Corporal punishment:

On Thursday 28 February 2013, Kurt Bayer of the NZ Herald published a 'news report' stating "Inquest: NZ Soldier took own life in Afghanistan".  The brief few lines stated that the death was a suicide and the Coroner, Gordon Matenga, was satisfied with the causes and circumstances of the so called 'investigation' and 'Court of Inquiry' conducted by the Defence Force - the victim's employer.

On Sunday the 3rd March two further articles were published in the Herald, one at 11:30 a.m. entitiled "Defence Force not talking on soldier's death", which briefly outlined the statement that:

"the Defence Force" was "disappointed that the media chose to ignore the directions of the Coroner and publish an article today about the death of Corporal Douglas Hughes.  The Defence Force was asked a number of questions which they declined to answer as the Coroner had directed that "In addition to the standard order under section 71, pursuant to section 74 Coroners Act 2006, I prohibit from publication all evidence including the report of the Court of Inquiry, in the interests of justice and on the basis of personal privacy.  The wishes of the family as expressed to the New Zealand Defence Force was not to publicly comment on this case, and to allow the family the time and space they needed to come to terms with their loss and grief.

A second report was then published on Sunday 3rd March (at 3:40 p.m.) titled Privacy ignored in soldier's death.  This report repeated the previous propaganda, but zeroed in on the head of the Defence Force, Lt Gen Rhys Jones, and then the cracks started to appear in the story:

"We recognise that this has been a difficult issue for the family and our sympathies and support are with them," he said.
"The wishes of the family as expressed to the New Zealand Defence Force was not to publicly comment on this case, and to allow the family the time and space they needed to come to terms with their loss and grief."
Lt Gen Jones said the Defence Force provided personnel with psychological and physical health support before, during and after their deployment on operational missions.
He would make no further comment on the matter."

At 5:30 a.m. a report by David Fisher in the Herald revealed that the Coroner had attacked gay marriage in a submission to parliament strongly opposing a proposed gay marriage Bill, and that he was a former Mormon Bishop and an elder of the Mormon Church.  It also revealed that although the earlier reports had mislead readers into believing that an inquest had been held, in fact it hadn't.

Also at 5:30 a.m. another report appeared, by David Fisher and Audrey Young.  It was titled Family want open inquest and revealed that the earlier reports had been nothing more than carefully constructed propaganda.

Douglas Hughes and his proud family.  Douglas was of Ngapuhi descent.

Corporal Hughes' uncle Mike Poa said the family held strong concerns about the Defence Force's handling of the incident.

"The army have abdicated their responsibility." 

He said the family had hoped the coronial inquiry would satisfy their questions and he was angry Mr Matenga had decided not to hold an inquest. 

"It's his job to do an investigation."

"We're not embarrassed by the fact he [Corporal Hughes] is gay. I just feel personally they didn't do enough to support him. My feeling is perhaps he lacked access to the assistance he deserved."

"I don't think we've been told the truth," said Mr Poa. 

"The family reportedly believe Corporal Hughes was bullied because he was gay and received no support from commanders."

At 5:00 on the 4th March 2013 a report was published on the Stuff website saying that a contingent of troops was sent to Afghanistan unprepared for the deployment because of the defence force's involvement in the Rugby World Cup.

Fairfax Media learned that a Court of Inquiry into the death last year of Corporal Douglas Hughes, 26, found that because of the NZDF's involvement in World Cup security in September and October of 2011, training for the group, known as CRIB19, was reduced from the standard five weeks to just three.

The inquiry found that this meant various training outcomes were not achieved, including stress management and identification, there were not enough medical resources or training, and other contributing factors.  The report stated that the death of Corporal Douglas Hughes was preventable.

There was no inquest into my brother's death either, which was claimed to be suicide, until I obtained the file, which revealed that it was certainly not.  The pathologist told Police "I am not prepared to say that this man died of natural causes because he didn't."  Similarities too with the cover up regarding the death of Nicholas Ward Harris by the Department of Corrections.

This article appeared in the Northern Advocate shortly after Douglas's death:

"Venus Poa loved singing with her tall, handsome son Corporal Douglas Hughes.
They were karaoke stars, warbling through Cruisin' in the hit duet style of Huey Lewis and Gwyneth Paltrow. 

So Venus was delighted when she got a phone call from Afghanistan on her birthday late last month and 26-year-old Dougie wished her many happy returns.  "He said he would be home soon and I said I would be counting the days, as I couldn't wait to see him." 

But Dougie came home in a box after dying mysteriously while off-duty at the Romero Forward Patrol Base in Bamiyan province on April 3. The cause of his death has not been disclosed and is being investigated by the Army. 

"When I heard what had happened, I felt like my whole heart was ripped out," Ms Poa said. 

Dougie was buried after a military funeral at Pakotai last Thursday. Stricken, but keeping the tears at bay, Ms Poa has described the "hardest week of my life". 

"I really miss him. I am still coming to terms with his death," she said. "I don't know how long the investigation [into the cause of death] will take. I won't settle until I have closure on that." 

Ms Poa said Dougie was generous and affectionate. He had loved his family dearly and they had loved him. She recalled him eeling and camping as a youngster and growing into a leader in rugby, league and kapa haka. 

He enjoyed life in the army, which he had joined aged 17, but he hadn't been keen to serve a second tour of duty in Afghanistan, which he started in September last year.  "He went because he had trained some boys who were going over there for the first time and he didn't want to let them down," Ms Poa said. 

When the Northern Advocate asked how long the investigation into the cause of death could take, a Defence Force spokesman said: "Unfortunately, it simply is not possible to put a definitive timeframe on this process, which will include the collection of witness and expert medical testimony. The NZDF is also liaising closely with the coroner's office." 

The spokesman said the Defence Force had been keeping in touch with Corporal Hughes' family and would keep them informed of progress. 

Earlier, Defence Force chief Lieutenant General Rhys Jones would not be drawn on how Corporal Hughes had died, while an investigation was under way. 

"The only issues that we can confirm at this stage - there was no hostile action, no operational incident that caused his death," he said.  

At least one other person had been with Corporal Hughes when the incident occurred but General Jones would not reveal what they had said about the incident.

Corporal Douglas Hughes's mother says the coroner never contacted her family to ask whether they wanted an inquest into her son's death.

She has called for an open inquiry into the death because she believes a defence force Court of Inquiry was a ''whitewash''.

"There were a lot of flaws in this case." said Venus Poa.

An inquiry has found that Corporal Douglas Hughes's death was preventable, and that a contingent of troops was sent to Afghanistan unprepared for the deployment because of the defence force's involvement in the Rugby World Cup.

Pressure continues to mount for the inquest.  Hughes with his sergeant and another soldier right up until his death, the sergeant had frisked him for a weapon, obviously for a reason.  The sergeant failed in his duty to keep Corporal Douglas - and the other soldier -  safe and get him the support he needed.

A recent editorial in the Dominion Post has said that the Coroner has failed in his duty.  That justice must be seen to be done, that has been repeatedly flouted in this case, and that "There is only one way to fix the mess. The chief coroner must open an inquest. And he must tell Mr Matenga he's had his last chance."

Also relevant is the death of Serena Holroyd, Police Constable at Counties Manakau, who (while she was not gay, as far as I know) Serena was bullied by colleagues to the point where she just couldn't take it any more, and the culture of the Police and the armed forces needs transparency and investigation, because it's clearly dysfunctional - NZ has some of the highest rates of suicide in the world and here where I live we REGULARLY have TWICE THE NATIONAL AVERAGE.

I recall an inquiry into allegations of bullying at Waiouru Cadet School a few years ago.  My father was head of the Cadet School for a few years and I know he wouldn't have covered up any bullying that happened while he was in charge, because he stuck up for victims of bullying.  It's a shame Lt Gen Rhys Jones and Coroner Gordon Matenga do the opposite.

Coroner Gordon Matenga

Corporal Douglas Hughes

Other creative decisions of the Coroners are also at this link.

Other news reports etc, regarding the death of Douglas Hughes are at these links:
http://news.tangatawhenua.com/archives/17038

In a few days it will be Anzac Day, 2013.  The Court Martial regarding the helicopter crash that happened on Anzac Day two years ago has found Flt Lt Pezzaro not guilty because of the culture of poor decision making that was in place at the time, serious questions have also been raised in the matter of the death of another soldier, Michael Ross, who drowned in Lake Moawhanga, his funeral was held hours after the violent death of another soldier from Linton.

Flynn and his friends at the South Wairarapa Veterinary Services:

Update on Flynn (the horse with nine lives):   Flynn has had his operation and is doing very well now, thanks to the kind, compassionate, professional team at the South Wairarapa Veterinary Services.  I am delighted, and very grateful indeed, as are all the local kids (and grown up kids) who love Flynn and his fellow FOCKCer horses, Brutus, Patrick, etc.  They've been mates for many years

Friends of Caring Kiwi Communities (the FOCKCers) own three horses in Carterton, Flynn is the eldest.  He developed a tumour on his sheath a while ago, so of course I contacted the vet, who examined him.  Since arriving in the Wairarapa over eleven years ago I've used the services of South Wairarapa Veterinary Services, and always been impressed by their professionalism.  Peter Morriss examined Flynn.  Peter upholds the impeccably high standards set by the legendary Rodger Gillett, who recently retired.  The vets confirmed that although the growth was unsightly, it wasn't causing him any immediate harm, any apparent pain, or any significant discomfort, and that he was in otherwise tip top condition and had a very good quality of life for the time being.  We were all aware that the growth was growing and that action had to be taken in the fairly near future but there was no need to euthanase the horse.  Peter invited his colleague who also specialises in equine surgery to give a second opinion, and after some deliberation it was decided that it was feasible to attempt to remove the tumour.  Furthermore, the SWVS kindly offered to perform the operation free of charge, in the interests of educating junior veterinarians and gaining experience.

On 22nd November 2012 Jane, Peter and Emily successfully removed the tumour in a challenging two hour operation, with others observing for educational purposes.  

Jane carefully examined him, listening to his heart for a long time, measuring him to estimate his weight in order to calculate the correct dose of the sedative.

It was touch and go a few times, there was a lot of blood, Flynn decided he had to lie down half way through the operation, after all the sedative we had to give him, which wasn't part of the plan (the vets had hoped to perform the operation with him standing up, sedated, using local anaesthetic.  The team moved on to Plan B and just got on with the job.  Blood spurted from all the blood vessels as Peter and Jane worked fast to stitch them all up, with Emily handing them instruments flat out and providing great support.  It was amazing to watch the speed at which they worked, it seemed to take forever.

Flynn stopped breathing a few times, Jane told me to lift up his head, and I give him a jolly good speaking to, telling him to pull up his socks and do his bit and BREATHE.  Finally he'd take a breath again each time, and finally, after what seemed like hours (the whole thing took a couple of hours) the stitching was all finished, and Jane administered the antidote for the sedative as they worked flat out to clean Flynn up and wash and put away all the equipment.  In a little while Flynn woke up, got to his feet, neatly avoiding the big mass of clotted blood on the ground, and started eating the grass as if nothing had happened.  I felt like all my Christmases had come at once.

Flynn and his two fellow Community Garden horses provide a great service to the community, providing riding for the disabled, the bullied, the abused kids, the ones with funny lumps growing out of them, and big scars (some you can see and some you can't), and all the other kids round here who think hanging out with horses is a better idea than going off and committing suicide or something.

Spending time with horses builds confidence, empathy, respect, relationship skills, communication skills, it's a great thing, and Flynn, Brutus and Patrick benefit the kids round here more than they benefit me.  We'd like to establish a fund to enable the SWVS to do other operations for animals in the community like this.  The SWVS do other work they're not paid for too, such as when people bring them animals who have been hit by a car and the owner can't be found, people who can't afford to put their pets down but don't want them to suffer, and other things to help people and animals in the community.

Please support the work of the South Wairarapa Veterinary Services, they do a lot of work in the community for which they don't receive payment, and the fact that they offered to do this operation for Flynn free of charge says a great deal about their commitment to the community, their high ethical and professional standards, and the character and calibre of the vets who work for their practise.  They have looked after Flynn and his mates for over twelve years, and they've always provided absolutely top quality professional services to us, and to everyone we know.

It's good for kids to learn that just because you're old and you've got a lump doesn't mean you should automatically be thrown on the scrap heap.  Flynn's always loved taking little kids for rides, he's made it his mission in life and his specialty.  I told him years ago that if he looked after the kids, I'd always look after him.  And he always has, and it's just wonderful that Peter and Jane offered to operate on him so he can carry on his good work, showing kids how to have fun, make friends, learn to trust, build confidence, etc.

People who care about animal welfare should consider making a donation to the SWVS to enable them to set up a little fund to perform other procedures on animals in need, for the benefit of the vulnerable in the community (like a lot of the people who enjoy spending time with Flynn), for educational purposes, humane purposes, etc.  This is a really good way to provide direct assistance to animals in need, and recognise all the work that these veterinarians do in our community that people don't always know about.

Jane and Peter removed Flynn's stitches yesterday, he's looking as healthy (and handsome) as ever

Donations (fan mail, etc,) can be sent to South Wairarapa Veterinary Services, 8 High Street South, Carterton  5713.

Heroes - All Black on the Beaches:

Here we have local hero, dad of the year and all round nice guy Willie Magnus, and some of his mates.  They work as professional divers.  This clip is a bit of fun, but to find out what they really do in a typical days work check out some of the related Youtube clips, it's dangerous work, and often done in appalling conditions.

Last night the All Blacks won the Rugby World Cup.  Richie McCaw was a hero, he's still a hero this morning, and he'll be talked about for years, and good on him and the team, so they should be - it was a great game.  Both teams played well.

This morning the beaches of the East Coast are still All Black.  Watch this clip, and click the "Like" button to show your support for these guys, because while the rest of the country's partying and nursing hangovers, these guys are out there, over their heads in freezing cold water, filthy toxic oil, even more toxic Corexit and other chemicals, risking their lives on a daily basis to clean up this mess for us.  Everyone will be buying Ritchie a beer today, let's all buy one for someone working to clean up the mess the Rena left.  These guys are every bit the heroes too, let's remember them at this time, and get in behind the All Black on the Beaches campaign.

They'd all like to be home with their families today, Willie's got five lovely daughters, a lovely wife, a darling grandchild, he's got brothers and a sister, nieces and nephews, all the in laws and outlaws, they all love him to bits, we miss him to bits because he's such a good guy, and wish we were going for a bit of recreational hunter/gathering somewhere nice like Ngawi or Tora with him to keep us safe.  and if you go out with Willie (or Kate Jury), you can be sure you'll come back safe.  Thinking of everyone working to clean up the Rena catastrophy.  These are every bit our local heroes.

Please take the time to watch the clip and click the "Like" button, these guys do a great job in cold, dangerous uncomfortable conditions, show you like what they do.  The clip's funny as anything, especially if you have any idea of how much all that gear actually weighs and how big Willie actually isn't (you can't see because he's inside all that stuff, but the gear probably weighs twice as much as him), also, the tank, which is the heaviest thing, has a tendency to whack you in the back of the head if you aren't careful.  Hard.

The other thing about this clip is the little insight into the careful but casual way the team works together, checking, double checking, nothing left to chance, looking after each other, then suddenly, right before you're eyes . . . . da dah!  "Yeah, no worries mate" - classic Kiwi monkey business at work.

Also today, let's dedicate this World Cup win to some other ordinary heroes.  While Willie will be back in the bosom of his family soon, with his lovely wife and daughters.  Marelle Pereira was just eight years old when her father was murdered by agents of the French government, when they executed the plan to deliberately blow up the Rainbow Warrior.  This was an act of international terrorism which deserved total condemnation, as well as an act of Murder.  Politically motivated murder.  Marelle grew up without her daddy, she couldn't sit on his knee anymore, laugh and joke with him, snuggle up and talk with him . . .

Mirelle, and her mother, have grown up without Fernando Pereira, the peaceful, peace loving, gentle photographer, who did the same thing I do, spread the truth.  A photographer, a father, a gentle man.  A hero because he was trying to tell us about the real news.

Let's take a minute or two to remember all the quiet, humble, everyday heroes today (any day) and dedicate this win to them.  The French played a great game last night and deserve respect for that, and Fernando Pereira and the crew of the Rainbow Warrior deserve to be respected and remembered too.  Raise a glass to them today, and those out at sea working on the Rena, as well as Captain McCaw and the team.  Then do what you can to help get the Black Off Our Beaches.

The Heart of Carterton - Katherine Jane Reid:

Katherine Jane Reid was the Real Heart of Carterton.

Carterton lost one of its greatest assets recently, Katherine Jane Reid.  Katherine worked at the Carterton District Council, she should have been running the place.  

Always bright and cheerful, professional, efficient, great at her job.  Katherine always followed things up, she'd give you a ring and get back to you about things, she sorted things out effortlessly, and stood out head and shoulders above the other office staff in this respect.  I can't count the times she helped me with enquiries, but every time she did I left her company feeling better than I did before.  Katherine just had a way of making people feel good, because she was good.

Nobody who ever met Katherine would have found a bad word to say about her, she was an absolute sweetie, and it is an utter, utter tragedy that she passed away recently, suddenly, unexpectedly, leaving her beloved daughter, aged just two years old, and her loving partner.

They say only the good die young, well you wouldn't get much "gooder" than Katherine Reid.

Rest in peace Katherine, I miss you a lot, and think of you often.

You'll always live on in our hearts, thanks for the lovely memories.  This one's for you:

Pet Therapy - the Community Garden Horses:

These are two of the horses belonging to the Friends of the Carterton Community Gardens.  The appaloosa horse in the photo on the left is Flynn, and the skewbald one standing behind him on the right is Brutus.  These horses, and Flynn in particular, have given countless hours of fun to local children, and taught them valuable lessons about trust, communication, fairness, friendship and all sorts of other things.  Flynn and Brutus have been friends, brothers, for over twenty years.  Lily and Flynn were both five in the photo on the left, Flynn was given to me for nothing because he was so "difficult", but he was always just lovely with children, really kind.  Kids always loved him, and he wasn't really so difficult, you just have to be patient with him.  Brutus always looked after him, there he is, always right behind him.

Kids don't have to be disabled to benefit from pet therapy, it's a great thing and all community gardens should have a few horses like these.

Carterton District Council animal control officers Murray Clark and Karen Higham saw fit to impound Flynn last weekend, with the help of George Smith, who provided a temporary "pound" and put up a trespass notice.  Then they took him all the way to Clareville, and kept him there for a week without his warm cover.  This was completely and utterly unnecessary, and caused a lot of unnecessary suffering and stress to poor old Flynn, who's done nothing but provide a community service to the kids of this town since he's been here - to kids in lots of towns ever since I was given him over twenty years ago, actually.   

The Carterton District Council have gone out of their way to shut down the Community Gardens, refuse us funding, and steal our assets, our sheds can be viewed on the property of Council employee Melvin Pike, great mate of local bullying Mayor Gary McPhee, who boasts about all the perks of the job he and his mates manage to lay their hands on quite regularly.

So Melvin Pike gets a free shed, that we worked for and we paid for, while poor old Flynn's got no shed to put his hay in, the kids at the Community Gardens have got no sheds to put their tools in any more - aren't you ashamed of yourself Melvin? - that's outright theft.  Theft from poor people, working for the community, how utterly despicable.

Council staff have been making up the rules in order to shut down any grazing options for Flynn and his mates Brutus and Paddy, telling kind people who offer grazing that stock has to be tethered (rubbish), that I am a criminal and a trouble maker (rubbish), etc.

A woman who works at the Council recently had a go at me in Belvedere Rd for having the horse in an area where she wanted to run her dog off the lead, and a complaint was made to the police regarding the actions of Sean Crawford regarding another incident involving Crawford speeding past the horses with loose "sculptures" rattling round on the back of his truck.

Council staff and local SPCA "officers" stole a horse from a paddock in Dalefield Road last year at the insistence of a Council worker's wife, who wanted the horse herself, and her friend who told me about it.

They took poor old Flynn all the way to Clareville last Sunday, refused to return messages for several days, then sent a ransom letter telling me that there was over a hundred dollars owing to the Council - who also stole my $400 election nomination deposit after the last election.   Julie Hallam thought she'd won that one, but it was a bit of a hollow victory, given where Julie Hallam is now.  Poetic justice indeed.  With a bit of luck, Karen Higham and Murray Clark will be next, for what they did to Flynn, and the children who enjoy him.

The ransom letter said that Flynn would be sold or "otherwise disposed of" in 7 days.  I am on an invalid benefit after being sacked from two local schools because of lies spread by corrupt local police.  I haven't got over a hundred dollars to pay the Council to get Flynn back.

I've never lived in a community like this in my life, shame on these people.  I've lived in great communities like Wellington, Te Awanga, Waimarama, Poukawa, Maraekakaho, and others, where people help and support each other, caring communities.  There's no unity in this community.

Flynn was in George Smith's paddock, with a trespass notice on the gate, when I went found him on Sunday morning.  George's partner is on the Board of Trustees of the South End School.  I haven't got over a hundred dollars to pay the thieving Council to get Flynn back because I was sacked from the South End School because of a malicious false allegation spread by corrupt local police that I have recently been charged with child abuse.  I have NEVER been charged with any such thing.

I contacted George's partner, and said that I was very depressed about this situation, I asked her to pass on, and endorse, a request for a meeting between myself and the Board of Trustees of the South End School of which she is a member, because I have not been charged with the offence I was allegedly sacked for, and the Principal is lying to the police and the Privacy Commissioner.  I reminded her that Flynn had given her kids rides for nothing in the past and that this situation is very unfair.

Unbelievably, she ignored everything I said, then came to the home of some friends who I was visiting, to inform me that she was so concerned about me being depressed that she had contacted the police and the mental health unit!  But not the Board of Trustees, who had actually caused and continued to cause the depression, and the Principal and groundsman, who continued to cause it.

Goodness knows what on earth she thinks they will do about me being depressed, but I'll tell you what they did last time some do gooder rang them because I started talking about the rate of suicide in the Wairarapa - twice the national average for several years in a country with the highest rates in the world - the corrupt local police smashed in my back door - totally unnecessarily - it was just an excuse for their Gestapo like violence - then they locked me in a cell at the Masterton Police Station for over six hours.  After which I felt much more depressed.

Thanks for that Emily, I would like a meeting with the Board of Trustees please.
Being on the Board isn't about going on courses, it's about common sense and telling the truth, and acknowledging indisputable evidence.  Ignorance comes from ignoring things.

Rod O'Leary is lying to the Privacy Commission investigator, and others are condoning this:

1. The only meeting between O'Leary and I on the matter was AFTER I received the letter from the Board, NOT before as O'Leary alleges, he is deliberately lying.
2. Deputy Principal Dallas Powell told me she had seen notes made by the staff representative on the Board of Trustees about the allegation against me
3. that the notes recorded the decision of the Board to write the letter, in early 2009.
4. Dallas told me she had spoken to the staff rep about the written notes, and that the rep had confirmed that the meeting had been told that I had been charged with child abuse and was not a fit person to work at the school, and the decision had been made to write the letter on the basis of the false allegation.

I would like a meeting with the Board of Trustees please, as I've been asking since I got the slanderous letter.

Constable Glenn Arthur McKibbin:

Here's the report into the fatal shooting of Terence Thompson, who was shot by Police only metres from where I used to live, and metres from where my best friend and her children were living.

Thompson had shot and killed one of the best Police officers I ever met, Glenn Arthur McKibbin, on 21 April 1996.  Eight days later my brother died.  They were both lovely men.

Constable Glenn Arthur McKibbin.

Constable McKibbin of Hastings was shot in Flaxmere while standing beside his patrol car.

After an extensive search, the suspect was located in an orchard in Havelock North.  Thompson, a former soldier, was shot in a standoff with Police.

Constable McKibbin left a wife, and a young son, they can be very proud of Glenn McKibbin, he was a fine Police officer and a good, honest and fair man.

The report is embedded below, but is also available at this link.