CYPFA Stays Silent on Case - The Children Young Persons Service isn’t commenting on why it closed the case for the four year old Napier boy who was bashed to death by his step-father. The man was jailed yesterday for 12 years for the manslaughter of his step son. He was in prison in 1996 for assault on the same child. The man’s lawyer has questioned why the case wasn’t followed up after the step-father’s release. It was obvious, the lawyer says, the boy’s family was struggling. Chief social worker Mike Doolan confirms that CYPFA was involved with the boy in 1996 and 1997, but not at the time of his death. He says CYPFA has looked into the case to see if there are any issues that need addressing, but he wont make any comment at this stage because another person is before the courts. He will be prepared to say more once the court case is over.

Professor Warns Against An All Science Society - A warning against the Government’s push toward a knowledge economy. The Association of University Staff says the Government’s five step plan which aims to boost funds targeting scientific research in two or three universities. The spokesperson Professor Jane Kelsey is pleased in the change of direction, but she says we must be cautious as a society built around science and technicians will end up shallow as one would driven by accountants. She says there is an assumption that the benefits of this change will somehow trickle down to the rest of society. But there is no guarantee of that whatsoever. New Zealand, she says, still lacks an overall vision of what sort of society and values we have, and how this new economic vision will fit into it.

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