New Zealand Listener Issue 29, 2022

The Productivity Commission recently released its report on immigration policy, Immigration – Fit for the future. Given its contents, a better title would be Immigration – A future for the fit. The commission is required by law to provide advice to the government that helps support the overall wellbeing of New Zealanders. It was asked by the current government to examine our working-age immigration policies, which it defines as policies that offer potential immigrants opportunities to seek employment, invest, or run a business in New Zealand. According to the commission’s own definition, this includes temporary work visas, residence visas, student visas, investor visas, and entrepreneur visas. It also includes immigration that is the result of working-age immigration, such as partners, parents and dependent children. We know from wellbeing studies that relationships with family…

WINNING CAPTION Rex McGregor, Auckland FINALISTS Pixel thinks: “Don’t get carried away. Without me you’re a has-Bean!” – David Scott, Gisborne Pixel: “The hair-of-the-dog belief is a myth.” – Ann Love, Nelson Pixel (thinking): Kneeeel! – Alan Belcher, Christchurch Pixel: “Oh no! Not another ‘Shaggy Dog’ story!” – Bob Richardson, Christchurch Rowan Atkinson: “Good boy. Now, where did you bury my TV remote?” – Robert Morey, Dunedin Pixel: “BEAN there! Done that!” – Kevin Boyce, Raumati Beach Caption Competition {listenercaption@aremedia.co.nz} TO ENTER Send your captions for the photo at right to listenercaption@aremedia.co.nz, with “Caption Competition No 469” in the subject line. Alternatively, entries can be posted to “Caption Competition No 469”, NZ Listener, PO Box 52122, Kingsland, Auckland 1352. Entries must be received by noon, Tuesday, July 19. THE PRIZE A collection of recipes from the Tibetan Plateau written for today’s home…

When the Welfare Expert Advisory Group (WEAG) report came out in February 2019, I was filled with optimism. The recommendations were thorough, sensible and, I believed, capable of implementation over a relatively short period. With the election of a majority Labour government in 2020, I expected some real headway to be made. Although Rebecca Macfie (“Caught in the net”, July 2) lists a number of welcome improvements, poverty and deprivation remain for many beneficiary families. The statistics on food banks and hardship grants may not affect most of us directly but should make us feel ashamed about the children we are letting down. People are becoming frustrated by the government’s cautious incrementalism. WEAG gave us a clear roadmap to eradicate child poverty in the short to medium term and, for the…

“Your password is too weak.” Well, my memory is, too, so please let me keep it.– Seen on Twitter“I have no energy to vote again. I feel I am being held hostage by small and foul-smelling politics.”– Israeli Maya Kleinman on the dissolution of Parliament, triggering the country’s fifth election in four years“When I went to bed, I had my appointment and everything was set. Then today, it’s like pre-1973.”– A 21-year-old West Virginia woman after her abortion clinic cancelled all appointments“If you steal from one author it’s plagiarism; if you steal from many it’s research.”– Wilson Mizner“Controversy is part of the nature of art and creativity.”– Yoko Ono“I write the way you might arrange flowers. Not every try works, but each one launches another. Every constraint, even dullness, frees…

1. In the 1990 thriller movie Misery, the novelist Paul Sheldon is captured by Kathy Bates’ character, Annie Wilkes. Who played Sheldon? ❑ Liam Neeson❑ James Caan❑ Ralph Fiennes❑ William Hurt 2. Which of these longstanding Kiwi food brands was recently discontinued? ❑ Pascall Pineapple Lumps❑ Chesdale cheese slices❑ Ernest Adams baked goods❑ Vogel’s bread 3. Whose 1982 exercise video titled Workout is one of the highest-selling VHS tapes of all time? ❑ Suzanne Somers❑ Richard Simmons❑ Olivia Newton-John❑ Jane Fonda 4. Who painted the well-known 1930 artwork American Gothic, depicting a pitchfork-holding farmer with his adult daughter? ❑ Grant Wood❑ Edward Hopper❑ Georgia O’Keeffe❑ David Hockney 5. Which of these films starring Tom Cruise does NOT have at least one sequel, also starring Cruise? ❑ Jack Reacher❑ Cocktail❑ Mission:Impossible❑ Top Gun 6. What is the name of the orphaned…

I have a freighbour (that’s friend and neighbour) who is among the planet’s most relentlessly optimistic organisms. She manages this magically, without ever being saccharine or making me want to punch her in the kneecap. Of late, amid the maelstrom of misery enveloping the US, she has experienced brief but indelible moments of discouragement. It’s understandable, as we are regressing on all the top items on any society’s letter to Santa: peace, justice, safety, prosperity, happiness and goodwill. There seems to be an almost endless supply of fear, anger, bitterness and mistrust, and it’s all way cheaper than petrol, so the folks we’ve mistakenly chosen to lead us keep throwing gallons of it on to the fire they started. The parade of apocalyptic news is unavoidable, and while “doomscrolling” may be one of…