Study here

Australia is rapidly becoming a microcosm of the United States, politically moribund, protectionist and unilateral. In this they are consistent. Remember Ansett, or the manner of the deportation of New Zealand born offenders? Bill English’s robust comments not- withstanding, Gerry Brownlee got nothing except a repetition of the increasingly meaningless mantra about special relationship.

There are benefits to New Zealand however, one of which might be the retention or repatriation of tertiary students seeking study in Australia. It might also be a lesson to the local elite who send there children there in the belief their system is superior. If Labour’s education spokesman is an example of the talent available on that side of the political divide they have little chance of taking government in the foreseeable future. To say “if schools were properly funded by the government they wouldn’t need to find tricky ways to ask parents for funds” is a prime example of a a fatuous statement. A man in his exalted position should be fully aware the way any government allocates funds is based on the catchment area or zone for which any school should be expected to cater and if he checks his electorate of Rimutaka I am sure schools there will confirm this situation.

Those who cheat the system as described in the Herald’s article are effectively undoing the work the Department of Education does in