Minister brave to take on the S7aa question
There is much that I agree with in Dr Anaru Eketone’s opinion piece (ODT 19.8.24) advocating retention of section 7aa, but I believe that 7aa needs to go because it speaks very little about children and young people, and speaks mostly about provider organisations and processes. I suggest the reader look at 7aa for themselves and evaluate it from that perspective.
There is nothing in the future Oranga Tamariki set-up that prevents connection to culture. Indeed it must always be a necessary consideration for all — all — young people in contact. Sadly, we New Zealanders and organisations have done badly with that. To fix it we need to thoroughly consider the child as they are found, not by broad category.
I agree with Dr Eketone that we need to look to wider family, and also in my view include anybody who can be useful to any child. I have visited with the Seneca Agency in California in company with Sir Mason Durie. In that vast nation where people can become separated forever, Seneca’s muscular tracing unit was able to put 30 relevant people into a room on behalf of child who had previously been thought to be alone. They did not limit that to family only.
Clause 7aa restricts broader options and closes rather than opens opportunity for relevant cultural connection — and other things.
If you read the lengthy section, it sadly puts organisations first and children second. It’s a set solution being imposed on a problem rather than addressing the very variable needs of each child.
I congratulate Minister Karen Chhour for her bravery standing up for the interests of children.
Kerry Hand
Central Otago
[Kerry Hand is a former manager of the Miramare mental health agency, which had 240 registered children-family clients, Editor]
Above all else
As best I can tell Dr Eketone’s argument is because removal of section 7aa will mean Oranga Tamariki will then not take into account extended family nor genealogy and ancestry. Anyone with an ounce of common sense from any society would not ignore those aspects of any child.
All that the removal of 7aa does is it stops genealogy etc being an aspect that must be considered above all else, which is also common sense.
Bernard Jennings
Wellington
Meagre attempts
After reading the letter (19.8.24) from Marion Poole, I realised again that I wouldn’t be dead for quids. She clearly doesn’t understand satire, or my meagre attempt at humour re the Manuherikia River winning a gold medal.
As for her facile comment re boot camps, I would point out that the Swiss nation has compulsory military training or large-scale boot camps. The Swiss are a very disciplined nation. Ever heard of Outward Bound Ms Poole, where young people can go to learn about themselves through discipline and friendship?
Gerrard Eckhoff
Alexandra
Convince me
I guess I would have to class myself as one of the ignorant and redundant referred to in Ewan McDougall’s letter (10.8.24).
May I suggest that rather than writing such a negative letter full of name calling and insults, he might do better to write a letter explaining to us ill-informed as to why Māori council wards are so important for our community?
Believe it or not Ewan there are more people in this community with open minds than you think. Convince us you are right. Unfortunately, from my experience as a non-Māori asking any questions about such things I am immediately labelled a racist.
Evan Mitchell
Mosgiel
GE-free a valuable economic stance to maintain
The biotech industry globally has been lobbying for years to try to get genetic engineering (including gene editing) deregulated so they can make profits from their patented products.
Meanwhile, the market for non-GMO food is growing. People want safe, healthy food, and they’re concerned about environmental, health, climate and ethical issues.
New Zealand would be exceedingly unwise to allow the release of genetically engineered organisms into the outdoor environment. As well as the risks to ecosystem health and biodiversity, there are risks to farmer livelihoods and our valuable export markets. We would be wisest to remain GE-free in our environment, build on our clean green reputation, and shift public good agricultural science funding away from GE and towards organic and regenerative farming and growing, for the good of our food, environment and economy.
Philippa Jamieson
Opoho
A simple explanation
I saw a letter today decrying Joe Bennett’s diatribe on the former pres (Letters ODT 20.8.24).
I can only share a most apropos comment sent to me by a friend: "It’s so simple. A man with a reputation of cheating his customers, vendors and business partners is going to cheat you. A man who’s casually betrayed his wives again and again is going to betray you. A man who lies all the time is lying to you. A man who has spent his entire life screwing people over is going to do the exact same thing to you."
Yes, it is simple. But a failed artist and leader of the Brown Shirts was also viewed as simple. We saw the result.
Kevin Burke
Mosgiel
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