by Ace reporter

The New Zealand Herald - 06/09/2011

2011-09-21T03:30:00.001-07:00

The New Zealand Herald - 06/09/2011

2011-09-10T05:51:00.000-07:00

Antoni Gaudi's inventive modernist style has left an indelible mark on Barcelona. Photo / Jamie Melbourne-Hayward

Barcelona: The irresistible edge of reason

Barcelona's blend of madness and good sense has Jamie Melbourne-Hayward entranced.

My friends teased me when I said I was moving to Barcelona to learn Spanish: "Sorry man, but there they speak Catalan."

After the 30-hour trip from New Zealand, my first priority was to hunt down a Catalan local and ask if they are really that different from other Spaniards.

Laughing, the first one replied: "No somos bichos raros!" (literally: "We are not strange insects").

Linguistically baffling, it was a confirmation of sorts, and from that moment my understanding of the Catalan people has grown.

Catalonia is a semi-autonomous state - with Barcelona as its capital - which stretches from France down to the state of Valencia. The Catalan language is a mix of Spanish and French. To ask for a coffee, for example, you say: "Un cafe amb llet, si us plau."

However, the universal language about town is the traditional Castellan Spanish, and growing numbers of people are also becoming fluent in English.

Of course, it wasn't just the language that drew me here. Barcelona has been home to an extraordinary array of international figures, including artistic prodigies like Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dali and Joan Miro.

Writer George Orwell adored the spirit of the Catalans when he came to fight fascism in the Spanish Civil War of 1936.

Writing from a hospital bed after he was shot in the neck, he said: "I have the most evil memories of Spain, but I have very few bad memories of Spaniards."

The book in which he recorded that comment, Homage to Catalonia, touches on some of the cultural differences that make this region so fascinating.

Spanish icons of bullfighting and flamenco are frowned upon here, but lip-smacking paella, human tower-building, and doses of anarchism and surrealism are right at home.

I arrived one year ago to sample these delights as one of the first New Zealanders to try out the new Spanish Working Holiday Visa.

The three months of navigating Spanish bureaucracy to receive an identity card (including having to register myself as homeless) drove me to near-madness, but I'm happy to report it was worth it.

I live in the central Gothic Quarter; a labyrinth where you stumble upon hidden gardens, art installations and musicians playing on balconies.

With Barcelona such a popular destination, boasting the most impressive beachfront of any large European city, my poor couch has been occupied by travellers almost since day one. Friends and visitors alike ask what my best experiences have been. I'll never forget watching forked lightning crackle over the Mediterranean, or gawking at the recently completed ceiling of the Sagrada Familia (128 years in the making), not to mention experiencing a football match at the modern-day colosseum of Camp Nou.

The influence of FC Barcelona is inescapable, and football stars like Lionel Messi and David Villa literally wear the region's heart on their shirt. Under fascist dictator Francisco Franco, one of the only public places you could see the banned Catalan flag was on the team's jersey.

Under Franco's reign, from 1936 to 1975, Catalan language and culture were suppressed, and since his death locals have fought to reassert their identity.

One law set to draw a line in the sand between Catalonia and the rest of Spain is the banning of bullfighting. This is the last summer anyone will see a bullfight in Barcelona, and if you do venture to the Monumental Bull Ring, you run the risk of being splattered with red paint by protesters.

The Catalans much prefer their own national sport: building towers of people.

Every summer in the Gothic Quarter's Plaza Sant Jaume, groups of "Castellers" compete to make the highest human tower.

In a sea of people packing the plaza, towers are constructed up to eight or nine people high.

Like Russian dolls, the participants get smaller as the tower grows, and the final climber is a 5-year-old child who scrambles to the top and waves with one hand before sliding back down.

Normally everything goes to plan, but last summer I saw an eight-person-high tower topple. The gasps of the usually deathly quiet crowd were unforgettable. Thankfully, no one was hurt - perhaps because a recent rule change requires the sky-high children to wear helmets.

This city cultivates a potent mixture of madness and good sense which the Catalans call: "La rauxa i la seny". A glorious example is the fact that it's legal to be completely naked in Catalonia, so long as you wear shoes if you are around town.

Barcelona is a sprawling open-air museum of this kind of thinking - from the mastery of Park Guell, to the 5km of sandy beaches imported from Egypt and the palm trees shipped over from Hawaii.

Jamie Melbourne-Hayward paid his own way to Barcelona.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/travel/news/article.cfm?c_id=7&objectid=10749735

The New Zealand Herald - 20/01/2011

2011-01-20T05:35:00.000-08:00

Be prepared for long waits and numerous forms to fill in if you want to work in Spain. Photo / Jamie Melbourne-Hayward

All tied up with Spanish red tape

There was mild celebration last year when the New Zealand and Spanish governments negotiated an agreement on working holiday visas for young people.

Among those celebrating was Jamie Melbourne-Hayward who quickly took up the chance to get a taste of life in a fascinating new country. Four months on he's a bit less enthusiastic.

This is his report from Barcelona:

Around 30 Kiwis have been game enough to travel with the Spanish working holiday visa and over half have reported problems. Four months into our stay we are still waiting for our ID cards.

By comparison, the 200 Spaniards visiting New Zealand under the reciprocal visa, a quota filled in four hours, are all enjoying working in New Zealand.

Our journey began in Wellington where we filled in the mountain of paperwork required to obtain the visa (quite a contrast to the "smile and signature" which is all you need to enter countries like the Netherlands).

But despite all the paperwork, when we arrived at the Foreigners Office in Barcelona no one had the foggiest knowledge of the working holiday visa.

In fact, we are delightfully registered as "homeless" at the local Refugee and Social Services Office - the result of a desperate attempt by one of the numerous government offices to validate us for a Foreign Identity Card.

Two months into our Spanish experience, and at our wits' end, we contacted Julio Diaz Sevillano at the Wellington Embassy. Diaz replied that he would send a "document to [Spanish] Immigration asking them to inform the [Barcelona] police about the new system". But, he added, "I do not know how long it will take to pass all this information to all the people involved." Obviously it is taking quite a long time.

We asked the Spanish Embassy if they could also extend our visas for one month, to make up for the lost time, but they never replied.

Then it was the turn of the New Zealand Embassy in Madrid to wash their hands of the arrangement on the basis that it was up to the Spanish to implement. Their explanation for the ignorance about the new visa: "The Spanish get offended when you ask too many questions".

Next the Spanish Embassy in Wellington decided to send us an official letter to hand to the local authorities explaining how the scheme was supposed to work.

The letter didn't work, so we staged a sit-in at the Foreigners Office, and this eventually prompted a senior official to push some magical buttons in the computer system and it spat us out identities.

Now, if our Identity Cards ever arrive, and they are legitimate, we just have to convince an employer to take us on for only three months at a time, amid a European economic meltdown.

* Interestingly, Spain is not among the countries listed in the Working Holiday section on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/travel/news/article.cfm?c_id=7&objectid=10700373

Capital Times - 4 August 2010

2010-09-07T04:43:00.000-07:00

Interview with the Mayor of Wellington City

Capital Times talks with mayoral hopefuls in the lead up to the Wellington City Council elections in early October.

MAYOR Kerry Prendergast loves her job.
It’s not hard to tell why, as we are served bottles of NZ spring water on a silver platter in the palatial mayoral office.
“It’s a fantastic job, I met David Beckham, and Nelson Mandela – that was pretty special – and Princess Anne once used my office and bathroom... I’m not a Republican and I see the Royal Family as a head of state for New Zealand,” Prendergast says.
The room is Wellington’s Oval Office. It’s decorated with ornate gifts from around the world, including our Chinese sister-cities, and enough room to keep Prendergast comfortable during her 80 hour working week.
Mayor of Wellington since 2001, and with a new grandchild, Prendergast had reservations about running for a fourth term, but she says a broad cross-section of people, including the ethnic community and political parties, pressured her to run.
Prendergast takes after her father, and says the pressures of the job are worth it.
“My Dad was very driven too, and was always involved in the community; that was ‘what you do’. He was a civil engineer, a Tawa Borough Councillor, and the deputy mayor at Kapiti.”
She admits she’s a Tawa girl at heart, and you don’t get more Tawa than delivering Ginette McDonald’s baby.
“It was an interesting relationship, because I was a midwife in Tawa, looking after Lyn of Tawa,” Pendergast laughs.
Her political start came at the Tawa Borough Council, before she was elected to the Wellington City Council in 1989.
Asked why she has been described by some councillors as “dismissive”, she replies, “I don’t think it’s fair to ask if I’m impatient and dismissive, because two out of 14 councillors use those [terms].”
She would prefer the council to debate issues, and not make personal attacks.
“One thing I’ve learnt in this job is that I’m only one vote, I can’t achieve anything without relationships built on trust and respect,” she says.
Prendergast says other city councillors are capable of running the city, but under her watch the city is “on a roll”.
“I’m taking the city in the direction my supporters think it should go. I’ve yet to hear feedback that the direction is wrong. We have the best quality of life in NZ, we are working on climate change, and we are the arts and culture capital.”
Her guiding hand helped instigate the “Creative Capital” brand, and more recently she has supported an apartment building boom.
“The city has got 12,000 more people living here, and is as dense as some European cities,” she says.
However, criticism has been made of her “big spending” policies to encourage population and economic growth in the city, especially of the council’s $200 million budget deficit.
Just last week Prendergast officially reopened Cobblestone Park in central Wellington after its controversial million-dollar makeover, which she defends.
“People need green spaces. The park was tired, not well used, and frequented by people trashing it with graffiti. Now the basketball court is so popular we have to turn the lights off at night to stop people playing there,” she says.
However, despite the population growth, public space has been taken away, with Manners Mall being dug up for a bus lane.
Prendergast won’t commit to creating more pedestrian space beyond the “shared zone” of Lower Cuba Street, which will have car access at limited speeds.
“We are giving them shared space [on Lower Cuba Street]. In the US [many pedestrian malls] have been turned back into shared spaces, because retail dies in malls and they become full of $2 shops,” she insists.
Prendergast rejects the notion that removing Manners Mall will leave a taint on her mayoral reign.
“I’m passionate about having the public transport spine on the Golden Mile.”
She says healthy retail needs a transport thoroughfare, and currently 75% of people use Manners Mall as a shortcut, and not for shopping.
Public transport is not reliable at the moment, she says, and people are demanding better service.
Prendergast doesn’t just take issue with travel times.
“[Does Manners Mall] have good, high quality shops like you see on Lambton Quay? You have a McDonalds, a Turkish shop, Banks shoes. It’s not high end fashion – I’m just giving you the stats.”
In preparation for the October election, Prendergast has been following the tightly fought Australian election, and is disappointed no “real issues” have come to the fore.
“They just follow what [Julia Gillard] is wearing, and how big her earrings are,” she says.
As for Wellington’s mayor getting the “celebrity” treatment…
“People email me saying they don’t like what I was wearing on TV, and why don’t I change my lipstick – they don’t do that to men,” she laughs.
Jamie Melbourne-Hayward

Capital Times - 4 August 2010

2010-09-07T04:38:00.000-07:00

Taking Stock

HOW are New Zealand’s key environmental assets stacking up in comparison to the world? Here is a Green / scientific view.

KIWIS love to go bush and eat fresh kai.
We have a direct interest in protecting the country’s wildlife, landscapes and coastlines, so the Department of Conservation is working on a “report card” for New Zealand’s natural assets.
“It will be used as a benchmark for how well we are managing our country. We have a lot at stake in protecting the natural environment,” says DoC spokesperson Rory Newsam.
DoC won’t pass ratings on how we manage our environmental household until the report card is complete. Capital Times compiled our own simple survey of how we are faring as planetary managers, both locally and globally. We talked ratings with Victoria University School of Biological Sciences head Wayne Linklater, and Green Party co-leader Dr Russel Norman.

OCEANS: THE state of our oceans has declined rapidly over the past few decades. “In the past heavy metals and sediment entered Wellington’s harbours, but now we are improving our treatment,” says Dr Norman. However, offshore the situation worsens. Dr Norman explains: “We are at the cutting edge of un-sustainable fishing practices.” Deep-sea trawling and over fishing has reduced the bio-mass of our seas to 20% of original stock. The low numbers of Orange Roughy is an indicator of our poor rating, says Norman.
The United Nations Scientific programme suggests that within 40 years 90% of the ocean’s edible species may be gone.
OCEANS: Score (Norman) LOCAL: D GLOBAL: F

WATER: THE health of our nation, both physically and economically, is inextricably linked to water, says Victoria University Centre for Biodiversity and Restoration Ecology leader Wayne Linklater. “We rate poorly in terms of protecting our waterways,” he says. Large and growing nutrient inflows threaten the quality of our agricultural and drinking water supplies. “Our drinking water quality is good but threatened.” Linklater says to better manage our water we need extensive riparian protection of waterways, and use of wetlands to protect water quality.
Water shortages on a global level are becoming more common; and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says “water wars” are the century’s pre-eminent threat to humanity.
WATER: Score (Linklater) LOCAL: C+ GLOBAL: D

LIFE: A key indicator of planetary well-being is the health of the species that inhabit the Earth. The planet is loosing an estimated 30,000 species a year, which breaks down to about three species per hour.
Dr Norman says we are heading into the sixth great mass extinction – the largest since “an asteroid crashed into Mexico and caused the last one 65 million years ago.” The Maui dolphin is one critically endangered species, with population estimated at 111. “Places like Mana Island are especially important to save species like the takahe,” Norman says. Wayne Linklater explains: “The health of citizens depends on a functioning ecosystem because that ecosystem provides essential services (clean air, water, food etc). A functioning ecosystem that is resilient to change depends on biodiversity – you can’t have one without the other”.
LIFE: Score (Linklater) LOCAL: E GLOBAL: F

FOREST: AT home, we have gradual reafforestation occurring says Wayne Linklater. And with billions of tons of CO2 entering the atmosphere every year, our forests are vital to fighting climate change. However, globally forests are in rapid decline and massive swathes of Amazon and other forest has been cleared for farming and logging. Rainforests that used to cover 14% of the Earth’s surface now cover less than 6%.
FOREST: Score (Linklater) LOCAL: B GLOBAL: D-

SOIL: IT takes 1,000 years to grow an inch of soil, so how do we sustain current usage? Norman says our massive agricultural industry replaces natural fertility with nitrogen fertiliser. “The fertiliser is made using cheap natural gas, so we have a dependence on oil,” says Norman. Soil loss and sedimentation into waterways and the ocean are major issues, as the deposits laced with fertiliser settle on the sea floor and starve our fish nurseries.
The Green Party co-leader says the global soil situation is dire; with increasing desertification, and with pesticide use doubling since the 1950s.
SOIL: Score (Norman) LOCAL: D+ GLOBAL: E+

Capital Times - 28 July 2010

2010-09-07T04:33:00.000-07:00

Sea Shepherd stops whale sushi

LOCALS are giving up time and money to support the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society’s next operation on the high seas.
A charity concert “Rock the Boat” and a forum with controversial Sea Shepherd captain Pete Bethune have been organised for this weekend.
Pete Bethune captained the ship “Ady Gil” that was sunk in Antarctic waters after it collided with a Japanese whaler in January this year.
Bethune spent over four months in a Japanese prison after boarding the whalers’ ship and attempting a citizen’s arrest.
Sea Shepherd Wellington coordinator Lisa Baines says Capital Productions has organised the events for free, with bands and artists also gifting their time.
“[Whaling] is such a hot topic at the moment and many people have offered support,” says Baines.
Sea Shepherd is fundraising for its next operation in Antarctica called “No Compromise”.
The name reflects their disappointment that New Zealand continues to negotiate with Japan at the International Whaling Commission, while Australia is launching legal action to stop whaling in Antarctic waters.
“Australian [anti-whaling] groups have the government’s backing, but [New Zealand] wants a deal to allow Japanese to keep killing whales – that’s going backwards.”
Baines lives in Karori with her partner Marcus Graham, who was aboard the Sea Shepherd vessel that picked up Ady Gil’s crew after it was destroyed.
Marcus Graham was the only Wellingtonian on the Antarctic mission.
Despite the sinking of Ady Gil, Baines says last year was Sea Shepherd’s best as they saved over 530 whales from the harpoons of Japanese hunters.
Baines says they are succeeding despite the negative reaction of the government towards captain Bethune.
“I didn’t like [John] Key’s response at all. The government should represent the will of its people, and most people are against whaling.”
Bethune’s actions divided opinion around the world and within Sea Shepherd, she says.
“Some people left [Sea Shepherd], but more people want to join.”
Baines is in “two minds” about Bethune’s citizen’s arrest, but says lawyers assured them it was a legal move.
“He didn’t risk anyone’s life, and knew he would pay the consequences; he spent four months in jail, lost 10kg, all his money, and his ship,” says Baines.
However, she says negative media attention has made it difficult to attract funding.
“People think he is a rebel, and it was rash. But I think the majority of people support what we do.”
Rock the Boat, San Francisco Bathhouse, July 30. Forum with captain Pete Bethune, Victoria University, July 30.

Sea Shepherd has some major financial backers around the world.

The $2.5 million Ady Gil was named for an American philanthropist, who has donated millions to Sea Shepherd and is reported to be financing the construction of Ady Gil 2.
Other members of the Antarctic Sea Shepherd fleet include; The Bob Barker, and The Steve Irwin.
The Steve Irwin was financed by the Irwin family after the famous alligator man died, because he was planning to become a crew member for Sea Shepherd.
The Bob Barker was funded by the American “The Price is Right” game show host of the same name.
The Bob Barker was a “secret” ship in the last Antarctic mission, leaving from a base in Mauritius, off the southern African coast.
Sea Shepherd is also working in the Gulf of Mexico, to save birds and sea life stuck in the BP oil slick.

Capital Times - 7 July 2010

2010-07-13T17:43:00.000-07:00

Town Hall shape shifts to stadium soul

DRUM and bass lyrics master PDigsss is “chuffed” that out of the vampire nature of the music industry; New Zealand music has found its way.
This month, the front man of New Zealand’s premier electronic group Shapeshifter is returning to the capital after a three year hiatus.
The five man group will perform at the Wellington Town Hall, including songs from their new album The System Is A Vampire – a title reflective of their frustration with the mainstream.
PDigsss says an example of their displeasure is the 2010 Webby Awards, where the Shapeshifter website was nominated for Best Use of Animation or Motion Graphics.
“Coca-Cola’s website beat us – what a scam,” PDigsss laughs.
He says the Shapeshifter website was leading online voting when polls closed.
“Later, when it came up and said Coke had won, we were like ‘what!’ It’s not all bad, it’s cool to be nominated alongside that calibre of web designs.”
Shapeshifter’s trailblazing, psychedelic website is characteristic of the cutting edge nature of their music.
The band’s infusion of live instruments and “heavy stadium soul” into drum and bass has captured the hearts of music lovers all over the country.
PDigsss says the latest album title reflects the band’s personal and musical voyage.
“[The title] states the obvious man; I’ve been doing this music gig for a while now, and we strived and survived, we struggled to pursue the dream of making a living off music in New Zealand.”
It took two years of recording to lay down 11 tracks for The System Is A Vampire.
“All of the songs have story behind them. Twin Galaxy is a tribute, and is my way of dealing with the loss of my father. It was tricky to write, because he died way too prematurely at 70 years-old,” says PDigsss.
He says although the local industry is “ridiculously hard” to crack; the music is respectable.
“We are stoked that New Zealanders are so enthusiastic about their own music. When I started, there was this cringe factor about our music, but now most of my favourite artists are from my own country.”
PDigsss, who is of Cook Island descent, has lived in Wellington’s CBD, Upper Hutt, and Porirua, says the Town Hall is perfect for a homecoming.
“Lots of my heroes have played there. It’s amazing what a place like that can bring out of you, and we are going to turn out some mighty mighty sounds.”
Wellington front man Jon Toogood has been a major influence on PDigsss, and he fondly recalls watching Shihad rock the Town Hall.
“My heart is in Wellington, but you feel ripped off there because its super cold but there is no snow,” he laughs.
When Capital Time spoke with PDigsss, he was miles away from the troubles of the vampire system at the base of Coronet Peak.
After his first day snowboarding this season, he is relaxing with a cold beer watching the sunset paint the Shotover River and snow covered landscape a golden yellow.
PDigsss is at Downtown Brown’s house (aka Sunshine Soundsystem), who is opening Shapeshifter’s winter tour along with hip-hop artist J-Dubs.
“We are just relaxing having a korero by the fireplace. I try to get down south as much as I can; it’s good for the soul.”
Queenstown is a vital link in the Shapeshifter story.
PDigsss moved there after leaving his band in 1999, and in 2000 Downtown Brown introduced him to Shapeshifter.
“They still had the jazz thing going on from music school, and they were into improv – we just had that magical connection.”
Now some 10 years later, Shapeshifter’s reputation as a live music phenomenon is spreading.
At the end of September they tour Japan and then carry on to Europe.
PDigsss says making ends meet in Europe has taken a lot of work, and with the help of English record label Hospital Records they will visit new destinations like Prague and Bratislava.
“We have had testing times over there, it’s a proving ground. Crews there try and tell you how to do music – London is the home of drum and bass, and they tell you: ‘we are over it man’. But once they see us it’s a different story.”
Amsterdam is PDigsss favourite European haunt.
“It’s our most preferred stop over, that place has got it sussed, just cruising around on a bike all day and listening to weird music.”
Most overseas venues they play hold around 500 to 800 people.
“Its not like New Zealand, people are crazy here and turn out in their thousands.”
PDigsss says he’s not fazed at being one of New Zealand most sought after bands.
“We have none of that crazy Bieber fever. Nah, we’re just normal people, but sometimes we have better sunglasses,” he laughs.
Shapeshifter, Wellington Town Hall, July 23.

Capital Times - 30 June 2010

2010-07-13T17:40:00.000-07:00

Mongrel Mob moves into Newtown

MONGREL Mob ex-presidents are not used to taking direction from short, blonde, white girls.
When filming started for Day Trip in Newtown, former mob boss Tuhoe Isaac didn’t know what to make of 26 year-old director Zoe McIntosh.
“Tuhoe grew up in a culture that had very little respect for women. Suddenly he was presented with this tiny blond white woman telling him what to do,” McIntosh says. “In the beginning he looked to the male crew for direction. So I took him out for a beer and said, ‘This is your first time acting and my first time directing a drama, so let’s do this together.’ From then on he was amazing to work with.”
The 10-minute long Day Trip features in the Digital Shorts section at this year’s NZ International Film Festival.
It was filmed in Wellington at a makeshift mob headquarters in Newtown.
“We turned this old derelict house into Mob headquarters and put up iron fences. People walking past thought a gang had moved into the neighborhood,” she laughs.
McIntosh wanted to create an authentic mob world without offending New Zealand’s most notorious gang.
The film mirrors the reality of Isaac leaving the Mob, recorded in his memoirs True Red.
Tuhoe ‘Bruno’ Isaac was the leader of the King Country Mongrel Mob chapter before some near-death experiences in 1989 forced him to shake the gang life.
Bruno is the name of the bull dog wearing a German helmet in the Mongrel Mob insignia.
“In the film Tuhoe takes off his shirt and is covered in mob tattoos, with a large bulldog on his back, so we had to use the original insignia on our costumes.”
Isaac redesigned the bulldog patch to look like a new mob chapter.
Nevertheless, McIntosh still had concerns.
“Isaac was adamant the film would be OK, but it was a little scary,” she says.
During filming at the Olympic Hotel bar in Naenae a group of gang members drove up and got out of the car...
“They pulled out Isaac’s book and asked him to sign it,” McIntosh laughs.
Day Trip only has one line of dialogue, which McIntosh says accentuates Isaac’s isolation from the “normal world”.
The story is about people reacting to Isaac in public when he decides to take a day-off gang life.
“[In the film] he’s a walking billboard of social alienation. The story is so close to Tuhoe’s own life that for him it was a natural thing to do,” says McIntosh.
In reality, it didn’t take Isaac a day trip to leave the mob.
Moving from lawlessness and anarchy to a “normal life” was a hard ask – it took years and much assistance from the church.
McIntosh says gang culture is a touchy subject in New Zealand and rarely is a gang member presented as a sympathetic character.
“Tuhoe had never acted before, but I felt he had the life experience and attitude to pull it off. After the audition, nobody had any doubts he was the guy.”
For McIntosh, the real challenge came after casting him.
In one scene where a mob character barks loudly, McIntosh says Isaac was visibly uneasy.
“I wondered if we had gone over the line, Isaac was disturbed by being taken back to that environment.”
Day Trip was an ambitious project on such a small budget.
“The art department achieved small miracles; the gang house and the bar where the main character has a critical epiphany were created from scrap,” said McIntosh.
In 2008 McIntosh won the Screen Production and Development Association pitching award for her feature film idea, inspired by a hitch hiking adventure.
“I’m obsessed with going hitchhiking, it fuels my work – it’s so spontaneous and random, reality can be much stranger than fiction.”
While studying film at Canterbury University she made documentaries about pimps and mail order brides, and last year her documentary on non-conformist Rob Moodie, Lost in Wonderland, screened at NZ International Film Festival, and on SBS Australia Network and Sky documentary channel.
Day Trip, written by Bill Payne, premiered at the Tribeca International Film Festival in New York this month, and was one of 47 short films to screen, chosen from 2750 entries.
Day Trip, part of the Homegrown: Dramatic Digital Shorts, 22, 25 July.

Capital Times - 23 June 2010

2010-07-13T17:35:00.000-07:00

The drug rules in Wellington
DRUG related crimes in Wellington are on the rise, and authorities on drug prevention are calling for an overhaul of the Misuse of Drugs Act.
In the Capital, drug related crime has gone up 18% from 2008 to 2009, and cannabis offences are up 19% (295 offences).
Police officer in charge of metro crime Paul Hampton expects higher rates for 2010 after the success of “Operation Lime”, which targeted businesses such as Switched on Gardener.
President of the Law Commission, Sir Geoffrey Palmer, says the Misuse of Drugs Act needs to take a different approach to offences involving the possession of small amounts of drugs for personal use.
“More flexible approaches are likely to be much more effective at reducing drug harm than simply punishing drug users,” Palmer said in an issues Paper on Controlling and Regulating Drugs.
Palmer, whose alcohol law reforms gained much notoriety, is to finalise his drug recommendations in July.
Tim Harding, the CEO of national addiction treatment agency CareNZ, is urging the government to update its drug laws.
“The laws have been the same for 35 years, but the way people use drugs has changed beyond recognition. [The law] needs to be based on evidence, not philosophies and fear,” Harding says. “65% of kids have experimented with cannabis by 21. It’s ridiculous; we are saying 65% of young New Zealanders are criminals.”
Harding is concerned that early government reaction to Palmer’s statements wasn’t positive.
“Immediately there was the reaction to dismiss the recommendations so [the government] doesn’t look like it’s soft on drugs.”
Policeman Hampton says any law change needs to maintain “an awareness of consequences”.
“There is identified harm caused by cannabis, harm to communities, to people’s health. The harm we see in children; a drop in performance in education and sport,” says Hampton.
Decriminalising cannabis would be negative, he says, because it would normalise the drugs use.
“You have to show them it’s not worth it and there are consequences down the track.”
Hampton says the “clean slate” scheme and diversion are effective measures, but it doesn’t hurt to review and make laws more effective.
CareNZ doesn’t downplay the negative effects of cannabis, however.
“It can be a trigger for mental health disorders, and is especially harmful for growing minds,” says Harding.
WellTrust is the secondary school drug support service for the Wellington region, and CEO Murray Trenberth says any reform should focus on reducing harm to youth.
“We are the biggest cannabis smokers in the world, and we can’t afford it in this little nation.”
While Trenberth’s “old brain” is working at 3km/h, he says while a youth’s mind is developing it’s racing at 150km/h.
“The potential for harm is so great,” he says.
Trenberth works with the police, taking on child and youth offenders, as well as drug prevention agencies like the CareNZ.
“I’m inclined to agree with both of them. I’d hate to see [cannabis] used like we use alcohol in our homes, we are role models. But prohibition has not worked either.”
Meanwhile, CareNZ treats around 1,000 people a year for drug problems in Wellington – 78% for alcohol, and 10% for “meth”.
This Saturday 26 June is the United Nation’s International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, and Harding says the ‘drug’ label applies to legal and illegal substances.
Methamphetamine receives a great deal of media attention, says Harding, but alcohol deals out the most damage in society.
“If you look at directly attributable death, tobacco is number one, followed by alcohol. Meth is not even in the same league”.
NZ Drug Foundation director Ross Bell says the UN changed the day’s focus to ‘health issues’ after some countries became over enthusiastic.
“To highlight the day in China, they would pull out drug criminals from jail and publicly execute them,” says Bell.
He says drugs should be treated as a health and social issue rather than a criminal justice issue and New Zealand should take a lead from West Australia’s drug laws.
“It’s important for us to find new ways to tackles the issues, like the laws in West Australia, where they pour money into prevention, treatment and education. The law commission’s review shows the 35 year-old drug laws are obsolete.”
Jamie Melbourne-Hayward

Capial Times - 16 June 2010

2010-07-13T17:29:00.001-07:00

Move all the Jews to the moon

“TO solve the problems of the world we need to take all the Jews to the Moon,” laughs Wellington’s favourite Rabbi.
Rabbi Chaim Dovrat is returning to his home in Israel next week after four years leading the orthodox Wellington Hebrew Congregation.
His jest came when Capital Times asked him about persecution in his family.
Dovrat says his parents lived a “good life” in Libya until they were thrown out in 1947.
“One million Jews from across the Middle East left their homes with nothing and came to Israel like refugees. My parents lived in an Arab state, and I want to emphasise that we don’t hate Arabs.”
Following the deadly raid on a flotilla of aid ships aiming to break the Israeli blockade of Gaza, protests against Israel took place at home and around the world last weekend.
“If you get your point of view from the news then you will blame Israel, and that’s very sad,” says Dovrat.
He says Hamas controlled Gaza does not recognize Israel’s right to exist, and the aid ships should have gone through the correct channels.
Reports show that thousands of peace activists in Israel have protested against the raid and the blockade in demonstrations throughout the country.
“Where are the people in Gaza, and the Arab nations, who demonstrate about making peace with Israel? In Israel there are many people asking for peace. Hamas don’t want peace; they don’t want any Jewish state.”
Dovrat says historically both sides are guilty of reacting with violence, but that peace and reconciliation are possible.
The current situation is disturbing, says Dovrat, because Arabs and Jews have a history of peaceful cooperation.
“We don’t want to live in this situation and forever have war. I hope and pray it will not go on like this.”
He notes that, “Japan and the US have peace”, and they perpetrated even worse atrocities against each other.
Dovrat, a Rabbi in Wellington from 1987 to 1991, returned four years ago at the request of the local Jewish community.
“They said just stay for six months, then maybe one more year, and then three. It’s the story of my life.”
His role as spiritual leader involves presiding over weddings, funerals and circumcisions, and helping the sick.
But his most time consuming role is travelling the country to inspect the kosher slaughter of animals for Jewish consumption. Any company that wants to export food with a ‘kosher label’ comes under Dovrat’s scrutiny.
Dovrat admires the peaceful and multi-cultural nature of New Zealanders and, “the Mayor of Wellington, she is a good leader for the community, and takes care of different cultures”.
The Rabbi, who feels it important to have a wife, “God created man to have children”, is going back to Israel to be with his five children, and will celebrate the birthday of his grandson next week.
“I am looking forward to it, except for the heat. Some days I will miss the rain in Wellington,” he laughs.
Jamie Melbourne-Hayward

Capital Times - May 2010

2010-07-13T17:25:00.000-07:00

Double dose of the live drop

KEEPING Fat Freddy’s Drop moving is a mission, says trumpet player Toby Laing.
“It’s a challenge every day keeping this massive monster together. There are 30 of us on the road, it’s like the Roman Army, we can’t stand still, we just keep marauding on.”
The work pays off. After selling out the Opera House, fans will be stoked to see the band has added another show to the agenda. Even more treats are in store during the NZ Music Month tour.
It’s been 10 years since Fat Freddy’s Drop released a live recording, and during the band’s upcoming Wellington shows, Live at The Roundhouse will be released for the love of the capital.
Laing says a lot has changed since Live at the Matterhorn was released in 1999.
“We were a collection of musicians with a broad range of musical knowledge, but it really took DJ Fitchie to give us some shape. There is no way the group ever would have happened if he had not pulled us together,” says Laing.
Live at The Roundhouse was recorded at a London show following a gruelling French tour that saw them play almost nightly. After some much needed sprucing up the band let loose on London with the sonic totality of a mountain groaning.
“We had been looking rough for a month so for London we dressed up in really nice clothes, we went to the laundromat, got our shirts ironed, ties done.”
The new live album includes a stellar version of Pull the Catch; a song Laing says reflects the heart and soul of the group.
The song was produced while staying at singer Dallas Tamaira’s home town of Kaikoura, where much of their music originates.
The band was looking for a sound reminiscent of reggae artist Freddie McGregor, and a crayfishing trip gave them the inspiration.
“Pull the Catch is firmly rooted in a time and place, about a specific day. The guys all went out fishing on Dallas’ uncle’s crayfish boat. When they came back they had all the lyrics and everything. We haven’t had any other one day songs.”
Another song to listen for is The Raft, which Laing says is one of Dallas most beautifully written pieces. Artist Otis Frizzell returns to design the album cover, and Laing says it’s another design that draws you in to gaze at the detail.
While onstage Laing is Toby Chang, one of those oddities the band likes to embrace. Asian heritage doesn’t come into it, Chang just rhymes with Laing, it’s one of those nicknames that choose you, he says.
“You don’t have an option, you get a name, don’t know if you like the name, but everyone is calling me Toby Chang , he sounds like a good guy to know,”
Laing laughs.
Touring New Zealand is the backbone of the band, and Laing says it’s a privilege to still be selling out shows in their home town. With the current tour taking in large theatre halls all the members are trying their hand at stage production.
“We are all having a go at directing at the moment, and calling the shots.”
Fat Freddy’s Drop wants to push the entertainment side for fans who have been following them since 1999.
“Every time we decide to do a tour in New Zealand we are like, ‘what can we do that we haven’t done before, what sort of presentation of music can be done?’ We are doing more set design, and going into these beautiful theatres is not the environment we normally play in,” laughs Laing.
After a nationwide tour the band is off to the US in June, travelling down the West Coast and ending up in Hawaii. Laing is especially excited about their first performance in Hawaii.
“I mean, no outfits are planned at this stage, but I tell you man, one of us will be wearing the traditional garb, and I’m sure I know who that will be.”
Lyrically, the group smacks of NZ, but Laing says the universal themes have resonated with crowds the world over.
Their first stint in the US was at the Detroit Music Festival, a place that has half-empty GM and Ford buildings towering over it as a reminder of its economic woes.
“Everyone there in Detroit is a total inspiration in the way they play, its like the whole town went down to the $2 Dollar Shop to buy their clothes. They are all proud, talented human beings with no money at all, but they have found a way to live,” he says.
Fat Freddy’s Drop, The Opera House, May 21 & 22.

Capital Times - 2 June 2010

2010-06-01T17:27:00.000-07:00

Awaken the silence

WELLINGTON artist Rhian Sheehan makes music that he says ‘sounds like a slice of nirvana’.
Not the band, but the Buddhist concept of a state of being free from suffering and weighty thought.
However, Sheehan doesn’t meditate in the conventional way.
“I should, but I meditate in other ways, not with music, music is more like an affliction … I watch high definition films, I would say HD is my form of meditation,” he laughs.
Sheehan hopes to amplify the “contemplative and escapist” aspects of his album Standing In Silence at The Opera House, by launching a tour de force of moving imagery and sound.
The album, Sheehan explains, is about searching for peace in the hectic city life. The feeling of standing alone in a city of 30 million people gave him the inspiration to make Standing In Silence.
While travelling Sheehan was blindsided by the size and scope of mega cities like Mumbai, Tokyo, and Madrid.
“They are so full of people; it’s like walking into another world. I threw that into the music with a sense of wonder,” he says.
Producing Standing In Silence was like “reverse engineering a soundtrack” for the show he is putting on at The Opera House. Normally you would see what the show looks like first and make a score to match, he says.
“The Opera House certainly caters to the musical sonic I want to achieve because you need room for it to work.”
The show will include a large visual element, something Sheehan has never done on this scale before. A friend of his travelled through Asia to capture imagery especially for the event.
“Because it is a studio album we have to turn it into something dynamic and alive, so the physical elements of city life are there, the bus stop, the sound scape, it’s all real,” says Sheehan.
He has only played one Standing In Silence show before, at Downstage Theatre last year.
Sheehan makes his bread and butter crafting commercial soundtracks, and recently composed the score for We are Astronomers, a space dome film narrated by Dr Who’s David Tennant. The film is currently reaching audiences at planetariums throughout the world.
“The coolest thing is Dr Who narrates for it. Dr Who used to petrify me and every time I saw the scenes with Daleks it scared the heebie-jeebies out of me,” laughs Sheehan.
Thoughts of the unknown have always fascinated him and he finds it astounding how many people stop looking at the bigger picture.
“It’s like they walk around in this two dimensional world, but little do they know we are spinning around a burning ball of hydrogen on this speck of rock. I think about that a lot.”
Sheehan will be accompanied by 15 musicians and a backdrop of moving images shot all over the world.
Standing in Silence: Rhian Sheehan and guests, The Opera House, June 19

http://www.capitaltimes.co.nz/article/3089/Awakenthesilence.html

Capital Times - 2 June 2010

2010-06-01T17:23:00.000-07:00

Her only regret: not killing more Nazis

WHEN Oriental Bay resident Peter Hatfield spoke on the telephone with 97 year-old Nancy Wake from London she said her only regret was “not having killed more Nazis”.
Nancy Wake was a British agent who became the most decorated service woman of WWII, and she was born in Oriental Bay’s Grass Street.
The Oriental Bay Residents Association is paying tribute to Wake by placing a sign on a heritage pillar near her birth place.
“Australians claim her as their own, but she is a Wellington citizen,” says Hatfield.
Wake was a leading figure of the French resistance and led 7,000 guerrilla fighters against the Nazis. She once killed an SS sentry with her bare hands to prevent him raising the alarm during a raid, and by 1943 was the Gestapo’s most-wanted person with a five million-franc price on her head.
There has been little recognition of Wake in New Zealand besides an RSA Badge in Gold, which she was the first woman to receive. She received medals from Australia, Britain, France and the United States.
The sign will have a picture of the dashing dame, a list of her medals, and a story of her achievements. It is part of a four-sided information display box; other panels cover Lauris Edmond, early whaling in the Harbour, and Oriental Bay.
The French Embassy in Wellington helped fund the sign.
Nancy Wake Heritage sign unveiling, 1pm, Oriental Parade, opposite Grass Street, June 3

Capital Times - 2 June 2010

2010-06-01T17:18:00.000-07:00

Manners Street stumble

THE first works towards building a new Manners Street has resulted in outrage and the Council calling for a safety audit.
Removal of the pedestrian islands at the Taranaki Street and Courtenay Place junction has drawn criticism from the Automobile Association, residents, and caused division within council.
The intersection is Wellington’s most dangerous with 17 pedestrians injured there in 2008.
“I agree this is not a good way to start. It’s not sensible to think everyone will wait to cross on the signal, especially in the rain,” says Wellington City Council urban development leader Andy Foster.
But WCC traffic engineer Steven Heart says the islands were removed to increase pedestrian safety as well as accommodating buses turning from Manners Street, which will become a two-way street in the new Manners Mall bus thoroughfare.
“The island refuge encourages people to cross against the red signal, and when there are too many people [standing on the island] it gets dangerous,” says Heart.
New measures to increase pedestrian safety include extending the footpath in front of Mr Bun and Molly Malone’s and installing arrow signals for all turning vehicle traffic.
However, Foster says without increased crossing frequency people will continue to jaywalk.
The safety audit was called for after Mt Victoria Residents’ Association president Kent Duston and the AA made submissions to council on improving safety at the intersection saying the Taranaki Street intersection is one of the city’s worst and needs to be improved.
The AA wants pedestrian accidents reduced by 50% at the city’s six most dangerous intersections within the next three years.
Kent Duston says removing the islands is a complete disaster, and is angry the WCC started work before public consultation closed.

Capital Times - 26 April 2010

2010-04-27T22:06:00.000-07:00

Waiting in the wings: privatisation of your water

WELLINGTON'S water could be privatised before residents are aware of what’s happening, say local representatives.
“The government’s land and water group is slowly working its way around [the country]. It’s not a public exercise at all,” says Greater Wellington Regional Councillor Chris Laidlaw.
Residents and advocacy groups in Wellington are extremely concerned that government amendments could take water out of public hands.
Proposed changes include extending private sector contracts from 15 to 35 years, allowing water infrastructure to be owned by a “non-council party”, and removal of the clause that requires councils to “retain control over all matters relating to the management of water services”.
Parliament was to have the first reading of these amendments on Thursday April 29, in a bill that includes recommendations on Removing Barriers to Water Infrastructure Developments in the Local Government Act 2002. These amendments could dramatically change the way water is managed.
“It has a fairly ominous sound to it. The mystery is that there is no coherent public debate surrounding water,” says Laidlaw.
The Wellington Residents’ Coalition focused on the issue at their AGM this month. At the meeting, Right to Water spokesperson Maria McMillan discussed the proposed changes.
“The [Wellington City] Council will be divested of the power to control water. The change takes a human right and gives control of it to the market. We will be beholden to private companies,” says McMillan.
The government has already given support to these changes at cabinet level, and the next step is bringing them into law, she says.
“International experience shows privatisation increases costs and leaves the [water] company less accountable for its actions, both environmentally and to rate payers.”
McMillan is concerned that national legislation is progressing in parallel with inaccurate local government claims around excessive water use that arose last year.
Warwick Taylor of Wellington Residents’ Coalition says, “Water is protected under law, but they are seeking to change that. Why not just do away with democracy altogether if it’s cheaper.”
GWRC councillor Sally Baber says removing council control of the water supply goes against human rights and is being approached in a manner similar to the deregulation of the electricity market.
At the moment council controlled organisation Capacity currently manages water, stormwater, and wastewater services in Wellington, and stated its desire last year to manage bulk water for the region.
A protest on the issue, run by The Wellington Residents’ Coalition, 11am, Manners Mall, May 1.

Jamie Melbourne-Hayward.

http://www.capitaltimes.co.nz/article/2969/WaitinginthewingsPrivatisationofyourwater.html

Petone Herald - 15 July 2009

2009-08-03T21:18:00.001-07:00

Keep NZ Beautiful worth it?

By Jamie Melbourne-Hayward

Keep New Zealand Beautiful has called for entries to the Best Town and City Awards, but a Hutt City Council environmental advisor says they won’t foot the membership bill because of “behind the scenes pressure”.
The Keep NZ Beautiful website has no entries for Keep Hutt Beautiful or Keep Petone Beautiful under its ‘regions’ section, but both groups exist and are active.
Petone falls under the Keep Hutt Beautiful banner and Keep Petone Beautiful convener Roy Hewson says he would like the Council to be part of the organisation.
“We run our own programmes in Petone, but it would be good to be part of something larger – I’m in the minority on that one.
“[Keep NZ Beautiful] has been trying to get us to join ... and we have a problem attracting younger people, so joining might help out,” he says.
Hutt City Environmental Sustainability advisor Sandy Beathcroft says they have joined up in past years but it “caused more problems than it was worth”.
“It’s the behind the scenes negotiations that really get me – you can’t have one set of rules for one and another set for another,” says Mrs Beathcroft.
She has “been bullied and verbally abused” in previous dealings with the organisation, and says “it had a very corporate role”. Busy coordinating local environmental efforts Mrs Beathcroft says she doesn’t have the time or the budget to “splash out” on a Keep NZ Beautiful membership.
“It’s an add-on really, a promotion, it’s the last thing I can afford.”
She says the idea behind Keep NZ Beautiful is good, if a little token.
“We don’t pay $1,500 dollars to be a member of something that’s not good value for money.
“National funding for Enviroschools has been pulled, but we fund it locally and that is really doing some good in the area,” says Mrs Beathcroft.
Keep NZ Beautiful CEO Simon Johnston says the idea that councils’ or any other group have to pay to be involved with them is “horribly, terribly wrong”.
“It doesn’t cost anything to register; you just need to fill out a form.”
If councils want to join up and receive educational information they can pay up to $1,500, but registration doesn’t cost a thing.
Mr Johnston says the groups displayed on the website are active volunteer groups, and he was “truly surprised” the Hutt was not registered.
“It’s something for all New Zealanders, anyone can join, and we even had a two-man-band register.
“We want all past members back on board, and are in the middle of a new membership drive right now,” he says.
Keep NZ Beautiful wants to pull together environmental groups from around the country and create a central hub for posting projects to the web and discussing ideas, similar to the Transition Towns concept.

Petone Herald - 8 July 2009

2009-08-03T21:14:00.001-07:00

Scot knits up 106

I’ve been to retirement homes before, but this visit was something else.
When someone makes it to 100 years of age we awe at their fortitude and strength, not to mention that letter of congratulations from the Queen.
But the day I met one hundred and six year old Agnes Harkins was a day of eccentric design, as that morning the King of Pop had passed away and every radio station was paying tribute.
I arrived at Petone's Longview retirement home feeling slightly bemused and melancholy from the radio’s endless obituary.
Longview seemed a nice enough place, and soon after arriving I found myself at the end of a long table bustling with party guests of all ages.
Taking a seat beside the smiling birthday girl and her 82-year-old daughter, I started off asking Agnes a few basic questions, including if she liked Michael Jackson, to which she answered yes in a Scottish accent, “aye”.
To most of my inquiries she responded; aye, yes, or nodded.
Her daughter Esther Mills had decided to answer most of the questions when I realised a new approach was in order – and asking about Scotland was just the ticket.
Fair enough, Ms Harkins is a little hard of hearing; and soon I found myself half-yelling questions at her in a Scottish accent.
That was when she really piped up.
Turns out she came to New Zealand on a passenger ship from the Isles when Esther was just two years old, and says her daughter didn’t complain a peep.
“She’s a really good daughter,” she said
Mrs Harkins met her husband in the wool mills of Scotland, and transferred their skills to a mill here.
“There are lots of similarities between Scotland and New Zealand, and we had our first house built in Jackson Street, Petone,” said Mrs Harkins.
In my best accent I asked if she had any favourite prime ministers, to which she replied, “They’re about the same really”.
And the trick to long life says Mrs Harkins; eat your porridge – no sugar.

Petone Herald - 17 June 2009

2009-08-03T21:08:00.000-07:00

Hikoikoi humming on home

Hikoikoi’s sound was born in a Petone boatshed.

New Zealand’s latest reggae sensation is rocking a home-gig to round off their first nation-wide tour.
The band is quick to remind the country Petone is home, a place the band rattled out their first roots sounds, and where they now rehearse in Gracefield. Lead singer Paul Wickham says the Jackson Street Festival was a cornerstone that built the band’s confidence to play for larger crowds.
“We first played together in a Wellington flat; we dragged some amps and guitars up steps and jammed a Blackseed-guys flat-warming. That is a long way from the thousands we play for now,” he says.
Reggae and politics go hand-in-hand, says Mr Wickham, and the messages from bands like Trinity Roots, and Cornerstone Roots cannot be ignored.
“Politics affects everyone’s lives, and politics are the roots of all reggae.
“We try to put out the idea of healing and solidarity between Maori and Pakeha, we have sympathy for the hurts of the past,” says Mr Wickham.
Hikoikoi’s nation-wide tour has taken them to remarkable places, such laying down a hangi beside Lake Waikaremoana and jamming with Tama Iti.
“Parihaka was our ultimate festival, the Maori were very bold and courageous with how they carried out that movement, and the spirit lives on today.”
The band used to be called Hikoikoi Reserve because they set down a lot of their tunes in that park. Hikoikoi means to “walk out to a point” and Wickham says the modern meaning is “to walk the walk”.
“Petone’s culture has been slowed down with all the industry, but it’s starting to come back strong now.
“There has never been a great venue to play in Petone, so we are going to drag some big amps into Backstage and rock the place,” he says.
Their self-titled debut album features Mr Wickham’s dynamic, eerie vocals and righteous keyboard tunes that are “right on the money”. The band’s latest single Blood in the Sand endorses their commitment to sharing messages of peace, unity and solidarity.
Hikoikoi will be playing Petone’s newest live venue, Backstage Bar (the old Establishment), on June 20.
For more information visit myspace.com/hikoikoi

Petone Herald - 2 June 2009

2009-08-03T21:04:00.001-07:00

Awash in the water meter debate Part Two

By Jamie Melbourne-Hayward

This week the Petone Herald continues investigation into water metering and some of the major points to have arisen since the Greater Wellington Regional Council (GWRC) called for a public debate.

Wellington City Mayor Kerry Prendergast says water metering will force residents to conserve more, is a fair way to charge for water, and will delay the building of a proposed $142-million dam.
Hutt City Mayor David Ogden says the major purpose of the metering debate “is to help reduce water consumption”.
The second reason “is council concern about water storage capacity – especially in dry seasons”, he says.
Greater Wellington has three water supply areas; the Wainuiomata catchments that have little storage capacity, the Kaitoke water route that include the Temarua lakes with much capacity, and the Waiwhetu Aquifer that lies under the Hutt Valley.
The Waiwhetu Aquifer is a highly productive groundwater resource that lies under the Hutt Valley and supplies a third of Wellington’s water. Mr Ogden says Wellington’s storage capacity needs addressing because of dangers involved with drawing too much water from the Hutt River and the Aquifer.
“Last year the Aquifer came close to danger level [of saline contamination], and we don’t want to see that happen again, we’re very precious about this, it’s one of our treasures,” he says.
Leaky pipes are another problem he sees as salient, with Hutt City losing 14-15 per cent of bulk water supply through leakage and Wellington City losing up to 17 per cent.
Melbourne City, Australia, claim leakage of eight per cent and Singapore City boast four per cent leakage. Mr Ogden says water meters are not his preferred option to finance a dam, as the GWRC has many assets it could use, such as forestry, and the Wellington Ports, to cover capital costs.
Hutt Valley has a surplus of water and in Mr Ogden’s lighter times he sees humour in the fact Hutt Valley residents “sit right on the supply, but pay the same water rates as Karori residents”.
He says shallow dams should be built before looking at a larger dam project.
Eastbourne Community Board chairperson Derek Wilshere says water must be treated as a scarce resource and conservative usage should be encouraged. He says council doesn’t have a hidden agenda to profit from residents through introducing water meters.
“I don’t see reds under the bed. The companies need to recover running costs, and look to cover the population trend.
“I have faith in our public servants, it’s part of their mandate to serve the people. They don’t have anything to gain by ripping people off,” he says.
A former flood protection engineer, Mr Wilshere says there are three ways to conserve water usage; firstly encouragement of conservation, and secondly rationing, which he says is not affable to infrastructure.
“Thirdly, if those things don’t work, you need to meter people and make them pay for what they use.
“The question is not about a shortage of water, but about how to conserve what we have and plan for future growth and weather anomalies,” he says.
Petone Community Board chairperson Gerald Davidson says water metering “pursues the means to privatise water”. He cites the privatising of water in the UK where poorer people have had water cut off and been unfairly burdened by rates.
“The lesson of the UK is that private water companies do not work.
“We need to have responsibility for other people in our communities, it’s not a perfect world and we should help those less fortunate, not cut them off,” he says.
Mr Davidson says control of the water supply in Auckland is being transferred to corporate hands through an agenda to get ratepayers out of local governance.
“Local governance is one of the only areas yet to be privatised in New Zealand, and it’s happening in Auckland.
“The power will be out of the people’s hands and officials will have control.
“The argument of meters increasing efficiency is a smoke screen, so is the argument that we need it to cover transport costs,” he says.
Mr Davidson says for the moment Wellington’s councils are held in a stalemate over the issue because of differing positions. However, Mr Ogden says if Wellington City goes with metering other councils will be pressured to follow because of the fall in water usage that may follow meter installation.
Mr Davidson and Mr Wilshere say Petone and the Eastern Harbour Ward have the best quality of water in the country, and want the council to ensure that’s preserved.

Petone Herald - 27 May 2009

2009-08-03T21:01:00.000-07:00

Spinning the capital’s mills

By Jamie Melbourne-Hayward

Progress to complete the Makara West Wind farm by December this year is being hampered by the very element the farm seeks to harness, the wind.
Hoisting giant blades into position can be a tall order in a Wellington winter. Meridian Communication Manager Claire Shaw says high winds are a hold up, but construction is ahead of schedule.
“Twenty-three turbines are connected to the grid and the ones already operating can withstand winds up to 90km/h, anything over that and they automatically shut down.”
Ms Shaw says the public should not be concerned by the fact power generated at West Wind goes into the national grid, and not directly into local homes.
“It’s unusual for a wind farm to be located so close to the grid. This means it’s very likely that power is reaching locals, although we can’t track the electrons.
“The power grid benefits because in the past Wellington drew a lot of power from the north, now the wind complements hydro power, and the more expensive thermal energy,” she says.
CEO of New Zealand Wind Energy Association Fraser Clark says wind technology has the benefit of providing energy into the future, and helps stabilise the national power grid.
“Wind energy helps keep the country in balance, but there is no way to track electrons as they follow the law of less resistance.
“So once they enter the grid they move to where they’re most needed.
“Having the turbines so close to the national grid enables a more stable supply, and helps to remove energy bottle necks in the region,” says Mr Clark.
Ms Shaw says Meridian has never marketed itself on actually selling renewable electrons into people’s homes, but rather they support building sustainable energy projects.
“We only work with renewable sources, and wind allows us to conserve on hydro power in summer, which protects water supplies as well.
“Makara is a top world sight for wind production, and support for a new wave of technology is what we are after,” says Ms Shaw.
When the farm is finished in December it will generate enough energy to power 70,000 average homes.

Petone Herald - 20 May 2009

2009-08-03T21:00:00.002-07:00

Awash in the water meter debate

By Jamie Melbourne-Hayward

Over the coming weeks the Petone Herald looks at the issues surrounding water metering and some of the major points that have arisen since the Greater Wellington Regional Council called for a public debate.
Mayor Kerry Prendergast and Greater Wellington Regional Council chairwoman Fran Wilde both mooted the debate on a user-pays water system, saying metering is the way to go. Mrs Prendergast says water metering will force residents to conserve more, is a fairer mode of charging for water, and will delay the building of a proposed $142-million dam north of Haywards Hill.
A Business Council survey found most Wellington City residents support water-use charges, though Hutt Valley residents are divided on household metering and Porirua residents mainly oppose the idea. In April figures used by the Council used to illustrate Wellingtonians’ reckless water usage were discredited by engineer Frank Cook.
Mr Cook challenged the council claims that capital residents use twice the amount of water as Aucklanders, and the council acknowledged he was correct – water usage in Wellington and Auckland are similar.
The council’s water figures were reached by dividing the city's gross water purchase by the number of residents – so industrial use, fire-fighting and leakage were included in the total. The cost of installing Wellington-wide water meters is an estimated $35million, and these misleading figures would have lent weight to arguments for their installation.
Council environment portfolio leader Celia Wade-Brown said the council does not have an agenda to introduce meters. Ms Wade-Brown acknowledged that the correct figure for Wellingtonians’ domestic consumption left little room for gains from meter installation.
After Mr Cook’s findings were made public, Auckland water activist Penny Bright was invited as a guest speaker to a meeting of the Wellington Resident’s Coalition. At the meeting, which Mrs Prendergast attended, Ms Bright described her experiences with Auckland’s Metrowater in her argument against user-pays models.
Last month in Auckland, under the ‘super city’ plan, Metrowater became integrated into a city-wide Watercare Company. Ms Bright says council integration and privatizing of assets go hand-in-hand, because in ‘super cities’ it’s easier for private businesses to operate under the public radar.
“The supply of water and sanitation is a basic human right, and should not become an additional charge for residents.
“Water should be publicly owned, operated and managed,” she says.
Ms Bright says metering won’t be in the public good, because although water providers need to make a surplus to upgrade infrastructure, the amount of water lost to leakage in both Wellington and Auckland proves the surplus is not being reinvested wisely.
Auckland’s Metrowater looses 17 per cent of bulk water it receives, compared with 13.3 per cent when water was run through the Auckland City Council prior to 1997. Information obtained under the Official Information Act confirms Metrowater lost 17 per cent of water to the value of nearly $2.8 million in the 2007 financial year, a cost picked up by ratepayers.
“User charges work against sustainability, because the nature of the user-pays business means the more water conserved, the less profit made,” says Ms Bright.
Since 1997 Metrowater has made over $90 million in revenue, of which $37 million has been donated to the Auckland City Council in the form of charitable payments.
Featured next week Petone Herald talk water metering with Hutt Valley Mayor David Ogden, and the chairmen of the Petone and Eastbourne Community Boards.

AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD WATER USE
* Shower: eight minutes under ordinary shower head - 120 litres. Eight minutes under water-efficient shower head - 80 litres.
* Bath (full) - 200 litres.
* Toilet half-flush - six litres.
* Garden hose (on full) - 250 litres every five minutes.
* Dishwasher - up to 25 litres a wash.
* Washing machine: top loading - 100-200 litres. Front loading - 70-85 litres.
* Dripping tap - 60,000 litres a year.
* Cleaning teeth - five litres per brush.

WATER SAVING TIPS
* Turn the tap off when brushing your teeth.
* Fix dripping taps.
* Don't do the dishes or use your dishwasher unless the load is full.
* Take short showers and switch to water-efficient showerheads.
* Only do full laundry loads.
* Avoid using garden hoses or sprinklers for long periods.

Good Magazine - 16 January 2009

2009-01-19T02:10:00.000-08:00

Reflections From the 2009 Parihaka Peace Festival

The setting sun falls like a drop of melting gold out of a long white cloud settled above the skyline. Grass shimmers and flags rustle furiously atop of rolling hills; framing the setting of night. The roots-rock-reggae band Kora stands motionless mid song: the spirit of Parihaka alive in their silence.

Humming at the foothills of Mt Taranaki, the fourth Parihaka Peace Festival is about much more than music. The annual international peace and music festival lies deep within NZ history, and is a reminder of the areas importance to our country.

More than forty years before Gandhi practiced non-violence resistance to the British Empire, the Maori of Parihaka bore the brunt of wishing for peace. The spiritual leaders, Te Whiti O Rongomai and Tohu Kakahi, employed non-violent resistance to defend their land in 1881. Protesting men were sent into exile as slave labourers, many toiling to their deaths building roads near Dunedin.

As well as celebrating the birth of passive resistance this January, Taranaki plays host to its 125-year jubilees. These celebrations mark the year 1884, and the successful removal of Maori from the region’s most fertile land. For today’s fruits not to be bitter, indeed for them to be jubilant, the deeds of the past must be acknowledged.

Parihaka marked the end of the land wars, but also the beginning of a movement which continues today. Eventually the Parihaka leadership returned, and now the festival attracts 12,000, mostly young people to its peace camp each year. The gathering is auspiciously devoid of the passionless, ritual chorus of "cool" and "awesome" being muttered to a foreground din of amplified techno "music."

Sustainability and the coupling of traditional knowledge with innovation give the festival its roots. An eco forum buzzes with activity next to the hangi area, as sure a sign as any of its prominence. Old stories are abounding for willing ears. Like the love torn relationship between Taranaki and Ruapehu, or Chinese vessels remembered long before Captain Cook.

Speakers address topics ranging from the foreshore and seabed to the modifying of smart drive washing machines to produce electricity from wind and water. Carvers transform large scattered boulders into art. The festival is an array of elements that are all interconnected, politics, permaculture, flax and family.

Despite the howling winds of ranginui (the sky father) eventually closing the main stage, spirits are high and the music quality. Shrouded in smoke, Katchafire welcomed in the first night, followed on the second night by two very tight sets from Unity Pacific and Kora. Tigilau Ness, of Unity Pacific, brought everyone closer, closer still, to hear the old masters rhymes. Kora jammed some new material that gave fans hope of an album in the works.

The concept of Koha drew crowds into Auntie Olive’s aromatic healing tent, which becomes booked out faster than the hangi tickets sell-out. Olive’s tent sways and battles with the wind while the healers remain steadfast and stoic, reminiscent of past kin.

The third day saw Wellington outfit Harbour City Electric as crowd pleasers on a smaller, more intimate main stage. With a powerful lead singer and solid melody they look set to be the next pretties flying out of the capital. Closing out, Cornerstone Roots sang to the festivals ideals with the song Mankiller, which deals with a potent subject.

Parihaka is no ivory tower. The oldest kaumatua greet strangers warmly. Canadians look on dumbfounded as large Maori men hongi, before they too test the waters. The festival mixes healing and warm eyes with a fierce independence extolled from army fatigued rastafarians and proudly worn Tuhoe t-shirts.

Parihaka symbolises the strength and unity of righteousness. A sentiment so widely acknowledged that pictures of Parihaka’s profits hang next to those of Martin Luther King at the King Centre in Atlanta, Georgia. This event is not successful because of a big budget and corporate hosts; volunteers and word of mouth ground it.

The message is just that: we are the people. The importance of Parihaka is the message of its prophet: the building of a movement of working, knowledgeable people. The achievements and ideals of this movement need to be reinvigorated as we collectively face an unending war for resources, and worldwide recession.

Scoop Media - 30 October 2008

2008-10-30T22:27:00.000-07:00

Image: Moderator, Sir Paul Reeves (left), Vivian Goldsmith (far right)

Scoop Report: The Irony & Agony Of An All Party Education Debate

An education forum in Auckland this Tuesday allowed a Labour stand-in education spokesperson to perform a faux pas at election time: speaking ones mind.

Attended by all the major parties, the forum erupted into laughter as Vivian Goldsmith – a teacher standing for Labour in East Coast Bays – said she "did not pay school donations" herself and called on parents to protest against them.

"We [she and her partner] send our requests for fees directly to the minister every time we get them," she said.

She then encouraged people to lobby Chris Carter, Labour Minister of Education, on the issue of school donations, saying education should be free of charge.

"I think more people should take the challenge like I do and let the Minister know," she said.

United Future education spokesperson Judy Turner followed Ms Goldsmith and said, "current laws bar schools from demanding fees", adding that it was a murky area as many schools struggle financially.

Earlier Mr Carter had been at the forum, organised by the Quality Public Education Coalition, and before leaving he said government spending on education had doubled since 1999.

After her remarks about mounting a protest against school fees, Ms Goldsmith returned to the Labour Party "manifesto" on education.

But only after the cheers of the crowd died down.

The forum has been the only education debate of the 2008 election attended by all party spokespersons.

Two main topics emerged: lack of funding for schools and teachers, and the need to provide equality of access to quality education, regardless of decile rating.

Mr Carter warned the meeting to remember the "demoralised, under funded education sector that Labour had inherited", and not to buy into National's, "emotional slogans".

"The Labour Party is absolutely committed to a quality, well resourced education system," said Mr Carter.

Labour do not stand for private-public partnerships in schools, he said, as this creates "winner and looser schools", he said.

Mr Carter dismissed calls for more funding for private schools. He said he doesn't believe in "boot camps for kids", these only make kids "more alienated and angry".

He also disagreed with "top teacher remuneration" as this creates a hostile climate for teaching.

Anne Tolley, National Party education spokesperson said her party would match Labour's 1.75 billion of education spending, but drive out overt bureaucracy.

Although first to leave - looking a little campaign fatigued - she put effort into rebuking Labour's "pay-jolt" for teachers election policy, saying it had not been priced and during troubling economic times it was not fair to make such promises.

New Zealand's education standards had been slipped from 14th to 24th in world rankings, she said.

Mrs Tolley wants national standards for numeracy and literacy, and countywide tests in place for both.

Ms Goldsmith says the current curriculum [NCEA] needs time to develop, but is very enthusiastic that modifications underway will address any public concerns.

National want to "get tough" on children and parents regarding truancy, and give schools assistance to deal with disruptive students.

Green Party Education Spokesperson Metiria Turei won over the crowd.

She was disparaging of National's "90 day fire at will bill" and said protecting the teaching workforce was paramount.

Ms Turei said the secondary school sector was "clunky", lagging behind, and needed more money for cross curriculum education on sustainability.

Further applause welcomed her comments that international corporations were, "driving out our early childhood centers", and that school vouchers were a form of privatisation.

The need for quality public education, regardless of ability or wealth, was a point emphasised by both Mrs Turei and Maori Party list candidate, Bronwyn Yates.

Neither was supportive of private-public partnerships, and both stressed the importance of Kaupapa Maori and retaining Kohanga Reo.

Mrs Yates raised the issue of equality, saying many children feel alienated by not being able to afford extras at school such as trips and sporting equipment.

She says New Zealand needs to tackle institutionalised racism, and, " an extreme make-over of the schooling experience" is needed.

ACT Party candidate Peter Tashkoff became defensive early on, following a hostile reaction to theACT party's voucher scheme.

He said a 300 per cent increase in the bureaucratic education structure had occurred under Labour. Labour, he said, have abused power by micro managing services throughout New Zealand.

ACT say the 4600 officials and bureaucrats running the education sector must be cut back to 500.

Mr Tashkoff believes vouchers will "empower families" by allowing every parent to send their child to a school of their choosing.

Heckled by the crowd Mr Tashkoff said, "You are a room full of people who are part of the problem".

Many candidates raised funding issues for special needs. Their comment came in the context of a complaint lodged by IHC with the Human Rights Commission against practices that prevent disabled students participating fully at school.

Labour's Ms Goldsmith agreed delivery of special needs funding was fractured, saying Ongoing and Reviewable Resourcing Schemes (ORRS) needs to be rethought.

"Under National, special education won't have to wait until three weeks before an election to get some attention," said Mrs Tolley.

Judy Turner, United Future education spokesperson, said she "cautiously" wanted to look at how teacher pay can be developed, but didn't agree with performance pay for teachers.

Another major issue highlighted at the forum was the problem of children disengaging throughout secondary school.

To combat this Mrs Turner proposed withdrawal scholarships, claiming 10 per cent of children fell into this category.

Scoop: http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0810/S00411.htm

Scoop Media - 11 September 2008

2008-10-11T18:39:00.000-07:00

NBR v Robert Fisk – Will The Real Leak Stand Up?

After Robert Fisk spoke at AUT University this Tuesday, he did not go to a Glen Innes Marae to meet Tuhoe “terror-raid” defendants, or afford Tama Iti the greatest honour of his life.

During the hour-long talk Fisk said that contrary to various reports, he had no knowledge of, or desire to meet with Iti or the Tuhoe defendants.

"I'm 62, have 22 countries and four wars to cover, I don’t have time for anything that does not involve the Middle East,” he said to rapturous applause.

Speculation of the meeting arouse when an anonymous source at parliament sent a copy of Fisk’s confidential itinerary to National Business Review columnist David Cohen.

Cohen’s column, Fisky business, was supplemented by a Sunday Star Times story which said Iti may be afforded the opportunity to meet Fisk.

Fisk, Middle East correspondent for the Independent, is currently on a tour of New Zealand, which takes in at half the countries’ Universities, and talks with top journalists.

Harper Collins publicist Sandra Noakes, who manages Fisk’s engagements, says the itinerary got into the wrong hands during the process of drafting possible meetings for Fisk.

“I think [Cohen’s] column was not correct. It was out of context,” she says.

Cohen used the leaked itinerary to fuel an opinion piece likening Fisk’s fame in New Zealand to that of a cult following, and branding the media as Fisk’s lapdogs.

“The man who would ‘speak truth to power’ has allowed something of a cargo cult to be created around him here in New Zealand,” Cohen says of Fisk.

Whether or not Fisk had any knowledge of plans to meet with the Tuhoe defendants is a moot point says Cohen.

“I did not need to know if Fisk knew [about the meeting]. All I needed was that the itinerary said he would be.”

Cohen says hypothetically if someone was sent an itinerary of “that conservative darling” P. J. O’Rourke’s plans to meet the exclusive brethren: that would be duly reported on.

The itinerary Cohen was sent appears mundane, until the proposal of staying the night at a Glenn Innes Marae for “an opportunity to engage with the first people subject to the terrorism suppression laws in this country in a Maori context”.

Noakes says it was a working draft that Cohen must have got his hands on.

“The NBR is entitled to say what they want, but I don’t like what they did.”

Prof. Jane Kelsey, an Auckland University lecturer, was attempting to arrange for Fisk to meet with the Tuhoe defendants, but nothing was finalized, she says.

“I was very annoyed with what David [Cohen] has published, as I had talked with him before.
“I told Cohen that Fisk knew nothing about meeting the Tuhoe defendants.”

Noakes replied to the NBR saying she told Cohen the itinerary was in draft form.

“When you are organizing a tour like this, you need to share the dates to get everything to work, you are working with three or four people at a time,” says Noakes.

Cohen defends his decision to comment on the itinerary, saying it looked like an authentic copy, and that Noakes could not confirm if the meeting was to take place or not.

“Noakes couldn’t say yay or nay to the meeting, and we could not contact Jane Kelsey.

"As journalists we have many documents leaked to us, and we have to make our best judgment on these things.

“There were reasonable grounds to report on,” says Cohen.

Noakes maintains she told Cohen the itinerary was a working draft, and not a final copy.

Nevertheless, Cohen’s column states: “Probably the most headline-grabbing interlude is set to take place on September 9, when Fisk is booked to visit the Te Tirahou Marae in Glen Innes to meet with a number of the individuals nabbed in last year's anti-terrorism raids.”

Cohen says this is mischievous of Fisk (or Harper Collins: the guilt is not clear), as the defendents depositions begin in September.

It is curious that New Zealand focuses on Fisk, while elsewhere in the world many other senior Middle East correspondents are reported, says Cohen.

“It is not in the spirit of things. Fisk would not endorse it.”

Fisk alluded to the dangers of the Internet in his talk at AUT University, saying wildly incorrect information circulates about him online.

Should the same care be given to second-hand, confidential information, if print is to remain a respected source of news, or has sabre rattling always been part of the game?

More curiously, who at parliament slipped Beirut Bob’s confidential itinerary to the NBR, and why?

Scoop: http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0809/S00141.htm

Te Waha Nui - 5 September 2008

2008-10-11T18:31:00.000-07:00

Councillors at loggerheads over Aotea Square Markets

The axing of Aotea Square market has caused a rift between city councillors as they prepare for the square’s $21 million revamp.

The market will be forced to close during the two-year redevelopment, and redevelopment committee chairman, Greg Moyle, says there will be no place for a market in the new square.

“We have Victoria Market, the farmers market at Britomart, the sea food market, how many markets do you want?” Moyle asks.

He also rules out helping stall owners relocate, putting him at odds with other council members.

Graham Easte, councillor for the Western Bays Ward, says the committee has given no moral support to stall holders.

“Councillor Moyle’s argument confuses the matter; council have their agenda, but are forgetting about the people down there.

“It’s all a bit lazy and naughty of them,” says Easte.

The revamp is part of a much needed $80 million upgrade that will also fix the Civic car park roof – part of wider preparations for the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

Ernesto Ovalle, who runs the jewellery stall Oro Negro (Black Gold), is a five-year veteran of the markets.

“Devastated is a good word to use.

“I don’t know where I’ll head to come December. There are no clear plans on relocation – an uncertain future is what we have,” he says.

Every world-class city needs a vibrant marketplace as its heart, to act as the pride of the city’s cultural and social life, says Ovalle.

Fashion stall holder Hannah Morgan is upset about how the market’s end has been handled.

She says council plans have failed to take into account the artists whose stalls and livelihoods will fold when the redevelopment starts.

“I understand why they are finding it hard to relocate us. But it’s a shame the revamp will be too high-brow for market stalls."

Moyle, Auckland City arts and recreation committee chairman, says he will let market forces decide if the public wants to keep the market.

“We will let the market decide the market, how’s that for you?

“People don’t come to Auckland for the market, and we already have Victoria Market,” says Moyle.

He says the problem of relocation lies with the stall holders, because they are private businesses.

“They are independent businesses, and we are not here to help independent business,” he says.

Graham Easte says Moyle is missing the point.

“I think the market is an asset to the city, and he only sees it as a business arrangement.

“No serious money has ever been invested in the market, and by ignoring the market issue the council is not serving the interests of Auckland,” says Easte.

The committee is avoiding the issue by saying: “If ‘Aotea Square Market’ is under construction for two years, then that specific market cannot exist,” says Easte.

Aotea Square market is a place for entry-level and specialist businesses, such as contemporary jewellery, which could not survive in a Westfield-type environment, says Easte.

“It’s a place of creativity, expression, and young people trying their hand.”

He says the high risk involved in start-up businesses makes it rational for creative enterprises to test the waters before jumping in.

Moyle says the council is planning to hold major events in the square, “for the Rugby World Cup and for events such as the lantern festival, so we can take it off the muddy Albert Park".

“We are not spending $21 million to house stalls there; we want major events to use the square,” says Moyle.

Councillor Paul Goldsmith confirmed the council rift: “[Easte] is in the opposition, that’s how the council works".

“Of course I have an opinion on the markets, but when you want to administer progress, like Moyle is trying to do, then we [the council] need to speak as one,” says Goldsmith.

Easte says seven councillors are working for relocation, and 14 others are indifferent or hostile to the proposal.

A group of 10 stallholders is attempting to liaise with the council and the Edge Entertainment Centre, which manages the weekend stalls on behalf of the council.

Under pressure, Moyle suggested the market could be held at the AUT University campus.

Easte says the response from the committee so far is to close the market down, end of story.

“Let’s at least explore the options. And let the city decide on the market.”

Te Waha Nui: http://www.tewahanui.info/wordpress2/?p=641

Te Waha Nui - 8 August 2008

2008-10-11T18:28:00.000-07:00

The Death of the Newspaper

As news moves online, print is forced to evolve. Jamie Melbourne-Hayward and James Murray investigate how this will affect the industry and the way we use news. Illustration by Jamie Melbourne-Hayward.

“Do not go gentle into that good night, Old age should burn and rave at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light.”
-Dylan Thomas

The newspaper is under threat. The newsprint has been on the wall since the spread of high-speed broadband and the decision by several UK papers to break news on their websites first in 2006. The media industry is at a tipping point and must evolve to survive.

Just recently APN, which owns the New Zealand Herald, announced an annual drop in advertising revenue of about eight to 10 per cent. A result of the recent credit crunch, perhaps, but across the pond in the USA, where new media is far more prevalent, newspapers are losing money hand over fist. For example, the Capital Times in Wisconsin is no longer a hard copy paper at all. In April this year the presses stopped and now the paper publishes exclusively online.

The only places where newspaper advertising revenue is increasing are emerging economies such as India and China. Advertising revenue on the internet is rapidly increasing. In the UK, internet advertising is poised to overtake TV advertising and will make up one fifth of the total revenue from advertising by the end of the year.

It’s ironic that a medium which was used to advertise hard copy newspapers is now replacing it. The Wisconsin Capital Times now issues a free-sheet twice a week that acts as an advert for the website.

So should the newspaper ‘rage’ against this death or are we actually seeing a reincarnation? Should newspapers go ‘gentle into that good night’ or bite back and move with the times?
Democracy is about knowledgeable citizens making informed decisions for the greater good of mankind. Power within democracies is supposed to be watched over by the fourth estate: the media. However, citizens can start to lose faith in the integrity of their media if they perceive it becoming the fourth branch of government or a vehicle of business interests.

In countries where human rights are in question, information is often biased by a polarised media. State run papers such as the the China Daily, which faces daily censorship are a good example.People are increasingly turning to the internet to find what is seen as unfiltered information.

Newspapers have previously been complacent about the digital revolution, with an over reliance on reader loyalty to their brands. But recently the internet is proving a catalyst for the reinvigoration of newsprint.Many UK newspapers have changed their format to a tabloid, and moved to a magazine look.

News was once dispensed in a ‘top-down’ format, where Murdoch-style management and editors decided upon content and direction. Now citizen journalism, blogging and discussion boards have become popular avenues for a population disconnected from the “national debate”.People can dictate which content they are interested in, and are able to access varying viewpoints and “twitter” to their hearts delight.

The Independent in London has picked up on this trend and is now unafraid to break the taboo of printing opinion on its front page. It has successfully rebranded itself as a ‘viewspaper’ with its most popular content coming from columnists such as Robert Fisk. But the digital revolution has not improved the content of newspapers entirely for the good.

Newspapers are being drawn into television sensationalism, and dependence upon flashy news cycles to sell copies. The 24-hour news cycle has also been duplicated online, with stories breaking as they would on television, but with more immediacy. This could have an affect on the accuracy and depth of stories.

So, should newspapers die? On the one hand, the increase of “an open market place of ideas”, which the internet provides, is liberating to democracy. But does that freedom come at a cost?Journalists are no longer just answerable to the letters page and there is a value in having a wider dialogue between the public and the media.

However, the freedom of the internet also allows the spread of bigotry and hatred: blogs and comment should be taken with a grain of salt – along with everything else for that matter.
While western newspapers service a wide-enough spectrum of views, the same cannot be said for Latin America, Africa and Asia. Citizen journalism in these parts is sometimes the only available balanced coverage - and investigative journalism occurs only online.

As more funds enter the internet-news market, a flow on to investigative journalism is needed. Furthermore, journalists are trained to be fair and balanced. As objectivity is only an ideal, the internet’s draw card is its ability to bring together opposing views from around the world, and allow them to be debated in the electronic halls of democracy.

What are the consequences for the world if newspapers disappear altogether or, at the very least, can only survive if targeting a niche market?Leading US journalist John S Carroll believes the national conversation has already changed.

“Millions of people who previously had been excluded have now been allowed to join in. Whoever saw it coming? This is a First Amendment miracle,” he said in a lecture at the University of Kentucky this April.

He is referring to bloggers and the proliferation of opinion on the internet. But the gathering and dissemination of news is still largely done by traditional reporters who either work for newspapers or websites that are affiliated to newspapers.

According to professor of journalism Jeff Jarvis of BuzzMachine, a blog which analyses the progress and role of new media, traditional media networks such as newspapers or television stations now have to operate differently to survive.

“Networks were defined by control of content or distribution. But now, you can’t own all distribution and content is controlled where it’s created. So, I wonder, where’s the value and where’s the money in the fully networked world?”

Jarvis suggests that the way ahead is for media companies to aggregate content. A good example of this would be Yahoo Xtra.Yahoo Xtra makes very little content itself. Instead it bundles news and entertainment sourced from other content providers in a way that is attractive to advertisers.John Hagel, a US expert on the internet’s effect on business, agrees:
“The most powerful brands in the media business will be held by successful intermediaries that help to consistently improve return on attention for audiences.”

If there is more money to be made from simply aggregating news, the incentive to gather it decreases. The Catch 22 occurs when news aggregators realise profit depends on poorly paid content providers. For this system to work, an effective way of sharing advertising revenue through link networks needs to be devised – if news aggregators are too greedy their content supply will dry up.

If the media’s future lies in aggregating the most popular blogs and websites in attractive bundles the balanced viewpoint is going to struggle to be heard. The controversial will always get more hits than the accurate.

The danger to our ‘national conversation’ is our own thirst for sensationalism. Our national commentators will effectively be those we vote for with our mouse.

Te Waha Nui: http://www.tewahanui.info/wordpress2/?p=372

Rotorua Daily Post - 07 August 2008

2008-10-11T18:22:00.001-07:00

AIR NEW ZEALAND CUP RUGBY Playing for the Bay jersey

It's all about the jersey for the Bay of Plenty Steamers this year. Rotorua's John Moore, a third-generation Bay of Plenty representative, says that with the financially strapped union unable to pay players as full professionals, pride acts as part of the team's currency.

"It's about the occasion to play for the jersey,'' he told The Daily Post ahead of the Steamers' Air New Zealand Cup clash against Counties Manukau at the Rotorua International Stadium on Saturday.

"We have a good team spirit at the moment and we try to concentrate on our team, not the opposition.''

With about 90 per cent of the players hailing from the region, this Saturday will be well and truly a homecoming for the team.

"It's the Bay team now, we don't have flying stars,'' Moore said. "But it is about being Bay proud and we give 110 per cent.''

Following a training session in Rotorua this week, the Steamers headed for Rotorua Intermediate where they were greeted with a school haka. The rugby players responded with their own haka, one they don't often share.

Steamers manager Sean Horan said the Rotorua Intermediate students were privileged to see the team's haka, which is normally reserved for changing sheds and private functions.

Moore said the players' haka was a contemporary one produced in Rotorua. It carried a lot of meaning for the team.

He said it spoke of where they came from, the Bay of Plenty.

Part of the haka depicts a soldier being struck down with another rising in his place, the meaning behind it being that when bark is stripped from a tree, hard wood remains underneath.

Moore is better known as "Tui'', although he wouldn't give up the origin of the nickname, claiming it was not suitable for all ears.

Nevertheless, look out for a few knowledgeable fans making birdcalls from the home ground sidelines.

Moore's father and grandfather were Bay players from Ngongotaha and he said he was carrying on the family tradition.

"We are all from Ngongotaha and it's great to play in front of people I grew up with.''
Moore will be playing at the stadium where he spent time as a youngster.

"I remember the good times down there as a boy, watching Ronnie Preston at first five.''

He expected every game in the Air New Zealand Cup to be tough but said Counties Manakau would not be the only team with "big boys up front and fast backs''.

Saturday's game at the Rotorua International Stadium will be just one of two Air New Zealand Cup games being hosted in the city this season.

While the Steamers come into the game with solid pre-season wins and a first-up triumph over Tasman, the Counties Manukau Steelers beat Auckland last week in the biggest upset in the Air New Zealand Cup's short history.

Last time the two teams clashed, the Bay came out on top.

Horan is picking Saturday's match will be a cracker. "All the teams are under pressure to perform and to prove they should stay in the competition,'' he said.

"Both provinces are going to want to show they are up for it, with the [competition] review on.''
Last week's match against Tasman was a close-fought affair, the Steamers winning 8-7.

The home side will be looking for a more secure performance on Saturday.

"We have a younger team and half-a-dozen are new players. But the boys are well prepared,'' Horan said.

The Steamers were also looking to win back the support of the public, the coach said.

"They are a young side and really enjoy the challenge of pulling a team together.''

Rotorua Daily Post - 22 August 2008

2008-10-11T18:19:00.000-07:00

Restoring the majestic rata forest

The Ngongotaha Bush Restoration Trust is a dedicated group of local residents who work voluntarily on conservation projects on Mt Ngongotaha. Journalism student Jamie Melbourne-Hayward joined the group for its latest working bee to find out what it's all about.

A little way up Paradise Valley Rd, on the side of Mt Ngongotaha, a group gathers on the freshly laid shingle of a carpark.

They are clutching saws and loppers and wearing bush gear, ready for another working bee organised by the Mount Ngongotaha Bush Restoration Trust.

It's the brainchild of the trust's secretary, Heather McKenzie, and on this day she's joined by a gang from Rainbow Springs. The group plans to cut out a new walking trail.

In a bid to keep Rainbow Springs staff from falling into hibernation during the tourism low-season, they are regularly sent off on working bees that support initiatives in which the Department of Conservation (DoC) is involved.

On this day the trim-looking crew of staff includes gift shop attendants and two travelling German volunteers, excited to be getting off the beaten track.

Not far up the walking track, created two years ago, we stumble upon a giant rata in the process of having a viewing platform constructed at her base.

As the group marvel at the rata stretching towards the sky, Heather explains the trust was formed in 2005 and has been working hard to secure the nature reserve's future.

It has received a good deal of attention from the trust over the past five years and a once infrequently visited Jubilee Track is beginning to draw crowds.

``The mountain has significance for every local, it is a much loved place, and now more people can enjoy it,'' Heather says.

Thanks to the Forest and Bird Society's purchase of farm land, the reserve is now accessible from the road.

In the past trampers had to seek permission from a landowner to cross private property.

The view from the top of the mountain is currently obscured by trees but the trust has plans to construct a viewing platform if it can get funding. The Rotorua Charitable Trust is matching dollar for dollar donations up to $30,000.

Heather hopes the track can be improved so eventually school trips can be made into the ancient forest.

``Locals are very enthusiastic and there are a lot of community groups around here doing good things. Because we are on people's doorsteps, it is easier to get people involved,'' she says.

The trust has a lot of work ahead to bring back the dawn chorus and restore the spectacular beauty of flowering rata trees.

In July, the trust received a commendation at the DoC Bay of Plenty conservation awards. ``We are just delighted to be acknowledged for the work we have put into the reserve,'' Heather says.

On the track we follow small pink and orange tags upwards, through fallen logs until we reach the rimu, kings of the forest.

In a part of the bush less tangled with vines, a giant rimu has fallen, opening up a gaping hole towards the swirling sky.

Dwarfed by the age of such trees, it is easy to understand Heather's enthusiasm for this bush, and her desire to leave it pristine for future generations.

North Shore Times - 20 May 2008

2008-10-11T18:17:00.000-07:00

Anti-airport general election ticket

A one man anti-Whenuapai commercial airport ticket will contest this year's general election.

Browns Bay resident Toby Hutton, 19, is standing against National Party incumbent Murray McCully in the East Coast Bays electorate.

He is running under the non-registered party name 'No Commercial Airport at Whenuapai Airbase Party'.

Mr Hutton wants to stand because he's disappointed with Mr McCully.

"He did not stand up in protest when the ex-mayor of North Shore, George Wood, announced his support for a commercial airport at Whenuapai airbase in the East Coast Bays.

"I don't mind being woken up for a few minutes at night if the boys are going to rescue someone, but normally they don't fly later than 10pm.

"The noise of Boeing engines would devastate this area, I've seen what it's like down in Manukau," said Mr Hutton.

Mr Hutton has extended invitations to WAAG members to stand as candidates under his party name in the election.

He says voting for him is the pragmatic choice as Mr McCully is likely to get into Parliament anyway as a list MP.

Mr McCully rejects this idea it would be better to vote for an independent and rely on his getting in on a party list.

Independent politicians have less say in party politics and struggle to make a meaningful difference, he says.

"The best guarantee people can have to stop Whenuapai is to vote in a National government and get John Key at Helensville and Murray McCully at East Coast Bays.

"Decisions like this are made by the major parties."

He says he has been a leading opponent of a commercial airport at Whenuapai .

"I've been a strong advocate of making a long term commitment to Whenuapai remaining a military base.

"I played an active role in getting National opposing the airport."

Mr Stewart says WAAG has no association with Mr Hutton and does not necessarily share his views.

National Party leader John Key made an official statement opposing commercial use of Whenuapai Airbase last year.

He wants it to remain in the hands of the Royal New Zealand Airforce.

Infratil and Waitakere City Council have vowed to keep fighting to commercialise the base.

Scoop Media - 10 April 2008

2008-10-11T18:06:00.000-07:00

Unite – NDU – SFWU Merge To Form 50,000-Strong Union

New Zealand’s most active unions have announced they are intending to merge in order to create the country’s largest private sector union. AUT's Jamie Melbourne-Hayward speaks to Unite's Mike Treen, NDU's Laila Harre, and the BNZ economist, John Pask, about what the merger means to workers, businesses, and the Government.

The National Distribution Union (NDU), the Unite Union and the Service and Food Workers Union (SFWU) have stated the merger is intended to represent the lowest paid sectors in the country and increase their lobbying power.

"The poor are powerless and not listened to by government, which is why we are here. We are hopeful to have the merger wrapped up before the end of the year," says Mike Treen, Unite Unions director of organising.

Mr Treen said they are looking to take the positives from each unique union and combine them to gain a better culture and more lobbying power for the rights of the nation’s lowest wage earners.

The merger will create a 50,000 strong membership, the country’s second largest union.

Laila Harre, National Secretary of the NDU, says the unions are going from strength to strength.

"We just keep on winning. We are 100 per cent for the merger,” says Ms Harre.

Political campaigns are planned to place raising the minimum wage to $15 as a key election issue for the various unions.

Under Labour there has been an increase of 71 per cent from $7.50 since they took office in 1999.

Mr Treen played down last week’s raising of the minimum wage as being a victory parade, saying they were pleased with the forward movement, but believe it's not adequate.

“New Zealand companies have been able to get away with it for too long; these multimillion dollar profits are on the backs of struggling families and underpaid youth,” says Mr Treen.

John Pask, economist for Business New Zealand, said: “Our views were well known. We are opposed to any increase in the minimum wage.”

Mr Pask “strongly disagrees” with a Royal Commission’s recommendation that two thirds of the average wage should be the minimum, which equals $15 dollars per hour.

The figure was devised in 1973 by the Royal Commission into Social Security, the International Labour Organisation and the European Social Standard.

"Employers are still trying to evade it, but we want $15 minimum wage to be a key election issue this year,” says Mr Treen.

Mr Pask says productivity is the key to building our economy, and despite a recent rise, is still not high enough.

“The raising of the minimum wage is a burden for business as it raises the bar for entry level workers … which is detrimental to them being trained up to a level where they can be more productive in the work force.”

He said New Zealand’s wages were much lower than Australia’s for a range or reasons, including lack of mining, pharmaceutical, and military industries.

“Were not involved in any of that,” says Mr Pask.

Last week the country’s lowest paid celebrated the raising of the minimum wage to $12, an outcome spearheaded by the Unite Union’s ‘supersize-my-pay’ campaign.

Ms Harre says New Zealand is a long way behind the international western standards with regards to workers rights, with the exception of the United States.

“The unions are not happy to settle with this, they believe pushing for an end to poverty in New Zealand should become a key issue in the upcoming election.

“We have extraordinary poverty for such a rich nation.”

Scoop: http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0804/S00152.htm

Scoop Media - 28 May 2008

2008-10-11T17:54:00.000-07:00

Two New E-Therapy Developments Highlight Youth Week

Depression often makes headlines in conjunction with troubling news, but this week is Youth Week; a week in which New Zealanders are asked to confront the causes of depression and explore innovate ways of connecting with the youth.

A valuable tool aiming to increase interaction with youth is the concept of e-therapy.

Robyn Shearer, Ministry of Health manager of mental health, says access to care is the major issue within the system.

"Unless it is a 'dire emergency', people are often pushed from pillar to post in seeking assistance," she says.

In 2004, to combat under-resourced child and adolescent mental health services, the mental health commission set a target of reaching 3% of the population under 20 years of age.

As a result there has been a considerable increase in funding, including new developments to help young people out of the rut of depression.

The first, a savvy e-therapy game, plans to emulate big production games like Sims and Final Fantasy.

The second is a free online one-to-one counseling service similar to Skype, which is a first of its kind.

Lifeline is developing the online counseling service, and general manager Anil Thapliyal says when support is lacking from family and friends; youth frequently turn to the internet.

"The technology is seductive, and used properly it can be very helpful," he says.

Dr Sarah Fortune, a clinical psychologist and senior research fellow at Auckland University, says youth connectivity levels are very high, and "mental health services are just starting to catch up”.

E-therapy game

Dr Fortune and Mathijs Lucassen are part of an Auckland University team of research fellows developing content for the e-therapy game.

Mathijs Lucassen, PhD student in the department of psychological medicine, says the game will have a sleek and engaging look similar to Grand Theft Auto.

Mr Lucassen says it's important the game relates to New Zealand; and incorporates Kiwi accents and imagery.

"Resources from overseas never quite sound right for a New Zealand audience,” he says.

However, it will not be a "game" in the sense of winning or loosing. The aim is for players to learn valuable life skills; such as problem solving and goal setting.

"We can’t control everything, but we can control how we react to things," says Mr Lucassen.

The game's structure is based on cognitive behaviour theory; which attempts to map the thought processes and actions of depressed people.

"The link is between how you feel and how you act on those feelings. Those actions often cause the smallest things to blow way out of proportion," says Dr Fortune.

She says although cases of depression have steadily gone down for the past 20 years; New Zealand youth are still having a hard time dealing with depression in comparison with other western nations.

"They are a small sub-group, but they make a big impact," Dr Fortune says.

The game's 3D platform will be set on a pan-pacific island, and players will be able to select from different characters and customise their appearance.

"There is nothing commercially available like this,” Mr Lucassen says.

Karolina Stasiak, a psychologist and part of the research team, developed the idea of using a game platform to administer e-therapy during her PhD studies.

Ms Stasiak ran pilot studies of the game in high schools around Auckland, and said student reaction was encouraging.

"Other types of e-therapy games tend to be basic and a little boring,” says Ms Stasiak.

Work began in February this year and the team is hoping to have a trail version ready early next year.

Skype-style counseling

Anil Thapliyal, general manager of Lifeline, says what needs to be addressed is whether or not the mental health system is responding.

"We found the John Kirwan media campaign about depression was just not reaching the youth,” says Mr Thapliyal.

Six months ago Lifeline launched The Lowdown website; aimed at 14-24 year-olds suffering from depression.

The website's interactive, tech savvy interface adds to its success, and it attracted over 40,000 hits in the first three months.

"But we cannot run a static forum, there needs to be human mitigation behind it,” says Mr Thapliyal.

Dylan Norton, manager of e-therapy services at Lifeline, is working on a new one-to-one counselling service set to be incorporated into The Lowdown within the next few months.

The software will be similar to Skype, but function with an interactive side bar where anything relating to the discussion can be posted; such as links to web pages, inspirational verses and music.

"It’s designed for learning purposes, and to be more interactive than Skype," said Mr Norton.

He says The Lowdown helps normalise depression for young people, and lets them see that others are struggling with issues similar to their own.

The website uses modes familiar to youth, such as text messaging, email and social networking.

"The website allows people to get a response instantly, and for them to know someone is concerned for them right now.

"It allows people to post messages of support for each other: thousands of messages. For me it's a real privilege to work with people who open up to it,” says Mr Norton.

Mr Norton has worked with online group counselling before, but the participants were already his clients.

He says in New Zealand one-to-one e-therapy has not been used before.

Dr Fortune says new technologies for therapy have always been put through the grinder.

"When telephone counselling first arrived people were saying it would be dangerous and not helpful, but there are always people who say it can’t be done."

The Lowdown incorporates guidance from celebrities who have suffered depression, including C4 presenter Jane Yee, Dave Gibson of Elemeno P, and Awa of Nesian Mystic.

The website is rich with video diaries from local musicians, actors and everyday people who post tales of their struggles with depression. A multimedia section offers songs from Scribe, The Mint Chicks, Pluto and others.

In one public video posting on The Lowdown, a young woman talks about her battles with depression:
“I couldn’t understand why going to a councillor would help me, you know. I really didn’t think there was anything they knew that was actually going to make my life any better.

“And I found out a lot of the listening your friends and your family offer is sometimes not the listening you need.

“You need somebody who is wise in the area, and can listen and accept your experience for what it is.”

Mr Thapliyal says there is inconsistency in the messages youth get from the media, but that the media has also been positive in engaging with depression issues.

"The thing you have to ask is; without the media how would someone know where to turn to, or direct someone when they need help?”

Lifeline is leading New Zealand's e-therapy services, and employs staff 24/7 to monitor phone lines, text messages and web pages.

Text services to The Lowdown are free (text: 5626), and Lifeline offers a free-call line; 0800 543 354, similar to Youthline: 0800 376 633.

The New Zealand Association for Adolescent Health and Development (NZAAHD) coordinates Youth Week, and this year is advocating a Hoodie Day to show support for youth and challenge stereotypes.

Hoodie Day is on the Friday 30 May, and NZAAHD asks everyone to wear a Hoodie to express support for the youth of New Zealand.

For further information go to: www.youthweek.co.nz. or http://www.thelowdown.co.nz/.

Scoop: http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0805/S00400.htm

& The University of Auckland: http://www.fmhs.auckland.ac.nz/faculty/newsandevents/news_details.aspx?ArticleId=524

University Press - Debate Magazine - March 2008

2008-10-11T17:51:00.000-07:00

Traditional Knowledge conference

An older wisdom descend upon the University of Auckland yesterday when indigenous leaders from around the world gathered to provide fresh perspectives on conflict resolution.

The bi-annual Traditional Knowledge Conference brought together more than 300 delegates from around the world, including 26 Hawaiians, American Indians, and a shaman.

Hosted by Nga Pae o te Maramatanga, the Maori Centre of Research Excellence, the international conference invited speakers to discuss traditional modes of conflict resolution.

Grant Hawke, Ngati Whatua Orakei Maori Trust Board chairman, spoke on the opening night about the recent 30 year anniversary of the Bastion Point occupation.

He says the role Maori have played in promoting passive resistance is a central theme of contemporary Maori conflict resolution, and one which has resonated throughout the world.

"There are very few chances for indigenous people looking for some advice in these areas to gather. A lot of people look towards New Zealand for ideas in negotiating over colonial issues."

Mr Hawke says there is a lot of international focus on New Zealand due to the evolution of Maori resistance and reconciliation, and the rarity of the Treaty of Waitangi.

"Maori used passive resistance back in the 1800s, before Ghandi and India caught on, and continued that thinking through to when we occupied Bastion Point.

"We still have a long way to go for Maori in society, but there have been some large attitude changes in certain communities."

Dr Joseph Te Rito, programme leader at the Maori Centre of Research Excellence, says the idea of peace is paramount, and talk of passive resistance was the key point at the conference.

"Any ideas to help indigenous people, outside of taking up arms, are positive," he says.

Dr Huirangi Waikerepuru, Ngāpuhi Taranaki, spoke on the opening night about Taranaki during the 1880s.

In Parihaka Maori employed tactics of passive resistance, such as removing surveying pegs and staging peaceful demonstrations to occupy land; efforts which were countered with forced removal by Government troops.

"The Maori tradition of warrior to resolve conflict, was transformed into a stoic passive warrior who against all inclinations would not raise a hand to his assailant.

"They may have had the guns (colonial troops). But we had the mana," says Dr Waikerepuru.

Dr Te Rito says the spreading of knowledge on conflict resolution is vital at a time when land and resources are continuing to be taken from indigenous people the world over.

"It will allow indigenous people to put their views out to the world, when there are not so many forums for doing so."

He says indigenous people from around the world look up to Maori, and many Maori ideas are revolutionary to them.

"This is a great opportunity to bring great mines of information together from around the world, and New Zealand, to exchange ideas.

"The indigenous people learn from us - we are leaders in many regards," says Dr Te Rito.

Mr Hawke says, although talk is constructive, some areas of Maori knowledge are struggling, such as Kōhanga Reo; a pre-school Maori language programme for young children.

"I seems being bi-lingual is not seen [by the government] as a positive thing in our schools."

Dr Te Rito says another goal of the conference is to help transform New Zealand society; into one where Maori have more standing.

He says Maori knowledge is booming, and the Maori Centre of Research Excellence has already reached its target of creating 500 new Maori PhDs.

Delegates received a traditional Maori welcome at the University Waipapa Marae, and were treated to a distinct kind of Kiwi knowledge in a live performance by the Herbs Unplugged.

Community workshops and presentations from grassroots groups, such as the Women's Refuge, played as important a role as academic presentation.

"We want to build a two-way process between academia and the community; there will be a full range of thoughts and ideas, pragmatists and all sorts.

"We want community engagement, so the talk is not all ivory tower stuff," says Dr Te Rito.

University Press - Debate Magazine - April 2008

2008-10-11T17:46:00.000-07:00

A planned Money Drop at Western Springs leaves 'V' fans empty-handed

Hundreds of people streamed into Western Springs Stadium yesterday, thinking they would leave with handfuls of cash plucked from thin air; but the paper chase, organised by 'V' Energy Drink, never materialised.

At the last minute Frucor, producer of 'V', called off the $30,000 money grab; after authorities expressed concern for public safety.

Joshua Brown-Tungatoa, studying chiropractic at AUT, was in the turned away crowd, left only with dashed dreams and a can of V.

He think people would have been in personal danger; “they picked the wrong city to go giving money out in.

“If someone has half a note in hand and someone else has the other half; it could be a recipe for disaster.

“It was packed out, and it’s all pretty disappointing as people have come from all over Auckland,” said Mr Brown-Tungatoa.

The public were alerted to the cancellation through ‘The Peoples Republic of V’, a bebo webpage where the event was initially publicised.

Dave Stewart, bookings manager at Western Springs Stadium, says security would have been up to scratch, but during school holidays the event would have been "too dangerous".

“There would have been a lot of younger kids out there, who could have been bashed for the money.

“I think this came to light once they saw how built up this event had become by word of mouth,” says Mr Stewart.

Angela Mace, Frucor’s PR agent, said the authorities had expressed concern.

“It’s a shame it was left to the last minute to call off, but that’s something we cannot avoid,” says Ms Mace.

The money drop was intended to take place at Western Springs Park, but after authorities raised concerns, it was moved to the more contained area of the stadium.

“We are still giving the money away, and just trying to find an appropriate means to do so,” says Ms Mace.

She says the $30,000 in five dollar notes would be delivered as soon as possible to consumers of 'V' energy drink in Auckland.

The event was publicised through the bebo webpage; which has around 10,000 members, and local radio in Auckland also spread the word.

The 'V' money drop has similarly been called off in Christchurch and Dunedin; where the event was planned to be held at University campuses.

University Press - Craccum - April 2008

2008-10-11T17:37:00.000-07:00

"Follow the money" - The "Sheriff of Wall Street" and the Texan cowboy

Examination of Eliot Spitzer's breathtaking story brings to mind the media's treatment of the fall of Enron, who along with Exxon-Mobil were one of the two top funding contributors to the White House. Very few linked Enron's shameful demise with the revolution and rise of Rafael Correa in Ecuador - and subsequently the end of Enron's attempts to privatize Ecuadorian water. Enron put off the fall of their empire for months, but when it came, all the skeletons were laid bare.

Within the New York Governor's story skeletons abound. When the New York Times broke the news on Governor Spitzer's sex scandal, the angle they portrayed circled the world over the news wires. Within 24 hours just about everyone in the connected world held the same view: another sleaze bag politician was falling from grace. The reputation of all of Spitzer's past work was instantly tainted as unquotable.

These type of stories serve the purpose of today's media to a tee; scandal, controversy and dirty, sexy money. After any news story has hit the headlines it enters the 'news cycle,' in which all evidence, fact and suspicion surrounding the news is given a fine tooth comb treatment. The fool's trick of the media is their selectivity in regard to which surrounding evidence they examine – the same selectively which gives precedent to certain events and people.

Why do media normally follow simplistic lines of inquiry? In almost every country the Spitzer facts were presented straight off the wire, and the New York Time's forceful demands for Spitzer's resignation were faithfully duplicated. No debate arose asking if keeping Spitzer was in the interest of not only the people of New York, but also those of America, and perhaps the world.

Keeping the public interest alive

The bulk of stories which spawned from the Spitzer affair were predominantly human interest, as politics fell into the background of a story with deep roots in the political-economy.

In the New Zealand media hard news was difficult to come by; as all surrounding stories took human interest angles. They followed a social perspective of the events and shied well clear of any political-economy analysis. Newspapers gave much attention to the 10 minutes of fame Spitzer's call girl bathed in. The National Business Review made some fair comment about Spitzer biting his own bullet, but like television coverage, was tabloid and brief.

Nowhere in my research did I come across a shred of information detailing the work Spitzer was involved in when he was taken down. The media failed to follow a decisive lead that connected the current American administration to the bank induced credit crunch. They failed to loudspeaker this message to the world. This massively important understanding of the inner workings of America's dire financial system, massive debt, and growing poverty were destined only for the electronic media.

There are skeletons abound

No one is defending the "family values" political hypocrisy that spelled the end of Spitzer's governance of New York. Balanced reporting in this case seems to be fair, if only skin deep. The overall tone of news reporting was concerned with sexual deviance, infidelity and political contradiction. These were evidently the guts of the Spitzer story - but if one digs deeper there are aspects which leave much room for speculation.

Qualms are raised when we see how closely related Spitzer was to the mortgage crisis in America. This information was glazed over, and the timing of Spitzer's political work in exposing that critical information never ventured into the mainstream media. There are outright ethical issues which gain much attention: gay marriage, abortion and religion. However, typically the politics which lie behind economic decisions rarely enter the public sphere.

Beyond the fact of why Spitzer was ordering a call girl to Washington, should have been the question; why was Spitzer in Washington? Greg Palast, journalist and former investigator of financial fraud, believes we should follow the money in this case. In doing so he draws a line in the sand between the financial crisis in the US and the exposing of Spitzer by the Justice Department. "Spitzer was in Washington to launch a campaign to take on the Bush regime and the biggest financial powers on the planet," Palast says.

The day following that fateful night in Washington, Spitzer published an article in the Washington Post titled: 'Predatory Lenders' Partner in Crime - How the Bush Administration Stopped the States from Stepping In to Help Consumers.' In which Spitzer wrote: "Not only did the Bush administration do nothing to protect consumers, it embarked on an aggressive and unprecedented campaign to prevent states from protecting their residents from the very problems to which the federal government was turning a blind eye.

"When history tells the story of the subprime lending crisis and recounts its devastating effects on the lives of so many innocent homeowners the Bush administration will not be judged favourably," wrote Spitzer.

The article flourished in the electronic world but was glazed over by all other world newspapers and television news stations. And it is that lack, that omission, from each and every major media outlet on earth that leads one to question the validity of the mainstream media in conveying one of the largest economic issues we collectively face. Palast's article tells the story of America's credit crunch and the catalysts for a financial crisis which has affected the world. Before the Federal Reserve could hand $200 billion to the mortgage bank industry speculators, who had fuelled the crisis, they had one hurdle. "There was one single, lonely politician who stood in the way of this creepy little assignation at the bankers' bordello: Eliot Spitzer," wrote Palast.

Another news angle could have been to gauge precedents set by past federal stings on prostitution-rings. After the public bemusement, but ultimate forgiveness of a meddling Clinton, Spitzer's treatment seems all the more harsh. Palast cites one such case of 'discretion' in which: "the Republican Senator of Louisiana paid Washington DC prostitutes to put him in diapers, yet was not exposed by the US prosecutors busting the pimp-ring that pampered him. Naming and shaming and ruining Spitzer – rarely done in these cases –was made at the 'discretion' of Bush's Justice Department. Or maybe we should say, 'indiscretion.'"

Real drafts of History

It seems a deep divide has been forged between investigative, critical journalism, and the 'other' journalism which parades on our news pages and screens. If newspapers want to continue being regarded as the first drafts of history, perhaps they should aspire to being more than an orator of established order. Today's popular history is told by the victors of the corporate media war. But the real drafts of history are being written in the halls of electronic media, where the political economy receives attention for the interest of humanity, not for human interest.

Time and time again the mainstream media are shown as hollow shells of official information reproduction – they only pipe up once the shit hits the fan. As accessibility to news increases the problem of agenda setting within the mainstream is shown to stunt the media's ability to perform as a watch dog of the nation. Spitzer's arrogance and his lust may have been his downfall, but perhaps the arrogance and lust for profit which drives our media may be the downfall of us all.

North Shore Times - 20 March 2008

2008-10-11T17:33:00.000-07:00

Anonymous $1000 donation realises dream challenge

A recent $1000 donation has realised the dream of four young North Shore town planners to compete in Oxfam's annual 'Trailwalker' event, held in Taupo.

The four fronted a $400 fee to enter the fundraising stage but needed to raise a further $2000 to compete.

The team of Zita Talaic, Kareema Fuard, Jo Callis and Jessica Rippingale have been fundraising through friends, family and bake sales for the past month, and found the target fairly daunting.

Until last week they were $1000 under the cut off point for entry.
That was until news of the anonymous donation circulated amongst the girls.

"Do what I can't and slog your guts out for a good cause! I know you can do it," wrote the anonymous donator on the teams fundraising page.

Team member Miss Talaic found out about the donation when she received the baffling text: "Who gave us $1000?"

"We're all still completely in the dark, but a few of the girls joke that we have a stalker," she said of the mystery donor.

The 100km trail at Lake Taupo takes around 36 hours to walk, with competitors trekking through the night to complete the charitable journey.

Miss Talaic said: "my feet are going to die but I'm looking forward to the challenge of making it through together; we're going to need each other to keep going."

The Oxfam 'Trailwalker' runs from the 5-6 of April at Lake Taupo.

University Press - Debate Magazine - March 2008

2008-10-11T16:51:00.000-07:00

Culture Stock Column

Germany has always held a certain enigma for me, as for many New Zealanders, contriving thoughts of Aryan wars and screeching little moustached men. My late Grandfather once growled at me: “Those Germans are bastard’s son, not to be trusted”. My sombre view of Germany was fuelled by my one-legged (an ode to German anti-aircraft guns) Grandfather’s stance, and my altruistic father’s painfully deep hatred for war. College didn’t improve this state of affairs much, as the social sciences taught me much of what my Grandfather had said was true. Aside, it probably didn’t help matters that my SS teacher was nicknamed Mr Growler.

After meeting a few fabulous exchange students, my bastardised view of these German creatures was flung into deft confusion. I had to realise that no current generation is responsible for the failings of their parents’ generation; be it psychotically murderous or just plain Jesus-freak dull. I was hell bent on finding out if Germans were really all twisted with evil. Selected exposure had shown me they were not, but I needed solid proof.

Upon my colossally jetlagged arrival into Deutschland I was greeted with a large, perfectly constructed, colourful ‘KIA ORA’ flag amongst a sombre looking crowd; obviously rather interested in the whole affair. I felt like an embarrassed pop star. You know the kind; famous for doing odd shit they never want people to pick up on. My friend’s family greeted me with warmth, and many very practical questions – the sort of questions I wondered why I'd never asked of myself.

Whilst travelling 180 km/hr towards my friend’s home upon racetrack roads I became quite perplexed about it all. Prior to arrival I had spent four months in Brazil, and this place was culture shocking me like an Orwellian poem. Once, while riding in a friend’s car we were overtaken and brought to a dead stop in the middle of the road by a middle-aged-man in a massive grey Mercedes. The guy had been tailgating and I, in great Kiwi fashion, had flipped him the bird. He threw his freaking towel in; threatening to call the police and bring down martial law – until my friends explained I was just a simple-minded fellow from way down south somewhere where all of England’s riff-raff had scuttled off to. Unaccustomed to the regulations of course: flipping the bird on German roads is illegal.

Apart from this odd cultural hiccup, my visit to Germany went brilliantly. I was treated wonderfully everywhere I went, be it visiting friends or travelling solo. The persistence of townsfolk wanting me to sample their brews rivalled the gusto of Italians wanting to get me completely legless on homebrew red wine. The Germans divulge great interest in New Zealand, and many uncomfortable times I had to indulge their curiosity; being interviewed by local newspapers to talk up the Kiwi/Middle Earth beat.

A few straight cats cringed upon the fact they had to act benevolently to this primitive sloth that was my non-stringent, dreamy, utopian, publicly schooled mind. Culturing and pushing the talented to achieve their potential in any area is a blessing; even if it does produce a few terribly intelligent tossers. But you know, lots of Germans are not naturally cool. As a general rule they have to experience other cultures, understand what cool is, and then completely kick our ass at it. The Dutch never liked the Germans; they didn’t laugh convincingly enough at their floating houses and windmills.

In one of my newspaper interviews I talked about how the German youth have a great openness and boldness to them. How despite doubts of unemployment and a tainted history, the majority of people I met were optimistic about the future. How exchange programs between our countries are very beneficial to cultural integration and understanding. I spoke of how even being half a world away the similarities between the majority of youth from their country and ours is immense: desire for travel, acceptance of cultures, peace and human rights. They are an opinionated people, and have excellent media to back up their measured ranting. I also encountered elders whose enthusiasm in taking the time to discuss their families’ stories was humbling: many disgusted at what had happened to Germany because of the war. There was revealed to me a flipside of those terrible deeds of war; the Germans were never allowed to publicly mourn their dead boys. It’s a shame one newspaper titled my article: “New Zealander enthusiastic about Autobahn.”

Granted, I saw a fair share of ‘skins’ and scepticism about the Turkish bid for acceptance in the European Union was visible – which Germany strongly opposes. On the whole, especially within cosmopolitan areas, Germany’s reputation as a racist nation was not visible to me. The United States and Russia now have multiple more Nazi groups than Germany, although xenophobia still resonates through certain sectors of society. There is great pride in the country, the towns are clean, the beer is amazing, and the school systems are rigorously stringent, yet students strive to meet the standards. Many people I met spoke three languages at 20 years of age. My little country syndrome was badly kicked around; so for the sake of pride I occasionally pretended to speak Maori: “Ka pai tu meke, kia ora tenakoto katou, wai wai whakahine… Ka’mo he.”

The Germans have marvellous systems of efficiently. They know how to get things done: public transport, road systems, recycling, and training for the decline of the industrial economy; such as for green technology. To be fair; many of them don’t relax enough - especially evident after witnessing life on Italian time. Once, a friend declined an invitation to go play pool. His straight-faced reply to me was: “I do not come. There are uneven numbers of people.”

Link: http://ausm.org.nz/debate/featured-articles/a-look-at-germany.html

University Press - Debate Magazine - February 2008

2008-10-11T16:42:00.000-07:00

Culture Stock Column

Standing in my family kitchen during a reprieve from real life I drank deep from the kitchen tap, let out a loud "Ahhh" and marvelled at the trees. It was written by a dwarf somewhere that reverse culture shock is more shocking than proper culture shock. Evidently it does depend on the fishbowl you're looking through.
Anyone who has seen a few genuine Asian flea markets wishes they hadn't – once you wittness a million chicks painted every colour of the rainbow; inside is born a quiet deterioration of the desire to feed upon the stuff. Distractingly, there is also no wonder why girls fed estrogen-pumped chicken have such large breasts at such tender ages. And were hatch farms given the OK by all those Disney movies? Look again folks: they all live in little happy-time adventure chicken communities - YAY.

While skating in London I realised why us 'god's zone' creatures got the hell out of there. And witnessing Mexico City's 30 million people made me realise our greatest challenge; surviving this revolution into post-industrial, gasoline-free, information saturated world.
I count my blessings that Auckland has not followed down the path of Sao Paulo, Brazil, and still allows outdoor advertising. It was close to not being so, but for the entire advertising staff of Auckland weeping, very publicly, in front of the council. I ominously bless this fact, as it allows a glaring assessment of our culture industry. Taken in by waxy, shadowed eyes the giant slogans little impressed me after witnessing the fervour and saturation of the Latin American advertising markets. Still, these giant juxtaposed posters did justice to my Auckland arrival: DIRTY, SEXY, MONEY. And next door: ITS ALL GOOD.

Thrown back into the midst of Auckland politics I can only laugh at our pale perception of such a well functioning, underappreciated, society. However, democratically it's healthy to want more from your politicians and country, and we complain because we want the best for our city and country. But without due complement to the achievements and the servants of society we seem to come across as another healthy democracy screaming: 'want, want, want – moan, moan, moan'. Its madness, seeing such blasphemy being thrown at our medical professionals when Cubans live for a dime with some of the top health figures on the globe – bar their consumption of cigars.

The manic Auckland bikers peddled out by Metro made for a laugh: if you're mad enough to ride a bike in certain parts of Auckland then you deserve to be laughed at, but not abused. The Herald's new addition of 'green pages' came as a pleasant surprise; but still scratches the surface as we have no public subsidies for solar panels, water tanks or wind mills, and furthermore no funding for alternative transport technology: the foundations for building a green society. And with GNS Science about to unveil details of a find off East Cape that could be as big as the Taranaki oil field; Crown Minerals could continue to make a carbon killing.

Finally, the old hybrid vehicles are still running their marketing cycle; currently in the under produced and highly demanded phase – gee thanks guys!