Editorial: Too many hoping for slice of pie

Whether it's something in the water, alignment of the stars, communal genetics, or simply coincidence, Napier has established a unique gathering of people and initiatives knocking away at issues surrounding violence and other crime.

But while it's been around possibly as long as the settlement of the region itself, it may be only over the past few days that some people have seen what's been staring them in the face for years.

Simply, we all have concerns about the tragedies in our society, particularly those involving violence. We all agree life should be a whole lot better.

That is effectively the single strain of events in the area over the weekend and today, as three organisations, all started in Napier, have staged their big events of the year.

On Saturday, the near 30-year-old Napier Pilot City Trust staged its annual meeting and changed its name to Whakakotahitanga CommUnity Solutions.

Just a kilometre away, the Sensible Sentencing Trust, in its 11th year, was staging its annual victims rights conference, gathering together people whose lives have been turned upside down by the homicides and other violence which claimed their loved ones.

Today, the White Heart Trust, formed just last year, holds its Victims Remembrance day, and, interestingly, both of the above groups - often seen as poles apart in their thinking, and in some cases even a little bitter about it - are represented among the speakers.

The more observant of us, those who for example will notice the chemistry between male and female despite denial by either clearly attracted party, may ponder whether Napier is now fostering something which might ultimately lead to some sort of civil union amid this nationwide debate.

For why, if there is no real dispute over who cooks the eggs, should there be so wide, intense, impassioned and even inflamed debate over how they are cooked.

Whichever way it is looked at, the cost of the eggs is a feature, and there seems at times to be many more than are needed, as perhaps evidenced by the fact that there are 380 organisations on Napier City Council's Community A-Z data base.

The point has been made in the past that too many are nibbling from the same pie in their endeavours to stay financially afloat.

They are ultimately fighting the same cause, which is ironic because inequity in financial capability is at the root of the problems they are trying to resolve.