Filling needs

I amnot surprised there is a shortage of tradespeople. Its fairly typical that we Kiwis, including myself, take a short term view of things. We need to stop doing that and buck up our ideas.

Firstly industry has to take responsibility for its future and ongoing staffing needs. Secondly the education system has a role to play in this, too. In my day boys did metalwork and woodwork and the girls did sewing and cooking classes at intermediate school. That would be the equivalent to years 7 and 8.

It would be great to reintroduce something similar except let there be no gender difference in choice of activity. I say let every child have a go at all four activities. That way industry has the potential to tap into the population not used currently.

There was a lost opportunity when high school girls were doing up some picnic tables. It could have been a good opportunity for the girls to have a go with a hammer and not just the paint brush. Maybe next time they can have a go and unearth a passion and a talent not normally associated with girls. Council professes to be the first council in New Zealand to use powers to protect biologically significant habitats.

It’s a wonder whoever wrote the article does not choke on their words. This same council has used those powers to give an overseas fish farming company the right to pollute the lovely pristine Okiwi Bay. The consent enables this company to discharge 210,000 litres of polluted water into the bay containing phosphates, nitrates and some solids i.e. fish waste, only 200 metres offshore.

This coming from a proposed fish farm factory placed in the very heart of the village. As Okiwi Bay is extremely shallow with only the ebb and flow of the tide, this discharge will very quickly pollute the inshore area.

The company’s spokesperson tells us that the discharge will be cleaner than the water of the bay. If this was the case there would be no need for any discharge at all but to be recycled through their fish tanks.

This is not what I call caring for our marine environment.