Honours ‘anachronistic’

With the silly season ‘gongs' dished out yet again, it's pertinent to reflect on something the last Labour Government got pretty right, namely the abolition of knighthoods and damehoods doled out to the rich and famous then inexplicably reinstated by Key's National Government in 2009.

Those honoured this New Year include the obligatory Maori services group, fashion designer, ex- politicians (three), ex-rugby player, children's storyteller and yet another lawyer, topping the list. Everything usually awarded for services to XYZ (i.e. self-interests).

New Zealand's honours system should not embrace this anachronistic medieval British royal honours system to decorate those who have been more than amply rewarded for their careers, sports and pastimes. People who perform selfless acts, volunteers and whose sole motivation is to help others should be recognised, but that is not a factor in many cases and rarely so with politicians, business leaders, professionals and sportspeople.

If we must reward for services then simply dish out the relatively benign and meaningless NZ Order of Merit honours (often also undeserved) and everyone should be reasonably happy.

I readily accept that many Kiwis generously give their time and services gratis for very good causes and, of course, it's appropriate that this unselfish altruism be recognised in some way.

R Paterson, Mataphi.

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4 comments

in NZ

Posted on 05-01-2018 09:45 | By Captain Sensible

In NZ, you can get a Knighthood for Services To Greed!


Yes

Posted on 05-01-2018 11:40 | By MISS ADVENTURE

Now isnt that teh truth of it, rather than being a list of those deserving, earned and befitting it has degrading into a list of those that one should indeed be extremely weary of, if not then ones own fate will be seled!


A Dis-Service to the rest of us

Posted on 07-01-2018 14:56 | By the roofer

When someone gets an honor for services to a particular race, that means by logic that another race(s) receives a dis-service.


Yippee we all agree this is wrong and why !!

Posted on 08-01-2018 07:18 | By CONDOR

OMG @the Roofer @ Miss Adventure@ Captain Sensible each in their own way all hit the target and we are all on the same page .Hallmarks of this nonsense are services to self greed the need to be very wary of the gong gobblers and pandering to racial preferences which always results in a grave dis-service to the rest of us namely the irrelevant majority.Labour Party please have the guts to get rid of this damn Key B/S yet again.


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