Open mike 21/03/2021

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, March 21st, 2021 - 16 comments
Categories: open mike - Tags:

Open mike is your post.

For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose.

The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy).

Step up to the mike …

16 comments on “Open mike 21/03/2021 ”

  1. Stuart Munro 2

    Regreening the most arid areas outside opposition neural tissue. ‘Our biggest challenge? Lack of imagination’: the scientists turning the desert green | Environment | The Guardian

    Both are overdue.

    • Sacha 3.1

      “Nearly $1 million"

      !!

      • mac1 3.1.1

        "https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/government-boosts-youth-mental-health-support-more-funding-youthline"

        The Government ……funding boost …… to Youthline …..extra

        Nearly $1 million …..additional clinical support ……in addition to an initial investment provided last year …..As well….. is funding a number of youth-specific mental health and addiction services around the country.

        After my brief excerpting above, the press statement ends fully.

        "New and expanded services for young people have now been announced in 10 DHB areas. In February government also provided nationwide funding of $4million for the first time for Rainbow Youth mental health.

        Further announcements for new and expanded youth services in more regions are expected in the coming weeks."

        So, no, it's not just 'nearly $1 million". !!

        • Sacha 3.1.1.1

          I know. Not much to trumpet about to a major provider though.

          • Incognito 3.1.1.1.1

            I’d like to think that the extra funding would go a long way as I’d imagine the overheads to be quite low. And as mac1 says, it should be seen as part of a larger package.

            It is remarkably difficult to find relevant info because their Annual Reports are hard to find and get access to and they appear to be separate for each of their centres. Maybe somebody else has more insight (or more luck).

        • Sabine 3.1.1.2

          the 'initial investment last year' …..

          The funding is in addition to an initial investment provided last year as part of the COVID-19 mental wellbeing response to boost Youthline’s capacity to provide online support to young people.

          again, would that investment have been made without covid?

          But yei, Covid or not, some money trickled down but not nearly 1 million but nearly 5 million Dollar!

          • Barfly 3.1.1.2.1

            How much would a National Government have given?

            • Sabine 3.1.1.2.1.1

              it does not matter.

              5 Million! were given by Labour.

              • Incognito

                The announcement fulfils an election commitment to allocate $4 million specifically targeted to Rainbow mental wellbeing initiatives aimed at young people. There has not previously been ongoing and nationwide targeted support to organisations operating in this area.

                “The funding is part of Budget 2019’s $455 million for expanding access and choice of primary mental health and addiction services,” Health Minister Andrew Little said.

                https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/first-ever-nationwide-funding-mental-health-services-rainbow-young [announced just over a month ago]

                • Sabine

                  that is very nice, too, but was not discussed in the article that i responded too. In that article the some 1 million + 4 million were mentioned and that is what my comment is about.

                  🙂

                  thanks for all the other stuff tho, specifically the ‘expanding ‘access and choice of primary mental health and addiction services’. Can anyone elaborate on that?

  2. Anker 4
    • It’s really good the govt are giving more money.

    incognito you are correct. Overheads in mental health are modest c/p other areas of health that require expense equipment, expensive testing etc. the problem with mental health is workforce development. It all rises and falls on the quality of the clinical staff, the quality of their training and the quality of the therapeutic model they use. It complicated!

  3. Barfly 5

    Well I'm just looking forward to the winter warmth payment starting in 5 weeks. My rent includes power so it's all gravy for mesmiley

  4. Stuart Munro 6

    Damien Grant thinks the Gnats have a replacement for Goldsmith: What a polar expedition tells us about National's finance spokesman | Stuff.co.nz Seems reasonably promising, but thinks he's a good enough camel jockey to diss Lawrence of Arabia – may have barely contained ego issues.

  5. Morrissey 7

    Meanwhile, in Britain, the destruction of democratic rights proceeds apace….

    https://azvsas.blogspot.com/2021/03/sorry-for-interruption-but-i-was-guest.html

The server will be getting hardware changes this evening starting at 10pm NZDT.
The site will be off line for some hours.