The euphoria that erupted in the public gallery of the New Zealand House of Parliament two weeks ago when the Bill to Remove the Samoa (Western Samoa) Citizenship Act 1982 passed its first reading may be premature.There is a long process to go through before the bill comes back to the House for t.
Conspiracy theory?
When the Auckland Council was created 10 years ago, I often wondered why Rodney Hyde was so keen to include the Wellsford area. Then there was the urgency of completing the northern corridor from Puhoi to Warkworth. And of late, the millions they are spending on the Dome Valley road to bring it up to standard. Now we find that Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) is keen to double toll the new motorway. The Dome Valley dump has always been on the drawing board. Auckland Council needed the Wellsford area for the site. They knew there would be 300-plus truck-loads of rubbish travelling through Warkworth each day and needed to extend the motorway from Puhoi to Warkworth. It is no surprise that the millions being spent upgrading the Dome Valley road finishes conveniently outside the proposed dump entrance. NZTA is keen to double toll the new motorway because it will be very lucrative for them, with 300-plus trucks travelling this road each day. Recently, the dump wa
Letters to the editor: Trump, China and Covid
17 Jan, 2021 04:00 PM
8 minutes to read
Outgoing US president Donald Trump. Photo / AP
NZ Herald
For those wondering how dictators rise to power in a democracy, the recent events in the United States, sadly, provide a case study.
A leader with little or no regard for democratic institutions; elected representatives and officials who pledge fealty to the leader and enable the leader to pursue the assault on such institutions with impunity; and sections of the media that perpetuate falsehoods all conspire to set the table.
The recent actions of many Republicans in Congress reveal their commitment to democracy and their oath of office is wafer-thin or non-existent. For a vibrant democracy in the United States, the actions of this rump bode ill. Let us hope that donors, voters and good people assume the task of removing and replacing them in the near future.