Just ask Jones
The Government says it has no money available to fund life-saving cancer drugs. A simple solution would be to trim money from some of the big spends like the $1.5 billion regional development fund. The last Government gave Shane Jones $3b to spend on regional development. The money disappeared with virtually nothing to show for it.
I am sure that by trimming money from each of the big spends they could realise the money for the new drugs and regain some credibility with voters.
Jock Mac Vicar, Hauraki.
IRD to the rescue?
The surge in “unclaimed money” managed by Inland Revenue, said to be nearly half a billion dollars, could always go towards cancer victims when the time elapses for that money to be claimed.
Glenn Forsyth, Taupō.
Hypocritical hysteria
Cancer drugs sadly mean life or death for many. Given the hysteria by Labour and some in the media around National not funding cancer drugs, when is someone going to ask the seriously aggrieved Chris Hipkins why as PM he didn’t ensure Labour funded them?
Peter Buckley, Te Kauwhata.
Students missing out
As a special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) in a large Auckland secondary school within an ethnically diverse community, I’m disappointed that the “learning support” promised by the Minister of Education has not materialised into anything tangible for students.
No mention of increasing funding streams such as the Ongoing Resourcing Scheme (ORS), or In Class Support. Where are the benefits for our front-line workers, those teacher aides who draw a minimum hourly wage with no pay in the holidays?
Recent reports from the Education Hub and Education Review Office cite inadequate support in schools for neurodivergent students. This could be rectified if schools were funded properly to hire teacher aides. Qualified SENCos, with the help of the Resource Teachers: Learning and Behaviour Service, can make sure teacher aides are trained to give appropriate assistance to students who need help to learn, interact with their peers and grow their sense of self-efficacy.
Mainstreaming has been part of our educational ethos since the last century. Every parent has the right to enrol their child in the local school, so please can we have governments that fund our learning institutions adequately, so primary and secondary schools and their staff can create learning centres that are engaging, stimulating, welcoming and responsive places for all students and their whānau?
Belinda Kusabs, Massey.
Redeployment mess
How on earth did government departments agree to collective employment agreements requiring them to make every effort to redeploy affected employees on a case-by-case basis? That might work with small numbers of employees but cannot work with large numbers of employees. The impracticability of the whole requirement is beyond comprehension, both for the time such a consultation process would take and also the whole idea that other jobs might be available in an organisation that needs to reduce its head count.
In the case of TVNZ, it appears there are a number of employees who will continue to be paid when their job is no longer there. Is that what is known as Gardening Leave?
Barry Towers, Morrinsville.
Critical research cut
At the time of the Christchurch shooting, the New Zealand public was not allowed to have access to the killer’s statement of his reasons. But now I read that a cut in government funds will impact on 26 master’s and PhD scholarships studying causes of terrorism and ways to keep people safe. Something is out of balance here.
John Strevens, Remuera.
Messages for Modi
This is what is called a humiliating win for India’s Narendra Modi. A win, nonetheless, for his followers. There are a few messages in this election for Modi and the BJP. I hope they get them.
S Mohanakrishnan, Auckland.
Rebels’ fate clear
The demise of Melbourne’s Rebels rugby team was entirely foreseeable. As anyone who has spent time in the city will know, Australian Rules football is the only game in town. Crowds of over 100,000 are not uncommon. The empty stands at the Rebels’ home games signalled the struggle Victorian rugby promoters faced. It’s just pushing it uphill both now and in the future.
Larry Mitchell, Rothesay Bay.
