The film made its debut at the New Zealand International Film Festival in 2015. Video: JourneymanVOD
By TJ Aumua in Auckland
Co-producer Christina Milligan (left) with Peace Foundation board member Tom Ang and other co-producer Roger Grant (far right). Film director Kim Webby is currently in Vanuatu opening the documentary at another film festival. Image: Ngā Aho Whakaari
Filmmakers of the New Zealand documentary Price of Peace were honoured this week with the producers receiving an award for their contribution to “peace and aroha”.
Director Kim Webby with co-producers Christina Milligan and Roger Grant were recipients of the Te Pou Tatau Pounamu NZ Peace Foundation Award at the Ngā Aho Whakaari (Māori in Screen Production) 20th Anniversary.
Milligan told the Pacific Media Centre that they were honoured to be recognised by their peers and the film community.
She added the film has achieved more success than they had hoped for, reaching mainstream and indigenous audiences around the world.
Tūhoe activist
The film provides exclusive access to the word of Tūhoe activist Wairere Tame Iti and the trial of the Urewera Four’ in which Iti and three others were accused of plotting terrorist activities in 2007.
International screenings
International screenings of the film continue this week, with the documentary being featured in the Margaret Mead Film Festival at the American Museum of Natural History in New York.
The Pacific Islands Forum continues to push urgency towards limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees, putting pressure on the negotiated well below 2 degrees goal of the Paris Agreement.
The chair of the PIF and President of the Federated States of Micronesia, Peter Christian, said limiting the temperature goal is critical to safeguard the wellbeing and existence of people in the Pacific.
“This is something the Forum is pushing very hard for because together the current, intended nationally determined contributions still fall considerably short of even reaching the ‘well below 2 degrees’ goal that was agreed to in Paris.”
‘Rapid response’
However, Christian praised the political will of the countries that prioritised their ratification of the Paris Agreement last week. This has enabled the Agreement to come into force from November 4, 2016.
“The Pacific called for a rapid response from the world to address the issues stemming from climate change, and we are very happy to see these first important steps being completed.
“While there is still a lot of work to be done, to see the global community rise to this challenge in this way gives us great hope.”
Next steps
President Christian said that from here the next steps were to ensure that the first meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement and the 22nd Conference of the Parties (COP22) in Marrakech in November, produces increased commitment for climate change action and resilience.
Across the Ditch: Australian radio FiveAA.com.au’s Peter Godfrey and EveningReport.nz’s Selwyn Manning deliver their weekly bulletin Across the Ditch. This week Peter and Selwyn go deep on the euthanasia debate. New Zealand politicians are hearing verbal submissions on the pros and cons of euthanasia. But should we be cautious about letting politicians legislate on this very very very important issue?
FIRST UP
Weather comparison
Currency comparison
Headlines roundup
ITEM ONE:Euthanasia – The NZ Parliament has begun hearing submissions on euthanasia, largely from people wishing to give a verbal rationale on whether politicians ought to consider making euthanasia legal in New Zealand.
Political parties in New Zealand are warming to the idea of getting a bill before the house that would make it legal for people in New Zealand to receive assistance with ending their lives.
For background, here is a link to an editorial I wrote on euthanasia.
I have written editorials against euthanasia, basing my argument on investigative reporting I did in the 1990s when the then National led Government brought in (through stealth) exclusion criteria affecting those seeking life saving treatments like dialysis.
The back then, doctors treating people suffering end stage renal failure were presented with criteria that excluded their patients from accessing renal dialysis treatment if they were blind, had a history of mental illness, intellectual disability, displayed antisocial behaviour, had a criminal conviction, were over 65 years of age.
The government’s move to stop people getting this life saving treatment was largely fiscally motivated. The criteria was supposed to remain secret. I discovered the Minister had authorised it and had the government’s health finding authority present the criteria to doctors as an ethical framework through which they could ascertain what categories of people would be prevented from accessing dialysis.
The reportage caused a political furore. Urgent Parliamentary debates followed… In the end the then Minister of Health Jenny Shipley (later prime minister) was forced to ditch the exclusion criteria policy and disestablish the Core Health Services Committee that she set up to drive such policies.
At that time, the National Government was able to legally exclude people on this basis as it had passed a law that excluded government entities from having to work within the ‘constraints’ of the human rights act.
Leaked official documents I obtained back then revealed how the Health Minister was about to roll out exclusion criteria for coronary care, oncology care, basically all areas of health care where it was considered a heavy fiscal burden on the State.
On euthanasia… My argument is, that based on the experiences of reporting the exclusion criteria issue in the 1990s, my concern today is: euthanasia laws, while well meaning, could be used by future governments as a means of addressing fiscal pressures and a way to reduce the State’s continuing care cost-burdens.
If the politicians really want to debate the merits of euthanasia, I say, first, let them answer this: As the baby boomer generation ages, at what point does the fiscal burden on the State become politically unsustainable?
Here in New Zealand it does appear that point is getting closer.
ITEM TWOSport – While Australia’s Wallabies played themselves back toward respectability last weekend beating Argentina’s Pumas 31 – 21… Spare a thought for the poor ole Springboks. The All Blacks beat them in Durban 57 -15!
The win notched up a rugby world record with the All Blacks having now won 17 international tests without any losses.
Even the POMEs are saying this is the best international team ever to play the game, and Aussie rugby great Marc Ella says the Kiwis can’t be beaten when Australia turns out for a hiding at Auckland’s Eden Park on Saturday October 22.
To lay it on thick, Australia hasn’t beaten New Zealand at rugby at Eden Park since 1983. That’s 33 years! Can you guys do it? Well, let’s wait and see.
Don’t worry though, the Cricket season will soon be upon us :)]]>
A major solar energy project in Manu’a, American Samoa, will bring the island nation a step closer to having one hundred percent renewable energy.
American Samoa Power Authority’s renewable energy project manager, Mike Langier, discussed the Manu’a projects at the American Samoa Economic Development Authority Board.
He said at the moment gallons of diesel is shipped to American Samoa for power.
“On average we are shipping around 55 to 60 barrels of diesel over to those islands a week.
‘It is not the cleanest method’, he said.
“When we reduce our diesel consumption to almost zero, at least for the generators, it will be pretty amazing.”
The biggest project is based in Ta’u and would supply 1.4 megawatts of power.
The system consists of solar photovaltaic panels which converts sunlight directly into electricity. It will also include six-hours of battery storage, three back up generators and provide for 100 percent of Ta’u’s power supply.
On Ofu, a smaller size solar project is being built. It will provide 80 percent of power for Ofu and Olosega.
Secrecy has returned to Trans Pacific Partnership negotiations with doubt that the current agreement will survive the United States presidential elections. And this week, it has emerged that some of the TPP membership nations will meet in Geneva in early December to nut out what can be salvaged prior to the inauguration of the newly elected US president.
[caption id="attachment_6181" align="alignleft" width="150"] Professor Jane Kelsey.[/caption]
According to New Zealand-based University of Auckland law expert and opponent of the TPP deal, Professor Jane Kelsey “while attention focuses on the fate of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) many of its key elements have been flipped across to the equally secretive negotiations in Geneva for the Trade in Services Agreement (TiSA)”.
“Some parts of TiSA go even further,” according to professor Kelsey.
Trade Ministers from the 23 negotiating parties, including the US, EU, Japan, Australia and New Zealand, plan to meet in Geneva on 5-6 December when they hope to wind up a deal that has remained largely under the radar.
‘I was in Geneva last month and met with a number of government delegations. They confirmed that TiSA is intended as a “21st century” deal for transnational corporations. The new focus is on e-services, which will benefit the digital behemoths like Google, Amazon and Uber’, Professor Kelsey said.
‘Their goal, as with TPPA, is to put handcuffs on future governments’ right to regulate. Perhaps the most frightening would pre-empt governments from regulating so-called “new services”, including as yet unknown new technologies.’
‘Equally worrying, given this country’s litany of failed deregulation, privatisation and free market experiments in services, is the idea that treatment of foreign firms should never be less liberal than now (‘standstill’) and any future liberalisation should be locked in automatically (“ratchet).’
As with the TPPA information on TiSA relies largely on a steady stream of leaks posted on Wikileaks and more recently by Greenpeace on energy services.
‘Trade Minister Todd McClay made much of his plan to be much more open about future negotiations, but he has retreated further down the rabbit hole’, according to Professor Kelsey.
The EU, Norway, Switzerland and some others have published what they are offering the other countries, as was done in earlier WTO negotiations on services – including by New Zealand.
McClay has refused to do the same, citing the need to protect future negotiations. Professor Kelsey described that as ‘spurious nonsense designed to prevent in-depth scrutiny of what New Zealand is up to before we are presented with another done deal.’
‘TiSA could have more direct impacts on New Zealand’s future policy space than the TPPA. We know, for example, New Zealand has been pushing hard to get other countries to lock open their doors to private education providers. I assume they are promising to do the same. The non-discrimination rule may see proposed legislation to guarantee public subsidies to private providers, including foreign education firms, locked in without the possibility of change.’
Professor Kelsey will give a media briefing on TiSA and latest developments on the TPPA in the US and other countries on Wednesday October 12, at 10.30, Level 14, Bowen House, 70/84 Lambton Quay.
An online petition to drop the defamation case against two East Timorese journalist’s is calling for urgent international support, stating that the prosecution of the journalists is an attack on press freedom and right to information.
Former Timor Post journalists, Oki Raimundos and Lourenco Martina Vicente are being charged with “slanderous denunciation” by the Timor Leste government and face up to three years’ imprisonment.
“We are urgently calling on Timor Leste’s Prime Minister, Rui Maria de Araújo, and his government to drop all charges against Oki Raimundos and Lourenco Vicente immediately.”
Factual error
The case against the journalists is based on a published report from 10 November 2015, which contained a factual error on a government tendering process.
The outlet apologised, published a correction and right of reply from the prime minister’s office in relation to the story. Despite this, the government has persisted with the prosecution.
Timor Leste’s media law was previously criticised for being “repressive” and “draconian” when it was passed in 2014.
West Papua will be granted full membership of the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) in December, 2016.
The Vanuatu Daily Post reported that the announcement was made by the chairman of the MSG and prime minister of the Solomon Islands, Manasseh Sogavare, while he met with the chairman of Vanuatu Free West Papua Association, Pastor Allan Nafuki and prominent West Papua prominent leaders Jacob Rumbiak, Benny Wenda and Andy Ayamiseba in Port Vila last week.
‘overdue smile’
The Daily Post stated: “The Chairman of VFWPA said he smiled a long overdue smile and breathed a sigh of relief saying, ‘Now I can go to my home island of Erromango and have a peaceful sleep with my grandchildren, with no disturbance whatsoever.’”
At the 71st Session of the United Nations General Assembly, this year in September, Pacific Islands leaders from the Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu supported West Papua’s right to self determination. They also called on the UN to investigate the country’s ongoing human rights abuses.
It was the first time several Pacific Island leaders spoke collectively about West Papua on a global platform.
During the time of the Assembly a new report which detailed the human rights violations in West Papua and explained why full MSG membership is an essential step for peace was published online. The research aimed to convince Pacific leaders on providing full membership of the MSG to the ULMWP.
‘incredible solidarity’
Over the weekend the ULMWP released a statement thanking the island nations for their support.
“On behalf of the people of West Papua, the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) would like to express its deepest and sincerest thanks and encouragement to you all for your incredible solidarity and support for our people, at the 71st Session of the United Nations General Assembly.”
“It brings tears to our eyes and joy to our hearts to witness such strong Pacific Island solidarity for our people who have suffered the most sever human rights violations for over 50 years.”
Fijian language week celebrations over the weekend addressed the revival of the language for future generations in New Zealand. But the past was not forgotten. The community acknowledged their ancestors and the precious gifts they have left for the community today. TJ Aumua reports.
It was a weekend filled with Fijian culture and tradition as the community gathered at the Auckland Museum this week to open celebrations for Fijian language week.
On Saturday morning Fijian leaders from all around the country came together for the first time to address issues that are affecting the community living in New Zealand.
With the community’s population growing fast in Auckland, the leaders were concerned that approximately seven percent of New Zealand-born Fijians cannot speak the language.
The President of the Fiji Community Association of Auckland (FCAA), Naca Yalimaiwai, said it is important for Fijian youth to grow-up surrounded by their language so they can identify with their culture and who they are.
“It’s important to maintain that reputation of who we are when we come away from Fiji,” he said.
In the afternoon, the community turned out in big numbers for the launch of the Fijian collection at the museum.
‘Fijian treasures’
The collection of ancient Fijian artefacts was officially named: ‘Nai Yau Vakaviti: Na Ka Marequiti’ which translates into: ‘Our Fijian Treasures: That are treasured’.
The community said a special blessing for the items, acknowledging the culture, tradition and skill of their ancestors.
The exhibition is a part of the Pacific Collection Access Project at the Auckland Museum. It has, for the very time, allowed communities to view an extensive look into the Pacific collections they store.
The collection will continuing viewing until July 2017.
Across the Ditch: Australian radio FiveAA.com.au’s Peter Godfrey and EveningReport.nz’s Selwyn Manning deliver their weekly bulletin Across the Ditch. This week Peter and Selwyn discuss how former New Zealand prime minister Helen Clark’s bid has ended for the UN secretary general position. Also, a BIG storm looms for NZ, and also All Black Aaron Smith has been sent back to New Zealand after a scandal emerged.
FIRST UP:Weather comparisonCurrency comparisonHeadlines roundupITEM ONE:
Former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark’s bid for the United Nations secretary general job has concluded after the UN security council’s permanent five members exercised their votes over night. It is believed the USA, Russia, and France gave Clark the red card.
Helen Clark has congratulated winner Portugal’s former prime minister and former head of the UN’s refugee body, Antonio Guterres.
Guterres came through the security council members vote with a green-light, meaning he was well ahead of all other contenders.
ITEM TWO:Weather – New Zealand Civil Defence has issued a weather warning for Thursday and Friday, forecasting gales, lighting, flooding, and possible tornadoes threatening the North Island and upper South Island.
The storm is approaching only days after the country had a good drenching from the storm that hit South Australia so hard last week, knocking out your power.
By the time it crossed the ditch, the sting in the storm had eased, but the ground in NZ is still saturated, and with another significant storm looming, the expectation is that flooding and slips will occur.
ITEM THREE:Sport – With Aussie’s Wallabies off to Argentina to play the Pumas this weekend, the All Blacks head to Durban to take on the Springboks on their home soil. And, key All Black halfback Aaron Smith is heading home from South Africa after information emerged that he and his girlfriend entered a disabled persons public toilet at Christchurch Airport. The All Black senior management spoke to Smith and instructed that he be sent home before the All Blacks V Springbok game scheduled for this Sunday.]]>
Scientists in Samoa have issued a dire warning about the fate of the national bird, which features on the country’s bank notes and coins.
Acccording to ABC News the manumea has been on the brink of extinction for several years.
Conservationist Gianluca Serra is leading a team employed by the Samoan government to stop the bird from disappearing.
He told Mandie Sami of ABC News the situation was desperate.
“There are probably only a few dozens birds left in Samoa,” he said.
Serra said the manumea is a species of pigeon and is special because it is only found in Samoa and is the last surviving relative of the extinct dodo bird.
He said hunting was a major issue.
“We realize that they are being hunted by mistake because apparently people don’t like the manumea’s meat but they kill the manumea while they are targeting another pigeon they like.”
Serra added forest logging and invasive species like rats and cats also put the survival of the bird in danger.
‘Pretty depressing’
“You know our job as conservationists is pretty depressing,” he said. “Every year the planet is losing hundreds if not thousands of species.
“There is not enough awareness and interest by governments and people.
“Public opinion is so interested about cats and dogs but they don’t know that there is wildlife out there and they need help, so it’s really hard. There’s no money there, only few people are interested in it.”
Serra and his team are working with local villages to establish protected areas and controls around hunting.
Prime Minister John Key said he has extended an invitation to Fiji prime minister Voreqe Bainimarama on a state visit to New Zealand.
Key told NZ-based Radio Tarana that Bainimarama is welcomed and hopes he accepts the offer.
“Well as I understand he is coming down here – so obviously he’ll be welcomed. We were there earlier in the year . There are always certain things to discuss between Fiji and New Zealand – so if he wants to accept the offer that we have put forward then he will be most welcomed.”
If Bainimarama accepts up the invite, it will be his first state visit to New Zealand.
Editorial by Selwyn Manning – Be Aware and Beware of What You Demand – A Case Against State-Backed Euthanasia
Proposition: Do Governments legislate in our interest?
Selwyn Manning, editor of EveningReport.nz.
In my editorial titled: Be Aware and Beware of What You Demand – A Case Against State-Backed Euthanasia, I reflect back to the mid-1990s to an investigation I wrote that exposed how the government was to enforce exclusion criteria designed to prevent people from accessing life-saving but expensive treatments. If you were blind, intellectually disabled, had a history of mental illness, anti-social behaviour, a criminal conviction – you would be excluded from having renal dialysis. The experience of reporting this confirmed my resolve against state-backed-euthanasia. Here’s why…
Back in the mid 1990s Jenny Shipley (then Minister of Health in the Bolger National Government) established a governmental body called the Core Health Services Committee (CHSC) which was chaired by former broadcaster Sharon Crosbie.
The CHSC was known to exist, but no one paid much attention to it, and also getting information out of it was problematic as it would cite commercial confidentiality as a reason for withholding information. So a lot of its work went under the radar.
Back then, National had created a commercial model that replaced health boards with Regional Funding Authorities (RHAs) and hospitals became Crown Health Enterprises. It wasn’t until 2000, that the new Helen Clark-led Labour-Alliance Government disestablished the RHAs and CHEs and reestablished publicly elected health boards, and, hospitals became public hospitals once again.
In 1994-95 Jenny Shipley was Minister of Health. She later became the first woman prime minister of New Zealand (unelected). Helen Clark became the first woman elected by popular vote to become prime minister of New Zealand.
But back in the early to mid-1990s the Core Health Services Committee was accountable directly to the Minister of Health, Jenny Shipley, and was tasked with creating health funding frameworks, protocols, criteria that the then RHAs would rely upon when deciding what health services the government would pay Crown Health Enterprises (CHEs) for – when providing health ‘services’ to ‘clients’ (patients).
The Core Health Services Committee was tasked to evaluate a way of reducing the cost-burden on the Government for health services and come up with a set of criteria that CHEs and doctors would have to abide by when deciding which ‘clients’ (patients) would get treatment and, importantly, who would not.
A Decision was made to Exclude Patients from Life-Saving Treatment
In August 1994, I became aware that the Core Health Services Committee had been evaluating the most costly procedures, including renal dialysis treatment for people with end-stage renal failure. I was told by sources that the CHSC had drafted a document that included a framework for how expensive treatments would be handled, and that the Minister of Health had approved the plan.
Generally, there are two types of criteria:
inclusion – (meaning patients that met certain criteria would be eligible for treatment)
exclusion – (meaning those that could be labeled as possessing or exhibiting specific criteria would exclude then from being offered treatment.
In August 1994, I was leaked documents that displayed how the Minister had approved the CHSC protocols that used exclusion criteria and that the protocols had been presented to doctors and the exclusion criteria enforced.
The Exclusion Criteria
What this meant was people who presented with end stage renal failure, and who required dialysis to stay alive, would be excluded from getting this life-saving treatment if they were deemed:
to be blind
to have an intellectual disability
had a history of mental illness
exhibited or expressed anti-social behaviour
had a history of imprisonment
had an unrelated health condition that may cause complications
were over the age of 65-years…
The set of exclusion criteria continued on.
Without a public debate having ensured, CHE doctors were required to administer the changes and CHEs were required to report back to the RHAs with details on how the exclusion criteria was being applied.
Up until then, doctors and clinicians had decided on whether a patient would get dialysis treatment – the assessment was based on what health benefits a patient could expect, and were not required to consider exclusion criteria that were determined by the State.
The doctors silently rebelled and, as a journalist, as I mentioned above, I was leaked the CHSC protocols and exclusion criteria documents.
I sought a legal view from the Human Rights Commission, whose legal team suggested the criteria would be illegal under the act should it be brought into force by any other body excluding a government entity.
At that time, the Government had passed a human rights act but had excluded government entities (at that time) from having to act within that law.
Once We Published a Furore was Ignited
The day the investigation was published, a political furore ensued. The article was tabled in Parliament (in those days a news article could be tabled before The House) and Labour’s then health spokesperson, Lianne Dalziel, raised it during Parliament’s question time (Question number 7 if I remember right). And, once question time concluded, the issue was the focus of an urgent debate.
Former Prime Minister of New Zealand, David Lange.
“Look at this thing in south Auckland. There was an extraordinary defence by the Minister—the determining factor is one’s condition. I have to tell members that those key ethical principles are not determined by one’s condition, and they are not determined by one’s state; they are determined by one’s status.”
David Lange continued: insisting that the criterial that the Minister of Health had approved and defended was akin to the State standing on the dialysis pipe to prevent the flow of this life-saving treatment from reaching the patient.
He continued: “If one is intellectually handicapped, the drip goes off. If one is intellectually handicapped, one does not get what is called end-stage renal treatment, and that means one dies. They (the Government) are very good at euphemisms—“modernisation”. The word “euthanasia” does not come into it; it is “determination of end-stage renal treatment”.”
And Lange summarised: “Let us come back to the crude reality of it. Value judgments are being made about people’s lives, and those value judgments will be affected by whether they are people of influence, standing, or status. If they are psychiatrically disturbed or if they are intellectually disabled, the tap is turned off; they stand on the air pipe, and they talk about it in terms of core ethical commitments. I absolutely repudiate that.”
The Government Responded
The Minister Jenny Shipley replied: “The core health services committee has made some valuable recommendations about the areas on which attention should be focused. The core services committee has actually begun to assist this country to grapple with some of the most difficult ethical issues that are before us.”
She continued: “I am fascinated that some members of the Opposition are dismissive of our actually having the courage to address ethical questions in the field of medicine. It is true that every country in the world is in a similar position to us. There are issues that we know have to be spoken about, and what happens?
“In Parliament today Opposition members could not resist the temptation of picking up a piece of information, which they know is a gerrymandered interpretation of the core services committee discussion document, and politicising it. People in need of renal failure treatment actually do need to be able to be assessed and treated on a clinical basis. The core services committee raises some extremely important questions that allow clinical judgments to be made,” Jenny Shipley said.
Then, Exclusion Criteria Was Then Abandoned
Through the next month I followed up with articles revealing how the Core Health Services Committee and the Minister had agreed upon exclusion criteria for other life-saving treatments including coronary care and oncology care health services. The impact, should it have been fully rolled out, would have been considerable.
Within a month or two, the Core Health Services Committee criteria had been withdrawn from use, and the CHSC itself was later disestablished – doctors were again able to decide who should and should not get treatment based on a patient’s benefit and outcome.
From then on, when I would contact the Minister of Health’s office for comment on issues, I would be referred to as Goebbels (which I ignored apart from noting the irony).
The Government’s Retaliation
South Auckland man, James Mckeown.
Shortly after around March 1995, the Minister of Health Shipley stood staunch arguing that a south Auckland man who became the human face of her policy called James McKeown ought not receive dialysis treatment.
Shipley went on TVNZ’s Holmes Show arguing why the man ought to be left to die from his condition.
She identified clinical reasons for her argument. South Auckland Health’s then CEO, Dr Lester Levy, returned from holiday to stand between the minister and his hospital’s patient – Levy ordered that James receive dialysis.
In Parliament (ref. http://www.vdig.net/hansard/content.jsp?id=45370) , Lianne Dalziel asked: “Has the Minister received any advice on whether the statements made on television were a breach of patient confidentiality, and does she intend to resign should they be a breach of the Privacy Act?”
The Minister Jenny Shipley replied: “As I have said, this matter is before the Privacy Commissioner now. The issue of whether Mr McKeown, by disclosing a significant amount of his personal circumstance but not the complete story, forwent his right to privilege in the first place is an important matter that the Privacy Commissioner will rule on during the consideration of the three complaints that are before him.”
It was a clear case of the State’s Minister insisting and commanding her view over an ill and humble man from Otara.
The Privacy Commissioner did indeed issue a ruling. Shipley was found to have breached James McKeown’ privacy and was forced to make an apology. She did so.
A year later I revisited James and asked how his extended life had been: “It’s great he said, I enjoy my days, I have a flutter on the races, I’m happy.” A year and a half after Shipley had argued that his treatment ought to stop, James slipped away feeling that his doctors at least valued his life.
Prologue: The whole experience confirmed my resolve that we as a country’s peoples should never allow the State (irrespective of what party is in power) to interfere, nor legislate, against a born human being’s moral right to life and ethical right to access life-saving treatments.
The cast of Vanuatu film, Tanna, travelled to Hollywood this month to attend the movies official release in Los Angeles as well as New York City.
EyeWitness news interviewed the cast members when they visited ABC7 broadcasting studio in LA.
Cast member Lingai Kowia told the EyeWitness reporter that he is glad “my world has been shown to you in the film, so you can learn what is good from my world.”
Some of the ‘Tanna’ cast in New York City. The film was the first acting experience for many of the cast members. Image: Tanna Movie
Global success
As the first movie to ever be filmed in Vanuatu, Tanna, has continued to receive global success.
It has been picked by Screen Australia as its official entry for best foreign language film at the 2017 Oscars and was voted best direction and best feature film at the Australian Directors Guild Awards.
In August the film was dubbed a “hit” when it was screened at the Venice Film Festival where it was also voted best film and best cinematographer.
The movie will be released in Canada in October at the Vancouver International Film Festival and Edmonton International Film Festival.
The plot follows a young girl, Wawa, who falls in love with the chief’s grandson but is unknowingly betrothed to another as part of a peace deal between two tribes.
It based on a true story in 1984 that led to custom changes on arranged marriage.
A Papuan activist has escaped an attempted abduction by men who claimed to police officers at his his home in Sorong, West Papua.
Agustinus Aud, the spokesperson of the Sorong West Papuan National Committee (KNPB) has stated that around 3am on September 24, at least 10 men dressed in plain clothing surrounded his house.
Activist Agustinus Aud has raised concern and spoken out against the many human rights violations committed by the security forces in Papua. Image: ABC
The men whose faces were covered in scarves banged on the windows and doors of Aud’s home and shouted orders for him to come out.
When the men had smashed his window, Aud saw that two of the men were armed with rifles and refused to come out.
He managed to make a phone call to his friends asking them to immediately come to his house.
Aud thought he would be abducted and later killed by the men, as happened to Martinus Yohame, another KNPB Sorong member, in August 2014.
At 4am, six of Aud’s friends arrived at his house and saw that there were at least 10 men with guns and rifles with a minibus and three motorcycles. As soon as they arrived, the men left.
In the last few months, Aud had organised many press conferences and peaceful demonstrations to support the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) to be accepted as a full member of Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG)
Amnesty International has stated the attempt to abduct Aud highlights the unsafe environment faced by political activists in the Indonesian province of Papua and the ongoing impunity for human rights violations by security forces.
The NGO has launched an urgent appeal for action to ensure Agustinus Aud’s safety.
The current account of the balance of payments is a measure of a country’s level of financial imbalance. For the world as a whole, the current account balance is always zero. A current account deficit in a particular country is neither bad nor good; it’s simply a measure of that country’s spending in excess of its income.
New Zealand has had current account deficits (green line) every year since 1974. It means that it has had financial account surpluses (red line; strictly ‘financial/capital account’ surpluses) every year since 1974.
By definition, for any country the current+financial+capital account balances must add to zero at all times. (The capital account is usually very small compared to the others – excepting times of large international insurance payouts, such as after the Christchurch earthquakes that began in 2010.) Essentially the current and financial accounts are mirror images.
The unstated assumption of most economic and financial analysts is that the current account balance is ‘autonomous’, meaning it is determined by our spending and earning behaviour, and that the financial account is accommodating, meaning that we resolve spending excesses through a mix of foreign borrowing and foreign asset sales (this mix is the ‘financial account’); and that if we did not have spending excesses then we would neither need to borrow from foreigners, nor sell assets to them. Through this understanding, an inability to finance an autonomous deficit would result in a depreciation of the New Zealand dollar (exchange rate).
The orthodox story is nonsense. Since 1985, current account deficits have accompanied significant appreciations of the New Zealand exchange rate. The principal driver of these data has been the financial account. Much more foreign finance has flowed into New Zealand than our much maligned spending habits would justify. The result has been a general pattern of currency appreciation, and accommodation through the current account.
For the most part – at least since financial liberalisation in 1985 – the current account deficits (spending excesses, if you will) have been induced by currency appreciations; appreciations which themselves resulted mainly from foreigners’ attraction to New Zealand as an ‘investment’ destination.
In the 1970s the orthodox story held. When export prices were very high in 1972 and 1973 then New Zealand ran current account surpluses. When import prices were very high from 1974 then New Zealand ran current account deficits. Deficits increased in the early 1980s when New Zealand Inc. actively borrowed in order to fund large-scale investment projects (‘Think Big’) designed to reduce imports in the long-run.
From 1985 – especially in the mid-1980s, mid-1990s, mid-2000s, and mid 2010s – foreign money flowing into New Zealand appreciated the currency as it flowed into assets’ markets. This appreciation (a ‘price signal’) induced import-led consumption; shown in the chart as the larger swings of the current account balance. The cause of the foreign financial inflows was a mix of savings’ gluts (the foreign push factor) and needlessly high interest rate settings in New Zealand (the domestic pull factor).
In the most recent years, the ‘unresolved’ data represents the largely unmeasured financial inflow that mirrors the measured current account deficits. The numbers are lower than a decade earlier mainly because of lower interest rates reducing the debt-servicing component of the current account balance. To counter any complacency about this, however, the indebtedness to the rest of the world implicit in these data becomes more problematic in a coming world of deflation and recession.
If every country tried – with the determination of those in Europe and Asia – to run current account surpluses (with the green line above the zero line and the red line below the zero line), then the capitalist world economy would quickly collapse. A systemic failure. We remind ourselves that every current account surplus in one country must be offset by a deficit in another, by definition, no matter how hard all try to run surpluses. It’s the Anglo and Latin and African countries that presently keep the world economy afloat, by being willing (if not happy) to run current account deficits.
Across the Ditch: Australian radio FiveAA’s Peter Godfrey and New Zealand’s EveningReport editor Selwyn Manning deliver their weekly news bulletin Across the Ditch.
This week Peter and Selwyn discuss South Australia’s power outage and recall how Auckland was without power for five weeks way back in 1998.
Also was the weather and a headlines roundup.
PLUS AUCKLAND MAYORAL ELECTIONS TURN OUTRAGEOUS:
Kiwis get to vote for their preferred mayoral candidates and councillors over the next week as the local government campaigning nears its end.
In Auckland, the expectation is former Minister of Foreign Affairs, of Trade, of Justice, of Defence, of Housing… … Phil Goff will poll well, with National’s preferred candidate Vic Crohn nipping at his heals.
The Auckland campaign has also had its storage and bizarre moments especially this week while some of the lower polling candidates gathered to debate policy at Auckland University students’ association bar, Shadows. One candidate objected to the presence of another who had recently pulled out of the race. Next thing the audience knew, pushing and shouting erupted.
It took the sane and persuasive talents of 23 year old candidate Chloe Swarbrick to intervene and cool the older heads down. She said she wasn’t worried about her own safety – which makes sense as she is quite an achiever in martial arts.Her policies are impressive too and she looks likely to be the favourite with younger voters and quite probably a political force in the future.
Across the Ditch broadcasts live on Australia’s FiveAA.com.au and webcasts on EveningReport.nz and LiveNews.co.nz and ForeignAffairs.co.nz.]]>
The Parliamentary Emoluments Committee (PEC) has recommended allowance increases for overseas travels for government ministers, the Speaker, the leader of the Opposition and all Fiji MPs.
In a report tabled by the committee chairman Brij Lal after getting submissions from Fiji political parties: FijiFirst, SODELPA and NFP, the committee recommends that the Fiji prime minister’s overseas travel allowance be set at UNDP subsistence allowance plus 250% plus $600 per day.
The prime minister’s current overseas travel allowance is set at UNDP subsistence allowance plus 50% plus $300 per day.
The committee has also recommended that cabinet ministers overseas travel allowance be set at UNDP subsistence allowance plus 200% plus $500 per day.
Their allowances currently stand at UNDP subsistence allowance plus 50% plus $250 per day.
A new report detailing the human rights abuses in West Papua has been published this week. The research aims to convince Pacific leaders on providing full membership of the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) to the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP).
It covers the period between January 2014, when a delegation of MSG Foreign Ministers’ visited the territory, and July, 15, 2016, the day after MSG Special Leaders meet in Honiara and decided to defer a decision on the ULMWP’s application for full membership.
The findings of the report depict a detailed picture of the human rights violations against the people of West Papua carried out largely, but not exclusively, by the Indonesian Police.
It summaries the conflict, mindful that many in the Pacific and the world are still not aware of the human rights issues surrounding West Papua.
An abstract from the report:
“Human rights violations in West Papua, particularly denial of the West Papuans freedom of expression, has dramatically increased since the formation of the ULMWP in Vanuatu on the 6th of December 2014. The ULMWP and their supporters in particular are being targeted by the Indonesian state.
“In 2014, prior to the formation of the West Papuan umbrella group, 105 people were arrested for nonviolent political activity. In 2015, 710 people were arrested for unarmed political activity in support of West Papuans right to self-determination.
“According to data provided by the Papuan Coalition for Human Rights and the Legal Aid Institute in Jakarta, by July 2016, 4,198 West Papuans were arrested, an increase of more than 4000% since the MSG foreign minister mission in 2014. Disturbingly, that data is only for the first half of 2016.
“All of these arrests 8 were for nonviolent actions – handing out leaflets, public oration, displaying banners, and participating in public demonstrations – calling for the ULMWP to be granted full membership of the Melanesian Spearhead Group. Most of those arrested were young people, of high school or university age. Even primary school aged students as young as 11 years old were also arrested by the police for participating in nonviolent action.”
The Human Rights Commission hosted a discussion on the importance of the United Nations Declaration on the rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) as part of a Indigenous Rights Information Series. The panel discussed the process of adopting the UNDRIP in New Zealand, how it affects indigenous peoples in the country and suggestions for implementation. Video: Human Rights Commission
By TJ Aumua in Auckland
Former Māori party co-leader Sir Pita Sharples described te reo Māori as being on “life support” at a Human Rights Commission forum this month.
He said he would lead an initiative of revitalising the Māori language and would hope to encourage the Government in supporting the notion, as a fundamental right in the United Nations Declaration of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).
“I am determined this year to lead a charge with the Declaration and with the Treaty of Waitangi and for Government to be meaningfully supportive of the growth of te reo Māori in New Zealand.”
‘forbidden’
Sharples talked about his parents who, in the past, were forbidden to talk te reo Māori in New Zealand.
As a result “our language was killed in one generation”.
He told the Pacific Media Centre an environment that would support the learning of the language and its use in everyday conversation needs to be established in New Zealand.
“When our kids go to the mall, they talk Māori the whole time. But the world around them doesn’t support what they are doing.”
Sharples also emphasised that New Zealand media have to be trained in Māori pronunciation in order to foster an environment that encourages and respects te reo.
Indigenous law
Expert member on the UN Permanent Forum of Indigenous Issues, Valmaine Toki recommended mandatory indigenous law studies in New Zealand as part of implementing legal understanding of the UNDRIP.
She also said constitutional recognition of the Declaration in New Zealand is key to reflecting indigenous rights.
The Balitanghaliinterview with Propfessor Crispin Maslog. Image: GMA News
Communications professor Crispin C. Maslog has made a series of warnings about “Martial Law amnesia” in the Philippines in newspaper columns and now in a television programme, Balitanghali.
His latest criticisms in the programme titled “Deklarasyon ng Martial Law” (Declaration of Martial Law) are of the period 1972 to 1981 when many human rights violations were carried out after dictator Ferdinand Marcos declared Martial Law on 21 September 1972.
Some critics draw parallels with the presidency of Rodrigo Duterte, less than three months into a six-year term of office.
Balitanghali is the daily noontime newscast of GMA News TV anchored by Raffy Tima and Connie Sison.
Dr Maslog is a former journalist with Agence France-Presse and communication professor at Silliman University and University of the Philippines Los Baños.
He writes widely on media issues and contributes columns to Asia Pacific Report.
The interview is bilingual in Tagalog and English.
A new visa waiver has been established between the European Union and the Federated States of Micronesia which aims to boost tourism and invigorate business between the two countries.
The short-stay visa allows EU citizens travelling to the territory of the Federated States of Micronesia, and citizens of the Federated States of Micronesia travelling to the EU, to stay for a total of 90-days in any 180-day period.
The short-stay visa was signed between the European Union and the Federated States of Micronesia earlier this week and is already in effect.
In order to benefit from visa-free travel, citizens from the EU and the Federated States of Micronesia must be in possession of a valid ordinary, diplomatic, service/official or special passport.
The Federated States of Micronesia joins Kiribati, Palau, the Republic of Marshall Islands, Samoa, Tonga,Tuvalu and Vanuatu for the visa-free travel to the EU.
Ireland and the United Kingdom are not included in the agreement.
Across the Ditch: Australian radio FiveAA.com.au’s Peter Godfrey and EveningReport.nz’s Selwyn Manning deliver their weekly bulletin, Across the Ditch.
This week: Weather comparison; NZ headlines;
In depth: New Zealand’s Prime Minister has just concluded charing the United Nations Security Council and delivering a speech to the UN General Assembly.
Sport: The All Black coach Steve Hansen wants the winner of the Six Nations Rugby champs in the Northern Hemisphere to play the winner of the Southern Hemisphere’s Rugby Championship competition. He says if that became an annual event it would certainly inject zest into the game at an international level.
Across the Ditch broadcasts live weekly on Australia radio’s FiveAA.com.au and webcasts on EveningReport.nz and LiveNews.co.nz and ForeignAffairs.co.nz.]]>
“Moving on without justice being served is not moving on—it’s giving up.”
This was the reminder of University of the Philippines professor and anti-Martial Law advocate Professor Crispin Maslog to University of Santo Tomas journalism students and faculty in a public forum held in Metro Manila at the weekend.
Dr Maslog, a former publisher of a weekly newspaper in Dumaguete that was closed down due to Martial Law between 1972 and 1981, urged millennials to open their eyes to the damages to the mass media the Marcos era had brought, even though they were not yet born at the time it happened.
“People without the knowledge of their past history, origin, and culture [are] like [trees] without roots,” Dr Maslog said, quoting Jamaican political leader and journalist Marcus Garvey.
“The mass media became very critical and Marcos clamped down on the mass media with his military forces,” he said.
“There were the years of protest, social unrest…The youth were taking to this stage to rally against corruption, that’s an old issue.”
Protesters and journalists were beaten and students were tortured, went missing, or found dead, Maslog added, citing Ricardo Manapat’s book on Martial Law.
The chairman of the Manila-based Asian Media Information and Communication Center also slammed the government for its poor education system and the mass media for misleading stories about Martial Law that caused ignorance of the people on the issue.
“It is not the students’ fault. It should be the government and the mass media that should be blamed for misleading information,” Dr Maslog said.
Likewise, Pacific Media Center director Professor David Robie emphasized truth as the core of journalism.
“Journalism is really about truth, any experience of truth, and establishing that truth,” Dr Robie said.
He was speaking about a digital strategy on human rights for journalists and cited the PMC’s own Asia Pacific Report of successful examples of independent campus based media.
Dr Robie added that it was important for journalists to achieve independence in their job of disseminating stories, noting that fact verification through multiple crosschecking and research is a fundamental part of a journalist’s job.
The forum titled Asia-Pacific Journalism for Filipinos Lessons by Seasoned Journalists and Journalism Educators was organised by the Faculty of Arts and Letters Department of Communication and Media Studies in partnership with the Journalism Graduate School, Research Center for Culture, Education and Social Issues-Research Interest Group on Communication.
Dr Robie also ran a workshop on Asia-Pacific reporting.
Maria Eden T. Dino reports for The Flame, official student publication of the University of Santo Tomas’ Faculty of Arts and Letters Department of Communication and Media Studies.
To mark the 44th anniversary of Martial Law in the Philippines today and to call to mind the atrocities it had inflicted on its victims, thousands of youth and students from across the country have joined street protests as part of the “Youth Action Day for Education, Peace, and Human Rights”.
In a news release, militant youth group Anakbayan said that thousands of university students walked out of their classes to join the protest actions.
Students from various universities in Metro Manila, Baguio City, Pampanga, Laguna, Cebu, Iloilo, Tacloban, Cagayan de Oro, Davao, and other major regional centers walk out of their classes to press their demands for free education, peace talks, and respect for human rights.
“We are here in the streets to urge President Rodrigo Duterte to bring his promised ‘change’ to the education sector by taking decisive actions against tuition hikes,” Anakbayan national chairperson Vencer Crisostomo said.
Among Metro Manila campuses that held walkouts were the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) main campus in Sta. Mesa, UP Diliman, UP Manila, as well as several private schools in the University Belt in Manila.
The protest action included a caravan, with the assembly point at the University of Santo Tomas area, which was set to proceed to historic Mendiola Bridge near the Malacañan Palace.
Anakbayan condemned the Marcos dictatorship not only for its corruption and human rights violations but also for initiating the deregulation of the education sector resulting in a 5,000-7,000 percent hike in tuition from P700-P2,600 (up to NZ$75) a semester in 1982 to P40,000-80,000 (NZ$1145 – $2290) this year.
“We understand some groups would mark the anniversary through public assembly,” Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said in a statement.
“The President encourages various activities to commemorate the occasion as long as they are peaceful and no public inconvenience or destruction of properties may ensue,” he added.
Pacific Media Centre’s Dr David Robie talking about a “digital media strategy and human rights” at the University of Santo Tomas, Manila, at the weekend. Image: The Flame/UST
Andanar, meanwhile, reminded that September 21 was a regular working day.
At the University of Santo Tomas at the weekend, veteran communications professor Crispin Maslog gave a compelling presentation on “Martial law for the millenials”, showing some highlights of the injustices and atrocities under the dictator Ferdinand Marcos under Martial Law between 1972 and 1981.
He noted that of more than 400 people present, mostly student journalists and faculty, only half a dozen had been alive at the time of Martial Law.
Visiting professor David Robie, director of New Zealand’s Pacific Media Centre, also gave a lecture on a “digital publishing strategy for human rights” featuring Asia Pacific Report.
A ghastly tale of horror and intrigue looms for Wellington and Christchurch theatre-goers as New Zealand Opera sharpens its knives before its Auckland consumers – but beware, this story of Sweeney Todd may compel you to think.
Sweeney Todd is one awful story. And the tale is retold so well by this rendition of Stephen Sondheim’s musical horror, that at times you can almost smell it, how rotten Victorian London was. But is its power to compel dread found in the mirror this story presents?
Introduction to Sweeney:
Teddy Tahu Rhodes as Sweeney Todd, NZ Opera, Civic Theatre, Auckland, New Zealand, Thursday, September 15, 2016. Photo: David Rowland / One-Image.com
Many of you will be familiar with the story: how Sweeney Todd was once happy and married to a delightful and true wife, how the couple were blessed by a loved and loving daughter, how a corrupt judge coveted their world, how his class and power was a privilege of his time, how the ugliness of obsession became compulsion, how he convicted Sweeney on a trumped up charge, sentenced him to life as a prisoner of mother England to be served within the penal colony of Australia, and then when the beauty within the Todd family turned vulnerable the judge set out to devour all of that which was left of Sweeney Todd’s world.
Some fifteen years later, Sweeney Todd escapes, returns to England and seeks revenge against those who destroyed what he loved. In a way it’s a brilliant story, the ghastly deeds committed by Sweeney and Mrs Lovett mask the true monster of class and inequality, the abandonment of meritocracy, the privileged’s indifference and consequential loathing for those cast below it.
Indeed, Sondheim’s story transports us to an earlier time to when Victorian England was rotten to the core. Such tales, when performed well, transport us not only to another time, but conjure up the opportunity to compare their lot to ours. Often, we are delighted to realise how far we have come culturally. But then, as all forms of good art do, especially when performed as superbly as New Zealand Opera is renowned, we find ourselves challenged by our own Contemporarianism.
Antoinette Halloran and Teddy Tahu Rhodes in Sweeney Todd, NZ Opera, Civic Theatre, Auckland, New Zealand, Thursday, September 15, 2016. Photo: David Rowland / One-Image.com
Prelude To Sweeney – Masterclass:On preparing to attend this opera, I chose to wear tidy but casual pants. I donned a nice shirt rather than white shirt-black tie attire, and the jacket was almost unworn but was perhaps more suited to the cool weather outside than the Civic’s special magic.
Perhaps, in hindsight, I should confess, it was a little test. Some opera-goers are notorious for being a tad snobby, and Sweeney Todd was too rich to resist.
Were Auckland’s elite happy that New Zealand Opera was performing this Sondheim ‘musical’ only to risk broadening the audience demographic?
We had chosen not to enter via the Civic’s red carpet, but rather through the right-hand side entrance.
We made for the booking office and were greeted wonderfully as always by New Zealand Opera’s staff.
With tickets in hand and having been presented with a fabulously produced and written programme, we sought not to mingle but made for the theatre’s stalls.
The ushers were delightful in guiding us to our row, then our seats. We settled in, relaxed, gazed upward and about as we always do when inside the marvelous Civic theatre.
We politely stood up, as is the custom, to let others squeeze passed as allocated seats were sought.
Then, a dreadful moment presented as one very finely suited man of considerable height and an air of boardroom elegance squeezed passed to loom above us.
Before realising we were perhaps considered casts of a lesser God, the man paused time to insist, in his patiently expressed but obviously refined vowels, that we were sitting in his seats! “Are you sure,” I replied intoning a suggestion rather than question. “Positive,” he retorted.
As I traversed my mind to consider the scale of probabilities, he beat me to it and snapped: “Show me your tickets!”
I reached for my pocket electing to annoy by deploying the Union tactic of a ‘go slow’.
But once the evidence was presented I am sad to report that on inspection, it was proven that the ‘person’ who was to become the focus of my societal-comparative-analysis was indeed correct.
We had been ushered to the wrong row, the wrong seats, and I had failed to check the bloody tickets.
Needless to say dejection set in before ejection was sought and shamefully it became our lot to squeeze passed the polite-and-the-tolerant and search out our seats with haste before the Civic’s magical shooting star heralded our journey back to acceptability to another time and place. And transported we were.
The Resurrection and the Performance:
Cast of Sweeney Todd, NZ Opera, Civic Theatre, Auckland, New Zealand, Thursday, September 15, 2016. Photo: David Rowland / One-Image.com
Within seconds of the superb Auckland Philharmonia’s conductor Benjamin Northey instructing his organist to bellow out a most agonising sequence of chords, two things came to mind: Vincent Price, and, how as children, one of my brothers and I used to nick the keys to the church next door, sit on the organ stool, pump the treadle while depressing the lowest note that old Gherty could muster.
There rumbling out a diabolical racket, we would smart with devilish grin knowing our mother wouldn’t be too far away to save the community from the horror story score we had conducted.
From the first note, I had one foot in Sweeney Todd present and the other in a past which seems too long ago. Director Stuart Maunder AM has achieved something special here. He has ensured his cast performs to their strengths. And it works.
Teddy Tahu Rhodes, with respect to you, from the moment you appeared as a demon among the light you became our Sweeney Todd.
Rhodes’ voice… people if you want to hear what a real baritone sounds like then you have to see and hear this guy perform this role.
He makes Caiaphas in JC Superstar sound like a genteel grandfather.
When Rhodes speaks as Sweeney, all before him become captors with a compulsion to listen. And thank you for that, as Sweeney’s message is powerful. In performance, voice has many elements where the unspoken whispers to the inner you.
Could it be that Sweeney Todd compels us to consider what kind of character in truth we have become?
It is true that Rhodes channels a horror that lurks within Sweeney, and within this character there is time and space to pause, to consider, to realise cause and effect.
Rhodes’ strength plants Sweeney Todd’s feet firmly on the ground, which choreographs well opposite soprano Antoinette Halloran who is cast as his offsider Mrs Lovett. Halloran is the yang of his yin (or considering the characters, is it the other way around).
In any case, Halloran is a master of comic timing and centre-stage presence. And she has to be to make this production of Sweeney Todd work.
It is simply due to a well-learned and earned talent that by degrees she allows her audience to sense that perhaps Mrs Lovett’s beguiling charm is but a cloak that conceals a duality – an oscillation between hope and construct, an intention caught between love and greed that morphs into a ghastly heart.
Helen Medlyn as the Beggar Woman in Sweeney Todd, NZ Opera, Civic Theatre, Auckland, New Zealand, Thursday, September 15, 2016. Photo: David Rowland / One-Image.com
The story has its diversions. The plight of the young potential lovers, Johanna and Anthony Hope (performed superbly by Amelia Berry and James Benjamin Rodgers) is vital so as to accentuate a corruption manifest in the evil Judge Turpin (Phillip Rhodes), the horribly sycophantic Beadle Bamford (Andrew Glover), the tragedy that becomes Tobias Ragg (performed by the marvelous Joel Granger), and the hilarity of arch-crook Pirelli (performed by Robert Tucker).
Another special mention: it pays to pay attention to the Beggar Woman (so wonderfully performed by Helen Medlyn) for she holds the key to a very clever flick of the knife.
Once again production designer Roger Kirk has created a marvelous set that anchors, transforms and transports, and yes that summary includes that dreadful barber’s chair.
Prologue to Sweeney: On exiting the Civic, my man was there standing centre-stage upon the red carpet. He had chosen not to exit but rather juxtapositioned his back to the entrance (perhaps a barrier to the hordes outside).
Again he towered above all others and sought to chat, to mingle, and again we squeezed passed with thought. The freshness of pre-equinox air greeted us, the vibe on the street was joyous. Theatre-goers were well pleased with Sweeney Todd.
Lovers lined up to share ice-creams near a shop where Royal Dalton was once sold.
On the south-side of Queen Street I felt delighted to realise the decrepit Kerridge Odeon buildings had been demolished before noticing a man to my left of prime working age and inclination sat on a blanket holding a cardboard sign that read: “Can you help me please.”
He, like some of the characters in Sweeney Todd, clearly slept rough. But his story was reality not fiction while in truth he shared a commonality as a consequence of indifference, class and inequality.
Another rested his back against a Queen Street shop wall, perhaps to take timeout from begging. And my partner said to me (or to herself): “I must always remember to bring along some cash.”
We headed for the Civic Car-park, where at the Town Hall entrance, there exposed to wind and rain, another man lay wrapped up in a blanket and prepared snuggle down to sleep off the cold.
We got in our car, exited the car-park, accelerated up Greys Avenue, turned left into Pitt Street, and worked our way passed a young man who lay amid the traffic flowing passed the corner of Karangahape Road.
Help was at hand, a group of people had placed him in the recovery position, held his hand and awaited an ambulance’s arrival.
Then, Kingsland-bound, we drove passed where Dick Smith’s used to be, and noticed a slight teenager dressed in the lightest of summertime cloth preparing to earn herself a living for the night, and I thought of how on one-late-Friday-night, at the age of thirteen years four months, Aaron Williams and I shared a half dozen bottles of beer beneath the Southmall railway bridge in Manurewa and waited for the last train to pass.
I thought then of how we didn’t realise we had our lifetimes ahead of us. And it took some four days before I could write this review. Bravo New Zealand Opera, and thank you all especially Stephen Sondheim for Sweeney Todd – for while he became the protagonist for a terrible horror (yes his actions were chosen by the monster of whom he had become) Sweeney was merely a mask to disguise what a society and culture had created.
What: New Zealand Opera.
Performance: Sweeney Todd – the demon barber of Fleet Street.
Auckland dates: September 17, 18, 21, Friday 23, and Saturday 24.
Wellington dates: September 30, October 1, 2, 4, and 5.
Christchurch: October 12, 13, 14, 15 (two performances). To discover more and purchase tickets, see: NZOpera.com.
Amelia Berry and James Benjamin Rodgers in Sweeney Todd, NZ Opera, Civic Theatre, Auckland, New Zealand, Thursday, September 15, 2016. Photo: David Rowland / One-Image.com
Earlier this month, six Fijians were questioned and later detained by the Fiji police at Suva’s Central Police Station.
Three were leaders of prominent political parties and the group included two former prime ministers, a party member, an NGO leader, and a trade unionist.
They were detained after taking part in a panel discussion hosted by a Suva-based NGO to discuss views critical of Fiji’s 2013 Constitution. Three days before the arrests, Fiji had observed a public holiday to celebrate the constitution, of which the President Major-General Jioji Konrote said: ‘The 2013 constitution was the first in our history to establish the principle that every Fijian is equal, whoever they are, wherever they come from or whatever their religious or political beliefs’.
More on Fiji’s recent constitutional history can be found here and here.
The arrests are part of a government crackdown on political opponents. The relationship between the government and its critics is continuing down a path of tension and insecurity that is characteristic of Fiji’s political landscape. The reasons cited for the recent arrests include events held without permits, ‘oppositional public utterance’, and threats to national security. These responses demonstrate what the watching public already knows: the nation’s laws are prone to political subjectivity; they are as stretchable as they are substantive. This is the form of democracy that Fijians, and especially young Fijians, have grown up with. Those opposed to ‘post-coup Fiji’ do not fare well under laws that quell dissenting views. The clear message for critics is tread carefully or walk to the police station.
In an interesting historical twist, one of those arrested was Sitiveni Rabuka, instigator of Fiji’s first coup, now on the receiving end of what he was notorious for in 1987. Here was the person that introduced Fijians to the politics of impunity, being detained on a calm Suva Saturday.
These arrests (and the precise consequences are are still unclear, as we wait for decisions from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions) increase the strain on Fiji’s fragile political environment. They are the latest in a long line of events that illustrates Fiji’s brand of democracy is frequently opposed to liberal principles in seeking to restrict freedom of thought and behaviour.
Previously, Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama had stated that dedication to basic human rights is the foundation of democracy. No democracy can survive if the rights of each person are not sacred, if the state fails to protect – or even works to undermine – the individual’s ability to think and believe and worship as he or she chooses’.
Today, such rhetoric, that speaks of rights protected under a constitution proclaiming a true and genuine democracy, rings hollow. This is evident when citizen assembly and critical speech requires a police permit, lest it be suspected of threatening national security. Even if those arrested are not charged in this instance, the fact that freedom of assembly and speech is viewed as a threat indicates a lack of protection for human rights in Fiji.
It feeds into previous actions that have undermined the rights and protections of citizens, creating insecurity and a real threat to the genuine democracy that Fiji aspires to. When citizens are portrayed as wrong-doers, they question themselves, rather than the leaders and authorities.
But the questioning of leaders should be viewed positively, as a way to improve Fiji’s leadership, not undermine it. A confident government would recognise and be capable of accommodating political commentary without the need for police interference.
As the detained, held for two days, went through the motions of police interrogation their concerned families watched on. Members of the general public also gathered around the police station in Suva.
A group of young, tech-savvy and injustice-weary Fijians, grew in numbers before the arrested were released on Sunday evening, sparking political curiosity. Crackdowns on political dissent in Fiji are not new but more young Fijians are now armed with smartphones. In this information age of scrolling newsfeeds and viral hashtags, politically active young Fijians tweeted #FijiCrackdown and live-streamed their political views across leadership barriers and international boundaries.
The deteriorating relationship between Fiji’s leading political actors is increasing youth interest in political options for Fiji (for more on the growing usage of digital technologies as an alternative form of expression see here).
The apathy that old actors claim of young Fijians towards politics is misplaced. Often it is founded on older players’ inability to post a tweet, or to summon the powers of a hashtag.
As young people shared updates, videos and tags from outside the police station, they engaged a larger audience of concerned Fijians both in Fiji and abroad. This motivated a number of them to gather and maintain focus on the concerns of the unfolding detainment.
In Fiji social media is creating an alternative space for freedom of expression and assembly, similar to that seen in some other restrictive democracies. Young Fijians are at the forefront of political development. They know the best hope for real democracy is literally in their hands. Virtual mobilisation gathers people, as well as opinions and attention. Fijians need to harness this growing mode of expression before legislative creativity restricts another citizen space in the name of national ‘insecurity’.
The governor of the Papua New Guinea Western Highlands, Paias Wingti, has called on politicians not to interfere with the Electoral Commission.
He made the call following reports that certain cabinet ministers of the government and members of the parliament had made visits to the Electoral Commission to influence the appointment of returning officers.
The Post Courier, reported that Wingti urged the Electoral Commissioner, Patilias Gamato, to carry out his duties without fear or favour and to conduct the 2017 national election in the most transparent and honest manner.
Gamato in response said there would be no political influence in the electoral process and, or the running of the PNG Electoral Commission.
He also denied claims of ministers and MPs visiting him to appoint returning candidates.
Thousands of people rallied across West Papua this week demanding independence and their right to self determination.
The Free West Papua Campaign (FWPC) stated those that took part in the peaceful demonstrations marched with a clear message: “We want to be free people”.
Benny Wenda is the international spokesman for the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP), and founder of the Free West Papua Campaign. He was granted political asylum by the British Government in 2003. Image: Benny Wenda
People of West Papua are calling on the United Nations to support their fundamental right to self-determination and a resolution for an internationally supervised vote for independence.
FWPC reported that some demonstrations around the country were blocked by the Indonesian police and 68 peaceful protestors were arrested in Merauke, West Papua.
A day before the demonstrations 21 women, men and children were arrested for distributing leaflets for the rally. More details here.
‘forgotten struggle’
Last week West Papuan leader Benny Wenda, who lives exiled in London, was interviewed by TeleSUR on ‘West Papua’s forgotten struggle for independence’.
In the interview Wenda said people in West Papua sacrifice their lives by protesting and Indonesia continues to get away with “impunity”.
“Indonesia is able to massacre my people. Almost 500,000 men and women have been killed. While I’m speaking, there are arrests and intimidations and imprisonments still going on in West Papua,” Wenda said.
He said the Indonesian government has banned journalists from entering the country for the past 50-years which is part of the reason West Papua’s struggle remains largely unknown.
West Papuans are left to turn to social media to get their struggle out to the world.
“I am really confident that people in the Pacific, particularly across the Micronesia, Polynesia and Melanesia, the governments and the ordinary people are in support, including New Zealand and Australia. Ordinary people are always with us.”
Fiji and Papua New Guinea trade issues have been resolved according to Fiji’s Minister for Industry, Trade and Tourism, Faiyaz Koya.
The Fiji Times reported the two governments were able to come to a mutual understanding and allow trade to continue.
In an interview with the newspaper Koya said no travels were made by the Fiji Biosecurity chairman, Xavier Khan, to PNG as matters had been resolved.
This resolution comes just over a month of when Fiji first refused to import PNG’s Ox and Palm beef and Trukai Rice, because of alleged biosecurity risks. The issue was dubbed as a ‘looming trade war‘ between the two countries.
Band manager and founder of the West Papuan group Black Brothers, Andy Ayamiseba, urges PNG musicians to always commit to their music and learn to sacrifice their time.
Black Brothers is an eclectic band that was the most popular musical group in Papua New Guinea during the 1980s.
The band is known for hit songs back in the 1980s including Apuse, Permata Hatiku, Hari Kiamat, Terjalin Kembali, kerongcong kenangan, Anita and Wan Pela Meri.
Their music, sung in Tok Pisin, and originally in Bahasa Indonesia, included influences from reggae and political elements inspired by the Black Power movement.
Ayamiseba has been the band manager for more than three decades and says the secret to being successful is through commitment and hard work.
“You have to stay committed because music is a platform to express yourself.
‘Universal language’ “It’s like a universal language so you have to explore your feelings through music rather than having a big protest about an issue.
“Music is another medium to preach what you think,” Ayamiseba explains.
Black Brothers have toured more than 10 countries in Europe, Asia, Pacific Islands and Australia.
The reggae inspiration of the Black Brothers has influenced various other PNG and Pacific music groups.
Ayamiseba adds that artists face the challenge of piracy so it’s good for them to record under a recognised music label to protect their rights so nobody can pirate their creation.
The original Black Brothers band included Hengky Sumanti Miratoneng (vocals, guitar), Benny Bettay (bass), August Rumwaropen (lead guitar, vocals), Stevy Mambor (vocals, drums), Willem Ayamiseba (percussion) and Amri Kahar (trumpet).
The 16-member band in PNG to perform includes three original members and the Black Sisters.
Two of the original members, August and Sumanti, have died while Stevy Mambor could not make the tour due to health reasons.
The Black Sisters – Petronela, Rosalie and Lea Rumwaropen – are daughters of late August Rumwaropen and they performed alongside their uncles.
Quintina Naime is a Loop PNG journalist.
Black Brothers – and Sisters – at a photo session with PNG’s National Capital District Governor Powes Parkop (centre). Image: Tabloid Jubi English
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MOUNTING calls for the Philippines president to be investigated over the allegations of human rights violations deepened over the weekend with revelations by a confessed hit man that at least 1000 extrajudicial killings had been ordered when the president was mayor of the southern city of Davao.
Fresh reports featuring the allegations were included in a cover story in the latest Time magazine, the Singapore Sunday Times and a new inquiry by the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism into the so-called “Davao Death Squad”.
It is only 80 days since President Rodrigo Duterte was sworn into office, and the PCIJ reports that he now “commands an armed contingent that is a hundred times bigger than it was in Davao, and his ‘enemy’ a thousand times more numerous”.
More than 3000 people have reportedly been killed so far in the so-called Project Tokhang – or “Double barrel” – war on drugs. The president has also called for a six-month extension on his policy, claiming that the drugs business is largely “operated by people in government”.
Time magazine branded its report the “killing season” in the Philippines with a subheading of “Inside President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs”.
The Sunday Times correspondent in Manila, Raul Dancel, reported on some of the victims of the Davao killings, including a 62-year-old mother who lost four of her sons to the assassins.
‘Forged in blood’ The report was headlined “A peace that was forged in blood”.
Self-confessed hit man Edgar Matobato, now 57, told a Philippines Senate inquiry last week that he and other members of the so-called Davao Death Squad had killed some 1000 people in Davao City on the island of Mindanao on the orders of Duterte between 1998 and 2013.
The PCIJ reported in its inquiry that Duterte’s deputies have denied Matobato’s allegations, with Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II branding these claims as “old lies”. However, the president himself has not responded so far although he has made no secret in the past about his links with the death squads while denying direct responsibility.
The president’s chief legal counsel, Salvador Panelo, reportedly said he saw no reason for the President to respond to a “perjured witness”, adding that the Senate session was “not a hearing on extrajudicial killing, it was a case of extrajudicial lying”.
He said: “No amount of black propaganda, no amount of sinister ploy or plan will stop the President from his relentless campaign against the drug menace and terrorism.”
In one television programme during the presidential election campaign, he declared: “I am the death squad? True. That’s true.” But he later shrugged this off as merely “teasing”.
Davao killings As PCIJ says, “there is no denying that Duterte’s reign in Davao City had been marked by numerous extrajudicial killings, with Davao media attributing at least 150 deaths there from 1995 to 2001 alone to the DDS [Davao Death Squad] and then Mayor Duterte’s war against drugs”.
According to PCIJ’s research via police and judicial records, the president’s “expanded war” has resulted in a death toll that is “10 times higher within a much shorter period; an average of 38 persons killed a day, or over 3200 in the last 80 days”.
The presidential “hit man” allegations in the Philippines national press. Photo: David Robie
Matobato’s testimony before the Senate inquiry named Senator Leila de Lima as being on the target list while she had been chair of the Philippines’ Commission on Human Rights. (De Lima herself is also at the centre of allegations in a separate Congress inquiry opening this week).
Matobato said he and others in the death squad had been waiting to ambush De Lima in 2009 but she had not ventured into the undisclosed hilly area to inspect a suspected mass grave site where they planned to open fire.
The former hit man alleged before the Senate inquiry that he and others in the liquidation squad took orders from Duterte and killed about 1000 suspected criminals and opponents of the mayor and the Duterte.
Matobato admitted that he had personally carried out at least 50 of the abductions and killings, including an attack on a suspected kidnapper who was hogtied and fed alive to a crocodile.
“Our job was to kill criminals like drug pushers, rapists, snatchers. That’s what we did. We killed people almost every day,” Matobato said.
Journalist assassinated In one of the most serious claims, the former hit man also alleged that Duterte had had Davao broadcast journalist Jun Pala, a vocal critic of the president when he was Davao mayor, killed.
Responding to the testimony, one of the most influential national dailies, Philippine Daily Inquirer, declared in an editorial that the serious allegations ought to be thoroughly investigated but with “caution and scepticism”.
Until then, noted the newspaper, the president enjoyed the presumption of innocence, “as he must”.
“But herein lies the eternal paradox of our times: the demand for fairness and due process is quickly made when it applies to the powers that be; there is no question, of course, that they deserve it,” said the editorial.
“Those killed so far in the war on drugs – the padyak drivers, the petty pushers in fraying flip-flops, the denizens of dark alleys yelling surrender – did not have the luxury of being afforded the same.
“And here Philippine society is today, in an ever-deepening rabbit hole of national cognitive dissonance.”
The PCIJ has revealed that Duterte has not signed, and the Office of the President has not released, any executive order to define his role and accountability for the war on drugs
A police Project Double Barrel “kill list” in the small Bicol town of Vizons. Such a quiet town apparently has no statistics. Photo: David Robie
‘I will protect you’ But the President has publicly declared to policemen that they are acting under his presidential protection: “I will protect you. I will not allow one policeman or one military to go to jail.”
According to the PCIJ, as at September 18 the latest national Philippine police report cited:
Killed in police operations – 1140
Killings by unidentified gunmen “under investigation” – 1391
Drug pusher suspects arrested – 17,428
“Surrendered” – 714,803 (661,737 alleged drug users and 53,066 alleged drug pushers)
Houses “visited” – 1,041,429
The PCIJ said: “Whichever is the correct PNP count, these numbers best the casualty tally during the 14 years of martial law under the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos; from 1972 to January 1981, Amnesty International had recorded a total of 3240 persons killed, 34,000 tortured, and 70,000 imprisoned in the Philippines.”
Human Rights Watch and other groups have called for a full United Nations inquiry into the Philippines extrajudicial killings following the detailed testimony from former hit man Matobato.
But calls within the Philippines for impeachment by the powerful Liberal Party were dealt a blow when Vice-President Leni Robredo (who belongs to the party) declared that she hoped no impeachment process would take place, adding it was destined to fail through lack of numbers in Congress.
Despite political differences, she said, it was the duty of every citizen to support the elected President.
AsiaPacificReport.nz
French Polynesia and New Caledonia have become the newest members to join the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF).
The decision is historic as the PIF was founded for independent countries of the region and the two newest territories are still on the UN decolonisation list.
A France Diplomacy statement mentioned the country has welcomed the decision as it will strengthen New Caledonia’s and French Polynesia’s partnership and cooperation with its Pacific neighbours.
New Zealand and Australia are said to have supported this decision which France has been lobbying for over ten-years.
Before the decision was finalised New Zealand Prime Minister, John Key, stated that although a case can be made about the new PIF members not fitting the criteria, they are apart of the collection of countries that gather together, every 12-months, to discuss Pacific affairs.
‘Dominant powers’
A Radio New Zealand International interview with a security analyst, Paul Buchanan of 36th Parallel Assessments, said France campaigned for its territories out of the increasing influence of China in the region.
Buchanan referred to the power struggle between the PIF and Fiji’s prime minister Frank Voreqe Bainimarama, who has refused to attend the Forum as long as Australia and New Zealand remain members.
“Western powers, dominant powers, are now sitting at the PIF as full members,” Buchanan said.
“Fiji is the tip of a spear of Chinese influence projected in the South-Pacific through Commodore Bainimarama, the Chinese have a de facto, if indirect, diplomatic representative.”
Buchanan said the decision is a “game by proxy” between China, Australia, New Zealand and now France.
Previous fears
A separate media report also explained that indigenous Kanaks in New Caledonia had previously opposed the integration before the country’s possible referendum for independence in 2018.
It also mentioned the previous fears of granting members to the the territories, considering France has admitted to nuclear testing in French Polynesia in 1996.
Hawaii Public Radio has raised questions over the positions of American territories such as Guam, American Samoa and the Northern Marianas which remain as observers in the PIF.
PNG’s Hela Provincial Assembly has voted in Francis Potape as the new Governor for the liquefied natural gas (LNG) rich territory.
The Komo-Magarima MP was elected by nine out of the 13 assembly members. But in the absence of assembly members James Marape, Philip Undialu and two other presidents.
An elated Potape said his priority was to restore unity among leaders and the people in the province.
“Also on my priority list is to restore peace and good order amid the lawlessness in the province as tribal fighting continues to plague the communities,” said Potape.
Koroba Lake Kopiago MP Philip Undialu who was not present at the assembly meeting said, the meeting was illegal, in breach of the leadership code and against the decision of the court.
“As per the recent court orders, a time, date and venue of the meeting was to be announced by the assembly clerk.”
But Undialu said the clerk was in Port Moresby and questioned who gave authorisation for the meeting.
However, Potape stands firm that his election was proper and that Undialu was informed of the meeting but refused to attend.
Democracy and freedom of speech are at the forefront of discussions concerning the arrests of five prominent Fijian politicians over the weekend.
The men were allegedly detained on Saturday for a comment made at a meeting that discussed Fiji’s 2013 Constitution; the meeting was also held without a legal permit. They were kept in custody overnight and released on Sunday.
Among the group was former Fiji prime minister Sitiveni Rabuka, National Federation Party (NFP) leader Dr Biman Prasad, academic Dr Tupeni Baba, trade unionist Attar Singh, and Jone Dakuvula from the organisation Pacific Dialogue.
Another former prime minister and current Fiji Labour Party (FLP) leader, Mahendra Chaudhry, handed himself into police on Sunday and was released yesterday morning without charge.
‘Intimidation’
In an interview with Radio New Zealand International, Chaudhry referred to the incident as an act of “intimidation” and said there is no democracy in Fiji.
“If we can’t hold a forum to discuss our own Constitution in a democracy…what kind of democracy is that?”
“We want to live in a free society not where there are restrictions on free speech.”
Chaudhry said Fiji’s current prime minister, Frank Bainimarama, and Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum were invited but didn’t attend the meeting.
The NGO Coalition for Human Rights stated police may have also searched the homes and offices of Prasad, Singh, Baba, Dakuvula and Rabuka.
The Decree gives permission to the commissioner of police or any divisional police commander to prohibit a meeting they think may undermine the public safety and good order of the country.
The Fiji Times reported a statement by Bainimarama who said he was disappointed with the international community and their questioning of Fiji’s laws without objectivity.
“The Public Order Act, among other provisions, requires any group wanting to hold a public meeting to apply for a permit from the police before the proposed event.”
Bainimarama said no application was made therefore the police were acting within their rights.
“Those who attended this gathering were lawfully detained for questioning and there have been no allegations of any of their human rights being breached while in detention,” he said.
‘Step forward’
The arrests have spurred questioning of Fiji’s democracy as its 2014 general election, in which Bainimarama was elected prime minister, was deemed as a step forward for the country after eight-years of military governance.
When he was elected Bainimarama thanked a crowd in Suva: “I am deeply honored and humbled that the Fijian people have put their trust in me to lead them into our new and true democracy.”
In a separate RNZI interview, Dr Steven Ratuva, said after the 2014 elections there was optimism for a democratic space to be established within Fiji.
“In fact the Constitution itself talks about the rights of free expression and assembly.
“Now the Public Order Amendment Decree seems to provide a limitation to those freedoms which are being contained in the Constitution.”
During the Pacific Tertiary Education Forum this week it was revealed that despite Pasifika students obtaining NCEA Level 3 they are then going on to do a degree ‘unmatched’ to their subjects studied in high school.
Tim Fowler, the chief-executive of the Tertiary Education Commission, spoke at the forum in Auckland. He referred to the issue as an “under matching” between NCEA attainment and the transition to tertiary.
Because of this many are then entering into a level one tertiary course to gain the required subjects needed in their decided career path.
He said the launch of new TEC education tools would hopefully aid educators in addressing and finding solutions to the issue.
This includes a new online education tool, Qlick, that will be launched by TEC in November. It will allow educators to access live data on Pasifika achievement levels and patterns of study.
Fowler also said in 2017 tertiary providers that offer Level 5 qualifications or higher will be required to inform school leavers with in-depth data about each qualification on their organisation web-pages.
Lack of staff
Those who attended the forum also got a chance to raise their concerns around the lack of Pacific staff in the tertiary sector.
They said although the enrollment of Pacific students are increasing, Pacific staff in the workforce remain low.
“Nothings changed…I strongly plea to you if you can make that a priority in some way to incentivize TEO’s (Tertiary Education Organisations) to committing to raising Pacific work staff.”
Economic Analysis by Tony Alexander.
[caption id="attachment_11232" align="alignleft" width="150"] BNZ Chief Economist, Tony Alexander.[/caption]
This week we note that adopting a pessimistic attitude following the GFC has left many people far worse off than if they had simply admitted the uncertainty and tossed a coin to decide what to do. The NZD has risen close to US 75 cents as more people acknowledge the good state of the NZ economy which we expect official data to confirm for the June quarter next week.
Download documentpdf 350kbKeep Calm and Carry On
I wonder how many people are still sitting out there, holding off from buying a house, hiring staff, or undertaking capital expenditure because they expect the economy to fall into a hole in the ground because of
* the collapse in the dairy payout,
* the US Presidential election campaign,
* Brexit
* high house prices in Auckland
* money printing in many countries
* terrorism
* peak oil
* unrest in the Middle East, and so on.
As humans we are hard wired to pay more attention to things which may turn out bad than things which may turn out good. The media know that and feed us stories which attract our attention and get coverage for the advertisers who pay them. Capitalism hand in hand with generally left-wing reporters exploiting human weakness.
As K says in the first Men in Black movie “There’s always an Arquillian battle cruiser, or a Corillian death ray, or an intergalactic plague that is about to wipe out all life on this miserable planet…”
There is always something sitting out there which can cause significant economic disruption so you are always presented with an excuse for sitting on your hands and doing nothing. Plenty of people have done that since the global financial crisis and while that was the logical thing to do in 2008 and for much of 2009, ignorance of the fundamentals driving our economy and housing market in particular has seen many people choose to sit out a period of good growth and capital appreciation.
If you have avoided buying shares then you have missed a 120% rise in the NZX50 over the past five years. If you have despaired of New Zealand’s prospects and switched your assets into foreign currencies from late-2009 then you’ll have lost about 14% on a trade weighted index basis. If you have held off buying a house waiting for one of those silly forecasts of 40% price falls to come true then you are massively out of money and perhaps out in the wops when you finally make your purchase.
Were these gains and the good performance of the NZ economy predictable? No. None of us predicted the extent of money printing. None of us predicted how low interest rates would go and that they would still be falling now. Hardly anyone picked this strength in the NZ dollar. I’ll claim not picking a house price collapse and advising people to buy rather than sit on their hands in the housing market since mid-2009. But I can make no claim to remotely coming close to predicting the extent to which prices have risen.
The point is this. Predictability of many things had collapsed post-GFC. But that is no reason for blindly assuming the worst, growing potatoes and building a bunker. When you don’t know what is going to happen its a 50:50 call as to whether good stuff or bad stuff will come along. So why assume only the bad? Because, as noted, we are hard-wired to do exactly that. Plus, because we feel losses three to four times more intensively than gains psychologically-speaking, we give strong preference to lose avoidance rather than making gains.
Consider people running to catch a bus. Are they running so they can be on the bus? Usually not. They are running to avoid the situation of just missing the bus and feeling stupid because of the loss they have suffered. If you have no idea when a bus on a regular schedule arrives at all, there is no reason for any particular speed of walking.
So as you listen to the news people telling us about the woe surrounding us and how we should feel bad about it whilst anticipating even more woe down the track remember this. Buying into dystopic scenarios guarantees failure. Having at least some hope that the worst will not happen gives you a chance to thrive. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. “After all, tomorrow is another day.”
Housing
This week Quotable Value NZ released data showing that the average Auckland sales price has averaged just above $1 million for the past three months.
Someone wondered if the $1 million average would become a psychological barrier. What a silly comment. There is no single house which you could say is the representative commodity in the Auckland housing market and which is repriced daily or more frequently as happens with say gold, oil, or the NZ dollar. A psychological barrier or resistance point in technical analysis terms is only relevant when talking about a single completely homogeneous product which is traded by a very large number of people and that is not the case in the housing market.
There will not be a single auction where the bidders hold back because the price has got to $990,000 and they don’t think a rise above $1 million can be justified. Houses are already trading above that level and have been doing so for many years in the cases of high specification properties.
The average price measure is an artificial construction, it is not the market price for a uniform product like gold.
So you can kick any thought of the one million dollar mark representing a barrier to the current market’s movements firmly into touch – along with yet again the same analysis-poor comments from those who have been predicting falling prices and smugly warning buyers they have been paying too much for years now.
Just in case you have forgotten what we have been writing here for the past eight years, here are the fundamentals for the Auckland housing market.
DEMAND EXCEEDS SUPPLY AT CURRENT PRICES.
Too simple. More comprehensively…
-Population growth is strong.
-Interest rates are low and falling.
-A large cohort of people are approaching retirement and seeking assets to help fund the retirement which officials for three decades have been brainwashing them into believing will be miserably wretched affairs of shredded blankets and collapsing health unless they save and build a large investment portfolio.
-There is an existing shortage which keeps growing.
-Supply is being constrained by literally dozens of factors. A few include shortages of builders, electricians, plasterers, surveyors, inspectors, plumbers, concrete slabs, sections, infrastructure and so on.
-Finance to allow developments is being reined in by banks having to meet tougher lending standards post-GFC.
-Building standards and therefore costs keep rising.
The natural pressure is for prices to keep rising. Given that the Reserve Bank continues to express concern about banks being exposed to a shock which might cause prices to fall (insert the foot and mouth scenario here because nothing else bar Mt Rangitoto going up or China invading is going to do it), there will be more lending restrictions introduced. They can next year quickly raise the 40% investor deposit requirement to 50%, then 75% if deemed necessary. But at some stage, again probably early next year, they will introduce a strong regime of controlling credit supply by restricting how much banks can lend to multiples of household incomes. 3.5 times as in Ireland, or 4.5 times as in the UK, or something probably higher to start with.
Remember, this environment of influencing bank lending risk by controlling how much they can lend (credit supply) is a reversal of the approach from the mid-1980s of controlling such risk by influencing credit demand by changing borrowers’ interest rates.
And also remember this. The Reserve Bank has no goal regarding housing affordability, homelessness, or buying by the young. They don’t even in fact explicitly aim to rein in the pace of price rises. Their aim is simply to make sure that if prices fall sharply for whatever reason the banking system will remain fully functioning. The way things are going, in 2018 we will probably reach a point where there are so many credit supply controls in place bank mortgage portfolios will be exceedingly robust. But supply constraints will not have changed and demand will simply have been delayed and not killed forever in most instances by the RB’s actions. Therefore prices will continue to rise and the Reserve Bank will be quite happy. Note however our view that a plateauing seems likely before mid-2018 on the basis of a lot of price fatigue, higher supply levels, lower net immigration, and the RB measures. But sustained falls? Again, that would take foot and mouth.
NZ Dollar
US economic data following the interest rate rise last December have continued to be less strong than expected and yet again market expectations for the timing of another rate rise have been pushed out. This time the culprits have been weak numbers on employment growth and the services sector.
A rise this year is fairly unlikely and this pattern of disappointment in growth has already been seen elsewhere following rate rises post-GFC.
Locations include New Zealand, Australia, Sweden and the ECB where rate rises on the basis of good growth have been more than completely reversed in every case. We noted late last year that the risk is following the US rate rise expectations eventually turn to expecting that increase to be unwound. We are not there yet and the Federal Reserve will be extremely reluctant to do that.
With rate rise expectations pulling back again the USD has weakened and the NZD now trades near US 74.5 cents from 72.6 cents last week on its way to the 75 cents we have postulated. Once we get there look for forecasts of 80 cents being regained on top of the growing talk about the NZD exceeding parity against the Aussie dollar.
Why so much confidence in a rising NZD? It not only goes hand in hand with a strongly performing economy growing at above a 3% pace, but because dairy prices continue to surprise on the upside. The latest Global Dairy Trade auction produced another 7.8% rise in average prices which now sit 30% above their lows of mid-July and down 57% from the April 2013 peak.
Prices have been boosted by supply falling in NZ and elsewhere and we suspect a bit of a scramble from buyers because this turnaround in prices has been far greater than anyone was expecting. It pays to remember that no-one has displayed an ability to accurately forecast dairy prices a season ahead so it would be unwise to blindly extrapolate the recent price gains into further gains this year. We will simply have to take price movements as they come and hope the trend away from so many cows polluting our water continues.
If I Were A Borrower What Would I Do? Nothing new.
The Weekly Overview is written by Tony Alexander, Chief Economist at the Bank of New Zealand. The views expressed are my own and do not purport to represent the views of the BNZ. To receive the Weekly Overview each Thursday night please sign up at www.tonyalexander.co.nz To change your address or unsubscribe please click the link at the bottom of your email. Tony.alexander@bnz.co.nz
A West Papua leader says he hopes this weeks Pacific Islands Leaders Forum will push the freedom for West Papua movement towards the United Nations for review.
In an interview withMarianas Variety, secretary generalof the United Liberation Movement for West Papua, Octovianus Mote, stated that if the UN does not help with the Indonesian occupation and genocide in West Papua by 2020 “it will be too late”.
“Indonesia is using sovereignty as a means to slaughter people,” Mote said. “Australia says this is an internal issue. No, it is not. Sovereignty is not a reason to slaughter your own people.”
In the article, Mote stated that Indonesia has continued to ignore human rights abuses, despite many nations raising concerns during its Universal Periodic Review before the UN Human Rights Council in 2012.
Across the Ditch: Australian radio FiveAA.com.au’s Peter Godfrey and EveningReport.nz’s Selwyn Manning deliver their weekly bulltin Across the Ditch. This week they discuss how the Kiwi dollar continues to climb against all its major trading partners + A southerly icy blast has hit most of New Zealand bringing snow flurries over much of the South Island and also the North Island’s Central Plateau region, closing roads and uprooting trees. Also, a Colin McCahon painting sold this week for a record price in New Zealand.
First up:
Weather comparison
Headlines roundup
ITEM ONE: Kiwi Dollar Continues Its Climb
NZ Dollar continues to climb against major trading partners, including against the soaring Aussie dollar. If South Australians are planning a skiing holiday this month in Queenstown, the snow will be good but the Kiwi dollar will not give you much of a cash injection.
ITEM TWO: Freezing Winter Blast Hits All NZ Islands
The last big icy breath of winter is sweeping over both main islands bringing snow to most of the South Island and down to 500 meters above sea level in the North Island. The wind-chill factor is causing concerns for farmers as the polar blast threatens livestock including thousands of new-born lambs. And this coming season’s horticulture and viticulture sectors could be hit if this weather system is backed by blistering frosts.
ITEM THREE: Colin McCahon Painting Sells For Record $1,350,000.00
A painting by Kiwi artist, the late Colin McCahon, sold Wednesday night for $1,350,000. That’s a record for the most expensive painting ever sold at auction in New Zealand.
The painting is known as The Canoe Tainui and was being auctioned on behalf of the estate of Tim and Sherrah Francis.
The late Tim Francis, who was a former NZ permanent representative to the United Nations and ambassador to the USA.
According to the NZ Herald, Tim Francis once wrote about the moment he first spotted the painting: “It was stunning, lyrical, subtle, glowing … You know, up to that point, I had been – apprehensive I think is the word – about Pakeha taking Maori objects, symbols, even history, and making it into something of their own. But this was not like that. The words, the names, were handled reverently. The whole feel of the painting was one of honouring Maori, acclaiming Maori culture … here is a profoundly expressive celebration of Maori identity, Maori nationality.”
See also: NZHerald.co.nz.
By the way, the painting was bought in 1969 for $550.00.
Across the Ditch broadcasts live each week on FiveAA.com.au and webcasts on EveningReport.nz, LiveNews.co.nz and ForeignAffairs.co.nz.]]>
Oxfam New Zealand says the Government’s finance towards Pacific climate change is business focused and does not benefit families in need.
Rachael Le Mesurier, Oxfam New Zealand’s executive director, said because of this the Government needs to change its funding focus within Pacific climate finance.
“While New Zealand’s role in helping Pacific communities to access clean, efficient energy is helpful…the Government’s climate finance model is designed to be business focused, and not to benefit families living on the frontline of climate change.”
“These families need resources to adapt to rising seas and turbo-charged cyclones. The New Zealand Government’s climate finance program isn’t helping them do that,” Le Mesurier said.
‘unmet commitments’
Her statement complied with Oxfam’s research report, released this week, which assesses the “unmet” commitments of the New Zealand and Australian governments towards Pacific climate funds.
After Paris: Climate Finance in the Pacific Islandsreveals the proportion of New Zealand’s climate finance dedicated to adaptation has dropped by 20 percent since 2013. It instead urges investment in resilience building.
It also states that Australia has not increased its contribution for international climate finance since 2010.
“Australia has failed to increase its contribution to international climate finance in line with the goals of the Paris Agreement or in keeping with stronger commitments from other developed nations.”
The report comes as the most senior politicians in the Pacific gather for the 47th Pacific Islands Forum. The five-day event began today in Pohnpei, the capital of the Federated Sates of Micronesia, and will end on Sunday.
