An abandoned state housing block in Auckland's Hillsborough. Photo / Alex Burton
An abandoned state housing block in Auckland's Hillsborough. Photo / Alex Burton
Letters to the Editor
Letter of the week
Ghettoisation of state houses
It is impossible to argue with National’s new policy of selling $2 million state houses in wealthy suburbs to finance building several cheaper houses. It is regrettable, however, that it means the end of the so-called “pepper potting” policy whereby state houses were built in a variety of areas, including wealthy neighbourhoods, in an attempt at social equity. There are many reasons why some people are unable to find rental accommodation in the private sector and must turn to the state. There was a University of Auckland masters student study during the 1990s that showed Pacific people faced discrimination from rental agencies. Others tell of not mentioning they have children until after the tenancy agreement is signed. The ghettoisation of state houses may be for practical reasons, but it is another blow to the fast-fading Kiwi ideal of an egalitarian society.
A three-year parliamentary term is far too short for any long-term solutions. Once elected knowing the time is limited they tend to focus on what current fad will keep them in office so we end up with patch-up policies for now. They hardly get started before a change of government results in them being postponed or cancelled altogether. On that basis, the parliamentary term should be a minimum of not just four but five years.
Erica Standford has limited teacher-only days to four a year. Excellent. When public holidays happen on a Tuesday or Thursday perhaps the Monday or Friday will be teacher-only days. Attendance will be positive, parents will be not guilty of condoning, or aiding and abetting, truancy, and any perceived inconvenience will not, supposedly, affect anyone.
There are some who will protest on Waitangi because that is all they know. This is the most disappointing aspect of our national day. There was some media balance outlining positive celebrations elsewhere which has to be acknowledged. No one would dispute that things could have been done better; the context is that 1840 was a different time, and a long time ago. There has been redress. Some will never accept that redress, and that is disappointing.
John Ford, Taradale.
Youth unemployment
”Youth unemployment hits 23%” (February 6) should have been the headline on page one this week. Almost one in four youth are jobless! While one could point a finger at the Covid pandemic for the poor school attendance over the past three to four years, the more troubling reason is that there is insufficient alignment between educational curricula and labour market demands, making those school leavers unemployable. How could New Zealand, once held up as a shining example of good schools – both private and state schools - have plummeted into a situation where some school leavers cannot read or write? In 2017, when Chris Hipkins became Minister of Education, he moved the emphasis away from key subjects like mathematics and science and the ability to read and write in English. By September 2022 Hipkins realised that he had a problem. Poor educational standards were leading to unemployment and a rising crime rate. His answer after five years in power was to commit $53 million to a programme for at-risk youth called “Better Pathways” to prevent youth from reoffending. And he has the nerve to criticise “boot camps” and charter schools!
It was good to see your editorial (February 5) regarding Western Springs speedway. The issue should be of concern to the wider public, as well as speedway supporters, because of the lack of proper consultation and due process undertaken, which must be the basis for correct local governance. In a recent comment on Prime Minister Luxon’s call for “say yes, not no” in regard to more concerts at Eden Park, Mayor Wayne Brown said we cannot just do that, we need to follow proper democratic process. So I would say to him, please do the same in regard to Western Springs, and have this situation properly reviewed.
Alan Smail, Murrays Bay.
Disrespect to Waitangi
While for whatever reason our Prime Minister chose not to attend Te Tiriti o Waitangi celebrations at Waitangi this year, it is disgraceful that our governor-general, Dame Cindy Kiro, chose to accompany Luxon to Akaroa instead of staying at Waitangi on Thursday. Surely, as the Crown’s representative in Aotearoa New Zealand, it is incumbent upon her to attend the ceremony at the Treaty grounds? This should be regarded as the most significant event of the year for our country’s calendar. It was disrespectful enough that the Prime Minster felt he wanted to be somewhere else, possibly to avoid protests, but for the two highest appointed representatives of our nation to ignore the event at the place of its genesis is beyond contempt. We expect much better from them. If, however, Luxon invited Dame Cindy to join him at Akaroa so he could offer his resignation as Prime Minister away from public scrutiny, I’m sure her non-attendance at Waitangi would be forgiven.
Jeremy Coleman, Hillpark.
Lessons from school lunches
David Williams’ article (February 5) reveals that parents were asked to pack extra food for their children because new school meals didn’t turn up or were regarded as too small. A mum in Taupō made her children homemade lunches after finding out that there were delivery problems with the school lunches.
It would appear that in these two cases the parents took the initiative to provide food for their children only because they had to, not because they couldn’t. Shouldn’t this be the case for all parents to provide for their children and not the state?
Then there was the case of lunches for students with special dietary needs not arriving. Why would a parent let an outside organisation cater for their children’s special dietary needs? What if they got it wrong?
School staff have noticed that lunches are “quite small” and suggested that parents pack extra food for their children. It begs the question, why can’t parents just spend an extra couple of minutes every day to make their own children’s lunches?
Compass Group, the company in charge of the school lunch programme, admits teething problems but that Paul Harvey, the managing director, “is committed to supporting students’ education through the Healthy School Lunches Programme”. Perhaps student education would be better served if parents taught their own offspring how to make a sandwich rather than having outside organisations do it for them?
Bernard Walker, Mt Maunganui.
Trump flooding the zone
Sharp as a tack one might say about Washington Post contributor Aaron Blake with his analysis of Donald Trump (February 7). He looks at the wider picture as Trump ‘floods the zone’, forcing the media and politicians to keep up. We know Trump to be bombastic, full of his own importance and unfeathered by restrictions, but the irony for me is what is slipping through unchallenged, things which make sense, even a future gain. The first was his immediate closing of the borders and threats to Mexico and Canada, forcing their responsibility. This is a forward stance that all countries are going to have to take seriously. With many scientists saying there is no going back to stop the planet heating, unliveable conditions will worsen, forcing billions of people to move. Hard decisions need to be made on how to help, but, hard as it is, overcrowding countries will not work.
Secondly, Trump has, ironically, done a great kindness to sporting women everywhere. No one minds a fair competition, but allowing transgender women to be accepted as a participant and expect shared conveniences along the way is taking fairness too far. All of a sudden women lose.
Whether he’s aware of this massive contribution he has made, or not, it doesn’t matter. It needed to change and, in all his pomposity, he’s done it.
Emma Mackintosh, Birkenhead.
Jesus was woke
Jesus was woke. Being woke, according to one definition, is “being aware and actively attentive to societal facts and issues, especially those related to racial and social justice”. That’s where Jesus stood and I’m proud to be woke standing alongside him and in opposition to David Seymour, Winston Peters, Shane Jones, President Donald Trump, and some writers to the Herald.
Mervyn Dine, Northcote.
Comedian Guy Williams, far right, joined the media and questioned Act leader David Seymour at Waitangi this week.
Quick word
Health New Zealand’s outgoing chief executive was trying to do the impossible - restructuring, cutting costs, and reducing waiting lists at the same time was a recipe for disaster. I hope that wiser heads will prevail the next time around. Let’s not do the same and expect different results.
Kushlan Sugathapala, Auckland.
Fabulous to read Christopher Reive’s story (February 7) on the collaboration between the All Blacks and Sail GP thinking to exchange knowledge about how to be/get better. Could this elite sports think tank please spare some time to meet with the New Zealand Government? We would all appreciate the help.
Gary Carter, Gulf Harbour.
David Seymour follows Donald Trump in denigrating a valiant senior clergywoman who dares to speak truth to power.
The resemblance does not end there.
Peter Beyer, Sandringham.
Why should banks have to consider ethics or morals in their decision-making? Or businesses in general? Or governments, for that matter? Profit-making and economic growth is the law of the world and should always have priority.
B Darragh, Auckland Central.
The life of a politician is not easy, as Winston Churchill said they need the ability to foretell what is going to happen tomorrow, next week, next month. And to have the ability to explain why it didn’t happen. I rest my case.
Reg Dempster, Albany.
After failing to best David Seymour in stand-up comedy at Waitangi, Guy Williams can now add “former funnyman” to his patchy resumé.
