ISSUE 09 01 MAY 2017 Contents FEATUREs There’s An interview with Brian Lowe NEWs & OPINION always at Youthline Otago page 18 someone to 06 News by Lucy HUNTER talk to 12 New in Briefs 14 Politics 15 David Clark 16 Sport 38 Letters to the Editor by Louise LIN page 22 Where Dunedin drinking Mount water comes from Grand No Information Beyond the Headline Journalism’s Existential Crisis page 26 Hi from by Joe HIGHAM Grandad page 44 The letter you don’t want to get by Mat CLARKSON Contents COLUMNs CULTURE Animal Attic 39 Hell Hole 30 Music—Provisionally Listed: No Probemo ‘Morningside’ (specifically ‘Friends’) by Fazerdaze Problem! 39 Ethel & Hyde: A call for questions from Reg Norris rants about the demise of our good and evil agony aunts. If you record stores, explores some of the want to sort out your problems and/or best songs released recently by local make them worse, you should write to artists, and reviews Fazerdaze’s new [email protected] album, Morningside. Politicians Denying Science 40 Science Tank 32 Books This Book Will Swing Time—Zadie Smith Change Your Life 40 Poetry Corner: Brighid Morgan on a book. You’ve read this one 33 Film & Theatre before Beauty and the Beast, Power Rangers, Marvel’s Iron Fist, Improv: The Musical Shandy 41 Booze Reviews 35 Games Horizon: Zero Dawn Day of the Day 41 Want to do something special today? 36 Food Ba(e)gels Musings Of A Jerk 2017 Issue 09 | MAY 42 Comic Time 37 Art English Breakfast The Bloggs—Nicola Jackson & Lady Gray Meet 43 Cooking Up Love: Will they, or won’t they? 24 Centre image by Nikki Cain. Hair Indicative Submit your artwork for our pull-out poster of Character to [email protected] 46 Vitalogy: Loopy old hair-type categories Editorial 5 THE CRITIC TEAM EDITOR LUCY HUNTER EXECUTIVE EDITOR JOE HIGHAM DESIGN NATASHA MURACHVER FEATURES DESIGN CERI GIDDENS CHIEF REPORTER JOEL MACMANUS SUB EDITOR CHARLIE O’MANNIN NEWS INTERN ANNA LINTON SECTION EDITORS ART EDITOR MONIQUE HODGKINSON BOOKS EDITOR JESSICA THOMPSON CARR FILM EDITOR LAURA STARLING FOOD EDITOR LIANI BAYLIS GAMES EDITOR BRANDON JOHNSTONE MUSIC EDITORS BIANCA PRUJEAN & REG NORRIS POLITICS EDITOR GEORGE ELLIOTT SPORT EDITOR CHARLIE HANTLER Not For Profits CONTRIBUTORS LOUISE LIN, MAT CLARKSON, ZAHRA SHAHTAH- MASEBI, SAM FRASER-BAXTER, JACK TREVELLA, SASKIA RUSHTON-GREEN, NIKKI CAIN, DAVID This week’s Critic includes a couple of features on mental local and central government, as their vulnerability CLARK, JUSTENE ALLEN, LUCY NORTHWOOD, health in Dunedin. When visiting Youthline Otago we impairs their ability to advocate and lobby effectively. BEN CRAVENS, FLORENCE DEAN, ALEX CAMP- were struck by the modesty of the operation—we sat in Where money is, money tends to go. BELL-HUNT, CHRIS HACON, BRIAR SMITH-WAD- a small room with a second-hand table and two mis- Another example, which we covered extensively in DELL, CHELLE FITZGERALD, BRIGHID MORGAN, matched chairs. In the corner was a beanbag, on the Critic, occurred last year and involved the government CONNOR SEDDON walls, posters for the helpline and other not-for-profit threatening to cut all funding to the Otago/Southland organisations. Hepatitis C Resource Centre, the only service of its kind DISTRIBUTION SAM LLOYD & WAHAHA FLAT The government has recently announced a monu- in the South Island. The cost of running the centre is just ONLINE CONTENT MANAGER AMAN JAMWAL mental pay rise for disability, care, and support workers $40,000 per year, which includes all overheads and in New Zealand. Around 55,000 workers in the female Health Promoter Alison Beck’s modest salary. ADVERTISING SALES dominated sector will go from an average hourly wage North Dunedin MP David Clark’s column this week is TIM COUCH, PETER RAMSAY, of $16 to between $19 and $23.50 per hour. This is a on Mental Health in Dunedin. He discusses the results [email protected] wonderful step in recognising the importance of this of a recent report on New Zealand’s mental health ser- work. Paying workers a living wage makes a job more vices, which recommends an urgent funding increase appealing, and will likely see an improvement in the for mental health services. He claims that around $1.7 lives of the people these workers are caring for. High billion has been taken from our health system over the turnover of staff means that new people are leaving past six years. Students are just one of the groups suf- 2017 Issue 09 | MAY while their skills are still developing. Happy staff will fering directly because of this funding shortfall. There READ ONLINE stay in difficult jobs longer. Their invaluable knowledge have recently been funding cuts to the University of CRITIC.CO.NZ and experience in care work will not be wasted because Otago’s mental health services, provided through the ISSUU.COM/CRITIC_TE_AROHI of frustration at low wages. fantastic Student Health, which will mean that many GET IN TOUCH As with all publicly funded services, some receive students are unable to afford adequate therapy for mental [email protected] enough funding while others fall by the wayside, such illness outside of their six subsidised sessions. FACEBOOK.COM/CRITICTEAROHI TWEET: @CRITICTEAROHI as Youthline Otago. Central government’s balancing act It’s not exclusively the Labour Party that have policies (03) 479 5335 is undoubtedly a difficult task, but it’s hard to understand that are sympathetic to the mental health sector, and, P.O. BOX 1436, DUNEDIN any budget that excludes funding for a group who pro- with just five months until the general election, take vides often lifesaving help for young people who are at some time to research who is pledging to fix the neglect Critic is a member of the Aotearoa Student Press Association (ASPA). a point where they consider ending their own life to be of our most vulnerable citizens. Disclaimer: the views presented within this their only option. Often the most vulnerable demograph- publication do not necessarily represent the views of the Editor, PMD, or OUSA. ics in society receive the worst amount of funding from Press Council: people with a complaint against a magazine should first complain in Lucy & Joe writing to the Editor and then, if not satisfied with the response, complain to the Press Critic Co-Editors Council. Complaints should be addressed to the Secretary, PO Box 10-879 The Terrace, Wellington. 6 News Keeping Tabs On The Exec Uni News Protestors March Against Construction of Animal Testing Facility by Anna Linton A recent protest on University of Otago The $50 million investment has grounds saw more than 70 people been shrouded in secrecy since it was voicing opposition to the construction announced in early August last year. by Joe Higham of an animal testing facility on Great The hefty investment comes in the King Street.Headed by the New wake of funding cuts in various other Zealand Anti-Vivisection Society departments across campus, most (NZAVS), and supported by several notably the Division of Humanities. national and international organisa- NZAVS argues that animal based Funding applications from Autism submission OUSA received. They in- tions, the protest was held on ‘World research is increasingly becoming New Zealand and the Rotary Club cluded a TL;DR summary - or ‘too Day for Lab Animals’. The protestors out-dated and “bad science”, and, sparked discussion about whether long; don’t read’ - which noted “pizza marched in the hope of halting con- according to the group, presents an the budget allocation for charitable is the glue which holds most clubs struction and convincing the univer- unwise investment in addition to its causes should be dedicated to only together, pls [sic] fund it.” Baird said sity to commit to using the facility for ethical concerns. student-centric charities. Colleges that it was a “bang on submission,” non-animal based research, rather The university has responded by Officer James Heath said that we although that view was not shared than as an animal testing facility. asserting their commitment to reduc- should “only be finding charities by other members. Recreation Officer The facility is due for completion ing the use of animal research, and working in the student interest,” while Caitlin Barlow-Groome said it’s “very in October 2018, and various animal finding alternatives. Deputy Vice- President Hugh Baird agreed with hard to track” these uses of money, activism organisations have respond- Chancellor Professor Richard Blaikie Admin VP William Guy, who reminded as clubs could “get pizza and then ed by committing to fighting its use told Critic that “building the Research the executive officers that OUSA does bugger off without proof” of doing so. as an animal testing facility for the Support facility does not signal an play a part in the local community, Baird replied with, “that’s why we do foreseeable future. extension of our animal-based re- and their charitable contributions it in good faith,” also stating that the Tara Jackson, Executive Director of search … [rather] replacing aging fa- should reflect that. Education Officer executive can, and do, use their own NZAVS told Critic “We want the cilities with a modern building … [to] Bryn Jenkins wondered what hap- funding to buy things like pizza, al- University of Otago to invest in the future proof Otago’s status as a world- pened to the group’s decision at the though Jenkins then said “but we have best, most reliable and accurate re- class scientific institution”. beginning of the year to proactively a constitution and a higher level of search—this is non-animal based and NZAVS and OSAATS are trying to find charities to donate to, which was accountability.” Guy then asked human relevant research”.