Otago’s clumsy censorship
It is well known that universities have a mandated role in the Education Act to be the critic and conscience of society. It could be argued that New Zealand universities do not embrace this role as often as they should. We hear too rarely from academics and researchers about areas of interest that intercept with urgent social topics. Talk to some in private and they will say that they are either too busy or wary of putting their heads above the parapet.
Could it also be said that student magazines have a similar role? They should criticise, scold, shock and pontificate. New Zealand’s student magazines do not just have a history of testing taste limits, they may even have a duty to do so.
The editor of Otago University magazine Critic – Te Arohi, Joel MacManus, wanted a cover for a special issue on menstruation that would get people’s attention. During an interview with RNZ, he went further and described the cover as ‘‘objectionable’’ and ‘‘undeniably challenging’’. But he believed that people on a university campus could handle it.
Mainstream media outlets have refused to reproduce Saskia Rushton-Green’s cover illustration depicting a gender-neutral person menstruating. Rushton-Green hoped the image would be seen as empowering rather than degrading. Readers can make up their own minds.
Trouble started when the magazine went into stands off campus. Both Dunedin Hospital and Dunedin Public Library complained about the cover, which led to the university’s Proctor, Dave Scott, directing his Campus Watch team to also remove all copies from campus.
The university’s website describes Campus Watch as a blue-and-gold uniform-wearing ‘‘safety patrol’’ who have student wellbeing in mind. Acting as book-burners from Fahrenheit 451 would seem to be outside their job description.
Ironically, the very same magazine had been praised by Otago’s Vice Chancellor Harlene Hayne, who reportedly emailed MacManus to say that ‘‘this week’s issue of Critic is particularly good’’.
Was this clumsy exercise in censorship a cockup or conspiracy? More the former, it seems. MacManus could not get a straight answer out of Campus Watch until the mainstream media, including Stuff, started asking about the missing magazines. The university said it did not direct Campus Watch to censor the magazine and that it had no issue with its contents, before adding that some staff and public thought the cover was degrading to women.
Even those who agree with that aesthetic judgment have to recognise that the university has handled this incident incredibly poorly. Why did the Proctor or Campus Watch representatives not approach Critic’s editor in the first instance?
If some did find the cover image degrading, there are proper channels to follow. The chief censor’s office said on first viewing the cover seemed merely offensive, not legally objectionable.
To go further, no one has the right to not be offended. If this applies anywhere, it is on a university campus, which should be a hotbed of ideas and images. But Otago University has, through its Campus Watch arm, treated its 18,000 students like children who need protecting.
Budget 2018 extends access to very lowcost GP visits to all Community Service Card Holders from December.
Last week’s Budget laid the foundations for restoring our region’s stretched health services, which in recent years have struggled to keep up with demand, due to a chronic lack of funding.
Budget 2018 will deliver district health boards an extra $2.2 billion over the next four years, with the Southern DHB receiving around $30 million extra next year to help relieve the pressures it’s been under.
A further $126m nationally has been set aside to help keep up with elective surgery demand over the next four years.
One of the areas which has been extremely stretched is our community midwifery services, where Lead Maternity Carers (LMCs) have been struggling with low pay and high workloads.
Despite their amazing work, their pay has failed to keep up with their DHB employed colleagues.
Budget 2018 delivers $103.6m of new funding over the next four years for community midwifery services nationally, plus $9m in 2017/18.
About half will go towards an 8.9 per cent ‘‘catch up’’ increase in LMC’s fees, to close the pay gap with their DHB-employed colleagues.
Sixteen million dollars will go toward helping ensure safe working hours over the next four years. 1. What rock band recorded a 1983 hit song that was inspired by the shooting of 28 unarmed protesters in Northern Ireland?
2. What is the full name of the trade union with the initials NZEI?
3. Which early 20th century New Zealand prime minister was known as Farmer Bill?
4. Does the nyala have leaves, feathers or hooves?
5. According to the poet T S Eliot in the opening line of his poem The Waste Land, what is the cruellest month?
Currently midwives who call on a colleague to take over care during a lengthy labour have to fund this out of their own fees.
This extra funding will assist midwives with these costs.
Another area of concern is our DHBs’ overflowing emergency departments.
However, cost is a significant barrier to many people visiting their GP.
Budget 2018 extends access to very low-cost GP visits to all Community Service Card Holders from December.
This will make doctors’ visits $20 to $30 cheaper for many Southlanders.
Eligibility for the Community Services Card will also be extended to all Housing NZ tenants, and those receiving an accommodation supplement or income-related rent subsidy, assisting those on the lowest incomes to access affordable healthcare.
An extra $60m over four years (plus $22.9m from ACC) will also be put into our air ambulance services, to strengthen and modernise this critical lifeline in our rural communities.
On average, our air ambulance helicopter fleet is 29 years old and a third are single engine. Moving to twin-engine helicopters will improve safety and meet stricter aviation requirements.
The new system aims to get air ambulances to the scene as quickly as, or more quickly than in the past, meaning better care for patients.
Budget 2018 is the first step towards restoring our region’s stretched health services, so all of us can access the quality healthcare we need.
While it includes some of the largest investments in healthcare in a decade, it isn’t possible to reverse nine years of underfunding in a single budget.
Doing so will take sustained investment over successive years and I will continue to advocate for quality healthcare for us here in Southland until our vital health services are restored. 6. On what radio network would you hear talkback host Mark Sainsbury?
7. In which region would you find the westernmost point of mainland New Zealand?
8. Which Roman emperor converted to Christianity and made it a state religion?
9. What folk hero has been played on the big screen by Errol Flynn, Kevin Costner and Russell Crowe?
10. What was the surname of the American podiatrist who founded what is now a global foot care company?