A response to Gareth Joyce - The Weekend Sun Friday 14 December.
Gareth - very interesting! Since you find us all so abhorrent no doubt we will be seeing you on State Highway 2 soon... as you so succinctly put it, heading north. Enjoy Auckland, mate!
And incidently, I am neither homophobic nor am I a christian fundamentalist and neither are many, many fine people with whom I choose to socialise. Racist? On what do you base this judgement? Have you some sort of data to back up these observations? Or are you just using anecdotal accounts? Oh that's right it is based on what you have read in this production; hardly a sample of what Taurangians necessarily believe.
Of course you could trot out the old adage - judge a book by its cover - Hmm. Should I judge all Aucklanders by you and your comments? Not likely and why would I?
So it has taken you a 'few years” to discover that we are not quite to your liking - well should you stay and not head north on Highway 2 perhaps you will learn to practise what you preach and so let me invite you to 'enjoy OUR beaches, appreciate time spent with loved ones, embrace the fact wealthy Aucklanders will be flooding OUR city and injecting vital dollars into OUR economy over the summer months” that is if you are not going to be found on State Highway 2... heading north!
Oh and in all sincerity - do have an enjoyable Christmas and new year - and should you be travelling keep safe!

Ed Weston, Otumoetai.