Posts by Paul Williams
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Hard News: Friday Visions, in reply to Deborah,
Oh, Jackie. How wretched for your friend
Indeed. I hope it's helped to have got how you feel out and been heard. Many here will have been through something similar and know your and your friends feelings of distress.
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It's only a stereotype if it isn't true, and in my case it pretty much was.
Reminds me of a Lloyd Cole lyric; "the reason it's a cliche is because it's true" (from It's a long way down, from his debut solo album).
More angsty-boy music; it's like a stereotype/cliche squared
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Hard News: Friday Visions, in reply to Sacha,
from Everything But the Girl?
Yup. In the post EBTG era, he's a pretty successful DJ and producer. He's put out, at least, four Buzzin Fly CDs which IMO are fantastic. He's toured Sydney a couple of times too (saw him about four years ago). More on his youtube channel too
Ah! I was a big fan of the Lazy Dog album, didn't know he was doing this, so thanks.
Brilliant album. On the 'seeing them around' thing, a good friend of mine (in Sydney) was part of the medical team (in the UK) that effectively saved him from an auto-immune disorder. She speaks very highly of him. His book about the experience, Patient, is a damn good read.
Recodari - agreed on the compulsion.
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I love the Friday thread; it's perfect Autumn day in Sydney, ideal for Buzzin fly (Ben Watt). His weekly radio show is here for those that like a little UK house (now if that's the wrong lable, cut me some slack).
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Hard News: Limping Onwards, in reply to Kyle Matthews,
It’s only an answer to that challenge in theory, in reality we know that the costs of tertiary education deter people despite the existence of the loan scheme.
I'm not entirely sure that this is as clear as you say. For instance, tertiary participation in Australia trebled since HECS was introduced, unfortunately, participation by low-SES students hasn't changed!
And at some stage the government is going to have the balls to put interest back on. Which is going to go back to the end result of people that earn less as a graduate paying more in real terms for their tertiary education.
Again, in Australia its CPI only and the repayment rates increase as you earn more. So, if a scheme could be designed that increased and broadened participation and did not unduly burden grads with debt...
Kracklite, Gio, Rob and Islander... I'm fearful of you as a consensus I must say... I guess my ambivalence about loans is that I don't think fees/costs of tertiary education are quite the barrier I once did. Kids are being dissuaded at Years 7 and 8, a long time before they think about $4k fees. There must surely be a set of priorities for funding and perhaps shifting some of the cost of loans - particularly the interest write off - to more meaningful investments is worth considering.
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Sacha, Quinn's analysis is interesting but I don't agree his conclusions. Drawing back over 15 years to assess Goff's power today makes little sense to me. Quinn's also over playing the factors convenient to his theory and also ignoring the more recent nine years which are not congruent. I can't help but think Phil wants a return to factions, since he once played a role in one.
I’m clicking the unfriend button on facebook as we speak. C’mon Paul!
Kyle, I have meant to come back and elaborate my brief comment but the NSW election has led to a lot of work. My views on loans aren't fixed but I think a case can be made for them if they are structured so that they increase and importantly broaden participation without unduly disadvantaging graduates with unmanagable debt. In simple economic terms, if there is a reasonable internal rate of return - wage benefits - then they can be justified but it's always been a more complicated matter I conceded.
The NZ loan debt problem derives from minimal access to allowances and, under National, no restrictions on fees. Changing some of these settings, as Labour did, can make them less problematic. They are not as problematic in Australia in part because the arrangements include discounts, have higher thresholds etc (Australia wages are also higher, another important factor).
NZ has a high tertiary participation rate, though I suspect the composition of students is still skewed towards high SES (it'll be better than it was pre '89 though). One element that I do wonder about is the interest write off. Could this money be better allocated, say to broaden access to allowances?
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Hard News: Limping Onwards, in reply to Andrew E,
Not sure what 'bittering' is, but surely the pay-off is in the form of better policy and hopefully a better government and better country to live in?
A point worth making is that Labour, like other political parties, generally developed policies in a more traditional and narrow manner through members/councils etc. The Open Labour approach actively sought input from broader interests... so Ben, you don't even need to pay the membership fee!
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Hard News: Limping Onwards, in reply to Sacha,
This was huge and I think Goff was minister at the time.
Goff and the Russell Marshall - after '87. The late Harvey McQueen describes Russell as Lange's attempt to protect education from Roger Douglas.
they did, though I haven't checked it out - Open Labour
That's what I meant earlier when, in answer to Lew, I referred to Claire Curran's efforts. A really positive development.
I've got to say, having vehermently opposed student loans when I was in student politics, I'm not entirely sure they're so bad albeit in need of modifications.
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Hard News: Limping Onwards, in reply to Rob Stowell,
Why would they search his brain?
Hah!
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Hard News: Limping Onwards, in reply to Matthew Poole,
Keeping alive a single-MP liability for the cost of an electorate seat is very not-smart
Where's Dunne factor on this spectrum? What are the voters of Ohariu-Belmont thinking?