Why is child poverty still an on­going issue in New Zealand, who is to blame?

No warm clothes, living in cold and damp overcrowded houses, shoes worn out, no

medical assistance. You’re left hungry for days, but you’re not old enough to take

matters in your own hands. You wonder why all your clothes have someone else’s

name on them, or why your sleeves are too small and your top rides up. You’re a girl

but your school uniform is different to everyone else’s, you have to wear pants

because all your siblings are boys and your parents can’t afford to buy more uniform.

Teachers get angry at you for not doing your homework that was set on the

computer. You’re too ashamed to say you don’t have a computer because everyone

will laugh. You miss out on school trips all the time. You hate mufti days because

you’re embarrassed of what you’re wearing. You can’t afford stationary. You’re stuck

wondering why teachers get angry at you for not having books or not being focused,

you missed breakfast only because you have no food. One in six European children live in poverty with Maori and Pasifika twice as likely to be affected, according to www.nzherald.co.nz  . Child poverty is now a reality in New Zealand.

It’s never the child’s fault that they live in poverty; in saying this it’s not always

the parents fault either. Parents need to cover costs of housing, power and water,

stationary, uniform, doctor’s visits for when children fall ill, food, sports and other extracurricular  hobbies. A lot of the time, parents cover costs like these for more than one  child and sometimes even doing it by themselves as solo parents. It would be hard for low income jobs to cover these costs.

Many children slip in and out of poverty because of family circumstances like job

loss, redundancy, illness, costly medical treatments and separation of relationships.

Some of these can cause temporary poverty. Long term poverty is a lot more serious

as it can affect a child’s emotional, physical and social development skills. It may

also affect children later in life in the workforce. In 1982 the level of child poverty in

New Zealand was fourteen percent, it has increased dramatically since then. One in four children live in poverty, and  260,000 kiwi kids live in poverty. Also ten percent of these kids live in severe poverty, three out of five of the children living in poverty will continue to live this way for years and years to come, according to www.childpoverty.co.nz.

Many people  find it strange and difficult to understand that there is child poverty in

New Zealand, and are amazed to learn we have one of the higher levels in the

developed world. Personally, I think there are more ways the government could help children and families in need. Firstly, I think the government needs to prioritise

poverty above all other issues. Children simply cannot learn effectively if they are hungry  the government needs to provide fruit, bread, milk and water at every school in

New Zealand. I think doctors’ visits and prescriptions should be free for people 21

years and younger. I think that parents who are spending money on things like

drugs and alcohol instead of their kids need to prioritise as well. Another suggestion could be to issue a card similar to a eftpos card for families on low incomes this can only be used for groceries, power bills and doctor’s visits.

In conclusion I think more needs to be done about child poverty; this doesn’t mean

the government foots the bills. But I do think they play a big part. Because as I have

said it’s never a childs fault they live in poverty, nor should a child in New Zealand not

live without the basic necessities.      

Kiana Rerekura

Is the rebuild an excuse to demolish Christchurch's historic buildings?

Is the rebuild an excuse to demolish   

Christchurch's historic buildings?

Did you know that the owners of the Public Trust building have applied to the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority (CERA) for a section 38 notice that would allow them to demolish the building? And CERA is considering a request for a section 38 notice on the historic Bishopscourt building and chapel within the Bishopspark Retirement Village in Park Tce? These are only a few examples of historic buildings having applications for demolition in the central city. What i want to know is - are the owners of Christchurch historic buildings using the re-build as an excuse to demolish these buildings?

It is important to keep most of our historic buildings because they are important to people. You may not care that a complete stranger has sentimental connection to a rundown brick building in the city center, but I do!. Imagine if the house your family lived in for generations was demolished and replaced by something like a dairy. How would you feel? I think that more people need to know about the history of buildings like the Woods Mill or the Addington Prison. These buildings have been in Christchurch since the early 1900s, and are an important piece of Christchurch’s history.

Rebuilding Christchurch should be done by those who truly acknowledge the identity and memory of the city in a complete, honest and tangible way. The Public Trust building is a group-3 protected heritage site in the Christchurch City Plan. It is owned by businessman Ben Gough’s company, Tailorspace Investments Ltd. Engineers engaged by CERA found the building to be repairable. Rebuilding Christchurch doesn't need to be done by demolishing every building and starting again, you can repair and re-develop. Look at the loft developments in New York or the Waterfront developments in San Francisco and Sydney. People are drawn to places like that. They are fabulous assets to enjoy.

Is a new “City of the Future” going to become a reality for Christchurch? Shops, restaurants, bars and cafes are expected to line the picturesque Avon’s edge, as well as sports stadiums in a push to make the revitalized city “very much like Melbourne”, according to Prime Minister John Key.

Therefore this is why I think it is not reasonable to completely demolish Christchurch and its Historic buildings. Demolition not only leaves an empty site, it jeopardizes the memory the public has of these landmarks.   

The life of a Prisoner In New Zealand

New Zealand Prisons are more like a luxurious getaway. From grocery lists to entertainment, New Zealand prisons aren't strict enough. With improved rations, a broader range of education and extra health care up for grabs do we really consider it prison now or just another place to gain qualifications? Why aren't New Zealand prisons as tough as overseas prisons? I also want to argue the point that we need harsher penalties so the crime fits the time.

Special diets, grocery items, food brought in with written permission; New Zealand’s department of corrections needs to stop treating prison like a resort. Prisoners in New Zealand can receive family prepared meals, as the department of correction states prisoners in New Zealand can have ‘individually purchased grocery items with money that they've earned from working and with a written request they are given the option of having special dietary meals planned for them’. This is special treatment. American prisons serve two meals a day, either half an egg and a slice of bread or a mixture of beans, one meat patty and a slice of bread. No milk was provided and a weak tea is served with their meals. Sean Kerrig, writer for Zerohedge.com stated ‘American prisoners refer to their food as ‘shit on a shingle’ while in New Zealand prisoners get multiple options.

In my opinion I also believe the crime should fit the time. Does the judge/jury giving the sentence know what they’re doing? Have they taken into mind the actions the offender has done? Our crime penalties should change to benefit the victims who suffer. Imposing sentences is one of the most difficult tasks undertaken by a judge. Death penalty in New Zealand was abolished in 1898. As it states on www.infoplease.com countries such as USA, Malaysia, Afghanistan and many more still permit death row for disgusting crimes such as murder, so why don't New Zealand?

Parole in New Zealand is used as a way to get the offenders to better themselves. Why is it that here in New Zealand, offenders such as drug dealers/sex offenders get parole?The department of correction says ‘offenders have home detention which is monitored and with exceptional circumstances they can travel overseas. They have allocated places to live and their parole officer chooses who they can and cannot see. If any of these rules are breached the parole will be cancelled and they’ll go back to prison.

This shows us that New Zealand’s Department of Corrections should treat prison more like a prison and less like a resort.  They need to take action and stop treating the prisoners like royalty, giving them special benefits because then what’s really going to stop criminals from acting again? It is time to reform our New Zealand prisons; it’s time to take a stand.

Shannon Iafeta

Women's sport should get more recognition

A.S.

Are you familiar with the names Kerri Walsh, Tina Charles, Misty May-Treanor, Ally Raisman, Candace Parker or Natalie Coughlin? Well you should be! they are in the top 50 female athletes in the world.What about LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Tiger Woods, Brett Farve, Michael Phelps or Barry Onds? Chances are you know these male athletes  much better than the female athletes. This is because women’s sport doesn't get as much recognition. This should change there should be equal coverage and NO  favouritism to men’s sports should be given.

Women’s sports doesn’t get anywhere near as much media coverage or even an article in the local papers, but it deserves so much more. This is mainly because advertisers are convinced no one would watch them. So what if they aren’t quite to the standard of the top male sport stars?  With more interest and funding they very easily could be. A survey was done by an English charity  a couple of years ago and they called for more media coverage, more programmes aimed at girls in school, more female leadership in sports organisations and more opportunities for women and girls to get involved in sport. The results were 48% wanted more coverage, 22% didn’t support more coverage and 31% were unsure.

Many argue that women’s sports are just as interesting and exciting to watch as males sports but the media don’t see it like that. They think that males sports are better to watch but how is a game of men’s soccer/football so interesting to watch. All they like to do is attempt to force yellow and red cards on opposing players.It would be so nice to see women on TV playing their game, they train just as hard as men do and are just as skilful so they should be recognised for this. What I mean by that is equal coverage on the TV and in papers. If young girls saw female athletes on TV then that would encourage them to get up and pay sports. Gender should not matter in sports.

One day I would like to turn on the TV and hear names like Kerri Walsh, Tina Charles, Misty May-Treanor and many more female athletes instead of LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, and Tiger Woods. It would be so nice to see women’s sport all in the papers and on the media and people seeing that women are capable of playing sports and achieving to a high standard just like men.

Aleesha King

1080, A Death Trap?

1080, A Death Trap?

A beautiful forest: green trees, birds chirping, the sound of insects jumping around in the fallen leaves. Wouldn't it be wonderful to have more of this in our native New Zealand forests? However, DoC (Department Of Conservation) holds a dark truth about why we don't see much of this in our forests. That truth is 1080 and it should be banned.

                                                               

Sodium monofluoroacetate, better known as 1080, is used to kill pests that were introduced to New Zealand, such as stoats, rats and possums, from native parks and forests. It is also developed as an insecticide so obviously, insects will be affected. Our native icon, kiwi, eats insects therefore are exposed to secondhand poisoning. Do you want them extinct?. The poison 1080 is often non-biodegradable it can last up to six months in the environment allowing it more time to poison more and more animals. It will kill anything, from small insects to bigger mammals including deer and cows.  

Also stoats are not always killed by 1080 poison as some of them have an immunity to the poison. This data was collected in 2010. The rat population boomed after DoC attempted to get rid of the numbers of rats. ‘’Rats had gathered around homes of people beside the state highway between Hokitika and Whataroa, after a 1080 drop in 2010.’’ Laurie Collins, said in his fourteen  years working for the forest service mainly in pest control, there had never been the pest control problem DoC now claimed existed ‘’ (NZ Herald Debate Flares Over 1080 Drop) .

1080 does not only kill pests that we don't want; it kills anything in its power. Our wildlife is in danger because of this horrific poison. Studies have shown evidence of considerable harm to native species. Ban1080.co.nz says nineteen different native bird species corpses were tested positive for 1080 poisoning. Significant numbers of native bird species never had the poisoning risk indicated. They may never recover from such a loss of number. This is a very high price for pest control. A 1080 operation in Arthurs pass last year killed five among thirty nine monitored birds. Information was not available for how many died out of the monitored group. 1080 is also deadly to farmers’ livestock, dogs, deer even humans. Not only is it leading to natives deaths, it is also an excruciating painful death. For a bird it takes 12-24 hours to die, larger animals can take 2 - 4 days. ‘’To make a statement that no bird are being killed by 1080 is just ridiculous’’ Mary Molloy said.

Instead of making our native wildlife suffer from excruciating death which is preventable. Why don’t we use another method that is humane to kill pests and doesn't kill our native wildlife? Trapping, although more expensive, is a better option than 1080. If a native decides to crawl into a trap it’s not going to die, but if it eats 1080 it is a certain death. If a stoat crawls into a trap DoC will take it away and kill it humanely where as if it ate 1080 it would die anywhere and another carnivorous animal would eat it then that animal would die too. Cyanide is also an option a pest crawls into a trap DoC takes it away and gases it, which is better than 1080 and would also mean less expense on our precious native wildlife.

Therefore these are my reasons why I think 1080 should be banned for good. It is used to kill pests but as you know it will kill anything in its power, there are other ways to kill pests that doesn't affect our native wildlife.

Written By Ellie McVicar

Media. Helpful or Disastrous?

Media, is it helping or causing all our world problems? Social media is the basis for countless of the world’s problems and solutions. It can be used to increase awareness for important causes but can also be used to develop hate, especially with teenagers. The media is in charge of many teens’ lifes. But is that how it should be? Media also changes our aspects of everyday life. For example what we should be wearing what we look should like to be able to feel accepted in today’s society.

Firstly media encourages false images of how a perfect world should look like impacts like this causes insecurities to a lot of girls and boys. We see Miley Cyrus singing in lingerie’s, we hear about celebrities getting arrested for doing drugs and we watch fake violent shows. Seeing people we idolise fall and hit rock bottom, we see celebrities in photos with no fat, perfect skin and we are told that, that is beauty. The photos we are seeing in magazines and on television are almost all photo-shopped. But our brains are telling us we need to look like them. These misleading pictures of how bodies, relationships, houses etc. leads to very low self-esteem and can lead to depression. We need to lose weight no matter what; we need to have the perfect toned skin. Headlines in magazines about anorexia and bulimic gives teenager’s ideas. Is this what the media leads to?

Second social networking like Facebook allows you to connect with anyone, a neighbour, co-worker, or the girl you met last Tuesday. Using these sites can make you feel better and feel connected. But with having that power to search up anyone can have its downsides. No one is really safe using social networking, you give out your details and personal information about yourself where any random can find, there putting yourself in danger. Cyber-bullying had a massive effect on media. The immediacy of social media is available to not only your friends and family but to predators as well. Once you upload your details to a network it is there for anyone to come across putting yourself in harm’s way.

The media is everywhere, from music to sports and the internet and beyond it clearly shows that media plays an important role in our lives. We are not aware of how much interaction we have with the media. Therefore media has impacted us to feel and think that way do. With the hassles of keeping up with everyone else, competing with the world.  

Caitlin Woolley

Does Money Equal Perfection?

To many, a clear face and perfect body is most definitely a dream come true nowadays nobody appreciates their appearance. Everyone has resorted to putting chemicals in their hair, reconstructing their face, enduring such pain for hours to create a permanent portrait on ones skin, these are some of the countless things people go through because based on their opinion “will improve appearance and gain more self confidence”. Thousands of dollars are spent based on their self belief.

Plastic surgery is the most unnecessary, risky yet expensive procedure. With few procedures being under $7000 a lot have not been financially able to support this procedure, therefore more and more people have been taking thousands of dollars out of saving accounts or going into debt. Over 15 million people in 2011 underwent plastic surgery the numbers are rising every year along with how much these procedures cost. The most sickening thing is all this money is being wasted on something that is so unnecessary. Since plastic surgery is so popular the demand for it is increasing every year. All in all, plastic surgery is wasting time and money that is being taken out of our pockets for no real reason and highly unnecessary.

What can you say about your hair? Too curly, don't like colour, or length? Bringing up the subject about cutting a girls hair will make her cringe. We are too attached and obsessed with something that could be gone within a matter of seconds. (Even worse,a girl spends $15000 on average, on her hair.) This is money that could be spent on bills, clothes, your kids future. Instead of hair curlers, straighteners, dye, the list goes on. We need to learn from others and spend less money on something we want but spend more time to work with what we've got. It seems parents are now focusing more on their appearance, and less on family members.

Celebrities, your cousin, even your teacher all have a 95% chance of wearing makeup. Literally spending money to smudge a liquid on your face for 6 hours then wipe off, what a waste. Applying such substances to our face can make us into sometime we strive to look like, natural beauty is much more affectionate than caked on make up. I would would much rather look like myself then spend $50 on a powder to cover a zit. Makeup damages and ruins your skin, as well as not applied correctly to others standards it can lead to bullying. Too much money misspent on something so unwanted and spent on something that does not make a positive impact on our lives, so why buy it?    

Millions upon millions of dollars gone to waste. Products and procedures that everyone thinks of on payday. You could make differences in your life by not buying needless things and focusing on more important things, like family, work. There are much more priorities that need to be taken care of.