Polity by Rob Salmond

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Polity: Protesting too much: responses to Labour's new tertiary policy

85 Responses

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  • Kyle Matthews,

    Yeah, but we can wear that as our war scars. A shitload worse has happened to other generations and goes down (if they survived it) as their genuine contribution to a better world.

    We survived neoliberalism so our children wouldn’t have to.

    I'm not sure about that. They're looking it squarely in the face. We're still a long way down the rabbit hole.

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson, in reply to Kyle Matthews,

    Yes, it's not over now. But could it be the beginning of the end? Or at least the end of the beginning?

    Anyway, my sentiment is that we don't beat neoliberalism by buying into it, and I'm sure as hell not going to allow it to beat me down into acceptance just because I suffered under it.

    We’re still a long way down the rabbit hole.

    I'm not sure exactly what you mean by that. That we're still stuck in it hard? Or that we're in a deluded dream? Either way, if we're Alice, it's on us to wake up.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Stuart Coats, in reply to BenWilson,

    Or perhaps a better way of saying it is: If we truly want to see the end of the Me Me Me philosophy, we have to start with ourselves.

    Thanks Ben. That's a really succinct, and good, way of looking at it.

    BTW feeling less bitter this morning. Joy for everyone!!

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 192 posts Report Reply

  • Kumara Republic, in reply to BenWilson,

    Or perhaps a better way of saying it is: If we truly want to see the end of the Me Me Me philosophy, we have to start with ourselves.

    It's unfortunate that sometimes, only a major crisis like a bubble burst has to remind certain people of it. There'll always be a hard core of narcissists, but thankfully they're hopefully just a fringe movement.

    The southernmost capital … • Since Nov 2006 • 5446 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Williams, in reply to Kyle Matthews,

    For example, one of my mates boasted that his student loan funded about $3000 worth of CDs. Others bought cars, overseas holidays, drumkits, and so on.

    I sat across the table from Lockwood in 1995 as he fetched postcards from his desk from students who were skiing in Japan and thanking him for their loan. It was a low point, however it spoke to the poor design of the scheme - lump sums paid by term.

    Like Kyle and Ben, I was also strongly motivated by the loans scheme but I have to admit my views are a little different now. I am pleased to see, not here oddly but elsewhere, the the three years free applies to tertiary study, not just degrees.

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report Reply

  • Sofie Bribiesca,

    party political broadcasts

    Anything well-argued and authentic, basically.

    Well, I for one am glad there is a chance to communicate directly with the likes of Rob and as RB says, anything well argued and authentic. Being constantly fed press releases is not my idea of being informed. That only serves handy for me for timelines. To engage with someone who can take on and listen to the public is healthy for all of us and gives anyone a chance here to express themselves. As much as I don't go anywhere near kiwiblog, I still respect the rights of Farrar to express his stupid little opinions.
    We all benefit by being informed. I find it most weird that anyone here has an issue with that.

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report Reply

  • Danielle,

    I'm not sure what everyone else was doing right, but I never got enough of a lump sum via NZ student loans to go to Japan or anywhere else. I basically got enough for fees and incidental expenses and that was it. I still have a bit of a debt from 1992 (topped up with some further study in the 2000s), and those years of interest really screwed me, although I was one of the lucky few who got full student allowances (basically by having to prove that my father was abusive, which wasn't traumatic at all). So now I'm 41 and I still owe $18,000. Winner.

    Charo World. Cuchi-cuchi!… • Since Nov 2006 • 3828 posts Report Reply

  • izogi, in reply to Kyle Matthews,

    And we’re now seeing the children of parents who are still paying off their student loans after twenty years entering the tertiary system. They will graduate with debt, they won’t receive the help that their parents would like to give – both while they study, and when they look ahead to buying a house.

    My take is that this is symptomatic of one of the fundamental problems I see with the student loan system as-is. It’s telling kids, often with no training or background in handling money, that it’s perfectly acceptable to make yourself financially insolvent whilst also having no guarantee of eventually being able to pay back the loan.

    It's a dreadful example to set.

    Wellington • Since Jan 2007 • 1142 posts Report Reply

  • Sofie Bribiesca, in reply to izogi,

    It’s telling kids, often with no training or background in handling money, that it’s perfectly acceptable to make yourself financially insolvent whilst also having no guarantee of eventually being able to pay back the loan.

    It’s a dreadful example to set.

    This informative article that Ian linked to at TPP eh? is a perfect example of what's happening to this Country now. No background in handling money is the least of our problem when those that do are doing exactly the same.

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Barnes,

    I'll just leave this on your desk, I have so much to carry....
    Oh, yeah, so Labour is just going to throw money away, eh?

    Thursday, 11 February, 2016 - 12:16
    The Ministry of Education forked out a whopping $100,000 a day on consultants and contractors last year - eight times more since National came to office in 2008, Labour’s Education spokesperson Chris Hipkins says.

    "The Ministry appears to be throwing money at consultants so fast it often doesn’t even bother to use government rules for tendering.

    "On at least 14 occasions in the past year the Ministry awarded contracts worth over $50,000 to unnamed individuals by using exemptions to procurement rules to avoid tendering the contracts.

    "Tender rules exist to ensure taxpayers get the best value for money. However, the Education Ministry seems to think these rules shouldn’t apply to them.

    "Ironically one of the contracts that was tendered was awarded to a company formerly called Fingers in Pies.

    "This spending - at a time when core public service numbers are capped - will be hard for the public to swallow.

    "Especially coming hard on the heels of the Ministry’s lavish new $20 million offices - which include a $2.6 million staircase - while students sit in leaking and mouldy classrooms around the country," Chris Hipkins says.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report Reply

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