Leaving school and taking up an apprenticeship can be a shock to many young people as they are tasked with the most menial labour to start with. Photo / Andrew Bonallack, File
Starting out
Congratulations on the school leavers’ feature (NZ Herald, June 21). What struck a note with me was Simon Bridges’ anecdote about the young person who was starting an apprenticeship and was given the initial task of sweeping the workplace. They said no and phoned their father, who complained. The employer decided they were not suitable to continue the apprenticeship. Who is at fault here? Certainly not the employer. Is it the fault of the educators? No, I put it squarely on the father who should have advised their child to do what they have been tasked with. Labourers hired where I worked many moons ago were always given the first task of sweeping. It taught that jobs were not to be refused because they were considered menial and a clean workplace is a lot to do with safety. Any new employee would not have lasted until morning smoko with the attitude shown by the apprentice. Schools are not responsible for a person’s attitude, it is what is taught in the home that counts the most.
Mike Crosby, Papakura.
Journey to equality
“Oh the irony” indeed, as Mike Hosking (NZ Herald, June 22) decries the “Māorification” of New Zealand, while ignoring our long history of deliberate de-Māorification. A century after Te Tiriti, a Māori soldier returning from WWII was not allowed to be served in a public bar. In many places, this kind of discrimination continued well into the 1960s. It’s true that New Zealand is “not an inherently racist place” in 2023, but only because of the affirmative action taken by successive governments over many years. Another irony? Te Tiriti was a political agreement between two parties; Māori, by far the majority at the time, agreed to equal rights with the British settler minority and “co-governance” with an absent, hereditary Crown. Democracy played no part. That only came along after Māori had been reduced to a tiny minority. Labour is not “selling-out mainstream New Zealand”, it is continuing the long journey back to the equality envisaged in 1840, and “mainstream” New Zealand will be much stronger for it.
Chris Newey, Devonport.
Getting tough
It’s a discovery of the sub-science “critical thinking” that analysing how not-so-obvious systemic forces operate takes more effort than blaming individuals. Knowing this, I’ve made a practice in the run-up to the last two elections of asking all party candidates when they are going to “get tough on rehabilitation”. Simon Bridges at least had the wit to smile – before delivering the sort of answer that makes you realise why Parliament insists on follow-up “supplementary” questions. When will any party announce a policy of long-term adequate spending on cost-effective rehabilitation programmes that are now known to break the vicious circles described by Shane Jones and Debbie Ngarewa-Packer and virtually eliminate recidivism? I know many locals including tradespersons, retired or about to, who would make excellent rehabilitation teachers – and many who for one or reason or another did not buy a second house still need income. How about it, party wonks? Like Finland, let’s think next generation and this year announce the necessary policies. And crucially, fund them adequately.
Steve Liddle, Napier.
Usual suspects
One of the most telling outcomes of the Michael Wood saga is the way the Prime Minister’s redistribution of Wood’s five portfolios demonstrates the paucity of talent among Labour MPs. The same old names are rolled out to pick up the slack. Carmel Sepuloni takes two portfolios, with Andrew Little, David Parker and Kiri Allan adding one each to their already long list of ministries. With 64 members of parliament currently on the Labour benches, you have to wonder what the rest of them do all day.
John Denton, Eskdale.
Offensive priority
Dr Shane Reti (NZ Herald, 20 June) is to be applauded for acknowledging the socio-economic factors of “better housing, education and cost of living” necessary to improve Māori and Pacifika health. However, shame on those surgeons, the Act and National parties and Reti himself who deplore Labour’s introduction of an Equity Adjuster Score (EAS). This prioritises “patients according to clinical priority, time on the waitlist, location... and ethnicity” in that order. The aim of the EAS is to counter the effects of institutional racism which is responsible for the huge difference in health outcomes between Māori and Pasifika peoples and the rest of the population. As we saw in the pandemic, these people already have a life expectancy of up to 10 years less than the remainder of the population of New Zealand. The non-Māori and non-Pasifika people have long benefited from racism. To use Reti’s words, it is this which “is offensive and wrong”.
Elisabeth Garrett, St Heliers.
Maintaining control
The Sale of Ports of Auckland Ltd must be resisted by all Auckland councillors. It is an even more important strategic asset than the airport, providing an essential service to our exporters and importers and delivering a profit to the people of Auckland who now own it. In recent years, the council has fallen down on its duty to oversee the operation of the board which has made a number of disastrous decisions which have cost us dearly. The council must do a better job of oversight of not just the ports company but also all the other so-called Council Controlled Organisations.
Bob van Ruyssevelt, Glendene.
Train of thought
I have tried the new motorway to Warkworth, it’s very nice. But is this the way to move the projected thousands expected to live north of Takapuna? There are already predictions of between 140,000-250,000 people living between Takapuna and Ōrewa in 15 years. Developers might entice another 20,000-50,000 to live around Warkworth. Do we want them all to drive to Auckland to work? If so, will the current road plans south of Albany be enough? A planned light rail to Takapuna won’t be much use. Victoria Lowe (NZ Herald, June 20) had suggests “greenfield cities along rail”. I’ve always been appalled at the development on very fertile land around Pukekohe and would suggest developing from the Northwest to the Waitoki Valley, then from Silverdale to the city, with a heavy railway line the whole way forming a circle line. The land is made of clay and Onerahi chaos soils. Also, let the flood plains of the Northwest revert to wetlands. Capacity is also an issue. Each hour cars can deliver 2000 people, buses 9000 or 20,000 in a busway, but heavy rail can deliver 80,000. I think we should start designing this heavy rail route now.
Niall Robertson, Balmoral.
Spoken fore
The people most upset about other language use are invariably monolinguals. They may be French, German, Russian, whatever. What characterises them generally, is one linguistic view, one cultural or nationalistic view and at times, ideas of superiority. This may be tinged with a sprinkling of paranoia exhibiting itself as the idea that a bilingual or multilingual speaker may be laughing at or badmouthing them. This could well be the case or it may be that they are using their mother tongue with which they are most comfortable. This discomfort is understandable for both sides. No one is immune to a bit of bad-mouthing or backstabbing. However, all the research seems to point out that speaking a language other than one’s own has huge positive effects, both cognitively and culturally.
Barbara Matthews, Onehunga.
Long sighted
Why are gun owners given five years to register their weapons? Surely one year or even six months is more than enough time for all gun owners to do something so simple online. The police strongly support a gun registry. All international studies show it will significantly reduce gun crime and theft. So why do so many gun owners resist such a fair and reasonable request that they register and take responsibility for their dangerous firearms? A wild west mentality of unfettered and unlicensed gun ownership is dangerous nonsense.
Jeff Hayward, Auckland Central.
Warning signs
Prior to a heart attack, the kidney releases an enzyme warning of the imminent event. So if one is feeling nauseous or giddy, it is vital to get to a doctor, especially if you have pain in the chest. The doctor will advise a blood test, the surest way of detecting the enzyme, thus enabling immediate hospitalisation and the best chance of saving one’s life. In my case, I felt reasonably well so the doctor advised a second blood test which, as it happened, registered a significant drop in the enzyme, thus giving me time to organize a treadmill ECG scan and the appropriate surgery. I write simply in that my experience might help others.
Gary Hollis, Mellons Bay.
On politics
I am not sure what is worse to watch currently – the imploding party of Labour, or the grandstanding of National. Glenn Forsyth, Taupō.
It’s not so much Michael Wood had a serious lapse of judgment than the present Government has simply had a serious lapse. Robert Burrow, Taupō.
On education
While it has been clearly stated for some years that our literacy and numeracy skills are continuing to fall in many schools, I believe it was my parents who taught me about having a good attitude, working hard, punctuality, being keen to learn and participating in family discussions; certainly benefiting my school education. Jasmine Archer, Albany.
On sentences
A 20-year-old man assaults a 71-year-old woman and he gets diversion. The judge should have given him a food parcel and free tickets to the next Warriors game. C.C. McDowall, Rotorua.
On pockets
How right James Gregory is regarding hands in pockets (NZH, Jun. 20). Luxon and Goldsmith are not the only ones. To me, it is bad manners, especially when talking to someone. Dennise Cook, Torbay.
On west
Thank you for the comprehensive article on developments in the North West – every time I navigate the maze of ineptitude, I pray that the transport planner responsible has emigrated to Australia. Fiona Downes, Hobsonville.
Ruapehu Alpine Lifts officially put into liquidation
Sad outcome. The worst case scenario is someone, I guess the taxpayer, is going to have to pay millions to remove the lifts and other equipment. Does going into liquidation mean the lifetime members are now unsecured creditors? I always thought it was a long shot they would get any kind of continuation. If they are out of the equation I guess a new party or parties might be interested. Again, sad for all including the local businesses relying on the trade especially after the last three years. Stuart B.
Not sure who would invest in a business that is 90 per cent reliant on Mother Nature. Ross P.
There are people with sufficient funds who want to. Let’s hope it happens. Graham A.
Who would invest in a business that is 90 per cent reliant on Mother Nature? Every farmer in the country. John C.
There are many other insolvent businesses out there today still trading. I expect a lot of foreclosures next year. Jim S.
Crowd funding? Givealittle? Anthony B.
Why? Kevin J.
OPINION: New Zealander reflects on delivering speech at St James' Palace.