Mental well-being solutions
John Weekes reports (NZ Herald, May 10) on the focus of the mental health of children, capturing the prediction of what influences the mental health of our babies and children. A discussion group and consequential paper are planned.
We are very aware our present system is grossly flawed.
Many will
have heard the words of the Greek philosopher, Aristotle: "Give me a child until he is seven and I will show you the man." Quoted at a time and used as guidance to caring families ever since. Nothing has changed.
Also, I remind the Ministry of Health officials to consult Professor Richie Poulson, leader of the Multidisciplinary Health and Development Research Unit at Otago University, and his 15-year and beyond, longitudinal study on the psychological outcomes of children born within the study catchment years.
But no. Again the Government plans to wastefully hand out what will be millions of taxpayers' dollars to new-age experts, who may well produce material of much less value than that of Professor Poulson and his study colleagues.
Our new-age bureaucrats have the perception of greatness not witnessed over millennia.
E L Bowden, Hamilton.
Ukrainian grain
We have seen Russia attack a sovereign nation, causing an extraordinary amount of damage, bombed schools, hospitals, apartment blocks, etc. They have committed endless war crimes to satisfy a paranoid psychopath.
Their latest effort is to steal food, grain from the Ukraine to feed or sell to their mates in Syria.
As the Europeans and US have enough satellite surveillance to know exactly where these ships will be, why are there not warships arresting these boats carrying stolen goods and dealing with the people involved?
I cannot imagine even Putin would be silly enough to attack European warships in the Mediterranean, recovering stolen goods.
I do wonder how much longer the Europeans and Americans will flinch every time Putin makes a threat.
Nobody wants war except Putin and maybe provoking him to some really stupid action will finally convince some loyal Russians to end his reign.
My grandfather is buried in a war cemetery in France because he stood up for freedom. Seems like we have not learned a lot since.
Paul Hicks, Warkworth.
Home work
The Education Act requires that all children over the age of 6 receive an education to the standard of the New Zealand syllabus.
What provision does the Ministry of Education have to ensure that the requirement is effected in "home-schooling" and religious "schools"?
Clearly, it has failed for years when 6-year-old children are being engaged in "industrial activity" or "religious indoctrination".
J. Billingsley, Parnell.
Reducing prices
Nobody is fooled by supermarkets temporarily lowering prices on selected items. The only thing that will change bad behaviour in the long term is regulation.
Wholesale produce must be made available to small, new, market players, and monopoly behaviour forbidden.
Remember that management of supermarket chains are required by law to maximize returns to their investors.
Expecting supermarkets to permanently lower prices without regulation is ridiculous.
John Caldwell, Howick.
GST exempt
As a person who does the grocery shopping and who always checks my receipt, I was pleased, shocked, and stunned, to see GST not being charged on the $20 "Family to Family Appeal".
The till tape states, "All items GST inclusive unless otherwise specified by [ * ]".
Could this be the start of something most families would appreciate, the removal of GST on essential food items?
I hope so.
Sharon Marks, Te Aroha.
