British Schoolgirl Murdered in Kerikeri

Police today announced that a 14 year old student from Kerikeri high school has been charged with the murder and sexual assault of 15 year old Libby Templeman who died last weekend. Although the youth was known to Libby police say that it he was not her boyfriend.

Libby moved from Britain three years ago to the small close knit Northland town of Kerikeri. Friends say the family had got "fed up" with Britain and had decided to emigrate to New Zealand for a better life.

However, due to a downturn in work, the Templemans had relocated to the North Shore where Libby was due to start school at Rangitoto last week and had already auditioned for a part in the school production. She had returned to Kerikeri on her own to visit friends for the weekend.

The small rural town was stunned by her murder, she was a vivacious and well loved member of the community and will be very much missed by everyone who knew her.

Libby's ambition was to be an actress, a singer or anything theatrical and had appeared in pantomimes when they lived in the UK and also in Kerikeri. She was fun and outgoing, a bubbly girl who had grown into an independent, outgoing young woman.

Her funeral and public memorial will be held tomorrow.

RIP Libby.

New Zealand Education System

NZ state schools are chronically underfunded with parents expected to make voluntary donations to prop-up the system, often $100s of dollars a year, plus subject fees, course materials, uniforms etc.

Schools are graded according to a decile rating system, the highest rated schools (decile 10) require a larger "voluntary" contribution from families than the lower ranking schools and receive less government money.

Increasing pressure is put on both parents and children who fail to make these contributions. As the recession deepens in New Zealand and the family budgets become tighter schools are bound to be the first to lose out on this extra funding, education is going to be one of the first casualties of New Zealand's economic downturn.

As if this wasn't bad enough head teachers are also finding it hard, if not impossible, to recruit good quality teachers - even from overseas.

David Hodge, the head of NZ's largest school Rangitoto College went to the extraordinary length of travelling to Britain in an effort to recruit teachers from Scotland and England, but then he does this every year. On the salary and "bonuses" he earns one would hope that these "trips" are at his own expense and not funded by parent donations.

Teachers are angry at the pay and perks David Hodge attracts. A row erupted when the education minister Chris Carter accused him of taking an extra $18,000 from the school's operations grant on top of a $185,000 salary.

Mr Hodge's board of trustees-approved payment for "additional duties" included overseas trips to scout for foreign students, who bring in $2.5 million to the school each year. How many other school principals go to such extraordinary lengths?

Hang on a mo, but I thought he was going to Britain to scout for teachers too. Does this mean he's also jetting off to Asia to attract students?

Busy guy!

Other benefits include

• A $10,600 rebate on the rental of the principal's residence
• $10,500 for acting as a support officer for international fee paying students
• A car reimbursement of $1000 a month, paid for 10 months of the year
• Almost $6000 of board of trustees approved extra pay

Links
School donations dry up
Pay up or face a bigger bill
Schools pressure parents on donations
Worldwide Hunt for Good Teachers
Teachers angry at principal pay perks
What the kids think of David Hodge

Auckland Rail Seeks Help from Zimbabwe

Even at the best of times public transport in New Zealand doesn't measure up to the service offered to communters in other developed countries. Now Veolia Rail has turned to the developing world for help. This amusing and incisive article appeared in today's NZ Herald, it was written by Peter Lyons.

Source: NZ Herald, 9 Sept 2008

Oh the horrors of Auckland Rail Travel

A delegation of Government rail officials arrived in Auckland recently from Zimbabwe. They are here to advise Veolia rail on improving customer services in Auckland.

President Mugabe's Government receives few complaints about rail services in Harare.

A philosopher once said, "Most men live lives of quiet desperation." This certainly applies to Auckland rail commuters. Their mornings begin with a journey into the unknown.

Seasoned rail users have figured the peculiarities of the rail timetables in Auckland. The printed times are an average. This average is based on a weekly calculation. Ten minutes late today is balanced by 10 minutes early tomorrow, or later in the week.

Veterans on the Western line watch novices clambering across the tracks in front of oncoming trains running 10 minutes early. The next hurdle involves milling round the carriage doors which can take up to a minute to open. This is Veolia's version of a slow tease. Their marketing department realises that anticipation heightens desire.

The trains that run earlier than scheduled are empty for obvious reasons. Their passengers are waiting in vain back down the line. The trains that run late are packed

"Train Surfing"

Commuters who are required to stand can experience the fast-growing sport of train surfing. This gladiatorial contest favours the fuller figured over the frail.

It's an egalitarian sport. A 100kg shelf stacker from Pak'N Save can easily crush a wafer-thin executive from Westpac. The size of pay packet counts for little.

The lack of hand holds for those under two metres provides endless amusement for those fortunates who have a seat. The unwise or unwary end up in a crumpled heap at the back of the cabin.

Peak time is a case study in the business practices of the former Soviet Union. The ticket collectors end up wedged in a mass of humanity unable to move.

The company should issue them with rubber suits and buckets of jello to give them any hope of collecting fares.

The staff are courteous and affable. This is in contrast to Auckland's sometimes homicidal bus drivers. It is one of the ironies of modern corporate life that the least paid bear the brunt of consumer displeasure at shoddy service.

Inept and inadequate management seldom venture to the front line. Hopefully one of these poorly paid employees, in keeping with the fairytale of modern capitalism, may end up running the system. Maybe then the trains will run on time and carriage doors will open promptly. Proper hand holds could be installed to protect the small from the big. Ticket payment could be automated and turnstiles installed at stations like in many Third World countries.

The marketing guy from Veolia was on the telly the other night. He was attempting to explain the near-death experience of a customer who got stuck in a carriage door. He should have spun the line that their complete service package ranges from minor irritation to near-death experiences.

"New Delhi is Superior"

Among the most bemused by Auckland's rail system are migrants. Recently, while waiting for the 7.15, which arrived at 7.35, I encountered an Indian lady still waiting for the 6.30 service.

She informed me of the superiority of the New Delhi transit system. As she was talking the 8am sped by. Some arbitrary power had converted it to an express service. Ten minutes later a disembodied voice came over the station intercom to inform us of this fact. There was no apology.

School kids kicked off trains

Parents can be assured that if their child sets out for school at 6.30 they will arrive by morning interval. A recent practice has been to offload school students in favour of full fare-paying adults.

Skyrocketing petrol prices have caught Veolia planners by surprise despite the occasional mention in the media. Heaven knows the impact of this practice of bumping students off on the poor little tikes' self-esteem. They huddle in masses from the cold winter chill as the train leaves the station without them. It's quite heart-wrenching for us teachers on board.

Veolia has taken on the role of educating our youth that limited resources mean there are always winners and losers in life. We used to have an exam system that did likewise.

The rail service is a blessing for workplace malingerers like middle-aged school teachers who over indulge at Wednesday night pub quizzes. A lengthy sleep-in can be excused by reference to rail fail.

Slackers can arrive at work at the same time as conscientious colleagues who didn't realise the timetable rivals Harry Potter as a work of fiction. It's difficult to understand why Aucklanders persist in using their cars when such delights await them on the tracks.

Car addicts sit silently at morning breaks as rail enthusiasts relate harrowing experiences on the journey to work.

For more on the state of Auckland's rail service see here: It's crush hour on city trains

Life in New Zealand

You've probably seen the 100% Pure New Zealand ads, Lord of the Rings films and "documentaries" (I use the term loosely) showing new migrants' first few days in New Zealand. You may also have read the following statement from the Department Of Labour's Website:

Source: New Start. New Opportunities. New Zealand

"In many ways it’s not what we have that’s important to our quality of life – it’s what we don’t have! We don’t have high crime rates, our police don’t carry guns and instances of corruption are virtually unheard of. We don’t have abject poverty or hunger and we don’t have the pollution, congestion, health issues and cramped city living that we see elsewhere."

More on that later.

There are some other avenues of research to wander down if you're interesting in getting a more balanced view of NZ life, away from the glare of the scenery. First, some mainstream works depicting life in New Zealand:

Once Were Warriors
source: Wikipedia
"New Zealand author Alan Duff's bestselling first novel, first published in 1990. It tells the story of an urban Māori family, the Hekes, and portrays the reality of domestic violence. It was the basis of a 1994 film of the same name, directed by Lee Tamahori and starring Rena Owen and Temuera Morrison. The novel was followed by two sequels, What Becomes of the Broken Hearted? in 1997 and Jake's Long Shadow in 2002."



Whale Rider
Source: Wikipedia
"A 2003 film directed by Niki Caro, based on the 1987 novel The Whale Rider by New Zealand Māori author Witi Ihimaera. The world premiere was on September 9, 2002, at the Toronto International Film Festival"














World's Fastest Indian
Source: Wikipedia
"A film based on the legendary New Zealand speed bike racer Burt Munro. Munro set numerous land speed records for motorcycles with engines less than 1000 cc at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah in the late 1950s and into the 1960s. Many of his records still stand to this day."











Where else to look? Most of the Daily Newspapers have an on-line edtion. A list is here, you may like to find the news for the region you're interested in. There are also many online forums where migrants discuss the ins and outs of migration in many countries, some of these sites have a tendency to supress what are perceived to be negative comments about New Zealand.

"We don't have high crime rates"

Crime Statistics
According to Nationmaster New Zealand has the second highest rate of reported crime in the world at a rate of 105.881 per 1,000 people. The top ten countries are ranked as

1. Dominica
2. New Zealand
3. Finland
4. Denmark
   
5. Chile
6. UK
7. Monteserrat
8. USA
9. Netherlands
10. South Africa

A more detailed breakdown for the statistics of different types of crimes may be found in the document New Zealand Crime Statistics 2007.


As you can see the incidence of violent crime is cause for concern (click on image to enlarge)

Hardly a day goes by without a news report of an armed robbery, unprovoked assault, incident of domestic violence or other violent crime. Here are just some of thre crime reports from around the country that are in the news today.

Woman's Body Found in Flat
Source: NZ Herald, Wed 3 Sept, 2008
"Police have launched a homicide investigation after a woman was found dead and a man injured at a central Auckland apartment building yesterday.

Police were called to the apartment in Winchester St by ambulance services shortly before 4pm.

A man in his 20s who called police to the apartments is expected to remain under police guard at the hospital for several days, as he is treated for a serious injury to his hand."

Gang role in Bashing Probed
Source: NZ Herald, Wed 3 Sept, 2008
Police are investigating whether youth gangs were involved in a brutal attack which left a South Auckland teenager in a critical condition.

"Tuatu Cecil, 19, is in Middlemore Hospital with head injuries after he was attacked by a group in Papakura about 2am on Sunday.

Police found him unconscious after responding to reports of a group of people fighting near netball courts on Smiths Ave.

Detective Inspector Mark Gutry said police had been busy interviewing people in the area where the attack happened. He said Mr Cecil had been attacked after a fight or altercation between two groups of people."

Police Hunt Sydenham Sex Attacker
Source: Press.co.nz wed. 3 Sept, 2008
"Christchurch police are seeking information from the public after a 15-year-old girl was sexually assaulted at 6.30 last night.

The girl was walking along Selwyn Street in Sydenham when she was attacked from behind and dragged onto the grounds of Christchurch South Intermediate School.

The offender is described as a male, possibly wearing a hooded sweatshirt, and it is believed he left the school grounds via the Selwyn Street exit.

Police would like to hear from a man who was seen walking a white labrador in the area at the time."


Girl Told Accused About Sex Abuse
Source: Dominion Post Wed. 3 Sept, 2008
"A 10-year-old girl sexually abused by a paedophile - who was killed in a vigilante attack to avenge the abuse - feared he would hurt someone else if she did not speak up.

Glen Stinson, a paedophile with convictions dating to the 1960s and on bail for fresh sex charges against young girls, was killed on July 31 last year. It is alleged that he was punched and kicked to death after he was found touching the girl at a party. His body was dumped on the country driveway of a poultry farm in Foxton.

Aubrey Harrison, 27, and a woman who has name suppression, 32, have been jointly charged with his murder. They deny the charge. Bruce Tamatea has pleaded guilty."


Ambulance officer guilty of indecent assaults on patients
Source: NZherald Wed. 3 September, 2008
"A 35-year-old former ambulance driver has been found guilty of indecently assaulting patients in the back of an ambulance in Auckland in 1999 and 2000.

A jury at the Auckland District Court found the man guilty of six counts of indecent assault, four of which were on a 16-year-old schoolgirl who had been injured in a car crash.

He was acquitted of sexual violation and four other indecent assault charges.

The man has interim name suppression."


Xue Strangled Wife With Tie
Source: NZHerald Wed. 3 September, 2008
"Nai Yin Xue, who abandoned his daughter in a Melbourne railway station, used a yellow tie to strangle his wife before dumping her body in the boot of his car, a court was told today.

At a depositions hearing in Auckland District Court, crown prosecutor Brian Dickey presented evidence in the case against Xue who is charged with murdering his wife An An Liu last September.

The depositions hearing has been set down for two days, before two justices of the peace."

"Our Police Don't Carry Guns"

Rise in Public Support for Police to Carry Guns
Source: NZHerald Thurs 24 July 2008
"New Zealanders have changed their minds about an unarmed police force. More than half of those in a new survey want the police to carry firearms.

Just five years ago a majority were still opposed to the idea. Only 33 per cent supported it. Now 53 per cent would approve.

The survey of 500 people by Research New Zealand has also revealed that 44 per cent of the public are more concerned about their personal safety than they were last year.

People were asked: "How much do you approve or disapprove of the Police carrying guns?"

Police Association president Greg O'Connor said the findings reflected a nation worried by a steady increase in serious violent crimes, mostly related to methamphetamine.

"It's a clear reflection of the disturbed public feeling about the amount of violence out there," he said.
........

A 2003 survey of (police)association members showed that 64 per cent did not want, or were opposed to, the general arming of police, he said.

By 2005, that figure had risen to 69 per cent."

TBC......