Local Bodies

The Government's National Energy Strategy  differs little from the shocking draft that was released prematurely, fossil fuels remain prominent in the strategy and it even spends time promoting the value of such resources. While it has to be accepted our reliance on oil and coal can't be totally ignored a weaning process should be an important part of any strategy and this document appears to ignore this. There is a deliberate drive to exploit our carbon based resources to the maximum and make as much profit as possible while the going is good.  "The Government wants New Zealand to be a highly attractive global destination for petroleum exploration and production investment so we can develop the full potential of our petroleum resources." While all the content on energy efficiencies, energy conservation and promoting alternatives exists,  it really does appear as if they were things that "politically" should be mentioned but the key strategy is elsewhere....

The Minister of Education, Anne Tolley, was in Invercargill today and was visiting the school where I currently teach special needs children on a part time basis. I had hoped to pass on an open letter on behalf of Invercargill primary principals voicing concern at the flawed nature of the National Standards. Unfortunately the Board decided they did not want any political statement made during the Minister's visit to my school and I was not able to pass on their letter in person. 12 out of the possible 13 Invercargill primary principal's signed the letter. 30 August 2011 Open Letter to the Minister of Education, Hon Anne Tolley Invercargill schools express their concern about the National Standards system Minister, Invercargill has a proud tradition in providing quality public education for our children. We come from a city that has learned not to rely on support from further north and to become an independent community that respon...

Richard Wilkinson did not sell his book well on Q&A and highlights the point that scientists and researchers are not necessarily the best promoters of their work and in this age of informercials its not about the quality of the goods but the quality of the sales pitch. The panel responding to Wilkinson's interview did not appear to have read the book or give it much thought and on the whole were very dismissive of his conclusions. I can not see how you can really argue that Wilkinson and Pickett's research does not have a sound basis in fact. All the developed nations that have unequal societies suffer a range of negative consequences: Lack of trust for others in their communities and a drop in perceptions of personal safety. Higher levels of drug use and poor mental health. Deteriorating levels of health (obesity, third world health issues reoccurring). Growing disparity in educational achievement. Higher levels of teenage pregnancies Growing levels of vio...

The sun was shining and the bagpipes sang as the gowned graduates pranced (marched seems a too regimented verb to describe their progress) their way along George Street towards the Town Hall where they were to be capped. Watching the parade in Dunedin today made me think of all the talented young people we have coming out of our Universities, ready to engage in futures full of promise and possibilities... ...but this National Government is a wrecker of futures and a dasher of dreams. Rather than embrace the talent and skills of our young graduates and use them to help shape and create a sustainable and exciting future they are turning to the fuels and philosophies of a previous era. More and more New Zealand is becoming a modern embodiment of the industrial revolution. Our farms and factories are focussed on wringing huge profits from the "white gold", with lignite powering the factories and effluent flowing steadily into our waterways. Profit, progress and export markets ...

After watching the "Campbell Live" item about the mother who couldn't access financial support for caring for her disabled son (non family carers are supported), it made me realize even more the sort of society we have become. Despite the value they provide in human and economic terms, caregivers languish at the very bottom of the employment spectrum. I would like to tell you about three amazing women I know whose contribution to society is probably greater than your average financial advisor and yet their collective pay would probably be many times less (I have obviously changed their names). Heather worked for many years as a carer in a rest home. She was well regarded for her work ethic and the  empathy she had for the residents. Heather was able to appreciate the importance of treating the elderly in her care with respect and even if they suffered from dementia she gave recognition to the people they once were. She loved her job and was valued for her wide ranging ...

In the latest Listener Jane Clifton reveals the extent of her journalistic impartiality. The following statements   from her column are gobsmacking (using her own description of teacher's actions): "Whatever one's view of the national standards system in primary schools, it is the Government's policy. Teachers are the Government's employees, so they must implement it." "That a quarter of schools are failing - either through competence or in defiance - to implement national standards is gobsmacking." "It's clear that teacher unions want to be the ultimate arbiter of educational methods and standards, over the heads of parents and voters. Jane also calls NZEI Te Riu Roa's TV commercials "expensively sanctimonious". My reply: The Editor Listener New Zealand’s education system is ranked by most international assessments in the top five in the world. Countries that achieve above us do not have the same disparities of...

(image from http://www.theawarenessparty.com/?page_id=2195) One in five New Zealand children is living in poverty. Māori and Pasifika children are disproportionately represented in these statistics. The income gap in New Zealand – the difference between high and low or no incomes – is the sixth most unequal of 23 rich countries (Wilkinson & Pickett, 2009) In New Zealand we are lucky to have very few cases of absolute poverty – a complete lack of basic human needs. Unfortunately, for some time now relative poverty – the condition of having fewer resources or less income than others within a society or country, or compared to worldwide averages – is on the rise. The statistics tell us that the proportion of children living in hardship in New Zealand (defined as below 60% of median household income after housing costs) fell from 26% to 19% between 2004 and 2008 (Perry, 2010). However, hardship rates for sole parent beneficiary families remained steady at around 55% and since 200...