New Zealanders - I am ashamed of us

I've been watching the processes as the hearings about a proposal to tunnel, for buses only, between Glenorchy near Queenstown to Milford Sound. There were 1,800 submissions on this proposed tunnel.

The Nelson City Council has recently changes which will significantly restrict where dogs can roam free in the city There were 700 submissions to these proposed changes.

The Green Paper proposed by Paula Bennett, which is asking questions about what we can to do better protect vulnerable children from harm, had under 5,000 submissions a week out from closing date. There would certainly have been more which were sent through at the last minute, but even if it was double that number - 1,800 about a tunnel and dogs doesn't compare with the number of submissions for such a crucial issue as the safety of our children.

At one stage, I was excusing people: perhaps they were over-whelmed with the thought of making a submission to the Green Paper, perhaps they didn't know about it, perhaps they were too busy. But now I know that is not the case: if the issue is serious, people find the means and the time to have a say.

There is just one conclusion I can draw: we just don't care enough about children in New Zealand.

I am ashamed to call myself a New Zealander.