Quotes Of The Day

What people are saying about this blog

“I might go on there and add my complaints about the very low wages and the fact they cut the tails off dairy cows.”

“I totally agree with alot of the things said on the site. Most Kiwis know of the huge problems, but just don’t like being told it by a foreigner. I actually took the time and looked, on my way to work, 40km through good old rural NZ, and there was rubbish everywhere. In the streams, all along the sides of the road, on the road and in fields. Clean Green NZ is a total myth and a lie, I won’t even swim in the local river, let alone eat anything that comes out of it. I don’t go out at night into town unless I am working, as it is not safe. The issue shouldn’t be why are foreigners saying these things about NZ, it should be why aren’t Kiwis doing anything about the shitty state this country has gotten into?”

“The moaning on that site above takes on quite another level. I believe that many migrants leave their own country because of what they perceive as a lack of opportunity in their own. That they don’t “make it” in yet another country is because they fail to either recognise or grasp it.”

“true, but alot of people choose to come to NZ because of the way it is marketed overseas. Clean and Green, low crime rates, gorgeous beaches and fantastic weather, incredibly friendly locals, and so on…. When they get here and the image painted by Tourism NZ and the Embassy in London is a complete fabrication, they get a little bit upset, and who could blame them.”

“We all know that there are aspects of the clean, green that is a myth, but as a person who has been fortunate enough to have travelled and lived throughout the world, I can say hand on heart that apart from Sweden, Denmark, France and Australia no other country provides the lifestyle and opportunities for outdoor sports that we do.”

“What lifestyle? Alot of people say that the lifestyle in NZ is the best in the world, but what does it mean? What is unique about the “lifestyle”? And, also having lived all over the world (I have been to every continent and nearly every country) the outdoor sports in NZ are no where near as good as those in other countries. The skiing in Austria, Germany, France, the US all eclipse NZ. The watersports in Greece, the Balkans, the Baltic area, all match if not surpass NZ. Unfortunately, anything that NZ offers is available elsewhere in the world, normally to a higher standard.”

And this is how Kiwis see the Brits:

“Or they could just move to Spain!
It has everything most people want-sun,beaches,affordable housing and it’s only a quick trip back and forward to the UK to see family and friends.
If my partner wasn’t a Kiwi that is where I would choose over NZ anyday!”

“LOL – yes we see your sort on that programme Benidorm… the Poms that go to Spain all whinge over there too. Screeching for your mushy peas, train-smash for your pork pies, warm Watney’s Red Barrel and dropping your “h”s… Off you go.”

LOL
I think there are 2 types of Brits that go to live in Spain. The mushy pea, ‘don’t want any eat any foreign muck’, heavy drinking types have been hard hit by the recession …many of those ones have gone back to the UK. I can’t wait to see the Malaga beachfront again …now that the ‘bangers and mash’ crowd have closed up

“Hardly daffodil, they all screech in their appalling regional accents and expect the poor Spaniards to understand Inglisi…”

“Yeah there’s them and then there’s the British criminal element – oh wait they’re both the same.”

Still interested in emigrating to friendly New Zealand ? Why not take a look at our popular Migrant Tales series ,  just click on the icon in the side bar or here.

Also read our “What Kiwis say about New Zealand” pages for some real eye openers, there’s lots of them. Click on the What’s it like to live in NZ tab at the top of this page and browse through our two chapters of comments under what Kiwis say about NZ, here’s a taster:

Top 5 things wrong with NZ:

For anyone wanting to get a feel for good old grass root opinions and issues in New Zealand you can’t go far wrong by logging on to the message boards at the NZ auction site Trademe.

Here’s a thread that was started on Wednesday about a topic that’s always guaranteed to get a good response. It drew the usual righteous indignation and denial, some people obviously didn’t understand the question and launched into what was right with NZ. However there were some who were capable of developing the theme further.

We picked up a distinct dissatisfaction with the justice system’s ability to deal effectively with crime, tax payers fed up with supporting a benefits culture, concerns over child welfare issues, problems with home affordability and New Zealand still being a country that’s divided on race with a lot of work to do to sort out both bigotry and racism…

100% Pure Rip Off:

Oh dear, bet the guys who coined the “100% Pure NZ” are cringing right now. It will be interesting to see how well the brand’s image survives this latest onslaught on the slogan that lends itself so easily to abuse. It is currently being used to highlight how expensive New Zealand has become.

It all started with an article in the NZ Herald under the header “NZ: 100% Pure Rip-off. Rip off New Zealand?” written by Peter Bills, an international writer for Independent News & Media…

Nice scenery, good wine, shame about the inbred psychopaths

This was found on a site called TrueSlant.com and we’re including it in our Kiwi Talk pages.

It was written by New Zealander Scott Alexander Young, aka ‘Jet Set Hobbo’, and is about the recently released New Zealand Institute’s Report that stated that New Zealand has one of the worst murder rates in the whole of the OECD.

We’re including it because it shows why some of the country’s brightest and most talented people leave and never return,  and how a once decent and peaceful society can be changed for the worse within a couple of generations…

Returning Kiwis views about NZ

There’s a great discussion going on today in the blogs section of the online New Zealand Herald, the topic centres around the number of expat New Zealanders returning to their homeland and their thoughts about it. It’s worth a read, if you have the time, because their comments are so similar to those of many migrants in the country. Read them here: “As an expat, what are your thoughts on returning home?“

Here’s a selection from the many, many pages of responses:…

Kiwi longs to escape cargo cult lifestyle

“This Kiwi Talk entry was taken from a thread on  ExpatExposed a self help and support forum for migrants in New Zealand.

Occasionally New Zealanders contribute to the discussion and their experiences demonstrate that it’s not just migrants who have problems. Locals have have them too and struggle to work out their feelings about a country that they’ve been conditioned for a lifetime to think of as ‘Godzone.’

If Kiwis are having a problem marrying up the reality with the illusion is it any wonder that migrants are finding it hard, even if they try to maintain a positive outlook on life?  This Kiwi’s account explains why so many of them leave (a quarter of the population live abroad) and why so few return:..

 

100% Pure? Not The Air Of Invercargill

A South Island respiratory specialist Dr Roland Meyer has linked a “terrible increase” in respirable problems in the city of  Invercargill to poor air quality.

Apparently air quality standards have been breached 17 times this year, which is thrice the number of breaches in 2009.

SCOT MACKAY, writing for the Southland times

An alarming rise in air pollution in Invercargill could be behind the “terrible” increase in respirable problems, says a Southland specialist.

Environment Southland figures show air quality in Invercargill has exceeded environmental standards 19 times this year, more than three times the six breaches last year.

Only one breach is allowed under the national standards.

The latest data shows pollutant readings at the council’s Pomona St site recorded a high of 78 micrograms per cubic meter of air, 28 micrograms above the threshold.

Southland Hospital respiratory physician Dr Roland Meyer said there had been a terrible increase in respirable problems in Invercargill this year and although he did not have “hard data” to back that up, he believed they were linked.

“Anecdotal evidence suggest people were worse off on the days that it [the air standard] was breached, but there is no evidence to back that up,” he said….read the full report here

Factors causing air pollution in Invercargill are thought to be linked to the large amount of coal burned (much of it in older homes in south Invercargill) and cool, still air settling over low lying areas.

But the problem of poor air quality isn’t restricted to Invercargill.

Despite a relatively low population and geographic isolation, urban areas in New Zealand suffer poor air quality during winter.

The Health and Air Pollution in New Zealand (HAPINZ) report estimated that each year around 1,100 New Zealanders die prematurely from air pollution with an associated health cost of $1.14 billion.

In May 2009 we wrote about air pollution in New Zealand. The  Ministry of the Environment said that poor air quality is a significant issue in some areas of the country. Two thirds of the population live in areas that experience air pollution.

Most of the country’s poor air quality is caused by high winter levels of particulate matter (PM₁₀) from wood and coal used for home heating. Auckland also experiences high levels of PM₁₀ from road transport.

The are presently 43 airsheds across New Zealand where air quality is monitored, 26 of them don’t meet the PM10 standard. (as of June 2010)

The non-complying airsheds include Auckland, Christchurch and a number of provincial cities and towns (especially throughout the South Island).

By 2013, it is estimated that 10 airsheds will continue to exceed the PM10 standard with another five airsheds potentially also exceeding the standard. These 15 airsheds represent 45 per cent of New Zealand’s population.

Air quality in parts of NZ are so bad that the quality standards will be dropped because the previous standards are “unrealistic” and “unfair”:

The Government wants a standard that achieves material improvements in air quality without imposing unnecessary costs on businesses and communities…

“These changes are about improving air quality but in a pragmatic and realistic way “… “The Government wants a standard that achieves material improvements in air quality without imposing unnecessary costs on businesses and communities.”

Environment Minister, Nick Smith, has admitted that 10 NZ cities and towns are unlikely to meet air quality targets by the year 2013, and has said that the overwhelming proportion of pollution is caused by home fires.

The Invercargill article drew few responses from the paper’s readership, one giving a reason as to why coal is used extensively – hinting at the existence of fuel poverty in the region:

Pauline
Southland and Invercargill is cold to heat ourselves, we make the choice of using coal as a energy product. Coal not only does it heat our home good, it also at least 100% cheaper than clean burning electricity. That is the crunch of why there is a problem electricity is ridiculously dear, what is unacceptable is the Southlanders who have no choice but use electricity to heat themselves, are turning of the heater in the middle of winter, and putting rugs round themsleves etc on as they simply cannot pay the increaseing electricity account.

Jasz
Poorly insulated, old, damp housing in Invercargill. Who’d've thunk it?

Read also:

NZ’s High Winter Death Rate and Burning Wood to Keep Warm – May 2009

New Zealand Lakes – Not 100% Pure

Nearly a third of them are unhealthy, according to a NIWA report and pastoral land use has got a lot to do with it.

The quality of healthy lakes is declining because of nutrients coming off of livestock farming, New Zealand’s fresh waters are paying a heavy price for industrial dairying and intensive agriculture – according to a press release issued by the NZ Green Party.

New Zealand needs urgently to establish clean water rules to protect freshwater, emphasis ours:

Delayed report shows need for clean water rules

Thursday, 11 November 2010, 10:44 am
Press Release: Green Party

A new report showing the poor health of New Zealand’s lakes demonstrates why we urgently need clean water rules to protect our waterways, the Green Party said today.

“Almost a third of all lakes in New Zealand are unhealthy, and many are getting worse,” Green Party Co-leader Dr Russel Norman said.

“New Zealanders love our rivers and lakes, and we want to protect them. Our kids have a birthright to swim and fish in our waterways, but this legacy is at risk.”

Dr Norman was commenting on Lake Water Quality in New Zealand 2010, a report by the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA). The report was due to be released by the Ministry for the Environment last week, but was held back until today.

“One can only speculate about the reasons for the delay,” Dr Norman said.

“It is interesting timing that the report’s release was delayed during the World Dairy Summit in Auckland, when the report concludes that pastoral land use is associated with the ecological deterioration of our lakes.

“This report is further evidence that we need clean water rules to set standards, limits, and targets for water quality as soon as possible.”

Based on monitoring of 112 lakes between 2005 and 2009, the report’s authors projected that nearly a third of New Zealand’s 3820 lakes are unhealthy. They also make clear conclusions about the cause: “The most significant finding from this study […] is that pastoral land use in New Zealand is associated with eutrophication and ecological deterioration. Furthermore, the condition of some lakes currently in good condition is declining, likely as a result of nutrient enrichment from livestock farming.”

Dr Norman said New Zealand’s rivers and lakes were bearing the ill effects of agricultural intensification and industrial dairying.

“It’s time we took action to turn this around by introducing clear rules for clean water.

“In many areas, the situation is getting worse. Between 2005 and 2009, twice as many lakes were deteriorating as were improving.

“This report provides yet more evidence that we urgently need clean water rules. The water measurement regulations announced today are a start, but they are well short of what’s needed.

“Not only did John Key’s Government sit on this report, it’s sitting on a draft National Policy Statement (NPS) on freshwater management. This is ready to go and would set clear targets and timelines for improving the state of fresh water in New Zealand.

“The Land and Water Forum reported that we need an NPS, and quickly. This report shows there is no more room for delay.

“We need clean water rules and we need them now,” Dr Norman said.

Reference:

Lake Water Quality in New Zealand 2010: Status and trends: http://www.mfe.govt.nz/publications/ser/lake-water-quality-in-nz-2010/

ENDS

A short while ago we blogged about another strike to New Zealand’s 100% pure myth with the revelation that 20% Of Kiwis Have Unsafe Drinking Water.

The drinking water quality figures were released in a report (allegedly ‘buried since June’) that one in five people in New Zealand has unsafe or unregistered drinking water that has not been classified.

The report, which is bound to promote further ‘NZ is third world‘ criticism, was released by the Ministry of Health after a 2008-2009 review of drinking water showed that quality in New Zealand was deteriorating.

Paul Gorman in the Press commented on the report, saying

About 849,000 people, or 20 per cent of Kiwis, were supplied with water that either failed to meet bacteriological standards or had not been classified because sources were unregistered.

That was a rise from 712,000 New Zealanders in the corresponding 2007-08 period.

Unacceptable levels of E. coli were in water supplied to 93,000 people, down from 118,000 the previous year.

However, 247,000 people received water that did not comply bacteriologically with standards because sampling was too infrequent to show compliance.

That was up from 194,000 people in the 2007-08 period…more here

The quality of the water that Kiwis and holidaymakers swim in is a lot worse.

In July we pointed out that in less than two years the number of unsafe bathing places had increased from 29% to to 43%, if a report was The Herald was anything to go by:

Many popular swimming spots contain high levels of bacteria that cause diarrhoea or infection, a new report shows.

Of 206 rivers, lakes, lagoons and estuaries tested regularly by councils during summer, only 57 per cent were safe for swimming most of the time. The Ministry for the Environment report showed that one in nine freshwater swimming spots, including popular west coast lagoons, often had too much faecal matter in the water to be safe for bathing.

Piha Lagoon, where young children often swim, was Auckland’s worst spot…

Bethells Lagoon was above the safe threshold for bacteria in a quarter of its tests…

Northland region had the most spots – 10 out of 23 – that were consistently too polluted to swim in. The intensification of farming in that area was believed to be responsible for its poor freshwater quality….” more here

Clean?  – definitely not, Green? is that referring to people who believe advertising slogans, or the colour of the water?

100% pure ? – not even close.

You may also like to take a look at our Green Credentails, or Green Wash page and other posts tagged 100% Pure Myth

Residents Want Shannon’s “Third World” Drinking Water Cleaned Up

Less than a week ago we highlighted a Ministry of Health report that revealed that drinking water quality in New Zealand was declining and that 20% of Kiwis have either unsafe / unregistered water supplies. Some schools and hospitals had shocking results read “20% Of Kiwis Have Unsafe Drinking Water, 43% Bathing Waters Unsafe” to find out more.

Now we hear that residents in Shannon, a small settlement between Palmerston North and Wellington,  are suffering the effects of a drinking water supply contaminated with giardia, cryptosporidium and possibly E. coli (a potentially fatal organism associated with faecal contamination) and other enteric ‘bug’s and they have had enough. They’ve told Horowhenua District Council that they want action, and they want it now.

According to a report in the Manawatu Standard titled “Residents condemn ‘Third World’ tap-water” the long suffering people of Shannon have been on a permanent boil water notice for the last year but Horowhenua council “are refusing to clean up their water supply.”

The article said:

Last year’s annual review of drinking water quality highlighted serious dangers in Shannon’s water supply, including giardia and cryptosporidium.

MidCentral District Health Board drinking water assessor Peter Wood said half a glass of Shannon water would probably be safe to drink, but two litres a day could cause problems for the body.

A dozen residents have complained to the Manawatu Standard of stomach bugs and diarrhoea since publication of the report’s results last week. Some said they were unaware of a permanent boil water notice placed on the town a year ago.

The residents said they were outraged at Horowhenua Mayor Brendan Duffy’s comments that the water was safe to drink, that nobody had died and the community was healthy…read the full report on the Manawatu Standard’s website

Last month councillors were invited to taste Shannon’s water, with mixed results – also from the Manawatu Standard :

Councillor Robbie Shaw – who represents Shannon – said he drinks the water, although his is filtered.

Mr Shaw said he would be happy to sip on Shannon’s water at the next council meeting. “I’ve drunk water out of the trough so I have got no problem with that,” he said. “It’s as safe as it has ever been in the last 80 years.”

Which is rather alarming, given the improvements made in water treatment and purification during that period.

Fortunately other councillors had a far more pragmatic approach, no doubt mindful of that permanent boil notice

“I would not be prepared to drink a glass of Shannon’s water, unless I can be certain it was boiled first,” Anne Hunt said.

Councillor Leigh McMeeken said she drank the water when turbidity affected Levin’s supply, but she would only drink Shannon’s water if it was boiled first.

Shannon community groups and residents have complained of inaction by the district council over what some have described as brown and dirty water. Mr Shaw said upgrading the water supply would cost up to $3 million.  “It’s in the pipeline to be fixed in the 2011/2012 financial year.” read the whole interesting report here

The only blockage being that finance has been diverted to another location having its own share of ‘third world problems’ – the quake stricken area of Canterbury where some people are facing months (perhaps years?) without both a clean water supply and a fully functioning sewerage system.

Shannon/Tokomaru Water got a  mention in the September edition of the council’s newsletter.

The team is currently working on the design drawings for the Shannon Water Main Renewals and Water Main Upgrades Programme for 2010/2011. All the refurbishment work on the Levin and Tokomaru treated water reservoirs has been completed.

and it is hoped that work will be finished by the end of next year, earthquakes and other natural disasters allowing.

You may also find interesting:

Residents of Seddon mull over water treatment plan:

“More than 100 Awatere ratepayers gathered in Seddon last night to weigh up the benefits of a treatment plant that would kill dangerous bugs in their water supply.

Awatere Water Committee chairman Ron Hebberd said the Miox system was an affordable way of eliminating bacteria from the Black Birch Stream supply. However, it might not kill giardia and cryptosporidium, so failed Government standards that all water schemes must meet by 2014.

Mr Hebberd said the Government would not “wave the big stick” at Awatere ratepayers if they could be seen to be working towards improving the quality of their supply.

The audience heard Canterbury medical officer of health Dr Alistair Humphrey told the Hurunui District Council to improve its water quality in Cheviot, truck in water, or face losing liquor licences in the area….”

The Haka – Come Prancing? – updated

A writer for UK’s  The Sunday Times has torn-off NZ Rugby a strip, saying their Haka is a self-important bore and arrogant. (emphasis ours)

“IT WAS once a theatrical affair, loved by children and armchair fans, but the ridiculous bout of pre-game posturing has no place in rugby today.”

The article, re-published on The Australian‘s website, is going to cause more than a few ruffled Kahu Huruhuru in New Zealand, where many are already upset at outside interference  (Australian Unions) trying to help their NZ counterparts secure better employment rights and pay for NZ film workers.

But the Haka has changed, profoundly. The All Blacks and their followers have made it a self-important bore and instrument of the worst kind of sporting arrogance. How many Maoris believe that their tradition has been hijacked? And symbolically, it sometimes stops just short of an exhortation to murder. In one of its versions, it ends with the players making graphic throat-cutting gestures.

Opposition is growing. One recent critic of the Haka refers to a “politically correct lunacy” and a “cynical stage-managed circus“. Another calls the Haka “a bad joke” and another said the team performing it are like “preening ninnies“.

The reporter goes on to talk about the fine the Australian women’s side earned after daring to advance a few steps whilst the Haka was being performed.

Are NZ women, including Miss Universe contestants, supposed do the Haka? The haka is taonga, should it be even be performed by non Maori:  can pakeha haka?

Chief executive of the IRB, Mike Miller said of The Challenge:

“It is a traditional part of the game… If people want to develop something – not a response, not a war dance, but a traditional or cultural way of engendering that team spirit for a match, great. They should be able to and we should create the space to do it. It would be a shame if people said, ‘Let’s do away with it’, or felt the need to do some response that took away from the dignity and power of it.”

Whatever Miller is on about and whatever toadying we must expect towards New Zealand as their World Cup approaches, there were two aspects of the whole sorry mess that he got completely wrong.

First, the Haka in most forms is a call to war. If Miller doesn’t want the reaction, then he must ban the challenge. Secondly there has been no dignity whatsoever surrounding the performance of the Haka for many years.

Perhaps the All Blacks were at their most ludicrous at the Millennium stadium in 2006. By then, everybody realised the Haka was being performed not just for culture, but as an attempt to establish the kind of early psychological blow for which coaches are desperate.

Courageously the Welsh Rugby Union stood their ground. They did not ban the Haka, just announced it would precede the Welsh national anthem – in 99 per cent of Tests the home anthem is the final ceremonial act before kick-off.

New Zealand sulked to high heaven. They refused to do the Haka on the field. Instead, they let an unofficial crew come into their dressing room and, eventually, put out a film of them performing the Haka in the dressing room.

Afterwards, they bleated at this gross act of national insult – no mention of any insult to Wales and to their hosts’ anthem. And although the Kiwis tried to dictate the whole Haka process with a barrage of unwritten rules, the rules are always conveniently changing…more here

New Zealand – making the rules up as they go along? surely not!

Perhaps, in the interests of fair play for all and good sportsmanship, it’s time to stop Hakas at sporting events and stick to national anthems? Or at the very least restrict Hakas to the changing rooms if team spirits need to be “engendered” ?

Should  fans have to endure subliminal Nationbranding at sporting events?

The NZ Herald picked up on the story too and invited readers to comment, which many of them did:

We are a tiny country near the bottom of the world – who wants and needs to be noticed – I think it’s because everyone else feels sorry for us that they have let us continue with the haka – they used to jump up at the end of it but not now – might pull a hammy poor darlings – it is indulgent and I think has had it’s day.
I certainly wouldn’t want to have to watch some other country do that before a good game of rugby – let’s just get into the game and not posture – it’s pathetic – we’ve grown up now and don’t need special attention.

Read what else Kiwis thought about the article on the Herald’s website (link opens in new window)

Also read:

Strictly come prancing – The Times online

“…You could argue that it ill-becomes someone that big, who has just spent three minutes sticking his tongue out and slapping his pecs, to get all twitchy and thin-skinned just because a few Welshmen start staring at him…”

New Zealand Rugby Union upset after All Blacks haka imitation for Japanese Coca-Cola commerical – The Australian

“THE New Zealand Rugby Union is exploring its legal rights after a troupe imitated the All Blacks by performing a haka for a Japanese Coca-Cola commercial.

The haka also upset Maori who said the portrayal was disrespectful and want the campaign stopped. Coca-Cola Japan apologised for any offence caused, but has stuck to its guns saying it was an original haka and not Ka Mate…”

12 recipes for the country branding cookbook – Nationbranding

5. Etiquette.

“Polite and friendly nationals are the best ambassadors of a country brand. They can be serious like the Germans or attentive like the Japanese, but both as hosts and as tourists they represent the nation. Hosts inside the country and tourists overseas help other peoples figure how their country might be – they shape an image.

10. Visuals.

In order to help build an image, a country needs to be coherent in its visuals: from the flag to the colors of the sports teams, from stamps to banknotes, from passports to road signs. A country should find and keep a consistent look & feel in shapes, color schemes and typographies. Identify a national visual identity and color palette and dress with it. Almost always.

11. Sports.

Hosting world-class sports events may have been proved economically unefficient for some countries, but sportsmen are definetely worth investing. Just think about the service Nadia Comaneci, Cristiano Ronaldo or the Kenyan long distance runners have rendered or continue to render to Romania, Portugal and Kenya respectively.”