Opinion Hekia Parata Has Made Me a Liar to My Children
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A16 Wednesday, February 20, 2013 THE PRESS, Christchurch 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. united future 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. New Zealand 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.