She's consulting the public on safe activities kids are allowed to do on farms, like watering plants and collecting chicken eggs.
It's a bit of an odd strategy, but the strategy seems to be that there's a potential problem with the law.
Anyone under 15 is technically not allowed to do work on a working farm. You could get fined $50,000.
But nobody's been done for letting little Johnny pick up eggs.
So, it's a potential problem, but not an actual problem.
The Minister's strategy, surely, is to point out how ridiculous the law is in the first place.
But her response sounds a bit off for a Minister who says we need to get away from over regulation and consultation and nonsense and just let Kiwis get on with their lives.
She is quoted as saying:
“We’ll be consulting with farmers and the agriculture sector on the safety thresholds for light chores children can do on farms... while ensuring safety is not compromised.”
It does a bit gobbledegook. It sounds a bit unnecessary. It sounds a bit odd.
If there's a problem, then why not just change it? Why consult up the wazoo through till September, then waste time and money, no official advice, and blah blah blah.
If it's a problem, then make it go away. And quickly.
Ryan Bridge is a New Zealand broadcaster who has worked on many current affairs television and radio shows. He currently hosts Newstalk ZB's Early Edition - where this article was sourced.
4 comments:
These control freaks are constantly trying to disempower parents. If I produce eggs and get my young fella to go and collect some in the morning, that's my business, not the govt's.
When I was a kid I had to contribute to the housework and maintenance of the home and section to earn my pocket money. Maybe Mum and Dad should have been fined for having me push a lawnmower around or clean out the guinea pig hutch?
It’s starting to look like they’re daring us to vote them out
We’re nearly as silly/destructive as labour, so you gonna have to put up with us 🤦♂️🤦♂️
There is far too much control and not enough parting of wisdom. If the control freaks manage to have an activity banned, then how will anyone know how to perform that activity ? If you are allowed to teach young children certain acitvities at aged 15, many of those can also be taught to kids aged say 7-8. Growing up in a rural community in the 1940s/1950s, I was shown how to drive the tractor between shocks when bringing in the barley, oats or wheat, during harvest. This was done to release a man from having to mount/dismount the tractor every couple of minutes. Saved a lot of time. I graduated by the age of 12 to heaving the sheaves (shoofs) onto the cart, and later to standing on the old style threshing machine to slice the binder twine and drop the crop in the the threshing machine's maw. We kids also used to chop heads off sugar beet and dropping them into piles for later collection and stacking under cover of straw and clay. We also used to plant fields of spuds on a farm for a French soldier who had resettled after the war. We climbed trees to great heights, made slides on pits during the harsh winters, delivered post in the snow and ice where bicycles could go. I never heard of an accident where anyone was injured, maimed or died. How is that ? Because we had excellent training from those who done it before us. Nowadays, it seems it is easier to ban activities than to teach youngsters how to do things properly (which, funnily enough, included safely). No wonder we are now breeding generations of useless contibutors.
A question - " Is Ms. Van V, becoming a political fluffy duck with these 'insane' ideas"? I found her explanation of NZ Fire new approach to dealing with Maori and house fires rather puzzling!
If what she is suggesting - will i also apply to those who have small farm lets & children & livestock & ATV's?
Me thinks also, that many of the Farming Community will agree with Barend V - which Good Sir, if your last sentence is of merit, then go for it. If females can pursue sex crimes from years ago, do not see you being disadvantaged by a similar action, on small child cruelty, whilst dealing with a lawn mower.
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