Wrong recipients

It has been depressing watching the (Labour) Government’s Pavlovian response to the ongoing hysteria around ‘‘ram-raids’’.

National, ACT and most of the media jump on the bandwagon crying out about the vulnerability of ‘‘small businesses’’.

The fog cannons being installed throughout the country are an apt metaphor for how neo-liberalism still clouds the judgment of the current Government and distorts mainstream media narratives (The Post had an owner of seven vape stores on the front page just over a week ago calling for harsher punishments for ram-raiders).

This Government talks about being tough on the causes of crime, but some of the small business getting the free fog cannons are vape shops and liquor stores whose business model is legalised harm.

Are not the impacts of alcohol and vaping on the wellbeing of our young people, poorer communities and those struggling with addiction a more pernicious kind of ‘‘ram-raid’’?

Where is the protection for some of our most vulnerable from the rapacious greed of the vaping/alcohol lobby. Should they not be the ones being punished? Instead, they are given free government handouts. Tony McGruddy, Aro Valley