A16 Wednesday, February 20, 2013 , Opinion Hekia Parata has made me a liar to my children

Hekia Parata has made me a liar. trying to make a hard situation was inevitable after the How does this fit with Parata‘s will happen is irrational and Worse, she has made me a liar to easier, I have made it worse. earthquakes. Change, though vision that the current school emotional. Focus of memory my children. My children can have no difficult sometimes, is a fact of life. closures and mergers are to ensure Several years ago Trevor My eldest was worried he confidence in anything I say about If all ministers heed Parata’s that Christchurch will have ‘‘the Mallard (yes, Labour) closed, would have to leave the school he this because I have lied to them example, we can proceed to a most modern school network in merged and restructured schools without obstruction gives it the omeone in the Ministry of is attached to; I told him he would once already. for the benefit of all. the country’’? throughout the country, including Culture and Heritage chance to choose a site that see out his primary school years I can thank Hekia for adding to MIKE DALY If the electorate of Wigram were all through the Grey Valley, inland knows their Christ- appropriately commemorates S there. My middle child was my family’s stress and for making Spreydon a National stronghold would this from Greymouth. church history. In announcing the dead and adds to the anxious he would be away from me as untrustworthy to my be happening? That most certainly did not the plan for an earthquake Christchurch cityscape. What his friends; I told him he would be children as I think she is. Shame on Parata Shame on Parata and the mean the end of community memorial, the department has should guide officials is that with his friends. My youngest was ALISON HENNIG Branston Intermediate pupils National Government. Hornby identities. Our communities are avoided some of the pitfalls that the monument needs to be at worried she would be separated North New Brighton are to be schooled in ‘‘temporary’’ kids deserve better than they are still standing – with or without have derailed memorialising in the city’s heart, available to as from her brothers; I assured her accommodation at Hornby High prepared to give them. their schools. this city’s past. many people as possible and in that the school would move as a Credit to Parata School, being forced to abandon J TAYLOR Arguments like those made by The deepest of those has their sight, because of the whole so they would be together. Now there is clarity about their permanent, well maintained, Hornby Mr Hawker, which are not based been siting. The Godley statue magnitude of the quakes’ I lied to my children. None of schools, some credit needs to go to virtually earthquake-undamaged on fact, are an insult to the has been repositioned several impact on the lives of citizens those things will happen after the the maligned minister. school in Amyes Rd. Community unaffected communities concerned, by times and might be again; the and the look of their city. new proposals announced on Hers was a poisoned chalice. Is this the same ‘‘temporary’’ I am aghast at Wayne Hawker implying that the depth of their citizens’ war memorial was Monday reneged on every written She made mistakes yet has had the accommodation still being used stating that the closure of schools community is based solely on the The revamped Square, nearly not built because of the assurance the school had decency to admit that more time today by Hornby High pupils will mean ‘‘communities will lose school. That would hardly be true. enlarged and opened up, surely intensity of the dispute about previously been given. and dialogue was necessary. nearly 40 years since the school their identities’’ (Feb 19). What a THERESE GIBBENS is the place for the monument, where to put it; the FitzGerald I feel I have failed as a parent: in Change to the school system opened in 1975? load of rubbish. To imply that this Greymouth monument is scheduled for a particularly because the shift to Latimer Sq; the busts cathedral as the dominant on Worcester Blvd of leading feature of that place is in doubt. ❯❯ personalities have been the With such a central position In a few words target of as much derision as and commemorating such a praise partly because of their central event, the monument Education Minister Hekia Parata disturbing position as onloo- will have to be commanding – a and her department are good at kers at the passing parade. powerful expression of the only one thing – changing their Almost every other Christ- city’s grief and confidence in its minds. PETER BANENS church memorial has attracted power to rise from the rubble. controversy, as have the city’s I was fascinated by Hekia Parata’s key public buildings, which is Knowing that, the Ministry choice of outfit for her interview not surprising given the strong of Culture and Heritage is on Campbell Live about the Christ- feelings residents have about opening the design to inter- church school closures. Is she sig- their city. Christchurch people national talent, in the form of a nalling her future with this repre- from the beginning of the competition. That will allow sentation of the white and yolk of a colony have had ideals about the world’s most creative broken egg? All I could think of how the city should look and designers, sculptors and when I saw it was ‘‘Humpty how it should commemorate its architects to use their talents Dumpty sat on the wall, Humpty leaders and great events, and for Christchurch’s benefit in Dumpty had a great fall.’’ Well, she the earthquakes have been the creating a structure that moves sure hasn’t sat on the wall, but the onlooker and attracts maybe the rest is to come? greatest of events. PHILIPPA LANE The Press from a few days attention. Schools merging or closing (some after February 22, 2011, has Such qualities can be full and doing really well and in been printing correspondence achieved by someone from areas relatively unaffected by the about how to remember the outside Christchurch and who quakes), $10 million for an victims, and opinions are did not experience the catas- earthquake memorial and money divided. They will become even trophe, such is the power of going into things that should be more divided as the ministry’s great artists, so it would be a down on the list of priorities. memorial plan progresses. mistake to insist that the Where is the love and caring for What will not be debated to design be restricted to New those still living in garages and any effect will be the siting, Zealanders. without heating or sanitation? Are because the Government has they being forgotten or hidden The same mustering of taken that decision upon itself, away so that our leaders look good presumably knowing that pub- international talent needs to with publicity for the next lic debate about the site could take place in the design of other election? stymie progress. But it is a key buildings proposed by the FIONA CAREW risky manoeuvre. A site out of blueprint. The pool of Mr Ken Orr (Feb 18): the only the way or seen as inappropri- architects in this country is person left on the planet who can ate would attract a torrent of small. . architects with a straight face dredge up the disapproval. must play a central role, but tired old lie that gay people are The Government’s powers to let’s also embrace the best from more likely to be paedophiles than take land for the memorial elsewhere on the globe. straight people. STEVE KRENEK

ACCURACY Fat and expensive Don’ttrivialise Reeva you also quote (Feb 19). when on video pretty much all The greater majority of current ordained,sexabuse will stop inthe The Press at least confined its things are possible? Does this male prison inmates were raised church. The priests who were The Press is committed to accuracy. Looking at the two side-by-side I am deeply concerned about coverage to page A6 and you also suggest influences inherent in by single mothers, and, it would responsible for abusing kids were When we make mistakes, we will do pictures in The Press on Saturday how the media has covered the correctly but without any television programming that are seem, television. paedophiles. A homosexual is what we can to put it right, including running a correction if necessary. made me ask why our society death of Reeva Steenkamp. She emphasis noted an aspect of the shaping generations adversely, I G WILLIAMS geared for sex with another We encourage readers to tell us when keeps propping up and paying for has been sexually objectified and study that made this a complete lowering IQs and engendering Richmond homosexual, not kids. they believe we have made errors. people like this. her loss of life has been trivialised. non-story – a key finding was that anti-social behaviour? What came It is a hugely sad issue but we Corrections and clarifications One photograph was of the I ask that you please avoid sex- the connection between television first, the chicken or the egg? Was Benedict complicit can’t ignore the cries of children. will be published each week in a creep who murdered the ualising her in this publication, viewing and violent convictions Cain influenced by cave drawings I suggest to Mr Orr that our PADDY BROCHERIE Putting It Right column. If you have a Wellington journo and the other avoid glorifying the man who was not significant after to kill his brother? opinions are formed depending on complaint, email your concerns to Clifton Hill [email protected], or write to was of a guy who was the size of a stands accused of her murder, and controlling for other factors. The danger of TV lies in its role the information we select to read Corrections, The Press, Private Bag small paddock – both unproductive be more acutely aware of how you The Press rather confused the as the beachhead of a soft invasion (Feb 19). In the information sour- Hates Catholics? 4722, Christchurch Mail Centre, members of society. report violence against women – reporting, but other media – the taking over of our culture by ces that I read, Pope Benedict was Christopher Hitchens’ scathing Christchurch 8140, or fax (03) The latter was doing a version an issue that impacts at least one hopelessly hyped this story and the takeaway society, pop psychol- complicit in the cover-ups. Only criticism of Pope Benedict XVI 379-1531. of What’s Eating Gilbert Grape.He billion women worldwide yearly. did not drill down into the content ogy and populist pap liberally latterly did he actively deal with it, (Feb 16) brings to mind the vitriol had to be lifted back into bed by SARA EPPERSON of the report. mingled with sex and violence. when the cover-ups were doing he directed at the late Mother CONTACT US the fire brigade, and then he posed Papanui When are the media going to get A danger is that folk see media more harm to the church than Teresa of Calcutta on the occasion with no shame for the cameras. to grips with accurately reporting personalities on TV as being some trying to ignore the sex abuse. of her beatification. Email letters to [email protected], These obese people cost us so Getting it wrong statistical studies? kind of success, hence they suck I dispute Mr Orr’s claim that Interestingly, the hard-bitten post them to The Editor, Private Bag 4722, Christchurch Mail Centre, much money. It beggars belief that the media URSULA CHEER their cess down incessantly. only a few clerics were guilty of journalist and broadcaster, the late Christchurch 8140, or fax them to (03) A person who works at the makes a front-page story of the Ilam Small wonder it has evolved abusing children, as thousands of Malcolm Muggeridge, when an 379-1531. Letters may be edited or hospital said it cost about $1 Otago study that allegedly shows argumentative, opinionated, kids suffered. agnostic, was so impressed by rejected for legal, space or other million to host an obese woman – children who spend many hours TV taking us over febrile-minded fantasy fiends Of course there are priests Mother Teresa that he said she reasons. If you want to question the for the strengthening of equipment watching TV are more likely to A University of Otago study whose grasp on reality is illusory giving much to our communities, was a major influence in his handling of your letter, contact the needed to hold her off the ground engage in criminal behaviour. affirms the anti-social ramifi- and whose opinions are manipu- but minimising the numbers of conversion to Roman Catholicism. letters editor. We prefer letters to be (bed, toilet, etc) and there were I did not see or hear any cations of exposure of young lated by American change agents priests involved and the great Hitchens called Mother Teresa no longer than 150 words. A postal address and phone number are numerous other costs. journalist asking if the study had minds to television (Feb 19). whose role it is to win the hearts harm done to raped kids delays a fanatic. It seems he had a needed. We do not publish letters with It’s got to stop. controlled for other factors, such Is this the immaturity of the and minds of the weak, wilful and true healing in the church. fanatical hatred of Catholicism. pen names or letters sent to other LYNNE WYLIE as the bad parenting mentioned by minds concerned, being incapable willing, while generating anti- Mr Orr suggested that by COLIN TOBIN publications. We do not return Halswell Professor Greg Newbold, whom of determining what is acceptable social and beastly children. preventing homosexuals being Bryndwr unpublished letters.