From Fair Pay to Matua Moana Jackson
A Quick Overview of a Big Week
Another brief round-up for me. Matua Moana Jackson passed this week, and there were some extraordinary tributes to him online. It was a privilege to attend his tangi. That’s taken time away from me doing any longer analysis this week, so here’s a selection of good reads and links that I’d recommend from the week that’s been:
This explainer on Fair Pay Agreements: these agreements are about setting minimum standards across industry; Australia has a version of industry standards; and in my view they are undoubtedly a good thing for wages, productivity, and security at work. (Michael Wood also gave a good speech doing some myth-busting on FPAs here.)
This collection of tributes to Moana Jackson. Here’s a link to the wonderful Matike Mae report. Morgan Godfery’s obituary is also excellent.
Strong analysis here by Marc Daalder of a recent NZ survey on anti-Semitism, and the need to be careful not to conflate criticism of Israel and anti-Semitism (while acknowledging that on occasion some people may use such criticism as cover for anti-Semitism).
A really interesting piece by Lucie Elven for Le Monde Diplomatique on the UK national lottery, and the values and stories associated with it.
A long but strong article in Jacobin on why coordinated public ownership of energy is the way forward to tackle climate emissions and protect workers’ rights, and why decentralised “small is beautiful” models are unlikely to make the difference that is needed.
A solid piece from Tribune magazine on housing as assets from the UK, and on why just building more houses won’t be a complete solution to skyrocketing house prices - with lots of parallels with NZ.
For something different: Unity in Auckland is now stocking The Happy Reader, a beautiful mag on art, books, and life - and I picked up the issue with a wonderful-looking interview with the musician Moses Sumney, whose music is worth checking out if you haven’t come across him (here’s ‘A Lonely World’). Thanks to my rad cousin Ruby for first putting me onto Sumney a way back.