Horizons has been shown to be under-par compared to other councils in New Zealand, says Nelson Lebo.
Horizons has been shown to be under-par compared to other councils in New Zealand, says Nelson Lebo.
Over the years I have been a huge and consistent supporter of Horizons Regional Council, even while others harshly criticised the organisation.
Sadly, the Chronicle front page last week did not come as a surprise to me at all, and I have become a skeptic of the council's ability tofulfil is roles.
Ringing the so-called "pollution hotline" can be an exercise in anything other than what one would probably expect — a prompt response.
Waiting days for someone not to turn up in response to ringing to report pollution, and not even getting a call back, beggar belief from an entity reportedly here to protect the environment.
The excellent article by Laurel Stowell lays out the numbers that show how grossly sub-par HRC is when compared with other councils around the country.
It is understandable that some were disappointed by the dismissal of Cardinal George Pell's appeal by the Supreme Court of Victoria. The issue has divided everyday Australians. However, the biased opinion of the judicial process by Ken Orr cannot go unchallenged.
Comparing Pell's trial to the communist trials paints Ken in a poor light, putting it politely.
"The word of one single accuser, with no witnesses and not a shred of corroborating physical evidence or testimony," Ken writes. The Victorian Legislation Evidence Act 2008 section 164 takes into account that child abuse typically is inflicted in secret, without other evidence, therefore necessitating that the abuser's testimony does not need to be corroborated.
The victim endures a lot of psychological and emotional stress both before and during the trial. In 2014 the other accuser took his own life, and this motivated his friend to tell his story to the police.
George Pell's conviction for child sex offending divided Australians. Photo / AP
Further, police investigation -- not a task force, as Ken states -- commenced in 2013. In 2012 a Victorian State Parliamentary inquiry was established into the handling of abuse by Religious and Other Organisations. Around the same time, the Royal Commission into child abuse by religious and non-religious organisations was commencing.
"It is unbelievable that a jury would convict," Ken writes, without, I assume, being personally in attendance every day during the trial. Pell was represented by a highly qualified and combative QC, Robert Richter. The victim commented after the appeal was dismissed that the criminal process had afforded Pell every opportunity to challenge the charges and to be heard.
In the victim's own words, "I am glad he has had the best legal representation that money can buy. There are lots of checks and balances in the criminal justice system."
You are way out of line with your criticism, Mr Orr. No one won on the 21st, but abuse survivors might feel a bit more confident to come forward.
Mandy Donne-Lee's empty rhetoric is like a child beating a drum with a stick.
When she can give substance to some of her insulting claims: "many scientists are so philosophically and theologically ignorant that they don't even realise — they have these — metaphysical assumptions" by citing their work, and direct quotation, she might command some respect.
Let me remind her, and your readers, of my letter of January 22, 1916, final para, which reads: "It would be interesting to compose a two-column list of the evidential findings of mainstream and creation science that have added to the sum of human knowledge over, let us say, the past 50 years. That should clearly indicate whether one is indeed a viable 'alternative model' to the other".
RUSS HAY Whanganui
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