Letters: Our public sector rot, and a wonderful response from the community to find a missing woman

NZ Herald

3 days ago

Lorraine Kidd, Warkworth.
Public sector rot
Sadly for the sake of our grandchildren, the demise of our once world-class public service began with the introduction of the State Sector Act 1988. This act compromised the independence and integrity of our public service. Most permanent heads were placed on three-year contracts. Their focus changed to ensure renewal of their contracts. Thank you for nothing Messrs Douglas, Prebble, Palmer, Lange and co.
Bruce Tubb, Devonport.
NCEA
Following on from the report on NCEA (July 20), I must agree that it has been abused extensively and must be replaced by something meaningful, may I suggest School Certificate. NCEA credits have been issued for such menial tasks that demean the education system, so tinkering with it will be meaningless.
But the part of the report I take most exception to is the comments by Labour leader Chris Hipkins. His comment that NCEA Level 1 is necessary for apprenticeships is totally derogatory of the trades. His comments are taking things back to the time Helen Clark was in charge stating everybody needed a degree to get a job, and funded bums on seats at universities while the trades never got apprentices, leading to our shortage of tradesmen.
Trades are not secondary to academia but are equal and need the same level of education to excel at.
Trevor Green, Matamata.
Joseph Parker v Oleksandr Usyk
Joseph Parker is absolutely dreaming if he thinks he can outbox the Ukrainian world champ. If the fight does go ahead it will be a set-up, with Joe given a few rounds before 'goodnight nurse'. Joe has shown he doesn't have the hitting power to put a good opponent away.
Jock MacVicar, Hauraki.
Quiet choppers
Wouldn't you have thought the helicopter owners could scramble a few billion dollars together to create a quiet helicopter?
Technology is so advanced these days that it surely would not be impossible to add blades or vibrational techniques that cancel out the awfully disturbing noise a 'modern' helicopter transmits in residential areas.
So, here's a challenge to the Mowbray couple if they want to stay popular in their community, perhaps.
René Blezer, Taupō.
Nato and the UN
I cannot agree with Jock MacVicar (July 20). Nato is a defence pact; the hardware belongs to its member states. Without Nato I would have the Soviet red star on my lapel and so would have four million other Europeans. As for cost, Nato is cheap compared to a Russian invasion.
Also, the UN is doing exactly what it was set up to do: serve as a platform where diplomats can lie, cheat, blockade and hurl insults at one another.
K H Peter Kammler, Warkworth.
Defence spending
Your reader Bernard Walker (July 20) gets letter of the week for suggesting we don't need a credible defence force because of our isolation from the rest of the world. It seems reasonable until you look at the facts regarding defence spending. First, we would be considered bludgers by our current allies the US, Australia, the UK and the South Pacific nations.
Second, being considered bludgers, we would certainly lose any credibility in trade negotiations and thereby lose huge amounts in exports to two of our largest customers.
Third, if other world leaders were invited and came here to avoid a potential World War III, this is considered desertion, an offence punishable by a death sentence. Remember the previous world wars, where soldiers were shot dead for desertion by their commanders? Obviously, it is a proposal which was not to be taken seriously and should have never been published.
Bruce Woodley, Birkenhead.
Sunday television
Sunday night TV1 viewing is these days a heartwarming, New Zealand-centric experience.
With the long-running Country Calendar leading at 7pm, this television icon is followed half an hour later by Moving Houses hosted by the likeable Andy Ellis.
It is delightful to have primetime viewing that showcases our own heartland places and people.
Larry Mitchell, Rothesay Bay.