On the MSM and social media reports of the school lunch debacle, it has been sad and dispiriting to see so many smug and snarky comments about "feed your own children", "the taxpayers shouldn't have to feed other people's children " and others of similar thoughts. When did we become such a mean and selfish nation that we would begrudge children one decent meal in a day? Even if their parents can't or won't make a lunch every morning, should the kids be deprived? All of the research that triggered the school lunch program here (and similar programs in many many other countries) shows that children achieve better academically if they are well nourished and well fed. This lazy thoughtless government rattles on about our standing in international academic achievement, then dismantles all the programs that actually contribute to improvement.
If Seymour is so f******* proud of those lunches, they should be served at Bellamys until his colleagues agree to go back to Community-based lunch efforts.
Just decided to subscribe for a year 'cause I enjoy reading your free posts but today's is especially good. It is just incredible how arrogant Seymour is but that arrogance seems to be spread widely over this coalition government to the detriment of this country. As if I wasn't depressed enough.
Whatever happened to Fruit in Schools? Is it still a thing, where government funds fruit supply for kids? Introduced in 2005, it was revolutionary in its day. I remember visiting kids at South Auckland schools who for the first time had fruit in their daily lives. Was it subsumed by "charities" like Kidscan, or did we forget fruit and veggies in the new David Seymour menu. That pic of Seymour is about him trying to show support for Mexicans after Winston's attacks. Go eat a Taco and show you are now not anti Mexican.
Thanks Nick , another great read, I almost spat out my coffee laughing, a couple of times. Kim’s writing was also genius - I hope she keeps her job now that she has spoken ill of the Minister of Unpalatable Foods and Bills.
I spent about six years in boarding school and can remember only once coming across something that looked as revolting as the crap Seymour’s forcing our youngest to eat. I refused to eat whatever it was meant to be and was caned for it. The cane was the better option. I wonder if the garbage presented in schools is also what is foisted upon those in youth detention centres or “boot camps”? If it is, I can understand the inmates climbing on to the roofs and demanding KFC. If that’s what they want it says volumes about what they’re getting.
As for Chris Bishop’s claims that speed doesn’t kill, he’s half correct. It’s not the speed, it’s the sudden stop that does the damage. However, if this is a more efficient way to reduce the volume of injuries requiring admission to hospital or other medical care, it’s a win for Simeon. I don’t make light of anything to do with the tragedy that vehicle crashes bring or the grief that ensues. I’m sure many of us have been through it. It’s just that it’s hard to believe how incredibly stupid the move to reverse the speed limits is, despite the science in front of them. I still remember vividly the quote “it’s better to be late than DOA”, shown on TV in the early 1960’s in Australia. Perhaps Chris B should be shown the short film Signal30, shown to us at school. It’s definitely not for the faint hearted, it’s camera crews arriving at crash scenes with the police and there’s nothing left to the imagination. It might make him think twice.
Jeremy, as a nurse, I concur. One never forgets the painful grief in Emergency Dept as kin arrive to find their loved one has died. I get upset at the sheer waste of life, a mother leaving behind 3 children, a breadwinner Daddy gone! young people in the prime of life, it’s heartbreaking!
The stats of Sweden, Norway, say it all.
That he would even risk one life, he is either thick, in denial, or so beholden to a voter base or ideology.. idk! 🤦♀️ that in itself is enough to make me want to vote this Government out.
Hi Leonie. I’ve lost friends and family through crashes and it always seems so bloody pointless. How on Earth do Bishop, and Brown before him, reconcile the costs in grief, wasted lives and economically, if we must count that in, with the extra 11 minutes the drivers will spend at work, helping our country become great again? If it wasn’t for seatbelts I wouldn’t be writing this. Some years ago Diana and I were rearranged some what by an idiot who spun out and hit us. This was nearly 20 years ago and we still feel the effects of injuries we got. If Bishop has his way someone else will be crashed into at 100kph instead of the 80kph the police estimated we were. I doubt that a seatbelt would help at that speed. He will have a lot to answer for.
On the point about speed - Bishops guarantee that additional speed will not not cause more death, is not consistent with the NZTA data - his lie in every sense, I'm sure MP's cannot publish known lies and no be held responsible? If we allow this sort of comment OR do not make complaint WE are at fault also!
Bishop also made comment that 3 minutes saved per journey adds up to a lot of saved time and increased productivity - that is equally pure speculation and has no support data, also a lie!
Brilliant Nick, you’ve outdone yourself. I laughed until I cried. Sitting here at the beach with my brother, agreeing that we’ve gone into a twilight zone of perpetual shell-shock. There is a sense of unreality at war with a conviction of this administration’s brutality. Every new revelation bodes more ill for we, their victims.
Even if you refuse to accept the statistics, common sense will tell you there will be more deaths and more serious injuries on the roads with increase in speed, this is disgraceful. The risks in my efforts to enter my nearby road where traffic will be traveling at 100 rather than the present 80kph (campaigned for by locals for many years, now to be reversed) will be hugely increased. If it's just money they are talking about, will they tell us the financial cost to the country of my death or hospital care... I am so disgusted.
As for school lunch, also disgusted, but not as much as those poor kids who try to eat them.
Death and injury resulting from vehicle accidents is (actually) good for GDP - so say mainstream economists. So the speed limit increases might be part of National’s “growth” strategy
Yeah - sell off ACC, then make injury insurance compulsory, but it’s privatised, injure more people, so higher premiums and more law suits and get higher GDP. Brilliant scheme if you’re evil.
The only trouble with that is you then get people tailgating & getting aggressive towards you on the road NZ drivers are not known for their patience when I used to tow my horse around quite a lot boy did I get abused & I would always pull over where possible.
I just tried to lodge a complaint with the Ombudsman on the web page - After about 10 minutes with the phone on waiting... opted for a call back. Also attempted to complete the on-line form which has compulsory fields for Info, when selecting the the option the complaint was from myself - I was then required to have authority to complain on my behalf. Then ended up in a loop - at this stage I become incapacitated due to rolling around on the floor laughing. Maybe someone will call back ???????
Oh for the simpler times when kids turned up to school with vegemite sammies wrapped in wax lunch paper, a coxs orange apple, all stuck in a brown paper bag that had to be saved for tomorrow's lunch. Or on Fridays taking money for the fish and chip order.
Times long gone sadly. Swapping sammies. My Indian mate had great sammies, yum. He also wanted my roast meat sammies on Mondays after the Sunday roast. Davinda was Hindi. Not sure he was supposed to be munching down on meat. Anyway he loved them.
We were very working class, one income families. No money to spare. We fed our own kids the same way.
What has happened that so many children go to school hungry with no lunch either. We did have poor kids who the nuns would feed, but very rare.
You’ve answered your question, you’re family may have had nothing to spare but you could manage on one income. Few families can do that these days, and certainly living on benefits is impossible without extra help. Also, the days of people being able to have a vegetable garden and a couple of fruit trees are long gone so no chance of trying to feed your family that way unless you live out in the countryside or a small town where homes still have gardens.
Jobs that used to be available no longer exist, no manufacturing, automation taking over what people used to do, wages that don’t cover even the basic costs of living and increasingly things that used to be done here now moved overseas where costs are kept down to keep profits up by exploiting an unprotected labour force.
It’s all taking a toll.
I was interested in the swapping of sammies, I used to work with a young Indian chap in our local Four Square, he and his family came from India to live with family already here so he was learning English, we used to try explaining our lunches to each other and he was also keen on swapping whatever he had for my cold roast beef and mustard sandwiches. I was worried about this as I knew he was Hindu, but he was adamant that he still wanted to swap. I never minded as his lunch was always yummy.
This Government are all being Trump Heads. They do not accept any evidence. Collins did it before in the previous National Government. Tod Muller was the last of the old school liberals who could not lie. He resigned citing mental health issues rather than lie for them. If you are not lying you are not in the game, it seems. What does anyone need solid, honest facts for when they just deny them? A sad sad state of affairs when honesty and good judgment is seen as terrible and disregarded.
On the MSM and social media reports of the school lunch debacle, it has been sad and dispiriting to see so many smug and snarky comments about "feed your own children", "the taxpayers shouldn't have to feed other people's children " and others of similar thoughts. When did we become such a mean and selfish nation that we would begrudge children one decent meal in a day? Even if their parents can't or won't make a lunch every morning, should the kids be deprived? All of the research that triggered the school lunch program here (and similar programs in many many other countries) shows that children achieve better academically if they are well nourished and well fed. This lazy thoughtless government rattles on about our standing in international academic achievement, then dismantles all the programs that actually contribute to improvement.
Absolutely Maggie! My thoughts entirely!!
If Seymour is so f******* proud of those lunches, they should be served at Bellamys until his colleagues agree to go back to Community-based lunch efforts.
Love it!
My thoughts too. If they're good enough for our growing tamariki, they're definitely good enough to serve the politicians.
Just decided to subscribe for a year 'cause I enjoy reading your free posts but today's is especially good. It is just incredible how arrogant Seymour is but that arrogance seems to be spread widely over this coalition government to the detriment of this country. As if I wasn't depressed enough.
Thanks very much, Andy. I appreciate the support and welcome to the comments community. 🙂
Well done -you won’t regret it!
Whatever happened to Fruit in Schools? Is it still a thing, where government funds fruit supply for kids? Introduced in 2005, it was revolutionary in its day. I remember visiting kids at South Auckland schools who for the first time had fruit in their daily lives. Was it subsumed by "charities" like Kidscan, or did we forget fruit and veggies in the new David Seymour menu. That pic of Seymour is about him trying to show support for Mexicans after Winston's attacks. Go eat a Taco and show you are now not anti Mexican.
Thanks Nick , another great read, I almost spat out my coffee laughing, a couple of times. Kim’s writing was also genius - I hope she keeps her job now that she has spoken ill of the Minister of Unpalatable Foods and Bills.
I spent about six years in boarding school and can remember only once coming across something that looked as revolting as the crap Seymour’s forcing our youngest to eat. I refused to eat whatever it was meant to be and was caned for it. The cane was the better option. I wonder if the garbage presented in schools is also what is foisted upon those in youth detention centres or “boot camps”? If it is, I can understand the inmates climbing on to the roofs and demanding KFC. If that’s what they want it says volumes about what they’re getting.
As for Chris Bishop’s claims that speed doesn’t kill, he’s half correct. It’s not the speed, it’s the sudden stop that does the damage. However, if this is a more efficient way to reduce the volume of injuries requiring admission to hospital or other medical care, it’s a win for Simeon. I don’t make light of anything to do with the tragedy that vehicle crashes bring or the grief that ensues. I’m sure many of us have been through it. It’s just that it’s hard to believe how incredibly stupid the move to reverse the speed limits is, despite the science in front of them. I still remember vividly the quote “it’s better to be late than DOA”, shown on TV in the early 1960’s in Australia. Perhaps Chris B should be shown the short film Signal30, shown to us at school. It’s definitely not for the faint hearted, it’s camera crews arriving at crash scenes with the police and there’s nothing left to the imagination. It might make him think twice.
On a happier note, A+ for today’s music video.
Jeremy, as a nurse, I concur. One never forgets the painful grief in Emergency Dept as kin arrive to find their loved one has died. I get upset at the sheer waste of life, a mother leaving behind 3 children, a breadwinner Daddy gone! young people in the prime of life, it’s heartbreaking!
The stats of Sweden, Norway, say it all.
That he would even risk one life, he is either thick, in denial, or so beholden to a voter base or ideology.. idk! 🤦♀️ that in itself is enough to make me want to vote this Government out.
Hi Leonie. I’ve lost friends and family through crashes and it always seems so bloody pointless. How on Earth do Bishop, and Brown before him, reconcile the costs in grief, wasted lives and economically, if we must count that in, with the extra 11 minutes the drivers will spend at work, helping our country become great again? If it wasn’t for seatbelts I wouldn’t be writing this. Some years ago Diana and I were rearranged some what by an idiot who spun out and hit us. This was nearly 20 years ago and we still feel the effects of injuries we got. If Bishop has his way someone else will be crashed into at 100kph instead of the 80kph the police estimated we were. I doubt that a seatbelt would help at that speed. He will have a lot to answer for.
Raising speed limits is just idiotic...so what if you're 3 mins later for God sake. Having your photo taken where someone has died is disgusting!
On the point about speed - Bishops guarantee that additional speed will not not cause more death, is not consistent with the NZTA data - his lie in every sense, I'm sure MP's cannot publish known lies and no be held responsible? If we allow this sort of comment OR do not make complaint WE are at fault also!
Bishop also made comment that 3 minutes saved per journey adds up to a lot of saved time and increased productivity - that is equally pure speculation and has no support data, also a lie!
Maybe I will try the Ombudsman New Zealand - https://www.ombudsman.parliament.nz.
We all should!
Brilliant Nick, you’ve outdone yourself. I laughed until I cried. Sitting here at the beach with my brother, agreeing that we’ve gone into a twilight zone of perpetual shell-shock. There is a sense of unreality at war with a conviction of this administration’s brutality. Every new revelation bodes more ill for we, their victims.
Even if you refuse to accept the statistics, common sense will tell you there will be more deaths and more serious injuries on the roads with increase in speed, this is disgraceful. The risks in my efforts to enter my nearby road where traffic will be traveling at 100 rather than the present 80kph (campaigned for by locals for many years, now to be reversed) will be hugely increased. If it's just money they are talking about, will they tell us the financial cost to the country of my death or hospital care... I am so disgusted.
As for school lunch, also disgusted, but not as much as those poor kids who try to eat them.
Death and injury resulting from vehicle accidents is (actually) good for GDP - so say mainstream economists. So the speed limit increases might be part of National’s “growth” strategy
Yeah - sell off ACC, then make injury insurance compulsory, but it’s privatised, injure more people, so higher premiums and more law suits and get higher GDP. Brilliant scheme if you’re evil.
Maybe, but the hospitals are underfunded
Wonder how that works???
Trump fired the directors of aviation and coastal safety in his first week. A major crash is probably just the first major tragedy as a result.
We don’t have to drive at the maximum speed allowed. I for one will be driving at the former limit or slower. 100 kms is a limit not a target.
The only trouble with that is you then get people tailgating & getting aggressive towards you on the road NZ drivers are not known for their patience when I used to tow my horse around quite a lot boy did I get abused & I would always pull over where possible.
We are doomed if saving 27sec on the road is the difference between making budget v bankruptcy. This CoC are completely mental and unbelievably greedy
I just tried to lodge a complaint with the Ombudsman on the web page - After about 10 minutes with the phone on waiting... opted for a call back. Also attempted to complete the on-line form which has compulsory fields for Info, when selecting the the option the complaint was from myself - I was then required to have authority to complain on my behalf. Then ended up in a loop - at this stage I become incapacitated due to rolling around on the floor laughing. Maybe someone will call back ???????
Oh for the simpler times when kids turned up to school with vegemite sammies wrapped in wax lunch paper, a coxs orange apple, all stuck in a brown paper bag that had to be saved for tomorrow's lunch. Or on Fridays taking money for the fish and chip order.
Times long gone sadly. Swapping sammies. My Indian mate had great sammies, yum. He also wanted my roast meat sammies on Mondays after the Sunday roast. Davinda was Hindi. Not sure he was supposed to be munching down on meat. Anyway he loved them.
We were very working class, one income families. No money to spare. We fed our own kids the same way.
What has happened that so many children go to school hungry with no lunch either. We did have poor kids who the nuns would feed, but very rare.
Rob, there are many more mothers working these days, they are time poor, and once rent is paid, there is still do not money enough for kai.
In Finland, every child gets a healthy lunch; they see it as an investment.
You’ve answered your question, you’re family may have had nothing to spare but you could manage on one income. Few families can do that these days, and certainly living on benefits is impossible without extra help. Also, the days of people being able to have a vegetable garden and a couple of fruit trees are long gone so no chance of trying to feed your family that way unless you live out in the countryside or a small town where homes still have gardens.
Jobs that used to be available no longer exist, no manufacturing, automation taking over what people used to do, wages that don’t cover even the basic costs of living and increasingly things that used to be done here now moved overseas where costs are kept down to keep profits up by exploiting an unprotected labour force.
It’s all taking a toll.
I was interested in the swapping of sammies, I used to work with a young Indian chap in our local Four Square, he and his family came from India to live with family already here so he was learning English, we used to try explaining our lunches to each other and he was also keen on swapping whatever he had for my cold roast beef and mustard sandwiches. I was worried about this as I knew he was Hindu, but he was adamant that he still wanted to swap. I never minded as his lunch was always yummy.
This Government are all being Trump Heads. They do not accept any evidence. Collins did it before in the previous National Government. Tod Muller was the last of the old school liberals who could not lie. He resigned citing mental health issues rather than lie for them. If you are not lying you are not in the game, it seems. What does anyone need solid, honest facts for when they just deny them? A sad sad state of affairs when honesty and good judgment is seen as terrible and disregarded.