what's wrong?

What issues would children and young adults say are the problems facing this country? Just remember there is no agenda from them - they aren't political or trying to score points - they are just telling it as they see it - and their insights are valuable. From the children from the country which ranks as second lowest for child safety among 30 developed countries.

From Stuff

In a report commissioned by Save the Children, 199 children nationwide were asked to speak up about what they thought was wrong with their country.

The kids, aged six to 17, identified youth gangs, bullying, child abuse, discrimination against Maori and ethnic minorities, as well as drugs as areas of concern.

"We are human but they treat us as rats," one child spoken to for the report said, referring to racism in the community.

At the root of all of those issues is the exploitation of people by other people. It is the same root cause identifyed here. It is related to incidences like dying while running away from the police and bashing seals heads in. They all stem from the same alienation built into the system. Sticking plasters are not going to work on this stuff - we need to get to the core of the problem - the basic inequity that is there and work from that point up.