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Department for sick bird

Friday 26 July 2013, 12:36AM

By New Zealand Justice Forum

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Last month on a New Zealand television news show, Levin pensioner Sam Probert was interviewed after staging a one-man rent revolt which led to him being evicted from his flat by police.


Mr Probert had barricaded himself in his flat for the past month to protest a $15 rent increase on his council-owned pensioner flat.

Following this sad item about an old age pensioner getting turfed on the street over the price of a packet of cigs, the"good" news story featured an albatross & several other battered birds which survived Wellington's wild weather and had recovered sufficiently to be released back into the wild.

Like New Zealand's favourite penguin "Happy Feet" ratepayers & taxpayers footed the food & medical bills to ensure these seabirds survived events that would otherwise have led to their demise, this expenditure is in stark contrast to the decision by the Horowhenua District Council to claim the refusal to pay an extra $15 per week is moral justification for chucking an elderly man out on the street.


Recently, a Japanese tourist made a wry observation about this country after staying in a backpackers lodge north of Wellington, she had her cash and credit cards stolen, duly reported the crime to the Police and, after identifying of a likely suspect who had left in the night, she continued her travels through our Pacific paradise. Six weeks later she returned to Wellington to be told by the lodge owner that the crime had not been investigated nor had he been contacted or interviewed about the identity of the thief.

Later that afternoon while taking a consoling walk on the beach with the lodge owner, they came across a storm damaged gannet which was dutifully rescued and the Department of Conservation promptly notified of its plight. Within the hour, a liveried four wheel drive and two smartly dressed DOC officers arrived to transport the bird to gannet accident & emergency.

Bemused by the contrast between this event and her own plight the tourist remarked, what a strange country New Zealand is, no police force yet you have department for sick bird!