OUR OPINIONS!

Clearing the Land for Farming
By Pippi Miller (Year 6, Opoho Primary School)

I totally and absolutely disagree with clearing the land for farming.
Thousands of native species have become extinct because people have come along and smashed, destroyed and demolished their natural habitat! How would you like it if someone came along and cleared your home so that someone else could live there?
People suddenly decide that the ground looks fertile and they want it!
The cows come and trample nests and dirty the water, which kills the native water birds. Then they chop down the trees for the sheep and kill the beautiful songbirds!
I strongly disagree with clearing the land for farming.



Were the Beijing Games a Success?
By Alex McMillan (Year 6, Opoho Primary School)

So, were the Beijing Olympic Games a success? I don’t think so!
Bussing spectators in to make it look good. So much pollution they couldn’t breathe. I didn’t mind the fake firework footsteps, but the little lip-synching girl was outrageous!!! Many citizens also lost their houses – they were bulldozed down just to make space for the Olympics.
There were some good things. I loved the Chinese drumming, 3 gold medals for NZ (9 altogether), but all the bad things made it a bit crazy.
I believe the Olympics should be in a place that doesn’t need changes. I don’t believe Beijing was the right place for the 2008 Olympics.



Robbie Deans
By Mana Robinson-Poutama (Year 6, Opoho Primary School)

I strongly disagree with the NZRU for not giving Robbie Deans a 4-year contract to be the coach of the All Blacks.
Instead they gave the job to Graham Henry who is one million times worse than the ABs new enemy coach, Robbie Deans. For the next World Cup I think that the Aussies will get a better result than the Kiwis. That’s just not cool!
Robbie Deans had a lot of success being the Crusaders coach, so the NZRU should’ve given him a chance.
Come on NZRU – you should have given Robbie a go!!!





Dunedin Stadium
By Chris Gillett (Year 6, Opoho Primary School)

Why should we take away 100 years of rugby history at Carisbrook?
Think about it. One hundred years and people want to throw it away! I mean, Aucklanders want a new stadium but they are making do with rebuilding Eden Park, and Christchurch is doing the same too.
It isn’t like we are going to get big All Black games, because we need 35000 seats but we are only going to have 30000.
All we need to do is make a big stand at Carisbrook like AMI Stadium. A new stadium is going to cost too much!
With having a roof on a new stadium the caretakers would have to take the grass outside a lot or it will die, and that’s a lot of work.
I say NO WAY to a new stadium!!



Beijing Olympics
By Amy Jones (Year 6, Opoho Primary School)

Beijing Olympics. Have they been cheating us?
At the Olympic Opening Ceremony Lin Miaoke (age 9 in a red dress) sang a beautiful song. You think??? It was actually a 7-year-old girl named Yang Peiyi who sang, but because of her bucked teeth they thought she wasn’t pretty enough. I think that is such an insult!
Also, they have been drafting in spectators armed in yellow T-shirts and thunder sticks. They just want to look good.
I think Beijing have been cheating us.




University Student Behaviour
By Fa’ao’o Lale (Year 6, Opoho Primary School)

I think University student behaviour is absolutely appalling. First of all, look at what it has led to – the Undy 500, drugs, alcohol, parties, fires, and they don’t even clean up after themselves! They should be sentenced to jail for 3 months or something.
Secondly, they’re thieves, robbers and vandals, vandals, vandals. You should see them. They are kind-of polite and nice in the day but at night they beat up things and people. I mean come on, we can’t keep ignoring them. We’ve got to take action on this!
In conclusion, I disagree with University Student Behaviour, and I think they are a disgrace to Dunedin and New Zealand.


Teens and University Students Behaviour
By Holly (Year 6, Opoho Primary School)

I strongly disagree with Teens’ and University Students’ behaviour. I hate it how they:
• set things on fire
• get drunk and cause trouble
• damage people’s houses or apartments
• and steal things from shops and houses

I get very angry about this. Even my Mum hates it!!! I just wish there was a way to stop all that trouble.
DO YOU HAVE A SOLUTION???



Child Labour
By Philip Trebilco (Year 6, Opoho Primary School)

Child Labour is wrong and inhumane!!! Children should not be the ones working for families.
Child Labour is what it sounds like - little children about 5~18 years old being put to work. Why? To pay for medicine. Maybe the adults aren’t up to the job or the job is too badly paid. It’s just as bad as drugs but people just don’t take it seriously.
The cultures and countries aren’t setting good examples and the Government in those countries like Bangladesh, China, India, and Nepal should be harder on Child Labour and completely wipe it out!!!!!
As a Conclusion think about what you’re buying. If it says ‘Made in China’ think twice. Don’t support Child Labour!!!!!!
DO YOU THINK CHILD LABOUR IS OK?


Lego Prices
By Braeden Crake (Year 6, Opoho Primary School)

I strongly think that prices of Lego are too high!
Have you ever wondered why Lego is so expensive? 5 men and 1 machine has more than 5 men, so why does 5 men cost more?
Firstly, Lego is only plastic. It could probably break easily so why does it have to be such a ridiculous price?
Secondly, most families that have lots of children will probably be buying stuff for the whole family rather than individual children and even if they did it probably wouldn’t be Lego.
Lastly, it takes most children ages to save up their pocket money so they wouldn’t want to waste it all in one go.
This is why I strongly think the price of Lego is too HIGH!




Promotions
By Molly McKinnon (Year 5, Opoho Primary School)

Here are three questions you should think about:
1. How many hours of TV do you watch a day?
2. How many promotions do you see a day?
3. How many times do they lie each day?
Think about it, on TV there are heaps of promotions and they exaggerate so much!
For example, say a company is advertising for one of their products, they present it as if when you buy it, it will change your life!
Buying things is not the answer.
And it’s not just TV. I mean, how many times do you walk into a shop and look at something you want to buy, and you look at the cover of the product and it looks so good, clean and shiny. But when you buy it and open it, it looks nothing like it does on the cover! Then you’re left there thinking, I’ve just wasted a load of my money!
So by now, hopefully, I have told you enough for you to realize that every now and then promotions and ads aren’t always telling the truth!



Norovirus
By Mhairi Rowbottom (Opoho Primary School)

STOP! WASH YOUR HANDS!
Norovirus has started up in Dunedin Hospital. I am wondering how it got here? Lots of different viruses have the same effect, why is Norovirus so different? People aren’t allowed in the hospital, so people can’t get to work.
Why don’t doctors tell us more?




Drugs
By Daymon Houston

Death comes your way if you take drugs!
Drugs can make a big, bad difference to your life PLUS they can kill you or your body can get very sick.
Drugs can stop you from doing all your favourite activities and hobbies.
Why would you get involved with drugs? DON’T TAKE THEM!




Anti Drugs
By Te Ari

I strongly believe that drugs are bad for you.
Firstly because drugs could take your life or have a big effect on your life and family.
Secondly drugs are illegal.
I mean, why would you take drugs anyway?
Lastly, if you take drugs you are just stupid! Therefore, BAN DRUGS!



Beijing 2008, Successful?
By Matt Dukes (Year 6, Opoho Primary School)

Bolt, Phelps, false singers and false crowds! My opinion is that Beijing has been amazing!
Firstly, AMAZING that they built two stadiums in a year and we can’t build a roof over Carisbrook in that time!
Secondly, AMAZING someone can win 8 golds in one Olympics, more golds than NZ have won in the past three Olympics! And Bolt can beat the World Record and be jogging the last 10 metres!
Also a Cuban martial arts contender kicked a ref!
Lastly, AMAZING. How do you know what is real and what is fake? The giant’s footprints, lipsynching girls, paid crowds.

So I strongly believe 2008 Beijing Olympics were AMAZING!


Smoking
By Kezia Bates (Year 6, Opoho School)

It is a disgrace that in our world there are millions of people smoking! Have you seen what they put in those things? Tobacco, nicotine, tar! YUCK!!!
And even worse you can get terrible diseases from smoking such as: cancer, rotten mouth, your toes can go funny shapes, your teeth go yellow, fingernails go brown and your breath will stink! If you are pregnant you could have a miscarriage.
It is disgusting that in Japan today there are cigarette dispensers.
I strongly agree that smoking should be banned. So next time you light up a cigarette think about what you are doing to yourself!



Ban The Drugs
By Anton (Year 5, Opoho School)

Who wants to become a drug addict? NOT ME!
Drugs are the main cause of suicide. Eighty percent of drugs are not good for your health, and the remaining drugs are for medicine only.
Most people have HUGE bills and fines because of getting too drunk.
“Stop the drugs”.
One other bad thing is that drugs are flammable.
I think I do not need to say more.



What Bad Behaviour
By Case (Year 6, Opoho School)

I think it’s disgraceful how university students start setting couches on fire, smashing beer bottles and glass on the ground, trashing peoples’ houses, parking their cars in the middle of the road, and throwing eggs at houses and apartments. I hate all of this stuff because it makes me angry.
Why do university students have such bad behaviour and what can we do about it?


Whaling Has To Stop!!!
By Zoe Liddell (Year 6, Opoho School)

It is completely outrageous that whaling is still going on. They’re an endangered species for crying out loud! I just want to scream when I see it on TV. What did the whales do to you?
Secondly, what happens when they do become extinct? They normally kill about 5 whales a day. The government should help out by finding the people who do the whaling another job!
Finally, THINK ABOUT THE FUTURE OF OUR SEA MAMMALS!



Drugs Should Be Banned!!!
By Jack (Year 6, Opoho School)

I wonder why people take drugs?
People who take drugs will go mad, and it’s bad for your health. Eighty percent of drugs are bad, and drugs can kill people, like if people drink too much alcohol or take too many drugs it can kill them.
So I strongly disagree with drugs and I think drugs should be banned!!!




University Students
By Maddy Kiore (Year 6, Opoho School)

I personally think that these students should all be sentenced to jail for how many days, weeks, months even! They don’t clean up after themselves. They’re vandals!
They get drunk then they go off walking down the streets and a policeman comes by and they don’t do anything!
My family one day were in the car and we went down where all the students live and we popped our tyre because of all the glass on the road! Dad had to put another tyre on the car!
They are vandals to our beautiful city. It’s not fair. They get off easy – one night in jail and they’re off running naked again!
If my Mum and Dad were burning a couch out our front door they would be put in jail.
Come on! They are a disgrace to Dunedin and NZ!



Drink Driving
By Melissa (Year 6, Opoho School)

I strongly agree that drink driving should be banned!
People think that drink driving is fun, and get drunk so it all ends in death! Just think how many children and wives lose their Dads, or the children could have been in the car when Mum and Dad have been drinking.
Lots of kids could have died all because of drink driving.
It is also not good for your body to drink alcohol. Have you seen the commercials where people die in car crashes all because of a few bottles of beer? This is what happens : Beer + car = CRASH!
That’s why you shouldn’t drink and drive. It’s a dangerous habit!




Rescuing Animals
By Sian (Year 6, Opoho School)

I strongly believe that in other countries people don’t put in enough effort into getting animals rescued or adopted enough!
For example, in some countries they don’t do anything about behaviour problems, and if a certain amount of people reject them they get put down. People only seem to want little cute puppies and kittens, so older animals don’t get much of a chance.
And what’s worse is people buy a puppy when it is a cute little thing, but then it grows up and gets big and the owners just dump it on the street!
I don’t like the way some countries treat animals!