New Zealand Listener Issue 19 2018

There have been sporadic displays of public penitence from the legal fraternity following multiple revelations of sexism in prominent law firms, but for the Law Society, it seems the hashtag is #MeToo-ButNotJustYet. On one hand, it is conducting an investigation of a female lawyer’s apparently fair public critique of a judge’s comments that seemed to minimise a serious domestic assault; on the other hand, it refuses even to say whether complaints have been laid against several male lawyers for the rather more serious matter of sexual misconduct, let alone whether it will be investigating them. The secrecy card is a handy but somewhat overused mechanism in the society’s rules, but it’s hardly the right one to play in the present circumstances. At a time when the profession’s reputation has taken…

FIND US ONLINE VISIT US ONLINE FOR EXTRA CONTENT AND DAILY UPDATES • noted.co.nz/the-listener • twitter.com/nzlistener • facebook.com/nzlistener The Government’s move from vague long-term targets for reducing carbon emissions to real action is criticised as premature by climate-change deniers (Editorial, April 28). On the contrary, after decades of procrastination, encouraged by the same deniers, the need for action has become urgent. As economist Nicholas Stern said in 2006, the maths is simple and easily understood: the sooner we begin cutting emissions, the less painful the process will be. But further delays will eventually require a much faster rate of reduction. If we seriously intend to halve carbon emissions by mid-century, we have 32 years left to achieve it. Spreading the reductions evenly over that period would require an average 2.1%…

There have been sporadic displays of public penitence from the legal fraternity following multiple revelations of sexism in prominent law firms, but for the Law Society, it seems the hashtag is #MeToo-ButNotJustYet. On one hand, it is conducting an investigation of a female lawyer’s apparently fair public critique of a judge’s comments that seemed to minimise a serious domestic assault; on the other hand, it refuses even to say whether complaints have been laid against several male lawyers for the rather more serious matter of sexual misconduct, let alone whether it will be investigating them. The secrecy card is a handy but somewhat overused mechanism in the society’s rules, but it’s hardly the right one to play in the present circumstances. At a time when the profession’s reputation has taken a massive…

WINNING CAPTION PM Lynch, Upper Hutt FINALISTS Paul Thompson: “Psst! Forget the Hail Marys – the chairman’s a Protestant. Try some mea culpas.” – L Madden Richard Griffin: “Sorry, but the third monkey is unavailable.” – Margaret Cannon, Palmerston North Both, thinking: “Hail Mary, Mother of God, please make that voicemail disappear.” – Mike Gourley, Wellington Both: “For what we are about to receive …” – Duncan McMillan, Akaroa Griffin: “… and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive others …” – PM Lynch, Upper Hutt Both: “For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory.” – Bill Unwin, Nelson Griffin, praying silently: “God, deliver to me a stiff single malt.” – Alan Petrie, Te Anau Both: “Deliver us from Carol.” – Rex McGregor, Auckland Caption Competition {caption@listener.co.nz} TO ENTER…

FIND US ONLINE VISIT US ONLINE FOR EXTRA CONTENT AND DAILY UPDATES • noted.co.nz/the-listener • twitter.com/nzlistener • facebook.com/nzlistener The Government’s move from vague long-term targets for reducing carbon emissions to real action is criticised as premature by climate-change deniers (Editorial, April 28). On the contrary, after decades of procrastination, encouraged by the same deniers, the need for action has become urgent. As economist Nicholas Stern said in 2006, the maths is simple and easily understood: the sooner we begin cutting emissions, the less painful the process will be. But further delays will eventually require a much faster rate of reduction. If we seriously intend to halve carbon emissions by mid-century, we have 32 years left to achieve it. Spreading the reductions evenly over that period would require an average 2.1% cut each year – hard to achieve…

“We have as many personalities as we have friends.” – attributed to Ralph Waldo Emerson in The Oldie “Morning comes whether you set the alarm or not.” – Ursula Le Guin “All I ask is the chance to prove that money can’t make me happy.” – Spike Milligan “Many a man owes his success to his first wife and his second wife to success.” – actor Jim Backus “You can’t bomb your way to peace.” – Madeleine Habib, Médicins Sans Frontières “The word ‘reality’ is one of the few words that means nothing without quotes.” – Vladimir Nabokov “Genius is nothing more nor less than childhood recovered at will.” – Baudelaire “You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.” – CS Lewis “This is the first time…