A well-qualified teacher had had enough. Photo / 123RF
Teachers have had enough
“I’m handing in my notice,” said a young friend of mine, “and if I say it aloud I will have to follow it through!” Having been kicked for the last time, this well-qualified teacher had had enough. It’s not just the heavy workload, but the classroom dramas that play out; disruptive youngsters with often violent/physical force. There was once a satellite class to manage these children, taught by specially trained teachers. When funding was no longer available these children became part of the classroom. I understood her dilemma, knew her love for teaching, but not worth the undermining of her humanity. The calling out of politicians and their slogans by past president of NZEI Liam Rutherford should remind us that education for [politicians] is all about parental votes; never does it support those at the chalkface, or amend the dreadful mistakes made in the past.
Emma Mackintosh, Birkenhead.
Rights and responsibilities
Surely David Parker can’t be serious when he states that a crackdown on those who commit ram raids is inconsistent with the Bill of Rights Act, but if he is, then it’s definitely time for a change. If anyone commits this sort of criminal activity then they do not deserve any rights and the full force of the law needs to be applied, without exception. Age should be no excuse or mitigating factor.
Paul Beck, Auckland.
Youthful indulgence
The youth tell me that at 16, they are as capable as an 18-year-old when it comes to voting and decision making. Yet my 14-year-old daughter was smarter than most 16-year-old males, so why not 14-year-olds voting? What makes 16 so much better than 14? I mean, during a recession, will a 16-year-old lose their job, have a bank foreclosure on their house mortgage or be kicked out of a flat? Will a 16-year-old go to prison for crime a 14-year-old could get off with? My under-18 children never had to experience the responsibility of being an adult, and that probably applies to 98 per cent of youth. In fact, more over 18 are living at home under mum and dad’s care. If anything, we should be upping the voting age.
Randel Case, Buckland Beach.
Well qualified
NCEA is, and always has been, internationally recognised. Countries with which we might compare ourselves recognise each other’s qualifications. Fellow students of my daughters went to top ranking universities overseas on the strength of their NCEA and scholarship results. Your correspondent (NZ Herald, August 30) has simplistic “solutions” to complex problems. At election times I am reminded of a comedian who, back in the 1990s or thereabouts, promoted his “Pull Yourself Together Party”.
Judy Lawry, Pukekohe
In detention
All political parties have jumped on the law and order band wagon but nowhere do we see the promise to build more prisons and juvenile detention centres. If they are to deliver on more strict law and order, more detention centres will be required and take time and money to construct. We can’t continue with the current weak sentencing and home detention as it obviously doesn’t work. Detention has its faults but until someone comes up with a better idea it will have to do.
Jock MacVicar, Hauraki.
Bailed up
Robert Fisher, KC (NZ Herald, August 29) gave us an insight into the complexity of sentencing offenders. It would, however, also have been interesting if the former High Court Judge had explained why so many violent offenders are in the community on electronic bail. It’s disquieting enough how unsafe New Zealand has become with the rise in crime, without now being told there are 50 offenders on electronic bail for homicide offences and numerous offenders accused of other violent crimes — robbery, kidnapping, and sexual assault. Perhaps Fisher could write another comment explaining the justification for this.
Lorraine Kidd, Warkworth.
Give them a brake
I wonder why Chris Hipkins has written off the chance to work with NZ First? He is clearly not a student of recent history. The Labour Party reached enormous heights in popularity during their 2017-2020 term winning the 2020 election by a landslide. I would say Winston’s influence was part of that success as their second term has been a wild ride of fast moving change likely to result in their downfall. Perhaps Chippy should re-think the value of a hand-brake.
Nick Rowe, Greenlane.
Off the ball
Basketball is the second biggest participation sport in the world. NZ qualified for the World Cup 2023. The coverage on TV for our national men’s basketball team is pathetic. Compare coverage for other sports, nowhere in the same league on the world sports stage. Where was any preliminary information before the event? Where was the information about our draw? where was the “expert” talking about our team’s chances? The one person covering the event seemed to know little of the sport and after the first game spent more time with the opposition coach. What about our team? Incredibly disappointed the world’s second biggest sport got almost no hype/coverage when our team has qualified for the event.
David Fortune, Te Anau.
Rising water
It is bad enough our rates are being increased at more than the rate of inflation, but now Watercare have increased their charges. My account this month is $40 more than the previous month. The Council Controlled Organisations are out of control; it’s time for the mayor to show some leadership.
Donald Anderson, Papatoetoe.
Food for thought
I think if a person was serious about their health, GST wouldn’t make any difference. I have always picked out fruit and vegetables then budgeted the rest of my weekly allocation towards the rest of my groceries. I’ve seen customers fill their trollies with biscuits, cakes and potato chips and not a piece of greenery in sight. For the price of unhealthy food they could have purchased some of the more wholesome food. Would these people buy freshly grown products for a slightly lowered price?
Ailsa Martin-Buss, Glendowie.
Budget advice
I am awaiting Christopher Luxon’s pre-election budget. It is very worrying: he plans to make New Zealand great again by decreasing taxes, avoiding capital gains tax, still not taxing charities and churches, generally appearing to pull a rabbit from under his hat. At this stage the election appears to be his, but he may be able to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, if it becomes obvious that he is just talking trash. We have problems, especially with education and hospitals, that need more money spent, hopefully wisely.
Neville Cameron, Coromandel.
Ferry disturbing
Recent cuts to Fullers harbour ferry services are a clear lesson not to privatise public services. Private profit-taking and providing a public service are mutually exclusive. Using lack of staff and vessels as a reason, Fullers has backed out of servicing the least profitable routes like Northcote, Birkenhead and Coromandel. Instead they have miraculously kept running the very lucrative Waiheke and Devonport routes, and hiked the fares. The previous National Government exempted Fullers from network control on these two routes so they could carve them off. Now Auckland Transport has to step in and spend nearly $100 million building new electric ferries and refurbishing older Fullers ferries to keep a proper harbour ferry service going, and plan for the future. Meanwhile Fullers 360 keep squeezing profits from the harbour’s two most popular ferry routes. The ratepayers and taxpayers now pick up the cost of running the rest of the ferry service. Why don’t we own our own ferry service and AT run it as a non-profit public service? Then the popular routes could subsidise the less popular routes without the price gouging by a private operator intervening.
Jeff Hayward, Waterloo Quadrant.
First, laugh
To start the day with a laugh, it’s the NZ Herald cartoon to which I turn first. This morning over my rolled oats and bran flakes, was no exception, I roared with laughter at Rod Emmerson’s brilliant cartoon. What a cracker! Thank you Rod Emmerson, your cartoon’s on my fridge to laugh at and enjoy. You made my day.
Barbara N. Barwick, Whataupoko.
On National
I am confident that, should National win the upcoming election, they will effectively be the lead player in what the Labour Party has stated will be the coalition of cuts. Hopefully they will be — by cutting wasteful spending, cutting truancy rates, cutting crime, cutting bureaucracy, cutting taxes and cutting a multitude of other policies that Labour has introduced over the past six years. Mike Baker, Tauranga.
On chaos
The Prime Minister stated that if there was a coalition of National, Act and NZ First, it would “be a coalition of chaos”. He would know. He’s had first-hand experience being in a chaotic coalition with NZ First. Janet Boyle, Orewa.
On World Cup
Taking a peashooter to a gun fight is not a good idea. Taking a team lacking power forwards to a World Cup does not look promising either. Larry Mitchell, Rothesay Bay.
On Tamaki
In the New Testament, the Bible tells us to beware of false prophets. Tamaki — you have been warned! Peter Patten, Albany.
On fried chicken
Do we really need another fast food chicken outlet? Aren’t we already fat enough on fast food? John Ford, Taradale.
Liam Dann: National’s tax plan looks like a vote-winner
Many households run a budget across a fortnight. So $250/household/fortnight is easy for most to comprehend, and is a good chunk along those lines. Now watch Labour continue to talk about National’s plan per week and per person, to make the numbers appear smaller. Mark Y
It’s a good start. Well communicated at the press release. Nicola knows the numbers. Kerry H
Is this just the Act Party policy republished under a blue letter head? Looks like they’re getting their ducks in a line ahead of coalition talks, which already puts them streets ahead of the last lot. Roy H
Disappointed. Not much in it for our squeezed-middle family. We were expecting something much bolder. Whatever happened to the supply-side economic policies of previous National governments? John M
Be prepared to pay more for state services that are currently subsidised or free. The inequality gap will now grow further. How will this address the growing crime rate that National has been harping on about? Anil C
Anything marginally better then the storm Labour have created is going to look heroic at the moment. Colin P
They allege the Crown ignored Treaty obligations by not engaging with them.