ACC should be more than just an insurance shceme that makes a profit

ACC ain’t what it used to be! It is not operating as the original legislation intended. That managers are encouraging ACC officers to cull people on the scheme, possibly forcing people back to work before they are ready, or transitioning them onto another benefit (that costs us a lot less) is tantamount to abusing the spirit of the scheme.

Yes we all know that ACC became debt heavy, and it still is, but to pay officers ‘incentives’ to duck shove people off the scheme is insensitive and is nothing less than nasty on the part of the politicians who have driven this culture  change.

There needs to be a balance and I am not arguing against the rebalancing of some of the issues around overuse of the scheme re the physiotherapists. I think that some of the claims being made were spurious to say the least. However, even in that sphere of operation the Government has forced changes that have gone too far the other way.

Let us review the original purpose of ACC. It is a safety net that allows those injured to be able to return to work, when they are healed and to allow those who cannot, through no fault of their own, to live with dignity. That is not to say that officers should not be diligent in their investigations of those claimants who are making dishonest claims on the scheme. It is all about balance.

My little therapist.

In my line of work (School counsellor) I hear many sad stories and have some days that really stretch my energy levels, physically and emotionally. In the name of ‘safe practice’ I attend supervision and I am lucky to have an experienced and skilled supervisor.

That is not all I have to help me achieve balance in my life. I have a Jack Russell and no doubt you have read many of my blogs about this special little dog. She is two years old now and she is my other therapist. She is great at keeping secrets and she knows just how to hit the spot with me.

When I drive down my bumpy drive and turn towards the car port parking space, I see this little face peering out the large window. She has this way of pointing her face as she stretches. She is preparing to welcome me and to make sure that I barely get through the door and pick up her ‘treats’ to take her for her ‘compulsory walk.

Firstly she jumps up onto the top of the couch (I have long since given up on ever buying a flash leather version) and attempts to lick my face. If I am silly enough to be talking (not an unusual state for me!) she will sometimes manage to lick my mouth--- yuck---ever had a doggie tongue searching for yours!)  OK too much detail.  If I am lucky I might get a chance to change into track pants.

We have a rule in our house that Perdy does not go down to the bedroom, because that is the realm of the queen who lives in the house (Tut tut--- I heard that!). Jasmine our ever suffering cat claims that domain as hers alone--- doggie free for ever.  Perdy waits at the barrier we have placed there, panting and making little grunts—all in anticipation of her adventure to come down at the Onehunga Lagoon.

Somehow she manages to negotiate the barrier and appears in the bedroom and then starts this crazy jumping up and grabbing the leggings, or socks. This all makes it harder to get ready, thus my more likely action of going as I am. This also leads me to believe that Perdy does not always stay in her area of the house (she can also come and go through the cat door as she pleases throughout the day) because there is evidence on my feet that this is not so. Why is it that I have less and less matching pairs of socks and why do I find the odd sock outside in the yard? We all know the answer. Little Madame also comes and goes at will over the barrier. I suspect that she uses the bed during the day as a trampoline and the goes through the socks in the washing basket and regularly takes them for a walk outside.

Eventually, I manage to get ready (this usually takes less time than it has taken to write a paragraph or two of my blog). Once in the car, safely tired up so that she doesn’t help with the driving or turn on the emergency lights, we set off to the park. Now I have to put up with her constant whining. Perdy is not known for her patience. She is a back-seat driver, commenting on my skills and lack of speed.

We finally arrive at that park and I set her loose. She bounds out of the car and looks to me to throw the ball. For the next hour she plays, runs, meets up with her friends and causes general mayhem.

Yes--- pure therapy. She’s a wonderful bundle of endless energy. Just watching her play with her favourite dogs) oh yes--- she has special friends) is just what the doctor ordered. There is empirical evidence that all of this is doing me the world of good.  Who needs drugs--- She is all I need after the end of a hard day.

Thanks Perdy!

PS  My next book (TALK TO ME) has Perdy staring as ‘Spot.’  Read it in my blogs--- it will be online for purchase soon.

Kids fighting at school-- is it worse now?

Kids have always had fights at school. Is it any worse now? That question has vexed me for a few days. My career in education had spanned three decades. My memories of kids having fights are a long one. These fights range from low-level to serious incidents where police have been involved. The fights take place in classrooms, the school yard and on the way to and from school.

The fights may be light-weight punch ups, pushing and right through to those fights involving weapons. I can even remember the occasional use of BB guns.

Is it worse now that it used to be? You hear people talking about their ‘school fights’ almost in a fond way. Hindsight has a way of distorting the truth. What may have been serious at the time of the fight morphs into a quaint almost funny or nostalgic memory for some people. They forget that the ‘other party’ may have been traumatised by the event.

Fights can happen at the drop of a hat; a look, words or threats can trigger a fight, sometimes right under the nose of a teacher. Ask any teacher in most school and you will hear anecdotal descriptions of how fights start.

Fights may also be triggered by outside-of-school events. That is where the differences between ‘now and then’ start to emerge. With the advent of Facebook and other forms of social media, combined with the ‘instancy’ of texting, you have a volatile mix. The precedents for a fight are quickly followed by the event of as fight. Today’s fights are just truncated forms of the fights we have always had--- or are they?

I am pretty sure that the constants of fighting remain more or less the same---it is the intensity of the interaction that is possibly more serious now. There seems to be a growing disengagement of feelings and consequences around the fights. When discussing the incident after the event, the participants often display little or no remorse. It takes a great deal of ‘talking’ to impart any understanding of ‘where fighting could lead.’ Am I looking back at the fights of the past with rose-coloured glasses or is that my instinct that things are worse now are really hitting the mark?

I feel that girls now are more likely to fight than they did in the past. There reasons are often different and they hold on to the reason for the fight longer. What is similar is the network that feeds the fights. The fights that ensue defy any description of ‘lady-like’ behaviour. The young women of today no longer hold back when they feel they or their reputations are being attacked--- they get stuck in just like the boys.

Within minutes an ‘indiscretion’ on the part of one of the ‘fightees’ will have leapt across the ‘cell phone cosmos’ and sucked in an audience. If it is an arranged fight after school at an agreed venue, then the numbers attending can swell to large numbers. Ask the police and they would know what I mean.

Where does all this leave teachers and those who work with our young people? Teachers are like anyone else. They don’t like violence and their capacity to deal with it amongst their students, varies just like anyone else’s. It is not any easy task, either preventing a fight or breaking it up after it has started. Teachers can and are in real danger when a fight occurs, wither through accident or intent. Many abhor being in a situation where their safety is at risk. Many teachers regularly put their bodies on the line in order to resolve a violent situation.  Those talking about increasing class size would do well to remember that.

Where too from here? Fighting, bullying; both are related. One can arise from the other. There is no magic wand. We will always have conflict and sometimes it results in violence. Schools run appropriate programmes to lessen the effects of fighting or to find other ways of resolving differences. Our modern age just adds new dimensions. I am sure that if Socrates was able to read this, he would recognize many truths. Sometimes, one reaches the conclusion that nothing has changed.

Grow some balls Mr Dunne and do the right thing!

I make no apology for my crude words because I believe that Mr Peter Dunne has the power to stop this crazy policy of the national government to sell our assets. My father, grandfather and many relations strived for many years to build up these assets. Now at the stroke of a pen or by the casting vote of one member, namely Peter Dunne the Government is going to transfer 49% of some valuable State Assets to private (read corporate) ownership.

Peter Dunne has expressed doubt about this policy, yet he continues to support the government. Is he deaf to the protests of his own electorate? Is he blind to the scenes of people lining up to sign the petition, asking for a Citizens’ Referendum on the issue?

I know the Labour Government of the 1980’s was also guilty of the same act and then in their last term of Government did a reversal. Yes they saw the light and now consistently oppose the selling of State Assets.

Watch Parliament at the moment on TV and you will see Labour, The Greens, NZ First, Mana and sometimes the Maori Party fighting to stop this crazy bill passing. So come on Mr Dunne—grow some balls and do the right thing. It may not save you at the next election, but at least we will remember you for finally standing to be counted. Isn’t that better than being remembered for being a lackey of this present Government, or as someone who wanted to keep his snout in the public through for as long as he could?

Bloody shameful NZ! Slavery and explotation

I feel a great shame that New Zealand has been criticised for being a hub (yes a small one) for the sexploitation of some young people, both from NZ itself (mainly young Maori and Pacifica youth) and from Asia.

The UN report tabled by Hilary Clinton draws attention to an unsavoury unwanted fact that we are not lily white when it comes to these two issues. I have already condemned the treatment of workers on fishing boats; an issue that the NZ Government has only just acknowledged and acted upon. Now that we are hearing of young people being coerced (by gangs) into prostitution is shameful. I believe that the practice has probably being evident for longer than we would care to admit.

 Just take a trip down some of our back streets late at night (an even during the day) and you will see evidence of these young people ‘working’ the street. Look further and you will see their ‘protectors, (read minders).

Our Children and Young Services agencies seem to be unable to protect these young people. Short of physically removing them and placing them in a ‘safer’ environment, there is little they can do. Sorting out those ‘workers/slaves’ from the ‘reluctantly willing’ is a huge issue for these agencies.  One would have thought that the NZ Prostitutes Collective would be a source of who is who in this sad industry and then offer real protection where they can.

The gang involvement is the same as that which controls the illicit drugs sold on our streets. The police are fully stretched in all areas of crime--- this is one more area where they need more resources----- not less.

We as NZers have to realize that higher (for some) taxation is needed to fund the battle against these reported practices.

I feel for Melbourne--especially those who left Christchurch.

Many Christchurch residents reached a point t during and after the terrible earthquakes where they could no longer face life in our Southern city. They left for ‘greener and safer fields.’

Melbourne was once such destination. Let’s face it; Melbourne is not known for being anything like the ‘shaky islands’ these friends have left. That they are now experiencing earthquakes in Melbourne must be traumatic for many of them.

It bring home that we cannot take for granted anything in this world. NO place is completely free of disaster, tremors, terrorism or anything else that ‘chance’ throws at us.

Be strong my friends in Melbourne. Our thoughts are with you. Aussie and NZ are united in more ways than you would expect.

Update re new website and books relaunch.

The new website is looking great. Three books will be available soon, two relaunched with new ISBN numbers and covers. They are also being proofread so hopefully they will all be 'cleaner.' Nothing frustrates me more than to discover mistakes each time I pick them up. A really good proofreader is 'golden.' As I write my books, I do not see the mistakes, but they jump out later. I also know that some people seem to delight in pointing out these mistakes, to the poin that they don't realll 'read' the stories, but i do have some sympathy for them--- It's bloody anoying. Hell, I didn't proofread this blog--- lol.
 So--- please be patient my friends and then buy my books when they appear on my website, or fomr Kindle once they are on that.