Posts by Hilary Stace
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Bring back Broadsheet. There was some fine - and local - feminist writing there for two decades.
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Craig - apologies. Yes, Margaret Wilson did get honoured, in the last list compiled by the previous government.
As for Helen Clark's services to the National Party - she and her government were responsible for creating New Zealand's high international standing which is something that John Key in particular has benefited from. I remember the Muldoon days when it was so embarrassing to admit to being a NZer as he caused an Olympic boycott by African nations. Labour-led administrations seem to take more care about our international citizenship responsibilities - eg Fraser helped set up the United Nations, Kirk recognised China, Lange made NZ anti-nuclear.
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I see that being a more polite commentator is not one of Craig's New Year resolutions.
We live in a pretty benign democracy and most politicians are reasonable people. That doesn't stop me noting inequity, hypocrisy, oppression and abuses of power in our political systems.
By the way Craig, did you ever find out whether there will be toilets on the new electric Waikanae trains, or is that money now going into a couple of inches of concrete expressway?
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Thanks to those who have written about fertility and that intense and sometimes thwarted desire for children. Several years ago I interviewed some women from my mother's generation. Some revealed miscarriages and even stillbirths that they had never talked about, even to their closest friends. Others mentioned (mainly young) women whose pregnancies were hidden and the babies secretly adopted out. They were all supposed to just get over it. Never any chance to grieve.
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All humans are equally human.
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The honours list is always political as the office is part of the PM's department and the list has to be approved by Cabinet. This might indicate why Margaret Wilson and Michael Cullen weren't on it, even though retired speakers and senior cabinet ministers traditionally get something.
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Julian Robertson made a small appearance in The Hollow Men. It is very good of him to donate art to us, but services to the National Party are probably part of the story too.
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Thanks Raymond, useful information.
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Sacha, thanks. I always mean to nominate people but you have to do it so early - by the beginning of February for the Queens Birthday honours - that I forget. But those who I would nominate would probably not get through Cabinet which can veto them.
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A couple of weeks ago I had a teeny black dot removed from my arm. Yesterday I heard that it was a - fortunately early caught - melanoma. A good reminder that life can bite at any time. However, such encounters can be galvanising and it started me thinking about what it is that I really value (apart from family, friends etc).
Above all I think it is the free will that we humans have, along with freedom of thought, and in NZ we also have significant freedom of speech. Of course, circumstances may severely constrain some life choices (eg incarceration or slavery), but we still have freedom to think and react (or, to hope and dream and act).
Freedom of speech means that I hope to be brave enough to speak up when I see injustice. Or just when someone needs support.