Latest news with #KelstonBoys'HighSchool
Scoop
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Budget 2025: The Teenagers Feeling Ignored By Government's Decisions
"Do not just invest in stats and numbers, invest in us." That is the message from a group of teenagers grappling with some of the decisions made by the government in this year's Budget. They came together along with child advocates, researchers and rangatahi to unpack the budget. with KiwiSaver, pay equity, employment and climate change all top of the discussion. Save the Children Generation Hope Youth ambassadors opened the post-Budget chat hosted by the Child Poverty Action Group in Tāmaki Makaurau with these words. "A budget is numbers, but numbers don't heal people, a budget is a promise but promises break without action, a budget is pointless without a plan. "We've heard the speeches we've seen the headlines roll in; the words roll in like tides the tides that never quite reach the shore." One of the youth ambassadors is 17-year-old Sonya. She was concerned about what she feels are important parts of daily life that were missing from the budget. "There was a lot about infrastructure and funding for big things, but not really the things that matter or the things that impact people on their daily lives. "Kids that go to school, what are we going to do about buses? What are we going to do about traffic? What are we going to do about families and school lunches?" One of the big changes affecting rangatahi is the tightening of the job seeker and emergency benefits. 18 and 19-year-olds on those will now have them means tested against their parents' incomes. Year 12 students at Kelston Boys' High School Uelese and Nikolao are concerned about this. "Do they know, especially in Polynesian households like our parents, have their own struggles, relying on them for the funding will put more stress and you know, more troubles on our parents," said Uelese. "Yeah, I think it all goes back to the purpose of the government itself to provide positive outcomes for the general public, whether or not you have stable parents, I feel like everybody deserves what they're promised," Nikolao said. The issue was of particular relevance for Uelese - whose mother has been impacted by the pay equity reform. While its overhaul will save the government $2.7 billion a year. The changes mean workers now face a higher threshold to prove they are underpaid due to sex discrimination. Uelese is worried about how it will affect his mum and dedicated his opening speech to her. "If my mom can't get ahead, how am I supposed to? "This year's budget was meant to be about growth, but for so many families, especially those led by women, it feels more like being told to grow something from dry soil. "You can't cut down the people who carry the load and expect the next generation to rise. "This budget forgets the people who hold our communities and our children together, women, especially mothers." Then there is KiwiSaver. From July, 16 and 17-year-olds are eligible to get the government contribution and requirements for employers to match their deposits will kick in next year. But the minimum contribution will go up from three percent of wages to four percent over the next three years. The amount the government is contributing is being halved to a maximum of $261 a year. The government said the increase in the default amount could leave KiwiSaver members with more than $100,000 in retirement. But the Labour Party claims not everybody will benefit, especially younger people. It claims the changes could mean an 18-year-old ends up with $66,000 less for their retirement. Uelese and Nikolao are disappointed with the change. "You know, finance is everything it would be good to, like, have that support that they've sort of halved. "I mean, it's still there, but is half really enough to start something in, in this ever growing society," said Uelese. The students also said there is one big thing missing in the budget, addressing climate change. Instead, the government has set aside $200 million to invest in fossil fuel development at gas fields, reduce climate finance to the pacific and clawed back funds for government agencies working on ways to save energy. Uelese said it was worrying. "We're really educated on climate change and we know that it's like one of the biggest issues, if not the biggest issue that we're facing right now. "We actually need to get our butts up and start moving."
NZ Herald
23-05-2025
- Sport
- NZ Herald
Runit Championship League event winner says $20k cash prize ‘gives us a head start' in life
Speaking to the Herald on Thursday, Betham said his body 'definitely felt it' after the event. The 26-year-old played rugby union throughout his schooling at Auckland's St Peter's College and Kelston Boys' High School, before being selected in the wider training squad of the NPC's Bay of Plenty Steamers. He moved to Christchurch, where he currently plays semi-professional-grade rugby league – and has gone on to represent Canterbury. Asked how the 'run it straight' event compared to a standard rugby league game, Betham said it was 'a lot harder, collision-wise'. 'On the footy field you've got people chucking on footwork, and they're trying to evade you almost. But this one was proper contact, you had to chuck a shoulder on something." But as he stood 20m away from his competitors, ready to brace for each of his jarring collisions, Betham said he felt 'really relaxed'. 'I think from the start, when they were taking us through the debriefs and all of that kind of stuff, I pretty much said to myself, 'Just play it simple, play it safe, don't try and go for the big hits because obviously that's when you or someone else could get hurt'. 'I was just playing it safe and if a big hit came, then it came.' And the big hits came aplenty, with the judging panel crowning Betham the unanimous winner of the night – taking home the significant cash prize and a spot in the final event next month with $200k up for grabs. In his acceptance speech on the night, Betham said the money would go towards giving back to his grandparents – a statement he echoed when speaking to the Herald. 'It means heaps, especially just [to be able to] give back to my grandparents and stuff. And then I guess it sort of gives us a head start in life, trying to be wise and [have the opportunity] to grow that $20k into something bigger.' Betham said he decided to enter the competition after seeing the staggering prize money on offer, and an opportunity to be a part of the sport's growing platform. He said the sport had a 'massive future' ahead, with plans for the league to travel to America, Saudi Arabia and the UK later in the year. 'Runit is doing an awesome job, especially for us blokes that love a bit of crash and bang. They're definitely doing a massive job and just big ups to them.' Combat sport condemned by leading doctors Leading neuroscientists have consistently condemned the concept since its inception. Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) expert Dr Helen Murray told the Herald there is clearly 'a high risk of head injury in this event'. 'From a CTE standpoint, we know that exposure to repeated head acceleration events is the biggest risk factor for CTE pathology, and therefore finding ways to reduce these impacts in contact sports is a priority for player safety,' Murray said. 'It appears there is no attempt to mitigate head acceleration events in this activity and the risk of significant injury is high given the intent to collide, so I do not support it.' Professor Patria Hume, sports scientist and injury prevention expert at Auckland University of Technology, called the sport 'a step backwards' in athlete safety. 'We've spent years building evidence-based strategies to reduce head and neck injuries in rugby and contact sports. This event ignores all of that.' Advertisement Advertise with NZME. Stacey Mowbray, chief executive of Headway – a concussion and brain injury education charity – told the Herald the events present 'serious risk of traumatic brain injury or death'. 'Headway supports sports but run it straight is not a sport. It is a dangerous spectacle with an extremely high risk of brain injury. She believed promotional material and the event's format appear to 'deliberately target vulnerable communities' by offering large prize money as an incentive to participate. 'For many, particularly those under financial pressure, that's a difficult offer to refuse – even when the risk of serious harm is known.' 'No athlete should bear the burden': League says it covers all medical expenses In a statement to the Herald after the second trial night, a Runit Championship League spokesperson said the organisation was 'committed to the health, safety and well-being of every athlete who represents our brand'. Of the eight competitors on Wednesday, three were forced to retire with injuries – two of whom showed signs of a concussion. That was after one of the first competitors on Monday night's trial was knocked unconscious. 'We recognise that competing at the highest level comes with physical risks, and we firmly believe that no athlete should bear the burden of those risks alone,' the league said. They said the organisation covers 100% of all medical expenses directly related to injuries sustained while competing. 'In addition, if an athlete is unable to work due to a competition-related injury, we ensure their wages are fully paid during their recovery period. 'Our athletes are the heart of what we do, and we stand by them – on and off the field. Their commitment to excellence is matched by our commitment to their care.'
