R Paterson (September 14) writes regarding our government's Residential Tenancy Act. To quote: 'Labour is simply pandering to its socialist voter base to secure votes”.

Isn't that terrible – a government actually doing something its supporters want. Also, the use of the word socialist in this context is a very derogatory use of the word.

Socialism describes a system of government that is embraced by the following countries: China, Denmark, Finland, Netherlands, Canada, Sweden, Norway and Ireland.

New Zealand was a welfare state when it ranked number two in the world for desirable places to live. China is the exception from the listed socialist countries where it is desirable to live. They are battling to bring a vast country with a huge population out of the dark ages that prevailed before it adopted communism and this is evolving with private ownership being adopted as in the socialist system.

Our previous National government pillaged this country, sold its assets, ran down essential services, and opened the immigration floodgates without providing the necessary services for population growth. It used immigrants' wealth to bolster a lacklustre economy. It lacked foresight, vision and encouragement, unlike our current 'bunch of incompetent fiscal fools”.

P Dolden, Papamoa.