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Last week my Masterton office was closed when the Hikoi passed through town. This was due to Jo having a long-standing family commitment and I, of course, had to be in Wellington for the resumption of Parliament.
I have voted with the Government on the Foreshores and Seabeds Bill, but I must say I was extremely moved by the thousands of voices at Parliament when the Hikoi arrived.
As I have previously said, I am personally divided on this issue - I represent a general seat and must listen to the wishes of Wairarapa constituents, but I am also concerned at any extinguishing of the rights of the tangata whenua.
The Bill will now make its way through the parliamentary process and I am sure there will be a great deal more lively debate to come.
Anyone wanting a copy of the Bill can contact my offices in Masterton (378 8736) and Dannevirke (374 7574).
Education Minister Trevor Mallard has launched an on-line astronomy programme, Carter Star Learning, developed by Wellington's Carter Observatory.
The Carter Observatory has a close association with Wairarapa, with its initial funding originally coming from a bequest from the estate of Charles Rooking Carter and its more latter connections to schools in the area.
Astronomy inspires wonder and its study develops an understanding of scientific ways of working and thinking. Accessing this information online will be a huge benefit to New Zealand students.
The educators at the Carter Observatory are experts in their field and passionate about astronomy and the on-line programme enables them to share their enthusiasm and knowledge with learners throughout the country and around the world.
The digital environment allows a specialist subject area, that is often difficult to explore using more traditional teaching methods, to be accessed by schools and students nationwide. This innovative programme can connect learners and educators across time and space with a subject that has even broader boundaries.
The Carter Observatory is now an accredited provider with the New Zealand Qualifications Authority and students can gain unit standards through the on-line learning programme to add to their National Certificate of Educational Achievement qualifications.
The Carter Observatory has run education programmes for years and is an important specialist provider of astronomy education. Many adults and children have gazed at the night sky through the telescopes and used the planetarium to learn more about astronomy.
The programme involves seven modules introduced throughout the year: an overview of the solar system; the milky way and other galaxies; studies of space flight; cosmology; Māori astronomy; traditional Pasifika navigation; and college mathematics.
Anyone interested in astrology should also contact the Phoenix Society, who have an observatory in rural Carterton, and perhaps take a look at their new stonehenge.
More information can be found here.
Parents raising preschoolers are to get more support.
The $10.8 million SKIP: Strategies with Kids - Information for Parents campaign will work with community groups to provide resources and training for parents and caregivers of children up to five years old.
The campaign includes a $3.7 million SKIP Local Initiatives Fund for community groups wanting funding for local positive parenting; $4.4 million to strengthen and expand existing parenting programmes; $1.8 million to be spent on the production of national resources to support the campaign; and $900,000 for monitoring, research and evaluation.
Research shows that the most effective parenting uses love and nurturing and strong boundaries.
As well as boosting training, SKIP will be producing lots of practical tips for parents trying to cope with the everyday challenges of bringing up small children.
SKIP has been developed following extensive consultation with community groups. A strong theme that emerged from this was the need to tap into the organisations that have the history, the infrastructure and the networks to work with parents and children.
With that in mind, one of SKIP's three strands is developing national resources for training providers and parents wanting information and advice. The second strand will work with community organisations such as Plunket and Barnardos, to help them strengthen their existing programmes and services.
The Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Helen Clark has announced the introduction of a "best practice" approach to the management of heritage properties owned by government departments.
She says it is important that the Government is seen to lead by example in the way it cares for its heritage.
Government departments have in their care a large number of heritage places and properties ranging from courthouses and police stations to archaeological sites which are recognised as having heritage significance to communities around New Zealand.
It is important for us and for future generations that government departments maintain these properties to a suitable standard and ensure that their decisions about disposal or future use of the properties take into account their heritage values.
The Ministry for Culture and Heritage will be overseeing the development of a policy for the implementation of best practice and expects to report back by the end of July 2004.
The Ministry will then work alongside each department that holds heritage properties to develop guidelines and standards for their management, tailored to the department's functional needs.
There are many highly successful examples of heritage conservation projects that have been undertaken by both private and public property owners. The publicly-owned Old Government Buildings, now used by the Law School of Victoria University of Wellington, stand as evidence of the interest and pride we take in our nation's past.
There are exciting opportunities to enhance the way that we care for our heritage places. I hope that this demonstration of government's commitment to its heritage properties will encourage other owners to adopt similar approaches.
We have been fortunate in Wairarapa that many of our heritage buildings have been protected through our district councils and I am pleased that will be extended to government-owned buildings.
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