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Much has been said over the past week of the reports into the deaths of Saliel Aplin and Olympia Jetson.
I have read through them and would like to congratulate the authors of both these reports on the information contained inside. I concur with their findings and with the recommendations they have made.
Whatever else has been highlighted, so has the surety that the entire nation has to take responsibility for the domestic violence that is dealt out daily, weekly and monthly against children in our society.
I believe this country, not just our own community, needs to support our families that are struggling. The Rise Above It campaign is a beginning and we must build on that.
I would like to pay my respects to this particular family, who have endured over many years, the hellish life they have experienced. I want to also acknowledge the extended whanau, community and wider community of New Zealand, whose hearts have been torn by not just these experiences, but numerous others that have occurred in Wairarapa and elsewhere around the country.
I have asked my parliamentary colleagues from all sides of the House to let us make politics minimal in this and look for resolution, solution and collaboration of ideas so we can, as a country, move forward and protect our young people.
Any ideas can be sent to me at gbeyer@wise.net.nz or through my office at PO Box 913, Masterton. All ideas and suggestions are welcome.
The latest industry trainee and Modern Apprenticeship numbers reflect this Government's commitment to opportunity for all.
Modern Apprenticeships has hit its target of 6000 trainees three months early and things are looking good for Wairarapa.
In Carterton six young people have taken up apprenticeships in areas such as agriculture, building, flooring and motor engineering.
In South Wairarapa 13 apprenticeships have been taken up in all of the above trades, as well as forestry, horticulture and hospitality.
With its bigger population Masterton leads the way with 43 apprenticeships, including contracting, baking, printing and sports turf management but by far the biggest is forestry with 15 young people starting their training.
Tararua follows closely behind Masterton with 40 apprenticeships and includes joinery and 11 in engineering.
The programme targets those aged 15 to 21 years old and was introduced by the incoming Labour-led government in 2000 to provide a work-based, prestige training pathway for young people after a decade of drops in industry training by this group.
It received a cash boost of $600,000 in September to meet the increased demand, taking expected expenditure on Modern Apprenticeships to $25.2 million this financial year.
This has got to be good for our district.
The latest figures come in the same week as unemployment hit a 16 year low and reinforce this Government's plan to build a strong and confident nation.
The Statistics NZ Household Labour Force Survey for the September 2003 quarter shows unemployment in Wellington (which includes Wairarapa) stands at 12,000 - down from 12,200 at the same time last year.
Nationally, the official unemployment rate now stands at 4.4 percent, well below the OECD average of 7.1 percent, and down 1 percent on September 2002. Unemployment was last at these levels in December 1987.
It is now time to consider standing for election as a school trustee next year.
Education Minister Trevor Mallard is encouraging people from all communities to consider putting their name forward as a candidate for their school's board of trustees.
There are 13,000 trustees to be elected to 2580 schools around New Zealand. This is a job for any New Zealander with the skills, abilities and commitment to make a difference to our children's education.
We want boards of trustees who reflect the diversity of our school communities, so it is important as many people as possible take up the election campaign challenge of standing and being counted for their children.
Hearing past trustees speak about their experiences illustrates that boards have the ability to bring about great change in their schools - and that being a trustee is a challenging and rewarding role.
In the 14 years since Tomorrow's Schools was introduced, bringing with it the community governance approach to education, more than 100,000 people have served as school trustees.
A strong partnership between schools and their community through the board of trustees is crucial to providing children with the best quality education and lifting student achievement.
With the end of the school year just around the corner, I am calling on school communities to start thinking about the people around them who could stand for election.
Nominations can be made between March 5-19, 2004, and polls close on April 2, 2004, with new boards in place by the end of that month.
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