It’s time for the Government to step in. Defending academic freedom and free speech means that the Government must enforce “the rules of the game”; not participate in the contest of ideas itself, but ensure that no one is excluded simply by virtue of the belief they hold.
In the United Kingdom, Canada, and elsewhere, the Government has intervened to ensure that academics, not universities, have their right to academic freedom protected, and as such are able to perform their role of “critic and conscience of society”.
We are pleased to support these thousands of Kiwis as they call on the Government to take action to enable a new generation of students and scholars that is free to challenge the universally accepted, consider the unthinkable, and develop new knowledge for the benefit of all Kiwis.
Jonathan Ayling, Free Speech Union chief executive
Where in trust deed?
Re: Two new members appointed to Trust Tairāwhiti board, July 2 story.
The deputy mayor is reported in your newspaper as saying the new Trust Tairāwhiti trustees “will bring a significant contribution to the trust’s governance table to support commercial, economic, social and Māori outcomes”. Could our elected politician tell us which objective of the trust, as set out in the founding deed, refers to “social and Māori outcomes”?
G Webb
Remember ring road ...
Re Grey St. The council should take notice of the past. A ring road was almost forced on Gisborne people by the then council in the late 1980s.
The public got up in arms over this and the project was dropped, but it ended up that the mayor and a councillor lost their seats.
PJ Corrin
Traffic and people jam
I am getting older and not so spritely. When taking the grandchildren to the skate park or the pump track, I now have to park way the heck down the road or in another street. We then walk twice or more the distance to get them to the pump track, hoping all the way that no one has smashed the one and only seat - as has happened before - or I will be sitting on the ground to watch the children.
This is not pedestrian-friendly, as far as I can see.
As for me taking them to the skate park. There is no way Nanny can sit in the car and watch the grandies play, and be available to help when needed, unless I take my canvas chair with me and my first aid kit from the car in a big old bag - another thing or two to lug along with drinks, jackets etc.
There are so many other nannies and mums with the same problem.
The council has turned our nice, easy-to-use street into an inner-city traffic jam and people jam.
I agree with Trish Atkins, it is an accident waiting to happen.
As for making the silly mistake of driving from the doctor’s down Kahutia St to get home - well, I ended up going to the beach instead.
So, guess what drivers do when they get trapped? A U-turn is the only answer.
A Bingham
Danger signs needed
Re: Grey St now a place to be avoided, July 3 letter.
I tried cycling it again the other night after a couple of swift ciders at the brewery ... It made no more sense then ... It needs danger signs at either end.
Iain Boyle
A sheepish reply
The late Bob Norman - ex-Ministry of Works commissioner, notable engineer and raconteur - addressed 50 new engineering cadets, myself included, back in 1970.
Bob told the tale of an East Coast stock drover who said, “I’ve been everywhere man, from the top of the North, to the bottom of the South”.
Quick as a flash, Bob responded, “But how did you cross the Cook Strait?”
To which the drover sheepishly replied, “Oh, we didn’t go that way”.
The moral of this story is for the Government to get their act together, and get those Cook Strait ferries sorted, quickly.
Ihaka Morete
Strange, selfish opinions
Re: Forest & Bird at forefront of anti-progress league, July 3 letter.
It’s obvious you don’t care about the youth. That you don’t care is evidenced by your frankly insane ramble glorifying gas, gold and coal.
You don’t give a damn about the need for humans to drink clean water, have native trees to help clean the air or the long-term outcomes for fauna that can be found only here.
I wonder what our youth make of your strange and very selfish opinions. You’ll be gone and the young people will be trying to sort out the awful messes people like you are pushing for.
Lara Meyer
