New Zealand Listener Issue 42, 2022

In Alan Duff’s harrowing New Zealand novel Once Were Warriors, his protagonist Beth Heke, a Māori woman desperately trying to keep her family together in a community benighted by poverty and abuse, has an epiphany: her home, like those of everyone she knows, has no books. The absence bothers her and she eventually realises why: “… it was because a bookless society didn’t stand a show in this modern world, not a damn show. And I live in it, don’t I? And my kids.” This quote became the philosophy for Books in Homes, the programme that Duff and I started in 1995 with a commitment to “break the cycle of booklessness”. Now called Duffy Books in Homes, the programme continues to focus on the gifting of books to kids who wouldn’t otherwise…

WINNING CAPTION Mike Lynch, Upper Hutt FINALISTS Sarah, Duchess of York: “Hey, I said I wanted a gondolier, not a bloomin’ fizz boat.” – Bill Grant, Napier Sarah: “Let’s call an Uber.” – Jim Primrose, Hamilton Sarah: “It’s not exactly the royal yacht, but it will have to do in these slimmed-down times.” – Marie Curran, Dunedin Sarah: “Help, dropped cell phone overboard, I can’t tweet!” – Ann Neale, Nelson Sarah: “Slow down. My life doesn’t need any more shipwrecks!” – Steve Godsiff, Timaru Sarah: “Help, I’m being kidnapped by paparazzi!” – Rex McGregor, Auckland 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 482” in the subject line. Alternatively, entries can be posted to “Caption Competition No 482”, NZ Listener, PO Box 52122, Kingsland, Auckland 1352. Entries must be received by…

In 1982, a Photo-engraving and Graphic Process Union remit proposing that men and women doing the same job be paid the same wages was written into our award, with the agreement of employers during negotiations. This worked fine until 1991, when the National government brought in the Employment Contracts Act and abolished all national awards. We photolithographers were then presented basically with “take it or leave it” individual contracts, written by the bosses and heavily weighted in their favour, and told to “sign this as is, or look for another job”. In some cases, morning and afternoon tea breaks and time and a half/double time for overtime after 40 hours’ work were lost. Given that we haven’t really recovered from that vicious attack on our rights as workers and are still a low-wage…

“I always set two wake-up alarms, one for the person I want to be and one for the person I am.”– seen on Twitter“The hardest thing is to take less when you can get more.”– Kim Hubbard“The fact that an opinion has been widely held is no evidence whatsoever that it is not utterly absurd.”– Bertrand Russell“It’s almost like the birds get treated better than me. I’m walking down the street and they’re like, ‘Get out the way, the bird’s walking.’”– Rita Ora on New Zealanders’ intense love for native birds“You’re only as good as your last haircut.”– Fran Lebowitz“In America, they really do mythologise people when they die.”– Robin Williams“Politics has become infused with narcissism in America.”– John Oliver“When travelling with someone, take large doses of patience and tolerance…

1. Anemochory is a plant’s seed dispersal by what method? ❑ Animals❑ Explosive force of the fruit bursting❑ Growth of the plant away from the base❑ Wind 2. The Atlas Mountains are in which continent? ❑ Africa❑ South America❑ Australia❑ Asia 3. Who was Prime Minister of NZ directly after David Lange? ❑ Jim Bolger❑ Jenny Shipley❑ Mike Moore❑ Geoffrey Palmer 4. The grandfather of which famous British writer once ran a New Zealand hospital? ❑ JK Rowling❑ Alexander McCall Smith❑ Kate Atkinson❑ Robert Harris 5. He was born in 1564. In which year did William Shakespeare die? ❑ 1612❑ 1616❑ 1624❑ 1632 6. An okta is a measurement of what? ❑ Hardness❑ Level of pain❑ Degree of cloud cover❑ Sickness due to weightlessness in space 7. “Well, nobody’s perfect” is the last line of which film? ❑ Gentlemen Prefer Blondes❑ Some Like…

Unplanned, of course – and certainly not confessed – the death of Queen Elizabeth II comes at an opportune time for Australia’s republicans, long frustrated by the vacillation of their many wistful Elizabethans. Her reign ended four months after Australians elected the most activist republican Prime Minister to hold office. It was a timely departure that removed, in the view of republicans, their greatest impediment: the personal loyalty the Queen commanded. Republicans now have a three-year window to cement the case for a “yes” vote ahead of a referendum on jettisoning King Charles III as head of state. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has offered – though not promised – a referendum to Australians should he get a second term. The referendum is required to sanction the necessary changes to Australia’s constitution. It is…