Dear Mr Luxon,

I saw the interview you had this past week on TV One, regarding firecrackers!

I’m absolutely floored by your reply, when the majority of people wish fireworks to be banned because of the danger stress it causes the communities.

The fire services, SPCA, hospitals all back this, it would cost more money fixing the results of this behaviour than any profit making I would imagine. You mentioned you don’t want to stop NZers having fun!

It’s not fun.

Who in their right minds teaches children to have fun with explosives?

In my area it’s generally people who don’t have money for their children because it’s spent on their needs.

Our pets are dying, stressed because of terribly loud, random noises.

I’ve tried everything to help my boy. Have you not had pets?

There’s also an element of NZers who take pleasure out of hurting and frightening people and animals. The things they do are outrageous. This activity historically has no bearing on NZ – it’s about a crackpot centuries ago in another land.

A grown-up said to me he used to have fun at Guy Fawkes so he wants his children to as well. My answer: We rarely have 1/4 acre sections now, we live on top of each other, the fireworks are more dangerous and louder than ever, if the children were not introduced to it they wouldn’t know any different.

We taxpayers who work our guts out want you to be able to hear us, we are trying to keep our families from hitting the wall and yet our taxes buy these explosives for those that like noise and fire! Oh! And so-called climate change!

Well what have we got to say about that then? Is it carbon positive or negative?

I’m all for a public display for one day in each town if you must and that’s it, no sales for the public. I’m disappointed by your reply to media. By the way sales of fireworks happen much earlier than they are supposed to and go on randomly until April/May the next year.

Gloria Pedersen, Greerton.