Tue, 16 Aug 2011

Should we have National Service in NZ?

"Aren't we glad we live in New Zealand, really?" - Michael Laws

Fresh video of London riots: Crowd street rampage

Hackney riots described by resident

British Prime Minister David Cameron says the number one issue on his political agenda after the riots last week is to deal with the moral collapse in the UK.

Cameron says the situation has been festering for decades, exploding last week in behaviour showing people's indifference to right and wrong, people with a twisted moral code, people with a complete absence of self-restraint.'

His first plan is to implement "National Citizen Service" which should be a "rite of passage"for all 16 year old's.

Do you think New Zealand is in moral decline and would introducing some type of National Service programme here make a difference?

14 opinions

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Opinion:

By Takere

"Boot Camps" don't work! Neither does this useless national government! Get rid of both!

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By Ben

New Zealand isn't in the same league as England! I have lived in England for 35 years, and know that England doesn't have the same problems as New Zealand. Military Service doesn't work - you just have to look at the behaviour of soldiers abroad!

(7)

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By Johnny Sauce Pants

Boots camps won't and never will fix the disgraceful social i'lls NZ finds itself now entrenched in. It wont solve the lack of work opportunities for young adults trying to find a decent future and feeling displaced and hopeless because their are too few jobs offering a decent future. It wont fix the child poverty which has seen NZ sink to 28th out of the 30 OECD countries. NZ level pegging with Turkey. It wont fix the unafordability of good housing for aspiring young folk who havnt a hope in hell of finding a 100K deposit for an average home whilst earning a McDonalds income. It wont fix the fact that the most able leave in droves for Australia and other countries in search of better lifestyles, and it wont fix the ever increasing disparity between the rich and increasing numbers of poor, barely making ends meet. We as a country have become a disgrace to our citizens and boot camps are'nt the answer to anything.

(7)

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By Lenny

Implementing a National Citizen Service will only make the kids feel even more repressed. Yeah, I get that moral is low, but is compulsory boot camp really the way to go? England has tried to force people into things before. Look back over the centuries and see how that panned out.

New Zealand is in no way to be considered in the same league as England. Get over yourselves and get a hobby.

(1)

By Ran

Bullshit Cameron stop distancing yourself from responsibility. You can't blame previous governments for the negative social outcomes if you take being PM seriously. Nor can you soley blame those most affected by the legislative regimes of the past.
We've had 17 decades of English style governance and morals in NZ and are still paying for it.
Theres weaknesses of self restraint at all ages of society but I think trying to curb selfishness at 16 years old is futile.

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By kane

No I am not interested in seeing criminal teens being awarded time on a outdoor adventure lets face it it will hardly be a boot camp... They get to go out camping sit around by the fire talk and eat marshmallows.. Go boating and rafting and basically have a fun time... I would be outraged rewarding bad behaviour... Put in a cell locked up 23hrs a day is all they deserve... Tell you the truth I am not a rehabilitation believer... And good teens should be rewarded not scum-bag feral ones...

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By Takere

The Armed Services can't afford to take 35,000 kids! Their budget has got slashed! 35,000 paying JOBS would Be Better Like Key has Promised! Oh that was a lie! Sack'em in November!

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By kane

I might of liked it when I was 18.... I might still like it now even though I am more set in my ways now... Good idea for future generations I enjoyed scouts and I guess National service would be based around much the same idea.. 6 months at 17 before adult age and maybe 2 weeks a year after that or 4 weekends a year... Would be good I think get people to learn to swim basic boat use safety skills first aid and so on... Dont think criminals should be allowed to join in the fun of it though...

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