Post by Kiwi Frontline on Sept 19, 2016 6:35:09 GMT 12
The New Zealand Herald 19/9/16
MAORI PARTY AND KERMADECS
It is very sad to see the Maori Party’s stance on the proposed marine sanctuary around the Kermadec Islands. It is essential that large no-take marine sanctuaries are established in our waters if we are to have any chance of restoring our depleted fish stock. Taking umbrage at lack of consultation and so-called “rights” reflects badly on the party.
It seems National has not handled things well, but political posturing by both the parties achieves nothing. Oceans and fish stocks are in trouble everywhere and we need to take urgent action.
A little graciousness and willingness to embrace the concept would greatly increase public respect. Good environmental initiatives from National are rare, please don’t derail this one.
J B
Tairua.
COMPARING SENTENCES
Lizzie Marvelly claims Maori are given harsher sentences by courts than Pakeha for the same crimes. The danger in cherrypicking crimes and comparing them side by side is that it doesn’t take into account factors such as premeditation, previous criminal history and remorse shown.
That said, I was left wondering what Marvelly, as a feminist, thought about the numerous studies showing that men are jailed for longer periods than women for the same crimes. A 2012 University of Michigan study found that men receive prison sentences 63 per cent longer than those for female offenders. This seems to be a good example of “female privilege” that feminists don’t like to acknowledge.
A S
Mairangi Bay.
The New Zealand Herald 19/9/16 (Short & Sweet section)
ON SANCTUARY
So the Maori Party can put up with homelessness, poverty, unemployment figures, the racist justice system . . . yet when it comes to being blocked from catching fish in a proposed sanctuary designed to save fish stocks, they throw their toys out of the cot!
P J
Hamilton.
ON TREATY
Attorney-General Chris Finlayson has called NZ First’s opposition to the Treaty settlement which imposes iwi representation on Taranaki Regional Council committees “bonkers”. I disagree. What is bonkers is committing future generations to arrangements such as this.
Today more of us are aware of environmental protection and yet the creation of reserves to protect marine habitats, such as the proposed Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary, are being stymied by a Treaty settlement made 25 years ago.
S S
Meadowbank.
ON ‘THE SYSTEM’
Our “system” is not racist, it's all about money, and as the saying goes — money talks, bull**** walks. If our pea-brain society keeps going on about racism in this country like this, we will only create it.
G F
Taupo.
Dominion Post 19/9/16
NAKED SELF-INTEREST
The lush Kermadec Islands, lying to the north of the North Island, and the seas around them, are New Zealand's northern outposts, perhaps, in their unspoiled and unsettled state, on the tropical edge of our consciousness. They shouldn't be. This is pristine island and ocean; the islands, already protected, but not the ocean or fish. The proposal to create a marine sanctuary here is timely, justified, and widely supported.
This isolated area now illustrates Maori and government politics at their most craven and venal. Maori, want to throw a net of claim over 'traditional' waters they have never fished. How do you spell 'greedy'? The Government, fearful of alienating reserved-seat Maori Party support, is putting the issue in the 'too hard' basket. How do you spell gutless'?The behaviour of both is the purest of naked self-interest. 'Principle', what's that?
A R
Napier
AGAINST DEMOCRACY
I disagree with almost everything Geoffrey Palmer says about reviewing our constitution (September 17).
He is a lawyer attempting a power grab for the legal profession. He wants judges we cannot get rid of to change laws at their discretion while elected Parliament must obtain a time-consuming, high-threshold 75 per cent majority.
Palmer also wants to replace our monarchy with a head of state elected by Parliament rather than by we, the people. That provision is similar to the EU and one of the main reasons Britain chose Brexit.
Palmer's proposals are anti-democratic.
Stephen fry pointed out that "Countries that have kings and queens - which are rationally stupid, weird ideas - are empirically freer and more socially just than countries that don't." He gives eight European countries as examples, including Britain, Holland and Sweden.
I prefer to give more power to our monarchy and require more accountability from our underperforming justice system.
B D
Island Bay
MAORI PARTY AND KERMADECS
It is very sad to see the Maori Party’s stance on the proposed marine sanctuary around the Kermadec Islands. It is essential that large no-take marine sanctuaries are established in our waters if we are to have any chance of restoring our depleted fish stock. Taking umbrage at lack of consultation and so-called “rights” reflects badly on the party.
It seems National has not handled things well, but political posturing by both the parties achieves nothing. Oceans and fish stocks are in trouble everywhere and we need to take urgent action.
A little graciousness and willingness to embrace the concept would greatly increase public respect. Good environmental initiatives from National are rare, please don’t derail this one.
J B
Tairua.
COMPARING SENTENCES
Lizzie Marvelly claims Maori are given harsher sentences by courts than Pakeha for the same crimes. The danger in cherrypicking crimes and comparing them side by side is that it doesn’t take into account factors such as premeditation, previous criminal history and remorse shown.
That said, I was left wondering what Marvelly, as a feminist, thought about the numerous studies showing that men are jailed for longer periods than women for the same crimes. A 2012 University of Michigan study found that men receive prison sentences 63 per cent longer than those for female offenders. This seems to be a good example of “female privilege” that feminists don’t like to acknowledge.
A S
Mairangi Bay.
The New Zealand Herald 19/9/16 (Short & Sweet section)
ON SANCTUARY
So the Maori Party can put up with homelessness, poverty, unemployment figures, the racist justice system . . . yet when it comes to being blocked from catching fish in a proposed sanctuary designed to save fish stocks, they throw their toys out of the cot!
P J
Hamilton.
ON TREATY
Attorney-General Chris Finlayson has called NZ First’s opposition to the Treaty settlement which imposes iwi representation on Taranaki Regional Council committees “bonkers”. I disagree. What is bonkers is committing future generations to arrangements such as this.
Today more of us are aware of environmental protection and yet the creation of reserves to protect marine habitats, such as the proposed Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary, are being stymied by a Treaty settlement made 25 years ago.
S S
Meadowbank.
ON ‘THE SYSTEM’
Our “system” is not racist, it's all about money, and as the saying goes — money talks, bull**** walks. If our pea-brain society keeps going on about racism in this country like this, we will only create it.
G F
Taupo.
Dominion Post 19/9/16
NAKED SELF-INTEREST
The lush Kermadec Islands, lying to the north of the North Island, and the seas around them, are New Zealand's northern outposts, perhaps, in their unspoiled and unsettled state, on the tropical edge of our consciousness. They shouldn't be. This is pristine island and ocean; the islands, already protected, but not the ocean or fish. The proposal to create a marine sanctuary here is timely, justified, and widely supported.
This isolated area now illustrates Maori and government politics at their most craven and venal. Maori, want to throw a net of claim over 'traditional' waters they have never fished. How do you spell 'greedy'? The Government, fearful of alienating reserved-seat Maori Party support, is putting the issue in the 'too hard' basket. How do you spell gutless'?The behaviour of both is the purest of naked self-interest. 'Principle', what's that?
A R
Napier
AGAINST DEMOCRACY
I disagree with almost everything Geoffrey Palmer says about reviewing our constitution (September 17).
He is a lawyer attempting a power grab for the legal profession. He wants judges we cannot get rid of to change laws at their discretion while elected Parliament must obtain a time-consuming, high-threshold 75 per cent majority.
Palmer also wants to replace our monarchy with a head of state elected by Parliament rather than by we, the people. That provision is similar to the EU and one of the main reasons Britain chose Brexit.
Palmer's proposals are anti-democratic.
Stephen fry pointed out that "Countries that have kings and queens - which are rationally stupid, weird ideas - are empirically freer and more socially just than countries that don't." He gives eight European countries as examples, including Britain, Holland and Sweden.
I prefer to give more power to our monarchy and require more accountability from our underperforming justice system.
B D
Island Bay