So a fascinating week where we discovered that Richie McCaw and Dan Carter have an opinion. One that not everyone agrees with and so the World Cup Heroes instantly turned into flag debate zeroes. Shame on anyone who called them names on social media. Opinions. Just like bums, everyone has one. There is no crime in standing up for what you believe in. It's called democracy people. You're either for democracy, which means tolerating other opinions, or you want to live in a dictatorship, admittedly run by someone you agree with. Good luck with that.

The feel good story of the week is that we bought a beach. Good on you if you contributed. You voluntarily taxed yourself. If it was so important to the country's environmental estate then why didn't the government step in from day one. But they did when they realised that there was votes in it. They biffed 350 grand at it. They did a Gareth Morgan on it. So you kind of got taxed twice. Once when you contributed and the when the government did it for you. And then as soon as Maggie Barry got her hands on it she announced concessions on the water taxis. So in fact you're kind of getting taxed three times. But it's all good because you got a beach. A beach that iwi claimed but don't let that worry you.

But it was another example of how generous Kiwis are and how good we are at charity. According to a survey two weeks ago we are the second most generous country in the world behind the States. New Zealanders give 0.7 per cent of GDP, which currently sits at $245 billion, to not-for-profit organisations.

I suppose it’s a legacy from making the best of things in a big country with a small population. But it always surprises me how much we rely on the generosity of others and the toil of volunteers.

Volunteer fire brigades, City Missions. There’s the Westpac Rescue Helicopter. A service that saves so many lives and yet forced into desperate begging for funds each and every year.

And then there’s our ambulances. St Johns gets 70 per cent of its funding from the Ministry of Health and ACC but it’s still a charity and goes to the people and the businesses for the remaining 30 per cent. Either through straight out donations or becoming members which is a form of insurance guaranteeing you a free ambulance.

Remember ambulances aren’t totally free. In a medical emergency you will be billed nearly 90 dollars for the trip. In an accident ACC will pay unless your accident isn’t on their list.

It’s the way it’s always been and it’s not the same elsewhere in the world except for some states in Australia. And it’s worked fine. Until the money runs out.

In yesterday’s Herald, NZME health reporter Martin Johnston reported on a tragic story from South Otago. Marlene Dormer died in an ambulance on the way to hospital. I don’t want to go into all the ins and out of the case but I do want to point out that the ambulance had only one crew member. Apparently 10 percent of all ambulance trips are now single crewed because St John is underfunded.

St John know this. Martin Johnston has been leaked a letter where they admit they’re underfunded by millions and to get away from single crewing they need 350 staff. The head of St John Peter Bradley is working on a funding review report which will be released in the middle of the year.

In my book there is no way any ambulance in New Zealand should ever be single crewed. You need someone to drive and someone to care for the patient. Frankly it’s outrageous. The ambulance is the primary caregiver in an emergency. The first at the scene. The first to give attention. We talk about the golden hour after an event. There is no care if the paramedic is busy driving and not caring.

The question is how do we pay for it. More user pays? There’s conjecture that an ambulance trip might go up to $150. Is that a small price to pay to have your life saved or is it too much for too many in our society?

Should we all be forced to pay a levy the same way we do for ACC?

Or should the government 100 percent fund the ambulances?