Review: Goldilocks and the Three Queers

February 23, 2010 by

by Ian Anderson

In its initial workshop run, Goldilocks and the Three Queers made for an unforgettable night out. There’s maybe a bit of chaff to cut, with the play running overlong in a packed Fringe season, but the wheat makes for delicious brownies. Definitely worth catching on its return season at BATS.

Goldilocks is the second in a trilogy of fairytales, devised by theatre company Short Term Visitor Parking. The first instalment, Hansel und Gretel, interpreted Hans Christian Andersen’s famous tale as a Nazi parable. This one gives us a potted history of the ‘70s gay liberation movement, with a dash of ‘80s (AIDS, cocaine, paranoia) thrown in for good measure.

The production is uniformly excellent, with set designer Fern Karun milking the unusual venue for all it’s worth. In a cramped building next door to a strip club, cantankerous landlord (landlady?) Ling Ling guides the audience into an intimate 1970s basement pad, where couches and beanbags await. Divider screens serve as changing rooms, and funkadelic music-man Tane Upjohn-Beatson sits in full view of the audience. We’re accepted as guests in the rented abode of an unconventional nuclear family; the Queers.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Eyewitness to a revolution in Nepal

February 22, 2010 by

Ben Peterson is a young Australian activist who spent a year in Nepal witnessing first hand the revolutionary struggle. He is touring NZ 21-26 March 2010.

Auckland: Sunday 21 March @ 2pm Trades Hall, 147 Gt Nth Rd, Grey Lynn Monday 22 March @ 1pm Function Room (over Quad café) Auckland University

Hamilton Tuesday 23 March  1 -2pm (followed by discussion) @ SUB G.20 (Guru Phabians room) Student Union Building Waikato University

Rotorua, Wellington, Dunedin and Christchurch venues and dates to be advised soon.

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Sussex University occupation

February 20, 2010 by

 Mike Kay

On 8 February, over 100 students at Sussex University in South East England marched up to the top floor of the university’s prestigious Bramber House conference centre and staged a “‘flash occupation”. They marched out 30 hours later, promising more actions to come in the future.

The occupation was part of the Defend Sussex Campaign, an ongoing fight by students and staff at Sussex against savage cuts that the university is planning. The cuts amount to £3 million this academic year, and £5 million next year, meaning course closures, job losses and fee increases.

However at the same time as proposing these cuts, the university administration is planning to spend £112 million on new buildings and refurbishments on campus, as well as raising the salaries of the top 14 managers to a combined £2.1 million per year. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Economics

Abolish GST

February 19, 2010 by

At present John Key and National are floating the idea of raising GST

GST a tax on the poor

(goods and services tax) from 12.5% to 15 percent, while lowering income tax for all and also reducing company taxes.  Key and his pals present this approach – lowering direct taxation and increasing the tax on consumption – in a populist way, as if it would benefit workers.  Key has added that the Working for Families package could be increased, along with some other measures, to help offset any losses for lower-waged workers and the minimum wage has been increased (minimally) by 25c an hour.  Once again, there is nothing for beneficiaries.

The first thing to note about GST is how it affects people on lower incomes the most. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Campaign Against GST, Economics

ACC PROTEST : Strong and weak points

February 17, 2010 by

Don Franks

 The Accident Compensation Commission has “blown out’ financially and needs major reform, ACC minister Nick Smith claimed last year. The government now says it must control costs by raising levies, cutting entitlements and coverage, and privatising parts of ACC.

WP banner

Seasonal and part time workers, people needing hearing aids and sexual abuse survivors stand to be particularly disadvantaged by proposed ACC cuts.

On February 16th  two hundred people opposing these measures rallied at parliament .The protesters were mostly unionists and bikers, angry at ACC levy increases specifically aimed at them.  [Read more…]

Filed Under: Uncategorized
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