Peace at heart of city’s identity

This past week, we’ve had a front-row seat as democracy and militaryindustrial influence shadow-boxed across the stage. It was hard to miss the main act, the New Zealand Defence Industry Association Forum occupying our Central Energy Trust Arena.

No surprise, public attention was drawn to the street theatre of protest and police action.

With the dust now settling, it’s time to sweep the spotlight on to transparency and local decision-making. These hallmarks of democracy were in rather short supply last week. And as it played out, we also revisited age-old questions of city identity, but first things first.

On transparency, the association rates about a 1/10. Opaque at best. The bare-bones website offers no disclosure of forum sponsors, agenda, or exhibitors. Transparency did receive a token gesture when a few media were escorted through the forum venue. This at least confirmed the presence of Lockheed Martin, and an apparent absence of apples.

Between chaperoned access and the fact that arms dealers need not tote weapons around in this digital age, it’s hardly a surprise that no weapons were seen.

The forum also saw quality local decisionmaking get a rather short shrift. In a quiet negotiation, the association achieved a complete transformation of the Arena. Instead of the usual busy week of community sports, we got the entire Arena site in lockdown and blackout barricades. Not content with lock and key, the association topped up with intrusive roadblocks affecting businesses and residents, including health service providers.

That this level of access and control were granted without the benefit of community awareness or local consultation brings the quality of decision-making into question.

The irony is that the New Zealand Defence Industry Association and wider militaryindustrial complex claim they exist for the necessary protection of democracy. Yet in practice their low transparency and closed-door decisions about public space directly undermines these pillars of democracy. We deserve better, and must protect democracy from attack on any quarter.

Last week’s biggest surprise was from the chorus, rather than the stage. Perhaps inadvertently, a suggestion arose that we’re not a peace city, but rather a defence city.

While in conflict at times, defence and peace need not be mutually exclusive. Many would argue they’re two sides of the same coin.

I’ve heard from local Defence Force personnel and families who love our city, and say their first reason for serving is to protect and promote peace. And that armed conflict is their last resort. Totally logical. Defence is a process; peace is an outcome. Whether defence is the best way to create and sustain peace is another matter.

Who are we, actually? Being a city that promotes peace seems a good start.

We are home to an amazing diversity of cultures and people. Peace is good for trade and business. Peace and protection are the only possible rationale for our Defence Force. Peace underpins our welcoming stance as a refugee resettlement centre. Peace supports our global connections through civic, business and academic structures.

Diminishing our identity as a city of peace would risk losing touch with our origins. Our community is centred on The Square, first known as Te Marae o Hine – The Courtyard of the Daughters of Peace.

As the forum’s drama draws to a close, let’s commit to strengthening the pillars of democracy, and ensuring peace is at the heart of our city’s identity.

Having won 29 races in a row, there is no point in blemishing her record with risky runs, nor is there anything to prove by going to England.

Some of us who are very much on the horseracing outer fringe come up with daft questions such as: ‘‘Why couldn’t champion mare Winx run in the Melbourne Cup?’’ I put it to a racing expert after Winx, the world’s No 1 racehorse, had cantered home to her fourth Cox Plate win still with plenty of running.

That was over 2040 metres at Moonee Valley, while the Melbourne Cuppers danced home over 3200m, 5 kilometres down the road, at Flemington on Tuesday.

When I, a racing philistine, mentioned Winx to another racing guru, he assumed I was talking about Manawatu¯ ’s Commonwealth Games bowler, Barry Wynks.

The four-legged Winx runs in weight-for-age races in which the weight on her back is allotted according to her age and gender. The Melbourne Cup is a handicap race, where the weights are allocated to make it a level racing field, otherwise the best would bolt in every time.

For those of us too tight to flutter, why not? Usain Bolt never had lead put in his britches.

If the unflappable Winx lined up in a distance race, I was told she would be heavily handicapped by up to an extra 15 to 20 kilograms, although she is such class maybe she would still shift up a gear even with that ballast on her back.

As a champion, she transcends all sports, enough to make your eyes water when Hugh Bowman whispers ‘‘hurry along’’ in her pricked ears and the crowds go wild. She seems to intelligently conserve her energy for the end of races, finishing like a Ferrari on shoes.

Having won 29 races in a row, there is no point in blemishing her record with risky runs, nor is there anything to prove by going to England, where the stakes are a fraction of those in Australia.

Why trip away at 7 years old in her prime when she has never had to endure the stress of long-haul air travel? She has paid her way already with winnings of $21.5 million – the trainer receives 10 per cent and the jockey 5 per cent, so do the arithmetic.

To race 3200m, her training workload would have to increase, the same as a marathon runner’s does compared with Bolt’s. As it is, she can race for more money with less effort and earn a few million more by chasing a fifth Cox Plate next year.

After that maternity duties probably call, although my experts suggest champion mares always turn out to be duds at stud.

Take Black Caviar, a big, strong, male-looking horse who won all 25 of her races and earned only $12m. Her first foal was a tiny tot. Most champion race mares are genetic freaks who come along every six years or so, often bred from a nondescript sire and mare.

Even if Winx went to the world’s top stallion, Frankel, in England, who was unbeaten on the racetrack, it would cost a stud fee of $341,000 and wouldn’t guarantee a champion foal. Frankel is such a lucky lad he will service hundreds of mares so he has more chance of leaving a champion somewhere along the line than the mare.

Winx’s mother is Vegas Showgirl, whose stallion was Al Akbar, who died following an operation at Massey University in 2007. Vegas Showgirl won seven from 35 starts – 26 in New Zealand – and Winx’s sire was the Irish-bred Street Guy.

Racing tragics know this story. But Vegas Magic was sent to Whanganui’s Grangewilliam Stud in 2011 to be conjoined with Batavian. However, he died in the act with another so Magic was diverted to the other bloke, Al Akbar, and fortuitously, Winx’s mother was born.

Winx is the favourite every time she starts, so she is not worth betting on, and you couldn’t bet on anyone to beat her either. When she races, betting turnover plummets, but Aussie racing gets it all back through the turnstiles, as when she drew 38,000 to Moonee Valley last week.

Not that Winx is an impressive specimen. If she walked in a maiden field in Sydney, no-one would go ‘‘wow’’. She just has natural talent and a huge motor.

There must be more stresses than meet the eye on her jockey and on trainer Chris Waller, formerly of Foxton, always hoping nothing goes wrong and horror that she finishes second.

Juxtaposing our men

Manawatu¯ All Black Nehe Milner-skudder must be wondering how long his shoulders can hang out after taking another bang against Japan and heading home.

Just a pity he is seldom played in his favoured position of fullback. Even with the Turbos this year the All Blacks wanted on him on either wing.

Jordie Barrett, who seems to have lost confidence, also played out of position at fullback when he was once a centre.

But gaining in confidence is Manawatu¯ ’s Jackson Hemopo, a colossus against Japan. We’re just not sure whether he is wanted as a lock or flanker.