Mootpoint

The other day we found a White-tailed Spider in the linen closet. (I checked online after I’d trapped it – definitely a White-tail.) It was pretty damn huge, and as they are one of the few critters in New Zealand that I have even a passing fear of, it didn’t last much beyond its positive identification. Ick. Interestingly enough, the long-term effect of finding the spider has been that now every time I get something out of the linen closet it gets a damn good shaking, just in case. My dislike of them, combined with reaching in to a dark closet, causing a shiver of disgust in potentia to travel down my spine – even though I know the chances of finding another are probably quite low (it’s not like there are thousands living in there). (I hope.)

Now, this event actually happened a couple of weeks ago, and I was going to draw broad conclusions about how this was a great example of an existing, low grade fear that had been realised and heightened by the discovery of an actual spider in the cupboard, and how now that existing low grade fear manifests itself every time I open the cupboard for another clean, slightly warm, towel. Given the timing, occuring earlier that evening and all, I was going to use this to smoothly segue into a discussion on the London bombings.

See? Spider discovery? Bombs in backpacks? One of those back-of-the-mind fears, suddenly brought to the surface and cemented in place, now lodged in the forefront of one’s mind? Ah, nevermind. As usual, my slack blogging habits have meant I’ve somewhat stuffed the timing. The analogy probably wasn’t even that good…

Anyhoo, In the intervening period I’ve managed to randomly go on strike, adroitly avoid becoming involved in yet another University production, and uncover some must-see links for you all.

About two weeks ago I decided to really get in touch with my left-wing roots and joined the Association of University Staff (AUS) union. It involves a small fee that gets taken out of my pay packet each week (painless), and no doubt brings with it the chance to go to exciting union meetings (potentially painful) and vote on University pay package offers (potentially fun). However, unbeknownst to me said union was planning on industrial action (proving I hadn’t actually read the emails I’ve received in the past) shortly after I joined as they are of the general opinion that University staff need more money.

The discovery of the pending strike left me in a bit of a quandry. My joining of the union had been on a bit of a whim (it’s not everyday I get to do such a thing) and initially I was pro-strike almost purely on the basis of the rather persuasive “when’s the next time I’m ever going to get a chance to go on strike anyway?” argument (in a week or two, as it turns out), neither of which are particularly strong ideological reasons to get involved. This general apathy was combined with the whole losing one day’s pay, and the sneaking suspicion on my part that university staff in general are actually doing rather well, thank you very much, when compared with the vast majority of New Zealanders. (I know, international comparisons, leaving for greener pastures, etc etc. I still don’t think they’re living hand-to-mouth, and I reckon that the New Zealand lifestyle probably makes up for a lot of that difference anyway, so, um, yeah.) Another point against my supporting the action was that being right in the middle of doing the Centre’s budgets for next year, and after talking to other departments around the University, I am painfully aware that there isn’t actually that much money to go round right now.

However, in order to assuage my doubts, I was reliably informed by the Centre’s own union agitator Matthew (who, ironically, due to being a post doc and having a different contract couldn’t actually go on strike) that as it was a national action it was more aimed at getting the government to shell out some more dollars to universities than forcing individual universities to find more money for their personel budgets. Hmm, perhaps, but in that case has the strike damaged Labour’s chances of winning the election even more? Cos I guarantee that’d be considered a case of blowback by most lecturers. I also decided that I could probably take a day’s pay hit – it’s only fair given the vast amounts of time I’ve not been at my desk throughout the year as it is.

So I decided to go on strike.

I was definitely not one of the keen ones – those souls who stood at every entrance to the University handing out flyers to people throughout the morning, and then drove round the University in a giant, circular convoy for a couple of hours with placards and flags and streamers hanging out of windows or off of aerials, demanding more money whilst blowing their horns loudly, to the amusement at first, then annoyance, of the comparative handful of students who showed up – and I even ended up doing a few hours work, just by dint of sitting at my desk in the course of the day (shh, don’t tell the union). I also have a sneaking suspicion that for many (academic) staff, the day of striking actually involved more work than what they’d normally do in a day where they were actually working. The fact that Matthew declared he was unable to strike because his contract forbade him to was somewhat alien to me. He’s an academic (more so than practically any other academic you’re likely to meet), and if he popped out of the office for a few hours to hold a placard and hand out colour-coded flyers to passers by, then really, who’s care? Or notice, for that matter?

Anyway, that was a good day.

Congratulations if you’re still reading, here comes the hard sell. In the past few months, and rather more actively in the last few weeks, I’ve managed to avoid any huge level of active involvement with MuSoc’s next production The Fiend. Now no doubt you’ve all been reading on Dave’s blog about how they’re burning both ends of the book trying to get this production ready to run on Friday night, and having wandered in from time to time and checked out the set (dressed by the lovely Mel) I can safely say it’s gong to look cool. I’ve also had reliable reports that it’s going to sound cool. What more do you need in a musical? Huh? Ben, Dan and Scott’s voice on stage, great set, wonderful music! It has it all.

And so we’re going to go see it, yes? I’m launching a mission to see it on opening night, and I’d love for people to come along with us if they can then to give the show a huge opening night buzz. Tickets are $8 for unwaged and $15 for waged and I’m in charge of the ticketing and booking system for front of house, so you can cut out the middle-internet form and come straight to me.

And on that note, I leave you with some links that people should go see, for they are good. If somewhat geeky.

First off, Pink Floyd at Live 8 playing Wish You Were Here. So good. Oh, as is the site One Good Move which this clip is hosted on.

Secondly, a link to the Crossfire interview with Jon Stewart from The Daily Show on it. The link to the clip is at the top of the page, I could probably explain, but you should just go watch it.

Thirdly, here’s a page that links to a whole heap of George Orwell essays. Damn there’s some good stuff in here.

Give me one, cause one is best
In confusion, confidence
Give me piece of mind and trust
Don’t forget the rest of us

Give me strength, reserve control
Give me heart and give me soul
Wounds that heal and cracks that fix
Tell me your own politik

I was meaning to write this blog at some stage last week, but, as is so often the case, never really got round to it. The comments were originally going to be an off the cuff, not really thought through, semi-diatribe about things that are bothering me in the current New Zealand political climate. They still are, with some things subtracted and some things added.

First off, the primary source of this blog is my growing annoyance and frustration at all things political in the country at the present time. It’s that whole phoney war, not-really-calm before the storm of the election period that is grinding me down – where the opposition gets to take pot shots at the government (who are, after all, the only ones who can make mistakes of any gravity, as they are the only ones who can actually do anything, being in power and all) without having to put up, well, anything, bar some annoyingly smarmy billboards which simplify the issues to such an extent that it makes my teeth hurt. I feel as though National is like that, not particularly gifted in any sense, kid who hassles other children, calls them names, threatens, taunts and all the rest, then runs and hides behind mummy’s legs when the other kids turn round and say “Well, you want some then? Bring it!”

And while part of me understands that it’s the nature of the game, it doesn’t make it any prettier to watch. And the fact that (if the polls are to be believed) it’s working just adds to the frustration.

One of the issues that is the most annoying to me is that of tax cuts. I’m not an expert on them, and I don’t propose to argue for or against them based on any concrete economic knowledge (so am ready to stand to be corrected), and I’ll admit I’m ideologically predisposed towards supporting taxes, but the fact that proponents of cuts continuously point to Australia (where they’re, overall, taxed more than we are here) and say that the lower personal tax rates there are why New Zealanders are migrating to Australia annoys me mightily. There are many reasons why people I know go to Australia, and I guarantee not once has anyone said “I’m going because the taxes are lower there”. They go (IMHO here people, IMHO) for the adventure, for the higher wages, the greater opportunities to be found in a larger economy, perhaps the fact that the Aussie dollar is stronger and so not only do they earn more, what they earn is worth more… and while tax rates will no doubt have an impact on some of these economic aspects, they do not, by any means, affect all of them and I’ll put a lot of money on the line to say that they aren’t in the vast majority of cases explicitly thought of as a reason to go over. (People actually in Australia, shoot me down or back me up as you see fit.)

And if I hear one more stupidly highly paid business owner or CEO complain that their workers need a tax cut… how bout a pay rise instead? I believe that workers pay rises have lagged considerably behind those of CEOs and upper management over the past few decades, and those same CEOs and upper management types are the ones who will no doubt benefit most from any cuts anyway, and paying people more might just *gasp* convince them to stay in New Zealand rather than buggering off overseas.

Of course, my annoyance is not simply targeted at National or New Zealand First or those that support the vague and rather nasty and divisive “policies” of these parties, but at the government itself. They are making mistakes – the muck ups are coming thick and fast at the moment – and I’m left feeling like I’ll be voting against the possibility of a rightwing/conservative/National (take your pick) led government, rather than for a leftwing/liberal/Labour led one. It irks me to feel pressured to vote in such a way like I’m casting a negative vote, not a positive one, and I wonder if that’s true of many people, and if so whether that’s a factor that drives down the turnout of a party’s voters come election day – they don’t want to vote for the opposition, but they don’t want to endorse the party they normally support either, so they stay at home.

I feel like I wake up to the news each morning waiting for that next pr nightmare for Labour – like continuously holding my breath in anticipation of the next awesome misstep to come to light. This morning wasa case in point with that kiwi aircraft engineer held in the States for not having the right work permit for seven weeks, even though the British guys je was with were sent home after the first week. Chances are, the government did what it should have and did everything it could have. Problem is, doesn’t sound that way, and no one stuck their hand up to say that it was that way. Not a good look.

I think I’m also pining for actual, real leadership in New Zealand – a political leader who can come along and blend charisma with inclusive, liberal, forward-looking, responsible policies and a tangible desire to do what’s right for the country as a whole. Why is it that charismatic leadership, in New Zealand at the very least, seems to go hand in hand with being the likes of Winston Peters or Brian Tamaki? Where is the leader who can sweep New Zealanders off their feet? Or is perhaps a leader who appeals to all a casualty of multiculturalism and the many New Zealands that now exist? Perhaps if there is not one, overarching national myth or “people” there cannot be a leader who joins us all together? Or perhaps just not a leader in the old mould, perhaps a new form/style of leadership is needed…

A leader to unite behind in an increasingly fragmented world. Perhaps this is a reason to support a presidential style system? Although results from elsewhere might suggest otherwise.

Anyway, for my own part where do I stand? I’ve pretty much settled on voting Green as a party vote (tactical voting – I’d hate to see pretty much the only viable leftwing partner of Labour get, say, 4.9% of the vote and lose out entirely) and Labour as electorate (even though Gerry will no doubt win again), and I’m (pending actually getting round to filling out the forms and updating my CV) applying for a position in a polling booth come election day. So yeah, I think I’ll go and do “my bit”, I just hope that by the time the day rolls around voting will feel like a positive thing to do, and my frustration and annoyance will have somewhat abated.