Auckland is so spread out that the cost of getting a useful public transport system will be prohibitive.
To get out of Auckland to most places in New Zealand on public transport will be difficult if not impossible especially over holidays. Cars are useful for carrying stuff, holidaying, recreation, emergencies and staying sheltered. Why should city dwellers forgo their cars and town and rural dwellers have all the fun.
New Zealand’s population is low, let’s keep it that way and keep our relatively high standard of living and keep our electric vehicles [EVs]. Why pander to the politicians and wealthy who want to “grow the economy” by importing immigrants and artificially raising GDP as the Key government did. By keeping our population steady, healthy and stable we will advertise to the rest of the world what can be done. We are lucky to have this opportunity, let’s not throw it away.
The pandemic has shown we can do this as our population growth in Auckland has almost levelled off despite Kiwis coming home. Possible future viral and bacterial pandemics due to resistance to anti-bacterial drugs along with hot climate deaths may sadly help reduce our population. Once we overcome the immigrant-induced housing shortage and convert to EVs, there will be no need for denser housing along with its considerable GHG [greenhouse gases] emissions.
The building industry is responsible for 20 per cent of our GHG emissions. Why introduce more?
Sure, there will measures to discourage the overuse of petrol cars but all that stuff will only be a temporary measure once we have converted to EVs and everyone understands a model that people will want.
This makes the steady population model more politically attainable and acceptable. No problem with overseas seasonal workers or students providing they don’t stay. We have to educate the family planning deniers as we simply can no longer have large families. Some would say its cruel but so is nature with over-population, global warming, starvation and wars. We also need to give most living organisms the chance of a good life, providing Putin does not nuke us all.
Automation of industry is the other world problem existing and worsening because of over-population. There will be fewer jobs available with an increasing number of people on the dole and the political right will not like that.
Paul Jensen, Howick
