NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather forecasts

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
    • The Great NZ Road Trip
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
    • Cooking the Books
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • What the Actual
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / New Zealand

<i>Deborah Coddington:</i> Figureheads in spotlight suffer a gratitude problem

Herald on Sunday
5 Dec, 2009 03:00 PM4 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Dan Carter is sorry he high-tackled. Photo / Getty Images

Dan Carter is sorry he high-tackled. Photo / Getty Images

Opinion by

Everybody's saying sorry, but hardly anyone says thank you any more.

Air New Zealand is sorry for crashing TE901 into Erebus then treating the victims' families so shoddily. It may have been a case of selective reporting, and I seldom watch One News (the state-owned broadcaster had exclusive coverage) but I didn't hear anyone express deep gratitude to Rob Fyfe or Air New Zealand for taking the trouble to try and assuage the pain. In all the interviews about the 30-year memorial services and trip to Antarctica there was much criticism of the airline for doing too little, too late.

Hone Harawira's sorry for sending naughty emails about getting caught wagging official duties on a Speaker's tour. Rodney Hide's very, very, very sorry he let down everyone from the Prime Minister, to his party, to his high principles - gosh, even his bicycle tyres if it meant more media coverage. Yet nary a thank you from either bovver boy for our hard-earned taxes which paid for their holidays.

Witi Ihimaera's sorry he pinched some prose. Dan Carter's sorry he high tackled.

Sorry is the celebrity's metaphorical shovel-and-little-broom for public stuff-ups - sweep up the mess and toss it in the dustbin, quickly, so we can all get on with business in hand.

Not that I don't admire a genuine apology, but why doesn't anyone say thank you?

Academics can argue whichever way they like about Ihimaera's writing, but if you copy someone else's work without acknowledgment it's plagiarism, and that's theft. Doesn't matter if it's a little or a lot, it's still thieving. I know if I wrote a novel and stole stuff, nobody at Auckland University would give me the magic carpet ride they've afforded Ihimaera. But at least Witi could say thank you to those whose work he "loved" so much.

And what about poor Steve Braunias? He wrote a book about bird watching which inspired the television series Birdland, and the producer allegedly didn't even thank Braunias in the credits. As Braunias said, "Never mind. That's television."

Maybe some people aren't taught when they're little that thank you is a magic password. Rude people, who think they are being polite because they say, "Excuse me" as they push you out of their way, would achieve a lot more in their lives if they were a bit more generous with their speech and said, "Excuse me please".

I wouldn't blame truckies for erupting in road rage at most drivers these days. I've rarely encountered, on my frequent trips over the Rimutaka Hill, a big rig that doesn't pull over and let me pass, but do other cars toot their thanks? Very seldom. This once common courtesy has almost disappeared.

Lawyer Gary Gotlieb was interviewed on his cellphone last week about legal aid rip-offs. Gotlieb blamed it on Richard Prebble.

It didn't occur to Gotlieb to give thanks for reforms undertaken by the Preb, meaning he could stand on a street in Timaru and pontificate into a cellphone. Twenty-five years ago Gotlieb would have been stuck in his office with a regulation Post Office-owned, land-line, dial-up telephone.

If I sound bitter this week, it's because I am. I didn't want to write a column. Flat tax, catching Australia, plagiarism - it all seems so trivial. On Monday morning a good woman, as beautiful as the peonies she grew, died of cancer. Louise St John was a published poet, who divided her time between Melbourne and Martinborough, and grew peonies at Ponatahi.

Louise's brave spirit fought until the end. I'm thankful I knew her as a friend.

- HERALD ON SUNDAY

Discover more

New Zealand|politics

Hide's apology fails to satisfy public

08 Nov 09:00 PM
All Blacks

All Blacks demand consistency after Carter ban

10 Nov 09:09 PM
New Zealand

Ihimaera row should be taken seriously - CK Stead

18 Nov 09:04 PM
New Zealand

Emotions flow as NZ pays homage

28 Nov 03:00 PM
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Save

    Share this article

Latest from New Zealand

Kahu

'Our mana motuhake': RSA club breaks away over Treaty of Waitangi

13 May 12:18 AM
New Zealand

'You ran away and left her to die:' Anger as teen sentenced for setting fatal fire

13 May 12:16 AM
Politics

‘Lies’: Luxon on attack as Hipkins claims PM ‘taking money out of women’s pay packets’

13 May 12:03 AM

One tiny baby’s fight to survive

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from New Zealand

'Our mana motuhake': RSA club breaks away over Treaty of Waitangi

'Our mana motuhake': RSA club breaks away over Treaty of Waitangi

13 May 12:18 AM

A small club has taken issue with the organisation's new constitution.

'You ran away and left her to die:' Anger as teen sentenced for setting fatal fire

'You ran away and left her to die:' Anger as teen sentenced for setting fatal fire

13 May 12:16 AM
‘Lies’: Luxon on attack as Hipkins claims PM ‘taking money out of women’s pay packets’

‘Lies’: Luxon on attack as Hipkins claims PM ‘taking money out of women’s pay packets’

13 May 12:03 AM
Aged care facility trials reusable underwear to reduce 4000kg of waste

Aged care facility trials reusable underwear to reduce 4000kg of waste

12 May 11:58 PM
Connected workers are safer workers 
sponsored

Connected workers are safer workers 

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • What the Actual
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven CarGuide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP