Election | Issue 20

Feature

vol.77 issue.20

the election issue

editor@salient.org.nz

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Feature

contents weekly content 9. Letters 11. News 2 0 . C r e at i v e 31. VUWSA 34. Arts 40. Odds & Ends

features 4. An Interview with John Key 16. iPredict 21. Spotlight on Policy 2 4 . W h y Y o u S h o u l d Vo t e 2 5 . W h y Y o u D o n ’ t H a v e t o Vo t e 2 7 . O n t h e A n t i - C a m p a i g n Tr a i l 4 5 . A n I n t e rv i e w w i t h Dav i d C u n l i f f e

columns 18. Sports Banter 19. Bone Zone with Cupie Hoodwink 2 8 . We i r d I n t e r n e t S h i t 28. Conspiracy Corner 29. Food 3 0 . B e i n g We l l 3 0 . M āo r i M at t e r s 3 2 . H i s t o r y Th a t H a s n ’ t H a p p e n e d Y e t 32. Shirt & Sweet with Eleanor Merton

online content w w w. s a l i e n t . o r g . n z

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The Election Issue

Why I’m Voting, or, Why I Am Voting Even Though No Party Perfectly Aligns With My Views

T

his year, I am not going to be one of the 40 per cent of young people who don’t turn out and vote. I want to be a part of our democratic system, and you should too.

I haven’t quite nailed down yet who I am going to vote for. But I reckon I’ll figure it out soon.

I might vote Green. They’ve got a real solid environmental plan to look after our future. They will make it so that finally, all the amazing women in my life won’t be considered criminals if they exercise control over their bodies and get an abortion. They will stop locking up people for getting high, and instead realise the 100 per cent capital-T Truth of the matter: that drug consumption is a health issue, not a criminal issue. But I agree with Cam that their policies on immigration and foreign ownership are pretty gross and racist. So maybe not Greens, then.

But there is always Labour.

While I’m not convinced they are as socially liberal as I would like them to be (where’s the progressive drug policy, progressives?), they do seem earnest in their desire to change sexual-violence stats in New Zealand for the better. But I also hate hate their desire to banish the Chinese from buying land in New Zealand. And the fact that they would likely have to pair up with racist prick Winston Peters makes the likelihood of me picking Labour even more slim.

National’s probably out of the mix, TBH. I get that they have a pretty sensible economic plan that will provide jobs for everyday New Zealanders. But the revelations from Dirty Politics really put me off them. I’m sure everyone does it, but National seems to really do the-evil-powergrubby-shadowy-politics thing the best. And on social issues, they are frankly out of step. But they did marriage equality, eventually.

Which is great.

I’m not going to vote Internet Mana, just because they seem to be a bit loose. I don’t want Dotcom (the criminal-misogynist at large) running the country.

But I guess what distinguishes me from Cam is that, although I don’t like everything about a party, I will still vote for them. And I think everybody but the worst hacks ascribe to that view. People recognise the imperfections of the party, but say: hey, on balance, they would do some positive things for my country. Yes, I would hate it if the Greens introduced all their racist immigration policies, but at the same time, I would love it if they gave us a Carbon Tax, decriminalised abortion and decriminalised marijuana. So that’s why I might vote Greens.

On balance, they fit best with the values that I have and want the rest of New Zealand to have.

I do get it that not voting

is a political act to show your opposition to the system as a whole. And I have a lot of respect for you all you radicals out there who want to do that.

But I also think that voting can be a far more powerful act. It’s one instance in your engagement with the system. You can, in your own small way, change that system that you hate, and move it towards that brave new world we all want. Voting provides you with an important opportunity to understand and play a baby part in the system of control that is government.

But 20 September is not the end of your civic work. If you do really care about our democratic system, you have to be continually engaging with the system, not just tokenly every three years.

So please vote 20 September.

But don’t just vote. If you really want to make this system a better system, you’ve got to do a bit more than just that.

L ove ,

Du ncan

editor@salient.org.nz

3

Election Special

An Interview with

John Key

He’s a middle-aged white man. He’s from a lower-class upbringing. He went to Harvard Business School. He made millions in the private sector. He wants to be your Prime Minister. Salient went to the ninth floor of the Beehive to get to know John Key. Last election, 42 per cent of 18–24-year-olds didn’t vote; why should students vote?

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The Election Issue

I think young people have the most to gain from good government. Because in the end, you are likely to be in

NZ and on the planet for the longest period of time, and so you want to know that the right policies are driving the country. I think for young people, it’s critical they feel that they have a hand in the future and at least hopefully, through their democratic rights, see the government that they want elected.

What do you think is the single biggest issue facing students in this election?

I still think ultimately, the economy and jobs. I mean, a lot of students would say “It’s my Student Loan” or “It’s Allowances” and some of the unfairness in that system, because I think there really is some. But I think in the end,

Flip to the back of this mag to see our interview with David Cunliffe.

But I think in the end, a Student Loan is basically, or education is, an asset. a Student Loan is basically, or education is, an asset. What would worry me as a student is not the level of student debt I have, it’s the capacity to pay it off. The only real capacity you have to pay it off is when you have a job that fulfills that payment. I think in the end, that’s why I always think that if you look at some of these very high Student Loan–type degrees – Medicine’s an obvious one – yeah, they come out with a very large debt, often $100,000-plus, but they are also very likely to have a very high-end income stream and a high probability of employment, so it’s all relative.

You mentioned some unfairness in the current system; what, in particular, is that? Well, in the case

of Student Allowances, it’s income-tested and not asset-tested. I think everyone would acknowledge there are certain students who receive a Student Allowance where their parents are very asset-rich but technically, for the purposes of the law, are income-poor. It’s actually quite unfair on students whose parents can’t reorganise their affairs in that way.

Secondly, the law is structured in such a way that the expectation is that your parents will support you until the age of 24. That may well be correct for a lot of young people, but isn’t universally correct. In fact, there are lots of people going into university and moving away from their family for a whole

lot of personal reasons, and it’s just unrealistic for the state to expect their parents to continue to support them.

So you would look at changing that system?

Ah, it’s cost. There’s some inherent unfairness there and there’s no real easy way of resolving it, but I genuinely think it’s worthy of a debate.

Under National, there have been quite a number of cuts in the tertiary sector, so why should a student vote for the National Party as opposed to say the Greens or Mana who might offer them more? Firstly, it

depends whether you want to vote for a pipe dream or vote for a reality. Any political party can go on the stump and tell you that they’ll give you something for nothing. But in the end, the high probability with students is that they are going to be the higher-tax payers of the future.

We know that, for instance, 12 per cent of households pay 76 per cent of all net tax in New Zealand. Given that students will form those households in years to come, you’ve got to be a bit careful what you wish for.

If political parties promise you all these things free today, you may well and truly be the base that ends up paying for it in the future.

Secondly, I’d say that we’ve made some adjustments, but they’ve really only been at the

As I’ve always said, it’s really bad economics and it’s really good politics.

margins. We’ve been trying to make sure that zero per cent loans are sustainable. Look, there have been a few areas where we think the system’s being rorted or it hasn’t been fair. In the case of overseas borrowers, the Government has had a big focus on trying to get debt repayment from students that are living and working overseas.

You’ve called interest-free Student Loans one of the biggest election bribes in history. While in power you haven’t repealed that.

Why? As I’ve always said, it’s

really bad economics and it’s really good politics. The reality is that if you look at the voting base on campus, everything we know tells you that there’ll obviously be a group that vote more left. Typically, these days, that has been more dominated by the Greens. But what’s been happening is that National is becoming much stronger on campus. We signed up more people in O-Week than any other political party by quite some margin. National has been quite resurgent on campus: there is quite a lot of support out there for us.

And you think that would disappear if you reintroduced interest? If we

reintroduced interest back on loans, that almost doubles the repayment time of the loan. I think a lot of people on campus want to vote for us and actually do vote for us, but if we double the amount of time it’s going to take for them to repay their loan, they’ll vote against us.

That’s the reality of what we are dealing with.

National has a bill before the House that would remove the requirement that students be represented on university

councils. Why is National opening that up to be a possibility in the future?

I’m not the absolute expert, but I think the right answer is that essentially what the Bill does is reduce the size of the operating body of the university. That’s happened already at some other tertiary institutions and it’s largely been successful. We think those very big boards with 20 people are a bit of an unworkable structure. Notwithstanding the fact that Cabinet is made up of 20 people – there’s an irony in that – but that’s the view we’d take. The argument has really been that we don’t want to be too specific about who is on and who is off these boards. It’s really hard to believe that the governing body of a university is not going to include student representation. We want there to be smaller numbers so they’re more flexible but actually students are a massive part of a university and if they’re not represented then the university is not likely to be successful.

The Greens have said abortion law needs reform; what’s your position? My

view is that the current law is working well. The reality is that most people who want to get an abortion can. So the question would be that if you changed the laws further, would you be encouraging people to use abortion as a contraceptive device? The reason I would be a bit concerned about pushing people in that direction is that there are health implications of people having abortions.

In the end, the law works reasonably well – most people take contraception seriously.

If somebody falls pregnant and feels that they can’t cope with having a child, the system will provide for them. And actually, teenage pregnancy rates are dramatically reducing editor@salient.org.nz

5

Election Special I could point you to people who have been taking P and driving down the main streets at three o’clock in the morning holding a baby by two feet out the window.

only change when people want to drink responsibly.

and the number of abortions is at its lowest level since 1995.

I certainly wouldn’t want to tighten the law up and I’m not keen on loosening it either, but only because I care about the welfare of those young women.

Huntly Power Station from being coal-fired to gas-fired.

If you look at New Zealand’s emissions, we are very small. I accept we’ve got to do things, but we are only 0.14 per cent of world emissions. Secondly, we’ve got a very unusual profile from other countries – half of our emissions come from agriculture, so we need to get scientific solutions. I was at the forefront of setting up the [Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases] with the Americans and we’ve ended up getting over 30 countries investing in finding scientific solutions there. But if you look at New Zealand, the other form of emissions is really electricity, three-quarters of which is currently renewable, so that’s fine. But the bit that’s not is the coal-fired plant at Huntly. l

You’ve said in the past that smoking cannabis fries your brain and you are opposed to any reform in that area. Do you stand by that? Yep. In the end, if you

accept that in the real world lots and lots of people are recreationally using drugs…

80 per cent of students have tried it. ...I have no

doubt about that.

You never partook? No,

no. Not because I’m some do-gooding prude. It was just that I hated smoking and I would never try any other drugs because I’d be terrified of what

Quickfire Questions 1.

What is your star sign?

Leo. 2.

Cost of petrol? About $2

a litre.

3.

Favourite colour? Yellow,

believe it or not. Should be blue.

4.

How much is a loaf of bread? Depends where you

buy it. You can pay about $3. $5 for a loaf of Vogel’s, and 99 cents if there’s a good deal on.

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The Election Issue

I was taking. I’ve drunk plenty of alcohol and I can see there is a legitimate argument that they’re both drugs of sorts. But the main reason I’m opposed to liberalisation of the law is because Parliament sends messages. And the question is, do we want to send a message to young people that they should actively be involved in taking drugs? I just don’t think that as a society we should send that message. The question is: where does that lead? Like in my electorate, I could point you to people who have been taking P and driving down the main streets at three o’clock in the morning holding a baby by two feet out the window. I just fundamentally, at the core of it, believe people should get their kicks in other ways.

You mentioned alcohol – you voted for a split drinking age, but the Bill

5.

How much does a student get per week through StudyLink living costs? [$173.56]

The loan depends on how much they choose to borrow.

I think it’s about $180.

6. Favourite film? I’d say 22 Jump Street because I just watched it last week. No, actually, it’s Johnny English.

7.

Favourite bar in Wellington? The

Backbencher.

8.

Favourite band? I really

really like Adele.

9.

What will your legacy be? I think they’ll say that

failed. Would you vote that way again? Yeah. The point

in New Zealand is there’s a purchase age and not a drinking age. At the end of the day, what you’ve seen in Parliament is the first time in 20-odd years that there’s been a reversal of the liberalisation of alcohol laws. That reflects the fact that New Zealanders want to see a bit more balance brought back in. No one’s trying to argue that university students aren’t going to have some big leer-ups and so are lots of other people.

But ultimately, we do want to change the culture of binge drinking in New Zealand.

So change has to be driven by law and by culture?

Yes. In the end, I’m not at all confident that Parliament changing the rules will dramatically change any bingedrinking culture that operates in New Zealand. I think it will

we had the right policies and showed good leadership at a time of economic crisis. In the end, we don’t dress ourselves up to be something we’re not. We’re a fundamentally centreright, economically focussed government. I still think in the end, whether you’re a student or anybody else, people actually want to be independent of the state.

They want to make their own decisions, look after their own families and, most of all, have confidence.

One thing I know from

The environment, then: what one thing would you do to curb NZ’s emissions, which are increasing under National? I would change

personal experience of having financial security: you have confidence. You don’t worry about losing your job, you don’t worry about the bills. It doesn’t mean you don’t have stress in your life, but a lot of people have an enormous amount of stress because they don’t have the confidence that they’re able to meet any challenges that might come along. And I think New Zealanders are feeling a bit more confident.

Letters

Letter of the Week YUM That’s what various flatmates and friends have said about your recipes. I’ve made the vegetarian pie (dubbed “happy face pies”, as they had smiles cut on the lids), impressed guests with the kumera gnocci, and am aiming for the eggplant next! Can you please concoct something with pumpkin? it’s so cheap atm, and I just discovered that pumpkins seeds are amazing http://ohsheglows. com/2012/09/17/how-to-roast-perfect-pumpkin-seeds-easy-crunchyaddictive/ double deliciousness!

Thank youuuuuuuuu

Can’t tell if satire?

Dear So-Called-Salient, I just saw Nicky Hager speak.

Like most hardworking New Zealanders I was shocked to find out that Nicky is actually a man. But what a load of nonsense that Dirty Politics book is. At the end of the day, it’s a left-wing smear campaign designed to discredit the most creditable and popular Prime Minister we’ve ever seen in this country. I won’t mince words, Nicky Hager is a thoroughly despicable man and probably a lesbian. He dresses like a poor person, and frankly that makes me sick. How dear you report on him. How dare VUW allow him to speak. The statements he makes in his book cannot be backed up with any evidence and have been vehemently refuted by the National Party.

Cameron Slater has outright

denied any connection to the PM, and we should believe him.

He is an honest, hardworking, sickness beneficiary who has been the subject of an attack by communists who are seemingly jealous of his close personal relationship with Hon Judith Collins.

As for that @Peace fellow.

Well, he is no doubt an unemployed Maori and should be shot. I hate him. I haven’t heard the song, and I don’t plan on listening to it. It’s almost certainly linked to Nazi millionaire, Kim Dotcom and if it’s anything like his album it’s probably awful. At the end of the day, it’s a left-wing spear campaign by uneducated poor people who obviously haven’t read John Key’s brilliant biography. And what a man the PM is. His performance at last week’s debate was so good that it made me erect at times. I often spend my

FREE COFFEE! Are you angry, elated or apathetic about Salient? Send us a letter of less than 250 words to editor@salient.org.nz. Pseudonyms are fine, but all letters must include your real name, address and telephone number. These will not be printed. Letters will not be corrected for spelling or grammar.

The Editors reserve the right to edit, abridge or decline any letters. The letter of the week wins a coffee from Vic Books.

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The Election Issue

Google ‘objectophilia’ Dear object of my affection I feel like we could go places together, you and I. You’re so uplifting to be around and so very appealing. I love how responsive you are, how I can always tell if I’m pushing your buttons just right. I think I’m ready to take things to the next level. I can’t wait for your sexy voice to tell me exactly what that level is too. Gosh Te Puni Elevator, I could ride you all

night long.

Regards A blatant objectifier

Bet you won’t do it again though Dear Ed, Sculling black coffee in the cold flat early yesterday morning.

Check emails. Library informs me I have $100 worth of fines.

Great start to the day.

OK so they were 3 hour loans.

I deserve some penalty. But surely $20 per item per day is a bit OTT? Make that totally exorbitant and unreasonable for us poor students, already burdened down with debt, to be expected to pay?

Why such obstacles to using the library services?

Signed, Justwantedtorant

Election Quiz 1. True or false: the National Party has not won an electorate seat in the Greater Wellington Region (including the Hutt Valley, Porirua etc) since 1993.

2. At the last election, what dubious honour did the Communist League’s Mount Roskill candidate Patrick Brown and independent Wellington Central candidate Puhi Karena jointly win?

3. What is the only party to have a majority of women in the top ten of its list?

4. Which party leader threatened to sue satirical website The Civilian for mocking him in an article last year?

5. Zainab Sokona-Whyte, the wife of ACT Party leader Jamie Whyte, comes from which West African country?

6. What do young National Party candidates Todd Barclay and Chris Bishop have in common?

7. Which two leaders of different parties share the middle name ‘William’?

8. How many different leaders has the Labour Party had since the last election?

9. What do Māori Party candidates and cousins Tame Iti and Rangi McLean have in common in terms of their appearance?

10. Which party leader, who often wears bow ties, is even better known for his haircut, which is often described as looking like a “dead possum”?

1. True 2. They received the lowest number of votes of any electorate candidate in the country (just 32 each). 3. The Green Party 4. Conservative Party leader Colin Craig 5.

Mali 6. They have both recently worked as lobbyists for tobacco companies. 7. Green Party co-leader Russel William Norman and Māori Party co-leader Te Ururoa James William Ben Flavell 8. Three (Phil Goff, David Shearer and David Cunliffe) 9. They both have full facial moko. 10. United Future leader Peter Dunne

Letters

nights imagining the John and I rubbing each other’s bodies in foie gras….[this letter has been abridged for space, the full version can be seen online] Unfaithfully yours, Earnest Cummingway

Announcent

An Apology from the Editors Last week, Salient printed a paid advertisement by Right to Life that advocated against voting for political parties that supported decriminalising abortion.

We published it with the accompanying statement: “The following is a paid advertisement and in no way reflects the views of Salient.” Having received complaints from a number of students, we wish to sincerely apologise for the publication of that advertisement. In no way does it reflect the views of ourselves or any of the Salient staff.

We are truly sorry to any individual who was offended

or found the advertisement triggering. We recognise that access to free and safe abortion is vital for anyone who needs one, as well as the importance of choice free of stigma or external influence. Abortion should be entirely the decision of the pregnant person without the state questioning the validity of their reasons. It’s so important to us that Salient is inclusive and accessible to everyone at Victoria, and we are extremely sorry to have violated that.

We also realise that this error is part of a wider issue that Salient and VUWSA needs to tackle: that is, establishing effective

guidelines for advertising in Salient and VUWSA. To ensure that this won’t happen again, we will work with incumbent Welfare Vice-President Madeleine Ashton-Martyn and the Publications Committee to formulate a framework that outlines how to keep our advertising inclusive.

By identifying these structural issues, we do not wish to shirk any responsibility. We recognise that we are responsible for this serious error and are sorry. We are constantly learning and will continue to work to make sure that these mistakes do not happen

again in Salient. In this issue, we are also publishing a free advertisement for My Decision on behalf of the Abortion Law Reform Association of New Zealand, who do amazing work advocating for the decriminalisation of abortion.

If you ever have a complaint to make about content published in Salient, please feel free to contact us at editor@salient.org. nz. Alternatively, you can email the VUWSA General Manager Leisel Griffiths at leisel.griffiths@ vuw.ac.nz or the VUWSA President Sonya Clark at sonya. clark@vuw.ac.nz.

editor@salient.org.nz

9

Feature

PERSON OF LAST WEEK

BY THE NUMBERS

ON THE EVE OF THE ANNIVERSARY OF 9/11, PRESIDENT OBAMA DELIVERED A PRIME-TIME TELEVISION ADDRESS TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE OUTLINING HIS DECISION TO USE MILITARY FORCE IN ORDER TO “DEGRADE AND ULTIMATELY DESTROY THE TERRORIST GROUP KNOWN AS ISIL.” ISIL (THE ISLAMIC STATE OF IRAQ AND THE LEVANT), WHICH CALLS ITSELF THE ‘ISLAMIC STATE’, IS AN ORGANISATION THAT IS ACTIVE IN THE MIDDLE EAST. IT AIMS TO ESTABLISH A CALIPHATE (A STATE LED BY A SUPREME RELIGIOUS AND POLITICAL LEADER). IT HAS COMMITTED NUMEROUS HUMAN-RIGHTS ATROCITIES AND CURRENTLY OCCUPIES LAND IN NORTHERN IRAQ AND SYRIA. NO US TROOPS WILL BE DEPLOYED ON THE GROUND, ACCORDING TO OBAMA: INSTEAD, THERE WILL BE TARGETED AIRSTRIKES. THESE ACTIONS WILL MARK THE FIRST TIME THE US HAS USED AIRSTRIKES IN THE CURRENT SYRIAN CRISIS.

$20,000 THE FINE YOU COULD GET FOR DISTRIBUTING ANY IMITATION OF A BALLOT PAPER ON ELECTION DAY. IT IS ALSO AGAINST THE LAW TO PUBLISH ANY STATEMENT ON ELECTION DAY THAT IS LIKELY TO INFLUENCE VOTERS. THEY ALSO DON’T WANT YOU TAKING ANY SELFIES, BUT IT’S NOT IN ITSELF ILLEGAL.

6 PEOPLE LEFT ON EARTH WHO WERE ALIVE IN THE 1800S – ALL OF WHOM ARE WOMEN

51% THE NUMBER OF SCOTS WHO SUPPORTED THE COUNTRY’S INDEPENDENCE AS OF 7 SEPTEMBER. THE REFERENDUM WILL TAKE PLACE ON 18 SEPTEMBER, WITH ONLY A SIMPLE MAJORITY OF MORE THAN 50 PER CENT NEEDED FOR VICTORY.

1 SUSPECTED EBOLA CASE ON THE GOLD COAST AS SALIENT WAS GOING TO PRINT. THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH SAY THE RISK TO NEW ZEALAND IS LOW.

60 CENTS AN HOUR HOW MUCH PRISONERS WILL BE PAID IN NATIONAL’S WORKING PRISONS. THEY STILL WON’T BE ABLE TO VOTE, THOUGH.

17 THE NUMBER OF AMERICAN MEN IN HISTORY WHO HAVE RUN A MARATHON IN UNDER TWO HOURS AND TEN MINUTES. BY CONTRAST, 32 KENYANS DID THIS IN JUST ONE MONTH.

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The Election Issue

Feature

NEWS KEEN EYE FOR NEWS? SEND ANY TIPS, LEADS OR GOSSIP TO NEWS@SALIENT.ORG.NZ

STUDENTS: “MORE HEALTHCARE, LESS SALIENT” ALL WE EVER WANTED WAS YOUR LOVE

by Sophie Boot

T

he results for the Student Services Levy (SSL) budget simulator are in, and it appears students want more doctor’s visits and fewer obnoxious Class Reps.

Students were emailed the simulator in April. Students could increase or decrease budgets for services funded by the SSL by two, four, six, eight, or ten per cent, or leave them as is. Of Victoria’s 18,400 students, 2950 responded.

The budget simulator contained no information as to the current amount of money given to each service. This year, students paid an SSL of $690 each, generating a pool of $11.2 million for all student services.

Students most wanted an increase in health services, with an average increase of 2.11 per cent proposed. This would increase the health budget to $2.28 million per year. Counselling Services attracted a 1.27 per cent increase, pushing the budget past $1.5 million per year. Disability services had an average desired increase of 1.18 per cent, up to $653,000 a year.

327 students commented alongside their budget allocations.

Those who did spoke strongly in favour of health services, with one saying they were “crucial to the emotional and psychological wellbeing of students.”

Students also said they wanted more career development, with one saying that as a graduating student, she had “this year been limited by the university and its websites that are focused on finding possible career paths.”

On the flipside, there was an average decrease of 2.95 per cent in desired funding for Class Representatives, which currently cost $120,000 a year.

Student media, which currently gets $160,000 a year in SSL funding, was cut by an average of 1.82 per cent. One student called Salient “120 pages of injokes and VUWSA dedicated advertisement” and said it did nothing to support student wellbeing on campus.

VUWSA President Sonya Clark said VUWSA had already decreased the Levy funding allocated to student media this year as there is “major advertising

potential” for Salient, as well as reducing the VBC’s funding by around $30,000.

“We don’t want students paying for Salient when we could have advertisers paying Salient’s way.”

Clark said Class Representatives were important, but VUWSA

needed to work on increasing their visibility.

At the 95 per cent confidence level, the margin of error for the results data is +/-1.65 per cent; at the 99 per cent confidence level, the margin of error is +/-2.18 per cent.

WHAT YOU WANT HEALTH

+2.11% COUNSELLING

+1.27% DISABILITY SERVICES

+1.18%

WHAT YOU DON’T CLASS REPS

-2.95% STUDENT MEDIA

-1.82% RECREATION SERVICES

-1.53%

editor@salient.org.nz

11

News

FEE FI FO FORUM STUDENTS TAKE IT TO THE BEAN-COUNTERS

By Sophie Boot

T

he second annual Student Fees Forum was relatively uneventful, despite Reclaim Vic’s promise of a protest.

The Forum took place in the Student Union Building on 9 September. Attended by the Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor Grant Guilford and other members of the University Executive, it was billed by VUWSA as a chance to “have a rant with Grant” prior to the University setting its fees for 2015 on Monday 15 September.

The University has raised its fees by the four per cent Fee Maxima every year since the cap was introduced by the Fifth Labour Government, and has at times applied to raise fees beyond that. It seems likely that this will happen

again.

VUWSA President Sonya Clark opened the meeting by saying she was frustrated by and opposed to continual fee rises, but she wanted to keep the meeting constructive.

Chancellor Ian McKinnon thanked Clark and said that the Forum was a valuable way for students to respond directly to University management, as “the strength of a university is in robust debate”. McKinnon said he wanted every graduate to have a degree which was well-regarded, and that came with a cost.

Vice-Chancellor Grant Guilford then spoke, outlining the history behind governments funding universities less since the 1990s and student fees rising as a result.

CFO Wayne Morgan said that he

DISHING THE DIRT ON HAGER NICKY HAGER’S VISIT TO VICTORIA REVEALS REAL TALK ON DIRTY POLITICS

By Alice Peacock

L

ast Thursday saw Nicky Hager grace the halls of his old student haunt, speaking for Victoria’s students and staff about his Dirty Politics; the book that everyone’s been talking about.

A full house reminiscent of the first week of 100-level BCOM lectures saw a spillage of audience into the isles of the lecture theatre, which was reserved for VUW students and staff.

Under the assumption that “no one ever seems to read books”, Nicky explained the key issues of his latest read, followed

12

The Election Issue

by a round of varyingly relevant questions, comments and reminders (there are indeed advanced polling booths available in the Hub, if anyone has yet to be pursued by the abundant voting wardens).

In a nutshell, Dirty Politics draws upon hacked correspondence between the attack-blogger Cameron Slater and various National Party members. The “ugly and destructive politics” revealed through the exchanges points out the poisoning effect of attack politics on New Zealand’s political landscape, effectively “free speech trying to close

had had free university education, but that was at the time of 60 per cent income tax.

Morgan also talked a lot about how students paying fees reduced the burden on “your parents the taxpayers”. A student from the audience pointed out that most students work and therefore are taxpayers, which Morgan conceded.

A student then asked about the salaries of the Chancellor, ViceChancellor and CFO. McKinnon said this was not germane, and the CFO said he gets around $200 every day he comes to university.

In 2013, the Vice-Chancellor, who is paid through the State Services Commission, was paid between $520,000 and $529,999, while the University of Auckland’s Vice-Chancellor made upwards of $650,000, making him the highest-paid public servant in the country.

Guilford then went through the University’s Governmentmandated three per cent surplus and how it had been reinvested. down free speech”.

Hager discussed the cynicism bred by this manufactured, manipulated form of politics as creating a non-participative political environment, and a subsequent lack of empowerment.

“At the end of the day, it’s a fight between participation and non-participation. We can’t let them win. We have to be outspoken.”

In terms of the shifty actions of specific National Party members, Hager was explicit in his condemnation. The investigative writer states that there is nothing on the scale of dirty politics from the left; rather, this “simply is a longterm problem with the National Party and, well, they need to sort their shit out”.

Hager, however, confirmed he had no expectation that this would change the results of this

Victoria made $327 million in revenue in 2013, and spent $311 million. 56 per cent of the University’s spending is on employment, 23 per cent on operations and nine per cent on buildings.

Performance was next on the agenda, with Guilford saying 90 per cent of current students rate the University’s overall performance as good or very good. Former Salient editor Stella Blake-Kelly asked whether student opinion was a good metric of academic quality, to which Guilford said he was contemplating a system where lecturers would peer-review each other.

Reclaim Vic have since announced they will be protesting against the fee changes at 1.30 pm in the Hub on Monday 15 September.

The fees will be set at 2 pm in the Hunter Building’s Council Chambers. The meeting is open to the public but will be moved behind closed doors if it gets too rowdy.

Saturday’s election, observing that National Party’s “loyal, non-attentive” supporters (the kind that watch Seven Sharp) are likely to have bought into John Key’s defensive rhetoric surrounding Hager’s latest release.

One audience member questioned Hager about balancing free information with privacy. Hager said he was a huge advocate of privacy, but not of secrecy.

“I wouldn’t print anything of Cameron Slater’s that is personal, nothing about his family or his health… If things are fundamentally hurting society, sometimes leaks are the only the answer.” *Anyone wanting a more comprehensive relation of Hager’s take on Dirty Politics can find Penny Gault’s article ‘Ill-Gotten Gains’ in the Salient magazine database online.

News

HECKLE CENTRAL ELECTION DEBATE GETS WET AND WILD

by Emma Hurley

C

andidates braved heckling and water pistols at the Aro Valley Community Centre to vie for the Wellington Central electorate seat last Monday night.

The hall was packed to capacity and, in line with tradition, candidates who spoke too long were squirted with water pistols.

Speakers were from NZ First, Conservative Party, Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis, Democrats for Social Credit, Internet Mana, Green, National and Labour, as well as two independent candidates.

Geoffrey Karena spoke first, an independent candidate. He said: “I don’t want no party vote; well, we ain’t got a party”. He represented the Hui Independent Movement and wanted a country free from oppression. He opposed means-testing for superannuation, as the people he represents “have no means”.

Hugh Barr, NZ First candidate, said his party is “not looking after the rich” and “it’s not looking after unions or the poor… we

look after all New Zealanders”.

He outlined policies to bring down the exchange rate and opposed the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA), which he said was a treaty that “takes away our sovereignty”.

Alistair Gregory, Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party (ALCP) candidate, wanted New Zealand to “stop making criminals out of people who like having a joint.”

He said medicinal, recreational and spiritual use of marijuana is a standard human right and an election issue, and “other parties are starting to wake up”.

James Knuckey, NZ Democrats for Social Credit candidate, said his party wanted a Universal Basic Income and a financial transactions tax, levied on speculative investment, currency speculation and investment trading. He hoped his party would make it out of the ‘other’ category this election, and is aware people dislike the length of the party’s title, “including people within the party”.

Grant Robertson, Labour candidate and incumbent electorate MP, spoke wearing a waterproof poncho. Labour would alleviate the stress of

poverty, raise the minimum wage and create more emergency and social housing in Wellington. He said that in Aro Valley, “the only undecided vote is Paul FosterBell’s campaign manager”.

James Shaw, Green Party candidate, praised Aro Valley for their 44 per cent Green Party vote last election. He said in the last 30 years, “New Zealand has gone from being one of the most equal societies in the OECD to one of the most unequal”. His party would clean New Zealand’s rivers, reduce carbon emissions, introduce a living wage and give free off-peak transport to tertiary students.

Callum Valentine, Internet Mana candidate, wanted to “bring the weirdness of the internet into Parliament this September”. He said Internet Mana stood for “unions, the poor, and people who love Game of Thrones.” The party would make tertiary education free and would build a knowledge economy “away from milk production and raw logs”.

Paul Foster-Bell, National candidate, persevered through the worst of the heckling and said National would “lift the standard of teaching by investing $350

million” into early childhood education. He said National had improved the health system by reducing waiting times and providing world-class cancer treatment. He said he and Grant Robertson had a lot in common as “we both want David Cunliffe to lose the election”.

Peter Robinson, an independent candidate, wanted to fix the economy of New Zealand as it is “dictated to by earthquake fault-lines”. Addressing a confused audience, he said, “All government departments as of the 31st of March 1975 will be reinstated,” and “the Local Bodies Act of 31st of March 1984 will be revisited”.

Brian Hooper, 80-year-old Conservative Party candidate, said he “dreaded coming here tonight” and did not speak on policy. He said “I’ll scrap the part about the Conservative Party and I’ll tell you a little bit about where I live and what I do”. He said his wife had “said she’d replace me tonight”, to which a heckler yelled out “at least she’s a woman”.

When candidates were asked if they support a Prime Minister who is involved in dirty politics, he responded “absolutely”.

The MC raised concern about the Aro Valley Billboard Massacre, of which only Grant Robertson survived. Paul FosterBell and John Key’s severed heads were found in the Valley, Internet Mana was in a ditch and Colin Craig’s eyes were gouged out.

None of the attendees could shed light on who was responsible.

editor@salient.org.nz

13

News

INTERNET MANA WANTS TO GIVE YOU FREE UNI $1.1 BILLION TERTIARY-EDUCATION PACKAGE

By Sophie Boot

I

nternet Mana would introduce free tertiary education under its tertiaryeducation policy, released first to Salient.

The policy would fully fund course fees, introduce a universal student allowance, and progressively write-off existing student debt, which it says would cost “less than ten per cent of the total new spending promised by Labour and National in the 2014 election campaign.”

There would be no fees at public tertiary institutions, wānanga and Māori PTEs under the policy, alongside a review of fees at private tertiary institutions. Internet Mana said this would cost $568 million, and would be instituted immediately.

Student Allowance would be universal, and the value of it would be reviewed “to eliminate student hardship”. The postgraduate Student Allowance would also be reinstated. This would all come at a cost of $570 million, and would also be immediate.

In order to fund the package, Internet Mana supports changes to the tax system, including increasing the top tax rate to 40 cents in the dollar for earnings over $110,000, as well as a carbon tax, a capital gains tax and “reallocating money from other areas.”

One of these areas would

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The Election Issue

be ACC, which Internet Mana proposes changing back from the current full-funding insurance model to a pay-asyou-go funding model.

Internet Mana says it is “widely agreed that ACC’s reserves are overfunded even for this purpose”, and the change would “release substantial reserves for capital projects, including student debt relief.”

While the party says the policy is “a top-level priority”, it admits its ability to deliver on it will depend on its negotiations with other parties.

David Cunliffe has said Internet Mana would not be part of a Labour-led government, but has not ruled out a confidence-and-supply agreement with them.

Cunliffe also told Salient that it would be “brave and probably foolhardy of us” to promise free tertiary education, but that tertiary education “should be accessible to everybody and it should be affordable.”

John Key told Salient that “any political party can go on the stump and tell you that they’ll give you something for nothing”, and that voting for Internet Mana would be a “pipe dream”.

Internet Mana was polling at 1.7 per cent in the most recent Reid Research poll, but is predicted to win at least one electorate seat in Parliament.

PROBING THE PUNTERS Salient probed the punters to find out what students think about university policies. This survey of 30 people has a margin of error of +/- 100 per cent.

FEES DO YOU SUPPORT FREE UNIVERSITY EDUCATION?

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DO YOU SUPPORT AN INCREASE IN FEES NEXT YEAR OF FOUR PER 30 CENT?

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DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH YOU PAY IN FEES?

UNI COUNCIL HAVE YOU HEARD OF THE UNIVERSITY COUNCIL? CAN YOU NAME ONE OF THE TWO STUDENTS THAT SIT ON THE COUNCIL? DO YOU THINK STUDENTS SHOULD BE ON THE GOVERNING BODIES OF UNIVERSITIES? ELECTION ARE YOU VOTING IN THE ELECTION? WHO ARE YOU VOTING FOR? GREENS: 10 INTERNET MANA: 6 LABOUR: 4 NATIONAL: 2 LEGALISE CANNABIS: 2

WHAT’S THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE FOR YOU AT THIS ELECTION? COST OF LIVING: 15 ENVIRONMENT: 9 EMPLOYMENT: 4 DRUG REFORM: 2

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News

VOTING ON CAMPUS If you want to vote in the election before this Saturday, it’s pretty easy to do – just go to the polling station in the Hub. There are polling booths at most universities this year, in an attempt to boost last election’s dismal turnout for young and first-time voters. James Shaw and Gareth Hughes from the Green Party have voted on campus, and so too has Grant Robertson, Labour’s Tertiary Education Spokesperson. VUWSA President Sonya Clark and Vice-Chancellor Grant Guilford have too. At the time of print, 118,975 advance votes had been cast, up from 46,306 at the same point in 2011.

Election Special editor@salient.org.nz

15

Election Special

iPredict

By Mitch Keast

W

ith a few days until the election, everybody is trying to pick a winner. Will Labour pull through and form a government with the Greens, or will both major parties be forced into an uncomfortable alliance with Winston First? Things will likely become clearer after 7 pm on Saturday night, but until then, you have iPredict.

Launched two months before the 2008 election for research purposes, iPredict is New Zealand’s only prediction market and is wholly owned by Victoria University. With over 8000 traders, iPredict is operated by students of the University with the purpose of forecasting social, economic and political events.

In 2008 and 2011, iPredict led the field for election-outcome predictions with success rates of 79 per cent and 82.4 per cent respectively when compared to traditional political polling.

Unlike traditional polling, iPredict traders are required to put their money where their mouth is, which works to increase the accuracy of iPredict predictions. As for attempts at manipulation, that too works in iPredict’s favour, with research showing that manipulation attempts only increase market accuracy.

New Zealanders will soon decide who should lead the country for

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The Election Issue

the next three years, but what will that government look like?

Despite the prospect of a rightwash all but over, the formation of the next government is pretty uncertain. In order to give some certainty to the readers of Salient over the outcome of the next election, let’s take some time to discuss a selection of iPredict’s predictions for Election Day and beyond.

Contrary to a number of traditional political polls, iPredict shows that it is unlikely John Key’s National Party will win a majority in Parliament

at the election. The National Party is expected to hold 56 seats (40 electorates and 45 per cent party vote) in the next New Zealand Parliament to David Cunliffe and Labour’s 33 seats (26 electorates and 26.5 per cent party vote). It is predicted the Green Party will win 16 seats in the next Parliament with 12.8 per cent of the party vote, with NZ First gaining 7 seats with 5.5 per cent of the party vote.

Election newcomer, Internet Mana, will be the fifth largest parliamentary political party after the election according to iPredict with the party expected to win 4 seats with 3.3 per cent of the party vote on top of Hone Harawira’s electorate of Te Tai Tokerau. Internet Mana will be joined in Parliament by ACT on 2 seats (1 electorate and 1.9 per cent party vote), the Māori Party (1 electorate and 0.7 per

iPredict’s Projection of New Zealand’s 51st Parliament

The National Party The Labour Party The Green Party NZ First Internet MANA The Act Party United Future The Maori Party

cent party vote) and United Future (1 electorate and 0.6 per cent party vote) on 1 seat each.

The biggest loser on iPredict this election is the Conservative Party who narrowly miss out on seats in the next Parliament with 4.9 per cent of the party vote, 0.1 per cent short of the 5 per cent threshold for MMP. If the Conservative Party were to reach the 5 per cent threshold, this would have a considerable impact on the formation of the next Parliament.

On current iPredict predictions, neither major political party would be able to form a government post-election without the support of NZ First.

In addition to National’s 56 seats and the 4 seats of their current parliamentary partners (ACT, United Future, and the Māori Party), the National Party would be one seat short of the 61 seats required to hold a majority in Parliament. In order to govern, Labour would need to gain the support of the Greens, Internet Mana, NZ First, and the Māori Party to reach the required 61 seats.

While National appears to be the favourite to form a government following this Saturday’s election, Labour and the Greens continue on with an outside chance. Anything could happen over the next few days, and several factors, including the electoral turnout to the weather on election day, could affect the election result. For up-to-date election probabilities or to find out more about iPredict, visit ipredict.co.nz, or if you have any questions, tweet @iPredictNZ.

Feature

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It can’t happen before 2019 Long term thinking

Google: Wellington City Council. Wellington Airport. Direct Flights to Asia. Runway Extension editor@salient.org.nz

17

Sports

at this point that a few more laid bets on Fed to go all the way, because looking at the way he came back against Monfils, not even an in-form Djokovic looked like stopping him.

Sports Banter Blowout at the US

by Ollie Ritchie

’m sitting down to watch the US Open men’s semifinal. It’s my man Roger Federer up against someone who I believe to be Croatian with a last name that is somewhat difficult to pronounce: Marin Čilić.

I

Ranked 12th in the world, and a generous 12th at that, Čilić was never really much of a chance against the maestro that is Roger Federer, so at this point my bet of $20 on Federer to make the final was looking to be something of a shoe-in. God,

Top 5

Teams to Use in FIFA

18

The Election Issue

why do you let me down like this, Fed? This semifinal had the outcome that very few predicted. The Fed-Express would be dealt a straight-sets defeat to the big Croatian, and exit the US Open tournament that appeared to be his for the taking.

However, maybe the five-setter was all too much, as the straightsets defeat would come soon after. So there’s the big shock: Fed gone to a guy who has never even looked like coming close to making a Grand Slam final. So what does this all mean for the former world number-one who used to be, and potentially still is, one of the most feared players on the world tour?

If anything, this may have made a statement to the tennis world in a way that is not so great.

Maybe Fed won’t win another Major title. This was his best

chance at Flushing Meadows as well. Knowing that if he won his semi, he wouldn’t have to face fierce rival Novak Djokovic in the final; instead, it would be the 16th-ranked Japanese youngster Kei Nishikori.

Maybe Federer was already thinking about facing the Jap in the final, because his mind certainly wasn’t on getting past Marin Čilić in the semi. I hope more than anything that Fed can bag another one or two.

I’ve always said that he had another Wimbledon and another hardcourt in him. After what we saw in New York, however, I don’t think I’m the only one who is questioning that now.

Update: Čilić dominated Nishikori in the final in straight sets 6–3 6–3 6–3.

When Federer was down two sets in his quarterfinal to the dirty Frenchman Gaël Monfils, the 17-time Major champion rallied to claim the next three in dominating fashion. It was My top five this week is for those of you who, like me, really battle in FIFA. I’d like to think it’s more the teams I’m choosing to play with as opposed to my own ability to actually play the game.

In my flat we praise Teece, or Timothy Carnachan. He is the FIFA GOD. Here are the top five teams to use in FIFA: 5. Paris Saint-Germain: PSG is a French club that over the past year or so has become a well-respected team in the game.

Even though David Beckham retired and no longer plays for them, they still have powerhouse striker Zlatan Ibrahimović. Being a monstrous 6’5”, this man feeds on crosses into the box.

4. Juventus: Juventus is a quick-paced Italian club team

that plays in Serie A. They are a great team to pick if you want to try to get fancy with the ball. Not only do the players possess fancy footwork, but they can also drill the ball. This may or may not help your choice in picking them, but their pink-and-black alternate jersey is definitely our favourite in the game.

3. Manchester City: Man City is in the EPL, a great squad with names like Kompany, Agüero, Touré and Silva. There are more stars on this team than you’ll be able to handle. There is no real secret playing with City. They make it easy for you.

2. Real Madrid: Real Madrid is second on our list and earned every bit of it. Madrid is a Spanish club team that plays in La Liga.

Not only are they fast, but they have amazing ball control and footwork, and can score from practically anywhere. Their best striker is Cristiano Ronaldo. If he touches the ball, you are most likely going to score.

1. Barcelona: They are the epitome of a team that ‘has it all’. Speed, ball skill, shooting and defence. It is all there. They also have Lionel Messi in their squad, who is considered to be the greatest player in the game today.

He is the first player in history to win three Golden Shoe awards, for scoring the most goals in a season of club football in all of Europe.

On top of that, Barça have picked up young superstar Neymar, a young Brazilian player who is thought to be the next Messi.

Sex

The Bone Zone Lessons I’ve Learned From Rom Coms With Cupie Hoodwink

hen I was 13, my mum decided it was high time I learnt a thing or two about the birds and the bees.

Rather than using a Shortland Street sex scene to seamlessly segue into a chat about how babies are made, or wait until I was in a car travelling at high speeds down a motorway, and therefore unable to escape, to educate me on the importance of contraception, Mum played it cool. Slipping a copy of Marian Keyes’ finest piece of romantic literature, Last Chance Saloon, into my Christmas stocking that year, she cryptically added: “I figured it was time you knew.”

Within two years I’d exhausted Keyes’ entire back catalogue, worked out Sushi for Beginners had absolutely nothing to do with sashimi, and moved onto chick lit’s glamorous counterpart: the romantic comedy. And while neither of these genres had much to offer in the way of the specifics of the female anatomy, or how to put on a condom, I learned more about love and sexetera from Hollywood than I ever did from any health class…

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We don’t know what’s good for us: Have you ever looked back on previous pashes and asked yourself, “What the hell was I thinking?!” Of course you have. That’s because we

humans are notoriously bad at choosing those who bring out the best in us, and really really good at digging duds instead.

One need look no further than Four Weddings and a Funeral to see that if Hugh Grant knew what was good for him, he’d snap up Kristin Scott Thomas in seconds flat and leave Andie MacDowell and her big stupid hats to their own devices. A veritable king of the rom-com genre, our pal Hugh Grant really comes in handy when it comes to assessing the viability of your own relationships. This is what I like to call the Hugh Grant test. Does the apple of your eye (literally or figuratively) dance through Parliament, overwhelmed with love for you? Do they stand up for you in public, eschewing diplomatic or other kinds of relations to protect you? If so, à la Love Actually Hugh Grant, you’ve got yourself a keeper. If, on the other hand, they make you feel like you’re never good enough, and leave you in the lurch when you’re at your most vulnerable (because you are, for example, dressed in a Playboy Bunny outfit), then just like Bridget, you gotta kick Bridget Jones’s Diary– esque Hugh Grants to the kerb.

Love happens when you least expect it: So yeah, this is one of those shitty things your

friends tell you when you haven’t had sex for so long that you wonder if you still have functional genitalia, and although it’s not at all what you want to hear when you’re convinced you may just be the human embodiment of #foreveralone, there’s a lot of truth to this statement. For some reason – let’s call it the Universe’s cruel magic – you always seem to finally get some action just as you’ve convinced yourself that your crush has fallen in love with your flirty co-worker so you go home to bake broken-heart pie (Amélie); have tragically reached the end of ten letters from your late husband and aren’t sure how you’re going to cope without his posthumous correspondence (P.S. I Love You); or when you’ve well and truly resigned yourself to being always the bridesmaid and never the bride (27 Dresses).

Friends make excellent lovers: Fuck what the critics say: sometimes, screwing the crew is the best call you’ll ever make. Sure, if it’s a casual root you’re after, maybe look outside your friend group, but if you feel yourself falling for one of your bestest buddies, don’t be afraid to explore the possibility of changing your relationship status.

If there’s anything we can take away from When Harry Met Sally, it’s that no one should have to wait through ten long years and numerous bad hairstyles to finally make it with their one true love.

And even if they can’t love you in the way you want to be loved, at least your friends will always be there to dance with you at your Best Friend’s Wedding.

They love you, wobbly bits and all: Sharing your body with someone for the first time – or indeed, any time – can be an extremely daunting experience, and it can be hard to focus on anything other than what

you consider to be your own, glaringly obvious flaws. However, if Colin Firth’s hands-down-mostendearing-cinematic-momentever is anything to go by, chances are your boo hasn’t even noticed your “wobbly bits”, and if they have, just like Mark Darcy in Bridget Jones’s Diary, they don’t give a damn because it’s just another thing that makes you, well, you.

Tip of the Week: Confidence goes a long way when it comes to sex, and aside from reading up on The Bone Zone and testing out the sextras therein, one of the best ways to ooze confidence in the bedroom is by investing some serious time in You. We’re all plagued by that inner critic when it comes to getting naked – the one that tells us we’re too small, too big, too hairy, too soft, too everything-the-opposite-of-sexy.

While it can be hard to ignore, we mustn’t let that voice speak the loudest, or dictate our sexy time. Relish your daily nudie dash to and from the shower; check yourself out in the mirror; jiggle your tits, helicopter your dick – whatever it takes to make you love you just a little bit more.

Invest big in yourself and your sexy-as-hell bod, and you’ll reap the rewards for years to come.

Sexual Connections: Got a burning question for Cupie? Ask her about all matters of the heart… and other romantic organs, anonymously, at ask.fm/CupieHoodwink.

Got a burning sensation in your nether regions? Give Student Health a call on 463 5308, or pop in to their clinics at Kelburn and Pipitea.

editor@salient.org.nz

19

Feature

Claudia is a first-year Classics student who leads a double life as a singer-songwriter/poet. This piece is an example of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Ransom Note Poetryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, constructed from an earlier issue of Salient, that explores the frustration students feel about the upcoming election. Shout out to all of the accidental contributors of words (Dinocop 5eva <3).

If you have any creative work you would like featured in the magazine, send it in to editor@salient.org.nz.

20

The Election Issue

Feature

Spotlight On Policy Where exactly does each party stand on issues that matter to you? Between constant policy announcements, personality politics overshadowing policy discussions, and not having enough time to trawl through pages and pages of all the parties’ documents, it’s difficult for students to cut through to the actual positions that politicians have. So we asked what the most important issues were to students and, with the help of Ours, compiled the following policy matrix to help you get an idea of what exactly it is you’re voting for this election.

Education Education Maintain interestfree Student Loans.

Keep Student Allowance eligibility and course-related costs at current levels. Remove requirement that student representatives sit on governing bodies, and decrease their size.

Student representation on University Councils.

Replace VSM, compulsory student association membership with opt-out option. Review TEC, PBRF, enrolment caps, and Student Allowance eligibility. Reinstate postgraduate Student Allowance.

Establish a universal student allowance, at the level of the unemployment benefit, for all full-time students. Introduce a debt write-off scheme so that, at the end of studies, each year the person stays in Aotearoa and contributes through paid or unpaid full-time work, a year’s worth of debt will be wiped.

Introduce universal living allowance. Debt write-off scheme for full-time graduates in areas of workforce demand. 2000 zero-fees scholarships per year for students who are first in their family to pursue a degree.

Student Loan repayments only required once a graduate has been working for 5 years and is earning 1.5 times the average wage. Increase access to Student Allowances.

Abolish all fees for tertiary students of all ages, and provide students with a living allowance (or Universal Basic Income) while studying.

Develop a plan to write off student debt; meanwhile, no further interest on Student Loans. Repeal voluntary student unionism.

editor@salient.org.nz

21

Feature

Environment Environment Reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 5% below 1990 levels by 2020. Maintain Emissions Trading Scheme, excluding agriculture, for foreseeable future. Continue to encourage oil and gas exploration in New Zealand waters, and pass legislation to strengthen environmental and safety standards. Continue construction of $13 billion Roads of National Significance. Roll out first new electric trains in Auckland. Trial a ‘warrant of fitness’ programme in state houses.

Establish an independent Climate Commission, which would establish a carbon-budgeting process for achieving significant emissionsreduction targets. Restore the ETS to place an effective price on carbon. Establish NZ Power: single buyer of wholesale electricity with ability to set prices. Ensure at least 90% of New Zealand’s electricity is generated from renewable sources by 2025. Fund Auckland City Rail Link 50:50 with Auckland Council.

Remove annual registration charge for light trailers and caravans. Ban trucks from fast lanes on three- and four-lane motorways.

Healthy Homes Guarantee on rentals.

Support a 100% reduction in net greenhouse-gas emissions from 1990 levels within New Zealand by 2050. Redirect funds from roading to public transport. Introduce a carbon tax, the revenue of which would go to reducing personal and company tax. Require energy retailers to buy or generate from renewable resources. Increase supply of safe walking and cycling options, and reliable and affordable passenger transport. Cheaper public transport: introduce discounts for children, young people, students, and beneficiaries.

Fund the Auckland City Rail Link. Control pollution of lakes and rivers from urban stormwater and agricultural runoff.

Oppose the ETS. Establish a formal planning process to achieve “fossil carbon reduction”. No new roading projects that can’t be satisfied with public transport.

Moratorium on off-shore oil drilling.

Enact legislation to ensure full consultation and negotiation with mana whenua / mana moana before any mining contracts are let.

Encourage the use of public transport.

Support Green Party’s climate protection plan.

Accelerated roll-out of smart meters. Light rail for Auckland. Develop free public-transport systems starting with free services for under25s and those over 65, $1 fares for all others.

Ensure public-transport systems transition to low-carbon-emission modes.

Lower interest rates.

Reduce Net Core Crown Debt to 3% by 2020/21. Raise top tax rate to 36% on income over $150,000, trustee income tax to 36%. Introduce a Capital Gains Tax. Make KiwiSaver compulsory, increase minimum contributions to 4.5% by 2021. Raise minimum wage to $16.25 in first year in office. Reduce unemployment by 4%.

Living Wage for everyone working in the core public service. Repeal 90-day trial period.

Introduce tax-free threshold. Introduce comprehensive capital gains tax (not including family home). Allow only New Zealand citizens and residents to buy New Zealand land. Establishing a Green Investment Bank to accelerate New Zealand’s transition to a greener economy. Additional $1 billion of government investment in research and development (R&D) above current spend, including tax breaks for business. Climate Tax Cut; first $2000 of income tax-free. Increase the minimum wage and ensure it cannot fall below 66% of the average wage.

Economy Economy Return to Budget surplus in 2014/15.

Invest proceeds from partial asset sales in new schools and hospitals. Invest over $1.3 billion in research and development to promote innovation. Expand apprenticeships and vocational training in schools. Reform employment law and collective-bargaining rules in order to allow more flexible working arrangements.

Disclaimer: See a much more

comprehensive list of policy positions at www.ours.co.nz/ cheatsheet. Not all parties are included in this list. Space in the magazine would not allow it, so 22

The Election Issue

editorial decisions were made, based on which parties had the most interest to students, and which were likely to form part of a government and therefore influence policy. All

care has been taken to ensure that the table is up-to-date and accurate. This resource is intended to provide for quick, basic comparison between parties. Because of the

variance between parties in the timelines of policy release and the manner in which policy is presented, we cannot guarantee a comprehensive overview of policy. Use this resource as

Feature

No tax on the first $25,000 earned.

Exempt food from GST. Increase minimum wage to $16. Extend Tax Credit for all low-income families. Establish a short-term subsidy to business owners who create new jobs for the unemployed or take on trainees.

Reinstate the Training Incentive Allowance.

Work towards Universal Basic Income where everyone 18+ receives a minimum, liveable, tax-free income. Buy or take back key state assets, like power companies and telecommunications, at the price paid for them. Nationalise electricity and water.

Abolish GST. Introduce tax on financial speculation. First $27,000 tax-free, higher top tax rates. Increase the minimum wage to $18.80 and index it at 66% of average wage.

Repeal 90-day trial period. Mandate timeand-a-half pay for any work in excess of 40 hours per week, or 8 hours per day.

Introduce legislation to strengthen victims’ rights. Increase penalties for online sexual abuse and cyberbullying. No plans to change current law on abortion.

$60 million over 4 years to sexual and family violence support services. Cross-party long-term plan to eliminate violence against women and children. Support Law Commission review of law on abortion. Restart Law Commission report into alternative trial processes for sexual assault and rape. Repeal GCSB legislation.

Support decriminalising abortion, taking it out of the Crimes Act. Abolish private prisons. Maintain the current age of criminal responsibility at 14. Support amending the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990 to include a right to privacy. Restart Law Commission report into alternative trial processes for sexual assault and rape.

Support decriminalising abortion, taking it out of the Crimes Act. Increase availability of home detention and non-custodial sentences.

Mandatory minimum sentences for violent offenders.

Support decriminalising abortion, taking it out of the Crimes Act. Repeal 3 Strikes policy. Reintroduce legal aid. Restart Law Commission report into alternative trial processes for sexual assault and rape.

Support decriminalising abortion, taking it out of the Crimes Act. Invest in restorative, marae, and community-based processes, including dispute resolution processes. Set a timeframe for the abolition of prisons. Review and repeal GCSB legislation. Regulate internet filtering of child exploitation material. Restart Law Commission report into alternative trial processes for sexual assault and rape.

Reform Reserve Bank Act and exchange-rate regime.

Restrict foreign ownership.

Establish KiwiFund as a state-owned saving scheme and KiwiSaver provider. Buy back state asset shares at no greater price than paid by first purchaser.

Raise the minimum wage to $16. Abolish ‘starting out’ wage.

Law Law

a starting point, and refer to parties’ websites for authoritative statements of policy. Due to great variation in the way that parties present policy, editorial staff have abbreviated and

paraphrased policy in some cases. This document has been compiled between 1 August and 10 September 2014. It is based on documents available on parties’ websites.

Compiled by: Chris McIntyre, Molly

McCarthy, Scott Fletcher, Sam Bigwood, Tyrone Barugh, Nick Fargher, Michael Graham, Daniel Wilson, Steph Trengrove and Asher Emanuel.

editor@salient.org.nz

23

Feature

Why you should

VOTE

by Ted Greensmith

W

e are so lucky to live in a democracy. You (yes, you!), the always classy Vic student currently reading this copy of Salient, could stand at the side of the road and wave a sign that says “fuck the government” if you really wanted to. This week, New Zealand will be having a general election where you (yes, you!) can have a say about who runs our country. All you have to do is vote!

At the last election in 2011, the party with the biggest vote percentage was the National Party – 30 per cent of New Zealanders gave them their party vote. With 30 per cent, support they went on to form a government that affected the lives, more or less, of every New Zealander. Yet 34 per cent of New Zealanders, who could have voted, chose not to.

Can we say that National, or any other party, has a real mandate with so many people left out of the system? The answer is no: absolutely not. That is why it is so important for you to vote.

Lots of people say that there is no reason to vote, because no matter who is in power, nothing ever changes. Children still live in poverty, young people go without jobs, and the economy ends up in the gurgler. Young people under the age of 30, in particular, 24

The Election Issue

have the lowest turnout. It is fair to say that we are completely marginalised by the political scene. Let’s admit it: unless you come from a rich family, life is hard as a student. We live in cold damp flats, and we rack up hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt each year. So how is it fair that any party with only 30 per cent support can make so many changes to our lives? Surely the solution is to vote for a party that can make our lives better, and that can connect with us. These parties will never get it right unless we send a clear message telling them what we want. By not voting, you are encouraging parties in power to ignore you.

There are some political parties that do not care about students – parties who would be more than happy to slap interest onto our already massive student loans, crank up our fees and keep our wages low. These are serious problems for students. There are parties, however, that have really fantastic plans to make our lives as students better. Stricter standards for warm, dry flats, as well as universal allowances and free transport. These policies will do a lot to improve our lives as students. But if we don’t get out there and vote for them, then it will be the parties who want to make our lives harder that will get into Parliament, if not

government. We have the power to decide our future. It all starts with your vote.

30 years ago, someone like me, a queer guy from a modest middle-class upbringing, wasn’t even allowed to marry the person they loved. The only way that this has changed is by people like you and me voting parties into Parliament that legalised marriage equality. But if people like you and me had said, “It is never going to get better for me, why should I bother?” we would still be where we were 30 years ago. Every time someone like me doesn’t vote, but someone like Colin Craig does, my life as a young, queer student gets much more difficult. Every time a student doesn’t vote, someone like Jamie Whyte, who wants to reintroduce interest back onto Student Loans, does. Every time that a young Māori person doesn’t vote, five other voters will go out and vote for a party that thinks that their language, Te Reo Māori, doesn’t have a place in our schools. We can’t let that happen.

I think it’s cool that I can go out and be a part of that process in making life better.

I’m sure the person writing the opposing article will say that there is no party out there that truly represents what you think, so why should you give any of them your vote? The main

fault in this argument is that it adopts the complete wrong view of political parties. Parties are made up of people, all sorts of different people with all sorts of different ideas. As a member of a political party, I can tell you that I don’t agree with everything my party stands for; however, I understand that parties are about community. The politicians are only a very small part of a huge community of people who care about a better future for New Zealand. I can assure you there is someone out there who represents you!

If you want free off-peak transport; there’s a party for that.

If you want stronger student voices in our University; there’s a party for that. If you want free tertiary education; there’s a party for that. If you want to keep Student Loans interest-free; there’s a party for that. You have a lot more choices than you may think.

Our democracy is flawed because not enough people vote.

But if we don’t go out and vote, if we sit at home and hope for a change, then it will never happen.

We have to make it happen. It all starts with your vote.

ROTA

Feature

Why you don’t have to

VOTE

by Jade d’Hack

F

uck I could do with a vom right now. Or a feed. Definitely a feed.

Fucking Tazza’s up already. Cooking himself some bacon smells like. “Oi Tazza!” / “What, cunt?” / ”Giz us some bacon, oi.” / ”Fuck off, cunt: buy your own.” / ”Aw, fuck ya then.”

Fucking Tazza.

Sneak some bacon out the freezer. Yeah, well, fucking Tazza.

Someone’s knocking on the door.

Some dude standing there. Not hungover. Obviously. Up and at it, 2 pm on a Saturday. Perky fucking cunt. “Hi there!! It’s election day today!! Have you voted yet?!” / “Oh right, um, yeah.” Close the door. Back to the bacon. Cunt needs to get his priorities straight.

We don’t really vote anymore.

Most of our generation didn’t bother in the last election, and the way things are looking, we can’t be bothered with this one either. It’s disappointing, apparently. We’re told we’ve let the country down. We’re told we’ve let ourselves down. That we have internalised neoliberal individualism. That we’re all just bloody lazy.

The idea that we have an obligation to vote is an easy idea to believe. In blaming the failed structures of politics on the failed morality of youth, it constructs a narrative within which the baby-

boomers cannot do better and are not to blame. It scapegoats, and scapegoating works. No need to reexamine the great democratic promise if the source of all our problems is just some lazy kids. We’re not objecting to their conceit, nor protesting their ignorance. We’re just kinda hungover, ya know?

Screw that. If we feel that our political parties don’t represent us, then it is our political parties who have failed. We have every right to abstain from the political games of the baby-boomer elite.

We have no obligation to give them our vote.

They don’t represent us. They don’t represent us. Universities are graduating us into careers behind café counters, but every year, politicians increase the number of enrolments. Landlords extort us so we can live in rotten houses, but politicians only make it easier to buy. We like getting pissed and we like getting blazed, but they make booze expensive and lock us up for smoking dak. They trash the environment that we will inherit and they borrow money that we’ll have to pay back, money spent on hip operations and cataract removals and SUV motorways and finance-company bailouts. They forbid us control over our bodies. They send us to fight in places we’re not wanted.

No, we are not represented.

And this is not our fault. Yes,

we are apathetic, but that apathy is the most radical reaction we have when we ourselves are being ignored. Politicians can’t be bothered shaking their minds out of middle-age malaise to recognise that we have problems which are not theirs. They ignore our cultures and our languages, and so cannot appreciate the frameworks through which we examine society. As long as we blame ourselves for not talking their language, their ignorance will be justified. If we must blame apathy, blame the apathy of politicians.

I mean, sure: I understand those who think voting would let us play the game of political bribes. The National Party clings to an impossible superannuation age and the Labour Party wants to give anyone older than 65 free doctor visits. The elderly have New Zealand’s lowest poverty rates and New Zealand’s highest voting rates. It’s obvious which is the cause of the bribes. It’s easy to think playing their game would earn us the same rewards.

But it won’t, because we aren’t really invited onto their court.

My grandmother votes because politicians’ pandering lets her obsess herself with the selection of bribes to discard and courtiers to favour. She’s not bribed because she votes; she votes because she is bribed. I cannot play that same game, so I gain nothing from the ballot box. Indeed, to vote when

so little is offered would be to admit that I am offered all that I deserve. Look at me; I engage in your civic society, my problems must be solved.

No: our tactic must be patient, to construct an electoral incentive through waiting for whomever will actually deal with our problems.

When politicians start listening, let us flock to them. Until then, the best we have is our radical disinterest, our apathy in the games of the elite.

If they convince us to vote, we will tick our democratic boxes once every three years but we will still be ignored. Perpetuating the idea that voting matters perpetuates the idea that only voting matters, but the narratives which rule New Zealand cannot be voted out in an election. To change them requires a concerted radicalism, an insistence that we will not play the games of the powerful until we are given our agency back.

When we spend election day comatose, it says more about election day than it does about us. They tell us that this is a democratic society and our vote is the most valuable thing we own. But to truly own our vote, it must be our right to throw it away. editor@salient.org.nz

25

ATE

Feature

ON THE

CAMPAIGN

TRAIL ‘14 y

by Philip W. McSweene

Three years ago, on Saturday 26 November, New Zealand determined the structure of its government – or at least, three-quarters of her population did. The 2011 election had the lowest voter turnout by proportion for more than a century, with a million abstaining from popping on over to a nearby ballot. As The New Zealand Herald trumpeted, “1 million didn’t bother to vote”, making especial note of the vastly underrepresented ‘youth vote’. Regardless of whether this was due to apathy, resignation, no confidence or ignorance, this election we have seen measures taken to boost the voting population from all sides of the political spectrum.

B

ut do the upper echelons really want them to work? A particularly trenchant cartoon courtesy of Guy Body showed John Key in Don Quixote–esque regalia tiptoeing past a cave filled with the “youth vote”, confiding in a plucky aide “just pray 26

The Election Issue

it’s too busy looking at cats on YouTube”.

If I can draw out the Don Quixote motif a little further, all the exhortations to ‘vote’, to ‘participate in the democratic process your forefathers died for’ etc amounted to little more than tilting at windmills; the youth enrolment rate is, at the time of publication,

stagnant and low, while, even among other demographics, fewer people are enrolled than in elections of previous years. Why? If this election is going to remembered for anything, it will be the spectacular lack of parties visibly promoting policies, strategies and aims. Oh sure, there are debates and press releases, but attempts at targeting the common New Zealander seem to define themselves by opposition: they engage less in campaigning and focus more on anticampaigning, or ‘negative campaigning’. This term describes a political campaign run with the intent of attacking an opponent. It is a term that many New Zealanders will grasp instinctively.

Feature

For New Zealanders, this means instead of billboards promoting parties’ visions, we get denigration of competing parties. Exhibit A: National’s billboards show a group of rowers riding towards a horizon that one assumes is meant to be a bright future, but which could equally be just Rangitoto or something.

This showboating display is complemented by a variation on the theme: a hapless boat manned by the Labour and the Greens, pulling in different directions. The intended inference, that Labour and National would lead the country nowhere (except perhaps up shit creek), is obvious.

Similarly, the ACT billboards specifically besmirch other parties, promising to “cut green tape” in a pointed jab at the Greens’ pesky insistence on caring about the environment despite financial unviability. Meanwhile, one advertisement, in Mandarin, labels National and Labour “racist”. On one hand, if the shoe fits… On the other, they don’t tell us anything directly about their policy and vision beyond broadly identifying their ideologies.

The right wing are not the only culpable political faction. You could argue, as many centrist commentators have, that negative campaigning on the left reached its apex – or nadir – during the dismal days of Shearer’s leadership. His leadership was defined by knee-jerk contrarianism and unclear goals, while his fellow MPs were sycophantic and genuflective. The Labour billboards, while savvy enough not to attack the National leadership of the past or the present, still target National as being deleterious to the nation’s future without specifying what they’re doing to counter it. Indeed, the only party which has billboards prominently displaying policy is Internet Mana, to their credit, although the in-fighting, hate campaign against John Key and involvement with Kim Dotcom, whose rise to weird folk hero is deeply lamentable, could hardly be construed as positive. Speaking of Dotcom; another issue that has dogged this election is personality politics.

Naysayers might argue, not invalidly, that parties have a history of campaigning on personality in lieu of policy, but this election

Is it any wonder we don’t trust politicians, or are disillusioned with the political process? Claims of the ‘voter paradox’ aside, we are conditioned to think of politics as toxic from day one. campaign has been especially ridden. This was exemplified recently by the Judith ‘Duchess of Maleficence’ Collins debacle. I was as pleased as anyone to see her and her parochial, cruel measures go, and watching the assorted journalists at her resignation press conference try in vain to come up with synonyms for ‘Unprecedented!’ was good fun, but it was a detraction from policy in favour of a witch-hunt. For all the joyous peals of ‘ding-dong’, the one thing absent from the conference was policy Collins had implemented and whether it would be repealed, what exactly Collins stood for besides megalomania.

Political strategists are mostly wary of negative campaigning because it risks further alienating people not involved in the political process, undecideds or centristleaners. How often have you heard someone utter “They’re all as bad as each other”?

The backlash against personality politics

I was as pleased as anyone to see Collins and her parochial, cruel measures go, and watching the assorted journalists at her resignation press conference try in vain to come up with synonyms for ‘Unprecedented!’ was good fun, but it was a detraction from policy in favour of a witch-hunt.

is that though it might create political awareness, it does so on a purely superficial level that may obfuscate what is at stake for potential voters. One thing is for sure: political discourse in New Zealand is all the worse for the employment of these dubious tactics, and when we look at the lack of voter turnout, it is these issues in the political structure we should be highlighting. Is it any wonder we don’t trust politicians, or are disillusioned with the political process?

Claims of the ‘voter paradox’ aside, we are conditioned to think of politics as toxic from day one.

This is why when a crowd of youth chanted “Fuck John Key”, the backlash was in many ways ironic. Consider the puritan assumption that our honourable prime minister would find the language distressing.

The F-word is one John Key is no doubt familiar with, probably even one he has gone so far as to articulate after hearing of some National MPs’ questionable capers. Then, of course, we had the same political hacks bemoaning the lack of youth involvement while demonising the political expression (whether it was undertaken rightly or wrongly) of these same youths.

What was most surprising was the reaction on the left, with Labour MP Chris Hipkins condemning the chants. “Getting a bunch of people drunk and getting them to chant abuse isn’t political leadership. It’s thuggery and megalomania intertwined,” he pontificated, before using the T-word again (at least it was larrikinism, I suppose): “I want more young NZers to vote to be heard, not because they’re being wound up & manipulated by the worst kind of cynicism and thuggery”.

Well. That’s one way of interpreting it.

Another is that the chants of “Fuck John Key”, the numerous and sometimes hilarious defaced billboards, represent not so much ‘negative politics’ or anti-campaigns as a rejection of the system that produced negative politics in the first place; a kind of anti-anti-campaign, if you will. If this is New Zealand’s way of expressing ire at a damaged and alienating system, may it continue as long as necessary.

Columns

Conspiracy Corner “Hue to Vote for This Election”

By Incognito Montoya

eing a cosmopolitan, I’ve kept tabs on just about every election around the world in the past few decades, and I see that the dial falls on New Zealand to once again pick a new reptilian overlord in disguise. But like the rest of

B

Weird Internet Shit Water, Water, But Not a Drop Worth Drinking

by Philip McSweeney h water, the most humble and most important beverage. We need it to survive. We should imbibe six-to-eight glasses daily to achieve optimal health. It’s worshipped in many cultures. It has long been considered one the crucial four elements that replenish and give life; it quenches even the most torrid of thirsts. But do we give

O

you, I am generally tinged with voter apathy, and it’s not hard to see why. The politicians are all concerned with keeping their jobs rather than actual issues, the issues that are tackled don’t even affect you all that much, and potentially nothing will change.

I’ve covered every election scandal and Prefix-gate since *occurrence deleted*, and in my experience, everyone just votes for their favourite colour. Hence the punny title of this week’s column. But since everyone at least aims to vote in line with their own personal beliefs and values, the question widens to this: Which colour Kool-Aid do you want to drink?

And if you choose to imbibe it, what does it say about you?

Everyone judges issues in an abstract; for instance, when it was still an actual issue, equal marriage for gays and lesbians came down

to whether people thought it would destroy the perfect ‘ideal’ of marriage. Politicians promise a ‘brighter future’, which just sets my Orwellian sense a-tingling and has me practicing my archery for the Hunger Games. Choosing one party over another throws you into one extreme personification of that party’s followers, and soon it’s just an arena of hippies and filthy corporate-types. And I’m just here on the sidelines selling popcorn. Hell, I can only really do a column on the election in the abstract because the Dirty Politics guy beat me to all the good conspiracies. And if I can’t report on conspiracies going on in the abstract, then the Platonists win.

Thing is, we get stuck on the choice. The problem is we sometimes don’t like to identify as anything; that this one choice will define you. You get so hung up

on looking at where your personal views match that you fail to make any kind of informed choice at all. This is a phenomena some have dubbed “The Sorting Hat Fetishism”. You are defined not by what you believe, but what society tells you that you are based on where your views line up, based on a few small ‘quirks’ of your personality that paradoxically line up neatly with an established group. Which means I finally I get to play this card: this is a conspiracy you commit among your very selves.

But you can have your existential crises on your own time. Your one obligation this year out of every four is to tick a few boxes, in whatever way you choose. You don’t have to take it seriously, but don’t waste the opportunity.

it the credit it’s due? Do we fuck.

Sure, we concede that there’s nothing better when we’re in the mood, and we might debate whether Christchurch’s water is better or worse than its fluoridated counterparts, but for most of us, water is that bland, uniform drink that comes out of the tap and that we drink because we should, in spite of its flavourlessness and odourlessness.

bestow on us.

other fields. But call me naïve or immature all you want: I WANT TO BELIEVE. I want to think there really is a water connoisseur out there shitting in the stream by denouncing a host of brands; more to the point, I want to believe that there is someone out there who is fascinated by – and skilled at – something as pedestrian as water. I want to believe that they are passionate enough about their hobby to painstakingly catalogue their interaction with it on the internet. As the cliché goes, it takes all sorts – and that is a wonderful, wonderful thing that lends credence to the idea of individuality.

Thank God, then, for the Water Connoisseur. The Water Connoisseur purports to be “an Oxford graduate with a double concentration in hydrology and fluid dynamics” who set up a blog where he reviews “various bottled and freshwater sources”.

His credentials, you ask? “I have a trained palate capable of recognizing the subtle nuances that each source of water encompasses”.

Unfortunately the blog is now defunct, with the latest post having been published on 7 March 2012, but we are blessed to have the little nuggets of wisdom he deigned to

One of the drawbacks of having such a refined palate is that apparently it diminishes enjoyment; his reviews are almost all negative, warranting their subject anywhere between 0.5 and 2 “Crystal Goblets” (the ideal chalice to drink water out of obviously, you pleb) out of 5. Poor Simplify was one of the brands not to pass muster: “Upon lifting the cap, I caught a subtle waft of kitty litter and nail polish remover…

Alternate recommended uses include humidifying your guest house, testing gutter systems”.

Ouch. He is by no means a purewater purist either, heaping scorn on the natural “Appalachian Trail Natural Spring Water” (revered by many as “the best tasting water they’ve ever had”) for its traces of “bedrock” and “sweat”. Is no aqua too sacred?

The website is most likely absurdly comedic in nature, or at least a jibing parody of connoisseurs in

NB A quick Google search confirms that there are, in fact, verified water connoisseurs out there. One even wrote a tome about it. Whether he was a fakery or a friend, the spirit of the Water Connoisseur flows on. http://waterconnoisseur. tumblr.com/

Food

Mexico Review

by Eve Kennedy

exico’s recent arrival in Wellington seems to have induced a fair bit of hype and excitement, judging by my Twitter feed, the lengthy wait for a table at the restaurant, and my mum’s joy at its arrival. There are also Mexico restaurants in Britomart, Takapuna and Hamilton, and the group has a view to expand down the country. Although not a huge fan of chain eateries in general (I’d rather give my money to a small local business), I am a big fan of Mexican food. I visit Viva Mexico on Left Bank for some cheese-stuffed jalapeños and a veggie quesadilla every time I’m feeling sad.

Mexico features a small but impressive menu that changes seasonally. I love seasonal menus and I love reasonably priced menus: one of my biggest gripes with Flying Burrito Brothers is the price: $25 for a plate of ‘burritos’ which isn’t even a particularly popular dish in Mexico? Yeah right. Mexico’s menu is priced between $6 and $16, and, staying loyal to a current food trend, it’s tapas-style.

A group of six friends and I went on a Saturday evening and waited 45 minutes for a table, which seemed acceptable given our awkwardly sized group. Reasonably priced margaritas filled the void while we waited – the drinks menu is a lot bigger than the food menu. The cold-brew coffee was excellent, and I felt giddy after half a glass of the black plum margarita (which perhaps says more about me than the margarita).

Our waiter was friendly and helpful, but a bit pushy. The flower garlands the waiters wore in their hair exemplified the aesthetic: loud, bordering on tacky. The music was so loud and the lights so dim that this would be a good place to take someone if you want to drown out their chatter.

I’ve heard great things from many people about the food, which perhaps played a part in me being underwhelmed at my tostaditas and vegetarian taco. My friends all enjoyed their food, but I found mine a bit bland – they didn’t live up to their flashy descriptions.

I was underwhelmed by $12 churros, as churros are so cheap to make that they’re considered ‘street food’ in Europe and the States, but there is a deal on at the moment where if you sign up to the Mexico newsletter you get a plate free.

I’ll head back to Mexico to have another crack; at $14 for dinner, it costs roughly the same as Viva Mexico. My dinner was fun, and perhaps I just erred in my dish choice. Mexico wasn’t bad; it just didn’t live up to the hype.

M

The Sweet Scoop

Cayenne Pepper Chocolate Truffles

by Julia Wells o you ever get hit by a chocolates craving? Not just an ordinary chocolate craving, which is fairly easily dealt with, but a need for actual chocolates. Fancy, creamy, with interesting flavours. And then realise that much as you’d like that giant box of mixed Lindts, as a student you’d better pick the instant noodles instead?

Luckily, I have a solution for you. Making your own fancy chocolates sounds like it should be hard, but in fact is really easy. If you can heat stuff in a pan, and as a child could roll Plasticine/Play-Doh into a ball, you can make these. Considering the very minimal effort and simple technique, you get an amazing result. The flavours are bold and strong; the texture is smooth and creamy. I could eat all 30 myself.

If you don’t like chilli and chocolate, switch it to something else. You can use the cream and chocolate base to make any flavour truffles. Swap the cayenne pepper for lime zest and juice, or orange zest andCointreau, or brandy, or turmeric, or a little sea salt, or freeze-dried strawberries. I like bitter chocolate, but if you don’t, pick a slightly sweeter chocolate than I’ve specified here.

D

Cayenne Pepper Chocolate Truffles Makes approximately 30 210 mL cream 250 g dark chocolate (at least 70 per cent cocoa) ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper cocoa powder, for rolling Heat the cream until it reaches boiling point, then remove from heat and add the chocolate, broken into pieces. Stir until smooth. Add cayenne pepper (spiciness preferences are very variable, so I’d recommend adding small pinch, tasting, then adding more if necessary).

Leave to cool, then transfer to the fridge until solid. Once hardened, take teaspoons of the mixture and roll into small balls. Dust these in cocoa powder.

6.5/10

Your students’ association

issues and how/if they make their promises happen. There’ll be the chance for questions from the floor, and hopefully heaps of good banter. Let’s make this last stop on the politicians’ campaign trails one to remember.

Sonya Says

by Sonya Clark

VUWSA President t’s time. Many people might be feeling a little bit relieved that this Saturday, finally, is the New Zealand General Election.

With just five days to go, there’s still heaps of election-related happenings on campus so you can get informed and vote for what you care about.

I

Student’s Guide to Voting This week around campus, look out for this puppy – an easy fold-out guide with everything you need to know about the different parties’ positions on student issues. Whether you care about keeping your Student Loan interest-free, cuts to postgraduate Allowances, or just what party will help you get into a job after your degree, the NZUSA Student Guide to Voting outlines what each party will do for us as students. Look out for these handy guides in lecture theatres and common spaces around all campuses. You can also pop in to our office to pick up a copy of the Tertiary Women’s Guide to Voting, a guide on issues relevant to women.

The Great Political Debate On Tuesday at 1 pm, come down to the Hub for this mega debate.

We’ve got Wallace Chapman, of Back Benches fame, hosting the four biggest parties in Parliament for an in-depth debate on student

30

The Election Issue

Voting on Campus If you haven’t seen the signs, advance voting is on this week again in Kelburn, on the ground floor of the Hub next to the Library. It’s open every day from 11 am – 3 pm, except late hours on Wednesday, until 6 pm.

For Pipitea students, voting is happening at the Asteron Centre at 55 Featherston St – that’s literally 280 metres from Rutherford House! Voting is open here from 8 am – 4 pm until Wednesday, then until 6 pm on Thursday and Friday.

Get on the… Walking Bus Everyone is getting involved with voting – and some of the firstyear halls have organised walking buses this week to the vote. Shout out to Weir House for getting this rolling. If you haven’t heard about a walking bus in your hall or flat, get the word out and start something!

Also on this week: the Special University Council meeting to set the tuition fees for 2015.

This starts at 2 pm on Monday (today!) in the University Council chamber, and it is a public meeting. Myself and the other Student Representative on Council would love to see as many students in the gallery as possible for support, as we raise our concerns with the fee-setting process.

Vote early this election – being hungover is not an excuse!

Have a great week, Sonya Clark

VUWSA President M: 027 563 6986 | DDI: (04) 463 6986 | E: sonya.clark@vuw.ac.nz | W: www.vuwsa.org.nz

Exec Column Alasdair Keating

Campaigns Officer f you’ve looked online to inform your vote in the general election recently, you may have found yourself buried in an overload of information about all the different ways political parties will promise to do things differently if elected. This year, with ten political parties having a realistic chance of getting into Parliament, you can find a plethora of positions on everything from ACC to animal welfare and road safety barriers to burglaries.

It’s easiest to see this looking at Vote Compass, On the Fence or Candidate. These are websites that ask you to compare and analyse policy positions and calculate the results, recommending the parties which best match your answers.

Using them, however, it’s hard to escape the feeling my vote is being reduced to an algorithm.

On the election trail, meanwhile, the trawl through the possible permutations of capital-gains-tax policy grows ever more banal.

You’ll most likely dismiss those who make up their minds based on the dress sense of a politician or whether the Prime Minister is a ‘bloke’, but should we be afraid to vote with things other than policy or ideology on our minds?

We may like to think of ourselves as left, right, or just endowed with ‘common sense’, but our vote is shaped much

I

more by factors like where we grew up and our parents’ wealth than the theories you can find in Political Ideology class. Carol Hanisch may have popularised the phrase ‘The Personal is Political’ in 1969, but its relevance extends beyond the radical feminism of that era. The clothes we choose to wear, the music we like, the colour of our skin, the gender we identify with and whether a politician makes us feel comfortable talking to them can and should influence our vote.

Elections aren’t just about the size of government spending or the best way to build houses: they’re your chance to choose which people get to enjoy the comforts of those green leather chairs in Parliament. When you’re deciding who will lead and represent you, why wouldn’t you want someone who shares your tastes or understands what it’s like to be in your shoes? When we treat elections as battles for ideology and policy, we enable politics to be taken over by intellectual warriors disconnected from real lives.

This week, there will be advance voting in the Hub, and VUWSA is running an election debate with Wallace Chapman on Tuesday at 1 pm. You should come along: it’ll be a lot more entertaining (I hope) – and informative – than a policy guide.

Columns

Being Well

Co-authored by: Kent Smith, Counsellor, Student Counselling Service & Rebekah Smith, Student, Master of Science, VUW

ew Zealand education policy is intrinsically connected to political climate, and this is no more obvious than at an election time.

It is clear that education spending and the policies that come from it is best served by a consistent and collaborative Ministerial and Ministry approach, ideally across party and political ideological lines. To this end, the Ministry of Education has had a measure of success, and deserves accolades.

However, the threat is, particularly in the current political climate, that this style of collaboration may be at risk. As Dame Anne Salmond recently wrote inThe New Zealand Herald (26 August 2014):

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Fixit” is, for students, a dodgy ‘Bob the Builder’ at best. So what, you may say!

Participating in democracy enhances our wellbeing. Current theories clearly suggest this, and recently, public health researchers have adopted the social-capital theory, coined by Robert Putnam, which identifies that communal involvement improves wellbeing.

Social capital implies that a sense of inclusivity will flow for people from the reciprocity, information and cooperation associated with social networks.

Social capital works through multiple channels, and in the case of politics, comes from learning about electoral candidates [t]he independence of the civil service and exchanging political ideas.

There is a long-standing claim has been eroded, with ministers that ‘empowerment’, including routinely interfering in operational decisions. Last year, the Law Society political activity, is good for felt impelled to report to the United health. When we vote, we choose the representatives who will Nations that Parliament had been make the laws and policies that used to pass a succession of acts that strip away rights, freedoms and govern how we live together, and this gives a person a sense of protections from citizens, in breach empowerment. Every vote counts, of the Bill of Rights. Ministerial so a person would feel like they accountability has become a farce. have made a positive contribution If rights and protections are to society, regardless of whether being stripped away, it is certainly a major threat to students in the New their preferred party gets voted in. While educating ourselves Zealand of the supposed ‘rock-star economy’ and the rise of the celebrity about political parties, voters can learn about the issues which politician. Salmond also observed are affecting New Zealand. This that “[o]ver the past 10 years there knowledge will allow voters to be has been an insidious shift in the informed and, when appropriate, way that government works, with protest inequality, demand rights increasingly autocratic, arrogant, and resist oppression, which in ministers taking away the levers our opinion are healthy actions of power from citizens and civil to take. So get out there on 20 servants”. The current Minister of September and enhance your Tertiary Education is certainly not immune from this description. “Mr wellbeing by voting!

Māori Matters Nā Iraia Pue

ome of you will cringe at the fact that I’m writing about the Māori Party. I really don’t care.

Yeah, I’m a hearty Māori Party supporter ki te mate! Tū Māori Mai, That’s us!

Friends, family, foes, let me enlighten you as to my personal opinion: I want to answer the question that some of you lovely people have asked me: “Māori Party are in bed with National – why?”

Friends, let me explain. Let me take you on a spiritual journey.

Back in 2004, when our beloved co-leader Hon Tariana Turia (Whaea Tari to most) crossed the floor in Parliament (some say she lost her way, but let’s be honest – she was over Labour). Shortly after, she won the Te Tai Hauāuru by-election with a whopping 92.74 per cent of the vote (yeah, that’s right). Then she moved on to create what we all know as the Māori Party. The Māori Party sat in opposition to the National Government for a term. What we saw as Māori people was a Party that could only sit back and let bad things happen for our people.

No change. No benefits. No gains. No money. No Whānau Ora. No nothing. And it felt like we went nowhere. A period of loss for the Party.

Clearly, we needed change, and the only way we could do this was to be at the table of government.

Along came the 2011 General Election (yes, I was 17 at the time so I couldn’t vote – to my dismay) and the National Party with the Māori Party forged what

S

we now know as a Relationship Accord (flash word for a contract of sorts). It says a bunch of “you will do this, and we will give you this in return”. We (Māori) were at the table at the place where all those hearty decisions are made that affect the entire motu – sounds flash eh.

In all seriousness, though, it guaranteed Ministerial positions (decision-makers), $$$, a legislative programme, and a bunch of other stuff. It meant that we had a say on how this country is run. Yeah, we didn’t get Minister of Finance or the Prime Minister even, but remember, friends, that this was a step up from where the Māori Party were back in 2005 across in opposition.

Over the six years of the Māori Party being in government, over $100 billion was secured in initiatives for Māori. Whānau Ora – the one-stop social service.

Kore smokes seen in our shops.

Free doctor’s visits for our cousins under 13. Need I go on.

It was through this persistent advocacy and fierce determination that they have been able to make such huge progress for Māori people (this is Matua Te Ururoa’s line – yeyah).

That’s us, whānz.

Nā Iraia Pue,

Co-President, Ngāi Tauira Māori Students’ Association Maori Matters is Ngāi Tauira’s weekly column in Salient.

editor@salient.org.nz

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Comics

32

The Election Issue

Columns

Shirt & Sweet with Eleanor Merton

Your weekly column on how to be annoyed but still cute

his week, Salient T publishes a ~balanced~ feature about voting versus not voting.

As a ‘representative’ student publication, Salient often feels that this balance is necessary. Salient is wrong about a lot of things.

Being balanced is not valuable.

It’s patronising and it devalues the

History That Hasn’t Happened Yet

by Nicola Braid

Self-Serving Scholarship?: The Political Abuse of History

erhaps it’s a natural worry that comes with being a historian, but every time I hear an MP mention New Zealand’s history during a speech or policy announcement, I tend to feel a little uneasy.

I think it’s fair to say that

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cases in which an actual debate would be useful. To be fair, our academic climate is also somewhat to blame for this trend in softcore debate. Yes, seeing both sides of something can prove, well, that you are capable of seeing things from the other side. Woohoo.

Well done. But actually in a lot of cases, you see the other side and the other side is FUCKED. Recognising and acting on and raising awareness of something that is FUCKED is super onbrand. Specifically, the thing that is fucked here is that it may not be clear to some people that not voting is a vote for the fucking right. The right actively benefits from political disengagement because the people who are still going to vote no matter how unappealing politics look are the same fucking right-voting petrified wooden arseholes who are completely out of touch with what is going to work for the

next generation of this country.

This is why being balanced is not valuable. We need instead to fully embrace:

history plays a role in politics.

However, the very notion that we all have the same history seems complicated. In my mind, there is a danger in misrepresenting, or selectively using parts of history for political point-scoring.

When we pick apart historical claims that politicians make, the country’s successes look a little less shiny. A Government’s successes in weathering the Global Financial Crisis aren’t nearly as impressive when you realise it was opposition policies that were maintained to facilitate the weathering.

The use of history as a means by which to promote your party seems to take place across the board. Whether rightly or wrongly, the Green Party synthesises an image of New Zealand’s progressive-rainbowwarrior history with the vote for the most ‘progressive’ party.

Labour appeals to its origins as a working-class union-based party despite the fact that recent polls

show their workingMAN vote is waning. ACT uses history as a threat for what we will be plunged back into if we don’t follow its bolshie libertarian version of equality.

Whether it’s David Cunliffe using the example of his grandfather/ great uncle fighting in World War One or Prime Minister John Key exclaiming that growing gang violence is “not the Kiwi way” and “not the kind of New Zealand [he] grew up in”, most MPs seem to love to ‘hark back’ to a New Zealand of old. Yes, New Zealand may have once seen beautiful state houses with white picket fences and milk bottles on the front doorstep. But was that New Zealand facilitating an identity other than Pākehā?

Was it dealing with a growing housing issue? Was it witnessing an increased level of female graduates from university? The problem is, this history doesn’t fit for all New Zealanders. Perhaps voters didn’t all grow up in New

How to be Unbalanced

The first part of this is recognising cases in which balance is not going to best serve either sweet or shirty interests. For example, we do not need 50 per cent of eligible voters not to vote.

Democracy does not work like that. (This column is not about how democracy doesn’t work because I wouldn’t have had room in my word count to deal with that even before it was slashed in half*). How democracy does work is that you vote. Definitively.

Not for the two parties that are going to best balance each other out, but for the people who you want to represent you. And then you FUCKING HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE for how they

represent you.

So voting is the cute bit.

The shirty bit is to vent the presumably radical political energy that was going to stop you voting in a way that is actually going to be worth it. Maybe try directly engaging with the reason for your desire not to vote. (You live in the capital city of a country renowned for having accessible political figures.) Understand that balance means equilibrium and equilibrium reinforces inertia and inertia means that NOTHING WILL CHANGE. Fuck the balance. *This is not a veiled barb at the editors. Veiled barbs are not shirty. What is shirty are unveiled, unbalanced barbs.

For example: “Salient 2014 has been an insipidly optimistic and populist publication undercut by questionable neoliberal whitedude interests.”

Zealand, and perhaps this idea of a ‘Kiwi Way’ doesn’t apply to everyone the same way it seems to for our Silver Fern–toting candidates.

Why is it that politicians seek to contain New Zealand’s history in a nice little box, with no contestation and variance?

To extrapolate this neat narrative and avoid anything that makes us uncomfortable seems like whitewashing for a political cause.

Obviously, there are exceptions to this rule, even instances where parliamentarians have pointed to New Zealand’s ‘shameful history’ of domestic violence.

But the fact remains: History is being used by politicians as some sort of universal pillar that can bolster any party’s claim to a mythical New Zealand.

Perhaps if politicians were held accountable for their historical name-dropping, we would have a better idea of where our leaders are planning on going, not where they have been.

editor@salient.org.nz

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Arts

Feature

Supporting the Arts

by David Williams

Funding for the arts has received little to no coverage during this election cycle thanks to Dirty Politics, Capital Gains Tax and debate interruptions. However, New Zealand is an enormously

creative nation. The recent successes of Lorde and Eleanor Catton are but two examples of the artistic talent that New Zealand has fostered for the world to enjoy. But what can government do to help encourage the benefits of an artistic education, ensure greater appreciation of

New Zealand art among the New Zealand public, and help guarantee that future New Zealand creative talent does not go to waste?

I asked each party’s Arts and Culture Spokesperson about their party’s policy for arts funding: As your party’s arts and culture spokesperson, what policies will your party introduce that will help support the future growth of the arts in New Zealand?

Jamie Whyte – ACT Party

ACT thinks that the arts should be funded by voluntary consumers and voluntary investors, not by taxpayers.

When a government directs taxpayers’ funds towards artists, two things go wrong. The first is that taxpayers who may not wish to patronise the artists are forced to. The second is that artists become supplicants of the state.

We believe that true art requires a free and independent spirit.

Holly Walker – Green Party

We conducted a survey last year to find out what the biggest issues that people involved in the arts were facing in this country,

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The Election Issue

and we found they were three key areas: Funding – There was not enough funding for the arts and it was too complicated to apply.

Recognition – There was not enough recognition of the role that arts played in New Zealand.

Reach – Artists were having trouble putting their work out to both the world and New Zealand.

So the Green Party will tackle these problems through reintroducing the PACE (Pathway to Arts and Cultural Employment) scheme through Work and Income, guaranteeing a minimum income for artists.

We will also streamline the arts-funding process through one body.

We will champion the arts as a valued career in New Zealand by encouraging arts-education strategies and highlighting the economic benefits of arts to New Zealand.

As well as that, the Greens will support new ways to ensure that artists work isn’t falling into a vacuum. We will encourage the New Zealand public to appreciate New Zealand art in all forms.

Chris Yong –

Internet Party

The Internet Party will encourage the use of digital technologies that open new pathways to arts participation, education and engagement, and support initiatives that

enhance Māori culture both domestically and internationally.

We will promote the use of Creative Commons to help build an active culture of sharing, remix and reuse with a view to reforming copyright laws.

Publicly funded copyright works are made available under an open Creative Commons licence after a period of time.

We will initiate a review of current funding programmes and their social/economic outcomes, with the aim of strengthening infrastructure and support for artist development and the growth of audiences.

We would investigate new and alternative income models that can benefit artists, like Voluntary Collective Licensing, and identify opportunities to double arts investment.

Support further discussion about the development of a Museum of NZ Music, NZ Broadcasters and Stage and Screen, with a Hall of Fame, to recognise past and present works and achievements. We will support further discussion about ways to increase the proportion of Kiwi music – especially new music – on commercial radio (matching the 40 per cent on alternative radio).

Theatre

Jacinda Ardern – Labour Party

The cultural sector is not just at the heart of our national identity, it’s an important part of a modern, creative, high-wage economy. Labour believes that the sector deserves certainty and sustainability from government.

We will focus on building careers in the arts sector through a Creative Industries Apprenticeship Scheme. We will review and re-establish the Pathways to Arts and Cultural Employment (PACE). We have also committed $2.4 million over four years to reinstate the Artists in Programme, and will establish a network of Children’s Art Houses.

Other policy initiatives include:

Continuing to support the New Zealand film industry, including reviewing incentives to ensure benefits to the domestic industry are maximised.

Working with industry and the Tertiary Education Commission to ensure that training and education places for the gaming and animation sector are keeping pace with domestic demand.

Reviewing and amending criteria for writers’ scholarships.

Recipients of writers’ scholarships should have the option of staying and working at home.

Broadening the range of export markets which receive support for New Zealand musicians via New Zealand on Air, beyond the Australian market.

Chris Finlayson

– National Party

National sees the arts as an integral part of our economy and cultural life, as opposed to previous governments which

have regarded it as a photo-op portfolio. The way to create opportunities for people in the arts is to ensure we build on our existing international successes and make a sustainable domestic creative sector.

We’ve reformed Creative New Zealand, reducing the number of board members from 28 to 13, so that the focus is on artists and audiences rather than bureaucracy. At the same time, we’ve increased Māori and Pasifika representation.

Under National, New Zealand on Air now funds individual tracks and videos, meaning funding is available for a wider range of acts and genres, and is no longer exclusively focussed on commercial radio play (which even excluded student radio).

Just as important is what we won’t do: we won’t cripple our screen sector with uncertainty for producers, cast and crew by repealing our Hobbit laws, like Labour is proposing to do. We won’t let Australian-run unions hold our actors, crew members and productions to ransom by exploiting legal loopholes.

We have introduced new incentives for screen productions, which encourage projects that help develop New Zealand talent and creators. We have set up a screen advisory board consisting of some of the biggest names in film history – James Cameron, Jon Landau and Sir Peter Jackson among them – to advise our screen sector.

The arts are also important for social and personal development.

That’s why we will expand around the country the Sistema Aotearoa programme which we started in South Auckland, giving kids the opportunity to learn orchestral music.

Independent research has shown the programme has already had huge benefits for the kids involved and their community.

Tracey Martin

– New Zealand First Party

When it comes to “the arts”, New Zealand First believes that a great nation is built upon a solid layer of cultural identity, hard work and mutual respect. The cement in this foundation is the way we express our hopes and dreams in our written, visual, audible and textural ways and forms. Creativity, harnessed and encouraged in the young, allows New Zealanders to express their feelings and thoughts, and when creativity is added to science, this in turn allows new industries or significant development of existing industries.

New Zealand needs to push the boundaries of what we can do well as well as find new answers to some of the world’s oldest problems. You can only do that if you encourage and nurture that spark and fire of a creative mind-set. We strongly believe that we need to give back value to the arts (and the humanities) in all sectors of the education environment. I am talking from preschool to all the way through tertiary and including adult and community education. To do this, New Zealand First intends to remove National Standards and return to a holistic education system that celebrates

the creative subjects as well as the basics of reading, writing and maths. We intend to work with the ACE sector to re-establish night classes and adult learning in our communities.

We also believe that our commitment to a Universal Student Allowance as well as moving towards a fees-free environment will mean that more of our young people will feel comfortable pursuing higher learning in the arts. Again, this recognises that the arts and culture have value inside any civilised society.

The Arts Council Bill – which we opposed – removed any requirement to consult with the New Zealand public in how (their) arts money is spent. Art is not the domain of the privileged few, or Chris Finlayson setting himself up as a sort of modernday Medici. We feel this is an error, and would like to go back to the arts sector and establish the best way or ways to bring the public New Zealand voice to government-funded art projects, rather than leave this to an elitist minority. New Zealand First also recognises the importance of delivering the arts into rural community (such as Tutus on Tour) and also supporting the arts in rural communities (such as through ARTZ funding that allows communities to decide on local projects by local artists).

Rural communities offer the country a rich vein of creative and artistic thought.

For further information on

each party’s policy, see their respective websites.

editor@salient.org.nz

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Arts

Visual Arts

Feature

A Walters Prize Spotlight (part two)

by Simon Gennard

A

s the internet lost its shit over Jennifer Lawrence’s leaked nudes, a screenshot of a Daily Mail article emerged on Twitter. It may still be circulating, I can’t be sure. The article, surprisingly enough, contained none of the vitriol one would expect, but rather provided clarification for a pretty commonly used term. ‘The Cloud’, they reminded readers, is not an actual cloud.

Of the four pieces nominated for the 2014 Walters Prize, only one, Simon Denny’s All You Need is Data, translated easily from its initial staging to the Auckland Art Gallery exhibition of nominated works. Even then, Denny’s gauche, post-internet aesthetic hardly seems at home. Perhaps, then, when we speak about New Zealand’s “grandest”, “toughest”, most visible art prize, a caveat might be necessary.

What the Daily Mail’s clarification illuminates is the disjuncture between the names we give things, and how we visualise them in spatial terms. More than anything else, the four nominees are united by their positioning of the gallery space as at once peripheral and central to the work. It’s parochial, anachronistic by now, to ask what art is, but when viewed together, from a safe distance, all four works seem to motion towards an examination of where art belongs.

Maddie Leach’s If you find the good oil let

us know began in New Plymouth two years ago after Leach stumbled upon what she thought to be 70 litres of whale oil. The substance, it turned out, was mineral oil, and was subsequently used to produce a 2.4-tonne (about the size of a sperm whale) block of concrete, which was dropped into the ocean off the Taranaki coast. Leach, whose work is often site-based and often develops out

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The Election Issue

of research and collaborative engagement, continues to refer to her work as sculpture.

In an interview with curator Abby Cunnane, she writes: “my practice employs processes of construction and arrangement, and an interest in materiality and transformation that is allied to a sculptural mode of thinking.”

The product of If you find the good oil contains letters written to the Taranaki Daily News (and the Noel Leeming advertisements that run alongside them) and documentations of the events outlined, all archived on Leach’s website. The weakness of the work, and here I am paraphrasing Janet McAllister’s argument published on The Pantograph Punch, is that situating it outside of the gallery does not necessarily mean the work is available to a different (or any) audience. The published letters are impenetrable, the website itself is not easy to navigate. I probably wouldn’t have found it had I not been looking.

Perhaps even more elusive is Luke Willis Thompson’s inthisholeonthisislandwhereiam (2012). Initially presented at Hopkinson Cundy (now Hopkinson Mossman) in Auckland, viewers were first met with an empty gallery. They were then directed outside, and led towards a waiting taxi, which drove them 20 minutes outside of the city to a suburban home. When inside, it soon dawned on the viewer, after examining family photographs, books and letters scattered on the floor that this home belonged to the artist’s family. The gesture is modest, a subtle reimagining of the contemporary public self, and an exercise in endurance and trust that extends beyond the artist himself, to his family, to the dealer with nothing on sale, to the viewer willing to accept what is on offer.

Simon Denny’s work is often invested in

the changing ways we process and materialise information. All You Need Is Data, exhibited in Munich and New York, is made up of 89 canvases, merchandise and other paraphernalia from a 2012 technology conference, Digital Life Design. Denny’s work is mounted uneasily, as a chronological document of an exclusive invitation-only conference that concerns itself first with comprehending future technologies and later with utilising them for particular gains. The unity of such a project falls apart under the scrutiny. Deliberately ugly ink-jet printed placards are piled at all angles, mounted on metal piping that guides the visitor through the space, to an eventual dead end. Denny’s work makes itself physically available, certainly more so than the other three nominees, but there is something repellent about it.

In the very staging of an exhibition of the Walters Prize nominees, Auckland Art Gallery highlights the shortcomings of the physical gallery in dealing with contemporary art. Perhaps a caveat is necessary, when the prize’s website states its aim as “to make contemporary art a more widely recognised and debated feature of our cultural life.” What needs to be clarified is where this debate is to take place, and, if all of the nominees are so quick to efface themselves, to make themselves hostile to the viewer, who is invited to take part.

Simon Denny’s The Personal Effects of Kim Dotcom opens at Adam Art Gallery, 3 October.

This article is the second in a two-part spotlight on this year’s Walters Prize. For part one, and for our coverage of Simon Denny’s upcoming exhibition, visit salient.org.nz

Feature Film

Interview with

Rima Te Wiata

by Charlotte Doyle Housebound is a critically acclaimed supernatural comedy thriller with a distinctive New Zealand rural twist. The film stars Rima Te Wiata and Morgana O’Reilly, I had a chat with the wonderfully charismatic Rima. She emphatically told me to make sure people aren’t dissuaded from seeing the film on the basis of its scare factor. I’m certainly extremely intrigued to see it. In cinemas now Is the film a horror or a comedy?

It is more than both a comedy and horror. It’s thriller and smalltown drama as well… there are so many different genres thrown into the mix, which Gerard has balanced out to come forward at different times. That’s partly why it’s so funny, because you recognise different parts of it and especially aspects of wacky New Zealand.

Is it distinctly a NZ film?

Oh definitely! Except that when we take it overseas, people get it!

Where was it taken overseas?

Everywhere. First, the SXSW in Texas in the US, and it went off from there. The producers had a big boost of confidence after that and it went to Edinburgh, Switzerland, and did really well. Won an overall award in Switzerland.

That would be reassuring.

Yes, really nice to get that validation, but then I also don’t think artists should rely on it.

What your little team believes in is more important than critical acclaim because it is so dependent on the market at the time. But I think we just made something really weird and unique and people have reacted in being like: ‘Oh, that’s my family.’

Oh, so the classic family types?

The quiet new partner of the mother and the mother who cannot stop talking. Something really weirdly domesticated that is a little bit off-kilter. You know that odd history we have here where random people come out of the woodwork? It’s like that, but they’re normal!

You play the mother?

Yes, Miriam; and my daughter Kylie was played by Morgana O’Reilly. We had a really great time. She’s such a little bitch in it.

She has to be quite bad-tempered, but bad-tempered in so many different ways. There’s frustration and depression. In her mind, the different variations are caused by other people but in fact, or at least from Miriam’s point of view,

she is impatient and selfish.

This film is also about different perspectives. Why are they so naggy? It’s because that’s what you know about them. The little mosquito-bite that won’t go away.

How scary is it?

It is not too bad, but neither is it tame. Not one of those ones where you cannot go to the woodshed for ten years. You will get a fright but you will laugh.

Not endless tension.

What was the filming environment like?

We were in an old house in the North Shore in Auckland.

There were quite a few scenes of Morgana and I in the bathroom.

It was boiling, there were so many people in there. Wearing this wool for hours on end... oh God, I thought I was going to faint.

There was a lot of screaming and carrying on too.

How long did it take to shoot?

It took about three years.

Depending on when everyone was free.

It was relatively low-budget?

We received 250,000 from the NZFC Escalator Scheme. I don’t want to sound ungrateful because that is fantastic support, but it’s not much money for

a competitive film. At a film festival, you don’t want to be the beige cardigan. You need to make a profit.

I see its been reviewed really well!

It’s been raved about! You sit there a bit stupefied and wondering how it happened. It is a very unusual film, but great fun. I look absolutely appalling, lit to make me look 110. I guess the one benefit is when people see me on the street I exceed their expectations.

You’ve been in theatre for so many years: what made you decide to be in a feature film?

Well, they don’t come along very often, especially for someone my age and for women!

Particularly for women, it’s unusual?

Yes, for women leading a movie, especially in a leading role.

Definitely, I’m really looking forward to seeing the film!

Oh great! You know that quiet myopic sense that small towns have sometimes? The film is like that, but then all this weird stuff happens. That’s why people laugh so much: because they are genuinely frightened, but then you look at the characters and they are absolutely mental.

editor@salient.org.nz

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Arts

Music Feature

If you want to write about the arts, or think there is something we should review, email arts@salient.org.nz.

The future of pop music

by Henry Cooke

T

he output of internet label PC Music is a lot like a bag of gummy bears – sugary, addictive, vaguely too good to be true. They’ve been around about a year, but are really coming into their own as associated acts Sophie and QT* make their major-label debuts. If you like pop music but wish all the acts had snorted a few more lines before entering the studio, this is the music for you.

Every member of PC Music seems somewhat involved in every other PC Music project, many of which simply appear to be different personas for label head A. G. Cook. While their music spans various EDM genres, it all shares a kind of frantic maximalist aesthetic.

Vocals are uniformly female, often mixed to sound like some kind of android six-year-old, with lyrics either painfully earnest or Year 12 Media Studies ironic (“topman, topshop / I don’t wanna be a twin, I just want to… f–f–f–f–fit in”). Songs are apt to change genres in a second, from full-trap to K-pop to trance, then all the way back again. Really, though – this is pop music, it’s just pop music for our hyper-mediated hyperfragmented modern existence

– an avalanche of signifiers, the music video taking back the song. I can’t believe I just wrote that sentence either.

The only thing I can really compare PC Music to, besides well, everything, is the ARK Music Factory, who produce custom-built pop songs for rich teenagers – famously, Rebecca Black. PC Music’s Hannah Diamond kind of can’t sing – it’s amazing. Her voice is interesting and pleasurable, but half of the highs she hit kind of painfully crack, at least on the first eightor-so listens. The production behind her is far too professional for this to be a mistake, and the projected vulnerability is only helped by the achingly innocent romance of the lyrics, from “you would say how much you loved me almost every day” to the cresting wave of the chorus, “now I’ve saved you as a picture on my phone”.

Sex, usually implicit in pop music, is either notably absent or explicit and near-inhuman. One second it’s all “Less love, more sex, no calls, just texts”, “banging banging banging banging loads of guys”, “in the bathroom, sucking dick, thanks for coming, that was quick”, all produced

like a smiling Korean girl is singing it; the next, we’re hearing someone whining “you say baby how are you? I’m okay, how about you?” as if their middleschool scholarship depended on it. The jarring shifts are part of the charm, but also walk an almost creepy line.

Five reasons you should be listening to FKA Twigs

Then, exposing all the creepiness in regular pop music might be the point. One can’t quite be sure if PC Music are mocking pop music or embracing it warts and all. This definitely isn’t full irony, it’s far too good for that, but there’s something kind of wrong with it too. Kind of like gummy bears.

•

•

Most real sex isn’t as sexy

•

She managed to make that

as her debut album LP1.

annoying Sam Smith song good.

‘Lights On’ makes emotional vulnerability desirable, somehow.

•

The ‘Two Weeks’ video is a better version of Kanye’s ‘Power’ video.

•

She needs to get big enough for us to call her ‘Twigs’ again.

Three Tracks To Get A Feel

Five kind-of-cringeykind-of-great political anthems

•

•

‘Reagan’ – Killer Mike

•

‘One Dead Cop’ – Leftover

A. G. COOK – ‘KERI BABY’ (FEATURING HANNAH DIAMOND)

•

LIPGLOSS TWINS –

Crack •

•

QT – ‘HEY QT’

‘Stick the Fucking Flag up Your Goddamn Ass, You

‘WANNABE’

Sonofabitch’ – Propagandhi •

‘Soup is Good Food’ – The Dead Kennedys

*QT is actually Sophie and A. G. Cook. And Sophie is a dude, but there’s always a girl singing? I don’t know either.

•

‘The Decline’ – NOFX

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What’s On Music: Boy And Bear Friday 19 September, 8 pm Bodega, $35 Riki Gooch, Benny Tones and Ed Zucc Friday 19 September, 8 pm MOON, $10

WIN $500 Entries for The Chartwell Trust Art Writing Prize close 22 September.

Visit http://www. adamartgallery.org.nz/ for details.

CHALI 2NA (of Jurassic 5) Saturday 20 September, 8 pm James Cabaret, $49

Film:

The Bones Saturday 20 September, 8 pm Moon, $10

Sin City: A Dame to Kill For Step Up 5: All In Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Kraus Saturday 20 September, 8 pm Pyramid Club, $10

Visual Arts: Hany Armanious:Selflok City Gallery, until 30 November Breckon and Shaun Waugh: Two Photographers Enjoy, until 27 September

Friday afternoons from 3pm - close

Dilemma: A Lecture

by Simon Denny City Gallery, 6 pm, 23 September, free entry

The Innovator’s

Releases – 18 September

The Film Archive Farewell – Mediagallery exhibition. Until 29 November. Free. Images considering the moments of departure.

The Pa Boys – From the producer of Boy, follows a band on tour around New Zealand.

7 pm, Wednesday 17, Thursday 18, Friday 19, Saturday 20, Wednesday 24, Thursday 25, Friday 26, and Saturday 27 September. Also 4.30 pm Saturday 20 and Saturday 27 September.

90 mins. $10.

Bikes for Africa – Soup & A Seat. Friday 19 September. 12.15 pm.

68 min. $8 + cup of soup.

Books: Writers on Mondays at Te Papa 15 September: Fresh poetry and prose read by current MA students at the IIML. 22 September: A Survivor’s Guide to Scriptwriting with Peter Cox, Kelly Marshall and Dave Armstrong.

12.15–1.15 pm every Monday, Te Marae, Level 4 of Te Papa. Free entry.

Theatre:

Lashings of Whipped Cream 18–27 September 8.30 pm at BATS Theatre Mis(con)ception 16–20 September 6.30 pm at BATS Theatre Battle Hymn 18–20 September 7.30 pm at 74 Ghuznee St Book by emailing: redscarecollective@gmail. com

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notices Many trave; few go adventuring Go adventuring with an AIESEC exchange programme that runs all year round! Immerse yourself in a different culture and learn to see the world through different eyes with AIESEC New Zealand’s Global Talent and Global Citizen programme. Tertiary students are provided with opportunities for international volunteering projects or professionally paid internships. Go abroad and create a positive impact in society while connecting with different local communities.

To find out more, visit www. aiesec.org.nz.

Careers and Jobs Applications closing soon…

Organisations: Closing Date McKechnie Aluminium Solutions: 15 Sep Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade: 15 Sep Tasman District Council: 15 Sep Tait Communications: 16 Sep CRL Energy: 18 Sep Fairfax New Zealand: 21 Sep Westland Milk Products: 21 Sep Citi: 22 Sep eCoast: 25 Sep Modlar Limited: 25 Sep Endace Technology: 26 Sep NZX Limited: 26 Sep Integrated Control Technology Limited: 27 Sep

Hewlett Packard: 29 Sep MetService: 29 Sep Communication Agencies Association of New Zealand: 30 Sep Skope Industries Limited: 30 Sep New Zealand Law Society: 30 Sep Upcoming Free Careers Events for all students NZX Graduate Open Day: 15 Sep Summer Camp USA: 17 Sep Zomato Recruitment: 18 Sep 2015 JET Programme: 19 Sep Check details/book on CareerHub: www.victoria. ac.nz/careerhub Amnesty at Vic presents Freedom Challenge!

Letter-writing workshop at The Hunter Lounge, Monday 1–4 pm, and a pub quiz, also at The Hunter Lounge, Friday at 8 pm.

Keep your eyes peeled for our activists around the Hub on Kelburn Campus!

being different from the other public company CFOs, how he manages his team, and plenty more interesting information. The event takes place on Thursday 18 May, 4 pm @ RWW501 (5th level of Railway West Wing building, Pipitea Campus).

Vic OE – Vic Student Exchange Programme] Deadline for Tri 2, 2015 exchanges is 1 December.

Why not study overseas as part of your degree?!

Study in English, earn Vic credit, get StudyLink and grants, explore the world!

Weekly seminars on Wednesdays, Level 2, Easterfield Building, 12.50 pm Website: http://victoria.ac.nz/ exchange Visit us: Level 2, Easterfield Building Drop-in hours: Mon–Wed 1–3 pm, Thurs & Fri 10 am – 12 pm

giveaway COMEDY TICKETS PlayShop LIVE is Wellingtons late–night improv comedy show. Every Friday, 10 pm at Paramount Cinemas, it brings the laughs with a troupe of trained performers transforming any suggestion to life on stage. If you like Whose Line is it Anyway? you’ll love this show. A rotating cast of 39 members means every week is different.

Send us your favourite joke to win a double pass valued at $26 to next week’s show!

Business and Investment Club The Business and Investment Club (BIC, www.bic.org.nz) invites you to the next guestspeaker event “How I became the public sector CFO of the Year” by Paul Helm, CFO of the NZ Transport Agency.

Paul and his team have won this very prestigious award and he will be talking about just that: what is it like to be a CFO, what Paul’s values are, his customer-driven / fiscally responsible business plan, why is he known for

If you want a notice in Salient, email us at editor@salient.org.nz. Notices must be sent to us by Wednesday 5 pm for the following week’s issue, and must be fewer than 100 words in length.

Election Special

An Interview with

David Cunliffe

He’s a middle-aged white man. He’s from a lower-class upbringing. He went to Harvard Business School. He made millions in the private sector. He wants to be your Prime Minister. Salient went to the Leader of the Opposition’s office at Parliament to get to know David Cunliffe.

Last election, 42 per cent of 18–24-year-olds didn’t vote; why should students vote?

Because being young, thinking New Zealanders, they have more 42

The Election Issue

interest than most people in the future of their country and the kind of country that they live in. You get two different futures whether you’ve got a

right-leaning or a left-leaning government. On the right, you’ve got widening gaps between rich and poor. You’ve got a dumber economy with less opportunities for graduates.

You vote progressive, which is Labour-led, then quite simply, you get higher wages; you get a smarter, higher-tech economy; you get more competitive

exchange rates; you get better industry policy; you get a whole range of things including better tertiary policy, but that’s part of a whole. It’s fairer. It’s focussed on the idea that everybody matters, and it’s building a better future for us. I feel passionate about this. Sometimes people say, especially some young people who are disengaged say,

Flip to the back of this mag to see our interview with John Key.

Students don’t want to just end up pouring coffee or waiting tables. They want a future. They want a pathway.

“It doesn’t make any difference.”

Well, it really really does.

What do you think is the single biggest issue facing students? As tricky as being

a student is, I think it’s actually the future employment prospects that a lot of people have their eye to. That means building an economy that is going to create the kind of good jobs that are going to keep people in New Zealand, who are internationally mobile because they are qualified. If we are just a farm and a mine, with someone else’s bank, that isn’t going to do the trick. Students don’t want to just end up pouring coffee or waiting tables. They want a future.

They want a pathway. That’s got to be at all levels. Building an economy that is going to support those jobs and making sure they are paid decently is at the heart of it. That way, Student Loans aren’t as scary. There are a whole lot of student-specific issues, maintaining the value of support for students. Making sure that we don’t cut peoples’ Student Loans off before they finish postgrad degrees; making sure there is proper democratic representation on university councils, rather than cutting student voices out and trying to run it like a private business.

That’s rubbish. The university is a community as well as a major enterprise, and it needs to reflect the stakeholders in that community.

Do you think free tertiary education is possible? It

would be brave and probably foolhardy of us to make promises to cheques that we

can’t cash. What we do believe is that tertiary education is a right and it should be accessible to everybody and it should be affordable. That means we are going to have to contain the costs to students, and we are going to have to ensure the eligibility for Loans and Allowances is as generous as it can be. I can’t promise today to make it completely free, much as I would like to.

The Greens last week announced free off-peak fares for students. The question that a lot of students want to know is if they vote Greens or Labour, what does that mean for that policy after the election, presuming that you guys win? I will

be quite clear that I do expect there to be a close, cooperative relationship between Labour and Greens after the election. I do see Labour and the Greens at the heart of an incoming government. Students should have confidence that the ideas they see in both of those parties are likely to move forward.

However, if you don’t have a strong-enough Labour party vote, you can’t flip the switch.

It may need a three-way with NZ First, and if the lead party of opposition isn’t sufficiently strong, that makes it very hard to make them join the change movement. Students, like other New Zealanders, need to reflect on the fact that if they really want to change the government, the best and safest way to do it is to Party Vote Labour. Now, the mix of policies that you get with Labour and the Greens in

a coalition, while we wouldn’t ascribe to exact proportionality of vote, you can’t get away from the fact that the balance between the two is likely to have some impact on the policy mix that comes out.

Current polling seems to suggest that NZ First will hold the balance of power as it seems to do too often; you are happy to work with them? I would certainly see that

within the realms of possibility.

We have a number of policies in common: particularly in wanting to strengthen the economic sovereignty of NZ. Neither of us would sell NZ land to foreign interests. Both of us want a stronger, New Zealand–based banking sector. Some of NZ First’s social views don’t fit with ours as closely, but I do think there is enough in common to work constructively with them as part of the incoming government, if they chose to.

What’s your vibe on Internet Mana? They’ve done a good job of getting students going to their parties, but it seems that a lot of the interest isn’t necessarily in the ideas and the policies of politics.

It’s in the chants against John Key. You are right. I don’t

think a lot of people know what the Internet Party stands for.

Number 1: they’re new. Number 2: they’re small. Number 3: who would know? For us that’s a big factor. We look at the Greens, and they have been in business for decades now and they have a well-thought-through set of policies, and while we wouldn’t agree with all of them, we can work with them; the risk factor of new parties is much, much higher. Now with Mana, and we all know where Hone is coming from, he is certainly not held to the same level of due diligence as we are. I have said that they

won’t be in the Government that I lead. But I don’t think it’s likely that they are going to choose to keep John Key in power. That’s up to them.

Greens have come out in support of decriminalising abortion. Are you happy with the current law? I think

the law has been around a long time and it does need review.

It’s a conscience issue. It is not one which we are likely to take a hard policy position under the Labour banner, but it is likely that most Labour MPs would support a more progressive approach. Our conference has passed a remit that we would use the Law Commission as a way of progressing a review of abortion law, and I would support that.

My own personal position is that I am pro-choice.

Cannabis law reform: Would you legalise medicinal marijuana and/ or decriminalise marijuana?

Medicinal use depends slightly on definition, and I want to take slightly more expert advice than I currently have. On general use: again, it would be a conscience issue, but my own view is not to support a full decriminalisation.

But for small-scale personal use, I could certainly see it moving more towards a summaryoffence-type issue which wouldn’t include as much police resources.

If you were in power today, what would Labour do to improve the environment?

Climate change and clean water. I am personally disgusted that the Government has pulled us out of the postKyoto negotiations, and they have watered down the ETS [Emissions Trading Scheme] to the point that it’s almost not worth having. We will rebuild the ETS towards something that is a workable system that will editor@salient.org.nz

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Election Special We are so concerned about both sexual and family violence. We are so appalled that only one per cent of rape cases get a conviction. I am going to be leading from the Prime Minister’s office a cross-portfolio task force. allocate a fixed carbon budget to its highest economic use within proper economic constraints.

We will be happy to talk to the Greens about their carbon tax, but our current view is that you get a better balance out of carbon constraint and economic output with a cap-and-trade.

We would want to be at the forefront of pushing the globe towards an enduring solution to carbon containment, so that we can limit the damage. We already know that we are going to live in a world with at least 2 °C of warming. It’s not an issue that I am going to leave to my kids without having done our honest best to head it off. Even with the very best international efforts, we are going to have to get our heads around mitigation and adaptation.

Quickfire Questions 1.

2.

Star sign? Taurus.

Do you know the cost of petrol? [2.20/litre on date of interview] 2.21

a litre.

3.

4.

Favourite colour? Red. Do you know how much a student gets on a weekly Student Loan, living costs–wise? [$173.56] Not exactly.

170ish.

5.

Favourite film? Today, it is

Good Will Hunting [at time of interview, Philip Seymour

Which brings me to water management, which I think is an important complement. We are absolutely going to be driving for clean rivers and seas and lakes.

We are going to be very firm on that in asking local government to enforce both industrial and agricultural runoff regulations so that we can keep our rivers clean.

Alcohol law reform? Support

the Law Commission report.

So ban alcohol advertising then? That’s a hard one:

whether you say ban all or tighter restrictions, that is an issue that I would want to come back to. I am personally quite concerned about the proliferation of liquor outlets.

There is good evidence that

they are more common in low-income areas, which is a bit bizarre when you think about it.

I have sympathy for particularly, like, South Auckland Local Boards, who are trying to get more realistic policies around limiting the proliferation of liquor outlets.

The National Government has made cuts to the funding of Rape Crisis centres. What’s Labour’s policy on sexual violence?

I got in a lot of trouble for taking a really strong stand on this issue. Let me repeat the substance of it: We are so concerned about both sexual and family violence. We are so appalled that only one per cent of rape cases get a conviction. I

Hoffman had just passed away.

6.

where we are known for our international stand around peace issues; where we have a diverse culture that celebrates difference; where we have low gaps between wealth and poverty; and where we have a smart, high-tech economy that supports those higher living standards.That’s a really clear package. It is a very different one than the path we are currently on.

Favourite bar in Wellington? 3.2, in the

Beehive.

7.

Favourite band? Joy

Division.

8.

You win the election; you are PM for nine years: what will your legacy be? I want that

place New Zealand gets to to be both the fairest, most decent society in the world, and I want it to be a smart, sustainable economy.

I have a vision of us being like a Nordic of the South Pacific. Where we are a welleducated, secure population;

9.

Any plans after politics?

I would like to do some serious writing and maybe go somewhere quite reflective to do that.

10. Do you have any particular thing that

am going to be leading from the Prime Minister’s office a crossportfolio task force. We have already signed up $60 million of investment over three years to support that. We support better education and prevention; and then better support for services like Rape Crisis, and reform of the justice system to make it easier for the victims of sexual violence to give evidence safely rather than being re-traumatised.

The Law Commission is talking about moving towards an inquisitorial position. That’s where the judge asks the questions rather than having the defence and prosecution rip people apart.

Do you have a favourite and least-favourite National policy? One of my least

favourite is giving massive tax cuts to people who didn’t need them: making the inequality gaps wider. I don’t know that I would say ‘favourite’, but you can’t argue with replacing school capital [building new things for state schools when they get run-down].

you would like to say to students? Change

the damn government.

Honestly: the only thing that worries me is apathy. Last election, a million people didn’t vote. 816,000 were on the roll and couldn’t be bothered; another couple of hundred thousand couldn’t be bothered to even enrol.

You get what you vote for.

The guys that are currently in government are taking us on a path to division, and they are selling off the shop to cover the fact that they haven’t got an economic plan. It is just wrong. We need to change it.

CALL FOR NOMINATIONS: VICTORIA UNIVERSITY OF WELLINGTON COUNCIL ELECTION 2014 ELECTION OF ONE MEMBER OF THE UNIVERSITY COUNCIL BY THE STUDENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY The term of office of one student member of Council (David Alsop) expires on 31 December 2014.

Nominations are invited to fill this vacancy from 1 January 2015 for a term of one year.

Nominations, which must have the consent of the nominee, close with the Returning Officer at 5.00pm on Wednesday 24 September 2014. A nominee must be a person who is, or has been, a student at Victoria University.

All students are eligible to make nominations and vote in the election. For election purposes, a student is any person currently enrolled in a personal course of study at Victoria University or a person who is studying at the University under an exchange agreement with another institution.

The election is governed by the Council Election Statute.

NOMINATION FORMS Copies of the nomination form and the information sheet to be completed by candidates are available on the Council website, from Reception in the Hunter Building, or by contacting the Returning Officer by email caroline.ward@vuw.ac.nz.

CLOSING OF THE STUDENT ROLL

The Student Roll will close at 5.00pm on Thursday 2 October 2014.

DATE OF ELECTION If the number of nominations exceeds the number of vacancies, an election will be held on Wednesday 15 October 2014, with the polls closing at 5.00pm. Voting will commence on Wednesday 8 October and candidates will be elected by the single transferable vote method.

Voting documents will be sent to students at their preferred University email addresses.

Caroline Ward Secretary to Council and Returning Officer Victoria University of Wellington PO Box 600, Wellington Caroline.ward@vuw.ac.nz 04-463 5196

Let us help you

earn while

you learn The Faculty of Law is offering up to two LLM Awards each year to encourage and support academically outstanding students undertake a Masters of Laws (LLM) degree at The Auckland Law School, ranked 28th in the world.* A Faculty of Law LLM Award is worth up to $25,000 if awarded to a student paying international fees and up to $15,000 for a student paying domestic fees.

Applications close 1 November for students commencing study in semester one 2015.

Time constraints can be one of the biggest deterrents to further study. This is why our postgraduate programme offers a wide range of intensive courses and has been structured to allow you to begin your postgraduate studies any time in the academic year.

For more information on the application process and how to apply visit: www.law.auckland.ac.nz/llm-awards or email postgradlaw@auckland.ac.nz *QS World University Rankings by Subject 2014

184 Lambton Quay (opposite Midland Park)

contributors editors: Duncan McLachlan & Cameron Price d e s i g n e r : I m o g e n Te m m news editor: Sophie Boot c r e at i v e e d i t o r : C h l o e Dav i e s c h i e f s u b - e d i t o r : N i c k Fa r g h e r distributor: Joe Morris f e at u r e w r i t e r : P h i l i p M c S w e e n e y ( c h i e f ) , P e n n y G a u lt , Alex Hollis w e b e d i t o r : D e x t e r E d wa r d s n e w s i n t e r n s : S i m o n D e n n i s , S t e p h Tr e n g r o v e arts editors: Nina Powles (Books), Charlotte Doyle (Film), H e n r y C o o k e ( M u s i c ) , D a v i d W i l l i a m s ( Th e a t r e ) , S i m o n G e n n a r d ( V i s u a l A r t s ) , M i c h a e l G r a h a m ( Te l e v i s i o n ) C o lu m n I l lu s t r at i o n s : P h o e b e M o r r i s general contributors: Ty r o n e B a r u g h , S a m B i g w o o d , N i c o l a B r a i d , S o n y a C l a r k , A s h e r E m a n u e l , S c o t t F l e t c h e r , Te d G r e e n s m i t h , E m m a H u r l e y , M i t c h K e a s t, A l a s d a i r K e at i n g , E v e K e n n e d y, M o l ly M c C a rt h y, C h r i s McIntyre, Eleanor Merton, Gus Mitchell, Ollie Neas, Alice Peacock, Elijah Pue, Ollie Ritchie, Kent Smith, Rebekah Smith, W i l b u r To w n s e n d , S t e p h Tr e n g r o v e , J u l i a We l l s , D a n i e l W i l s o n

contributor of the week Mitch Keast

Advertising Manager Tim Wilson sales@vuwsa.org.nz (04) 463 6982

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Why I’m Not Voting, or, I Would Vote If I Could Vote for a Party That Aligned With My Views But There Aren’t Any So I Won’t don’t have anyone to vote for.

I mean, I could vote Greens. I mostly align with them on most issues. But I couldn’t in good conscience vote for a party that I believe has a racist immigration policy. Because if they got in, I would have helped them to do things that I really don’t want done. So I won’t vote Greens.

I could vote Labour. But I don’t really understand what the government will look like if they win. How many Green policies will be adopted, and which?

Will that misogynist, racist, power-grubbing cunt Winston be around the Cabinet table again?

Because fuck that. If I voted Labour, I wouldn’t be voting for Labour: I’d be voting for the left.

But I don’t know what that means (and to be honest I don’t know if they do either).

I could vote National. I mean, heaps of people probably will. “The last six years’ve been alright and the economy seems to be picking up,” they say. “The leader’s got a nice face and a goofy personality, he seems like a gaz.” But fucked if I’ll ever vote for the humans (is that even the right word?) that make up our governing party. It’s clear to me that they’re dirty as sin. Not all of them, but enough. If I could vote for robots who implemented the policy without any of the politics, maybe I could vote for them. But I can’t.

I couldn’t vote NZ First. Or ACT. Or Conservative. I could vote Māori, but I don’t know if they’ll ever be as strong without Turia and Sharples to guide them.

Maybe Internet Mana, but I really don’t like the way Kim Dotcom plays our democracy like it’s a

game. I could vote for a tiny party like Legalise Cannabis Aotearoa, but what good would that be?

So I have no one to vote for.

But maybe that’s okay. Maybe in 2017, a party will come along that I could vote for. One that has policies and people with which and with whom I can get on board. Maybe I’ll vote for them.

Maybe our democracy will be better off for it.

By not voting at this election, I am making a conscious decision.

I’m sending a signal to lawmakers that I am deeply unimpressed by what they’re offering me. In a way, I am voting. Just against the status quo rather than with it.

And if that isn’t how a democracy is supposed to work, then call me stupid.

But just don’t call me

unpatriotic for not voting. I might be stupid, but don’t patronise me.

I love this country just as much as you.

It’s not my responsibility as a citizen to vote. It’s my responsibility as a citizen to vote for something I believe in.

If you can do that, then by all means do. It’s a valuable thing to vote for a cause you care about.

But I am simply unable to do that – no one is pushing any policies that I care about. I don’t give a fuck about a capital gains tax. I want to see free immigration or liberal drug reform or replacing welfare with a universal basic income. I’ll vote when someone makes it worth my while.

Your decision to vote isn’t any more or less valuable than my decision not to.

L ove ,

Cam

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The Election Issue

the election issue