadly resigned from our committee. I refuse to be under surveillance and forced to join a bank if I want to offer my services to our humble club. We are further down the slide of madness than I thought. Powerful words
Otago regional councillor Michael Laws' own words are a powerful reason not to re-elect him.
The ODT reports that Laws emailed ENGO Sustainable Tarras stating, "I am intrigued as to how [Ms Keith], a Wellington-based environmental activist, became the chair of an anti-mining lobby in my constituency" (15.7.25).
The elephant in the room is Santana Minerals' proposed giant gold mine at Bendigo, which Mr Laws obviously supports and Ms Keith opposes.
While Kiwis love Antarctica, not all of us get to live there either.
Nevertheless, we would be appalled to learn an open-cast mine was being planned for, say, McMurdo Sound.
Now, my suspicion is that Ms Keith has probably visited Central Otago at least once.
Does it make her some sort of inauthentic flake for having the pluck to step up when elected representatives don't? Vote him out. The neighbours
My family's property is 900m from the Santana testing facility. We have never been contacted or informed about any activities occurring there (which appear to be in breach of the district plan).
The company does its absolute best to avoid contact and does not share any information. It is extremely difficult to uncover what applications they have lodged, what they plan in the future, how and when these will be implemented.
There is a secrecy that surrounds the company and its activities.
ORC councillor Michael Laws' statement about contact from locals is inappropriate. He has been contacted, other ORC and Central Otago District Council councillors have been contacted, and given the process is national policy the issue has been taken to a national level. Is it apathy or hopelessness re Gaza inaction?
Sadly it would appear there is widespread apathy amongst most New Zealanders about the plight of the Palestinians.
One hopes that this is due to a feeling of hopelessness rather than a lack of concern.
I have had a belief that New Zealand stood for fairness and for what is right. Perhaps it was my wishful thinking and is a fallacy.
This government seems comfortable with toeing the line with most other Western countries and remains practically silent. It is appalling what is happening.
Surely, surely, surely our government can no longer sit on the fence.
Why has the Israeli ambassador not been sent back home? All trade with Israel should be banned and can we really condone allowing Israelis to visit New Zealand on holiday, giving some of them presumably a break from bombing the Palestinians?
I for one would like to be on the right side of history but is lame to say it when there is daily carnage.
It is embarrassing and appalling that this country is doing little to nothing.
Address Letters to the Editor to: Otago Daily Times, PO Box 517, 52-56 Lower Stuart St, Dunedin. Email: editor@odt.co.nz
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
1News
4 hours ago
- 1News
What we know about new road user charges and end of petrol tax
The Government made it official this week that the petrol tax is on the way out, to be replaced by electronic road user charges, or RUCs, for everyone. Drivers of all light vehicles – petrol, hybrid, diesel and electric – will now pay for road use based on distance travelled and vehicle weight, instead of an extra charge at the pump. Right now, Road User Charges (RUC) only apply to vehicles not powered wholly by petrol, and all vehicles weighing more than 3.5 tonnes. An awful lot of the specifics around the new system remain uncertain, as the government considers how to implement the plan. But here's what we know so far. The petrol tax will go, but what's replacing it? ADVERTISEMENT All of Aotearoa's 3.5 million light vehicle owners will need to pay RUC fees to help pay for road upkeep and maintenance. But exactly how the fees will be set and collected are still a work in progress. In making the announcement, Transportation Minister Chris Bishop said it was "the biggest change to how we fund our roading network in 50 years". It comes as more and more drivers use hybrids, electric vehicles or other technology. Bishop said the number of fuel-efficient petrol hybrid vehicles has jumped from 12,000 in 2015 to 350,000 today. "As our vehicle fleet changes, so too must the way we fund our roads. It isn't fair to have Kiwis who drive less and who can't afford a fuel-efficient car paying more than people who can afford one and drive more often. "This is a change that simply has to happen. The government has recognised reality and is getting on with the transition." Replacing fuel excise taxes with electronic road user charging was part of National and ACT's coalition agreement. The government's been signalling this move for some time and last year scrapped an Auckland regional fuel tax of 11.5 cents per litre. AA principal policy adviser Terry Collins said while the association thinks the changes are good in principle, "we need to see the detail". ADVERTISEMENT How much will all this cost drivers? AA principal policy advisor Terry Collins discussed the "pros and cons" of replacing petrol tax with electronic road user charges. (Source: Breakfast) That's one of the big question marks right now. Under the system, all vehicles would be paying for road use based on distance and their vehicle's weight, Bishop said, but no detail on the weight limits was given. The current RUC for light vehicles – under 3500kg – are $76 per 1000km. The average Toyota Corolla weighs between 1200-1500kg. Charges can widely vary for larger vehicles under the current RUC, according to NTZA's website. There's also an administration fee of $12-$13 per transaction. ADVERTISEMENT No costs or parameters for the new system have been announced, but just as an example under the current RUC setup, a small electric vehicle would pay more than $760 including fees for 10,000km worth of credits. Will this bring petrol prices down? Again, answer unclear. Bishop said currently, petrol drivers pay a tax of about 70 cents per litre. However, the AA says that the full cost of fuel excise, duties and taxes such as GST altogether was over $1.20 per litre as of mid-2024. There's no real way of knowing yet if the changes would automatically drop 70 cents or more from fuel prices. When will it take effect? ADVERTISEMENT Chris Bishop said paying for RUC would be similar to paying an electricity bill at the end of each month. (Source: Breakfast) Legislative work toward the changes will begin next year, with the government eyeing 2027 for the new system to take place. "At this stage, no date has been set for the full transition of the light vehicle fleet," Bishop said. "That's a deliberate choice, as we're focused on getting the system right rather than rushing its rollout." The legislative plans include: Removing the requirement to carry or display RUC licences, allowing for digital records instead; enabling the use of a broader range of electronic RUC devices, including those already built into many modern vehicles; supporting flexible payment models such as post-pay and monthly billing; separating NZTA's roles as both RUC regulator and retailer to foster fairer competition; and allowing bundling of other road charges like tolls and time of used based pricing into a single, easy payment. "The changes will support a more user-friendly, technology-enabled RUC system, with multiple retail options available for motorists," Bishop said in announcing the changes. "Eventually, paying for RUC should be like paying a power bill online, or a Netflix subscription. Simple and easy." ADVERTISEMENT Bishop told ThreeNews that users could possibly pay road RUCs through an app, and log in and pay what they owed at the end of each month. The next step for the plan is changes to the Road User Charges Act 2012, and a bill will be introduced to Parliament and referred to a Select Committee for public input. "I expect to pass legislation in 2026, followed by an updated Code of Practice for RUC providers," Bishop said. "We will also engage with the market in 2026 to assess technological solutions and delivery timelines. In parallel, NZTA and Police will upgrade their systems to support enforcement in a digital environment." How do RUCs work now for those who pay them? Bishop called the current setup for light vehicles a "clunky" system. You keep track of your odometer readings, pay for RUC in 1000km chunks and put a sticker on your windscreen that shows how many km they are good for. Once your odometer passes the number you've paid for in RUC, you need to pay for more. "We're not going to shift millions of drivers from a simple system at the pump to queues at retailers," Bishop said. "So, instead of expanding a clunky government system, we will reform the rules to allow the market to deliver innovative, user-friendly services for drivers." ADVERTISEMENT The AA's Martin Glynn told RNZ's Morning Report that it's not the easiest system for users. "The biggest problem with it, people need to keep an eye on their odometers and see if they've used up their RUC and need to buy more. That's probably the biggest problem with it." However, the Government said it wants to shift away from the "outdated" system and replace it with greater use of electronic RUC, or eRUCs. What are eRUCs, anyway? Basically, instead of having to keep track of your odometer readings and paying as you go for km credits, it's a device that does that work automatically. There are a variety in place now for current requirements. There are several approved eRUC providers for the heavy vehicle fleet of vehicles over 3.5 tonnes. "EROAD's system automatically records the distance each vehicle travels on-road and accurately records all off-road travel with its intuitive GPS-tracking capability," the website of one of the providers, EROAD, states. ADVERTISEMENT Infrastructure New Zealand chief executive Nick Leggett applauded the change and said it could work well with other transport charges. "User-charging is a fair, proven way to fund infrastructure. ERUC will make it easier to apply that principle consistently across all vehicles, whether petrol, diesel, electric or hybrid, and as our transport system evolves. "We also see the use of flexible payment methods and the integration of eRUC with other transport charges such as tolling and congestion pricing as sensible moves." However, there's still a lot of questions around the costs of implementing eRUCs for everyone. Would all cars be fitted with new devices or would some kind of self-monitoring system be in place for those with older vehicles? And what does that eRUC technology mean for privacy? There's also been a fair bit of talk doing the rounds on social media about the idea of electronic records on vehicle travel and worries about the government tracking people. In a statement to RNZ, Bishop said there were privacy protections in place and it would remain a concern in developing the new systems. ADVERTISEMENT "The Road User Charges Act 2012 has existing provisions that protect privacy by limiting what RUC electronic information the RUC collector can access. "Location data can only be accessed to verify where the driver is owed a refund for off-road use. "Officials will be engaging with the market and stakeholders (including the Office of the Privacy Commissioner) on the features of potential solutions, such as cost, privacy and ease of use." The AA's Collins said it would be important to see the detail of "who has that information and what's done with it". "Everybody in the trucking industry wants to have that technology fitted. I don't think that's the case in the light fleet." Collins noted that our phones – which almost everyone has with them in their cars – are also packed with tracking technology. Other countries have managed similar systems, he said, but "it's what the data will ultimately be used for in the future that's the biggest concern". ADVERTISEMENT Private firms will be in charge of collecting the new fees In their announcement, the Government also said that private firms will take over the collection and administration of charges from NZTA, "to foster fairer competition". Tax Justice Aotearoa said they were concerned about that change and taking the responsibility away from the Government. "We are deeply concerned by this initiative as using the power of the state to require citizens to pay charges decided by the state is a core function of government," chairman of Tax Justice Aotearoa Glenn Barclay said in a statement. "It should not be for the profit of anyone and it means that the details of thousands of road users will be held and managed by private organisations with no accountability back to the public." "Putting RUC in the hands of private companies, who will need to make a profit on the transactions, is a recipe for higher fees for drivers," the Public Service Association union's national secretary Fleur Fitzsimons said. Will all this actually save people money? ADVERTISEMENT It's unclear. Petrol could in theory be cheaper, but will be somewhat offset by RUCs all vehicle owners must pay. "This is a once-in-a-generation change," Bishop said. "It's the right thing to do, it's the fair thing to do, and it will future proof how we fund our roads for decades to come." Collins said the distance-based changes could benefit certain drivers, such as those who own multiple vehicles that aren't actually travelling much, or boat users. "Nothing's going to be cheaper, we know that," he said. "It's like saying do you think that your cars are going to be cheaper in three years' time?" "Realistically, we want to be building a modern safe roading network and that's not cheap. All of us as road users need to contribute to that." By Nik Dirga of
Scoop
8 hours ago
- Scoop
Regulation Ministry To Tackle 30 Different Product Labelling Regulations
Minister for Regulation Hon Scott Simpson Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs Unnecessary costs and frustrations throughout the economy are caused by complex and outdated labelling regulations. Minister for Regulation David Seymour and Commerce and Consumer AffairsMinisterScottSimpson have today announced the Ministry for Regulation will conduct a sector review into product labelling to address this. 'The Ministry for Regulation is in a unique position to take on regulatory costs that make it harder for Kiwis to get affordable goods. Because these regulations are imposed by so many departments, it takes one ministry with a mandate for cutting red tape,' says Mr Seymour. 'New Zealand product labelling requirements are made up of over 30 different codes, standards, and regulations. This leads to high costs for businesses to label their products to comply with New Zealand standards. 'New Zealand's labelling regime drives up prices and limits wage growth. Exporters face extra compliance costs preparing products for overseas markets, while consumers miss out on global goods because importers face differences in labelling requirements. Many countries are also shifting to QR codes that link to online labels, easily tailored for different markets and changing needs. 'Complex labelling rules hit businesses at every level. From small exporters navigating conflicting overseas standards, to pharmacies putting medicines on their shelves. Businesses are forced to print multiple versions of essentially the same label. It's also building products and agricultural sprays; the list goes on. Those costs ultimately get passed on to consumers at the checkout. 'The price of groceries is a major concern for Kiwis. Current settings mean products packaged for Australia might not be able to be sold in New Zealand. This forces businesses to waste time and money repackaging,' says Mr Seymour. 'If we want new international retailers to come here, we need to show them we welcome business investment. The best way to do that is to get out of their way when it comes to annoying compliance that isn't benefiting anyone. 'Businesses like Chemist Warehouse have been a game-changer for Kiwis purchasing cheaper pharmaceutical products. However, they're also tied up by excessive labelling requirements adding costs to their operations.' 'This is a step towards lower compliance costs for businesses and increased global competitiveness for Kiwi goods on the world stage,' says Mr Simpson. 'This Government is working with businesses, industry groups, and consumer advocates to identify pain points and gather input to shape the review's terms of reference. 'In a time when households are feeling the pinch, every unnecessary cost we can remove from the system is a win for families and businesses.' The review is expected to be complete by December 2025.
Scoop
10 hours ago
- Scoop
Dangers Of Excessive Spending Highlighted
Minister of Finance Treasury's latest report highlights the dangers of excessive government spending, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The Treasury's Long-term Insights Briefing released today explores the role of fiscal policy in economic shocks and crises including the way government finances were used during and after the Covid-19 pandemic. It says the response, which wound up costing $66 billion, about twice the cost of the Canterbury earthquakes (as a proportion of GDP) also shows the challenges of using big spending measures to respond to one-off shocks. 'Treasury's language is spare and polite, but its conclusions are damning,' Nicola Willis says. 'The report makes clear significant errors were made in the fiscal response to Covid. Treasury is urging policy makers not to repeat those mistakes. Our Government will not. 'The briefing notes that the COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund was established in May 2020 to 'support a timely economic response and public confidence' but as the economy recovered, the then-government was advised against further stimulating in favour of more targeted support. 'Unfortunately, the Labour government ignored that advice. The consequence was undisciplined spending that pushed up inflation, eroded New Zealand's previously low public debt position, and fuelled a cost-of-living crisis. 'The briefing makes particular mention of programmes 'not tied to the shock (that) had a lagged impact on the economy and proved difficult to unwind in later years'. 'That is a very diplomatic way of saying New Zealanders are still paying the price of the previous government extending a big-spending approach initially intended for a pandemic response. 'The lesson from Labour's mishandling of the Covid response is that while there are times when governments have to increase spending in response to major events the fiscal guardrails should be restored as soon as possible. 'Kiwis can take confidence from the current Government's commitment to strong and responsible fiscal and economic management.'
