Reg Dempster, Albany
Sex-ed in schools
How refreshing it was to hear Minister of Education Erica Stanford announcing a new and insightful policy on our young people’s sex education programmes in schools.
She demonstrated an intelligent but genuinely consultative approach for a parent-school integrated approach. She deserves our fullest support.
Larry Mitchell, Rothesay Bay
‘Pregnant people’
Kudos to Associate Health Minister Casey Costello for directing Health New Zealand to use clear language when communicating about health issues.
That women were being referred to as “pregnant people”, “people with a cervix”, or “individuals capable of childbearing” was a nonsense.
It’s amazing Minister Costello would need to say: “Only women and people of the female sex can get pregnant and birth a child no matter how they identify”.
Minister Costello’s directive and comments are very timely, as the draft framework for the teaching of relationships and sexuality education for children is now available for feedback from the community.
Hopefully, the undisputed fact that it’s a woman who gets pregnant and births a child is included in the new curriculum, and the biological differences in reproductive organs and processes between males and females are taught.
Lorraine Kidd, Warkworth
McIlroy’s triumph
I’m not a huge fan or follower of golf, but it was great to see some tears of joy from Rory McIlroy after his [US Masters] victory.
In a world so full of tears of sorrow, it was very uplifting. His emotions ran wild, after all his close, but no cigar finishes over the years. A well-deserved win and a wonderful change for news watchers and readers.
Jeremy Coleman, Hillpark
Christchurch’s stadium
It is ironic a city called Christchurch can afford to spend $683 million on a sports stadium but cannot afford to spend about $100m on restoring its cathedral. Presumably, the city fathers are expecting more prayers at the stadium than they are at the cathedral.
Nick Hamilton, Remuera
Green transport
There can be no doubt electric cars are environmentally friendly if the electricity is green, so that debate is over. However, I do wonder when someone will invent an electric 40-tonne articulated lorry so that our supermarkets can be provisioned without massive carbon emissions.
Ian Pashby, Montsenelle, France
Offensive billboards?
There have been complaints to the Advertising Standards Authority about billboards which uses words spoken by a Green Party MP.
Does this mean they, too, find what they say about defunding the police ridiculous?
Only the Greens could be offended by someone using what they said against them. There is no misinformation or anything offensive in what is on these billboards. The words used are word for word what a Green MP has said. Perhaps if they find these offensive, they should start thinking about what they say before they say it.
Just because you are offended, it doesn’t mean you are right.
Mark Young, Orewa
Trump’s wealthy friends
It is deeply concerning to see Donald Trump openly congratulating his wealthy friends for the millions — and sometimes billions — they have made by exploiting stock market downturns.
Buying low and profiting from eventual rebounds may be a clever financial strategy, but it is one that only the already wealthy can afford to pursue without risking their livelihoods.
The average American, living paycheck to paycheck, simply does not have the resources to participate in such market manipulation. Yet Trump continues to champion policies that favour the rich, while middle and lower class citizens bear the brunt of the consequences.
High inflation is almost inevitable under his misguided economic approach, and still, so many Americans from working-class backgrounds continue to support him. Why can’t more people see through the illusion he presents?
It is baffling that the very people most likely to suffer under another Trump administration are the ones keeping his political hopes alive. The mind boggles at this ongoing disconnect.
Alan Walker, St Heliers
