Somalian referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan, the 2025 African Referee of the Year, has been denied entry into the United States for the Fifa World Cup. Photo / AFP

We need to protect families from mouldy homes

The United Kingdom needed the death of a toddler from black mould to force a legislative crackdown on damp rental housing. Does New Zealand need a similar tragedy before we protect families like the Fitimases (June 9)?

The 2019 Healthy Homes standards were a positive step. Nevertheless, the 2023 Census shows that nearly 30% of tenants still live in damp homes. Over 22% face significant mould (Environmental Health Intelligence NZ report).

The current system fails for two reasons. First, compliance and enforcement rely on tenants navigating an intimidating complaint process. Second, in older homes, compliance alone is often insufficient to keep houses dry.

Mould is rare in Airbnb accommodation because guests review properties after each stay. Why not require departing tenants to answer a few simple questions about dampness and mould as part of the bond refund process? Serious issues would trigger an official inspection.

Private landlords found in breach would face heavy fines, and public housing providers should be held equally accountable. Where houses are compliant but still unhealthy, well-trained, accredited assessors could mandate one or more custom fixes — like leak repairs, window trickle vents, thermal curtains or dehumidifiers — before the property is allowed to be relet.

There may be better solutions, but surely we can do better than accepting damp, mouldy living conditions as a fact of life for thousands of New Zealand families.

Stephen Bayldon, Mt Roskill.

Referee’s shameful treatment

The refusal by the United States to allow Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan entry into the country for the Fifa World Cup brought to mind a shameful period in our own country’s history.

In 1960, South Africa stipulated that selection for the All Blacks team for an upcoming tour must not include Māori. Why? This would contravene their race laws.

Unbelievably, the NZRU agreed. I remember the rationale, that when you’re a guest in someone’s home, you follow their rules.

Next time around, arguably even more egregiously, the South Africans agreed to extend “honourary white” status to Māori players so they could be selected.

People are now saying about Artan, the 2025 African Referee of the Year: “Why not just let him officiate in Canada or Mexico?” No. That just papers over the racist injustice. Fifa referees should threaten to boycott all US matches until this is resolved.

Doug Hannan, Mount Maunganui.

For six months we’ve been begging Labour for substantial and practical policies to counter the outrageously high cost of living, and this week, hallelujah, we get more crumbs, $20 a week max bus trips to add to our thin wallets, with the $180 worth of three free doctors visits.

Many are asking, where is Labour? Might it be their wages match the top 10% of New Zealand income earners, too removed from the pain and far too comfortable?

Keith Burgess, Sumner.

I think that the Minister for Police, the Police Commissioner and the Prime Minister should be more concerned that one of their coalition partners, NZ First, has found a place in its ranks for Stuart Nash, rather than question Rakesh Naidoo’s desire to join the Labour Party.

We remember that Stuart Nash was sacked from his Cabinet position by Labour. Is Nash now more responsible for a potential place in Government than Naidoo, who is eminently more qualified to take a position in Parliament than many current ministers? Is Naidoo perhaps a little too qualified for the current administration’s liking?

Jeremy Coleman, Hillpark.

So the Americans are upset that one of their attack helicopters has been shot down by Iranian forces.

They are claiming righteous justification for retaliatory “defensive” strikes against what they claim to be unprovoked aggression by the Iranians.

Have they forgotten who started the war with Iran?

David Pickford, Whitianga.

Does commentator Bruce Cotterill realise his so-called “whingers and whiners” (June 6) have been responsible for all the great ethical, moral and humanitarian advances of our civilisation: ending slavery, banning child labour, achieving the 40-hour work week, weekend rests and statutory holidays? Oh, and lest we forget, the modern welfare state, gradually recognised throughout the 19th century as necessary to prevent the extreme inequalities of the market leading to destabilisation or, worse, revolution, or, even worse, the rise of a demigod.

Sadly, the fight for a fairer economic system is still not over and Mr Cotterill’s denigration of the impulse to create a more equitable and regulated distribution of wealth for collective wellbeing is tedious.

Paul Judge, Hamilton.

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Source: New Zealand Herald