The Government is buying a fight that it will not win against ---

The Government seems to be resolute in its desire to take on the combined might of teacher unions, parents and many in the community who find the actions of this Government to be abhorrent when it comes to Education policy. They are determined to go down roads that have been long discredited by good research. Their aim is both ideological and fiscally driven.

This will culminate in putting education back many decades. The students will suffer and would-be teachers will make alternative decisions about what they wish to do with their lives. That the Government can’t see this is particularly worrying.

Meeting after meeting held by the NZEI is rejecting the latest proposals by the Government to put the power back with The Ministry when it comes to annual increments for primary teachers. We can be sure that PPTA will be addressing the same issue at some stage.

For those who think the issues that teachers have with the Government are mainly about money, I say think again. The conditions that both unions have fought so hard for, both to better resource schools and for the very best support we can have for teachers is a direct attack on the citizens of the future.

The battle is far from over and we can expect the teachers, parent groups and University spokespeople to ramp up the effort to try to make this Government see sense.

This is a golden opportunity for the alternative parties wishing to take control of the Treasury to come up with better policy. We cannot wait for the normal election cycle. We must see the ‘vision for the future’ planted now. Our kids are too precious and the highly skilled teachers must not be lost to other forms of employment or to overseas systems. Education in NZ is facing a crisis, driven by an ignorant Government and a Ministry that does their bidding.

Goodbye Pork Pie 3 or is it 4? The car is looking ----

The car is starting to look lke a car, albeit it in a rather dismembered piece of metal kind of way. To a very ignorant mechanically deficient person like myself, it looks like they have plenty to do. The kids and teacher informed me that it will probably take uintil Easter 2013 before

it is finished but I reckon heaps of peple will want to make it their own. Line up you wannabe Mini  owners and revisit your youth. Just don't tell any tales about what you got up to in your very distant past. Do you remember that hard suspension as you sped along some of the rough roads--- the potholes that nearly swallowed the little beastie? Then there was the crappy radio--- it wasn't even FM and  forget about CD players or Bluetooth. If you asked anyone then about bluetooth they would want you to open your mouth and have a look! So, keep it up students of James Cook High and your wonderful teachers. You do us all proud.

UK readers----- special offer for XMAS

Come on you  lot--- get my books for xmas. I own't even make a profit with this offer. Don't use the webiste. That;'s far too expensive with the way its set up. Just contact me direct on neilcolemanauthor@gmail.com   Use the website to see the books though.  www.authorneilcoleman.com Hvae  aread of a bit of Kiwiana tho innint.  Oops.  I watch to much UK TV. Hey I just love Mrs Browns feckin sons and Miranda. God, I found myslef watchiing reuns of Benny Hill the other day. My things have chnaged eh. They don't just do inuendo anymore. It's all straight up now. As you can see I didnt spell check this one.  Don't forget to pass on my blogs and website and to ask your ;local libraies for my three books. They may even buy them if you give them contact detalis.
1) Coastal Yarns---stories from a nostalgic Kiwi with a few naughty twists.
2) Roskill--- A story for teenages, espeically those who have parnets indulging in substances they tell theri kids not to.
3) Talk To Me. If you love or hate Talk Back radio and love Jack Russells, this ones for you.

Merry Xmas my Brit friends and my neice there. K--- sned me your address and I will send you Roskill and Talk to Me for free.

NZ house prices forced up because our properties help marriage prospects!

A prominent academic (Manying Ip) has claimed that many non-resident Asians are entering the housing market in NZ (Auckland in particular) in order to enhance their marriage prospects by having a house or an apartment here. That, by the very nature of the huge potential size of the ‘buyers’ that Asia represents is an issue we must be upfront about.

New Zealand Governments must put our citizens first, even in these days of the so called ‘global market.’ Should not governments look to enhance the life chances of their own citizens? Is not housing an issue that New Zealanders hold close to their hearts? If the facts as presented by the academic are correct and there is a growing sense out there on the market that they are, then let’s do something about it.

Why can we not tighten up the accessibility to all NZ assets, not just the Sate owned ones, but the very hallmark assets that most New Zealanders aspire to---- their own home? Surely if one does the maths about prospective overseas buyers, it can quickly be claimed that unfettered entry into our housing markets from this huge group of wannabe owners of NZ properties for the reasons stated and others, then it goes without saying that NZers are going to be squeezed out of the market.

What we now need is for the Labour Party to put aside its leadership wrangling and get alongside other parties and hammer out a joint agreement about where to go with this issue and make sure that New Zealanders are put first. OH--- is there not a party pout there with that name and another ne that also likes to look after NZers’ best interests, with a ‘Green’ colour.

If this issue is not enough to return Labour to a more sensible direction, than they will suffer the consequences. Forget about this National Government doing anything more that pleasing their big business partners, both here and overseas.

We are at a cross roads and now is the time for a ‘coalition of parties’ to wake up and rebuild hope for NZers of all creeds, colour and persuasions. Ms IP is not reluctant to point out the issue, so now, where are the policitians who can work to resolving this crisis? They are too busy with their infighting and political narcism.