Posts by Kyle MacDonald
Last ←Newer Page 1 2 3 4 5 Older→ First
-
Yes: I suspect we actually agree with each other.
-
To clarify: I have no doubt that the tragic events in Ashburton are Political. However I continue to feel uncomfortable about how when we politicise, we loose sight of the individuals involved. The WINZ staff are not political figures and their families should be given space to grieve. Some comments (not here so much) have tended towards forgiving or even encouraging violence. This is a tragedy from every angle and I believe we need to keep our heads, and our humanity.
-
I am very critical of what she (Sue Bradford) tweeted. The tragic death of two innocent individuals shouldn't be politicised, at least not with in hours of the death. There will be plenty of time for a post-mortem and analysis. Now is not that time. To her credit she has since posted an apology, stating she was not yet aware at the time of tweeting, that two people were dead.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11317384
-
Speaker: Election 2014: Mental Health Policies, in reply to ,
So the low wage sector in mental health is largely the care work provided to the chronically and long term mentally ill, what is loosely described as "supported accommodation."
Largely this is conducted by NGO's and this is a worthwhile policy in my view as it forces NGO's to not compete contracts by reducing staff wages. -
Speaker: Election 2014: Mental Health Policies, in reply to Grant Taylor,
I'm inclined to agree, at least at a political and sociological level. But practically, unless health budgets are fully and adequately funded, then I suspect health boards will internally be inclined to underfund mental health, at the cost of achieving other health targets. In this light I can't see another solution, outside of ring-fencing, but I'm open to suggestion!
-
The following response from New Zealand First came through after this was posted:
"1. What are your parties priorities for mental health funding if you are returned to government?
New Zealand First would ensure resources and facilities are available for treatment. New Zealand First would also:
· Increase the options of mental health services available, working towards a community view instead of a medical view of services.
· Provide additional resourcing for child and youth mental health services, and the necessary resources and funding to address the continuing appalling state of mental health services by completing the full implementation of the recommendations of the Mason report.
· Increase the number of acute and non-acute beds and accommodation units for the mentally ill and modify the process of judicial review of decisions to release mentally ill patients into the community.2. Do you support a return to ring-fence funding for mental health treatment as outlined in the Labour health policy?
New Zealand First would support ring fence funding for mental health."
-
Hard News: Poor Choices, in reply to Craig Ranapia,
Yeah the obvious bullying, is well obvious. But it's the bullying someone through excessive critique or ad hominem attack, because of what they believe that is harder to define. In part I think it's a symptom of the kind of "siloing" that tends to happen in online communities, and perhaps it's more chronic in our little corner of the world. But it can make it feel like the thought police have descended...
-
Hard News: Poor Choices, in reply to Russell Brown,
Yeah, that got seriously weird (not a clinical opinion).
-
The big problem for me about even trying to think about online bullying is who gets to defines what is bullying. As you rightly point out the response to DHC was pretty unpleasant, and from engaging in some of those conversations on twitter and FB it's clear that a number of those people don't think it's bullying, because they are *right*.
-
Notes & Queries: Little CD in a Prospect…, in reply to Russell Brown,
I just wouldn't want to see DHC, who has her own issues, become the subject of an angry internet pile-on. Although it's probably a bit late for that.
Quite. We can easily become blind to bullying when we attack from the moral high ground. Seems a real shame that's been the response to her piece, given the context, despite what people think of it