New Zealand Listener Issue 20 2018

Winston Churchill famously called democracy “the worst form of Government except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time”. That may well be the best way to look at Auckland’s new 10-year transport plan. It has plenty of fishhooks, not least the pending burdensome regional fuel tax, and the risk that continuing population growth may eventually nullify the plan’s benefits. But there are probably no more fish-hooks than can be found in any mooted alternative. Politicians never lightly do anything to raise the price of household staples such as petrol; they know it disproportionately affects those on low incomes and feeds new pressures into the economy. But there’s probably no way of funding Auckland’s growth without causing pain. Whether paid for wholly by Government debt,…

Winston Churchill famously called democracy “the worst form of Government except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time”. That may well be the best way to look at Auckland’s new 10-year transport plan. It has plenty of fishhooks, not least the pending burdensome regional fuel tax, and the risk that continuing population growth may eventually nullify the plan’s benefits. But there are probably no more fish-hooks than can be found in any mooted alternative. Politicians never lightly do anything to raise the price of household staples such as petrol; they know it disproportionately affects those on low incomes and feeds new pressures into the economy. But there’s probably no way of funding Auckland’s growth without causing pain. Whether paid for wholly by Government debt, in partnership…

FIND US ONLINE VISIT US ONLINE FOR EXTRA CONTENT AND DAILY UPDATES • noted.co.nz/the-listener • twitter.com/nzlistener • facebook.com/nzlistener Despised by its Continental neighbours for reneging on the European Union, Britain understandably wants to foster trading relations with the Commonwealth (“Our mutual friends”, May 5). However, it may find EU members a bit wary after the Brexit vote. In any case, most are probably already involved in international trade negotiations, and introducing a Commonwealth partnership could be a distraction from – and would perhaps interact negatively with – those other talks. I wonder, though, whether given the little if any influence the Commonwealth has on world affairs, and its being largely ignored and ridiculed by non-members, the grouping serves any useful purpose. It is obviously more important to Britain, which has…

FIND US ONLINE VISIT US ONLINE FOR EXTRA CONTENT AND DAILY UPDATES • noted.co.nz/the-listener • twitter.com/nzlistener • facebook.com/nzlistener Despised by its Continental neighbours for reneging on the European Union, Britain understandably wants to foster trading relations with the Commonwealth (“Our mutual friends”, May 5). However, it may find EU members a bit wary after the Brexit vote. In any case, most are probably already involved in international trade negotiations, and introducing a Commonwealth partnership could be a distraction from – and would perhaps interact negatively with – those other talks. I wonder, though, whether given the little if any influence the Commonwealth has on world affairs, and its being largely ignored and ridiculed by non-members, the grouping serves any useful purpose. It is obviously more important to Britain, which has some sort of relationship with each…

WINNING CAPTION Helen O’Connor, Tauranga FINALISTS Jacinda Ardern: “We’ve decided to name the baby Angela.” – Mike Lynch, Upper Hutt Angela Merkel: “Everyone’s hand is bigger than Donald’s.” – Warren Shaw, Marton Merkel: “MMP: it stands for More Motherly Politicians!” – Kate Gore, Rotorua Merkel: “You put ze left hand out, shake it all about and zat’s what MMP’s all about.” – Hamish Barwick, Gisborne Ardern: “I don’t know the words to the Ride of the Valkyries, sorry.” – Sorrel Bovett, Kerikeri Merkel: “Sometimes I wish I was an apple picker in Hawke’s Bay.” – Rex McGregor, Auckland Merkel: “So I said to Melania, ‘If I were you, I’d scratch his eyes out.’” – Helen Carver, Takapau Caption Competition {caption@listener.co.nz} TO ENTER Send your captions for the photo above to caption@listener.co.nz, with…

WINNING CAPTION Helen O’Connor, Tauranga FINALISTS Jacinda Ardern: “We’ve decided to name the baby Angela.” – Mike Lynch, Upper Hutt Angela Merkel: “Everyone’s hand is bigger than Donald’s.” – Warren Shaw, Marton Merkel: “MMP: it stands for More Motherly Politicians!” – Kate Gore, Rotorua Merkel: “You put ze left hand out, shake it all about and zat’s what MMP’s all about.” – Hamish Barwick, Gisborne Ardern: “I don’t know the words to the Ride of the Valkyries, sorry.” – Sorrel Bovett, Kerikeri Merkel: “Sometimes I wish I was an apple picker in Hawke’s Bay.” – Rex McGregor, Auckland Merkel: “So I said to Melania, ‘If I were you, I’d scratch his eyes out.’” – Helen Carver, Takapau Caption Competition {caption@listener.co.nz} TO ENTER Send your captions for the photo above to caption@listener.co.nz, with “Caption Competition No 280” in the subject line. Alternatively,…