Teacher strikes highlighted working conditions as much as pay levels being found wanting. File photo / Rebecca Mauger
Part of the deal the teachers were seeking was a reduction in paperwork, which often took up their own, after hours, time. While the pay parity side was addressed, what about the work load?
This kind of paperwork expectation is a nightmare in other professions too, in an endeavour
to dot the i's and cross the t's so that government departments and other authorities are happy, on paper at least, we are all doing the right thing.
My point is this, and I'm sure I speak for many: Allow professionals to cut down on paperwork, and let us focus on our "charges" and put time and energy to where it counts most. You cannot beat quality one-on-one care where it is warranted.
Margaret Dyer, Taupō.
I voted Leave in the Brexit referendum and object to being accused of delusions of grandeur for doing so (NZ Herald, June 18).
For some 60 years, the EU had been allowed covertly to encroach on every aspect of the life of its ordinary citizens to their cost but certainly not their advantage. Most recently, this became clear by the abortive attempt to introduce a constitution for the EU that would bind Britain and pave the way for the creation of the United States of Europe, an aim admitted to by the EU's senior politicians. Britain would be little more than Oklahoma or Virginia with arguably less say in its affairs.
Further, the current chaos in Britain is not the fault of the British people. It is the fault firstly, of the government, whose first act on gaining office was to try to get Parliament to agree on a deal that would place Britain in roughly the same position as it is in now but with no say rather than accept the referendum results and use the two years before departure to renegotiate its position with the Commonwealth, the rest of the world including Europe.
Secondly, it is the fault of groups of opportunist politicians using Brexit to gain political advantage for their particular personal causes. That is why Britain is in the state it is in.
To understand who to blame, listen to Boris Johnstone who is now stating as his policy to do for the people what his predecessor should have done three years ago.
Gerald Payman, Mt Albert.
I have many friends in the UK and some of them who voted to remain in the EU have now changed their minds and support Brexit. This is in no small part due to the unbridled arrogance of the masters in Brussels. These tyrannical bureaucrats are so incensed by Brexit and the subsequent loss of revenue they are intent on punishing the UK, hence the demand for 39 billion pounds as a divorce settlement. This also sends a warning to other EU countries who may be thinking of leaving.
The UK paid £13b ($26 billion) to the EU in 2017 and only received £4b in expenditure. This is the reason people in Britain do not like it. It is a rip off. Why should Britain pay to prop up failing economies in Europe when they need the money at home?
I wonder if Denis Horne (NZ Herald, June 18) would like New Zealand to lose its sovereignty to Australia and be bullied and dictated to by people we have never heard of? I doubt many Kiwis would put up with that.
As for the young, they just want visa-free travel to Europe. Well, they can get a visa like the rest of us.
Diane Anderson, Sunnynook.
The "gift" of 5000sq m of open space next to Auckland's Town Hall has completely been glossed over by Simon Wison in his article (NZ Herald, June 14) referred to by Coralie van Camp (NZ Herald, June 18).
This land would have a conservative value of more than $50 million.
Panuku, the Auckland Council's property arm, knows full well how its value will soar once the adjacent rail station opens.
Yet, due to the incomentency of all of those dealing with this vital CBD uptown project, we ratepayers are left feeling mistrust with each and every land transaction this current council is pursuing.
We in Takapuna are very protective of our 5000sq m of open space at 40 Anzac St.
Will that too become a gift for a lucky developer?
Jan O'Connor, Hauraki.
I wonder what future generations of Aucklanders will think about all the CBD public land sold to private interests in the past couple of decades? To me, and I suspect many others, the former CAB is ugly - reminiscent of USSR architecture in fact, and a sentimental memory is no excuse for what is proposed. Dynamite the monstrosity and build something beautiful like real world-class cities do!
Yours faithfully,
Juliet Leigh, Point Chevalier.
Foreign corporates, with our government's blessing, are taking over our export industries.
The new Government's forestry scheme is overseeing the loss of land, and long-term export rights, to offshore investors.
The New Zealand dairy industry has competing offshore corporates, building processing factories annually. This erosion long term is not sustainable. This becomes a double-edged sword because Fonterra is self-destructing as well.
Global warming will force governments of the world to decelerate tourism, New Zealand included.
These three sectors will potentially cripple New Zealand financially.
I would like to suggest that if school children can influence governments, so can adults.
Bruce Rowe, Cambridge.
It is disheartening to see once more, a mother defying Family Court orders and misleading the court to gain an upper hand (NZ Herald, June 18).
What astounds me always is the post-separation behaviour that can only be described as malicious behaviour and again, the enforcement of the order - breached by the mother seems to be fraught with lack of enforcement.
Here is a father who, despite his relationship faltering, takes extraordinary steps to maintain contact with his son, possibly because he loves him unconditionally. That is not a crime.
The judges in this case have recognised the father's intent but continue to be ignored. I find that appalling on every level.
The trauma that results from this mother's behaviour will be lifelong for the child and the father, something which neither of them deserve.
Fathers matter.
John Ford, Taradale.
I'm not one to complain but I've finally cracked. For 50 years now, I've cringed every time I've passed the filthy and demeaning steps of the Old Choral Hall, University of Auckland. These steps occupy a high-profile corner where Grafton Rd and Alfred St meet Symonds St, one of New Zealand's busiest thoroughfares. They clearly belong to a down-at-heel, second-rate city.
Auckland, and your newspaper, welcomes a new vice chancellor to the university, Dr Dawn Freshwater. A new broom sweeps clean, we hope, with lots of soap. Or Stuart McCutcheon, the departing vice chancellor, may toss us a parting gift of a cleaned up and newly tiled corner of his erstwhile domain. He could certainly afford it from his whopping and controversial salary of near on $800,000 per annum.
WD Howard, Pakuranga.
Whilst I feel for those working for Oranga Tamariki, who are making their best efforts for families who come under their care, there remain grievous concerns about the operations of this organisation (NZ Herald, June 18). After 14 expensive reviews ( the 14th deemed to be the final one), little seems to have changed with more families and children than ever being traumatised. The Government must step in to ensure that the millions of dollars poured into this organisation are fully accounted for and spent to ensure more positive and lasting outcomes. New basic goals obviously need to be set, and funding spent on more social workers at the coalface and less administration and yet another review. Oranga Tamariki first must earn back the trust (much of which it seems to have lost) of families whom it comes in contact with.
Marie Kaire, Whangārei.
D Adams claims (NZ Herald, June 19) obesity isn't connected to poverty as obesity didn't exist during the depression or in poor countries. However, Adams fails to recognise that in the depression, there was no such thing as processed food. Processed food with all its salt, sugar, fat and chemical additives is a leading cause of obesity. It also happens to be far cheaper than fresh healthy food.
To add insult to injury, Adams labels those at the bottom end of our socio-economic ladder as lazy for buying takeaways instead of cooking a meal. Ironically, it can often take less time to cook a meal than to get takeaways. Furthermore, a healthy meal for my wife and I costs around $20 while three pizzas for $15 will feed a family of five. It's not "lazy", it is the economics our poor live with. Poverty may not be the sole cause of obesity, but it most certainly is a major contributor.
Kent Millar, Blockhouse Bay.
Please do not keep blaming tourists for the bad driving on New Zealand roads (NZ Herald, June 19), put it down to the frightful driving of New Zealanders. When I arrived 10 years ago, I was so frightened that I have never driven here.
Their manners are totally disgusting, having no regards for road rules. I believe that one sector of the community are the main problem. Until there is tighter supervision, things will not change.
Sheila Sivyer, Pukekohe.
On ANZ
Now we see why John Key was know as the smiling assassin in a former life. I wonder who will get the job now?
Aidan Crabtree, Titirangi.
It's bit rich for Grant Robertson to have a crack at the board of ANZ Bank for not taking responsibility for a staff member's shortcomings when he will not carry the can for the Treasury's Budget fiasco.
Katherine Swift, Kohimarama.
On cannabis
Sensible, restrained recreational use of cannabis could possibly be likened to having a couple of quiet beers or a glass of wine; but we are all painfully aware of the damage that can be done when use deviates from sensible or restrained.
Gary Andrews, Mt Maunganui.
On Trump
President Trump is worried he won't win the 2020 Election. I'm worried he will.
Dennis Fitzgerald, Melbourne.
On banks
While waiting 25 minutes to be served in a High St bank today, I realised just how these pecuniary institutions are able to engineer billion-dollar profits every year.
Jeffrey Langford, Belmont.
It is jolly encouraging to have business leaders Adrian Orr, Kerry McDonald and Sam Stubbs calling for an independent commission of enquiry into the banking sector - but even more satisfying to the public if it were to be funded by the banks themselves.
Mary Tallon, Morningside.
On use-by
The "use by/best before" mafia have really gone overboard when date lines are to be found on cakes of soap and bottles of bleach.
Jackie McCabe, Kaitaia.
They were paid to target a woman embroiled in an alleged international pyramid scheme.