Floods spell out need for water reform
The February 3 letter from Marie Olsen (WDC Councillor) asks why do we need a policy to control our water.
I think the ongoing calamity in Auckland should provide ample reason and the Three Waters concept is precisely the right one to ensure that remedies are not applied in a piecemeal fashion by councils, some of which are already out of their depth.
James Foster
Dargaville
Power cut realities
A correspondent in Friday’s issue ( Advocate, February 3) commented on Northpower warning customers to expect power cuts.
Has your correspondent considered the circumstances that this warning was issued under?
My impression was the company was warning that, due to the weather watches we were under, we should be prepared for power cuts due to fallen trees taking out power lines. These situations then need crews going out in extreme weather to locate the faults, before power could be restored.
I appreciated their foresight and made preparations accordingly. Indeed I appreciate those who willingly put themselves in danger to keep our power flowing. Storm conditions take no interest in balance sheets.
E. Manning
Whangārei
ECE progress
In 2023, Te Rito Maioha Early Childhood New Zealand celebrates 60 years of advocacy and leadership for early childhood education in Aotearoa New Zealand.
I’m proud to lead an organisation which, for six decades, has challenged attitudes, stood up to Governments and driven positive change for young tamariki, whānau and parents (especially women), early childhood education services and kaiako.
Early childhood education is an essential service for young tamariki and whānau in our modern society, but 60 years ago the idea was a controversial topic.
Although more and more women in the 1960s wanted or needed to work and have careers, many people believed that children should be at home along with their mothers, and that childcare was bad for children.
With no government funding, standards or support for childcare services or training for staff, it’s true that quality in the early 1960s was a mixed bag. While some centres delivered wonderful early childhood education, others had no idea of children’s needs.
Led by women’s rights activist, politician and social justice campaigner Sonja Davies, the New
Zealand Association of Childcare Centres formed to promote high standards supported by beneficial legislation and Government funding for early childhood education services.
Since 1963, our organisation and members have challenged attitudes about early childhood education and care; developed training and qualifications; influenced government policy; and grown knowledge and best practice in bicultural early childhood education. We’ve changed our name. We’ve become leaders in bicultural learning and teaching. We’ve become an established and respected tertiary education provider growing qualified teachers, leaders and experts in early childhood and primary education.
And we’re still standing up for our members, speaking out for equity and recognition for early childhood education so all young tamariki get
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their chance to learn and thrive in the most important developmental years of their lives.
For our diamond 60th anniversary year, we’re sharing stories of the change-makers of early childhood education. We’re also giving away gifts to members, launching a book, uniting for a national conference and hikoi to Parliament and making a big noise for early childhood education.
You can read these stories and more on our website: 60 years with mokopuna at heart (ecnz.ac.nz)
Kua tawhiti ke to haerenga mai, kia kore e haere tonu. He nui rawa o mahi, kia kore e mahi tonu. You have come too far not to go further. You have done too much not to do more — Sir James Henare
Kathy Wolfe Chief executive, Early Childhood NZ