Letters to the editor
I was most upset after reading Danielle van Dalen’s article in The Timaru Herald (July 22), especially to read that absolutely nothing has changed in the funding of palliative care in New Zealand over the past 14 years.
In my last role before retirement I was fortunate to have been chief executive of Totara Hospice, providing end of life care within the South Auckland community. In 2008 the biggest challenge facing hospices was also funding.
Totara Hospice is based in The Gardens in Manurewa and is one of New Zealand’s largest hospices. The hospice specialises in providing palliative care services to the South Auckland community and was supported by over 500 volunteers. The hospice was financially supported through the community, seven retail shops and approximately 65% funding from the then CountiesManukau District Health Board.
Approximately $2.68 million was required to be fundraised from the community per annum. This shortfall is now in excess of $4m. So again, nothing has changed.
As you can imagine, a huge focus was on funding the deficit and a great deal of my time was devoted to raising the profile and awareness in the South Auckland community, initiating key fundraising initiatives, establishing the retail business as a stand-alone profit centre and developing strategic relationships with business community leaders.
While all this was happening we developed a project plan to increase in-patient beds from nine to 21 (budget $6.5m) to satisfy demand for our services.
So, I totally agree with Danielle van Dalen that the funding gap in palliative care needs to be closed and immediately. So politicians do your job and ensure that our palliative care services are adequately funded so that all New Zealanders have the opportunity, when the time comes, to die well.
Last month I had surgery in the orthopaedic ward of Timaru Hospital. I would like to say a very big thank you for the wonderful care I received.
Although very busy, the staff were always bright and cheerful and happy to help. As I was from out of town, and away from family, this helped my recovery. Well done Timaru Hospital.
The front page story in The Timaru Herald (July 23) is another report of a sexual offender receiving a pathetic, minimum sentence for another series of indecent assaults, indecent acts and sexually grooming of young boys, which started in 1997.
This man sentenced had already had eight previous convictions for indecent acts and assaults on young boys and his target was pre-pubescent young boys.
Reports to the court revealed that he had himself been a victim of sexual abuse as a child, and that he had had ‘‘a long list of treatment’’ and had, ‘‘disregarded it’ and had ‘‘continued to offend’’.
His risk of re-offending was ‘‘well above average’’, a ‘‘lack of remorse’’, and he ‘‘continued to deny having deviant sexual preferences’’ which ‘‘points to a very high risk of recidivism’’. He had convictions in 2010, 2016, 2018 and 2020 relating to indecent acts and indecent assaults.
The sentences delivered this time were two years and 10 months jail for indecent assaults, 11⁄2 years’ jail for indecent acts and two years’ jail for grooming convictions. For all these convictions, the sentences delivered were only 30 months imprisonment. It seems someone ‘‘in authority’’ has told our judges to ‘‘be kind’’ to the criminals and not to inflict any appropriate sentences.
A letter on July 20 again raises the issue of road maintenance which is a continuing issue both on state highways and local roads.
It should not be for citizens to have to write letters to the papers advising what should be the procedure for maintaining roads. The various authorities employ people to ensure work is carried out in a competent manner. The governing body (elected members) role is to ensure that appropriate policy is promulgated and carried out.
Your correspondent asks that a way should be found to make trucking firms pay for road repairs. The method has been in place for many years, it is called ‘‘Distance Licence’’ calculated on vehicle weight and distance travelled.
However, the Government in its wisdom has recently temporarily reduced the distance licence rate paid, and more recently further extended the reduced rate for a further period. Look forward to an extended period of highways where avoiding potholes continues to be a dangerous task. Also look forward to expensive suspension repairs over coming months.
A recent quote from a district council following consideration of its annual plan: ‘‘The increasing numbers of heavy vehicles are our biggest challenge as these vehicles are consuming the asset at a faster rate than we can renew it.’’ Enjoy the ride.