New Zealand Listener Issue 24 2018

Nursing is dominated by women and achieving pay equity for women is on any government’s to-do list. The Government has been blunt with private-sector employers: wages should and will rise under its watch, and if they can’t afford to pay staff enough in this new climate, then they’ll be out of business. The current nurses’ pay dispute gives this administration a chance to lead by example – albeit without the threatened corollary. Hospitals will not be left to go out of business. But Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Iain Lees-Galloway has been adamant about the imperative to pay workers more than we have been doing, not only as a matter of decency but also as an unavoidable cost, like any other, of doing business. Given this tough rhetoric, the Government has little choice…

Chris Leitch’s argument for Reserve Bank funding for infrastructure (Letters, May 26) sounds like Social Credit’s “funny money” financial policy. But apparently, it’s come of age. Since the global financial crisis of 2008, central banks in Europe, Britain, China, Japan and the US have been pumping new money into their economies flat out. The European Central Bank is doing it at the rate of €35 billion ($58 billion) a month. They call it quantitative easing – a fancy term for what is just money creation. In reality, it’s Social Credit, except they contend the recipients should be infrastructure, health, education, etc, not banks, bonds and currency speculators. And despite what the doom merchants predicted, there has not been a whiff of inflation. If money creation is viable elsewhere in the world, then why not…

WINNING CAPTION Cathy Moreland, Kerikeri FINALISTS Benny Andersson: “Oh God, Björn. I just caught Pierce Brosnan’s eye. You explain why he doesn’t have any songs in Mamma Mia 2 …” – Henry Grant, Waikanae Björn Ulvaeus: “I see we are still No 1 on the Ryman villages Spotify playlist.” – Janey Grant, Napier Björn: “So different if our names had been Anna, Ronny, Sven and Ebbe.” – Paul Kelly, Palmerston North Benny: “How come Anni-Frid and Agnetha look so old?” – Mike Lynch, Upper Hutt Björn: “What a loo!” – Bill Grant, Napier Björn: “People are flabbagasted we’re getting back together!” – Hans Zindel, Palmerston North Björn: “Money, money, money …” Benny: “No, it’s an Eftpos world.” – Alan Belcher, Christchurch Both: Here we go again! – Nozz Fletcher, Waikawa Caption Competition {caption@listener.co.nz} TO ENTER Send your captions for the photo above…

“Blessed are the cracked, for they let in the light.” – Spike Milligan “A double negative is a complete no no.” – Kathy Lette in the Times “Melania is recovering in hospital after having a kidney operation. The things she’ll do for some alone time. Unfortunately the large accumulation of bile and waste couldn’t be there.” – Graham Norton “Hatred is the anger of the weak.” – novelist Alphonse Daudet, quoted in the Week “A woman drove me to drink and I never even wrote to thank her.” – WC Fields quoted in the Week “It was Britain at its finest. It was a picture-perfect day, Windsor Castle, 600 guests, 30,000 flowers, or as Elton John calls it, a Thursday.” – James Corden on the royal wedding “George Clooney was there, so congratulations, Meghan and Harry,…

The issue for us is the challenge of keeping our refrigeration units functioning so that we can keep customers and product sufficiently chilled. Southland Times, 17/01/18 A Hamilton fruit technology manufacturer has been bought by a Norwegian giant. Press, 28/02/18 Vijay Singh still lives with the stigma of singing for an incorrect score. Dominion Post, 27/03/18 Trout bums and crowded river banks are getting right up the noses of Kiwi anglers. Press, 24/03/18 The announcement of a new underground mine for Waihi has not yet sunk in for the town’s residents. BOP Times, 29/03/18 Good sections in Inglewood are scarce as hens teeth so don’t dwell on this one as it won’t last long. Taranaki Daily News, 24/03/18 LIFE IN NEW ZEALAND: Entries must describe New Zealand events. The first sender of those accepted will receive a $5 Booksellers voucher. Enclose name,…

1. Which of these has a similar meaning to “Arcadian”? □ Entertaining □ Combative □ Pastoral □ Shrewd 2. Who would most likely use the chemical luminol in their work? □ Optician □ Engineer □ Dentist □ Investigator 3. Which country recently elected a 92-year-old as Prime Minister? □ Malaysia □ Thailand □ Indonesia □ Singapore 4. The tight end is a position in which sport? □ American football □ Rugby union □ Basketball □ Rowing 5. Lionel Richie is a former member of which of these groups? □ Kool & the Gang □ Commodores □ Earth, Wind & Fire □ The Temptations 6. The Victorian-era artist JG Keulemans is known for his paintings of New Zealand… what? □ Birds □ Landscapes □ People □ Buildings 7. True or false? Some people can determine close blood relatives just by scent. □ True □ False 8. Pōhutu is the Southern Hemisphere’s largest … what? □ Stalagmite □ Whirlpool □ Cave system □ Active geyser 9. Which of these is…