For the Children

Written By: - Date published: 9:01 am, August 17th, 2011 - 19 comments
Categories: child welfare - Tags: ,

Every Child Counts released their 1000 days to get it right for every child report at the weekend.

It has some pretty scary statistics in it – that we rank 28th out of 30 OECD countries for child outcomes across measures like youth suicide, teenage pregnancies, infant mortality and over-crowding in homes.  And that those poor outcomes for our children cost us $6 billion per year, in addition to the enormous social waste and strife they cause us.

The area where we really need to buck up our ideas is for the under-6s.  Research shows this is the most vital time in our lives for producing happy, well-adjusted, successful people.  And we’re doing particularly poorly currently.

We spend about $16,000 per child on under-6s – less than half the OECD average.  Denmark, at the top of the outcomes, spends $60,000.  That would be a massive increase in expenditure in tough times, so perhaps we can look to the Netherlands as our aim, spending $30,000 per child for almost as good outcomes as Denmark.

As long as we continue to under-invest in our children and we will continue to pay the price.  As Prof Dame Anne Salmond puts it:

An ageing society that doesn’t care for its young has a death wish…

Baby-boomers need every child to do well so that they can be supported in their retirement.  Every child deserves to be given the opportunity to succeed, to not have their health compromised, to not be put on a track to prison or depression.

That’s why this election Labour is Putting Children First, with a raft of policies aimed at improving our care and education of under-6s, from increased maternity leave, through compulsory Well-Child enrolment, through to putting back proper funding for ECE and more.  Labour understand that we need more investment in our children – not just in financial terms, but also in terms of expertise and advice to parents.  Annette King says it is time that looking after children was again considered as employment.

The report calls for cross-party agreement on this issue so that we can make progress, and the Greens, seeing that a quarter of kiwi kids are in poverty, have their 100,000 children out of poverty policy.

But the stumbling block is National.

From Radio NZ:

Prime Minister John Key agrees the future of some children is at risk, but says their needs should be balanced with those of other New Zealanders.

Child welfare isn’t at the top of his list, and National’s policies cutting ECE and attacking those on the DPB – those who need help the most – show it.  They’ve consistently refused to work with Labour when offers to work together on this have been offered.

John Key’s only response was to rubbish the report – put out by a group of New Zealand’s leading child charities – in Question Time yesterday.

We deserve better for our children and grand-children – and for our country.  In fact, our future needs it.

NB: the “1000 days” in the report title refers to the first 3 years of a child’s life.

19 comments on “For the Children ”

  1. weka 1

    “Prime Minister John Key agrees the future of some children is at risk, but says their needs should be balanced with those of other New Zealanders.”
     
    Someone should make a billboard of that statement in time for the election.
     
    And someone should ask Key exactly whose needs should be considered instead of those kids.

  2. higherstandard 2

    OECD data here if anyone is interested.

    http://stats.oecd.org/Index.aspx?DataSetCode=CWB

    • tc 3.1

      Spot on as I’ve always thought the NACT script had a high comedic value to it.

      • Ianupnorth 3.1.1

        Stop it tc, that’s the most lucid and informative thing Chris has ever posted on here!
        Hey Chris, how come tories never comment on the threads where we illustrate Key’s lies? Seriously, you lot (Gosman, QSF, HS, etc) never do – scared of the truth?

        • chris73 3.1.1.1

          I can’t speak for anyone else (though no doubt you think we conspire together) but for me I contribute to the threads that interest me not ones that don’t

  3. Afewknowthetruth 4

    This state of affairs is hardly surprising after 35 years of non-socialist government (or should that be anti-socialist government?) that served the interests of money-lenders and global corporations, and broke up the very foundations of society.

    National, Labour, National, Labour, National.

    I do hope no one is going to suggest the appalling state NZ is in suddenly arrived 3 years ago. It is a direct consequence decades of institutionalised dysfunction.

    As for the children of this nation, most of them effectively don’t have one, since government after government has ignored all the factors that will determine the future, and the chickens are all coming home to roost right now: over-population, over-consumption, peak oil, collapse of fiat currencies, collapse of the global environment.

    Where are the strategies -permaculture and powerdown -to deal with this unholy mess? Nowhere to be seen amongst any mainstream political party (though the Greens do slightly acknowledge we are on the wrong path, so they offer faux solutions).

    We are still on track for a complete systems meltdown by 2015.

    • aerobubble 4.1

      The rich (tm republician party) are not the real rich of the free market.

      Democratic capitalism believes that everyone should aspire to greatness,
      wealth, intellect, social respect, whatever takes your fancy.

      Not the proto-fascist capitalism driven by MSM, no, they believe once you are
      rich then you are superhuman and should never be accountable or
      responsible.

      Unfortuately the politicians know better, they may look like they don’t
      but they see the wriiting on the wall. Unfortuately we don’t have a
      career politician as PM, and our Finance Minister is dull on his best day.

      Would Labour have such a progressive far reaching tax regime change?
      Would National be so fearful of it that they won’t attack Labours prime
      policy?

      We don’t need no stinking efficiency in NZ as long as the political class
      can ride on the backs of farmers, farmers as dull like their hero English.
      Whenever the farmer hit high commodity prices the exchange rate
      brokers run off with the profits! You’d think they’d have worked that out
      by now.

      If farmer were sniffing too much manure they’d wake up to the reality
      of the NZ economy without more broad investment stratgey (CGT).

      So no capitalism won’t end in 2015, but a lot of very self-assure right
      wing politicians will be consider social ?lepers?. Imagine that Key
      is a big fact loser jerk.

  4. jbc 5

    It’s not quite as simple as comparing per-child government spending.

    Take the country with the lowest infant mortality rate in the world for example. It’s also low in teen pregnancy and youth suicide. It’s low in government spending as well.
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_infant_mortality_rate

    It’s likely more of a cultural and lifestyle issue than a government spending issue. You don’t have to have money thrown at you to survive past the age of 5 and not get pregnant. Having responsible parents is obviously a far bigger issue. Parents that don’t beat you and leave you in the car while they booze up.

    • mik e 5.1

      jbc Thats not TRUE Singapore has lower paye but has very high land tax and compulsory savings which the govt taxes GST so get your facts right they also provide high quality housing and a better eduction the list goes on no one is left behind in Singapore. Thats why they have 14% growth per annum and under Key blineglish we have less than 1%

      • jbc 5.1.1

        I know what it’s like. I’ve been a Singapore resident since 2001 and my two kids were born in Singapore. There is no welfare system to speak of, and certainly nothing like the spending that the OP is calling for – at least not directly by the government.

        I’m not suggesting that NZ copy the approach either. I’m just pointing out that it’s not simply a government spending problem.

        New Zealand already has some excellent services like free healthcare for under 5s. There’s really no excuse for the higher mortality rate of NZ kids.

        Perhaps NZ should match Singapore’s tax on alcohol. That would be a start.

        • Colonial Viper 5.1.1.1

          New Zealand already has some excellent services like free healthcare for under 5s. There’s really no excuse for the higher mortality rate of NZ kids.

          Excuses are beside the point though, aren’t they?

          The fact is that NZ suffers from a high degree of child abuse and neglect. A large part of this is related to the high rates of child poverty in this country, which is exacerbated by high youth unemployment and poor quality housing.

          Now given this starting point we have to decide as a society what to do next. Obviously with corporate health insurance and highly qualified professional parents, the children of expats tend to do OK in SG.

          I agree with you in the final analysis that this is not simply an issue of insufficient government spending, although that is an important factor. Support and encouragement needs to be given to parents so that they can step up to their child rearing role fully and skilfully.

          If we want to help the children, something needs to be done about the damn unemployment rate and low wages in this barely OECD country. Singapore in contrast has an unemployment rate which currently sits in the low 2% range.

          BTW with those stand out Singaporean health stats. I’ll bet my bottom dollar that they don’t include the health stats of the cheap foreign (non SG citizen) labourers in the country and whom at a guess make up over 20% of the workforce.

          • jbc 5.1.1.1.1

            Those stats are not just referring to the children of expats, but yes the stats also won’t include the children of the cheap foreign labourers because those children are not in the country. That’s a very good point and also a very sad side of the situation.

            I’ll repeat again: I’m not trying to push that way as the only solution, rather to point out that decisions and attitudes of parents play a huge part in the welfare of their kids.

            I’d go so far as to say that all of the children in a caring extended family could get looked after a whole lot better than those of a single parent isolated and on a benefit. I’m not a religious conservative (far from it) but it seems crazy that western governments seem to treat intact families as unfashionable these days given how much work they could save (for the governments).

            I may be alone in thinking this, but I get a feeling that welfare has a negative effect in that it lets the rest of society think that beneficiaries are ‘the government’s problem’ rather than something they should be more active in. I know that’s wrong but I pick it up from those on both sides of the fence.

            And here we are again, looking towards the government for a solution to kids that are not looked after.

            Poverty is an excuse I think. Poverty of attention, more likely.

            • rosy 5.1.1.1.1.1

              Part of the problem creating “attitudes and behaviours” that lead to improved outcomes for children do rely on money. When families are not in close proximity e.g. because they have moved away from their social network for jobs. Parenting is not instinctive and when family/social networks are broken someone or an organisation needs to replace them. This has been known for decades hence Plunket being founded on the belief that parents (mothers) needed to be trained to provide a healthy environment for their babies.

              These days new mothers leave hospital before breastfeeding is established and even before a baby is bathed and a mother can move about properly. Mothering is not instinctive, it’s learned mainly through mentoring. These days this costs money and Midwives and Tamariki Ora services are funded for only minimal home visits.

              Is this schedule is enough for struggling, isolated parents of a new baby?:

              From birth to four-to-six weeks, there are four Well Child health checks provided by your midwife or GP (general practitioner):
              birth (newborn examination)
              24 hours
              5 days
              2 – 4 weeks

              Having parents struggle from day one is setting up conditions for failure and abandonment later. Obviously most parents struggle through, but not many in poverty and isolation do it easily and as we well know there are plenty who fall through the gaps.

        • mik e 5.1.1.2

          jbc Yes we have a very serious problem alcohol, tobacco ,drugs, gambling, poor housing low wages, long term unemployment, hidden unemployment.a higher tax on these substances would be a very good start .Singapore is a city state which makes it a lot cheaper to deliver services where NZ is spread out infrastructure and services are harder and more expensive.but our main problem is we are not breaking the poverty cycle. until we re balance the spend on these addictive habits nothing is going to change.We are subsidizing these habits effectively when we should be subsidizing good housing R&D innovation Education.Singapore people have a different ethos a no nonsense iron fisted govt as well.

    • McFlock 5.2

      Well, Singapore also has compulsory medical savings schemes, and we can’t even sort out retirement savings. And they also seem to have strong government regulation of  medical costs.
       But thanks for the drunken parent stereotype.
       
       
       
       

      • mik e 5.2.1

        Mc Flock What i,m proposing is to tax these corporates who are costing us more than $10 billion in harm to our economy ,we are effectively subsidizing their profits, and put that money into dealing with poverty, substance abuse ,problem gambling .These addictive corporates are the real bludgers in our economy and should pay to fix the problems they cause. But their lobbiests are filling Nationals coffers.Jpc the enlarged family could work here but it would take a lot of money and people and time to achieve especially where people are in poverty traps. The Anglo Saxon way doesn’t work like that.Individual responsibility Thats the reason Nact are so popular.

  5. It is pretty simple – kids don’t have a vote, therefore, IMHO, families do worse off under business orientated policies that seek to assist ‘mum and dad investors’

  6. Marjorie Dawe 7

    The Nats might think it an easy solution. Make our youth feel so marginalised if they cant get jobs that arent there and then if they top themselves they are no longer a problem. What effect do they think their latest policy is going to have on these already vulnerable late teens?

Recent Comments

Recent Posts

  • Government invests further in Central Hawke’s Bay resilience
    The Government has today confirmed $2.5 million to fund a replace and upgrade a stopbank to protect the Waipawa Drinking Water Treatment Plant. “As a result of Cyclone Gabrielle, the original stopbank protecting the Waipawa Drinking Water Treatment Plant was destroyed. The plant was operational within 6 weeks of the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    16 hours ago
  • Govt boost for Hawke’s Bay cyclone waste clean-up
    Another $2.1 million to boost capacity to deal with waste left in Cyclone Gabrielle’s wake. Funds for Hastings District Council, Phoenix Contracting and Hog Fuel NZ to increase local waste-processing infrastructure. The Government is beefing up Hawke’s Bay’s Cyclone Gabrielle clean-up capacity with more support dealing with the massive amount ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    17 hours ago
  • Taupō Supercars revs up with Government support
    The future of Supercars events in New Zealand has been secured with new Government support. The Government is getting engines started through the Major Events Fund, a special fund to support high profile events in New Zealand that provide long-term economic, social and cultural benefits. “The Repco Supercars Championship is ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    18 hours ago
  • There is no recession in NZ, economy grows nearly 1 percent in June quarter
    The economy has turned a corner with confirmation today New Zealand never was in recession and stronger than expected growth in the June quarter, Finance Minister Grant Robertson said. “The New Zealand economy is doing better than expected,” Grant Robertson said. “It’s continuing to grow, with the latest figures showing ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    20 hours ago
  • Highest legal protection for New Zealand’s largest freshwater springs
    The Government has accepted the Environment Court’s recommendation to give special legal protection to New Zealand’s largest freshwater springs, Te Waikoropupū Springs (also known as Pupū Springs), Environment Minister David Parker announced today.   “Te Waikoropupū Springs, near Takaka in Golden Bay, have the second clearest water in New Zealand after ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    21 hours ago
  • More support for victims of migrant exploitation
    Temporary package of funding for accommodation and essential living support for victims of migrant exploitation Exploited migrant workers able to apply for a further Migrant Exploitation Protection Visa (MEPV), giving people more time to find a job Free job search assistance to get people back into work Use of 90-day ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Strong export boost as NZ economy turns corner
    An export boost is supporting New Zealand’s economy to grow, adding to signs that the economy has turned a corner and is on a stronger footing as we rebuild from Cyclone Gabrielle and lock in the benefits of multiple new trade deals, Finance Minister Grant Robertson says. “The economy is ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Funding approved for flood resilience work in Te Karaka
    The Government has approved $15 million to raise about 200 homes at risk of future flooding. More than half of this is expected to be spent in the Tairāwhiti settlement of Te Karaka, lifting about 100 homes there. “Te Karaka was badly hit during Cyclone Gabrielle when the Waipāoa River ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Further business support for cyclone-affected regions
    The Government is helping businesses recover from Cyclone Gabrielle and attract more people back into their regions. “Cyclone Gabrielle has caused considerable damage across North Island regions with impacts continuing to be felt by businesses and communities,” Economic Development Minister Barbara Edmonds said. “Building on our earlier business support, this ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • New maintenance facility at Burnham Military Camp underway
    Defence Minister Andrew Little has turned the first sod to start construction of a new Maintenance Support Facility (MSF) at Burnham Military Camp today. “This new state-of-art facility replaces Second World War-era buildings and will enable our Defence Force to better maintain and repair equipment,” Andrew Little said. “This Government ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Foreign Minister to attend United Nations General Assembly
    Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta will represent New Zealand at the 78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York this week, before visiting Washington DC for further Pacific focussed meetings. Nanaia Mahuta will be in New York from Wednesday 20 September, and will participate in UNGA leaders ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Midwives’ pay equity offer reached
    Around 1,700 Te Whatu Ora employed midwives and maternity care assistants will soon vote on a proposed pay equity settlement agreed by Te Whatu Ora, the Midwifery Employee Representation and Advisory Service (MERAS) and New Zealand Nurses Association (NZNO), Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall announced today. “Addressing historical pay ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • New Zealand provides support to Morocco
    Aotearoa New Zealand will provide humanitarian support to those affected by last week’s earthquake in Morocco, Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta announced today. “We are making a contribution of $1 million to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to help meet humanitarian needs,” Nanaia Mahuta said. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Government invests in West Coast’s roading resilience
    The Government is investing over $22 million across 18 projects to improve the resilience of roads in the West Coast that have been affected by recent extreme weather, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins confirmed today.  A dedicated Transport Resilience Fund has been established for early preventative works to protect the state ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Government invests in Greymouth’s future
    The Government has today confirmed a $2 million grant towards the regeneration of Greymouth’s CBD with construction of a new two-level commercial and public facility. “It will include a visitor facility centred around a new library. Additionally, it will include retail outlets on the ground floor, and both outdoor and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Nanaia Mahuta to attend PIF Foreign Ministers’ Meeting
    Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta will attend the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, in Suva, Fiji alongside New Zealand’s regional counterparts. “Aotearoa New Zealand is deeply committed to working with our pacific whanau to strengthen our cooperation, and share ways to combat the challenges facing the Blue Pacific Continent,” ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • PREFU shows no recession, growing economy, more jobs and wages ahead of inflation
    Economy to grow 2.6 percent on average over forecast period Treasury not forecasting a recession Inflation to return to the 1-3 percent target band next year Wages set to grow 4.8 percent a year over forecast period Unemployment to peak below the long-term average Fiscal Rules met - Net debt ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • New cancer centre opens in Christchurch
    Prime Minister Chris Hipkins and Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall proudly opened the Canterbury Cancer Centre in Christchurch today. The new facility is the first of its kind and was built with $6.5 million of funding from the Government’s Infrastructure Reference Group scheme for shovel-ready projects allocated in 2020. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Government invests in top of the south’s roading resilience
    $12 million to improve the resilience of roads in the Nelson, Marlborough and Tasman regions Hope Bypass earmarked in draft Government Policy Statement on land transport $127 million invested in the top of the south’s roads since flooding in 2021 and 2022 The Government is investing over $12 million to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • New Zealanders continue to support the revitalisation of te reo as we celebrate Te Wiki o te Reo Mā...
    Ko tēnei te wiki e whakanui ana i tō tātou reo rangatira. Ko te wā tuku reo Māori, e whakanuia tahitia ai te reo ahakoa kei hea ake tēnā me tēnā o tātou, ka tū ā te Rātū te 14 o Mahuru, ā te 12 o ngā hāora i te ahiahi. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • New Wildlife Act to better protect native species
    The 70-year-old Wildlife Act will be replaced with modern, fit-for-purpose legislation to better protect native species and improve biodiversity, Minister of Conservation Willow-Jean Prime has announced.   “New species legislation is urgently needed to address New Zealand’s biodiversity crisis,” Willow-Jean Prime said.   “More than 4,000 of our native species are currently ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • Further safety initiatives for Auckland City Centre
    Central and Local Government are today announcing a range of new measures to tackle low-level crime and anti-social behaviour in the Auckland CBD to complement Police scaling up their presence in the area. “Police have an important role to play in preventing and responding to crime, but there is more ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • Govt confirms additional support for Enabling Good Lives
    The Government has confirmed $73.7 million over the next four years and a further $40.5m in outyears to continue to transform the disability support system, Minister for Disability Issues Priyanca Radhakrishnan has announced. “The Enabling Good Lives (EGL) approach is a framework which guides positive change for disabled people, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • New Zealand gets AAA credit rating from S&P
    Standard and Poor’s is the latest independent credit rating agency to endorse the Government’s economic management in the face of a deteriorating global economy. S&P affirmed New Zealand’s long term local currency rating at AAA and foreign currency rating at AA+ with a stable outlook. It follows Fitch affirming New ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • Appointment of Environment Court Judge
    Christchurch barrister Kelvin Reid has been appointed as a Judge of the Environment Court and the District Court, Attorney-General David Parker announced today. Mr Reid has extensive experience in Resource Management Act issues, including water quality throughout the South Island. He was appointed to the Technical Advisory Group advising the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • NZ’s biggest ever emissions reduction project hits milestone
    New Zealand is on track to have greener steel as soon as 2026 with New Zealand Steel’s electric arc furnace project reaching a major milestone today.   The Government announced a conditional partnership with New Zealand Steel in May to deliver the country’s largest emissions reduction project to date. Half of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • Poroporoaki: Paki Leslie Māngai Nikora
    Pokia ana te tihi Taiarahia e Hine-Pūkohu-rangi Hotu kau ana te manawa! Horahia ana te whārua o Ruātoki e te kapua pouri Tikaro rawahia ko te whatumanawa! Rere whakamuri kau ana te awa o Hinemataroa Ki te kawe i te rongo ki te mātāpuna i nga pōngaihu Maungapōhatu, tuohu ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • 50,000 charges laid in crack down on gangs
    Police Minister Ginny Andersen has today congratulated Police in their efforts to crack down on gangs, after laying 50,000 charges against gang members and their associates through the hugely successful Operation Cobalt. As at 31 August, Police have: Laid 50,396 criminal charges against gang members and their associates Issued 64,524 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • Farmers and cyclone-affected properties supported with tax rule changes
    The Government has confirmed details of the tax changes to the bright-line test for cyclone-damaged properties, with the release of the required legislative amendments. Revenue Minister Barbara Edmonds has released a Supplementary Order Paper (SOP) to be considered by the Finance and Expenditure Committee in the next Parliament, as it ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • New Zealand wins CPTPP dispute against Canada
    Minister for Trade and Export Growth Damien O’Connor has welcomed the CPTPP Panel’s ruling in favour of New Zealand in our dispute against Canada, a significant win for our primary sector exporters. The Panel found that Canada’s dairy quota administration is inconsistent with its obligations under the Comprehensive and Progressive ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • New intensive turnaround programme launched to break the cycle of offending
     The next phase of the Government’s response to youth crime is underway, with an intensive programme for the country’s most prolific young offenders launched today in Auckland, Minister for Children Kelvin Davis said. The programme, announced by Prime Minister Chris Hipkins in July, will see up to 60 recidivist young ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • Government extends report date for COVID inquiry
    The Government has agreed to a request from the Royal Commission of Inquiry into COVID-19 for extra three months to deliver its final report. The Royal Commission was established in 2022 to strengthen New Zealand’s preparedness for any future pandemics. It was originally due to conclude mid-2024. “The Commission has ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • Wainuiomata school property upgrade making great progress
    The Wainuiomata High School redevelopment is making great progress, with two more classroom blocks set to be complete by the end of the month, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins announced today. The Prime Minister visited today to see first-hand the progress of the redevelopment which is continuing at pace and is ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago
  • Language week focuses on sustaining Lea Faka-Tonga
    New Zealand’s Tongan community are coming together to promote language sustainability this week, as Uike Lea Faka-Tonga – Tongan Language Week begins.  “For our Pacific communities, language is more than just a means of communication. It’s an important way to link generations and maintain connections to our ancestral roots,” Barbara ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 weeks ago

Page generated in The Standard by Wordpress at 2023-09-21T18:55:39+00:00