It's time for everyone to get off their backsides and do something. Preferably something positive, but anything that contributes to the family or the community or even themself, would do.
There are too many no-hopers wanting something for doing nothing. You know it. I know it. Everyone knows it.
Including the world's key advisory agencies, who tell us we have too many uneducated people than is good for us.
Anyone uneducated is a liability. To themselves, their family, their community and their country. There is no excuse for anyone to be uneducated in New Zealand in the 21st Century.
Everyone should be able to read and write and have something of value to add to themselves and their country.
Young people in particular need to understand that unless you get some form of tertiary training or education then you're probably going nowhere for the rest of your life.
Everyone needs to learn something and to keep learning. That's everyone, including the sickness beneficiaries, the DPB'ers, the unemployed, the lot. If you think today is tough, you wait until tomorrow. It'll be even tougher. And even worse if you're uneducated.
High school qualifications don't cut it anymore. Life begins at 18. Not stops. Begins.
And we need to keep learning right the way through our lives. All of us. If we are to succeed as a nation, we all need to contribute. That's every single one of us.
That includes you. If you know of someone that can't read this, read it to them.

Graeme Martin, Otumoetai.