Writing
How power, institutions and policy work, and how to change them. 12 posts filed under Politics.
The referendum to decide on New Zealand's next flag has been advertised as "your chance to decide", but how much decision making power do we really have? The public were able to submit entries and will get to vote on which flag will be the final choice to challenge our existing flag. However, the flags that comprise the shortlist has been decided entirely by a panel of 12. This panel's selection has introduced a flaw that will skew the outcome of the referendum.
It's been ten months since the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill became law in New Zealand. Bob McCoskrie, still outraged at the idea of loving couples being joined in marriage, has resigned as a marriage celebrant in protest. So I've decided to fill his spot.
We have only two days to wait until New Zealand's 50th Parliament passes Louisa Wall's Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill into law. Those opposing the bill know the likely outcome of the third reading and are getting increasingly desperate to stop the bill. Family First have tried to play the "think of the children" card, however, the reality is that their stance puts children at risk.
When I was 15, I worked the Christmas rush at my Uncle's seafood factory and earned enough money to buy my first mobile phone. This purchase started a relationship with Vodafone which has now spanned almost half of my life. Recently I've begun to examine my relationship with Vodafone and in general, the relationship between brands and loyal customers.
Today, Louisa Wall's Marriage Equality bill will face its first vote in parliament. A vote that is expected to pass. But there is still a lot of opposition. These opponents, in an attempt to not be perceived as bigoted, claim that they are not against gay marriage but are instead against the redefinition of marriage.
I wrote the below article on the "Protect Marriage NZ" Facebook page but they disabled the ability for other users to write on their wall and thus destroyed my post. I'm re-posting it here for all to see.
As I have previously mentioned, I don't believe that any of the alternatives on offer in this year's referendum are better than MMP. However, I would like to propose an alternative Electoral System: Proportional Representation. Please keep in mind that this is intended as an initial discussion piece that could evolve into something more solid.
This year, alongside the general election there will be a referendum on the future of MMP and the selection of a potential competitor, should we decide that replacing MMP is an option. I want to look at the different options for electoral system that we have available.
We’ve all seen the ads that run before movies, at least those of us who still pay to see them. “You wouldn’t steal a car. You wouldn’t steal a handbag. You wouldn’t steal a movie." And that’s what they would have you believe, that copyright infringement is exactly the same as theft. Not like theft, but the same as theft. Some (who themselves listen to pirated K-pop) even try to tell us that assault on copyright is the same as assault on a human being.
The Copyright (Infringing File Sharing) Amendment Bill is a flawed piece of legislature but a big part of the public outcry wasn't just the bill itself but also the way in which it was passed. It made the public aware of the ongoing abuse of parliament's urgency laws as well as the fact that politicians pass laws with little understanding of what the laws mean.
The Copyright (Infringing File Sharing) Amendment Bill was passed with a large parliamentary majority but also with a big outcry from the public. I've written about copyright infringement and now I want to write about the law that has stirred up so much discussion.
Are computer games creating a generation of violent killers? Statistically, a child born during the creation of Rock and Roll was more likely to violently offend than a child born during this era of Gaming. Who's statistics are these? The US Department of Justice.