Ronnie Fong----good on ya mate

Ronnie Fong went missing in the Hunua Ranges four days ago. He is now safe and well, much to the relief of his family and for so many of us who have watched this story develop. It is so easy to get lost, have an injury or make a mistake in planning when one enters the New Zealand bush.

We do not have dangerous animals (unless one includes wild boars!) insects, snakes---shall I add crocodiles? Too often we can make a common misjudgement that ‘she’ll be right mate.’ The result--- we unfortunately read sad headlines describing a death of a hiker or trapper and massive amounts of money are spent on a fruitless search. Too many trampers think that our bush is benign and that there are few dangers. They sometimes make a fatal error in not informing the relevant authorities that they are entering the bush; often not even including their friends.

Not taking adequate preparations would be the main issue causing these unnecessary tragedies. Lack of planning, all-weather clothing, and food, water (yes, sometimes the water in our streams is not as ‘clean and green’ as we would wish) can kill. Going in alone poses its own risks but if planning and people knowing are in place, then the risks are lessened. Ronnie ticked the boxes well.

His relentless desire to not give in is bloody legend. Yes he is a fit and well- prepared man, and many in his position would have failed and their families would not have had the happy reunion we read about in today’s papers. Ronnie--- I hope you tell your story in more detail. It is a salutary lesson for us all. Well done and get back in ‘there’ when you can.  Go well.
  

Stupid sugar hit ecomonics--stupid Government!

How short-sighted, how stupid is it to sell our State-owned assets at a time when the world is at a crossroads. Anything could happen if the Greek, Spanish and Italian problems enter an even more dangerous phase. What will these assets be worth if this uncertainty stays with us?

I watched the Labour, Green and NZ Fists Parties trying to hold up the bill going through Parliament. We all know that this won’t work in the end because national has the numbers. They probably know that each of their utterances on this bill is yet another nail in their coffin.

The National Party rightly claims that they have been upfront about their intention to carry through with this policy. The sad fact remains that we allowed them to win and set loose tier plans on a now angry nation. They say to requests to hold a referendum on the Asset Sales programme----NO! ---it was voted in. Ok----- our fault for being so disengaged with the political process.

Any party true to its belief in doing the best for its people should be big enough to see that things change; that sometime a reversal of policy best suits the needs of a country. They backed down over the class-size issue and will probably do the same for their ‘League Tables’ so why not bite the bullet and steer away from this crazy policy of selling the family jewels. Once sold they are gone forever unless we see the same scenarios we witnessed re the buy-back of Kiwi Rail and Air New Zealand. Do they ever learn?

The holy grail of privatisation is one fraught with the hooks of market reality. The only groups who gain are the vested interests of big businesses, many of them based overseas. Come on National--- see the light, before it’s too late! Don’t sell our birth right!

Could you live in an apartment in Auckland City?

About 50,000 people live in apartments in the central Auckland area. Could you do that? I guess there are advantages and more negative aspects to inner-city living, especially the sort suspended high above the streets.

Not surprisingly the median age is around 26, indicating high student (part-time and fulltime) occupancy rates. The proximity of their choices for study are an obvious draw-card and the buzz of inner-city attractions another.

A recent study has found that many of the residents (29%) are Chinese. We know that language-study students have chosen to study in Auckland in high numbers and they like to be at the centre of things. New Zealand born residents are also at the high 20% level.

A feature of the apartment dwellers is the very high level of transiency. The average occupancy time is barely two years, indicating a massive turn-around. Any sense of community would be very hard to develop and maintain.

I can see a few more hooks too. I love to keep my feet on the ground. The idea of being unable to have anything more than a few pots containing flowers and herbs would just not do. Then there is the question of leaving a dog alone all day. Even when one did return home, a doggie-off-the-lease area would be quite some distance away. I doubt that letting a Jack Russell run loose in Albert Park would gain me any friends.

I have often wondered what the noise levels are for living in an apartment. Some of those buildings have hundreds of tenants. I suppose with the majority of them being young, tolerance levels are also high. The very idea of one of those thumping ‘drive you mad’ base woofers would change me into a maniacal Ninja. I cannot abide loud ‘bassy’ music, when I am trying to sleep.

The only features that would attract me would be the closeness of fabulous restaurants and the waterfront, with its gateway to the Hauraki Gulf and islands. But apart from that, I will keep my feet firmly grounded somewhere on Dominion Road.

The complex issue of 'white flight' in our schools.

The issue of ‘white flight’ in our schools is a complex and somewhat emotive one. It would be easy to say it is a racist response and I notice the commentators on TV so far have avoided that label. They point to a parent’s desire to have their child in a school where they will be able to connect with the outside world form a base that ‘has connections.’

If that is correct then the flight could be put down to parents just wanting the best for their children. The question then has to be asked---‘why is it that the local school is often not perceived as being able to fill that need?’

The fact is--- the vast majority of schools do a good job and there are many examples of decile one schools sending their students on to university and the said students are doing well. If we looked at the figures a little more stringently, we would see a difference in the proportion of students achieving so well though. There are several good reasons for this.

It is pretty obvious that students in decile 10 schools are going to come from families where there is already a tradition of high achievement, both in educational outcomes and career success. The term ‘cultural capital‘ comes to mind. That means that if a young person is raised in a family where books, access to media, computers and where successful role models abound, then the link between success and CP is going to be high.

Many families in lower decile schools struggle just to get their kids to school, in uniform, pay the fees and provide a lunch---basics I know--- but not so easy if the income for the family is way below the national average. Most families want the best for their children, but the act of proving it is a task that many NZers are finding increasingly difficult. The act of sending their kids (at great cost, re transport etc.) is their attempt to gain a ‘foot in the door.’

I mentioned the possibility of ‘white flight’ being a racist response. Most commentators are reluctant to even discuss that possibility, but anecdotal evidence suggests that it is a factor. I am not sure to what extent that parents are avoiding the ‘browner schools of South Auckland and other area, but we need to at least accept that it is a possibility. What can we do about it?

We have to fight the ‘perception’ that lower decile schools are not good and challenge the misinformed beliefs about such schools that are based on racial makeup. I have spent many years in these so-called lower decile schools and I know them to offer wonderful opportunities to their students. The ‘extra funding’ they receive is well spent on increasing the possibilities for their students. The bigger question of deprivation in these communities and the accompanying social issues is one that the schools cannot fight alone. Any debate on ‘white flight (and middle class brown flight) must be seen in the wider context of what is happening in many areas of NZ society. It does not help that we have a government that is intent on taking the fiscal scissors to programme that address some of the issue I have described.

Let’s take up the challenge to work for a ‘fairer NZ.

Nz has a government that has no idea how to manage our education system.

Yet again the Government is showing a complete lack of understanding of education in NZ. I do not know who is advising them, but hopefully it is not the officials in the Education Department. If it is, then God help us. I am assuming that they at least know what they are talking about----or------Mmmm.

The latest news that John Key is thinking of releasing the so-called ‘League figures’ around the performance of different schools re Numeracy and Literacy is just another example of a Government bereft of ideas about how to deliver a sound education system. His will I, won’t I stance is just a diversion.

It feels like we have a Government hell bound on detracting from the work of our teachers. Visiting a school for photo opportunities does not constitute an understanding of what is really needed in NZ for our kids. He and his Minister Parata need to ask teachers and principals at grass root level. I wonder where he garners his information before making yet another stupid ill-informed statement. I can’t wait to hear his ‘well-informed’ announcement on the issue of ‘White Flight.’

We must stop the abuse of Indonesian fishing crews.

It has been known that for some time, Indonesian (and probably others) crew members have been badly treated whilst working in NZ waters for foreign owned fishing boats. These boats are contracted to fish for NZ companies so we have a responsibility on two counts; firstly they should be operating under NZ laws and they must meet NZ standards.

Some the information about what has been happening came to light when Indonesian workers jumped ship, bringing to light the terrible conditions under which they had been forced to work.

Many of these men were recruited from poor areas in Java. That is not an excuse to exploit these men. They may have been desperate for work, but what they found once they were contracted was far beneath their expectations. It is alleged and recently proven that the men often went unpaid and suffered abuse from the Korean officers; both physical and sexual.

NZ authorities have known about these allegations for at least a decade and it is only now that our officials (supported by NZ unions) have taken the complaints seriously and acted on them. That it has taken so long is shameful for NZ.

If the men receive compensation and the perpetrators of the abuse are brought to account, then that is good. If that leads to paying the Indonesian workers a fair wage and treating them with respect, then too bad if we have to pay more for our fish. We cannot speak in world forums about other transgressions, if we let these acts happen on our watch. It is good that NZ is supporting the men in their efforts to get a fair deal. Isn’t that what we take so much pride in as a nation?

Winston's road show---again.

In New Zealand we have all become quite used to Winston Peter’s road show. He is a master at gaining enough votes to get his party over the 5% threshold needed in NZ’s electoral system in order to win seats in our parliament. It is doubtful that he is capable of winning a seat in his own right and his parliamentary cohorts just don’t have pulling power to achieve a win in an electorate.

For years Winston has shown that he has this knack to pull an issue out of the hat and cross the magic threshold. He has been accused of racism many times and once again, he has raised that spectre, this time claiming that many Chinese elderly people have come to NZ and not for ten years and then become eligible for the Superannuation payment.

Winston touches on a raw nerve by making this claim. I don’t know if he is correct, given that he puts up a ‘senior Chinese,’ un-named of course as the source of his figures. He says that as many as 22,000 are in this position. That doesn’t sound like a huge figure, but in the context of NZ’s 4.4 million population, it could be seen as significant.  

His claims sound a bit jaded. You get the feeling that he is reaching into the bottom of the barrel. He knows that there will always be a portion of NZ’s population that will be sympathetic to his utterances, thereby almost guaranteeing that his party will survive. That he didn’t win a few elections ago was an exception; probably because there were other issues that dominated at that election; namely the demise of the Helen Clark led Labour Government.

Winston is playing as dangerous card when he states that his party will not support Labour or anyone else if they raise the age of eligibility to Superannuation. He is playing a selfish card and an irresponsible one. Many NZers accept that we must gradually raise the age. There is room for flexibility around groups in our population who could be exempt from this but generally there is a growing understanding that action is needed and that political parties must come to the table for an across party lines discussion. We must not be left behind our Tran Tasman friends. They have bitten the bullet and the issue is now beyond the machinations of selfish, xenophobic politicians.

 When are we going to do the same?