My last port of call was a grandmother raising two children whose mother died in tragic circumstances.
She gave me a huge smile, welcomed me in and offered a cup of coffee. We all enjoy positive feedback; here’s someone doing a fantastic job, day in and day out, raising children in her mid-sixties, with very little recognition or support.
Her grandchildren were polite and helpful. The house while crowded was clean. Grandma and the children live in a small state house in Avonside. The smell of sewerage permeates the air; portaloos dot the street. She walks with difficulty. Her nearest mall, Eastgate, is yet to reopen so it’s either been the local shop – expensive – or a taxi trip to the closest open supermarket – expensive.
She says she’s not yet had a visit from anyone and I believe her, though this would be unusual. She’s not angry at anyone, nor really asking for assistance. My visit was sparked by her son dropping in earlier to the caravan that is my makeshift portable electorate office.
I gave her a hug and $50 in food vouchers (courtesy of Katherine Rich and the Grocery Council) and started plugging her into some other assistance, including, hopefully, funding to allow her and the children go get away on a break out of Christchurch.
My point? No one in Avonside seems much focussed on a Beltway ’scandal’ where even Michael Laws, writing in the Sunday Star Times says the media have replaced the courts. The same paper also reported how our television channels have joined forces to take on the Broadcasting Standards Authority’s attempts to rein-in increasing sexuality on television; their lawyer argues the recent soft-porn series Hung was ‘serious drama.’
A 6.3 earthquake changes your view of what is a scandal, what constitutes serious drama and what actually matters.
“A 6.3 earthquake changes your view of what is a scandal, what constitutes serious drama and what actually matters. ”
Unless, of course, the ‘scandal’ happens in the opposing camp.
This is all terribly transparent.
Perhaps the post would have better served stopping with the account of this family an how you are helping.
bed rater has a point, “scandals” are only “scandals” when it’s your party affected, when it’s the “other lot” it’s being “truthful” about leaders (and in my opinion ALL MP’s are leaders) values and judgment.
Even John Key couldnt resist commenting…
I have been perplexed about Tamihere’s coverage though, and the choice of him to go to for comment?
It’s not so perplexing for me Tracey, you only need to listen to 10 minutes of Tamihere’s talkback show to confirm his public persona is that of a barely concealed homophobe, making him ideal for media comment of course.
I have yet to meet anyone outside politics who is interested in the Hughes affair. But it is being hammered by the media as if it were more important than Christchurch, Libya and Japan put together. Handily, it detracts from the looming public spending cuts. And most of the media are owned by interests that support the National Party’s handouts to the rich – funny that.
You’ve got it in one, Dorothy.
Our media whores know who their paymasters are.
Fair comment Decanker. I had forgotten his misogynist tendancies also.
I think that the reason this issue has had such legs has been the apparent dual standards from Phil G.
He positively relished commenting on Richard Worth in a similar situation, so what did he expect when the tables were turned.
JK has (smuggly?) managed to keep hold of the moral high ground by refusing to comment, and actually saying he thought Darren is a nice bloke.
Phil, on the other hand, has bobbed around like a floating cork with no apparent direction or control.
Back to what matters. It is people, it is people, it is people. Look after yourself, Brendon, as you are looking after your people.