Prior to the publication of Dame Margaret Bazley's 450 report on Police conduct, commissioned in 2004, there was much speculation that it would be a damp squib. Not so. It is a blockbuster that puts the onus on the police hierarchy to ensure that the cover-ups and turning of many blind eyes to outright sexual assault and exploitation of vulnerable people comes to an abrupt end.

Although the enquiry stopped short of concluding that there was almost impunity for sexual assaults, rapes and indecent behaviour by police officers it uncovered as the New Zealand Herald succinctly described evidence of police exploiting vulnerable people , protecting alleged perpetrators they knew, turning a blind eye to inappropriate sexual activity , and having negative stereotyped views of complainants.

And how appropriate that one of the key watchdogs to see that an appropriate code of conduct is enforced , along with the State Services Commissioner and a beefed up Police Complaints Authority, will be another staunch independent public servant the Auditor- General Kevin Brady.

The dust has not yet settled from Kevin's report on the inappropriate behaviour of parliamentary parties dipping into public funds to pay for their election campaigns - except of course for the notable exception of the Progressive Party ! So here is someone not afraid to stand up for the public interest despite the tongue lashing he got from politicians for catching them with their hands in the public till

I look forward to both getting suitable honours in the next round that Helen Clark hands out.

And one more thing. The Bazley Report provides just the impetus needed to implement Progressive and Green Party policy for an independent and well-resourced Police Complaints Authority.

I grew up being told that New Zealand was a classless society. The debate, or more often the shouting by NCEA opponents, reveals that that is not so. The Cambridge proponents don't favour education breaking down barriers and developing students who challenge the norms of society.

They want the next generation of mandarins and entrepreneurs, preferably white or approved immigrants, to be turned out to keep the plebs in their place.

NCEA developed out of a desire to end an inadequate external exam system which ill- served so many students. NCEA in comparison allows for analysis, research and relevant assessment methods based on teaching and learned geared to all students not just the future mandarins and entrepreneurs. NCEA is helping to break down the barriers between vocational and academic learning and actually provides a more detailed record of skills and achievements then the narrow examination style focus promoted by the Cambridge cheerleaders for whom the exam system is part of maintaining the established order.

Flaws are to be expected in a in a relatively new system like NCEA. Those flaws should be corrected and that is happening. Progressive policy is to increase resources and training for teachers and lower class sizes not reinforce elitist education.

And continuing with education. What is so new about the new National Party leaders demand for the testing of 5 year olds? Does John want us to start weeding out the "failures" at the earliest age possible? Now that is a progressive education policy. With this type of inspirational education policy being announced it won't be long before National will be calling for the reintroduction of caning and compulsory cold showers. After all - it never did any of them any harm did it?

Not so long ago Corrections Minister Damien O'Connor was sent off to Europe with Kim Workman of Prison Fellowship (the liberal) and Garth McVicar (the hardliner) to bring back new ideas to deal with the bulging and unsustainable prison population.

On his return a new and enlightened period was to begin. He had learned that the most successful countries concentrate on early intervention to prevent people going to prison in the first place, creating a society of full employment and high educational achievement and implementing effective rehabilitation programmes in and out of prison.

But now as the election approaches the tiresome law and order themes are re-emerging with Damien shedding his enlightenment cloak and declaring that no family visits with conjugal rights (gasp!) a proven rehabilitative method in the countries whose praises he was recently singing. would occur on his watch. It seems that we are heading back to the law and order auction and those prison costs which just keep going up as the next generation of inmates have their prison beds made ready.

It looks like it is up to the Progressive membership to put forward policies that will create a better New Zealand. Last Saturday in Auckland at a Progressive regional meeting Jim Anderton launched a process to bring those policies forward. If you want to participate in the Hot Topics Progressive Policy Process then go to our website after the Easter break for details or send your hot topics straight to Jim Anderton at Parliament.

There will be an Easter break for ROPS and we will return the following week. I wish you all a safe and happy Easter.

ENDS

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