Debate | Issue 9 | Seasonal Depression

EDITOR

Sam Clark

DESIGNER

Charlie Ratahi McFarland

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Liam Hansen

FEATURE WRITER

Briar Pomana

CULTURE & LIFESTYLE WRITER

Thomas Giblin

CHIEF REPORTER

Nic George

NEWS WRITER

Vanessa Elley

SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER

Frances Revita

CONTRIBUTORS

Haydn Nixon, Vivien Whyte, Lucy Higgins, Phoebe Robertson

COVER ART

Sara Moana @saramoana

ADVERTISING

Jesse Jones jesse.jones@autsa.org.nz

PRINTER

Nicholson Print Solutions

DISCLAIMER

Material contained in this publication does not necessarily represent the views or opinions of AUTSA, its advertisers, contributors, Nicholson Print Solutions or its subsidiaries.

This publication is entitled to the full protection given by the Copyright Act 1994 (“the Act”) to the holders of the copyright, being AUT STUDENT ASSOCIATION (“AUTSA”). Reproduction, storage or display of any part of this publication by any process, electronic or otherwise (except for the educational purposes specified in the Act) without express permission is a break of the copyright of the publisher and will be prosecuted accordingly. Inquiries seeking permission to reproduce should be addressed to AUTSA.

Debate is a member of the Aotearoa Student Press Association (ASPA).

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04 08

From the Editor

[News] Zinefest 2023 kicks off with busy market weekend

Marama & Me

Theatre Review - Basmati Bitch

Haydn Nixon Artwork

Calming Fields in Greyscale: The Atmosphere’s and Music of Babe Martin

Lucy Higgins Artwork

The Young and Informed: Auckland Central MPs take on the big issues

“Out of the blue”, your vice president on identity, leadership and community

Memes and Moments in Pop Culture that Cheered Me the Fuck Up (And Cured My Seasonal Depression)

Re: The Storm (Bear) by Mary Oliver A winter love letter.

What's On

Gig Guide

Puzzles

Kia ora e te whānau!

The days are slowly getting longer in Aotearoa, but it’s very much still winter. The grey days of Tāmaki Makaurau make it hard to believe that we were ever walking around in t-shirts. Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, Euro summer is in full swing. Even the photos over there have a different colour palette – with turquoise water, music festivals and sun tans, there’s quite a large access to dopamine over in the Northern Hemisphere right now. Sadly, the overhead fluorescent bulbs of AUT don’t quite achieve the same effect. But don’t be dismayed, as we have put together this issue to express some solidarity, and perhaps a silver lining to it all… This issue, our writers explore maramataka, some cheerful pop culture moments, and share two wonderful interviews. We also have some incredible artwork and poetry from the Debate whānau.

I was over at 95bFM last week, which is literally surrounded by the construction of the university’s new state-of-the-art recreation centre, which will include an eight-lane swimming pool and rooftop futsal field. It sucks to gaze up at all the scaffolding, cranes and concrete, considering 95bFM is currently selling their international record collection to keep the lights on. I remember hearing around the time construction began, that the Student Union Building, where 95bFM lives, had qualified for heritage status, meaning it couldn’t be knocked down – but I always wondered what would have happened otherwise. The radio station feels like it’s a physical testament to survival in the face of these big changes happening at universities throughout Aotearoa.

On our side of Albert Park, AUT doesn’t feel like much of a campus either. They’re cramming more and more students into smaller spaces – well, at least onto our floor of WG. Maybe the days of AUT’s small class sizes and hands-on learning are behind us. It’s strange arriving at uni, and being told where to go when there’s a conference on – which these days, seems to happen every other week. That’s not to mention the evangelical church that runs their service here every Sunday in our biggest lecture theatre. If you’d like to read more about this, Debate’s news team reported on it earlier in the year. They also spent a lot of time flipping over copies of Debate’s sex issue (they couldn’t handle seeing two naked wāhine on the cover). David Farrier also discusses the problems with these types of churches regularly in his newsletter, Webworm – and unsurprisingly, it’s in the money. They usually have charismatic leaders, who make sure the basket (or eftpos machine) is passed around after plenty of music and bright lights. At the end of the day, I think it’s important that we keep campus as a student space. Remember, you should be the priority, not another conference.

We can’t promise to cure the effects of winter, but we’ll do our best. In the meantime, stay warm! And why not wrap up with a copy of Debate?

Zinefest 2023 kicks off with busy market weekend

By Vanessa Elley (she/her) News Writer

Auckland Zinefest 2023 has begun with a successful market weekend, drawing crowds to the Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki on August 5th and 6th.

The annual festival celebrates zinemaking, small press, and DIY culture in Tāmaki Makaurau, with 2023 being its fourteenth year running.

The weekend’s markets were well-attended, with up to 2,500 people visiting throughout both days, including 200 people just in the first ‘Quiet Hour’ between 10am and 11am on Saturday.

Quiet Hour was a new addition to Zinefest this year, aimed at visitors who needed a more relaxed sensory environment with smaller crowds.

By (he/him)

Organiser Catalina Nuñez Elevancini says Zinefest is an important space for creatives to get their work out there.

“There’s a huge creative community in Auckland, from all kinds of disciplines… The zine format really brings them all together.

“It’s really fun to see people figure out how they can put their work into a zine, and it’s just a really good space for people to uplift each other and express ideas they don’t get to see in mainstream publications or media.”

A ‘zine’ (short for and pronounced like ‘magazine’) is usually a small self-published and self-circulated work of collected images or original art.

“The main thing about a zine is that it is self made - runs are usually under 1,000 copies are produced” says Nuñez Elevancini.

Zinefest has been around in Auckland as a non-profit, volunteer-run community group since its first event in 2009.

“I’ve always realised the power that zines have… there’s a lot of migrants, queer people, and independent artists that share their work. It’s important that we make sure they feel like their work is valued.”

“We had good feedback about that too, from people on the day and also some messages on Instagram thanking us for making the space and time for it.”

Nuñez Elevancini says that Zinefest is a way to continue the history of zinemaking, and make sure that there is a dedicated space for it in Tāmaki Makaurau.

“The zine format has been around since the early 1900s; it's been used by suffragette movements, by sci-fi fandoms, by punk and feminist movements in the eighties, and even the Black Panther movement. It’s just always been the first method people use to get info out there.”

Zinefest 2023 will continue with more events across August, including bookbinding workshops and a twenty-four-hour zinemaking challenge.

Check aucklandzinefest.com for more details.

Marama & Me

By Briar Pomana (Ngāti Kahungunu, Rongomaiwahine, Ngāti Rakaipaaka) FEATURE WRITER

In the age of social media, maramataka, the Māori lunar calendar, is re-entering the chat. Similar to other mātauranga tuku iho, the maramataka is growing in vastness and followers every year. I’m surprised something like @maramatakamemes hasn’t become a glorified Instagram account to follow given the popularity that actual accounts like @maramataka. maori and @maramataka_in_action generate.

The maramataka is the observance of moon cycles and lunar months. To break the word up, the word “marama” can be interpreted as the moon itself, or the lunar month. Mārama can also mean to make light/ clear, or to understand. For Māori, we understand the maramataka by how our environment is affected. As we know trans-culturally, the moon is significant for many reasons. It influences tidal activity in our oceans and bodies of water, it plays a part in the growth of our gardens and can even have an effect on how we interact with each other, behave and feel. Māori knew this and used the maramataka to mark time, prepare and plan for everyday life.

Last month, I jumped on a Zoom call with Heeni Hoterene, the creator of Maramataka Māori, a group which brings Māori knowledge of the lunar calendar to communities and runs an Instagram account with the same name. I was alongside a bunch of other incredible Māori artists - we’d been given the opportunity to have one-on-one time with the ‘Marama Queen’ herself, through The Basement Theatre’s Matariki Wānanga. Although the maramataka has been active in many Māori communities across Aotearoa, Heeni and her mahi were my first introductions to this mātauranga. Needless to say, I was pumped to talk to her, and with a new notebook and ink pen, I was all ears. The purpose of the session was to learn how we could plan our lives using the maramataka as a tool. Heeni even joked that she’s used to seeing people blame the moon for their misfortunes on social media. Her response to those complaints was that the moon is not out to get you, but perhaps we could use its cycles and influence to our advantage. Although there are stages of the moon that require precaution, we should heed the warning signs early - before the aftermath of said moon.

A couple of weeks following the call with Heeni, each of us from the call were sent a calendar from Heeni’s brand Maramataka Māori that was colour-coded and beautifully designed so that even the most novice of astronomers could understand. This past weekend I set my calendar behind the door to my bedroom. I live with two other Māori, one being my cousin, who are both definitely aware of the maramataka in their own lives and so I did think twice about just putting the calendar up in our lounge or office space, but for now, my own personal journey with the marama feels super vulnerable and in a stage of growth that didn’t feel right to plaster on a wall where everyone that visits our whare can see. It kind of felt more like a goal setter and tracker than a calendar - something most people wouldn’t blow up into A0 and put up in their living room. Behind my door, I see my maramataka tracker every day. Before, I would check the @maramataka.maori page to set my day up right, or regretfully do it after the fact, just like those people that Heeni aunty-growled at. But now, I have colourful tabs. I’m planning for days I should get up early, days where I should focus on self-care and even classic calendar-marked days, like my mum’s birthday, which is on a Tamatea-whakapau moon, in the Tamatea lunar month. Interestingly, during this phase of the moon energy isn’t the highest, and we should be gentle with ourselves.

It’s all so incredibly affirming, and after using my notes from the session with Heeni I couldn’t believe I didn’t do this earlier. The maramataka has given me a sense of control and foresight that I didn’t even realise I was lacking. It’s welcomed me back into a way of life that feels more connected to my environment and whakapapa every day. It has also reminded me that there is a living tipuna that we all have access to and can learn from - our moon.

Theatre Review - Basmati Bitch

By Vanessa Elley (she/her) NEWS WRITER

Basmati Bitch, written by Ankita Singh and directed by Ahi Karunaharan, is a non-stop hour and a half packed with quirky characters, fast-paced fight choreography, and witty comedy.

The audience drops into a perpetually rainy (very familiar) future Auckland, year 2123, where rice has become a rare commodity being illegally smuggled across the globe, and undocumented climate refugees get swept up in underground networks of exploitation. To help us make sense of this new world, enter Shiva, our narrator. Shiva is a skilled ex-MMA fighter working on an anger management problem, and as she’s dragged into the world of turf wars over rice, the journey begins.

A creative vision for a possible future Auckland City comes alive through dynamic graphics, punchy dialogue, and quick set changes. The show takes you off guard from its first moment and keeps surprising you for the rest of its run time. I loved seeing familiar Auckland streets become part of an imaginative and entirely believable dystopia. (I’ll be keeping an eye out for any emerging rice cartels in the Wynyard Quarter).

Basmati Bitch covers a myriad of intense yet incredibly relevant topics, such as climate change, displacement, and food shortages. This story is well aware of its place in the present, even as it explores a far flung future. It feels right at home among our current news cycle of cost of living crises and weather turmoil. Yet, this is not a story focused on disaster. It is lighthearted and funny, and never for a moment takes itself too seriously.

The audience at my show was involved and engaged, cheering on different characters and reacting to each and every quip and fourth-wall break. Karunaharan’s stage adaptation of Singh’s script takes inspiration from anime, manga, and graphic novels, and that influence makes the show exciting, nimble, and a visual treat.

I appreciated the thought put into the dystopian future world the characters inhabit, with a believable timeline of events showing just how we got there from here. Yet, although the world was complex, the story stayed simple and effective and left the characters and visual effects to shine. The sound design is a highlight, pairing perfectly with the fight choreography and making every comedic moment truly funny.

Gemma-Jayde Naidoo and Karishma Grebneff's performances as Shiva and Bisma are especially standout. It was fun to see their dynamic unfold, and I loved how the actors bounced off each other to create a relationship I was thoroughly invested in by the end.

Each character is given their own time to develop during the show, which was well worth it for me as I found myself wanting to know more about each of the backstories being hinted at. The audience was drawn into the cast’s escapades right from the start. There was never a slow moment, from umbrella duels to confrontations under future Auckland’s ever-present rain.

Overall, Basmati Bitch is a clever, original, and fun vision of a dystopian Auckland, with characters I was rooting for and relationships that had a ton of heart for an action-packed hour and a half.

Basmati Bitch is presented by Auckland Theatre Company, Oriental Maidens and SquareSums&Co, at Q Theatre until 5 August.

Calming Fields in Greyscale: The Atmospheres and Music of Babe Martin

By Liam Hansen (they/them) ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Courtney Rodgers (they/them) PHOTOGRAPHY

It’s impossible for me to shut up about music. Half of the pieces that I’ve written for Debate boil down to transcribing my madman ramblings about the E major scale, and half of the words I speak are recited paragraphs from egotistical Pitchfork articles. This is why I’m kinda hesitant to praise a song or an artist based on their ‘vibe’. It's not just me being pretentious, shockingly enough. I just think the term undermines the impact and effort artists place into their work. It’s so vague and light - like the work is destined to linger in the background, serving as a pleasant new filter added to your everyday life.

The music of Babe Martin is so much more than that. It’s incredibly soft and relaxing, but in the undercurrents of Tāmaki Makaurau-based singersongwriter Zoë Larsen Cumming’s compositions and lyrics sits a slight unease and coldness. She brings listeners into her bittersweet, nostalgic memories, from the memory of the small town she lived in during her late teens OE, to the awkward last goodbye in an airport. It’s not just a vibe: it’s an atmosphere, painting the world of the listener in greyscale watercolours and bringing them the scent of forests in Switzerland. Fresh off of the ethereal release of her second single ‘Versoix’, I spoke to her about her process, collaborators and memories in the offices of 95bFM - her former workplace, ironically a perfect example of the bittersweet locations that bring back the old memories she missed.

Liam

How long have you been making music for? Did you have any musical projects before this one?

Babe Martin

Yeah, I did - I've been writing music for as long as I could, banging around on the piano when I was six years old, which continued on into me making solo music. But nothing that was so serious and collaborative. While Babe Martin is a solo project, I've been playing shows and recording music with lots of different people. The music stuff that I'd done before, that was just me. I had my first gig as Babe Martin in November last year, but there was quite a big build up to that. I'd been writing the songs for maybe a year before then. The name came at about the same time as the gig.

Liam

Ah, the classic "Yay, I've got a gig! Wait, oh god, I need a name!"

Babe Martin

Totally, I was umm-ing and aaah-ing about a name for so long. I was even gonna use my cat's name for a bit.

Liam

What's your cat's name?

Babe Martin

Fleur Boudicea. Maybe that's just an album title down the line.

Liam

As we're recording this, we're fresh off the release of your upcoming EP's title track, 'Versoix'. What went into this song?

Babe Martin

So I lived in Versoix, which is a town just outside of Geneva in Switzerland, in my late teens, and it was a hugely transformative time of my life. Before then I'd grown up in Australia, so it was a massive shift. I wanted to commemorate and have a memento of it all, so now when I hear it I'm thinking about that particular time in my life.

Liam

For me it straddles the line between being really calming and relaxing, but also there's an edge to it that's a bit sad?

Babe Martin

I've actually had quite a few people message me saying that it made them cry! My friend from Versoix messaged me with a voice note in tears. I mean, that's quite a wonderful thing to receive, but also a bit full on. It surprised me, because in my mind it's not a sad song at all.

Liam

Did you go into this song with the plan to write about Versoix, and that whole period of your life?

Babe Martin

The music came first. I had the whole song structure laid out, before I thought of the "when I was 18, what I most loved" lyrics. And then I was like, "What the hell did I love most when I was 18?” It really was the forest of Versoix down the road from where I lived. I'd go there all the time - by myself, with my friends, with my mum, and it was just so beautiful and distinct in every season. The rest of the song just really wrote itself, because I was just thinking of that time. I like to start my shows with it because it gets me into a really nice headspace.

Liam

Is that the usual method that you'd use for songwriting? Music first, then lyrics?

Babe Martin

I don't really have a process to be honest - whatever happens happens. Sometimes I'll just write random lyrics, and come back the next day to refine it. Sometimes it's just one song in one go. Other times, I'm a little more intentional about it. I love to read, so I'll flick through poetry books and find words I like.

Liam

You get slightly more abstract in your debut single, 'Knocked for Six in BHX', which feels a bit more relatable.

Babe Martin

It's so funny that you say that, because I was worried that it was too obvious when I was writing it. And when I released it, people asked me what it was about and I was like, oh.

Liam

It's actually something I've been wondering - is the link to Birmingham (which has the airport code BHX) based on real life or just poetic licence?

I've actually had quite a few people message me saying that it made them cry! My friend from Versoix messaged me with a voice note in tears.

Babe Martin

No, it's absolutely based on real life. My family lives in the UK, so when I was visiting them, and then leaving them it was via BHX. I just felt that feeling of both not wanting to go and knowing you have really good things waiting for you on the other side. That pull has been quite a theme in my life.

Liam

I think that's why it's more relatable to me. All the little aspects you mention that other people relate to hit so much harder. I think that you did a really good job with that on ‘Knocked For Six’. How did you write that tune?

Babe Martin

Gosh, I think 'Knocked for Six' just sort of happened. That's a really common thing for musicians to say, but I'll just be sitting in my feels, and I'll start to think of ways to express it. The line “Where's my sister, Where's my brother?” was literally just me missing them.

Liam

I mean, the compositions themselves are quite sparse, which is great for creating an atmosphere that's sad yet comforting. Is that a conscious choice from your end?

Babe Martin

Yeah, it is. I like to keep things simple - it's the same for the lyrics. There are other songs that I've written that have more full on arrangements, but I don't like making it difficult for people to think about. Not that I really think about other people when I'm writing, but I know that it would be nice for people to just calmly sit and listen.

Liam

Is that atmosphere what you're trying to create with the whole EP?

Babe Martin

The songs that are on it do have a similar theme of space; not universe space, but space between people and times. They all toy around with it in different ways.

Liam

I almost visualise each of the songs in my head as stepping into a massive open field in greyscale, with the wind passing through your hair.

Babe Martin

You're describing an upcoming music video! I don't know if it's a secret or not. But I've just shot some stuff with my friends.

Liam You've been working with some incredibly fantastic and influential Tāmaki Makaurau based musicians to put this EP together, like Jazmine Mary. What have those collaborations been like?

Babe Martin

Working with Jazmine was really nice and very easy - we gel really well together. It's hard taking such personal music and sharing it with other people, so the vulnerability they hold in their own songs made me feel way more comfortable. We invited some really cool people to play on the tracks as well. On Versoix, we've got Jazmine on guitar, Courtney Rogers on drums, and Antonia Barnett MacIntosh on cello, while I'm on keys and singing.

Liam

How about the people you've been performing with live?

Babe Martin

My first couple of shows I just played solo, but then through a friend I met Kat Tomacruz, who is a fantastic cellist. For my release party of 'Knocked For Six in BHX'. My friend Harry Thompson-Cook played guitar, which added another level too. I might just slowly build up the musicians who play live with me.

Liam

Hopefully over time, there'll just be a full orchestra behind you.

Babe Martin

That's the dream.

Liam

You've signed with Sun Return Records, which is an incredible label based in Tāmaki Makaurau. How's that been?

Babe Martin

It's been great. I've been a fan of Sun Return for ages, so when their owner, Zac, asked if I wanted to release it through Sun Return, there was no question about it. I just love the music community here, cause so many of these people are just my mates.

The songs that are on it do have a similar theme of space; not universe space, but space between people and times. They all toy around with it in different ways.

Liam

Has your previous role as the breakfast producer at 95bFM informed your music at all, coming into contact with so many people?

Babe Martin

It hasn't really changed my songwriting itself, but I've become a part of the music community through bFM for sure. That is a gift to anyone who's involved in the student radio network - it's such a special place. But in terms of if I've approached music any differently, no. Do I have more friends to reach out to and ask if they want to do something? Yes. But I think my music would still be the same.

Liam

How did your approach to the music itself change between the live performances and their compositions on the recorded tracks?

Babe Martin

The tracks were all recorded before I played any live shows. They're not that different in the live shows but they're their own thing. I guess my approach to performing live is informed by my history as a piano player and singing in choir. I just want it to sound beautiful and be something that people can just sit and chill and listen to.

Liam Yeah, for example there's more of a melody in the live version of 'Knocked For Six'. Was that there initially?

Babe Martin

Yes! But when we recorded it, I just wanted there to be the searing cellos. It's a similar approach to theatre, where you see a different performance every night. Of course, it's going to be like that for music, because you're a different person, every performance.

Liam

What do you think is coming up next after the EP release?

Babe Martin

Oh, wow.. What's next is recording an album, but that is way down the line. I've got a lot of writing to do, so for now I'm just seeing where it goes. I don't have a five year plan or anything for music. I'm very organised in every other aspect in my life, but for Babe Martin I just want to put my emotional drive first.

The Versoix EP will be released via Sun Return Records on the 7th of September, 2023 - If you'd like to learn more, you can go to @babemartinmusic.

THE

YOUNG INFORMED & :

Auckland Central MPs take on the big issues

By Nic George (he/him) CHIEF REPORTER

With the election cycle in full swing, it’s easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of scandals and drama of political theatre - it’s even easier to disengage completely. But we here at Debate want to bring the discussion back to the top issues facing those living in Tāmaki Makaurau.

We reached out to students over Instagram to find out what their biggest concerns were going into this election, and took them to the MP candidates of Auckland Central to hear what their proposed solutions are.

Who are Auckland Central’s Leading Candidates?

Mahesh Muralidhar (National)

While Nikki Kaye and National had a firm grip on the seat for the 12 years prior to the last election, the party is looking to reclaim the seat this year after Kaye’s retirement in 2020.

Muralidhar fits the National party’s business-centric image as the chief executive of Phase One Ventures, which focuses on investing in start-ups in New Zealand and Australia.

Chlöe Swarbrick (Greens)

As the incumbent in this election, Swarbrick is looking to extend her role as representative for the Auckland Central electorate for another three years.

She was the first member of the Greens to win the seat in 2020, and became the face of the party’s youth movement.

Her rapid ascension through the ranks of the Green party was typified when she was named the third on the party list, only behind co-leaders Marama Davidson and James Shaw.

Prior to this role, he was also a key figure for the graphic design platform Canva as the company grew to become a globally recognised brand.

Oscar Sims (Labour)

The Labour Party hasn’t won the Auckland Central electorate since 2005, So they’ve decided to reshuffle the seats and move their candidate for the past two elections, Helen White, to Mt Albert and bring in some youth with Oscar Sims.

At the age of 25, Sims is aiming to be the first Gen-Z MP elected to parliament.

His background in housing advocacy as a spokesperson for the Coalition for More Homes led him to launching his career in politics.

What are the big issues students are concerned about?

Cost-of-living crisis

While annual inflation recently dropped below 6 per cent, a report from Stats NZ has found that the cost of living has remained high due to rising food and housing costs.

The average price of food has increased 12.5 per cent since last year, according to Stats NZ’s food price index.

Labour's Oscar Sims said he believes people are being “ripped off” at the supermarket, due to a lack of competition in the grocery sector.

“I think a lot of that comes back to the fact that we really only have two grocery providers in New Zealand.”

He said Labour’s main focus is to create opportunities for shoppers to have a wider range of choices when it comes to groceries.

“We've just recently passed laws and instituted a bunch of new rules around competition. Costco is an early example of that.”

Sims also highlighted Labour’s recent policy change which removed prescription fees for medication.

“For people who might be receiving a bunch of different prescriptions every month, that fee can add up pretty quickly.”

National's Mahesh Muralidhar said his top priority was driving down inflation by pulling back on government spending.

“There are three levers to control inflation: consumer spending, business spending, and government spending.

“The current government has wasted all of their money on consultants and bureaucracy, which has driven up inflation and put an unfair burden on businesses and consumers.”

The other priority for Muralidhar is raising incomes “across the board”, as he pointed to other major cities abroad offering higher paying jobs.

However, he said he is opposed to increasing the minimum wage despite a large portion of students relying on those jobs while they study.

“Our focus needs to be on growing the pie for everyone and giving students something to aspire to.”

Housing/Renting

For a lot of students, the prospect of owning a home in the current housing market seems unattainable.

Outside of home ownership, the cost of rentals in Tāmaki Makaurau has put a lot of pressure on students.

The cost and quality of rental properties in Tāmaki Makaurau is a major concern, with many students living in expensive, cold and mouldy flats.

Chlöe Swarbrick and the Greens are proposing a series of policies to address these renting issues - for students specifically, they plan to adjust tenancy laws regarding student accommodation.

“Student accommodation is currently exempt from the Residential Tenancies Act under Section 5B, which means that there is not a need for those providing student accommodation to meet the same standards as is required of landlords. We want to remove that exclusion.”

Swarbrick highlighted three policies from the Greens that she said will improve living standards for renters.

The first is a rental warrant of fitness, which she said would “fix some of the long-term issues with the healthy home standards.”

She claims this certification would “reverse the burden of proof”, by ensuring rentals are healthy to live in from the start rather than taking the issue to the tenancy tribunal.

“It's a pretty unsatisfactory outcome that comes out of the Tenancy Tribunal - not only for renters, but also for landlords.”

The second key policy Swarbrick proposed was a register for property managers and landlords.

“That would enable us to have a central repository of those who are directly managing their own properties, or who have property managers managing those properties for them.”

She said this could be used as an educational tool for renters and landlords to better understand their rights and responsibilities.

The third change she mentioned was implementing rent controls that would limit the amount landlords could increase rent annually.

“Our proposal is for no more than 3% per annum increases in rental prices, which would help to finally tackle the issue that we've seen in runaway rental increases compared to wages.”

Sims highlighted the changes Labour has already put in place for renters, such as no-cause evictions and the Healthy Home Standards.

“Obviously, there’s still more work to do but I think we're moving in the right direction in terms of both supply and also tenant’s protections.” Sims said.

Crime

Not only have ram raids been dominating the news cycle over the past year, but Tāmaki Makaurau recently experienced a spree of violent gun crimes, with the shooting at the port and another on Queen Street.

Muralidhar said he believes this issue needs to be tackled through “short and long-term solutions."

The priority for National was to get more police on the street that are visible to the public.

Muralidhar referenced the ‘Broken Window Theory’, which was a form of proactive policing that cracked down on minor crimes like vandalism and loitering.

The theory asserts that focussing on these crimes will provide the public a sense of safety while also deterring further criminal activity.

Swarbrick contested this view by pointing to the Safe and Effective Justice Review published in 2019, which looked at ways to reform the criminal justice system to address intergenerational traumas that push disadvantaged people into criminality.

She acknowledged that this approach is not as “politically sexy” for voters.

“It doesn't give you a great 'tough on crimes' soundbite. So the question is, do we want just these hot take soundbites or do we want policies that actually work?”

Climate Change

With both the Auckland anniversary floods and Cyclone Gabrielle hitting earlier this year, the city has experienced the first-hand impacts of climate change.

The two major areas being discussed by politicians are mitigation and adaptation.

Mitigation refers to changes that reduce emissions and other impacts on the environment, while adaptation is focussed on creating procedures and safety nets for future climate related events.

Swarbrick argued that while these two approaches appear to be on opposing ends of the debate, “meaningful mitigation is also adaptation.”

She said her focus for Auckland is transport and revamping the city’s car-reliant infrastructure.

“In Tāmaki Makaurau, our largest emissions profile is transport and it's also the fastest growing emissions profile nationally as well.”

Sims was aligned with Swarbrick on this issue, he said there needs to be a fundamental shift in city planning.

“How do we change the way that our cities are laid out in such a way so that everything that you need is within active transport? Building housing along train lines is a great example.”

Muralidhar said his top priority for addressing climate change is creating more opportunities for experts from abroad to come to New Zealand and help develop technology to help with mitigation and adaptation.

“OUT OF THE BLUE,” your vice president on identity, leadership and community

By Vivien Whyte (she/her) CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Debate sat down with Zina Abu Ali (she/her), a fourth-year architectural engineering student and your AUTSA Vice President (Community), to talk about her mahi, the importance of community wellbeing and her hopes for the future.

Zina recounts her journey into student advocacy as an unexpected calling. In 2021, she received an out of the blue phone call from AUTSA asking her, firstly, whether she was coming to the training for the new representative council, and, secondly, informing her that she’d been both nominated for and won the role of Rainbow Affairs Officer.

Since then, she has been working hard to ensure that queer youth, especially those who are POC, have spaces where they feel safe, seen and empowered. Her passion and work were recently acknowledged in the YWCA’s Y25 list, which brings together 25 wāhine and irarere across Aotearoa who are raising their voices to empower others and change the world.

Zina explains how she got involved in advocacy, and became so passionate: “I was really trying to find my space here in New Zealand. I moved in 2019 and when I came to AUT - closeted at the time - I thought it would be my big chance to come out and re-emerge as a new version of myself that I had been hiding for quite a while.”

Zina tried to find queer spaces in Aotearoa but still “felt so out of place”. She found that many of these mainstream queer spaces are often white-centric and Pākeha dominated. “I had just moved here from Jordan in the Middle East, and I could see the looks of pity in people's eyes. I could tell they were uncomfortable.” More than this, there was always a lingering feeling of self-consciousness occupying these spaces; “I never felt like I belonged.” This sense of belonging is a double-edged sword for her; “I still didn’t quite belong in my ethnic communities because my queer identity was always at risk.”

Coming from her own lived experiences, she is especially passionate about queer ethnic youth and making sure safe spaces are for everyone in that community. “For so long, queer people of colour have been unable to occupy spaces in the way that they want. So, when I got the call to become the Rainbows Affairs Officer I thought ‘why not?’ This was my chance to make the spaces for people to finally feel like they belong.”

[CW: Family rejection of queer identity]

Zina recalls, “When I was first appointed Rainbows Affairs Officer, my dad told me ‘I don’t want you speaking out about queer related issues in public’. He had a really big problem with it, and ultimately he gave me an ultimatum: 'If you take this role, I don’t want any contact with you.'” Having moved to Aotearoa with only her parents and siblings, she said that it was “probably the hardest decision I have ever made in my life. We have no other family here, so they were all that I had”. However, after thinking about it - a process that severely impacted her mental health - she decided to take the role. “I didn’t want anyone else to feel the way I did at that moment. I didn’t want anyone else to struggle to have to choose between their family and their identity. I want the people who come after me to never have to make that choice”. Zina was exhausted, constantly having to block off half of her identity to fit into whatever space she occupied. “I couldn’t keep up this split version of myself - I was going to be who I needed to be and that was going to be it”.

“I had just moved here from Jordan in the Middle East, and I could see the looks of pity in people's eyes. I could tell they were uncomfortable.”

“This was my chance to make the spaces for people to finally feel like they belong.”

For Pink Shirt Day in 2021, Zina set up a survey, asking queer students what advice they’d give to their younger selves, the answers to which were eventually set up in a public installation. “While a lot of them were really heartwarming, a lot of them were really painful. There was a lot of shame, grief and hurt within those words”.

This led to Zina joining AUT Professor Camille Nakhid on their research into queer ethnic youth intersectionality. They interviewed 43 queer ethnic youth - many of whom were from AUT - and collated their stories into four manuscripts which dissected their findings and deeply explored what they meant. “They told stories about their relationships with intimate partners and their families, as well as the lack of social and government support they receive”. There is little to no research in Aotearoa on the experiences of queer ethnic youth or its intersectional identity. “It was really heartwarming and really beautiful to see work finally being done. When I was writing, I felt like I was pouring my heart and soul into it - it was just so personal to me.”

Not only did those manuscripts have a profound impact on Zina, but “we [ethnic queer youth] reclaimed the narrative a little bit.” It’s this power of students being heard and seen that Zina continues to fight for and build a legacy on.

Zina explains what community wellbeing means to her: “My mahi doesn’t occur within an individual silo. It involves a plethora of different individuals and groups who contribute to this work. For me, that’s my sense of community. A sense of belonging that is relational, dynamic and just wholesome.”

Zina also stressed the importance of having a community and a network of healthy relationships and friendships around you. “I like the concept of ‘being with’, rather than ‘being in’ a community”. This is still an ongoing battle to fight for Zina, who is yet to find a space where her intersecting identities aren’t constantly at crossroads. “I still have not been able to find a community that fully embraces me for who I am and all the parts of me.”

Zina says working in advocacy can be demanding, and it can be difficult to look after her own wellbeing. She says, “I struggle with that a lot. It’s really difficult to find the form of so-called ‘sustainable activism' within my role”. The nature of our everconnected, social-media-driven world means that advocacy spaces are especially susceptible to emotional burnout: “everything that is happening is on our radar all the time. I saw this thing called compassion fatigue, and I thought it was really interesting - because I didn’t realise that there was a term for people who feel a lot of guilt for not having the capacity to fight for everything at the same time”.

Zina safeguards herself by identifying her responsibilities and setting boundaries for her energy when needed, which is easier said than done. She acknowledges that it’s a privilege to be able to step away from issues. “A lot of people are actively experiencing and living with trauma. I acknowledge the privilege of being able to disconnect when I am consuming triggering content.”

Safeguarding well-being also extends to those around us. “A friend asked me once, before she was about to rant to me, if I had the capacity to listen to her. I really appreciated that, and I’ve taken that on in my day-to-day life. Checking in with people before dumping my frustration onto them.” Reflecting on even simple acts like this one can be a game changer.

Zina says, “What was really cool about being in this role is people actually wanted to hear what I had to say. That was really surprising to me.” Through this, she’s been able to grow into her identity, who she is and has gained confidence in “being present in spaces whilst feeling like I belong.” Although she is still on this journey, really growing into who she is has been important for both her wellbeing and her mahi.

Something Zina really wants to carry through to the next executive is her work on the national ‘No Excuses’ campaign, which was founded by student associations across Aotearoa earlier this year. Their three main tenets are all centred around the overall wellbeing of students and our futures, “Because we do be poor, undervalued and overworked!”

1. Te Tiriti Lead Futures – Co-governance for Tertiary Institutions

2. Debt Free futures

3. Better Partnerships with Tertiary Institutions

“Again, this brings me back to the importance of community. I think we tend to forget that tertiary education isn’t individual –there is only community gain.” Education powers the necessities and public goods we all enjoy, such as visiting the doctors’ or nurses' office. “At the end of the day, we want students to be seen and heard - that’s the biggest thing”.

“I didn’t want anyone else to feel the way I did at that moment. I didn’t want anyone else to struggle to have to choose between their family and their identity. I want the people who come after me to never have to make that choice.”

Memes and Moments in Pop Culture that Cheered Me the Fuck Up (And Cured My Seasonal Depression)

By Thomas Giblin (he/him) @thegreengiblin CULTURE & LIFESTYLE WRITER

In the Norwegian city of Tromsø, a famed viewing point for the Northern Lights, the sun doesn't rise from November to January. Despite the city's extreme darkness, the rates of seasonal depression among residents of Tromsø are remarkably low. Our cultural bias is that, unlike the residents of this Arctic city, we don't look forward to winter; rather, it's a season we go through to get to summer.

In contrast to the residents of Tromsø, during the dark and dreary months in Tāmaki Makaurau, I treat my seasonal depression with a daily habit of caffeine and 75 mg of Venlafaxine capsules. I also take great comfort in browsing Twitter, TikTok and Reddit. In over-stimulating myself on these digital platforms, occasional moments of hilarity greet my paling face, usually lit up by the glow of my phone. Cackles of laughter ring out after my third hour of scrolling TikTok in the early hours of the morning. I've found a video worth laughing out loud too; a racoon named Terry is wearing a cowboy hat. I finally doze off; drool waterfalls down the side of my pillow as my body tosses and turns. Upon my resurrection, The Guardian app tells me another celebrity has had their comeuppance; this time, it's someone 'really famous'.

I've rounded up some of my favourite pop culture memes and moments from the years of digital selfmedication I've just described. It's an antithesis to the blues triggered by the change of seasons. From Andrew Tate to Harry Styles and cute cats, I hope this list cheers you up. If not, try speaking to a mental health professional.

Don't Worry Darling

To make sense of all the scandals surrounding this film, I had to read a lengthy and detailed timeline; even now, I'm unsure if I understand all that went on. Both during the production and promotion of Don't Worry Darling, rumours swirled about tension between Olivia Wilde, Florence Pugh, and Harry Styles. Don't forget Jason Sudeikis, who apparently lay under a car to stop Wilde from delivering a 'special salad dressing' to now boyfriend Styles. This dressing, which contains only three ingredients, is "perfect for salad greens like arugula and watercress and endive", per Allrecipes.com.

I don't care much for celebrity gossip, but when a car crash is happening in slow-motion, you can't help but stare. Wilde cheated on Sudeikis with Styles on set, Pugh barely promotes the film, Shia LaBeouf gets involved in the drama, and we can't forget #Spitgate. Twitter is convinced that Styles spits on Chris Pine during the film's Venice premiere. The video isn't convincing, but it fuels the fire.

The Don't Worry Darling drama became allconsuming when the film was released, and in the third act, the film's twist is that the Victory Project is a virtual 50s prison. Styles plays as an incel who has trapped Pugh in this world after falling down the alt-right pipeline. It's laughable thinking he would be convincing as a basement-dwelling neckbeard nerd. His best role is in Dunkirk; he barely speaks. Despite my vendetta against Styles and his music, I have to thank him for his role in this dazzling labyrinth of scandalousness.

'Us'

I love cats and will forever maintain their superiority over dogs, especially those crusty white ones. Their purrs are therapeutic, lowering stress levels and releasing endorphins. I don't have a cat, however, so my TikTok is littered with videos and memes of the magical creatures revered by the ancient Egyptians.

Despite my adoration of cats, especially orange ones, my TikTok has been infiltrated with videos and slideshows titled Which cat is your significant other? I imagine I have someone to send them to but don't, so I spam my friends instead. The hundredth video of two cats cuddling is shared; I caption it ‘Us’, despite the fact I'm deathly afraid of holding hands with someone.

The Matrix

Andy Warhol said, "In the future, everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes" (it's alleged he never said this), and in the era of 'influencing', this quote rings painfully true. Influencers come and go; they have their moment in the sun, then disappear; Kevin Wu, Big Nik, Tanya Burr, and the Janoskians come to mind. But few influencers have angered me in their brief moment of fame as much as self-proclaimed misogynist and former TikTok star Andrew Tate.

Tate and his online academy Hustler's University, gamed the TikTok algorithm, artificially boosting his content. You could watch one video about men's mental health or show an interest in fitness content, and your FYP would start showing you videos of Tate expressing extreme misogynistic views. He suggests that feminism is to blame for male suffering, stating that most men "have no money, no power, no sex from their wife" and that their lives "suck". By styling himself as a self-help guru, Tate presents his overwhelmingly male fanbase with a 'pathway' to "escape the matrix." The Matrix, as described by the most Googled person in 2022, is "the systems which are being created by society that are deliberately designed to enslave." To escape The Matrix to Tate, means to see the real world 'as it really is' and that the powers that be are targeting him because he's 'woken up'. In reality, Tate has used and popularised The Matrix as a byword to shift blame for the consequences he's facing.

In radicalising men, extreme misogyny presents a legitimate threat to society. The violence towards women Tate openly discusses is not a fringe ideology; rather, the videos featuring him have racked up over 11.6 billion views. This past June, his 'empire' began to fall apart as he was charged in Romania with rape, human trafficking and forming an organised crime group to sexually exploit women. Now under house arrest, he faces jail sentences from ten to eighteen years. The facade of provocation and materiality won't help him when he stands in a Romanian court stripped of his 'alpha' status. What remains is a sad, insecure man who will likely spend the foreseeable future behind bars. It's impossible to prove that karma is real, but knowing that Andrew Tate is reaping what he sowed brings me immense joy.

My smug enjoyment, a feeling of malicious joy at Tate's downfall, highlights a guilty pleasure: schadenfreude. The German word has no direct translation; it combines the nouns schaden (damage/harm) and freude (joy). Google defines schadenfreude as "the pleasure derived by someone from another person's misfortune." This secret joy is all around us, and my pleasure in seeing Tate humiliated reminds me of Nietzsche; "To see others suffer does one good." This extreme example of glee shouldn't be shameful. Rather this feeling is profoundly human; we demand justice and fairness.

Shortland Street, Aoteroea's longest-running soap opera, uttered a line in 2017 that would live on in infamy. The core character Chris Warner (Michael Galvin), asks his son Harry (Reid Walker) if the image on the tablet iPad in front of him is his genitalia. Harry looks guiltily at his father as the iconic Shortland Street drums fade into the background. This cliffhanger would set the internet alight with dozens of news articles and a myriad of memes. The iconic line went as far as Jimmy Kimmel and his late-night talk show; Kimmel and surprise guest Alec Baldwin recreated the scene for millions.

Despite not being a fan of Shortland Street, seeing one of Aotearoa's most significant cultural products go global instils me with an odd sense of pride. I'm inspired to chuck on a pair of jandals, sink a Speight's, pick up a rugby ball and pretend I'm Joe Rokocoko whilst Six60 blasts from a gargling Bluetooth speaker.

"Please tell me that is not your penis!"

Re: The Storm (Bear) by Mary

A winter love letter.

By Phoebe Robertson (she/her) CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Oliver

Now through the white orchard my little dog romps, breaking the new snow with wild feet. In the winter, we lie in bed and fight each other over who will be the one to get up. To brave the wilderness of a student flat (even though I am no longer a student), tiptoe over wooden floors and arrive at the kitchen. Put warm hands on cool metal and fill the kettle with tepid, or frozen, water. If we are lucky, there will be no condensation on the window as we crack it open. If we are unlucky, our feet will stick to the floor. It has been grey all morning, and we have slept well into the afternoon.

Running here, running there, excited, hardly able to stop, he leaps, he spins, until the white snow is written upon in large, exuberant letters. When the kettle has boiled, it grows loud enough to writhe the wet droplets on the windowsill. I pour the steam into two cups, add tea bags, give it a stir, and add too much milk - but you’ve never commented on how inept I am. Outside, the rain is hitting the roof and I can hear the wind forcing itself through branches. The cups warm my hands as I tiptoe back to our room. There is no need to be silent, the flatmates aren’t home, but I am afraid you’ve fallen back asleep.

A long sentence, expressing the pleasures of the body in this world. It’s you— in bed. Slipping my body softly under blankets, you shy away from my frozen skin. It’s not that easy. Seizing you, I push my body tightly against yours. Our mugs steam upward and trail in whisps toward the ceiling. Your body is so warm and cozy under the blankets and i cannot get close enough. I want to live in your pocket and have you carry me with you for the rest of my days. I want to drink tea and watch TV, to pretend that the rain is not pouring down on our laundry and that this flat is not growing mould. You look toward me; “I love you,” you say.

Oh, I could not have said it better myself.

(Mary Oliver, 2013)

ART

Ever Present: First Peoples Art of Australia

Auckland Art Gallery | Toi o Tāmaki

Now - Sunday 29th October

Free!

With over 150 works from 1890 to today, Ever Present: First Peoples Art of Australia is the largest overview of its kind to be presented in Aotearoa. Head to the art gallery and enjoy the collection, which is accompanied by a series of talks, special events and tours.

MARKET 95bFM Record Fair

95bFM

Auckland University, 34 Princes Street, above the quad

Saturday, August 19th

Free!

Help support your favourite independent radio station and get some sweet records at the same time! 95bFM are selling a portion of their international record collection, a piece of history and music culture in Tāmaki Makaurau. 95bFM DJ’s Lucia, Miss Dom and Blind Mango Chutney will be spinning all day to send these records off in proper 95bFM style.

PLAY

Losing Face - ‘a daddy issues play by Nathan Joe’

Q Theatre

Now - Saturday, August 19th

$25 Student

On Christmas Eve, a white man and his younger Chinese boyfriend are waiting for the older white man’s half-Chinese daughter to show up. What could go wrong? This is a contemporary love story grappling with race, sexuality, love and fatherhood. It speaks to an urban, multi-cultural city like Tāmaki Makaurau.

ZINEFEST

Auckland ZinefestContinued Events

Various Locations

Now - Saturday, Sept 2nd

Free! (Closing Party TBC)

After a whirlwind market weekend at Toi o Tāmaki, the Auckland Zinfest is continuing to take over Tāmaki Makaurau with a multitude of workshops and event including bookbinding, 24 Hour Zinemaking, and a closing party at East St. Hall. You can learn more and sign up at: www.aucklandzinefest.com/events

AUGUST 2023

G G i u d g i e

TĀMAKI MAKAURAU - AKL

Hannah Everingham

Where? Wine Cellar

When? Thursday, August 17th

Cost? $20

Acoustic, solo, single release

Glass Half Full: DJ Kristen Stewart | Nymphsin | Damon Arts | Phys Ed DJs

Where? Il Brutto When? Friday, August 18th Cost? $15

Electronic, alternative, DJs

Plastic Love: Grace Wang | Jon Sable | Gus

Where? The Roxy

When? Friday, August 18th Cost? $10

Electronic, DJs, In Dust We Trust, Friendly Potential

Violet Hirst

Where? Old Folks Association

When? Saturday, August 19th

Cost? $20

Folk, singer-songwriter, album release

Carnivorous Plant Society

Where? Anthology Lounge

When? Wednesday, August 23th

Cost? $20 Students

Jazz, alternative

95bFM presents: bRave

Featuring: Hasji, Kieran Tahir, Caru and more…

Where? The Mothership

When? Friday, August 25th

Cost? $15

Electronic, alternative, DJs

PUZZLES

This is your Word Search!

WORDFIND COMFY BASMATI STORM

MARAMATAKA SHORTLAND ZINEFEST SEASONAL VERSOIX INFORMED

BASMATI COMFY MARAMATAKA SEASONAL STORM VERSOIX