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NZ $8.50 July-August 2006

By the time this magazine is published, proceedings will have been issued in the High Court in Wellington against Helen Clark and the other members of the Labour Party who were in Parliament in the run-up to the last election. They are charged with breaching the Constitution Act and the Bill of Rights – the very laws that mark the difference between a dictatorship and a liberal democracy. Bernard Darnton, pg, 10

It emerged after the last election that Helen Clark’s party had over- spent by $418,000 their limit of $2,300,000 as laid down in the Electoral Act. The Police were asked to investigate by the electoral authorities, and in a decision which stunned many they decided not to prosecute.

In this article written for The Free Radical, David Farrar analyses how Labour got away with what some are calling a stolen election.

David Farrar, pg. 11 How LabourAnd What One Man Is Doing About It!The Election Wastemaster General’s great gobs of cash, and To steal from one person is TFR Special Reports: asks: Does it stack up? Does it make sense? And theft. will it achieve what’s really needed, or just produce even more waste? And Janet Albrechtsen asks To steal from many is taxation. How Labour Stole The Election, And why this bloody budget obsession anyway – it’s the - Jeff Daiell What One Man Is Doing About It result, she says, of the “what can you do for me?” addiction to big government. Making promises to win elections is no new thing. It’s sad to realise that most Making your election promises on a Pledge Card is Are New Zealanders Paying Too Much Tax? no new thing. But making the taxpayer pay for that Phil Rennie, 49 citizens do not even notice Pledge Card, and then knowingly, calculatingly and the irony of being bribed with fl agrantly spending half-a-million dollars above the The Prozac Budget. their own money. legal spending limit for elections ... well, there’s a Greg Edwards, 52 word for that, and that word is about to be tested in - Anon. Better Roads or Not? court. Scott Wilson, 54 Our Pathetic Addiction to Big Government The man who produces while Blogger David P. Farrar lays out the case against Janet Albrechtsen, 20 others dispose of his product Labour, giving chapter, verse, timeline and is a slave. paperwork showing how they did it, and how they - Ayn Rand knew what they were doing. And Libertarianz leader Sedition 2006! Bernard Darnton talks about the High Court case he’s taken against the Government charging they Sedition is generally a war-time offence somewhat stole the election, and might want to think about akin to treason, so why has an Auckland man Taxation without giving it back. just been convicted for the crime, and what does representation is tyranny. his conviction mean for free speech and political Darnton vs. Clark: Bernard Darnton, 10 - James Otis debate? The Stolen Election: David P. Farrar, 11 Blogger Idiot/Savant investigates the history of sedition trials in New Zealand, while Peter Cresswell Taxation WITH representation The Immigration Debate: concludes the guilty verdict is a chilling one for free ain’t so hot either. Letting Peaceful People Pass Freely speech – any political opposition worth their salt - Gerald Barzan should be in threat of a sedition charge every day of America, Australia and New Zealand were all built on the week, he says. immigration, yet they’re now progressively barring their doors. “Illegal aliens” is a new pejorative. Sedition Verdict Gives New Meaning to ‘Helengrad’ Giving money and power The immigration debate is on again, and the two Peter Cresswell, 22 to government is like giving elephants in the middle of the room now are 1) whiskey and car keys to terrorism, and 2) welfare. A Shameful Verdict Idiot/Savant, 23 teenage boys. James Valliant argues that it is the fear of terrorism - PJ O’Rourke that has thrust immigration onto the front pages, and only legalising immigration once again can fi x that. Objectivist Rage–Objectivist Evasion George Reisman points out the ‘welfare elephant’ A traffi c jam is a collision stampedes through all the moral arguments for open Challenged by the publication of James Valliant’s immigration, hardening the hearts and minds of book The Passion of Ayn Rand’s Critics (see the last between free enterprise and those who should be the natural supporters of open TFR), Barbara Branden has ignored the challenge socialism. Free enterprise immigration. His point is pithily summarised in the and retreated instead to railing against the anger she produces automobiles faster title of his piece. sees directed towards her. Branden B. is now angry than socialism can build roads Fighting Terrorism Requires Legalizing Immigration about anger. and road capacity. James Valliant,15 In a speech delivered in Los Angeles, Lindsay Perigo – Andrew Galambos Immigration Plus Welfare State Equals Police State defends the pursuit of passionate valuing, the virtue George Reisman, 17 of justice in action, and the virtues and merits of passionate and rational anger when directed at the If liberty means anything at appropriate targets. One of those targets is Barbara all, it means the right to tell The Cullen Budget: Tax and Tax, Spend Branden. people what they do not want and Spend In Praise of Objectivist Rage to hear. Said Finance Minister Michael Cullen in Budget Lindsay Perigo, 24 – George Orwell 2006, as he’s done in every Budget since election 1999, “Thank you very much for your high taxation!” With NZ’s tax take at an all-time historic high, three No Power! pieces on Michael Cullen’s post-election Budget My defi nition of a free society examine the taxation bubble he’s produced and that An earth strap breaks, and New Zealand’s biggest is a society where it is safe to he’d rather not burst – and that he defi nitely doesn’t city is left without electricity. A few feet of snow, be unpopular. intend to give away. “With all the bleating from and South Island farmers are plunged into darkness. - Adlai Stevenson taxpayers and journalists” he seems to say, “You’d New Zealand’s power generation is barely adequate, almost think they owned the damn money in the fi rst and New Zealand’s transmission lines are barely place!” satisfactory – and the problem is not just that the The building codes of the Resource Management Act makes construction of new infrastructure nearly impossible. democracies embody, Phil Rennie from the Competitive Enterprise Institute of course, only what the points out -- in the document that really began the Scott Wilson explains the problem: despite the previous generation knew or recent call for tax cuts – just how overtaxed we are. reforms of the power industry carried out in 1999 by thought about building... Greg Edwards looks at what Cullen served up; a Max Backward, too much of the power industry is Prozac Budget is his estimate – it’s so bad it’s got - Frank Lloyd Wright still in government hands. Greg reaching for his pharmaceuticals and heading for a bender. Meanwhile Scott Wilson takes a sober Power for the People? look at the asphalt monster being unleashed by the Scott Wilson, 38 ‘Urban sprawl is bad’ we hear. Not so, says author Current Controversies: Robert Bruegmann .In his new book from which By the time this magazine is published, proceedings will Have you heard the one about the doctor, the this excerpt comes. Sprawl is good: “In its immense complexity and constant change, the city -- whether have been issued in the High libertarian and the two hookers. No? Then listen up Court in Wellington against to Dr Neil Benson, former GP, pillar of the community, dense and concentrated at its core, looser and more Helen Clark and the other and now owner of the Far North’s most well-known sprawling in suburbia, or in the vast tracts of exurban members of the Labour party brothel. penumbra that extend dozens, even hundreds, of who were in Parliament in the miles-is the grandest and most marvellous work of run-up to the last election. The GP Who Became a Brothel Keeper mankind.” Bernard Darnton, pg. 10 Dr Neil Benson talks to Lindsay Perigo, 6 Attack of the Snobs: How Sprawl Got a Bad Name Robert Bruegmann, 40 The implementation of the Meet the developer who got in trouble with the rights both of the immigrants planners for mowing his lawn. I swear we are not and of the taxpayers requires making this up. Auckland’s Tank farm offers the biggest and most the abolition of the Welfare exciting urban design opportunity in recent Auckland State. Ending the Welfare The Man Who Wasn’t Allowed to Mow His Lawn history. But will the result be open space, eyesore State will end any problem David Henderson talks to Lindsay Perigo, 8 of immigrants being a public or iconic? Peter Cresswell and Owen McShane burden. examine the prospects. George Reisman, pg. 17 The Climate Science Coalition has been formed Rebuilding Auckland’s Tank Farm. to refute “what it believes are unfounded claims Peter Cresswell, 46 about anthropogenic (man-made) global warming.” One of Rand’s distinctive tenets is refusal to bestow The group includes many well-known NZ climate Don’t Go Near the Water! Owen McShane, 47 what she calls the “sanction scientists, and convenor Owen McShane expects of the victim”—when you are big thing from them. wronged, do not sanction the wrong by acquiescing to it. The New Zealand Climate Science Coalition: the Birth of There are two basic views of economic life, says It’s the opposite of turning the a Gad-fl y economist George Reisman. The fundamental other cheek. Owen McShane, 18 problem of economics is either production, or it is Lindsay Perigo, pg. 24 consumption. “So thoroughly and fundamentally do these two views determine economic theory,” Double amputee Mark Inglis climbed Mt Everest and he says, “that they give rise to two completely First, scientifi c validity is not came back down to a storm of controversy. As if different systems of economic thought.” Economist determined by a show of to demonstrate that amputees have now achieved George Reisman explodes the most basic myths hands. Second, there is probably no area of science complete equality, even in the expectation of the of economics in this ground-breaking paper. If you which is less settled than the impossible, Inglis’s achievement was largely ignored want to understand economics, your reading begins and he was eviscerated instead for supposedly theory of anthropogenic global here. warming. leaving another climber on Everest to die. Peter Owen McShane, pg. 18 Cresswell stands up for a hero. Production versus Consumption George Reisman, 57 1 Mark Inglis. Hero. Peter Cresswell, 21 Mark Inglis’s heroism consisted in fully preparing himself, and in doing everything that was necessary to get up the When animal-rights activists began threatening Departments mountain and to get back scientists and burning down buildings, one teenager ART: ‘Headland,’ by David Knowles, 37 down again - a return journey said enough was enough, and he kicked off a rational without which no mission can backlash against the thugs. Marcus Bachler profi les ARCHITECTURE: Peter Cresswell: Architecture is the have any success -- and his Oxford teenager Laurie Pycroft, the face of Pro-Test. scientifi c art of making structure express ideas, 66 efforts and his planning were fully and necessarily focussed Taking a Stand BEER: Neil Miller: Beer and Elsewhere, 70 on that goal.. Marcus Bachler, 28 BOOK REVIEWS: Peter Cresswell, Pg. 20 The Weather Makers, by Tim Flannery. Reviewed by A large number of NZ’s and Australia’s military are Dr Vincent Gray, 60 Many members of cultural elites are not interested in hearing now in East Timor, sent there with little debate even Ayn Rand Answers—the Best of her Q & A, by Ayn by the Parliament that sent them there. Why are about the benefi ts of increased Rand. Reviewed by Lindsay Perigo, 61 they there, and who are they really helping? Trevor choice for the population at large--because they believe Loudon tries to make sense of the situation. CAPTION CONTEST: Generation XY, 71 that ordinary citizens, given a Why New Zealand is Building the Timorese Revolution CUE CARD LIBERTARIANISM: The A to Z of choice, will usually make the Trevor Loudon, 32 Libertarianism, 45 wrong one. Yet sprawl has certainly increased choices for DESIGN: Graham Clark: A Passion for Design: Going ordinary citizens. Back to the Future, 35 Robert Bruegmann, pg. 40 As Montessori educators look forward to the centenary of the opening of the world’s fi rst G-MAN Inc.: The Prozac Budget - Opinion by Greg Montessori school in 2007, Carol Potts offers a brief Edwards, 52 The National Billboards about introduction to the Montessori Method, and Peter LIBERTARIAN SUS: Chewing the Fat with Susan Ryder, 64 what Labour uses petrol tax Cresswell argues that Montessori education is the for can no longer be repeated. antidote to the braindead factory schools of the state MUSIC: Mario Lanza’s Secret, Kick-Ass Nessun Labour is embarking on a big Dorma, reviewed by Lindsay Perigo, 69 old-fashioned road-building and Montessori: The Rational Alternative public-spending programme Peter Cresswell, 30 PERIGO LIVE!: Reporting from the Soviet Socialist that hasn’t been seen since the Republic of Aotearoa, 72 1960s. The Montessori Philosophy – How Did it Start? Scott Wilson, pg. 54 Carol Potts, 31 SAVE THE HUMANS: Advice from Jason Roth, 63

Visit ‘The Free Radical online’ at: www.FreeRadical.co.nz July-August—The Free Radical Contributors Around The Barricades Dispatches From The Front Line

PETER CRESSWELL LINDSAY PERIGO MARCUS BACHLER

Dogs Look For Work

Satire from Moenui’s world-famous JANET ALBRECHTSEN SUSAN RYDER CAROL POTTS in New Zealand: ‘The Kiwi Herald’ them on the bum.” The number of dogs seeking Local commentator Frank Lush, work has risen sharply following speaking this morning from the the passing of legislation which Sports Bar of the Masonic Hotel, makes micro-chipping of dogs said that the law-makers had compulsory except in cases created a legal mine-fi eld. where they are working. “I reckon there are more loopholes in this act than you’d fi nd at a tax- GREG EDWARDS PHIL RENNIE NEIL MILLER From fi rst light this morning local farmers reported stray dogs turning lawyers’ convention. Already I hear up to help with mustering and a that the louts who run the dog- Moenui woman who is blind told fi ghts down at the car graveyard the Herald that she has been are applying to register their pit- overwhelmed by offers of help. bulls as working dogs. And I reckon that being best friend to some “Everytime I step outside there’s a buggers in this town must be real huntaway bringing me yet another hard work.” GRAHAM CLARK DAVID FARRAR ROBERT BRUEGMANN unwanted copy of the Herald or a border-collie trying to drag me off Meanwhile a number of residents 2 to catch the bus.” have reported an upsurge of pet dogs bringing their owners’ Moenui dairy farmer Ossie slippers and menacing Jehovah’s MacDonald said that the three Witnesses. “I suppose some good extra dogs at milking this morning has come of the law,” says Lush. created chaos. “They were

SCOTT WILSON STEPHEN HICKS IDIOT/SAVANT completely untrained for the job. Every time I called ‘get in behind’ there was a scramble between them to be last in the queue behind the herd. As much as I’d like to see every dog that wants to work get a job, I had to see them off the property in the end.”

DR VINCENT GRAY OWEN MCSHANE DAVID KNOWLES Meanwhile a number of Moenui residents have expressed outrage at the new law. Dogs studying the Work “This law is just is just so unfair,” Offered postings on the Moenui said Melodie-Ann Lewis who community noticeboard this chairs the Area School Student morning. Council. “It is just like discrimination You can fi nd The Kiwi Herald on the against some dogs. I mean my BERNARD DARNTON GEORGE REISMAN JAMES VALIANT web at www.kiwiherald.blogspot. dog (pictured below) is a Chinese com. Crested and way the coolest, cutest pet I’ve ever had and she just couldn’t go out to work, unless maybe in the fashion industry. But there’s no fashion industry in this stink town. In fact most people here wouldn’t know fashion if it bit TREVOR LOUDON July-August—The Free Radical Visit ‘The Free Radical online’ at: www.FreeRadical.co.nz Around The Barricades . . . Dispatches From The Front Line

The Outcome of a Bill. National’s Tories are to Ayn Rand’s ideas, ARI’s …Although I’m not too State theft inherently authoritarian, and “Free Books for Teachers” is concerned with “celebrating Labour’s occasional ‘civil liberties a program that you ought to cannabis culture,” I’m a strong Telecom shares are near a 13 tendencies’ will be silenced by support. Ayn Rand is her own believer in individual freedom - year low - closing at 4.02 from loyalty to Helen, whose own best salesman -- and the impact that is, the freedom of individuals 5.55 on the day before David civil liberty credentials are in the of hundreds of thousands of to do as they please as long as Cunliffe announced the theft, bin after standing by and letting high school students reading no one else is harmed in the excuse me the ‘unbundling,’ of Tim Selwyn be charged and Ayn Rand’s fi ction every year will process. That also means taking Telecom’s private property. The convicted of sedition simply for be enormous. Even if you’re still personal responsibility for your marked decrease in Telecom’s breaking her window and then wary of ARI, you can support own actions should you come share price is largely the result boasting about it. this program without endorsing to harm as a result of your own of one thing: investors see But as one commentator says, all that ARI does. Your donation (irresponsible) actions. government regulating; investors “Its worth putting up anyway, could make all the difference If you want to drink copious sell. Telecom will be forced to simply to embarrass the in the world -- and also to the amounts of alcohol until your share its private property with fuckers.” True. world. liver needs replacing, or smoke moochers. These mooching For more information, visit: www. until your rotted lungs require ISP’s are getting something aynrand.org/site/PageServer?pa extensive cancer treatment, you for nothing – nothing, that is, gename=education_classroom_ are free to do so, even now. But beyond their shrill support for Getting Rand on books in a truly free society you should Cunliffe’s theft. Reading Lists also be prepared to pay for your If the government really wanted own health insurance; otherwise to make broadband competitive; A few years ago, the Ayn Rand you’re placing the fi nancial they should: Institute surveyed high school ACTing libertarian? responsibility on others, a.k.a. a) encourage the moochers to teachers and discovered the taxpayers, to fund your stupidity. invest in their own infrastructure major reason many don’t teach by refraining from further Ayn Rand’s fi ction in their English Prohibition doesn’t work; it promises of infrastructure theft; classes is the simple lack of just punishes a majority of b) decrease tax so as to further books. The bureaucracy makes responsible individuals and encourage investment in it diffi cult to obtain them from the encourages deception and infrastructure; school, and they are expensive criminal behaviour. We need only c) get out of the interest rate to buy out-of-pocket. So ARI remember the ‘Six O’Clock Swill’ market; 3 started its “Free Books for or alcohol prohibition in the U.S. d) repeal the RMA so that ISP’s Teachers” program to remedy to know that making criminals who want to build their own that problem. out of responsible adults is both networks can build them. With the help of directed absurd and counterproductive. I This Labour government seems donations, the teachers in a spent a year in Sweden, where intent on returning New Zealand given area are notifi ed of the alcohol sales are still heavily to some socialist banana state program by a lovely brochure. restricted and controlled by the where companies cannot do They can order any number state. Other than bars, only the what they like with their own of free copies of Anthem and Systembolaget, a government private property. Judging by The Fountainhead from ARI, owned and heavily taxed (more the lack of opposition from the along with teacher’s manuals. In so than here) liquor chain, is Opposition, it’s not entirely clear return, all that the teachers must allowed to sell alcohol over that their plans are any different. do is agree to actually teach the 3.5%. Yet despite all these novels. Helen Simpson: restrictions, large numbers of alcoholics plagued the streets, Sedition on the The project has been She’s dead right you know Order Paper? enormously successful: demand buses, bus shelters and pretty for the books has been very What’s this from the ACT Party? much everywhere I went while I In the wake of Tim Selwyn’s strong, teachers are delighted Sense on ending the War on was there. And, despite heavily sedition trial (reported elsewhere with the enthusiastic response Drugs? Instead of dancing restricted youth drinking laws, in this issue) the blogger revelling of their students, and many around the issue as Rodney young people still got drunk. in the nom-de-plume Idiot/ more students are submitting Hide has done so often and I realised it then. NORML Savant from No Right Turn has to ARI’s essay contests. Most so embarrassingly (see this acknowledged it yesterday. So been preparing a Member’s Bill importantly, thanks to this report for instance at www. when will governments fi nally on the issue to remove sedition program hundreds of thousands pc.blogspot.com/2006/03/ realise that the ‘War on Drugs’ from the books, and he’s found of high school students are rodney-hide-legend.html ), ACT (alcohol included) is futile? a party willing to raise it. reading Ayn Rand in their On Campus President and ACT He now faces two problems. classes. And soon, those Party Board Member Helen She’s dead right, you know. The fi rst is getting the Bill out students will be voting -- and Simpson just comes right out Meanwhile, dancing off Rodney of the ballot. The second shaping our culture and politics. and speaks the truth. Speaking Hide’s site comes a surprisingly problem is more fundamental: If you are interested in changing after NORML’s annual J-Day good piece on the nonsense fi nding support among the the culture for the better by event, Helen had this to say, all of ‘sustainability’ and the two major parties for such introducing young people of it good: implementation by the Nats’

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Simon Upton of that nonsense how affordable most urban The minute you let the in the RMA -- the Act, he says, markets of the countries government get away with “that totally usurps private surveyed were fi ve, ten and one bit of regulation, it craves property rights in favour of the twenty years ago. Its fi ndings more. And if Mai Chen is political management of natural suggest that the major cause saying so, you know it’s more resources for ‘sustainable use’.” of the loss of affordability than mere speculation. And he’s right. It does. As within these markets is due Rodney says, ‘sustainability’ is to artifi cially strangled land How much more private “an empty phrase, but those supply. property will soon be who get to defi ne it get to “unbundled”? And what control all resource use.” And That graph on page 5 shows moral high ground will Tory he’s right. They have. just how unaffordable Auckland unbundling advocates stand TFR looks forward to hearing housing is compared to cities on when it happens? Prodos: Too liberal Rodney adopt the repeal of the without the restrictive planning nonsensical RMA as sensible regime ‘enjoyed’ in New A fair question, isn’t it? Perhaps party policy-- but then TFR has Zealand. Tory advocates for unbundling Too liberal for John been looking forward to that for So, how about a show of hands might consider Thomas Howard’s Liberals? ten years now... in ending the land strangulation Jefferson’s warning, that “a effected by local councils under government big enough to give One Australian Rand fan is the RMA: Those for abolition you everything you want is big having trouble becoming a of the RMA, replacing it with enough to take it all away again.” candidate for John Howard’s Regulations Strangling common law protections of And Annette Presley might want Liberal Party. Prodos Marinakis Housing Affordability property rights, hands up now. to think about that one too. (above) -- busker, singer, Any opposed? punk performer, internet host, The 2006 Report on Worldwide interviewer, Rand fan and Housing Affordability produced quintessential classical urban by Demographia Institute Looting the Liberals for liberal -- is apparently just too (website is www.demographia. ‘Unbundling’ trial balloon the Blue Team much liberal for some Liberals com) has delivered the stinging works a treat to handle, but it hasn’t stopped fi nding that “housing affordability A Young Nats function at him offering himself as a Liberal 4 continues in crisis intensity in A ‘trial balloon’ is a bit like Parliament a few weeks ago candidate for safe the Labor many markets,” and reported slipping your toe into the saw MP Chris Finlayson put seat of Richmond in Melbourne. that the clear culprit for this water at the beachfront to see forward his ideas for what he Asked why he wanted to stand galloping unaffordability is the whether you can risk a dip with calls a new “urban liberals” for the Liberals, he said the party over-regulation of land and your whole body. In politics, a grouping within National. Said was a broad party and there was building. trial balloon tests the political one observer, “While it was plenty of room for characters The report measures the price weather to see what you can get somewhat encouraging to hear like him. “For me, they’re of housing in various western away with. such ideas from a National MP, fundamentally the party of free markets as compared to Unfortunately, after the rapt the responses from many of enterprise and individual rights,” incomes in those markets, and reaction to the trial balloon the Young Nats was much less he said. on this measure New Zealand of ‘unbundling’ Telecom encouraging. It wasn’t that they Prodos is a well-known Objectivist rabble-rouser and scores poorly. -- ie, effectively nationalising were too conservative, just that street activist, and neither quality Telecom’s lines network - they seemed to completely All the major urban property is calculated to endear him to - the Clark Government now lack principled thought about markets of New Zealand are Australia’s Blue Team. Some apparently think they can get politics... “I think if this group severely unaffordable, as is within the Blue-Rinse ranks away with more, much more: achieves anything at all it will be the major city of the Republic have already called him “a loose very limited. I suggested the of Ireland, Dublin. Of the cannon,” and have moved to Public Law expert Mai Chen, RMA as a specifi c goal, but I Australian urban markets, have his candidacy set aside. in an article to be published suspect the goal will be simply six are severely unaffordable, But not all Liberals feel so in the ‘NZ Law Journal’ next to create the appearance of with two being seriously threatened. One told The Agee month, says the environment liberal views within National.” unaffordable… “Prodos is exactly what the party created by the Government’s Probably true. All the affordable markets are needs and the members will be broadband package “has There is another theory doing in North America, with three really unhappy if he misses out resulted in a push for greater the rounds about the new in Canada and twenty one in on preselection. Even though regulation of monopoly or group. Before the last election the United States. There are there is no way we can win dominant incumbents in other no affordable major urban there was much talk around the Richmond, they won’t endorse areas such as the postal property markets in the United traps of preparing ‘Operation him because they are afraid of Kingdom, Ireland, Australia market and in airport pricing”. Loot-The-Corpse’ in case ACT what he might say.” and New Zealand.... collapsed. Could Finlayson’s Crikey. Imagine if he started The 2006 Demographia As ‘The Whig’ says on his group be no more than the using that other ‘l’ word: liberty. International Housing blog, with which TFR agrees National Party version of That would really get the blue- Affordability Survey illustrates completely: Operation Loot-The-Corpse? rinses standing on end!

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The people’s water situation in Australian cities: We have the ludicrous Auckland Regional Council has situation in Australian The RMA: voted to push the Government cities where urban growth to return bulk water and boundaries cause land on sewerage provider Auckland one side of the boundary Who’s Responsible? Watercare Services to its control. - residentially zoned land For many people, this act would to sell at $100 a square return the nasty privatised metre while land outside the Watercare and Metrowater to boundary zoned agricultural ‘public ownership.’ thereby prohibiting residential How about an NZX listing? That development, sells for $10 a would do it. square metre. These absurd zoning practices drive land prices through the roof and

5 Affordability Index for selected housing markets. The vertical axis shows how many years’ average income is needed to buy the average housing in that market. Auckland is tenth from the top. Newsworthy indeed: worst of all, lock low and Can You Spot The Problem? Good sense on bad middle income earners out of the home ownership market. planning So it is too in New Zealand’s major cities. There are three Dont ‘Fix It” Sometimes people surprise you, primary reasons for TFR’s but even TFR was unprepared to astonishment at reading this: be surprised by Richard Worth, fi rst that Worth has noticed Abolish It! MP. In his latest weekly missive and understood Day’s points; Worth makes this entirely second, that he’s been following worthwhile observation: Guest Editor: Peter Creswswell the “internet debate on urban There has been a fi erce internet sprawl1 versus the determination Editor-In Chief: Lindsay Perigo debate on urban sprawl of the Auckland Regional versus the determination of the Design: Graham Clark (The Tomahawk Kid) Council to fi x urban limits to Auckland Regional Council to growth”; and third ... well, have Business Administration Manager: fi x urban limits to growth. Along another look at that jpeg of Shirley Riddle comes an interesting speech by RMA villains2 put together by P.O. Box 96-103 Bob Day of the Housing Institute PC a couple of years ago after a Balmoral, Auckland of Australia, comparing Sydney certain party leader told him just where the medium house who needed to be persuaded for www.freeradical.co.nz price is just over A$500,000 real RMA reform to happen from email: [email protected] and Houston Texas, where the that direction... medium house price is a mere Subscriptions: So this is promising. A$140,000. Internet: www.freeradical.co.nz In affordability terms that is an The opinions expressed by the writers herein are not necessarily extraordinary difference and (Footnotes) those of the editor, or of each other. why might it be? Well Houston 1 www.del.icio.us/NotPC/Urban_ has no zoning. Day cites the Design

Visit ‘The Free Radical online’ at: www.FreeRadical.co.nz July-August—The Free Radical CLOSE UP, WITH PERIGO The GP Who Became A Brothel-Keeper Lindsay Perigo Interviews Dr Neil Benson

Have you heard the one about the doctor, the bureaucrat and the TFR: You had diffi culty attracting reliable staff? prostitute? The doctor, GP Dr Neil Benson, was put out of business by the bureaucrat – in fact, many of them, from the Northland District Yes – I found it very diffi cult to fi nd reliable people. This, I understand, is typical of Health Board. the industry and I have been told by other operators that it takes about the fi rst year to sort out the appropriate ladies. I have come to the conclusion, backed by discussions Consequently, he started up a new business A very small group comprised of local with experienced operators, that a woman in his previous premises, which is called Baptists and others, as expected, were in is necessary in the human resources role. I Whalers. It’s a brothel. Dr Neil Benson opposition to the concept of ‘sex for sale’ in have been pleased to hand this role over to spoke to Lindsay Perigo about the battle, the their community. They brought in a speaker my wife, who is able to communicate more brothel, and his decision to make major and from the Maxim Institute who described the effectively with the women than I was. unexpected change in his career. negative aspects of the sex industry that can be attributed to poorly run brothels and low- TFR: How is business right now? TFR: So Neil, remind us - what drove a end services such as streetwalkers. Clearly, pillar of the community such as yourself making such a comparison with our planned The reliability factor has been a problem in from the world’s most respected high-end, legal, well-managed bordello was the fi rst few weeks, but now we are looking profession to its oldest? erroneous. I was not invited to the meeting, forward to a more stable workforce, and so no attempt was made by them to discuss are looking forward to more regular opening My problem was that I found myself in the the issue; instead, it was a smear campaign hours. wrong place at the wrong time and I was meant to discredit the endeavour, and driven out of business by the PHO (Primary raise the anxiety level of the public through TFR: Do you agree with the libertarian Health Organization). misinformation. contention that the state has no place in the bedrooms of the nation? TFR: Tell us the thumbnail version of TFR: Have you been hounded or your battle with the bureaucrats. harassed since opening? Yes – as long as it involves consenting adults. 6 I was located in a community that the DHB Yes – just before the opening, the Baptist (District Health Board) and PHO were not willing church sponsored a ‘Good Vibrations TFR: And no place in the health system, to support for after-hours cover. Further, the Celebration.’ held next to the brothel, with either, save its proper role of protecting PHO is a Maori-dominated organization and the aim of opposing the brothel opening. The from force and fraud? was, I believe, keen to have a Maori-run health celebration failed to galvanise public opinion service in place. The PHO was politically against us and there was really no media I think that the government has shown poor correct and supported the nurse-practitioner coverage, which the organisers had been leadership in the health sector and seems model, which they viewed as being more in relying on. The local cable and radio to be reliant on micromanaging health step with government policy. Basically, I broadcaster did provide coverage of the professionals, rather than setting standards had a thriving practice that was good for the event, which is now the subject of a complaint and allowing the professionals to rely on community and provided after-hours call on to the Broadcast Standards Authority due to their own judgment and get the job done. weekdays. I was in the process of expanding bias and breach of privacy. The traditional GP-run private clinic will, in this service, with the view to having 3 doctors in Coopers Beach and providing 7-day after- hours call coverage. This was in direct confl ict with the DHB’s plan of having all after-hours call done from Kaitaia (30 minutes away).

Over the year prior to closing the practice, we appealed to every level of government and many related agencies such as the Commerce Commission and the Health and Disability Commissioner. The government chose to deny there was a problem, while the other agencies didn’t have jurisdiction, but noted that there was a problem. My only option was to sue the PHO, which is a laughable concept, given their deep publicly- funded pockets.

TFR: And your battle with the local God- squad?

July-August—The Free Radical Visit ‘The Free Radical online’ at: www.FreeRadical.co.nz CLOSE UP, WITH PERIGO

Attack of the God Squad Libertarianz deputy Julian Pistorius spoke wanted anything to do with this hot potato. at the meeting Dr Benson mentioned. Here’s his account from his blog www. At the packed Mangonui Hall, Scott McMurray julianpistorius.com: presented a large number of slides detailing his research into prostitution. There was a lot The meeting was organised by The of fear-mongering and hysteria: Doubtless Doubtless Bay Christian Centre, and was Bay, he implied, will become “the sex-capital addressed by Scott McMurray, former of Northland” and become “a huge sex-tourist the long run, be recognized as having been communications director of Maxim destination” - all because of one humble little stable, effective and cost-effi cient. Alas, Institute. brothel. [I’m sure that’s Dr Benson’s hope – Ed.] this model is going through its death throes Oddly, it was never mentioned that prostitution at the moment and will not be able to be I tried to reach Sue Bradford, or any almost certainly already exists in the area. resurrected in the future. Do we really need other representative of the Greens. Like more levels of management between the the Libz, they supported the Prostitution Scott tried to prove that prostitution was funding body and front-line GP’s? All I hear Reform Act, with Sue Bradford being a always harmful, and that this harm could is increasing dissatisfaction from patients particularly strong promoter. The Greens be ‘prevented’ by criminalising prostitution. and fellow doctors and I have witnessed based their support on the principle of He presented studies showing how both considerable waste of precious resources. harm minimisation - that criminalising prostitutes and clients of prostitutes are The maternity situation is a previous example prostitution causes more harm than harmed by prostitution. He said that of our government’s folly and destruction of a legalising it - which is true but not enough. legalising prostitution, normalises it. He portion of the GP workforce. failed to mention that criminalising doesn’t The libertarian view is that it’s nobody’s stop it; it just drives it underground. TFR: Many, myself included, believe that business what you do with your body or next to laughter, or maybe ahead of it, your property, as long as you don’t initiate In any case, nobody there seemed to realise a good shag is the best medicine. In force against anybody else, and as long that laws are not there to protect people from that sense, aren’t your premises still a as you bear the consequences of your their own bad choices, but only to protect ‘medical centre’? Shouldn’t your former actions. If you want to enjoy your freedom the individual’s rights from being violated by colleagues be prescribing your new and your property rights, then you must others. When the fl oor was opened to the services? respect those same rights of everybody public, I had my say: else. So Dr Benson should enjoy the I think most doctors would realize that sex right to do with his private property The issue at stake is a crucial one. It is one is an important part of the health and well- what he wants, as long as he does not of morality as opposed to law. Scott had being of most adults. They are welcome violate the equal rights of his neighbours. already admitted that one can’t change human nature by force. Assume, however, to make referrals, but at present there is When I got in touch with the Greens, they that you are forced to behave in a certain no government funding, so no discount 7 had already been contacted by the NZPC. way by restrictive laws, by laws that dictate for Community Services Cards! We are, Though Sue Bradford was very sympathetic, morality. Firstly, who decides what’s moral? however, considering issuing our own ‘High nobody from the Northland Greens The majority? The minority that claims to User’ cards! be most offended? Everybody is offended by certain things they consider immoral. Libertarianz is turning 10 years old. Come and celebrate your party at the Secondly, if due to morality laws, you are not free to choose between a moral action and an immoral action, then can Libertarianz Conference / AGM you really be moral? Only a free choice, Featured Speakers can be a moral choice. Immoral choices Bernard Darnton – Darnton v. Clark – taking on the Labour party do have negative consequences, but you can only learn what is moral by Russell Watkins – The Voluntary City Project. looking at other people’s examples, by Peter Cresswell – Property Rights and Common Law learning from your own mistakes, and Nik Haden – Property Rights. When Governments Attack by leaving people the moral space to Julian Pistorius – Technology, the internet, privacy and freedom – what does the future hold? make their own choices for themselves. Plus much, much more... So the only way for you to change society Also – AGM, the Libertarianz Quiz, prizes, debate and party! for the better is not to ban things you don’t approve of, but instead to leave others their own moral space, to live morally yourself, to Time/Date: Register: set a good example, to let people be free to Saturday the 15th of July 2006 commencing Register online at www.libertarianz.org.nz make their own mistakes and to learn from 9:30am. Don’t miss out on a party to remember. the consequences of their own actions, and -- if you really do wish to change Venue: Cost: the behaviour of others -- to use moral The Centra Auckland Airport Hotel, corner Discounted rate of $35 per person if you persuasion instead of government force. of Kirkbride and Ascot Roads, Mangere, register before the 15th of July. $45 if you Auckland. It is 5 minutes from Auckland Airport. register on the day of the conference. A free society has to be a tolerant society, and a tolerant society doesn’t ban. It The Centra Hotel has ample parking, airport persuades. And when it can’t persuade, pick up/drop off, restaurants and bars. it lives, and it lets live.

Visit ‘The Free Radical online’ at: www.FreeRadical.co.nz July-August—The Free Radical CLOSE UP, WITH PERIGO The Man Who Wasn’t Allowed To Mow His Lawn Lindsay Perigo Interviews Dave Henderson

Dave Henderson is a developer, entrepreneur, gadfl y, victor over the guys, ‘listen, I’ve just had a guts-full of this, why don’t we take the opportunity, given that IRD (and then the IRD’s landlord --before he evicted them). He talked we’re close to the airport to mow a huge big to Lindsay Perigo about his latest battle with bureaucracy, in which he sign for our property into the grass, and then at least we’ve got something there’ So that’s offended Queenstown planners by mowing his lawn . . . in the shape of exactly what we did.

a sign advertising his new development, Five Mile. The planners were TFR: So when did you discover there was outraged, and the passengers in planes overhead were able to visit the a problem with it?

website promoting the development, www.fi vemile.co.nz. Well, the next day. There’s a guy down there who; the regulatory authority if you understand Queenstown, they’ve contracted out all their regulatory functions to a private body called TFR: Dave Henderson, you rogue! having scraps -- you just end up fi ghting with Civicorp. And there’s the compliance offi cer Lindsay Perigo, what have you been doing for everyone. And unfortunately it’s a statutory or at Civicorp, a guy called Tim Francis who, hundreds of years? legislative environment that we’ve created, that makes it that way. as you can imagine, him and I have banged heads on a few occasions. And dear old TFR: The same old thing and I still haven’t Tim, if I’d scripted it and handed to him, he made any progress. TFR: Who the hell was mad enough to marry you, Henderson? Have I met this couldn’t have done better. He turns around and says, ‘Oh look…’ -- he writes me a letter You must still be at Sanson. Can you hear me person? saying the sign has to go, threatens me with okay? I’m on a cell phone at the damn airport the usual things a $200,000 fi ne or two years so I apologise for that. But I’m here and I’m Yes you have met her, you had dinner at my in jail, just minimal things like that. He says talking to you. place with her. the signs gotta go, and if it doesn’t go then he’s going to start prosecution. But he makes TFR: Right, and you didn’t get sent to jail TFR: Why didn’t I warn her! this wonderful observation that he read in for that sign. Well she’s asked that question several times, one of the local newspapers, that the sign, 8 in fact, could be seen from the air and he’s No I didn’t get sent to jail. I mean I’m sure and she’s probably got the basis for some determined that the air’s a public place, and there are a lot of people who would have sort of action against you. because the air’s a public place then the sign loved me to have got sent to jail for that. But I has to go. managed to survive another day. TFR: Lack of due diligence on my part. So tell us the story of the sign, how did you TFR: Yes, but what’s the ostensible TFR: I’m sure there’s something you end up…? reason, I mean do they go through the should be sent to jail for Dave? It’s what happens every day of your life. About motions of putting up some kind of plausible reason? Oh, look I’m sure there is, and I’m sure that 6 months ago I made an application to put a there’s a number of people who have got that sign up on the roadside, for this development No, there’s no plausible reason. Look they on their list. we’re doing and it’s a sensational development. And it’s a very sizeable development, so it’s generate fees, this group Civicorp they generate fees, that’s all they were doing. I TFR: I had to laugh the other night you not unreasonable to want a sign up to tell mean he just gets excited on anything that’s were on TV3 with John Campbell, and everyone that’s going past this is where that the slightest bit different. What I’ve done, hand on heart, with a straight face, you development is happening. And so, you put in quite frankly, is I’ve done the menfolk of New said ‘John, I don’t like confrontation, I try your sign application and away it starts. First Zealand a huge favour. Because there would to avoid confrontations.’ I mean all your of all you’ve got to get your neighbours to have been hundreds of men who woke up life you’ve been in a scrap. sign off on it, that they’re happy with it. Then yesterday morning with their wives elbowing you’ve gotta get Transit to sign off on it. And them in the ribs. And they would’ve been able Oh look, you know, funnily enough, you’re no Transit’s a hoot, because Transit owns all the to explain to them that there’s no point getting different. I mean, I love a peaceful existence. All State Highways up and down the country. And out of bed to mow the lawns because they I want is for people to leave me alone and just this is on the boundary of a State Highway, didn’t have a resource consent. be able to live my life. I won’t bother anyone or it has a State Highway running by it. SO else and they won’t bother me. Unfortunately the council on one hand is saying it’s gotta TFR: You say that humorously, but we’re it’s a fantasy. And particularly this industry be a small sign, cos we don’t like big signs, just about at that point aren’t we? – property development -- you live your whole because they’re ugly. And Transit’s saying life, you wake up in the morning and you’re well it’s gotta be a big sign, because we don’t It is. Look it’s funny and you and I have had fi ghting, and you come home at night and like small sign, cos you can’t see them. So these conversations before. I mean, 20 years you’re fi ghting. My wife often asks me why I’m that argument goes on for about 6 months, ago if I’d said to you couldn’t sit in a cigar so aggressive towards her at the end of the quite literally. And I was just getting to the end bar in Auckland and have a cigar, we would evening. I had to explain that I’ve had a day of my tether on it. And I said to some of my have just rolled around the fl oor laughing that

July-August—The Free Radical Visit ‘The Free Radical online’ at: www.FreeRadical.co.nz CLOSE UP, WITH PERIGO that was even a possibility. But the Resource You need to highlight these things and people that they can never occupy any of the space Management Act will just get worse. The need to make a stand. I have people in my there. application of it will get interpreted and applied offi ce and property consultants who say ‘don’t in ways that you and I can’t begin to imagine rock the boat, don’t do it’ but I just don’t want TFR: Oh, this is going to be a little at the moment and it will just become more to get up in the morning if that’s going to be libertarian El Dorado! and more insane until it’s just unworkable. my attitude. You’d hope so wouldn’t you? It’s going to And then at that point, something will break be a very permissive place that inspires before we’ll have to change and the legislation TFR: So what is this Five Mile thing that and encourages creative pursuits and will be amended. But until then it causes the sign was pointing to? entrepreneurial pursuits. Some good countless harm and -- the crazy thing -- opportunities for good entrepreneurs there. countless cost. And what the politicians and It’s a whole new town that we’re building TFR: Broadcasters? local offi cers in Queenstown don’t get is that there, it’s going to be stunning town. On the all this comes with a massive cost. And it’s entrance way heading towards Queenstown Well we absolutely need that! In fact we need not the developers that pay the cost – at the between the airport and the state highway. a Five Mile radio station, so there’s a great We’re building a classic, wonderful, mixed- opportunity there. end of the day it’s the consumer that pays use development. It’s going to have a heap the cost. And Queenstown, for example, has of commercial in there, a lot of offi ce space, TFR: Well it’s getting really noisy where a huge problem with affordable housing – it’s got a whole heap of residential products you are. housing down there is enormously expensive. in there, we’re putting tertiary institutions in One of the reasons it is expensive is because there, educational facilities and amenities. Sorry mate, I actually chose a quiet place nonsense like this adds all sorts of costs to And it’s a great site in a magnifi cent setting in someone’s offi ce who’s staring at me the cost of development, and ultimately [to] as you know Queenstown is. We’re really wondering what the hell I’m doing. I apologise the cost of the housing. committed to doing something pretty special. for that. I’m very passionate about the concept of TFR: I can’t help thinking of my good urban planning, which we don’t have in TFR: A bunch of rowdy women day, I grandmother’s place in Himitangi, New Zealand. So we’re committed to creating mean where are the Muslims when we that had the word ‘Wine’ cut out in the something that from an urban planning and need them? hedge. ultimately architectural point of view will just be stunning and gorgeous. Our principal hurdle [laughs] They are quite active and lively I have That’s delightful to doing something stunning and gorgeous is to say, I don’t know what they’re doing but the regulations we have to deal with. they’re making a lot of noise and waving their TFR: This was a landmark for years hands around a lot. As women tend to do. and years and may well still be there TFR: Is there going to be an IRD offi ce like that, but I’m just wondering if the there, Dave? TFR: As women do. They don’t know current proprietors have been told that what they’re doing either. Thanks for 9 if they don’t get resource consent then Lindsay, you’ll be pleased to know there will joining us. they have to let it grow out or go to jail. I not be one government department offi ce mean, it’s just absurd. there. They will write it into the constitution Thanks a lot.

Visit www.FiveMile.co.nz to see for yourself

Visit ‘The Free Radical online’ at: www.FreeRadical.co.nz July-August—The Free Radical FREE RADICAL SPECIAL: How BERNARD DARNTON Darnton Vs Clark Helen Clark is about to fi nd herself in court, defending herself against charges that the Labour Party bought the election. Plaintiff and Libertarianz leader Bernard Darnton explains why he’s taking the case, and what it’s all about. Something the government often forgets is of the people and it’s actions are limited. Member Support – Labour”. This is the budget who is in charge. They seem to think they mentioned above. The pledge card and As Parliament gained control over the Crown, are. They forget that the government is the brochure were paid for out of this budget and it put in place a series of protections, one of servant of the citizens, not their master. The this is not what the money was appropriated which was to limit the Crown’s spending. Article current Labour government seems especially for thus breaching the Constitution Act, the 4 of the Bill of Rights 1688 (and subsequently, forgetful. In a case that will make legal history, Public Finance Act, the Bill of Rights, and the in New Zealand, the Constitution Act 1986) they are about to be reminded of their place principles of Administrative Law. prohibits the Crown from spending any money courtesy of the Libertarianz. except under an Act of Parliament. The claim asks for a declaration from the The front of every Libertarianz brochure Court that the expenditure was illegal. Every year Parliament passes an produced in the last decade has been graced Appropriations Act that authorises the Crown with this quote from Ayn Rand: Conclusion to spend money. Under the appropriations The source of the government’s authority rules, all of the money that the government ‘The governed’ did not consent to the buying is ‘the consent of the governed’. This intends to spend during the fi nancial year is of the last election with misappropriated means that the government is not the ruler, divided up and allocated to various areas. The money. In the absence of any complaint from but the servant or agent of the citizens; it Crown is not permitted to spend anything that the so-called opposition, Libertarianz is taking means that the government, as such, has isn’t allocated in the Appropriations Act and is on the job of reminding both the government no rights, except the rights delegated to it not allowed to spend money appropriated for and the public who is the servant and who is by the citizens for a specifi c purpose. one thing on anything else. the master. We’re about to prove that we mean it. Misappropriation A declaration will be a clear reminder to the Clark regime that they are not above the law By the time this magazine is published, Towards the end of the 2005 election and that they are still answerable to their proceedings will have been issued in the High 10 campaign, Labour produced a “pledge card” masters, the public. Despite their disregard Court in Wellington against Helen Clark and and brochure containing Helen Clark’s election for the rules that protect us from them, they the other members of the Labour party who promises. These were not paid for by the can still be brought to account. were in Parliament in the run-up to the last Labour Party, as election advertising should be, Someone who has no respect for the election. They are charged with breaching the but out of the leader’s parliamentary budget. principles that separate a modern civilised Constitution Act and the Bill of Rights – the This budget is taxpayer money allocated to state from the medieval world of absolute rule very laws that mark the difference between a support the running of the leader’s offi ce. It is unfi t to govern the country. Helen, the game dictatorship and a liberal democracy. is supposed to be spent on “parliamentary is up. Soon your caucus colleagues and the business” – things like postage, magazine Specifi cally, they are charged with taking public at large will know it. Will you jump, or subscriptions, and research. It can be spent money that was appropriated by Parliament do you have to be pushed? for one thing and spending it on another on advertising, the sort of advertisements – something that has been illegal since the Bill that appear in local newspapers advising a member’s offi ce hours, for example, but it of Rights laid down the relationship between explicitly can not be spent on party political, Parliament and the Crown at the time of the promotional or electioneering material. “Glorious Revolution” of 1688. The Clark regime has apparently decided that Appropriation Parliament’s decisions about how taxpayers’ money should be spent are irrelevant, and The Bill of Rights resulted from the 17th in doing so has crossed the line from liberal Century struggle between the English Crown democracy back into dictatorship. and Parliament. It is one of the landmarks that separates a dictatorship from a modern, [Helen Clark] by the assistance of diverse evill civilised, constitutionally-limited government. Councellors Judges and Ministers imployed In an absolute monarchy the king rules as a by [her] did endeavour to subvert and extirpate dictator. He has total power and the public [...] the lawes and liberties of this Kingdome. are nothing more than his property, subject to The Case his whim. In a parliamentary democracy the people elect the members of parliament, those members then form a government. In the dark The claim lodged with the High Court is ages, or in the third world, government power quite straight-forward. Money was allocated is absolute and the government is a bully. In a in the 2005/06 Appropriations Act to “Vote civilised society the government is the servant Parliamentary Service”. A part of that was specifi cally appropriated for “Party and

July-August—The Free Radical Visit ‘The Free Radical online’ at: www.FreeRadical.co.nz Labour Stole The Election DAVID P FARRAR Trial website: www.DarntonVsClark.org The Stolen Election

It emerged after the last election that Helen Clark’s party had over-spent • they have the same logo and the same slogan as Labour's campaign by $418,000 their limit of $2,300,000 as laid down in the Electoral Act. advertising; The Police were asked to investigate by the electoral authorities, and in a • It makes commitments in respect of the decision which stunned many they decided not to prosecute. future; • It is being distributed within three weeks In May the Police released over 1,000 pages of The pledge card was not a peripheral part of Election Day. fi les relating to all their election investigations. of the Labour re-election campaign – it was What emerged from those documents was arguably the focal point of it. It was a list of It is very diffi cult to disagree with Henry’s shocking – not only were Labour let off their election commitments it was promising to conclusion that “the statements made in the over-spending, but they had ignored clear implement if people voted for them. It shared advertising encourage or persuade, or appear warnings prior to the election from the Chief the same branding as other Labour Party to encourage or persuade, voters to vote for Electoral Offi cer, and also reneged on an campaign material. the Labour Party” and hence “The advertising agreement with the Chief Electoral Offi cer. is therefore subject to the provisions of First Contact Section 221”. th Labour’s Mike Smith tried to make the matter Despite all this the Police took no action. On the 30 of August, eight days before the go away by insisting it was nothing to do Why? The only answers are either election, the Chief Electoral Offi cer phoned with him, and one should speak to Helen incompetence, or timidity towards the the Labour Party Secretary, Mike Smith. He was concerned that the pledge cards Clark’s offi ce as it was they who produced Government bordering on corruption. and pamphlet had not been authorised as it. The Chief Electoral Offi cer was obviously a campaign advertisement – as required by unimpressed with this response and wrote The Police made mistakes so basic that the Section 221 of the Electoral Act. again on 12 September giving Labour a fi nal author has concluded that they should lose chance to convince him as to why he should their power to investigate and decide upon Such authorisation would also indicate it was not refer this matter to the Police. prosecutions relating to the Electoral Act. an election expense, and part of the $2.3m limit under Section 214 of the Act. The big lie In this article written exclusively for The Free It was now the Monday before the election, Radical, David Farrar analyses how Labour The Chief Electoral Offi cer, David Henry, and Labour knew they were in trouble. The 11 got away with what some are calling a stolen recorded in a fi le note that he explicitly told polls had National and Labour neck and neck. election. Labour that the card may be an election They were fi ghting desperately for re-election, advertisement and expense regardless of and they knew it. An announcement in the The Pledge Card who pays for it. fi nal week of the campaign that their pledge In late August 2005 Labour produced and cards were being referred to the Police by the delivered to every household in New Zealand Pre-Election Correspondence Chief Electoral Offi cer could have been the their pledge card, and an accompanying brochure. The Chief Electoral offi cer formally wrote to difference between remaining in Government and losing power. The cost was $448,000. It was produced and Labour on 2 September. In this letter he states paid for by the Offi ce of the Labour Party Leader he believes the pledge card and pamphlets So they backed down. While still arguing that – in other words Helen Clark. are election advertising, because: the pledge cards were not election material, Labour wrote back to the Chief Electoral Offi cer on the 14th of September saying that they would “be happy to include the cost of the material in the return furnished by the New Zealand Labour Party”.

This offer, later withdrawn, was extraordinary. There are really only two possibilities to explain why it was made:

(a) The Labour Party was so incompetent with its campaign expenditure that they did not realise that including the $449,000 cost of the pledge cards would put them over the $2.3 million limit. As this offer was made three days before the election, and parties historically are extremely careful to track expenditure commitments, the degree of incompetence involved for this to have been a good faith offer is almost unimaginable.

Visit ‘The Free Radical online’ at: www.FreeRadical.co.nz July-August—The Free Radical FREE RADICAL SPECIAL: How

(b) The offer was not genuine. Labour (b) Encourages or persuades or Section 214B goes on to defi ne an election knew they would breach the limit if they appears to encourage or persuade expense as agreed to include the cost of the pledge voters to vote for a party registered cards, but they were so desperate to under Part 4 of this Act. (a)Means expenses that are incurred by stop the issue going public they made or on behalf of the party in respect of any the offer as a delaying tactic, and never (3) A person may publish or cause election activity; ever intended to honour it. In other or permit to be published an words they blatantly lied to the Chief advertisement of the kind described So Section 221 defi nes an “electoral Electoral Offi cer. in subsection (1)(b) of this section if— advertisement”, Section 214B uses the same 18 days after the election, Labour wrote again defi nition to defi ne “election activity” (if within to the Chief Electoral Offi cer saying they were (a) The publication of that advertisement three months of the election) and to also now withdrawing their offer to have the cost is authorised in writing by the Secretary of the pledge cards and brochures counted defi ne an “election expense” as the cost of of the party or his or her delegate; and as an election expense. They delayed this said election activity. letter until a few days after special votes were (b) The advertisement contains a fi nalised and National conceded to Labour. It is obvious that the over-spending is the statement setting out the true name major issue. In fact one of the whole reasons of the person for whom or at whose The Electoral Act you have the rules on authorisation is so Before we deal with the Police investigation, direction it is published and the address over-spending can not be avoided by just it is important to understand the Electoral of his or her place of residence or claiming you don’t know who authorised a Act. Different agencies deal with different business. pamphlet etc. It is quite common for there to sections, and only the Police can actually be the odd minor breach of the authorisation Now we turn to Section 214B which is quite bring charges. requirements. long. Firstly it defi nes election activity as: Labour were investigated for two different, but Hence, when it comes to the two offences connected, offences under the Electoral Act. (a) Which is carried out by the party or with Labour were investigated for the authorisation the party’s authority; and One offence is that of not correctly authorising (b) Which comprises— issue is actually the minor one. It was obvious an election advertisement. These matters are (i) Advertising of any kind; or that the pledge cards were authorised either enforced by the Chief Electoral Offi ce as and (ii) Radio or television broadcasting; or by Helen Clark or by someone acting for when they occur. (iii) Publishing, issuing, distributing, or her. No-one would be too worried about the displaying addresses, notices, posters, failure to spell this out directly if the costs of The other offence is that of over-spending. And 12 pamphlets, handbills, billboards, and the cards had been included as an expense. this is enforced by the Electoral Commission In fact, the Chief Electoral Offi cer only referred and can only be decided upon once the party cards; and it to the Police after Labour reneged on their fi les its return after the election. (c) Which— (i) Encourages or persuades or appears agreement to include them as an expense on Looking at Section 221 of the Act [emphasis to encourage or persuade voters to 5 October 2005. vote for the party is added]: The Complaints On 20 October 2005, the Chief Electoral (1) Subject to subsections (2) and (3) of (d) Which takes place within the 3 months this section, no person shall publish or immediately preceding polling day: Offi cer referred the lack of authorisation to the cause or permit to be published in any Police. He did this after having sought legal newspaper, periodical, poster, or handbill, Now note the key defi nition is the same as advice from both Crown Law and the Ministry or broadcast or cause or permit to be for Section 221 [emphasis is added again]. of Justice. In his letter he labels Labour’s broadcast over any radio or television You see, Section 221 is designed to work actions “a clear breach of the requirements of station, any advertisement which— with Section 214B to stop over-spending. the electoral legislation.”

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The complaint on the over-spending itself (b) They didn’t even investigate the Amazingly the Police gave more weight to did not come until 10 February 2006. The more serious over-spending Heather Simpson’s unnamed lawyers to Electoral Commission has to wait until the offence, instead focusing all their the weight of legal opinion in the opposite returns are fi led, before it can take action. efforts on the lack of authorisation direction. And it is important to note the The important thing to note from above is Police sought no independent legal advice of (c) They failed to realise that an offence that the full Electoral Commission concluded their own. there had been a breach, not just the Chief under Section 221 is one of strict Executive. The Commission include two liability, where intent is not necessary In fact the Members’ Handbook itself refers Judges (one retired) and the Secretary of to the fact that some parliamentary printing Who pays is irrelevant Justice. and postage costs may be deemed election The Chief Electoral Offi cer noted from day expenses. So at this point it might be useful to review one that the issue of who pays for election who has formed an opinion that Labour broke advertising is totally separate as to whether it No investigation into over-spending the law: constitutes an election expense. This opinion has the benefi t of case law behind it -- in the Of the 1,500 or so pages released by the Chief Electoral Offi cer, David Henry 1988 Wairarapa electoral petition, the court Police, not a single page refers to any Electoral Commission CEO, Dr Helena Catt found that a number of what were deemed investigation of the over-spending offence. Hon. Anthony (Tony) Ellis QC election expenses were in fact incurred by the There is a detailed job sheet for the ‘lack of Chief Judge Joe Williams MP’s parliamentary budget. authorisation’ offence, but no job sheet exists Secretary for Justice, Belinda Clark for the Section 221 investigation. There were There is a separate legal issue over whether no interviews, no legal advice, no records And from the way the agencies refer to their the pledge cards were an appropriate use of – nothing at all. legal advice, it is implicit that similiar advice taxpayer funding. But that has no relevance came from: to the Electoral Act offences. The only test During the period of the investigation, many Crown Law under the Electoral Act is whether a card senior police offi cers were applicants for the Ministry of Justice “Encourages or persuades or appears to roles of Police Commissioner and Deputy The Police Investigation encourage or persuade voters to vote for the Police Commissioner -- which are personally At this stage, one wonders how on earth party.” appointed by the Prime Minister. One can could the Police have come to any decision only wonder how much of an impact this had So it is clear their status under parliamentary other than undertaking a prosecution, so that on the police decision making. a court could get to decide. funding rules has no bearing on their status under the Electoral Act. This is according Different standards of proof 13 A perusal of the papers released from the to the Wairarapa Electoral Court, the Chief The Police overlooked two very different Police show they made three fundamental Electoral Offi cer, the Electoral Commission standards of proof for the two offences. The errors. These were: and the Secretary of Justice. less important offence of authorisation states (a) They confused the issue of whether the The only person who disagreed was Helen in Section 221A(3): pledge card should have been funded Clark’s Chief of Staff – Heather Simpson. from a parliamentary budget with the When it was put to her that the Electoral Act Every person is guilty of an illegal practice issue of whether it constituted election over-rides the Members Handbook, she said who wilfully contravenes any provision of advertising her lawyers have a different opinion. subsection (1) of this section.

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The standard of proof is to “wilfully” publish an A meeting was quickly held between the Chief • Labour offered, prior to the election, to election advertisement without authorisation. Electoral Offi cer and the Police. This fi le note include the pledge cards in their election clearly shows that the Police had blundered return. In Section 214B(3), the key clause is very massively by once again confusing the rules different: around taxpayer funding of publications with • That offer was withdrawn almost the rules of the Electoral Act. immediately after the election. The large Every person who directly or indirectly cost of the pledge cards makes it diffi cult pays or knowingly aids or abets any What the Police should have done to reach any conclusion other than that person in paying for or on account of any The Police inquiry was superfi cial, badly the offer was made with bad faith to stop election expenses any sum in excess of researched and confused. The main the CEO referring them pre-election to the maximum amount prescribed by this complaint wasn’t even investigated and the the Police. In other words they lied to the section is,— other was dealt with by way of a few e-mails, CEO. a written set of questions and two short (a) If the act is done with knowledge meetings. A proper Police investigation would • The overwhelming view of the top that the payment is in excess of the have included the following: electoral and legal authorities, including maximum amount prescribed by this • Ask for minutes of campaign meetings the Secretary of Justice and the Chief section, guilty of a corrupt practice; and where the pledge card was just discussed Electoral Offi cer, was that the pledge (in electoral petitions, campaign minutes cards were very clearly electoral activity (b) In any other case, guilty of an are included as part of the evidence). and expenses. illegal practice unless the person proves that he or she took all reasonable steps to • Ascertain the full list of people involved in • The Police investigation was superfi cial, ensure that the election expenses did not the decision making. and did not even investigate the over- exceed the maximum amount prescribed spending charge. by this section. • Seek early legal advice on the Electoral Act vs the Parliamentary Service • The Police bought into the view of An over-spending offence is seen as so Commission internal rules. Heather Simpson that the Parliamentary serious that the law is worded so that even Service Commission rules over-ride the accidental over-spending constitutes an illegal • Investigate why the 2002 pledge card Electoral Act. This is despite the PSC practice, while deliberate over-spending is a was authorised under the Act, rather rules themselves referring to the fact that corrupt practice. than just accepting the statement it was some parliamentary expenditure can be done mistakenly. electoral expenses under the Electoral Considering that Labour were warned 18 Act 14 days before the election that their pledge • Ask Labour to account for all their cards were considered advertisements, there discussions and decision making after • The Police kept confusing the two is no question in my mind that at a minimum the Chief Electoral Offi cer fi rst contacted issues, right up until after the public they were guilty of an illegal practice, and in all them on 30 August 2005. release, when the Chief Electoral Offi cer likelihood a corrupt practice. put them right. • Specifi cally inquire as to who was consulted on and agreed to the letter The Police conclusion on over-spending • The Police failed to consider that Section offering to include the pledge cards in As previously mentioned, the Police did not 214B offences have strict liability, where the party's election return. investigate charges under this section. They intent is not required. conducted no interviews. Hence it is no • Actually investigate the Section 214B So Labour got away with electoral over- surprise they concluded there was “insuffi cient breach, not just Section 221! spending of $418,000. They got warned in evidence to indicate an offence.” plenty of time to adjust their spending to stay • Inquire as to the knowledge of Labour's within the law. Instead they tried to defl ect The Announcement campaign spending to date, when the electoral authorities in a game of bluff. The Police further demonstrated their Mike Smith made the offer to include inadequacies when they failed to notice Finally a few days before the election Labour the pledge cards in the party's election blinked and agreed they would include the that there was a six-month deadline for any return. charges (despite it being mentioned in the expenditure in their return. However this turned out to be a lie, and they reneged on investigation itself). Suddenly the media on And the fi nal thing the Police should have their agreement. The electoral authorities, Thursday 16 March were asking questions done is taken this obvious hint from the blocked from taking direct action, turned to about the deadline being the next day and the Labour Party General Secretary as to who the Police to prosecute Labour for what they Offi ce of the Police Commissioner quickly put authorised the over-spending, and actually saw as very clear breaches of election law. together a media release announcing the next asked the Prime Minister the extent of her day that no charges would be laid against involvement in the decision making. She is, Labour (or any other party for other potential after all, very well known for her thoroughly The Police came to Labour’s rescue, bungled infringements). hands on management of political issues. the investigation in every way possible, and -- despite the over-whelming specialist and legal The sad sad summary In that release they said they had made opinions -- decided not to prosecute The overall case is damning. In summary: recommendations to the Chief Electoral Offi cer for changes to make things “tidier” in • Labour were told 18 days before the Whether it was incompetence or timidity future. This came as a huge surprise to the election that the Chief Electoral Offi cer bordering on corruption we may never know. Chief Electoral Offi cer who had not received considered the pledge cards electoral The one thing we will know is that it certainly any such recommendations. advertisements. wasn’t justice!

July-August—The Free Radical Visit the website: www.DarntonVsClark.org for updates on this trial JAMES VALLIANT Closing The Borders Immigration is on the whiteboard both here in New Zealand Fighting Terrorism and in the US, and many people in both NZ and the US seem to have forgotten that it was and is immigrants who built both countries. Requires Legalising In New Zealand, “the Government is looking at tough new immigration rules that will make it harder to get into New Zealand and easier to kick people out.” [Source, NZ Herald] Immigration In the States, George W. Bush seeks to “pass legislation that includes a temporary worker program but avoids amnesty for Immigration has become a very hot issue in the United an estimated 11 million illegal migrants...” [An earlier bill passed through the House in December] has States these days. It is estimated that there are something sparked nationwide protests by Hispanic groups and their supporters. It defi nes illegal presence in the country as a felony, like ten to fi fteen million illegal immigrants living in America instead of a civil offense, and calls for the construction of a – and more keep streaming across the border every day. fence along the U.S. border with Mexico. [Source, Reuters]

What a slap in the face to the people who built both countries. Of course, immigration is nothing but a across the country show – and is Just over a century ago Emma Lazarus’s famous poem was boon to any free market economy, as working to polarize, not acculturate engraved on a plaque and fi xed to the Statue of Liberty’s has been repeatedly demonstrated, this community. pedestal: and there is every reason for a ...Give me your tired, your poor, capitalist society to eagerly welcome In all the give-and-take on the issue, Your huddled masses yearning every last immigrant. And, of course, everyone seems to have missed the to breathe free, so long as the immigrant is not a the wretched refuse of your obvious error in the logic in the anti- direct threat to the physical safety of teeming shore. immigration argument on terrorism, the country, such migration to and Send these, the homeless, the error of its fundamental premise – from a place is a RIGHT. tempest-tost to me, since, in fact, the only way to actually I lift my lamp beside the golden door! prevent terrorists from slipping in is to One cannot hope to convince Since 1903, those words have been forgotten by many legalize as much “illegal immigration” Americans. They are words that many New Zealanders might neanderthals, such as Bill O’Reilly as possible. also take to heart. We too are a country that immigrants built. of Fox News, who complain that immigrants steal jobs, hurt the Immigration, it is often said, is complicated. Well, no it isn’t. As economy, and violate the rights of If one is looking for a needle in a Michael Hurd explains1, “There are so many platitudes about “us” natives. haystack, as the saying goes, one immigration--some cloaked in sincerity, and others completely has a hell of job. Finding that needle meaningless. The truth really isn’t that complicated. The answer Whatever part of this opposition on a relatively clean fl oor, however, is not open immigration, or a closed society. The answer is a free to immigration is actually rooted in presents an achievable goal. society.” True enough. Let peaceful people pass borders freely misguided but sincere economic -- there’s about an uncomplicated and as moral an immigration fears, less credible cultural fears, or If every person who wanted into policy as you’d need. Open immigration is the answer, not ugly racism, none of these “concerns” open borders2. Open immigration to peaceful people is, argues America in order to fi nd work was 15 has had any reason to ‘heat-up’ lately, Harry Binswanger, both moral and practical. Therein is the way legally permitted into America, I’ll bet to remove the complication, he argues: “Entry into the U.S. and, I suspect, these emotions would they’d be happy to stop by the front [and New Zealand] should ultimately be free for any foreigner, have remained on a slow simmer, as gate, show some i.d., get checked with the exception of criminals, would-be terrorists, and those they had for so long – but for 9/11 against a terrorist watch-list, etc. and the fear of terrorists. carrying infectious diseases.” I urge you to read the argument Only those with criminal records, or in its entirety [you can fi nd it at www.capmag.com/article. reasons to fl ee justice, those with asp?ID=4620.] It is the fear of terrorism that has thrust contagious diseases, and, well... immigration onto the front pages of As I’ve said this myself before, on this very topic: newspapers – and into debates on terrorists would have any reason to As a corollary of the principle of freedom of movement the fl oor of the Senate. “jump the gate” at all. libertarians favour completely open borders, while acknowledging that terrorism, refugees and welfare systems This is just one more example, to be This would concentrate our resources have complicated the implementation of this principle. The sure, of what happens when you have on those who actually posed a threat refugee ship Tampa symbolised the latter two complications, an American leadership unwilling to to the country. Thousands of border and showed up the hard heart of welfarism. Ahmed Zaoui do what’s needed – the overthrow of patrol agents would, then, not be symbolises the last. Ending welfarism and commencing terrorism-supporting states – starting going after thousands – ultimately, private sponsorship of entrants solves both ‘complications.’ with Iran – and which, instead, makes accumulated millions – of people ...[L]ibertarians recognise however that as author Robert further retreat on personal freedom everyday, but just a few hundred Heinlein suggested, successful immigrants demonstrate just for the illusion of increased security. – ultimately, a few thousands. I, by their choice and gumption in choosing a new life that they personally, prefer those odds when are worthy of respect. As one writer says, “God damn you if As many others have observed, the it comes to catching terrorists and the only two words you can fi nd to put together when talking enemies of immigration are using mass-murderers. about people who leave their homelands to seek a better life the “terrorism issue” as a bootstrap to push their own abiding agenda for themselves and their families are ‘illegal aliens.’ Besides, we wouldn’t be violating to “stem the tide.” If thousands of anyone’s rights – and that might be a Letting peaceful people pass borders freely is both moral and undocumented and untraceable good thing, too. practical. Just over one hundred years since Emma Lazarus’s aliens are slipping into this country poem was laid at the foot of Liberty’s stature, it would be good every day, how on earth can we to think that its simple sentiments were once more heard prevent more mass-murderers from But would somebody tell these throughout the world. Let freedom reign once again -- and God getting in? yahoos that it would be a whole damn to hell those who would close off freedom to peaceful lot EASIER for the border patrol to immigrants. Unfortunately, this increase in nativist stop a terrorist from oozing in if we fury at illegal immigration has infl amed LEGALIZED as much immigration This piece originally appeared at the blog ‘Not PC,’ at – and as many illegals – as possible. www.pc.blogspot.com/2006/04/closing-borders.html recent immigrants themselves – as the recent and sizeable demonstrations And the sooner the better, please.

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When America developed a welfare state together when talking about people who and immigrants entered expressly to take leave their homelands to seek a better life advantage of it, the familiar arguments for themselves and their families are ‘illegal ensued. Numerical restrictions were aliens.’” established, and various criteria for entry – skills, family ties, need, refugee status, In the New Zealand context, TFR rejects etc – were experimented with. The welfare the envy-ridden xenophobia of those who state is the death of open immigration. The fear they might pick up ‘diseases’ from otherwise laudable Schengen agreement in immigrants like hard work and enterprise, today’s Europe is only possible by enforcing and supports letting all peaceful people into the paraphernalia of welfarism across all the the country who are prepared to present an countries of modern Europe. open return air ticket and sign a declaration As a corollary of the principle of freedom of that they will not request or accept any movement libertarians favour completely form of fi nancial assistance from the state open borders, while acknowledging that (on pain of having to use the return ticket!). terrorism, refugees and welfare systems Programmes for private sponsorship are have complicated the implementation of also possible of immigrants and refugees this principle. The refugee ship Tampa are also possible, which was essentially, if As with compulsory income tax, it is salutary symbolised the latter two complications, belatedly, the solution found for Zaoui. to remind ourselves that extensive border and showed up the hard heart of welfarism. controls are a recent invention. Prior to this Ahmed Zaoui symbolises the last. Ending Such a policy, in conjunction with the century, the United States in particular was welfarism and commencing private progressive removal of government from a model of unfettered right of entry (the sponsorship of entrants solves both most areas and attendant reduction in tax forced entry of black slaves and exclusion ‘complications.’ levels, would encourage people keen to of Chinese being ignoble exceptions). The make a success of their lives to come to paraphernalia of immigration, or mere travel Despite these complications, libertarians New Zealand to do so. Equally, it would – passports, visas, exit permits, quota recognise however that as author Robert discourage the deadbeats and loafers numbers, etc – were not required. People 16 Heinlein suggested, successful immigrants who have often been the benefi ciaries made the journey at their own expense and risk, knowing that on arrival they would demonstrate just by their choice and of our immigration system. And it would have to support themselves. Not all enjoyed gumption in choosing a new life that challenge two particularly pernicious forms or conquered, so that between a quarter they are worthy of respect. As one sober of collectivism that are rife in New Zealand and a third of all pre-1920 immigrants left commentator says, “God damn you if – racism and xenophobia. That too would again voluntarily. the only two words you can fi nd to put be no bad thing.

July-August—The Free Radical Visit ‘The Free Radical online’ at: www.FreeRadical.co.nz GEORGE REISMAN FREE SPEECH Immigration Plus Solving Welfare State Illegal Equal Police State Immigration In what seems to be the last straw for Illegal immigrants are overwhelming the resources of the Welfare courageous Ayaan Hirsi Ali, the Dutch State: government–funded hospital emergency rooms are fi lled with Immigration Minister has now revoked her passport, following which Ali has them; public schools are fi lled with their children. On the basis of such resigned her seat in parliament and complaints, many people are angry and want to close the border to new suggested it’s time to move to the States. US Assistant Secretary of State Robert illegal immigrants and deport those who are already here. Zoellick said she’s welcome any time. As Andrei says at Sir Humphrey’s, “Holland’s They want to keep new illegal immigrants criticism based on the allegation that they in loss will be America’s gain.” Sure will. out with fences along the border. It is not particular are making the burden intolerable. clear whether the fences would contain Which raises two questions, the fi rst intermittent watchtowers with searchlights The implementation of the rights both of the and machine guns. The illegal immigrants immigrants and of the taxpayers requires both asked and answered by the who are already here would be ferreted the abolition of the Welfare State. Ending Washington Post: “Is it possible to out by threatening anyone who employed the Welfare State will end any problem condemn Muslim extremism and still them with severe penalties and making of immigrants being a public burden. live among the Dutch? Maybe not.” it a criminal offense not to report them. Of course, ending the Welfare State is much And here’s my question for Americans: This is a classic illustration of Mises’s principle easier said than done, and it is almost certainly Why doesn’t the US treat all prospective that prior government intervention into the not going to be eliminated even in order to immigrants with such warmth? economic system breeds later intervention. avoid the environment of a police state. Here the application of his principle is, start with the Welfare State, end with the Police State. A But the burdens of the Welfare State The case of Hirsi Ali highlights again the police state is what is required effectively to stop and the consequent resentment against great immigration debate, and on that substantial illegal immigration that has become immigrants could at the very least be subject Harry Binswanger cuts to the a major burden because of the Welfare State. substantially reduced by means of some chase once again. You want a solution relatively simple, common-sense reforms in The philosophy of individual rights and the direction of greater economic freedom. to the ‘problem of illegal immigration? capitalism implies that foreigners have a right Here it is1: 17 to come and to live and work here, i.e., to In a future posting, I’ll explain how not only The problem of “illegal” immigration immigrate into the United States. The land the problem of chronically crowded hospital can be solved at the stroke of a pen: of the United States is owned by individuals emergency rooms but also the whole so- legalize immigration. Screen all you and voluntary associations of individuals, called crisis of the medically uninsured, which want (though I want damn little), but such as private business fi rms. It is not certainly applies to all illegal immigrants, could remove the quotas. Phase them out owned by the United States government be radically reduced, if not entirely eliminated, over a 5- or 10-year period. Grant or by the American people acting as a by introducing some simple economic collective; indeed many of the owners of land freedoms into medical care. immediate, unconditional amnesty to in the United States are not Americans, but all “illegal” immigrants. foreign nationals, including foreign investors. This article is copyright © 2006, by George As America considers the ‘problem’ of The private owners of land have the right to Reisman, author of George Reisman is illegal immigration, there’s no better time use or sell or rent their land for any peaceful the author of Capitalism: A Treatise on for the US to have offered a safe haven to purpose. This includes employing immigrants Economics (Ottawa, Illinois: Jameson Books, Hirsi Ali -- America once again performs and selling them food and clothing and all 1996) and is Pepperdine University Professor other goods, and selling or renting housing Emeritus of Economics.. the role for which it was born: a safe haven to them. If individual private landowners are from oppression; and Europe once again willing to accept the presence of immigrants His homepage is www.capitalism.net, and performs the role it has chosen for itself: on their property as employees, customers, or his blog www. georgereisman.com/blog. bureaucratic bungling. Ali’s bureaucratic tenants, that should be all that is required for ejection from the Netherlands has at the immigrants to be present. Anyone else who a stroke made her a poster woman for attempts to determine the presence of absence open immigration, just as she was before of immigrants is simply an interfering busybody the poster woman highlighting Muslim ready to use a gun or club to impose his will. oppression of women. At the same time, however, the philosophy of individual rights and capitalism implies that the This piece originally appeared at the immigrants do not have a right to be supported blog ‘Not PC’ www.pc.blogspot.com at public expense, which is a violation of the (Footnotes) rights of the taxpayers. Of course, it is no less 1 Harry Binswanger, ‘The Solution to a violation of the rights of the taxpayers when “Illegal Immigration,’ www.capmag. native-born individuals are supported at public com/article.asp?ID=4675 expense. The immigrants are singled out for Hirsi Ali: Rejected, but not dejected.

Visit ‘The Free Radical online’ at: www.FreeRadical.co.nz July-August—The Free Radical OWEN MCSHANE GLOBAL WARMING The New Zealand Climate Science Coalition: The Birth Of A Gad-Fly Earlier this year Victoria University played host to the “Climate Change is real, but suggesting that Kyoto is a wrong- headed response. and Governance Conference.” Some of my colleagues reject all but the fi rst statement above – they acknowledge that The brochures announced: fury. The only competitor would be the debate the earth is warming, but insist that such between the evolutionists and the creationists warming (and cooling) is nothing unusual, and “There is now little doubt that climate – and that is more a debate between science it’s not catastrophic. The end result is that change represents one of the greatest and and religion than between confl icting science. the skeptics tend to be tolerant of dispute most urgent challenges faced by the world But we could say the same about global and dissent because we do not necessarily community.” warming. agree among ourselves. The believers are not only intolerant of dissent – they are convinced The organisers really meant it. Some local Furthermore, the insistence that “consensus” that all skeptics must be motivated by greed “climate change skeptics” expected to be has now settled the matter is part of a larger or other evil forces. Greenpeace in particular invited to speak but soon found they were not attack on science, lead by a group of post- assumes that anyone who is not a true welcome. The organisers had decided that modernist sociologists and the like. Most believer in the global warming faith is in the “the science was settled” and that anyone of the recent history of science theory is a pay of Exxon or other “multinationals.” who remained unconvinced was “in denial” series of attempts by one camp after another and unworthy of a platform. to demolish the basic principles of science The “believers” even attack skeptical groups and install a new order based on political like our Climate Science Coalition because This bothered me, but my general unease and sociological collectivism. 1 They all seek we may not agree among ourselves. They see turned to anger as more and more news to replace the scientifi c method, driven by this as a weakness. They are angry because releases and commentaries following the individuals testing theory against the real world, it undermines their belief that we are all paid conference confi dently announced as “fact” with a new model in which scientifi c truth is stooges of Big Oil. If the oil companies really that the science of anthropogenic global established by a “community” arriving at a were paying us they would surely expect us warming was now “settled”, and that anyone consensus. Once consensus is reached, the all to sing the same song, presumably from remaining in denial was in the pay of the oil majority rules, and any skeptics are declared their own song-book. Naturally, they are not, companies, or a member of some lunatic to be heretics and excommunicated. and we don’t. fringe. It all sounds so depressingly familiar – and of The Debates outside the Science 18 I objected to this slur on my own integrity and course it is. the integrity of so many of my friends and Many of us are inclined to leave the debate colleagues, both here and overseas. I had What’s the Deal? to experts because climate science is so been reading several papers from the US and specialised and complex. the UK arguing the need for a “B team” to be in There are two main camps on global warming place and ready to audit and critique the next – the true “believers” and the “skeptics”. When the issue fi rst came up for discussion I report to be issued by the International Panel The true believers are committed to a “global tended to accept the theory and focused my on Climate Change (IPCC) early in 2007. warming creed” that goes something like attention on proposed policy responses such this: as the Kyoto protocol, carbon credits and so I was prepared to convene such a group in on. New Zealand but did not have the time to • The planet is warming. administer the process. To my delight, Terry • This warming is more rapid, and My doubts became seriously “concrete” when Dunleavy said “Let’s do it!” and offered to temperatures are higher than has been I heard a NIWA offi cer make a presentation be the Honorary Secretary and handle the experienced over the last few thousand based on the Mann “Hockey stick.” This administration and the web page. Contrary years. “hockey stick” describes a graph which to Greenpeace mythology none of those • This warming is caused by human activity presents stable world temperatures over the who supported the idea were in the pay of and the burning of fossil fuels in particular. last two thousand years but which suddenly oil companies or other “big business” and so • The International Panel on Climate Change fl ip upwards around the mid-twentieth the whole operation had to be fi nanced on a has gathered together all necessary expert century. This sudden upward turn (the end of shoe-string. opinion and has reached a consensus the hockey stick) is then projected forwards view – the matter is settled. in time to predict high global temperatures in The New Zealand Climate Science Coalition • The survival of the human race and indeed future. (Which actually has not happened.) was born. the “planet” is at stake. When this had sunk in I asked the obvious • The “precautionary principle” requires question: “What about the medieval What Consensus? immediate action. benign period and the Little Ice Age which • The Kyoto protocol is a fi rst of many steps followed?” First, scientifi c validity is not determined by a we must take to avert catastrophe. The reply was truly stunning – evidently these show of hands. historical events never happened, or if they On the other hand, global warming skeptics did, they were extremely local and confi ned to Second, there is probably no area of science may reject all, some, or only one of these maybe England and France. which is less settled than the theory of beliefs. For example, Bjorn Lomborg was anthropogenic global warming. A visit to any charged with scientifi c heresy and had Standard history tells a different story. of the climate science web pages and blogs pies thrown in his face – quite literally -- for During the benign period of the 11th to 13th reveals an ongoing debate full of sound and accepting that anthropogenic global warming

July-August—The Free Radical Visit ‘The Free Radical online’ at: www.FreeRadical.co.nz centuries, Europe was certainly, and the rest of the world probably, some few degrees warmer than today. This benign period saw civilisations fl ourish in Europe, Asia and South America. Europeans used their agricultural surplus to build the great cathedrals, the Cambodians built their temples, and the South Americans built their Mayan and Aztec monuments. The Polynesian navigators explored the Pacifi c, reaching as far south as New Zealand. The Norsemen crossed the North Atlantic and settled Iceland, Greenland and Newfoundland.

Then came the “Little Ice Age” of the 14th century. Europe’s food production collapsed defects. We detail these errors and defects. The benign medieval period is real. The mini-ice-age is and an under-nourished population was We then apply MBH98 methodology to the real.The “Hockey Stick” is a fraud. vulnerable to a wave of plagues that wiped out construction of a Northern Hemisphere 40% of the European population. Agricultural average temperature index for the 1400- The New Zealand Climate Science Coalition surpluses dried up, temple building stopped, 1980 period, using corrected and updated has a major “point of difference” when and tribal warfare fl ourished as people fought source data. The major fi nding is that the compared to similar groupings round the over scarce food resources. The Polynesians values in the early 15th century exceed any world. Our Coalition has a science panel, stopped visiting New Zealand and the values in the 20th century. The particular an economics panel, and a policy panel. Norseman retreated from Iceland, Greenland “hockey stick” shape derived in the This allows us to separate out the science, and North America. The Viking long ships MBH98 proxy construction … is primarily economic and policy debates. were iced up in their harbours and the English, an artefact of poor data handling, obsolete The Coalition web page suggests that the Portuguese and Spaniards came out to play. data and incorrect calculation of principal only real “consensus” is that the economic This is common knowledge. My library components. input into the IPCC process is junk. No one contains some 5,000 books; I suspect that has challenged the Henderson essays which over half of them bear some testament to In other words the “hockey stick” diagram is say so. these historical events. a fraud. So, please visit our site and explore the Most educated people should know that When McIntyre and McKitrick re-worked essays. In particular, if you are not a scientist the benign medieval period and the little ice the basis data, using honest analysis and or statistician read the papers by Henderson, age really did happen. Indeed the plagues of constructions, they found that the base Dutton and Kasper, and Lord Lawson. the mini-ice age helped destroy faith in the data revealed just what any historian would established Church, and hence helped trigger expect. You will fi nd there are many reasons to be the Renaissance, and drove up the price of skeptical without having to enter the realms labour, which helped trigger the Agricultural The benign period did exist, was followed by of climate science and advanced statistics. and Industrial Revolutions. a Little Ice Age, and the globe has been slowly After all, if the world population goes into warming ever since. collapse around the turn of the century, and 19 That’s why we are all where we are today. if we continue to improve energy effi ciency The McIntyre and McKitrick This debate over the Hockey Stick was a per unit of production we will meet all manner Rebuttal revelation to me because it demonstrated that of Greenhouse gas targets. We will not need the debate went well outside the debate about to make current generations poorer for some climate science. This was about statistics claimed benefi t of people in future whose This notion that warming may be good for us and their interpretation. Bjorn Lomborg was annual incomes will make them all “income posed a serious challenge to the IPCC and the attacked for being “just a statistician” but millionaires.” climate-change industry. The IPCC needed to most of the running debate is about statistics re-write history. Dr Mann and his colleagues and their interpretation. And if you want, please join our Coalition.3 were only too willing to oblige and in 1998 they came up with the “hockey stick” theory. (Footnotes) The next revelation came from the papers by (Proxy Data Base and Northern Hemispheric 1 See Terry Corcoran: Climate Consensus and the Henderson and Castles2 which looked at the Average Temperature Series.) End of Science, at: www.canada.com/nationalpost/ economic inputs to the models and found news/story.html?id=d35ca1eb-50b8-4546-8950- them equally fl awed. Castles declared the Then, Energy and Environment published ca9ad18eb252 inputs had been manipulated to generate the a paper by McIntyre and McKitrick which 2 All the papers and authors mentioned here can be more extreme scenarios. Henderson agrees, revealed fraud on an unsuspected scale. found on the NZ Climate Coalition web page or on and both insist that Government demand their These statisticians have had access to the the links. Treasuries and Economic advisers become base data which Mann, Bradley and Hughes TFR encourages your visit to: www.climatescience.org.nz more involved in the IPCC process. used to generate their famous “hockey stick”, 3 Go to the web page and click on “Contact”. and have checked out their methods. Their abstract, which is a damning indictment of the Mann research methodology reads:

ABSTRACT: The data set of proxies of past climate used in Mann, Bradley and Hughes (1998, “MBH98” hereafter) for the estimation of temperatures from 1400 to 1980 contains collation errors, unjustifi able truncation or extrapolation of source data, obsolete data, geographical location errors, incorrect calculation of principal components and other quality control

Visit ‘The Free Radical online’ at: www.FreeRadical.co.nz July-August—The Free Radical JANET ALBRECHTSEN POLITICS Our Pathetic Addiction To Big Government WHAT is it with this country’s budget obsession? Newspapers devote concerns go out the window. O’Rourke points to second wives, riding around with the entire sections to tracking the winners and the losers. Being rather middle-aged men in the Porsches, who shop at Neiman Marcus (think girl heaven) as this canny, presumably editors know what readers want. But the “what’s in type of spender.

it for me” obsession is matched only by that other obsession that rarely And fi nally, when you spend other people’s gets any attention. money on other people you don’t give a damn. That would be government. It’s so bad that even the Fairfax press is editorialising on It’s the “what can you do for me?” addiction to The comparison was even more embarrassing the dopey Government running the country’s big government. for NSW before Helen Clark took offi ce and largest state economy. began quietly rebuilding the state edifi ce, If you look around, big government surrounds boosting the public service by about 25 per Last week The Australian Financial Review us. And we seem to love it. If signifi cant tax cent, or 10,000 extra bureaucrats, in the past suggested the NSW Government “should be reform has eluded us again, it’s because there fi ve years alone. It’s getting to the point where looking to the example of the former Kennett is no constituency for putting our bloated Kiwis call their tax department the “tax army” government in Victoria, which transformed governments on a diet. Indeed, the opposite because it’s growing at a faster rate than the the then rust-belt state’s economy by shaking seems to be true. Everywhere we turn, there NZ defence forces. up state-owned businesses and hospitals, is a clamour for governments to step in, hand privatising the energy and transport industries out, lift up. For every evil, there must be a Delivering big government is an expensive and slashing state debt”. government remedy. business. Just ask a NSW resident. Ballooning public expenditure - spending on health and Unfortunately there are two reasons why Instead of pushing for small government, education is about 50 per cent higher than it the Iemma Government probably won’t do the Howard Government continues to draft was fi ve years ago - has left no room for tax that. First, the NSW Labor Government is more and more people to the cause of big cuts. In its latest report, Access Economics beholden to its union paymasters. Cutting the government by collecting taxes and handing sums it up in fi ve words: “How the mighty have state’s bloated public service means cutting them back, somewhat redistributed, in the fallen.” Squandered taxes; falling economic off campaign fi nance. That’s why attempts at form of family tax benefi ts. But this is not growth; rising unemployment; people and reform, to date, have been only half-hearted. simply, or even mainly, a complaint about the businesses are moving to other states. Recall former treasurer Michael Egan being federal Government’s failure, once again, to booed off stage at the 1997 state Labor 20 bring about real tax reform. As government And increased public spending and the conference for proposing privatisation of the spending goes, a churning exercise that abundance of NSW public servants have state’s electricity industry. The reforms were sends money back to taxpayers is at the soft not translated into an abundance of public duly canned. drug end of the addiction spectrum because services. Ask any Sydneysider about public at least people receiving welfare benefi ts get transport or public schools, or a resident The second reason brings us full circle. to choose how they spend it. of regional or country NSW about public Australians, sadly, seem to like big hospitals. government. They won’t vote to slash the What’s worse is the growth in the government size of government until, as in Victoria, big beast. Here, the real culprits are the state With a hungry public service to feed, it’s no interventionist government has brought the governments; especially NSW. A Kiwi friend wonder that NSW has been dragged kicking state to the door of the bankruptcy court. told me recently he was astonished at the and screaming to the table over the GST deal. Then, as Jeff Kennett discovered, as soon nanny state he discovered when he landed on That deal meant a new tax, the GST, would as voters have forgotten about the last crisis, our shores. It sounded a bit rich coming from replace a plethora of other taxes. Last week, they will vote the taxers and spenders back a citizen of Helengrad. Until you add some the slow-moving NSW Government fi nally into government. numbers to the accusation. agreed to abolish fi ve stamp duties. But with a six-year timetable for abolition, all the Iemma So don’t blame politicians for your tax bills. NSW has about 380,000 state and local Government is doing is bequeathing tax cuts If we want lower taxes, we need to wean public servants servicing a population of to its successor in power. ourselves off government services and the 6.7 million people. And that’s not counting belief that the answer to every problem is that more than 40,000 public servants working Big government is not smart government. the government ought to “do something”. in government-owned businesses. With a In fact, big government is usually dumb As a Massachusetts governor, William Weld, population of about four million, that should government. Why? Because it can be. once said, it’s not just a case of governments mean that New Zealand should have about Remember P.J. O’Rourke’s All the Trouble in doing more with less. It’s about governments 225,000 public servants. Right? the World? He quoted Milton Friedman on the doing less with less. When that realisation four ways money is spent. When you spend dawns, we may discover that most things the Wrong. According to Statistics New Zealand, your money on yourself, you’re keen to get the government can do, we can do better and a our cousins across the Tasman have fewer thing you want most at the best price. Think whole lot cheaper. than 69,000 public servants. That’s one middle-aged men haggling with a Porsche This column originally appeared in The public servant for every 58 New Zealanders, dealer. When you spend your money on other Australian, May 2006 compared with one NSW public servant for people, you still want a bargain but you’re less Correction: In her column Janet Albrechtsen compared every 17.5 NSW residents. The comparison interested in pleasing the recipients of your the size of the public services in Australia and NZ using only gets worse when you realise the NZ spending. That’s why children get underwear fi gures put out by the Australian Bureau of Statistics and fi gure includes almost 12,000 defence force at Christmas. Statistics NZ. The comparison was incorrect because personnel and other public servants who, in the fi gures from SNZ did not include some public sector areas that were included in the ABS fi gures. As a result, Australia, would be working for the federal When you spend other people’s money on the size of the public service in NZ is much larger than Government. yourself, you get what you want but price indicated in the column.

July-August—The Free Radical Visit ‘The Free Radical online’ at: www.FreeRadical.co.nz PETER CRESSWELL Cue Card HEROES Libertarianism -- Government Government: Ideally, the agency that protects our freedom; in practice, the agency that most routinely violates it. If political freedom is the absence of compulsion, then a free society must have Mark Inglis. Hero laws defi ning and banning compulsion, which are in effect an extension of each individual’s A brief word on the issue of Mark Inglis, his heroic climb and the tragic right of self-defence. To formulate such laws and oversee their administration – that, in a death of David Sharp. free society, is the proper role of government. Government should be confi ned to this role by a constitution. It should be chosen and fi nanced Many people including Sir Ed have ques- essary to get up the mountain and to get back by the citizens whose freedom it is to defend, tioned the morality of Mark Inglis walking past down again - a return journey without which and their vote should be restricted to conferring the dying David Sharp. Many details have no mission can have any success -- and his a mandate to uphold freedom, not extended emerged of what happened 8000m up in efforts and his planning were fully and neces- to a mandate to deny it. All citizens should the death zone -- a sarily focussed on then be equally beholden to the laws that are promulgated. place so inhospi- that goal. To put this another way: table to human life Inglis’s heroism consisted in fully “All men are created equal [before the law]; that at times just preparing himself, and in doing That goal took all his they are endowed by their creator with certain surviving is all you work. He physically inalienable rights; among these rights are the everything that was necessary to can do -- including life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; to get up the mountain and to get had no capacity for secure these rights, governments are instituted the news that other anything more. He back down again - a return jour- among men, deriving their just powers from the expeditions and In- knew that, he knew consent of the governed.” (US Declaration of glis’s own sherpas ney without which no mission how close to the Independence.) did investigate Dav- Or: can have any success -- and his edge his own climb id Sharp and con- “Every individual has the right to use force for efforts and were fully and neces- was even with all cluded no help was lawful self-defence. It is for this reason that the the preparation he collective force – which is only the organised possible to him. sarily focussed on that goal. had done, and his combination of the individual forces – may subsequent frost- lawfully be used for the same purpose; and Morality pertains to it cannot be used legitimately for any other actions over which you have a choice, over bite is testament to how fi ne that line was. purpose.” (Frederic Bastiat) Or: which it is possible to do something. David “If physical force is to be barred from social Sharp chose to ascend the mountain unac- And given the dozens of other fully able-bod- relationships, men need an institution charged companied, and it seems insuffi cently pre- 21 ied people in Inglis’s party and on the moun- with the task of protecting their rights under an pared. That seems to have been a bad choice. tain that day, I’m not sure why Inglis became objective code of rules. As for Mark Inglis, given the challenges he This is the task of government–of a proper the focus for the fury in any case, even if it faced as a double amputee in just getting government—it’s basic task, its only moral were deserved. Which it isn’t. Mark Inglis, you justifi cation and the reason why mean do need back from the summit himself, I’m not sure are a hero. Explorers like Robert Falcon Scott, a government. A government is the means what he could possibly have done anyway. of placing the retaliatory use of physical force Inglis’s heroism consisted in fully preparing whose own preparation was suicidally shod- under objective control—ie., under objectively himself, and in doing everything that was nec- dy, could have learned a lot from you. defi ned laws.” [Ayn Rand] That is the moral justifi cation for government. In practice however, government does not so much protect its citizens from coercion as impose it upon them. It sends them to war (conscription), confi scates and debases their earnings (taxation and infl ation), imposes distorting constraints on their trade (tariffs, subsidies, needless regulations) places conditions on their freedom of movement (immigration and customs controls) restricts their access to ideas and information, their freedom of thought and speech (censorship) tries to dictate their values (anti-discrimination legislation) and destroys their property rights [environmental and planning legislation]. Historically, Government is the Mafi a made legal. “It forbids private murder, but itself organises murder on a colossal scale. It punishes private theft, but itself lays unscrupulous hands on anything it wants.” (Albert Jay Nock.) New Zealand governments have departed little from this general picture. The violent overthrow of governments that initiate force against their citizens is always morally justifi able, even if not practically feasible.

Visit ‘The Free Radical online’ at: www.FreeRadical.co.nz July-August—The Free Radical FREE RADICAL SPECIAL: Sedition Trial

PETER CRESSWELL Sedition Verdict Gives New Meaning To ‘Helengrad’ Another nail in Liberty’s great coffi n: A man has been charged and with which it occurred and the paucity of real opposition -- it now seems the ‘trial balloon’ convicted of, wait for it, sedition has been a success, and the way is clear to threaten all manner of political opposition. Not in the nineteenth century, but today. Not in Now, note too that this charge has not been time of war or great confl ict, but in the “benign brought under the Prime-Ministership of And who in all fairness could now rise up in strategic environment” that is the South William Massey, nor under that of Robert protest? Pacifi c. Not in a third-world banana republic -- Muldoon -- nor even under the wartime not in a Kafka-esque, Eastern European Soviet Prime-Ministership of Peter Fraser -- but in It’s hard to express the necessary outrage at hell-hole -- not even in Mugabe’s Zimbabwe - peacetime under the leadership of Helen this verdict. For political debate in this country, - but here, today, in Auckland’s District Court. Elizabeth Clark, who herself just over twenty- it is chilling. It is a clear, frontal assault by Convicted of sedition for an act of vandalism fi ve years ago was engaged in her own acts of the executive on political expression in this in Sandringham Rd eighteen months ago that vandalism and civil disobedience up and down country -- and the judiciary has just handed was accompanied by fi ve -- count them, fi ve Sandringham Rd and various other streets Helengrad an outright victory. I would like to -- fi ve leafl ets scattered down Ponsonby Rd around the Eden Park of 1981 that was then call on all of you to rise up in protest at this early one morning that tried to explain the ‘occupied’ by a Springbok team. The same outrageous abuse of state power. I would like vandalism, and invited NZers to “commit Helen Clark who then appeared to value open to, but I can’t. The law doesn’t allow me to. their own acts of Civil Disobedience” in and vigorous debate -- even with fl our bombs, opposition to the Foreshore and Seabed Act. broken glass and lengths of four by two. The That’s how chilling it is. same Helen Clark who herself was once said It’s not exactly Michael Collins or Lord Haw Haw, to value the civil disobedience of Henry David As former Labour Prime Minister Geoffrey is it? It’s not even John Minto or Mike Smith. Thoreau, of Martin Luther King, of Mohandas Palmer said back in 1989, “Libelling the Karamchand Gandhi. government must be permitted in a free 22 But for those actions, a jury this afternoon society.” It is apparent from today’s verdict that found one Tim Selwyn guilty of an intention How easy it is to become a the label ‘free society’ to describe this country to “bring into hatred or contempt, or to dictator. would from this time on be erroneous. And how excite disaffection against” the Queen or many people really do give a shit about that. the government and to incite “violence, Free speech and open political expression disorder, and lawlessness.” In other words were once considered a great value by Ake! Ake! Ake! for vandalising the PM’s electorate offi ce, Helen and her ilk. Free speech and the and then boasting about it, Mr Selwyn right to the free expression of political views Tim Selwyn makes his own comment now faces two years in prison. Not for were once something supported by the left. on the verdict at his blog, Tumeke. You simple vandalism, for which he’s already With one or two noble exceptions however, can read it at www.tumeke.blogspot. been properly convicted. But for sedition. the blog No Right Turn heading the list, not com/2006/06/enemy-propaganda.html. one has raised a decent voice in opposition to this case. It seems that free speech as a left-wing value is dead. Carry out the coffi n. And then shoot the pall-bearers.

As No Right Turn has noted before, the legal defi nition of sedition is so broad as to criminalise virtually any criticism of the government. If today’s political opposition were doing their job properly, they should fall guilty of sedition every day of the week. Not likely today, however. And not one word either in opposition to this case from any of today’s supine, brain-dead, morally-castrated, principle-free opposition.

A sedition trial is rare. So rare most people can’t even remember the last time a troublesome political opponent was tried for the offence. The only thing really stopping prosecution under this Act has been the odium in which cases of sedition were held. With this case and this verdict however -- and given the ease

July-August—The Free Radical Visit ‘The Free Radical online’ at: www.FreeRadical.co.nz FREE SPEECH FREE RADICAL SPECIAL: Sedition Trial

IDIOT/SAVANT, FROM THE BLOG NO RIGHT TURN

A Shameful Verdict Tim Selwyn has been found guilty of sedition. This is a shameful verdict, What of those words? Aren’t they an incitement to violence? The best response to and a major step backwards for freedom of speech in this country. this comes from US Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes in his famous dissent in Gitlow v. People. Holmes pointed out the Punishing people for their words and people, or to incite the public to bring about simple truth that: intentions rather than their actions should constitutional change by unlawful means. require meeting a very high threshold, and Numerous legal commentators, including Sir Every idea is an incitement. It offers itself for one which our sedition law, with its vague belief, and, if believed, it is acted on unless references to “violence, disorder, and Kenneth Keith and the great British some other belief outweighs it or some lawlessness” simply does not come close to. constitutionalist Albe rt Venn Dicey, have noted failure of energy stifl es the movement at While superfi cially covering incitements to riot that this defi nition is so broad as to criminalise its birth. The only difference between the and such, historically this law has been used virtually any criticism of the government. And expression of an opinion and an incitement to cover such “incitements” as encouraging historically, that is exactly how the law of in the narrower sense is the speaker’s civil disobediance of unjust laws (for example, sedition has been used in this country: as a enthusiasm for the result. those relating to conscription, or Depression- tool of persecution for those whose political In a free society which affi rmed the right to era unemployment taxes), encouraging opinions were deemed “non-mainstream”. freedom of speech, Holmes believed that only political opposition to government policy (for speech which attempted to induce immediate example, of Depression-era welfare policies The Maori leaders Te Whiti and Tohu were and concrete action (on the level of yelling “fi re” which discriminated against unmarried detained - but never tried - on sedition charges in a crowded theatre) could be prosecuted. workers), and selling or publishing communist following the sack of Parihaka. Later, the Anything which fell short of this - for example, literature which advocated global revolution Maori prophet Rua Kenana was prosecuted urging the violent overthrow of government and an end to capitalism at some undefi ned for supposed disloyalty to Britain. Various Irish at some indefi nite time in the future - was point in the future. leaders were also prosecuted for speaking protected. Selwyn’s fl yers clearly fall into the out against Britain’s persecution of the Irish latter category. Unfortunately, New Zealand 23 Directly inciting a riot may be “yelling ‘fi re’ - including Bishop James Liston of Auckland, law does not have any similar provision to that in a crowded theatre” - but none of this is. who was prosecuted in 1922 after criticising established by Holmes, and he is facing up to And neither were Selwyn’s pamphlets. While British atrocities during a St Patrick’s Day two year’s jail for them. encouraging “like-minded New Zealanders to speech. The Samoan independence leader take similar action of their own”, no specifi c Olaf Frederick Nelson was also prosecuted I’ll leave the fi nal words to former Prime Minister crime is being incited. Instead, it’s just a for daring to suggest that Samoans could Sir Geoffry Palmer. In a 1989 paper discussing strongly-worded call to action - and it should run their own country. But the primary targets proposed reforms to the Crimes Act, Palmer be protected as such. were members of the labour movement - and pointed out that speech which poses a threat By fi nding Selwyn guilty, the jury have later the Labour Party. Future Labour leader to public order can be prosecuted under effectively revived sedition in New Zealand, Harry Holland was prosecuted and jailed for existing laws relating to incitement, and that and opened the door to further prosecutions a speech he gave during the Great Strike of the only role of the law was to criminalise for what is effectively a political crime. And that 1913 - as were unionists Edward Hunter and criticism of the government. This, he felt, is not something any of us should welcome. Tom Barker. Later, during WWI, future Prime Minister Peter Fraser, and future cabinet ...should not be a crime in a democratic I’ve been told that Selwyn will likely appeal to ministers Bob Semple, Tim Armstrong, and society committed to free speech. Libelling the the High Court on BORA grounds, and we future Labour MP James Thorn were all jailed government must be permitted in a free society. just have to hope he succeeds. for speaking out against the government’s I agree wholeheartedly. This law is an archaic policy of conscription. One - Paddy Webb - holdover from feudalism which should have Some History was even an MP at the time; he was jailed for been relegated to the dustbin of history long speaking out on the issue during a local body This was the fi rst prosecution for sedition in ago. Its revival to prosecute those encouraging election campaign in his electorate. this country for at least 75 years. opposition to government policy is not just an outrage - it is a signifi cant step backwards for It is supremely ironic then that the political Selwyn was charged with “seditious heirs of those persecuted and victimised freedom of speech in this country. conspiracy” and “making a seditious under this law - the Labour Party - are now statement”. Both charges revolve around the using it to persecute and victimise someone This commentary originally appeared at concept of a “seditious intention” - defi ned in who has spoken out against them. For that the blog ‘No Right Turn,’ www.norightturn. New Zealand law as an intention to “bring into is what Selwyn is being prosecuted for: blogspot.com. You can fi nd the ‘NRT: hatred or contempt, or to excite disaffection speaking out. The actual act of attacking the Sedition Index’ at www. norightturn. against” the Queen or the government, to electorate offi ce with an axe has been dealt blogspot.com/2005/08/sedition-index. “incite... or encourage violence, lawlessness, with under a charge of “conspiracy to commit html, and the ‘NRT: Sedition by Example’ or disorder” or any offence that is “prejudicial criminal damage”, to which Selwyn has index at www. norightturn.blogspot. to the public safety”, to incite “hostility or ill already pleaded guilty. The sedition charges com/2005/08/sedition-by-example- will” between different classes or groups of relate solely to his words, not his actions. index.html.

Visit ‘The Free Radical online’ at: www.FreeRadical.co.nz July-August—The Free Radical LINDSAY PERIGO OBJECTIVISM In Praise Of Objectivist Rage Delivered July 6, 2006, at Borders, Orange, California, as part of a with a forked tongue.

book-signing event featuring Mr. James Valliant autographing his Objectivism’s cardinal virtue is rationality, recently-published ‘The Passion of Ayn Rand’s Critics.’ living by one’s mind, neither at the expense of one’s emotions nor controlled by them, so if its founder spent a signifi cant portion of her I speak to you tonight as an enthusiastic case conclusively that it was the children waking hours displaying an irrational anger, adherent to the philosophy that will save who were—and are—wicked and Ayn Rand let’s say, then she could not be said to be western civilization: Objectivism. I speak as who was the innocent party. Her own journal living by her philosophy. an ardent, though not blind, admirer of the entries, reproduced in the book, establish that woman who formulated that philosophy: Ayn beyond reasonable doubt. That is precisely what the Brandens do Rand. I speak as someone whose admiration say about Ayn Rand. My contention is that for Ayn Rand was tempered for many years Why does it matter? Isn’t what’s important they’re wrong, and that they’re not wrong by a belief that her character was signifi cantly Ayn Rand’s philosophy, not her character; innocently—under the guise of repudiating fl awed. This belief was derived from two whether it’s true, not whether she happened irrational anger, the Brandens, Barbara in books: The Passion of Ayn Rand, by Barbara to live up to it? Well, you might say that of particular, are really campaigning against Branden, and Judgement Day, by Nathaniel any other philosopher, but you may not say rational anger, against the very possibility of Branden. These books painted a picture it about Rand. Fundamental to Rand’s whole such a thing, against anger as such, period. of Ayn Rand as a genius with monumental approach to philosophy is that if you can’t live Why? Because the Brandens, in their shortcomings—a propensity to divorce by it, it’s useless and can’t be good; if you own anger against Ayn Rand, do not wish logic from reality, engage in moral hysteria, substitute intimidation for argument, cut her friends off without good reason, manipulate her protégés into doing her bidding (including, Fundamental to Rand’s whole approach to philosophy is in one case, her sexual bidding, thus driving that if you can’t live by it, it’s useless and can’t be good; her husband to drink) and then dishonestly 24 rationalize her shortcomings as virtues and if you can live by it and it is good and you don’t live by it, call them part of her philosophy. you’re a hypocrite.

For two decades, inexplicably, Ayn Rand’s defenders made no comment on these portraits, inclining people like me to think they can live by it and it is good and you don’t live Objectivism to succeed, all their protestations must be accurate, and thus always to temper by it, you’re a hypocrite. For her there is no to the contrary notwithstanding, and wish it our advocacy of Objectivism with disclaimers theory/practice dichotomy; the moral is the to declare the unilateral moral and emotional about the conduct of its founder. As one of practical—so there’s no excuse not to behave disarmament to which the repudiation of us put it recently, without saying so or even with integrity. As she put it, “Integrity is loyalty anger would be tantamount. recognizing it explicitly we looked upon Ayn to one’s convictions and values; it is the policy Rand as “the wicked witch of Objectivism.” To of acting in accordance with one’s values, of Right now, as I speak, the Brandens are literally which I would add, we saw the Brandens as expressing, upholding and translating them over the road, peddling their angerless version its Hansel and Gretel—innocent, intellectually- into physical reality.” She famously said that of Objectivism to an ostensibly Objectivist starved children lured into the witch’s house, her personal life was a Post-Script to her gathering in a group-grope session called ostensibly for philosophical nourishment, but novels, whose heroes embodied her values, “Objectivist Community.” I say “ostensibly” really to be eaten up … except that in this consisting of the words, “And I mean it!” because the organization whose honored case they pushed her into the oven after she So if Ayn Rand did not live according to her guests they are recently saw fi t to change its died of natural causes! philosophy, by her own lights we are entitled name from The Objectivist Center (TOC) to The Atlas Society (TAS), since they deem the term “Atlas” to be less “intimidating” than the word Let me reiterate that there is someone Barbara exempts “Objectivist.” “Objectivist” apparently frightens the horses, and as the sensitive souls over the from her anti-anger regime: herself. road might say: oh my, we can’t have that. I can’t help contrast the tepid, timorous timidity of this coven of cowards with the boldness Reading James Valliant’s book, The Passion to dismiss it or condemn her. Objectivism displayed by Objectivism’s adversaries. Marx of Ayn Rand’s Critics, made me realize the above all else is a philosophy for living on and Engels in The Communist Manifesto, for Brandens’ accounts were a self-serving earth; if its founder didn’t live by it, then either instance: “Communists disdain to conceal bunch of bull. Prosecutor Valliant makes the it couldn’t be lived by or she was speaking their views and aims. They openly declare that

July-August—The Free Radical Visit ‘The Free Radical online’ at: www.FreeRadical.co.nz OBJECTIVISM their ends can be attained only by the forcible In this last statement, Mimi was noting a lectures, and for turning on a questioner overthrow of all existing social conditions. Let phenomenon that no one who knew Ayn during an appearance on the Donahue TV the ruling classes tremble at a Communist well failed to observe: a series of angry show. This is as good an example as any to revolution.” Over the road, they disdain not to ruptures with people who had been her cite of Ms. Branden’s mindset on the matter conceal the very name of their philosophy, lest friends, accompanied by condemnations at hand. She writes: naming it should cause anyone to It was a disaster. A young woman in tremble, them most of all! the audience asked Ayn a question which made it clear that she thought In any event, not only are the her former admiration for Ayn’s work Brandens right now touting their had been an aberration of youth— supposedly kinder gentler version of and Ayn, offended and insulted, the philosophy that dare not speak pounced angrily, shouting at the girl; its name, but Barbara has already a substantial part of the show was given a presentation on “Objectivist devoted to the exchange. Rage.” Now for some obscure reason I was not invited to attend, Now, I’ve watched that show many so I cannot report on its precise times. It could only be deemed a content. I can, however, disclose “disaster” by someone who takes the how the talk was billed by the view that one should never get angry, organization formerly known as The no matter the provocation, how Objectivist Center in its promotional justifi ed one’s anger might be. Yes, material: Ayn got angry. The young woman, exuding insolence, prefaced her It is lamentable but true that intended question with the remark a great many Objectivists— that she used to be impressed by although certainly not all—have Ayn’s work but now that she was been very angry people, given better educated … That’s as far as to excessive moralizing and she got. Ayn, alone on the stage condemnations of those who since Donahue was with the young disagree with them. Over woman, stepped in to say she would the years, Barbara Branden not answer a question framed in that has identifi ed some of the way. Pandemonium ensued, with fundamental reasons for this rage, Donahue taking the questioner’s such as the beliefs—as David side. “Don’t be so sensitive,” he 25 Kelley has noted—that ideas as scolded Ayn. “I am going to be. I such can be evil, that evasion intend to be!” she shot back. She rather than simple error, naivety, was shouting, not because she or confusion is the predominant was out of control but because the source of philosophical mistakes, and so of them for irrationality or moral treason. crowd’s jeering or cheering—mainly jeering— on. Error has become the original sin of Ayn often was warm and generous with was so loud. In defending her refusal to Objectivism. In this talk, Ms. Branden will her friends, generous with her concern, answer a question prefaced with an insult Ayn discuss the effects of excessive rage, and her time and her attention. But when, in said the woman had displayed “the quality will suggest ways in which anger can be her view, a line had been crossed, when of her brain” in asking it that way. She also addressed and brought into balance with rational judgment and reason.

When I read that, and started to prepare this To campaign against anger is to campaign against pas- talk, I wondered if Ms Branden was going to sion; to campaign against passion is to campaign against be including in her presentation something I found on the Internet: values; to campaign against values is to campaign against the mind; to campaign against the mind is ultimately, of How to Fix Anger Problems—An easy way that gets rid of anger almost instantly. course, to campaign against human life itself. Guaranteed. Free CD.

Now, just so we’re clear on this, Ms. Branden includes in the category of “very angry people” she saw an action as unjust to her, or said she had no intention of being the victim Ayn Rand herself. To quote but one passage as intellectually dishonest, or as morally of “hippies” who had abandoned politeness from her biography, The Passion of Ayn Rand, wrong, she became an avenging angel and and manners. After a few minutes of mayhem, after she cites Mimi Sutton saying Frank was the relationship ended in a burst of rage. Donahue himself asked the woman’s intended sometimes upset over Ayn’s breaks with question politely, and normal transmission people: Elsewhere in her book, Ms. Branden faults was resumed. Rand for erupting at questioners during public

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The incident occupied a few minutes of a 60- your beliefs to me, for fear of learning the attitudes from childhood on up, and then minute show. To call it a “substantial part” of exact value I fi nd in them. This is my last to hear Ayn Rand take a fi rm position and the show is precisely the kind of hyperbole communication with you. defend it with conviction – this was cause Barbara engages in when faulting folk for I suppose we are to conclude that that sort of for cheering. The audience response was their anger, as she did with my own in calling icy anger expressed loftily is acceptable, while not only to the content of her ideas, but to the manner of expressing them. She was medicine for the soul. One of Rand’s distinctive tenets is refusal to bestow what Mary Ann: All those adults who taught she calls the “sanction of the victim”—when you are us never to get angry, or if we did, not to wronged, do not sanction the wrong by acquiescing to it. express it, to hide our emotions when we were offended or felt we were being treated It’s the opposite of turning the other cheek. unjustly, to remain calm, to maintain an even keel, for God’s sake don’t blow up, no matter what – these people didn’t do us it “endless.” The show was vintage Rand— raising one’s voice is … uncouth. any favors by urging us to suppress, to live although looking unwell, she was sharp, like glazed, non-reacting creatures. focused, earnest, funny, relentlessly logical … How would Ms. Branden feel about the and yes, angry. But no one who knew Ayn or following, from Atlas Shrugged’s pianist/ Charles: When she got angry, it was was familiar with her philosophy would expect composer Richard Halley to Dagny Taggart, precisely because she was a thinker her to react to a rude question in any other attacking proponents and practitioners of the and an evaluator who was certain of her way. One of her distinctive tenets is refusal mind/body spirit/matter dichotomy? convictions. She judged something as to bestow what she calls the “sanction of right or wrong, good or evil—and she the victim”—when you are wronged, do not This, Miss Taggart, this sort of spirit, responded accordingly. She didn’t simmer sanction the wrong by acquiescing to it. courage and love for truth—as against and stew; she came to an immediate boil. It’s the opposite of turning the other cheek. a sloppy bum who goes around proudly Her thinking was not hampered and slowed “I saw that here comes a point,” says John assuring you that he has almost reached down by chronic doubt, and her emotions Galt, hero of Atlas Shrugged, “in the defeat of the perfection of a lunatic, because he’s were not suppressed or muted by it either. any man of virtue, where his own consent is an artist who hasn’t the faintest idea Moreover, her emotions never distorted or needed for evil to win—and that no manner of what his art work is or means, he’s not clouded her thinking. And the anger didn’t injury done to him can succeed if he chooses restrained by such crude concepts as last. It was over almost as soon as it began. to withhold his consent. I saw I could put ‘being’ or ‘meaning’, he’s the vehicle of an end to your outrages by pronouncing a higher mysteries, he doesn’t know how Mary Ann: I miss knowing that there is 26 single word in my mind. I pronounced it. The he created his work or why, it just came someone in the world who always speaks word was ‘No.’” In the Donahue context, Ayn out of him spontaneously, like vomit out of out, unequivocally, against irrationality and simply said “No” out loud—and a bit more a drunkard, he did not think, he wouldn’t injustice, and who not only denounces evil besides. By conventional standards, including stoop to thinking, he just felt it, all he has but defends the good. She was mankind’s Barbara Branden’s, she handled the situation to do is feel—he feels, the fl abby, loose- intellectual guardian, a soldier in the battle badly, by displaying her anger (never mind mouthed, shifty-eyed, drooling, shivering, of ideas. Her banner was always fl ying how legitimate). No doubt she would have uncongealed bastard! I ... know what high. When she died, someone made the won accolades for handling it well if she’d discipline, what effort, what tension of following comment: now anger has gone said something like, “First let me say how mind, what unrelenting strain upon one’s out of the world. And I thought, it’s true. bummed I am to learn that you think less of power of clarity are needed to produce a And it’s the world’s loss. And mine. my work now than you once did. But I guess work of art.... I can understand where you’re coming from, and, hey, I’m cool with it. I’d sure be stoked if you gave me another chance, though.” Do not be afraid to fuel your emotions with profound Let me reiterate at this point that there is someone Barbara exempts from her anti- convictions; do not be afraid to convey your anger regime: herself. Here she is on my convictions with intense emotion. SOLO site for Sense of Life Objectivists, when she was still posting there, responding to someone who had taken her to task over a few things—in each case, I might say, Ponder all of the above, I say, and, when completely justifi ably: Barbara’s response would no doubt be the next incandescent at the unspeakable plaintive whine she once posted to SOLO: deeds of terrorist maggots, at the spewings Glenn, do you really suppose that I would “There’s enough anger in the world already. of their apologists and appeasers, at the engage in a discussion with someone Why add to it?” And as I sa n, mealy- amplifi ed jungle cacophony of musical who begins it by accusing me of evading, mouthed speakers afraid to take a position terrorists such as rap “artists,” at the being driven by my emotions, and – or suggesting that there were always two sneering nihilism of the latest postmodern ignoring evidence? In future, you might sides to a question – or that nothing is black “painting,” etc., qua Objectivist and qua spare yourself the effort of announcing and white. To have been subjected to these decent human being, salute yourself for

July-August—The Free Radical Visit ‘The Free Radical online’ at: www.FreeRadical.co.nz OBJECTIVISM

feeling that way—and for the thinking that jailed once for libel, almost lynched twice and led you to. had a bounty on his head of $5000 from the legislature of Georgia who wanted to try him I quoted, in that excerpt, the anti-slavery for sedition. The Liberator was outlawed in campaigner Frederick Douglass. Another many states, with jail for anyone subscribing. such was William Lloyd Garrison, who, like Ayn Rand, upset everyone on all sides of Samuel May, a friend and fellow-abolitionist, the divide. He was a radical abolitionist, once entreated him to be more temperate. demanding the immediate repeal of slavery, “O, my friend, do try to moderate your unlike the gradualists of his time, but not indignations, and keep more cool; why, you advocating the shipping of freed slaves back are all on fi re.” Looking him straight in the eye, to Africa, unlike some other abolitionists. For Garrison replied: “Brother May, I have need to 35 years he fulminated fulsomely in his weekly be all on fi re, for I have mountains of ice about newspaper, The Liberator. He stopped only after the signing of the 13th amendment me to melt.” abolishing slavery. In his fi rst issue, he wrote about it: Ladies and gentlemen, Ayn Rand took on a battle much bigger even than the battle She is not old, she is not young, The Woman with the Serpent’s Tongue. Objectivism above all else is a philosophy for living on The haggard cheek, earth; if its founder didn’t live by it, then either it couldn’t the hungering eye, The poisoned words that wildly fl y, be lived by or she was speaking with a forked tongue. The famished face, the fevered hand, Who slights the worthiest in the land, On this subject I do not wish to think, against slavery—the battle, as she put it, Sneers at the just, condemns the brave, or speak, or write, with moderation. against the cultural tradition of 2,500 years, And blackens goodness in its grave … No! No! Tell a man whose house is on the battle against man’s enslavement to fi re to give a moderate alarm; tell him unreason in all its forms. How much more on Thanks to the valiant Valliant, we now have to moderately rescue his wife from the fi re did she have to be, and those who carry the antidote to the serpent’s venom. hands of the ravisher; tell the mother to the torch in her wake—and how squalid and gradually extricate her babe from the fi re I salute him. 27 small to fault her and them for it, just because, into which it has fallen; but urge me not to occasionally, the anger was misdirected or use moderation in a cause like the present. And to Objectivists everywhere I say, “We I am in earnest; I will not equivocate; I inappropriate?! have mountains of ice to melt, an ocean to will not retreat a single inch; and I will be conquer. Stay on fi re! Maintain the rage!” heard. The true agenda and import of Barbara Branden’s campaign against “Objectivist He was heard, all right! So ardently did he rage” is perfectly captured in William Watson’s attack the defenders of slavery that he was The Woman with the Serpent’s Tongue:

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Visit ‘The Free Radical online’ at: www.FreeRadical.co.nz July-August—The Free Radical MARCUS BACHLER ETHICS

Taking A Stand “As the opposite of bestiality it will be most suitable to speak of crowd in favour of animal testing, vastly outnumbering anti-research protestors, came superhuman virtue, or goodness on a heroic or divine scale…” to demonstrate outside the half-fi nished lab in Oxford. Their cause had coalesced around So said Aristotle in the Nicomachean Ethics. and turned into high-security enclaves. a heroic sixteen-year-old boy, Laurie Pycroft, Indeed, after years of sustained harassment who led a pro-animal testing demonstration of In the drive to get elected in 1997, UK of their employees, the Government agreed over 1,000 members of the public, including Prime Minister Tony Blair made a stupid and to allocate police to monitor and restrict the students, academic staff and scientists. cowardly promise: “a reduction and eventual illegal activities of the terrorists only after Laurie’s organisation started as a website and elimination of animal experiments.” This was major pharmaceutical companies last year blog campaign, called “Pro-Test,” dedicated in spite of the fact that there was and still is threatened to locate overseas if they didn’t. to fi ghting back against the terrorist Animal no good alternative to animal experimentation Liberation Front (ALF) and the activist group for studying human diseases, or for assessing Animal-rights groups however were fi red up by Speak. These two groups between them have the safety and effi cacy of newly developed these triumphs. When confronted with Oxford led the violent campaign to halt the building of drugs. University’s renewed resolve to continue the the £20 million animal research laboratory in building of its animal research facility last Oxford. ALF activities in Oxford have ranged Given that animal-rights terrorists at the time December, they announced that anyone from superglueing locks on building sites, to were said to have caused more damage to associated with Oxford University—students, an arson attack on Corpus Christi College’s property on mainland Britain than the IRA, this academics or staff —were legitimate targets boathouse, to vandalism of an Oxford-based was cowardly as well as stupid. As it turns for their property damage and their violence. architect‘s offi ce—while Speak has week- out, it was also a promise that was impossible on-week gathered outside the building site to deliver. And once that fact became clear The animal-rights activists claimed that and heckled and shouted at the builders and after Tony Blair’s election in 1997, the animal- all animal experiments carried out are passers-by. rights terrorists got back to work with a unnecessary, and that all experiments are vengeance. perpetrated by a conspiracy of scientists, On the day of the “Pro-Test” only the presence at the behest of big business, who justify of hundreds of police, some on horseback, Fuelled by the reluctance of Blair’s Government continuing with animal experiments only prevented the marchers from being attacked. 28 to take any action against them, the terrorists under the cover of a conspiracy of wilful fraud. On two occasions, anti-vivisectionists broke were perversely successful. After an outbreak Anyone associated with the scientists or out towards the main march before being of violence and escalating damage to property, companies involved (so runs their logic) must surrounded by police and moved away. One the results of the campaign of intimidation support the self-same conspiracy. demonstrator stood behind police with a could be seen and surveyed: more than half placard saying “Pick on someone your own the farms producing laboratory animals were Terrorist groups often come to such size” while shouting: “Animal-abusing scum, closed; the private research facility Huntingdon ‘conclusions’ on the basis of no more evidence where is your conscience?” Life Sciences suffered attacks to its premises than can be found in their own paranoiac and staff; Cambridge University was forced fantasies, and the animal-rights variety are no John Stein, professor of physiology at Oxford to abandon plans to build a primate research exception -- fi nding enemies everywhere, and University, told the crowd of supporters: laboratory; and work on Oxford’s Biomedical lashing out indiscriminately and with bestial “This is a historic day; we are drawing a research lab was temporarily stopped owing force at anyone they can. For a while, things line in the sand.” Professor Stein runs a to death threats to builders, contractors and looked very bad indeed. laboratory where research into Parkinson’s shareholders. and dyslexia is carried out. “You have to be Heroically though, the British have a long really passionate about this to put your head Under pressure, British Airways stopped the history of defi ance when under threat of above the parapet, and not many do. Some transport of laboratory animals. Across the violence and intimidation by thugs. The of these [animal-rights people] are loonies and country, university biology departments that plucky ‘Blitz’ spirit that saw a policy of do the most awful things. Let’s be clear, we conducted animal research were camoufl aged ‘business as usual’ adopted in the face of are all taking a risk, but I feel it is so important, the Nazi bombing of London, and of the IRA bombings, was seen again last year after the Islamic bombs were detonated on London trains, emboldening a campaign of resistance that courageously proclaimed to the bombers, “We’re not afraid!”

It was almost inevitable that the violent and bestial attacks by these animal-rights terrorists would provoke a similar response. And so it proved. The public backlash fi nally came on the 25th of February, when a large

July-August—The Free Radical Visit ‘The Free Radical online’ at: www.FreeRadical.co.nz ETHICS

I am prepared to take that risk.” Nor have “Part of the problem,” says Professor Aziz, the loonies intimidated his wife, Clare. “I just “is that British society, more than any other want the world to know I think my husband is I have encountered, sees animals in almost a brave man and I am so proud of him,” she humanistic terms. People here ascribe human shouted to the crowd. emotions to animals that they don’t have. That’s why they are very ready to believe “I think that it is important to speak out,” animal extremists and rally to their cause.” said Prof Aziz, another scientist involved Indeed, on the website of Speak, they ask in the demonstration, whose research into you to “imagine yourself in a laboratory” as an Parkinson’s disease involves the use of experimental animal. primates. “Animal research is absolutely essential to medical progress, and a lot of Yet animals do not even have a “sense of self” Putting Humans research being done in Oxford is critical.” in the same way humans do. The Macaques that Aziz experiments on see another monkey First: Why We Are “It was incredibly rewarding to share the same when they look in a mirror, not themselves. platform as these great minds,” said Laurie. Chimpanzees do show some evidence of Nature’s Favorite “They have been extremely supportive and self-recognition -- and this is probably shared by Tibor Machan Rowman & Littlefi eld all of them are very nice guys, despite being by other great apes -- but experimentation on ‘animal torturers’!” them is illegal in the UK. Aziz agrees with this, They’re “liberating” chickens and minks... though more because they are endangered smashing med labs... setting fi re to Not only was the march attacked at three species than because of their suspected condos and SUVs -- all in the name of points by Speak protestors, who even used sentience. He believes in the primacy of animal rights and mother earth. How spray paints against the demonstrators, but humans and is impatient of charges of can such vandals feel their actions are justifi ed? And how do we answer these activists are now sending Laurie abusive e- “speciesism.” guys? mails such as “Get a life you pervert” and “We’re going to kill you.” “The gazelle does not argue speciesism With Putting Humans First, Tibor when the lion is tearing its throat out. It’s a Machan has pulled out all the stops to This has led the family to step up security natural fact of life. We are a natural creation, fashion a crisp, fast-paced, persuasive in their house, installing a “panic button,” we modify the earth through our increased polemic that gives you everything you and they have been advised to forward all capabilities intellectually and that cannot be need to know about the “animal rights” controversy in about two hours of jam- threats received to the police. But despite the unnatural . . . What separates us from the packed reading. He provides the most potential dangers and invasion to the family’s animals is that we can do that.” cogent and concise explanation now privacy, Laurie’s parents accompanied him Aristotle would have happily agreed. available of why human beings are right to the march , and have stood by their son to exploit nature, and why the concept of throughout. Laurie Pycroft has shown intelligence and “rights” just doesn’t apply to puppies and 29 virtue on a heroic scale and already the mood porcupines. (Though, as he also stresses, “We’re extremely proud of him and what he in Oxford is changing. The life of a heroic 16- gratuitously causing animals to suffer can certainly be censured on other moral has done—he is very brave and has conducted year-old boy has been threatened for daring grounds.) himself really well,” Laurie‘s mother said. to disagree, and the “bestial” nature of animal “The march was hugely successful and very rights protestors has been laid bare for all the • A Case for Animal Rights? peaceful. We shouldn’t give in to fear and British public, and the world, to see. And Includes a question so obvious, yet terrorism from the Animal Liberation Front.” as the battle he begun continues onwards, so incisive, that you’ll want to spring there is now a tangible feeling in the air that it on every animal-rights activist you ever meet. Laurie’s mother further explained that Laurie the animal-rights protesters have lost, and • The Case for Speciesism. Why that people are no longer afraid to confront has always been passionate about medicine human beings are top dog in and science, and that he feels strongly that them. The tide of support has turned. Oxford nature. What it takes for humans animal testing needs to go on. He now wants residents can be seen regularly picking to stay alive. Why we have moral to be a neurosurgeon because he thinks arguments with the animal-rights protestors, responsibility, but lower animals the advances he is reading about are very and public opposition to animal experiments lack it. exciting. nationwide has started to seriously dwindle. • A Sound Environmentalism. Must we beg bureaucrats for permission to enjoy nature? And so it is. Animal research conducted Not that Laurie Pycroft is a passive victim. His • Putting People First. The at Oxford University has led to advances stellar career goes from strength to strength, anti-human mentality: insidious, in blood transfusions, insulin treatments, having recently won the motion against “this pervasive, yet paradoxically anaesthetics, antibiotics, high blood pressure house would not test on animals” at the self-serving. The only antidote: medication, heart and lung machines for open famous Oxford Union debate. He also has embracing the wonders of life and heart surgery, chemotherapy and life-support been invited to speak in the US and plans the glories of human achievement. systems for premature babies. And that’s just to transform “Pro-Test” into an international Putting Humans First is loaded for bear. the start of the tangible benefi ts to human life organisation. Brief as it is, it overfl ows with telling fl owing from this research. anecdotes and observations, and even I salute the heroism of Laurie Pycroft in his more-telling rebuttals. And it ends by Yet animal-rights campaigners continue to war against the “bestiality” of the animal sending the anti-human proponents of place animal welfare above that of human rights movement, and all those courageous “animal rights” scurrying for cover. Order welfare, and seem to have a ready supply of voices of reason that have rallied to support Putting Humans First from your local bookseller now, or from Laissez-Faire fanatical followers and fi nancial support for him and to defend the necessity of animal Books, www.lfb.org their activities. experimentation. Visit ‘The Free Radical online’ at: www.FreeRadical.co.nz July-August—The Free Radical PETER CRESWELL EDUCATION Montessori, The Rational Alternative As an enthusiast for the Montessori method of education, I get a little website (www.mmef.org.nz) will give you an indication of where you may fi nd such a annoyed when the Montessori philosophy of ‘freedom within a prepared rational alternative for your child. NZ’s Maria environment’ is mis-characterised as un-schooling, as I’ve seen Montessori Education Foundation (MMEF) has a summary of the history of Montessori in occasionally from people who should know better. NZ. Unfortunately, there are too many ‘Monte- something’ schools about -- something MMEF It’s about as far from the truth as it’s possible to be. Marsha Enright explains, are aiming to change with the introduction to Like all thinkers in the Aristotelian tradition, New Zealand of sound Montessori training -- Montessori education is not ‘chalk-and-talk’ Montessori recognized that the senses so do be careful in your choice. - except when it needs to be, such as in must be educated fi rst in the development some aspects of the adolescent programme of the intellect. Consequently, she created a Former head of the Ayn Rand Institute -- instead it sees teachers as guides who vast array of special learning materials from Michael Berliner is also a Montessori direct children to the ‘prepared environment’ which concepts could be abstracted and educator, and he has bewailed for a long of the classroom, within which they will fi nd through which they could be concretized. time the misunderstanding of the Montessori materials from each part of the curriculum that In recognition of the independent nature philosophy, even by its practitioners. Explaining allows them to teach themselves. Such is the of the developing intellect, these materials in 1982, he said5: unique nature of the Montessori materials, and are self-correcting—that is, from their use, Despite the success of Montessori the Montessori classroom. You can get an the child discovers for himself whether schools, there is amazingly little idea of the Montessori pre-school classroom he has the right answer. This feature of understanding of the reasons for that in this video transcipt1 by Educational Video her materials encourages the child to be success. As a consequence, the method Publishing. And an example of how the concerned with facts and truth, rather than is either dismissed as nothing more than materials work for one part of the curriculum, with what adults say is right or wrong. a series of clever techniques for teaching maths, can be found in this transcipt2. specifi c skills, or attempts are made to I would recommend Marsha Enright’s article4 as ground the method in Maria Montessori’s Dr Maria Montessori began her work in an introduction to the Montessori philosophy. personal philosophy, a mixture of education almost by accident. Graduating as Catholicism and Indian mysticism. a doctor in 1896 – the fi rst woman doctor in Why is this important? At a time when the At present, the supporters of the Montessori 30 Italy -- she was assigned to care for retarded state’s factory schools approach philosophic method are unable to defend it against children, for whom she devised a method of and pedagogical bankruptcy, the need for either the educational establishment or education that allowed them to sit, and to pass a rational alternative becomes ever more compromisers from within Montessori very well, the state education exam. Praised urgent -- Montessori schooling is that rational ranks. Teachers and parents need to for her mentally-defi cient charges doing alternative, as Ayn Rand herself once argued: understand the real philosophic meaning so well, Montessori was more concerned The academia/jet-set coalition is attempting of the Montessori method. Ayn Rand’s with why so-called ‘normal’ children were to tame the American character by the philosophy makes that understanding doing so badly. Thus, her life’s work began. deliberate breeding of helplessness and possible. The Montessori Method is the result. resignation-in those incubators of lethargy known as “Progressive” schools, which This is true, and Berliner goes on to give a ten- The Montessori classroom -- what are dedicated to the task of crippling a point summary explaining how, specifi cally, Montessorians call The Children’s House - child’s mind by arresting his cognitive Ayn Rand’s philosophy makes it possible. - is as unlike a ‘normal’ classroom as it’s development. (See “The Comprachicos” in Good reading. possible to be. Children work quietly and in my book The New Left: The Anti-Industrial full focus, on their own or in small groups. Revolution.) It appears, however, that the Welcome to the Montessori adventure. Work is self-selected, self-completed, and “progressive” rich will be the fi rst victims of Un-schooling it defi nitely is not. self-cleaned up afterwards. The prevailing their own special theories: it is the children classroom management technique is respect of the well-to-do who emerge from This originally appeared at the blog Not PC, www.pc.blogspot.com/2006/06/montessori- for the children, and the idea: “Help me do expensive nursery schools and colleges as rational-alternative.html it by myself.” Explains one Montessorian, hippies, and destroy the remnants of their “At no times does a Montessori child sit paralyzed brains by means of drugs. [NB: (Footnotes) 1 ‘Full transcript for ‘An Introduction to the Montessori passively. A Montessori child needs to learn This was written before the ‘progressives’ Math Curriculum’,’ Educational Video Publishing, to be in focus, to make choices, to take took over the Teachers Colleges.] www.edvid.com/matrl.asp 2 responsibility for her own learning, and to ‘Full transcript for ‘An Introduction to the Montessori Philosophy & Materials,’ Educational Video explore her natural curiosity. Understanding The middle class has created an Publishing, www.edvid.com/matrl.asp becomes a pleasure, not a duty.” The antidote which is perhaps the most 3 ‘The hierarchy of knowledge: The most neglected issue in education’ - Lisa van Damme, The Objective Method and the Montessori materials are helpful movement of recent years: the Standard, www.theobjectivestandard.com/ the means through which this is achieved. spontaneous, unorganized, grass- issues/2006-spring/hierarchy-of-knowledge.asp roots revival of the Montessori system 4 ‘Foundations Study Guide: Montessori Education’ - Marsha Enright, TOC, www.ios.org/showcontent. The materials are unique to Montessori, and - of education -- a system aimed at the aspx?ct=48&h=44 - almost unique to any educational philosophy development of a child’s cognitive, i.e., 5 Ayn Rand and her thoughts on rational education -- they fully refl ect the hierarchy of knowledge3 rational, faculty. -Michael Berliner, Ayn Rand Institute, www.aynrand. org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=6151 that is at the basis of learning. As Montessorian The Montessori Association of New Zealand

July-August—The Free Radical Visit ‘The Free Radical online’ at: www.FreeRadical.co.nz CAROL POTTS EDUCATION The Montessori Philosophy - How Did It Start? The fi rst woman with a medical degree from an Italian University, on graduation Dr. Montessori became director of a school for intellectually disabled children. When ‘her children’ scored better in public examinations than did the ‘normal’ children, Dr. Montessori began to wonder what was wrong with the existing mode of teaching. So began her life’s work.

In 1907 she opened her Casa dei Bambini allowing children to engage in purposeful, (or ‘Children’s House’) in Rome, and self-directed activity. discovered children’s wondrous - almost effortless - ability to learn, and to actually Each Montessori school operates differently, teach themselves! Thus was sparked the but generally sessions run without Montessori philosophy still followed today. interruptions. Other than the basics of arriving, departing and having lunch, the children are free to choose their own activities and work How will my child benefi t from with the materials. attending?

When visiting a Montessori pre-school you may The Montessori philosophy encourages see children busily engaged writing or reading independence. Children do things for stories; preparing lunch for a communal meal; themselves, make their own choices and are feeling the geometric shapes; polishing their instrumental in their own learning. The result is shoes; scrubbing a table; building a Roman confi dent, responsible children, and with this arch; or preparing fruit for the snack-table. Or comes self-motivation. Children become self- they could be fl ower-arranging, building the disciplined and self-directed: Dr Montessori trinomial cube, or counting a long chain of described her philosophy as ‘education as 31 1000 golden beads and more. Their activities an aid to life’, encouraging a love of learning A day in a Montessori classroom are directed by themselves! which continues from pre-primary school throughout life. Montessori’s guiding principle is ‘follow the You may see small spontaneous groups Child / Staff Ratio child.’ The daily activities in the Montessori gathering where children engage in a science pre-school closely follow the needs and activity, share their news or take part in music You will generally see children aged from 2½ interests of the child. or drama. -6 harmoniously working together in the same classroom. On average there is a ratio of 9 From their fi rst day in the Montessori Nature and culture also play a signifi cant role children to 1 adult for this mix of ages. ‘environment’ children are introduced to a in the Montessori environment. Children are How and When to Enrol variety of materials helping them master things introduced to their world through hands- Generally children start at a Montessori pre- for themselves and develop essential skills. on exploration of the indoor and outdoor school around two-and-a-half to three. For full The early activities promote independence, environments. benefi ts to be enjoyed, children should stay and develop the child’s hand eye co-ordination for three years in the pre-primary environment. and concentration skills. Children have a It is not that these are ‘special children’ that That last year is a vital one for the fi ve- to six- natural tendency for order, so Montessori allows them to work like this. The Montessori year-old. By this time not only do the children materials are beautiful and enticing, and are philosophy simply encourages all ‘little know so many things, more importantly they displayed in an orderly and accessible way, scientists’ to explore the world around them. KNOW they know it. They are then ready to move on. For more information on Montessori schools in your area, from pre-primary through adolescent, please visit www. montessori.org.nz/memberschools.shtml.

For more information on choosing Montessori as a career, visit the website of the Maria Montessori Education Foundation, www.mmef.org.nz. Carol Potts is a Montessori Directress, and a trustee of the Maria Montessori Education Foundation (NZ). Visit ‘The Free Radical online’ at: www.FreeRadical.co.nz July-August—The Free Radical TREVOR LOUDON CURRENT CONTROVERSY Why We Are Building The Timorese Revolution I doubt that one in a hundred New Zealanders would have any name and letterhead. CORSO’s area organiser and CARE spokesman Joris appreciation of the political situation in East Timor. Yet we have de Bres put out the statement, which indefi nitely committed taxpayers’ money and troops to that troubled, comprises a political tirade purporting to come from Jose Ramos Horta, Fretilin’s tropical mini-state, we have put those troops in harm’s way -- and it has secretary-general in East Timor… De Bres said CARE had been concerned with the been done with virtually no public debate. situation in East Timor for some time, supported Fretilin and were in touch with its representatives in Australia and New At least 160 Kiwi soldiers are now in East Fretilin Timor, a goodly proportion of our denuded Zealand. armed forces, and Prime Minister Clark says In late 1974, Portugal legalised political Helen Clark moved in the same circles as De they will probably be there “for at least a year.” parties in East Timor. In March 1975 local Bres in the early ‘seventies, as did several That our troops should be there at all remains elections were held. The Revolutionary Front current Labour and Green MPs. For many unquestioned by the mainstream media. for Independence in East Timor (Fretilin) years some of them were leaders of the That they should be there for some time is emerged as the largest and most militant Parliamentary East Timor support group. not questioned at all. The risk to our troops’ party. Indonesia was highly suspicion of Richard Prebble’s then wife Nancy has lives is accepted on the assumption that they are there on some kind of worthwhile or noble mission. The cost to the taxpayer doesn’t So why are our troops in East Timor? even rate a mention. The potential risks in What is this noble mission for which so many of New Zealand’s soldiers are involving ourselves in a “hotspot” well outside risking their lives? our ‘sphere of infl uence” go completely unexamined. memories of a “long-haired Phil Goff arriving at So why are our troops in East Timor? What Fretilin and rightly regarded it as a communist the door talking excitedly about East Timor...” is this noble mission for which so many of organisation. On 28th November 1975, Presumably this was a little after he’d fl own New Zealand’s soldiers are risking their lives? Fretilin unilaterally declared East Timorese the Vietcong fl ag at Auckland University on 32 And if our troops are successful in saving the independence. Neither Portugal, nor Indonesia the day Saigon fell to the communists. current regime, will it really be in the long term nor Australia recognised the declaration. Nine interests of the Timorese? Or of Malaysia, days later, Indonesia invaded East Timor and Green MP Keith Locke, his sister Maire New Guinea, Australia and most importantly, killed about 200,000 out of a total population Leadbetter, Wellington anarchists Sam and New Zealand? of 600,000. In July 1976, the remaining Joe Buchanan, Christchurch based self- East Timorese were formally made subjects styled communist Joe Davies, Radical Society, A Little History of Indonesia, and Fretilin and its armed wing CORSO, the East Timor Independence Falantil took to the hills and began a long and Coalition, all have worked tirelessly for the In the early 1960’s, Indonesia’s Communist bloody guerrilla war against the invaders. Maoist cause of Fretilin. I quote from a Party, the PKI, was the biggest outside September 8th 1999 press release: the socialist bloc. Some estimates put Fretilin’s Kiwi Friends membership at one million strong. In 1965 Fretilin weren’t the good guys, however. Fretilin The Communist Party of Aotearoa urges civil war broke out in between forces loyal to was a Maoist organization at the time Maoism the broadest mobilisations of people to then-President Sukarno and his ally the PKI, was at its peak in Western Universities, where demand an end to the terror and genocide and forces loyal to General Suharto. The army, it won much support. In Australia and New in East Timor… We stand, as we have for under Suharto, massacred up to 500,000 Zealand in particular, radical students and the last 25 years, alongside the people of alleged PKI supporters and toppled Sukarno. various communist sects and parties were East Timor in their just struggle for national Suharto, still dripping blood, became the big supporters of the Timorese cause. The liberation and socialism. In the words of Indonesian president in 1967, and the blood pro-Soviet parties also backed Fretilin, but its Xanana Gusmao, “the nature of the East continued to fl ow. biggest supporters were the Maoists. Timorese struggle is a socialist one.”

Switch now to Portugal, whose colony Timor Joris de Bres, for example. The October 21st, Fretilin are not the good guys. They are the was. In 1974, Marxist military offi cers staged 1975 issue of Truth carried this article about same socialists they always were, attracting a coup against Portuguese dictator Marcelo young Maoist radical, Joris De Bres and his support from the same quarters as they Caetano., following which all Portuguese support for the Timorese cause: always have – except those supporters are colonies, including East Timor, were put now much higher up the political food chain on the path to independence, ready or not. CORSO: Back to its Left Swing. than they once were, and they now have our Most soon fell under Marxist-Leninist control. Radical left-wing politics appear to armed forces to play with. Indonesia was gravely concerned by events have caught up with CORSO again. in the former colony of East Timor. They were Propaganda from the leftist Revolutionary afraid a revolutionary state on their border Front for Independence of East Timor - Independence would spark all sorts of internal problems for Fretilin - has been distributed in Auckland After many years of international pressure, their own less than benevolent dictatorship. on cyclostyled paper bearing CORSO’s Indonesia granted the Timorese a UN-

July-August—The Free Radical Visit ‘The Free Radical online’ at: www.FreeRadical.co.nz CURRENT CONTROVERSY monitored referendum on independence in Communist League of France, and the Australian Government. His Government 1999. After an overwhelming ‘yes’ vote, pro- Norwegian Indonesian and East Timor sought to build a state-owned petroleum Indonesian “militias” went on the rampage and Committee. industry. It adopted a poverty reduction plunged the country into anarchy. ANZAC program and accepted medical aid from forces played a major role in restoring order The conference was also privileged to Cuba. and rebuilding the country’s infrastructure. hear Dr Mari Alkatiri, vice-chief of Fretilin’s East Timor offi cially became an independent external delegation, speaking alongside When the coup attempt by some dissident state in May 2002. Fretilin became the ruling Sutarji and Edwin Gozal from the PRD military and police forces failed the party lead by Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri and about the struggle to overthrow Suharto Australian Government sent in a powerful President Xanana Gusmao. There was an and free East Timor. contingent of military forces to help create enforced peace, it’s true, but the Maoists a situation in which regime change could were in the saddle, and our troops had helped According to the Communist Party of be brought about. Australia’s Guardian 15.2.06: to put them there. Gusmao Towards the end of last year East Timor’s Alkatiri’s main rival for power is Timorese Prime Minister Alkatiri Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri paid a visit to President Xanana Gusmao. The president’s Cuba and held talks with Fidel Castro and Timorese rebel leader Lt. Commander role was intended to be largely symbolic, but Alfredo Reinaldo had this to say about the Timorese Prime Minister, Mari Alkatiri: “He is a communist, a strong Marxist. I know these people well and I do not like them.” Alkatiri There was an enforced peace, it’s true, but the Maoists were in the saddle, was a Fretilin Central Committee member in and our troops had helped to put them there the 70’s when the party was openly Marxist- Leninist. He then spent the next twenty-four years based in Marxist-Leninist controlled other Ministers in the Cuban Government. Gusmao doesn’t see it that way. Observes Mozambique. Cuba is to receive another 400 young one leftist blogger: people from East Timor to be trained as Alkatiri has longstanding links too with doctors and teachers. Gusmao’s attempt to gain control of these Australia’s largest Marxist-Leninist forces can thus been seen as a direct organisation, the Democratic Socialist Party. Castro also announced that a group of 300 challenge not only to Alkatiri but to the In April 1998, he was a keynote speaker at Cuban doctors are to travel to East Timor. constitution, at least it has been commonly the DSP’s Asia Pacifi c Solidarity Conference They will help train health professionals in interpreted in East Timor. It might not be held in Sydney. Timor and work at the Faculty of Medicine going too far to say that, by unilaterally recently opened in Dili. asking East Timor’s security forces to International participants came from disregard Alkatiri’s authority and recognise the Japanese Communist Party… the Nice company these ‘liberators’ keep. his own, Gusmao is effectively attempting 33 Indonesian People’s Democratic Party, the Meanwhile, the Australian Communists to stage a coup. Free Aceh Movement; Fretilin, the New believe the Howard government is plotting to Socialist Party of Sri Lanka, the Communist overthrow their comrade Alkatiri. According If true, it means ANZAC troops in East Timor Party of India–Marxist Leninist (Liberation); to The Guardian of 14.6.06: are simply pawns in someone else’s power the Communist Party of Nepal (United struggle – a power struggle in which the Marxist–Leninist), Melanesian Solidarity … the Australian Government has for some winner will be one of two different Marxist- Leninists, and the loser the East Timorese Fretilin are not the good guys. They are the same socialists they always once again. Because Gusmao is no more a liberator than Alkatiri. were, attracting support from the same quarters as they always have – except those supporters are now much higher up the political food chain Gusmao dates his leadership of the ‘struggle than they once were, and they now have our armed forces to play with. back to 1981, when a conference was held between surviving military commanders and political cadres to map out an organisational from Papua New Guinea; the Bougainville structure for the ongoing resistance. Gusmao Interim Government; the New Zealand time been interfering in the internal affairs emerged as a leading light. Alliance and New Labour Party; Maori of East Timor, has attempted to destabilise representatives from the New Zealand its democratically elected government, At the conference, the members of the non-government organisation Corso; the encouraged dissident military and political Central Committee decided to establish Polynesian Liberation Front from Tahiti; forces within East Timor to stage a military the Fretilin Marxist-Leninist Party, the and the Free West Papua Movement. coup to overthrow the elected government Revolutionary Council of National headed by Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri. Resistance (Concelho Revolucionário de The conference also received a special Resistência Nacionaland) to form new Alkatiri’s Government adopted a policy for video message of solidarity from José structures for Falintil (Fretilin’s armed wing.) the debt-free development of East Timor Ramos Horta, East Timorese Nobel Peace Xanana Gusmão said that what they did Prize laureate. The New Zealand East and resisted pressure to accept World was only to “ratify” the decision taken by Timor Independence Committee also sent Bank loans. His Government opposed the the “pioneers” at the Laline Conference solidarity greetings. privatisation of electricity and started to rebuild public institutions such as health in 1977 when, following the lead of the From outside the Asia–Pacifi c region there and education systems. Mari Alkatiri fought Central Committee’s Department of Political were representatives from the Party of hard to win a justifi ed share of oil revenues Orientation and Ideology, Marxism-Leninism Democratic Socialism, the Revolutionary in opposition to the stand taken by the was offi cially declared the party’s ideology.

Visit ‘The Free Radical online’ at: www.FreeRadical.co.nz July-August—The Free Radical FREE SPEECH

Fretilin offi cially ditched their Maoist version Following opening remarks by the rally Laughing Their Tits Off of Marxist-Leninism in 1984, but you would coordinator, singers and musicians gave a hardly notice. Contacts were kept up with lively rendition of the party’s anthem. The The present crisis erupted after PM Alkatiri many communist parties, including the crowd — with raised arms and clenched sacked a third of the Timorese Army for Australian Democratic Socialist Party (DSP), fi sts — sang along enthusiastically and protesting treatment and conditions. The and the Timorese Socialist Party (PST), which ended with calls of ``Viva PST’’ and ``Viva former soldiers rebelled and fought with the is openly Marxist-Leninist and one of nine Socalisme” … loyal Timorese police, who were shot by the army, precipitating the crisis.

Whoever wins is going to have their regime stabilised and their country As I write this, East Timor is now seething rebuilt by the soldiers and taxpayers of New Zealand and Australia. with rumours that Prime Minister Alkatiri once ordered massacres and commissioned death And whoever wins is going to be a Marxist-Leninist. squads. There are abundant conspiracy theories focusing on Australia directing rebels, secretly co-ordinated rioting, plots to seize parties which nominated Gusmao for the To many people’s surprise the fi rst speaker Timor’s oil wealth and to replace PM Alkatiri presidency. The PST is widely regarded as a was resistance leader Xanana Gusmao … with President Gusmao. Very little is certain. breakaway from Fretilin, but DSP Timor expert Gusmao began by thanking PST general Max Lane thinks otherwise. From the DSP’s secretary Avelino Coelho da Silva, party What does seem clear however is that quarterly journal Links: president Pedro da Costa, the party’s Marxist-Leninist Alkatiri does not want to international representative Azancot de surrender power to Marxist-Leninist Gusmao. The PST traces its origins as a socialist Menezes and party spokesperson Nelson It is also clear that whoever wins is going to current to 1981, when a small group Correia, who he referred to as ``respected have their regime stabilised and their country of youth established OJETIL, Youth comrades.’’ rebuilt by the soldiers and taxpayers of New Organisation for an Independent East Zealand and Australia. And whoever wins is Timor, as a communist youth group. This In his address, Gusmao stated that going to be a Marxist-Leninist. occurred at the same time that Xanana Marxism was a part of a social and Gusmao, as president of FRETILIN, led a democratic society and indicated his Those old Seventies radicals who now rule move to remake FRETILIN as a Marxist- support for the PST as a Marxist-Leninist our country, (the same ones who once Leninist party. party. He emphasised the importance of non-violence — a condition upon which raged against New Zealand’s war against An article in the DSP’s Green Left Weekly he agreed to accept a nomination for the communism in Vietnam) must be laughing September 12th 2001 demonstrates the presidency — and said that if socialism can their tits off right now. close affi nity between Gusmao and the PST, change a society it should be accepted. with Gusmao appearing at a 5000-strong He closed with the call, ``Viva PST,’’ to The same tits they used to pin their Mao 34 PST rally in Dili: cheers and applause from the crowd. badges on.

STOP PRESS: Prime Minister Alkatiri has now stepped down, but the essential analysis here remains the same. The result of NZ and UN intervention in Timor Leste is very likely to be a Marxist-Leninist regime.

The big chill hits the Desert Road

July-August—The Free Radical Visit ‘The Free Radical online’ at: www.FreeRadical.co.nz GRAHAM CLARK DESIGN A Passion For Design: Going Back To The Future He who dies with the most radios wins!

Rock’n’Roll and good design are two things I have become very in Tokyo. In 1952, and at great expense at the time, they purchased the license to passionate about over the years, however it was not until fairly recently I manufacture transistors from TN&T, America. began to understand how closely the two different art forms were linked, In 1955 the Tokyo Telecommunications Company changed their name to SONY and how much one was responsible for the development of the other. (although it was not changed offi cially until 1958). In 1957 Sony introduced the fi rst real shirt-pocket transistor radio - the TR63 - and I have loved pop music as long as I can was cutting-edge stuff at the time, much of with the explosion of Rock n Roll in the USA remember. I vividly remember sitting on it experimenting with the new and exciting and Great Britain at this very moment in time, the lounge fl oor of my grandmother’s semi- man-made materials being developed - all these small, colourful, inexpensive transistor detached in Guildford in 1966 at the age of 8, the new types of plastic, nylon and fi breglass radios were snapped up in their millions by with my aunty’s 45’s scattered all around me, really allowed the new era of designer to let youngsters who were ready to Rock’n’Roll. singing along at the top of my voice to a song their imaginations run wild, and combined called “Seventh Son” which was the B-side of with the psychedelic drugs around at the Thus began the Japanese technology a Georgie Fame single. time many of the old design “standards” explosion that fully hit the world just a few were bent, broken and twisted! For example, years later when SONY and PHILLIPS My enthusiasm for the art form hasn’t plastic chairs with just one central leg, instead collaborated to develop the Compact Disc - dwindled to this day. When I left school I got of the standard four; chairs made out of a introduced to the world in 1982, and which is into the printing industry, and as the years single piece of moulded plastic; entire houses a fascinating story in itself, but I am getting a went by I gravitated to what has been my life’s made of fi breglass. bit sidetracked here. work - that of a graphic designer. I have an ‘eye,’for style and cool design and I do not It was quite a few years before this however The fi rst time a really cool piece of design work know how I got it - I do however know where that set the scene for the 1970s design really came to my attention was in the early it ‘came’ from! explosion. 70’s when a friend of mine had the coolest telephone I had ever seen. Everybody else had As a teenager growing up in the 1970s I have In 1945, the Tokyo Telecommunications the old, standard New Zealand Post Offi ce strong memories of the really cool design Company was founded by Masaru Ibuka white tabletop dial-phone with the handset on work that is synonymous with the era. It and Akio Morita in a bombed out building the top, but not him - nope - his phone was a 35

Pictured from Left to Right: Aquatron 8-track cartridge player and FM Radio. Braun Coffee Grinder. Startone Flip clock and light. Toshiba Flip clock alarm/radio. New Zealand made formica dining table with 4 satellite stools attached to table legs. Kartell roundup. Timco led digital clock (the top half is a light). Joe Columbo lamp. PYE Isotronic stereo.

Visit ‘The Free Radical online’ at: www.FreeRadical.co.nz July-August—The Free Radical DESIGN

one-piece thing with the dial on the bottom, and it was out to be what I hoped it was - the Holy Grail for bright red. Man, was it cool - I used to visit him just so I modern furniture design fans like me. could use the telephone! It was of course the very cool Ericson Cobra phone. Anyway, many years later I saw I have recently taken possession of a one at an auction, and I just had to have it. That was the couple of New Zealand design classics: start of my passion for collecting 1970s design artifacts. the Nautilus Pye Vidmatic, 22inch colour Transistor radios, clock-radios, telephones, eight-track Television which is fi nished in white vinyl, cassette players, hand-held video games, televisions, and sits atop a white tulip pedestal stereos (complete with turntables), lamps - you name it, base; and a Pye Isotronic stereo I’ve probably got at least two of them! system, also fi nished in white vinyl, atop a pedestal base. Both of these To most people all this stuff is just junk – out-of-date were originally manufactured in old technology, and it’s not worth anything so they just the Pye factory in Waihi, New throw it away. For this reason many items have become Zealand, and believe me are extremely hard to come by. scarce, and consequently quite valuable. Take the old Formica tables of the 1950s. In New Zealand at the time In 1965, a Finnish architect by you could have one of three things - an oak extension the name of Matti Suuronen dining table, a huge great Kauri country kitchen table, designed a fi breglass or a red or green Formica table with chrome legs and house in the form of a edges. fl ying saucer that is known as the FUTURO – billed These things were sold by the millions. People became at the time as ‘a house of so sick and tired of the sight of them they couldn’t the future.’ For me this get them to the dump fast enough when alternatives would have to be the ultimate arrived. Nowadays however, you can pay good money 70s design collectible, and I have for one in good condition. I feel very fortunate to have actually tracked one down. Although come across a very unique example as pictured. It has admittedly it’s a little worse for wear, 4 satellite stools attached to the legs of the table, that and not quite ready to fl y, I have a swing out from underneath when required. landing space already levelled on my property all ready for the day I can get Another of my coolest scores is the Stereo or Egg-Chair. enough money together to afford to Originally designed by Thor Larsen and popularised purchase it. in uber-hip sixties TV series The Prisoner, I found it advertised for sale in my local classifi eds – in the stereo It does however lack space to store all section no less. I couldn’t believe my luck when it turned my, um, stuff. 36

July-August—The Free Radical Visit ‘The Free Radical online’ at: www.FreeRadical.co.nz Images by artist David Knowles. You can fi nd David on the web at www.Homestead.Com/RealArt 37

Visit ‘The Free Radical online’ at: www.FreeRadical.co.nz July-August—The Free Radical SCOTT WILSON CURRENT CONTROVERSY - NZ

Power For The People? If a detailed, factual study were made of all those instances in the Generators and the grid history of American industry which have been used by the statists The national grid was sloughed off in 1994 into a separate SOE called Transpower, allowing as an indictment of free enterprise and as an argument in favour ECNZ to be further split in 1996: • 22% of ECNZ’s generating capacity was of a government-controlled economy, it would be found that the placed into a new SOE - Contact Energy actions blamed on businessmen were caused, necessitated, and Ltd - which in March 1999 was privatised (40% being sold to Edison Energy and made possible only by government intervention in business. The the remainder to small investors on the stock market); evils popularly ascribed to big industrialists were not the result of an • in April 1999, ECNZ was further split into unregulated industry, but of government power over industry. The villain three smaller SOEs: Genesis Power Ltd, Mighty River Power Ltd and Meridian in the picture was not the businessman, but the legislator, not free Energy Ltd - the intention being to privatise these small power-generating enterprise, but government controls. SOEs. The election of the Labour/ Ayn Rand Alliance minority coalition at the end of 1999 quashed that dream. One earth strap broken and New Zealand’s power bill increased every year, Joe Citizen in largest city is plunged into chaos; a few feet his happy democratic home was kept happy To this date the sale of Contact Energy has of snow and South Island farmers are plunged in his ignorance. been the only privatisation of electricity into chaos; a few dry weeks and the empty generation in New Zealand - with Contact hydro lakes send shivers of fear and fright Meanwhile, central government (i.e. that same sold and Transpower and three generating through the country’s electricity users -- and unwitting Joe Citizen wearing his Taxpayer’s companies remaining in state ownership, with each impending crisis we hear the cries hat) bore the growing cost of the dam-building central government’s privatisation scorecard that the deregulated and privatised electiricty NZED, with all those ‘Think Big’ dam projects shows only 1 hit from 5 at bats! industry is to blame, and it’s those big foreign being funded by Crown borrowing. evil capitalist monsters who are turning off Retailers and lines 38 the power of little old ladies struggling to The Ministry of Energy succeeded NZED, So much for the big generators and stay warm and huddled in front of one-bar and the Lange/Douglas Labour Government Transpower. As for the local retailers, the retail heaters. began the reforms by splitting this into two electricity market was originally a mongrel parts: the the Electricity Corporation of New mixture of municipal electricity departments But there’s just one problem with this Zealand (ECNZ) to operate the Crown’s (owned by local authorities) and energy boards. analysis. Electricity in New Zealand has NOT generating and transmission business, and In 1992, energy boards were ‘corporatised,’ been deregulated, and it sure hasn’t been the Ministry of Energy to advise on policy. As and a range of local power retail entities privatised. Bits of it have been, but most has a State Owned Enterprise (SOE), ECNZ was created which would have been able to be been effectively nationalised. To understand now required to operate as a business, and to privatised by the trustees or local authorities. this, one needs to trace the history of electricity make a profi t. Some remained as trusts, some remained as reform in the past twenty-fi ve years. local authority-owned companies, and some ECNZ was to be split a further three times in -- very few -- were privatised by the various the next decade. Early reforms boards and councils. Back then, as the Prime Minister fondly remembers, there was an Electricity Department called NZED -- a government department directed by its Minister that knew how to build dams. Big dams. The engineers ran it much the same way as the Railways were run. Dams were built, electricity pumped through the national grid (also run by the Department) and sold to local lines-and-retail monopolies owned by local councils who oversaw and under-invested in these cash cows.

These local power boards were Keith Locke’s born-again ideal – ‘democratic’ control of the means of production. And, like all democratic entities they did what pleased the majority - in this case overcharging business customers and subsidising residential ones. Businesses, you see, don’t vote. So even though his

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Corporatisation was accompanied by Just add bureaucracy… of the toughest ever imposed in Australasia,” stringent regulations requiring public Large state-owned behemoths now dominate boasted the Northland Regional Council after disclosure of the costs and pricing for local the wholesale electricity market. The era of the Marsden B decision, as if that were a lines activities - which were seen as natural building large power stations is over, partly good thing). monopolies despite competitors regularly because of a more effi cient market and newer using each other’s lines. It was then that the technologies that mean that generators can And just at this point, the Electricity wholesale electricity market was established, be smaller and built closer to demand; partly Commission was set up to monitor things allowing individual power retailers to purchase because the Resource Management Act – it holds meetings, hires consultants, electricity from ECNZ according to long-term makes such building well-nigh impossible; produces reports, assesses and decides on industry projects, it monitors the industry, and spot wholesale prices. and partly because the state-owned power companies are seriously under-capitalised. it recommends regulation … and while it produces a mountain of hot air and a ton of Max Bradford forces them apart None of the three state-owned power paper, it doesn’t generate a single watt of Enter National’s then Energy Minister ‘Max generators or retailers really has that much power. Quite what its role is, no-one really Backward.’ Fresh from a trip overseas and capital it can draw upon to build new power knows, but it’s quite clear it’s not there to against advice, Bradford introduced legislation stations. Nor does state-owned Transpower oversee deregulation or privatisation. in 1999 separating retail electricity companies who controls the national grid. They all rely into local lines companies on the one hand, on borrowing against future cash fl ow, or Conclusion and retailers of electricity on the other. begging the Finance Minister for one-off What’s wrong with this industry can be given Speaking at the time, Libertarianz energy lumps of cash. Fortunately for them, with in fi ve words. Government interference, and deregulation spokesman Michael Murphy each successive crisis, the prices they can government ownership. Deregulation? Not noted that: “Energy distribution was complex charge on the wholesale market increases. A here. Privatisation? Not in this country. Chaos enough even before [this] ill-advised and report completed after the 2001 power crises and crisis? That’s been the result. invasive legislation separating line and energy caused by lack of rain to fi ll South Island’s companies. It will now take the wisdom of hydro lakes in 2001 caused Labour some Where we once had an over-capacity Solomon to solve the problems being created angst. It concluded in part: for which we were struggling to pay and by Mr Bradford.” “The electricity price spot market worked an industry in which the vast majority of much as expected during winter 2001, generators were either in local government And so it proved. All that’s now missing on with very high prices signalling an or local trust hands, around one third of Helengrad’s horizon is the fi gure of Solomon. increasingly tight supply situation and electricity generation is now in private hands - (What we have instead is David Parker, whose record demand… these include Contact and a number of small policy mix if it were a pool game could best be The market would have worked better if the generators. But –and it’s a big but -- the vast summarised as ‘hit and hope.’ We are yet to reforms specifi ed in the Government Policy bulk of power generation, over 60%, is still in the hands of central government, and while a see anything from Parker beyond a retraction Statement had been fully implemented (such as improved information disclosure, majority of local lines companies are council by Trevor Mallard of Parker’s promise that demand-side participation in the market, or community trust-owned, the national grid there will be “no rolling black-outs this winter.” 39 and mechanisms to invest in the grid to is still owned by the state. If terminal wetness could fi ll hydro lakes, these relieve transmission constraints). two could assure power capacity on their Meanwhile, reliability and the future capacity own.) Information disclosure would have done of power production and transmission are in Bradford was convinced that retail companies little; ‘demand-side participation’ means that serious doubt. could now operate competitively in the market prices are increased to reduce demand; and in which they were already competing! Lines investment in the grid – well that needs capital The big problems are unnecessary regulation; companies meanwhile continued under heavy – and the government wasn’t providing any. unwelcome meddling; and an unwieldy market regulation, with the Government keeping a Warned that 2001 report, with too many state-owned competitors with wary eye on line charges – and let’s not forget too little concern for their bottom lines, and that certain National Party members advocate New Zealand is facing the need to build too little capital to invest. Mostly the problem a not dissimilar approach to Telecom! new generation capacity in the next few is in generation capacity -- the lack of the years to meet rising demand. This means capital with which to build more, and the lack So to summarise: that wholesale market prices on average of freedom to do so. The biggest culprits here • Following this split (are you keeping are likely to trend towards long run marginal are those twin nemeses, the Kyoto Protocol up?) New Zealand had just 7 electricity cost (LRMC) which is set by the cost of and the Resource Management Act which virtually stops the construction of new power retailers (down from 38 in 1987) and 32 new generating capacity. This will also lead to upwards pressure on retail prices, stations. Warned Alan Jenkins from the ENA lines companies. as retail margins adjust back to long-term last year after the decision that effectively killed • Most local authority/trust owned averages. “ Genesis Energy’s Tongariro hydro scheme, entities remained in the relatively safe “It’s very hard to invest in coal [because of lines business, retail operations soon In other words, said the 2001 report, Kyoto], nuclear’s a sort of four letter word... becoming a veritable home of the brave in new capacity will be built and paid for by hydro is suddenly becoming too hard...what’s this land of the un-free, with few retailers rising prices to cover the long-term cost left...we can’t do everything on windpower.” large enough to drive a hard bargain on of that capacity. Wonderful. Only, it didn’t Industry is the country’s lifeblood, and if there’s wholesale power prices. happen. The RMA shut down one of the no power, there’s no industry. But as demand largest project, Meridian’s Project Aqua, and continues to grow, supply will inevitably have Retards who say privatisation caused the effectively shackled two others – Genesis to increase. various power crises should refl ect that before Energy’s Tongariro Hydro and Mighty River 1999 central government owned exactly zero Power’s Marsden B projects -- with conditions And how that will happen, nobody really retail power companies; they now own three. making further long-term investment well- knows, Ministers Parker and Mallard least of If this is privatisation, then I'm a mushroom. nigh impossible (“the restrictions are some all.

Visit ‘The Free Radical online’ at: www.FreeRadical.co.nz July-August—The Free Radical ROBERT BRUEGMANN URBAN DESIGN Attack Of The Snobs: How Sprawl Got A Bad Name There is overwhelming evidence that urban sprawl has been benefi cial for many people. Year after year, the vast majority of Americans respond to batteries of polls by saying that they are quite happy with where they Attack Of live, whether it is a city, suburb, or elsewhere. A Snob Most objective indicators about American run far ahead of any possibility of fulfi lling Much well-deserved and infl ammatory urban life are positive. We are more affl uent them. A fast-rising economy often produces language has been used to describe ARC than ever; home ownership is up; life spans a revolution of expectations. I believe these Parks chairman Sandra Coney’s use of are up; pollution is down; crime in most soaring expectations are responsible for many ratepayers’ money to ensure that caterer cities has declined. Even where sprawl has contemporary panics. Rae Ah Chee cannot build his retirement created negative consequences, it has not house on his own 4.8 hectares of Pakiri precipitated any crisis. Consider, for a moment, the thunderous din land. What Rae Ah Chee calls his dream of complaints about traffi c in Los Angeles. home Coney calls “an intrusion of a trophy So what explains the power of today’s anti- From one perspective, this reaction is bizarre. house on the landscape.” sprawl crusade? How is it possible that a Even when speeds on the freeway decline prominent lawyer could open a recent book to 20 miles per hour, drivers throughout the Coney has the RMA and ratepayers’ with the unqualifi ed assertion that “sprawl is Los Angeles area move much more quickly America’s most lethal disease”? Worse than than they do by car or public transportation money on her side. Ah Chee has only drug use, crime, unemployment, and poverty? at the center of almost any large, older his property rights and his dream. In the Why has a campaign against sprawl expanded industrial city in Europe or the U.S. It is clearly current environment, the winner is Sandra into a major political force across America and not that congestion is objectively worse in Coney and her high-handed meddling in much of the economically advanced world? Los Angeles; it is that the highway building order to acquire a ‘public open space’ at program of the 1950s and 1960s was so the expense of Mr Ah Chee, the ratepayers I would argue that worries about sprawl have successful in reducing congestion that people of Greater Auckland, and the property become so vivid not because conditions became used to being able to drive across rights some New Zealanders still think they are really as bad as the critics suggest, but the entire metropolitan area at a mile a minute, enjoy. 40 precisely because conditions are so good. dramatically expanding their choices in living, During boom years, expectations can easily working, and recreation in the process. The Employers and Manufacturers Since then, L.A.’s population Association declared in response to has grown dramatically, but Coney: road building has slowed “Ms Coney’s attitude to Mr Ah Chee because of political pressures. is anti-success and anti-development. This squeeze produced “Her derogatory description of the the inevitable result: more plan as a ‘trophy house’ shows congestion. she is unable to think of a serious environmental objection to it. Some Los Angeles residents now fi nd themselves even Good for them. Owen McShane suggests more frustrated about traffi c “the history of central planning is almost than residents of Paris or New entirely a history of an elite standing in York City. This has little to do the way of change,” which in the present with the traffi c itself, however, context means “the planners are anti and everything to do with the countryside living and want to crowd the fact that Parisians and New people into cities even at the expense of Yorkers never entertained increased congestion and pollution.” Mr Ah the possibility that they could Chee, he says, is perhaps the “victim” of a drive through the center of new kind of “class prejudice” in which class the city at 60 miles per hour. and the architectural taste of that class has The problem in Los Angeles is a defl ation of greatly raised become a surrogate for race, and “intrusive expectations. trophy houses” [intrusive to whom, by the way?] become “the local surrogate for Today’s unprecedented McMansions.” concern about sprawl is similarly an indication of This attitude has been en-capsulated by how much expectations Robert Bruegmann, author of Sprawl: have risen among ordinary A Compact History as “the attack of the urban dwellers. Metropolitan snobs” -- of which Coney is clearly one.

July-August—The Free Radical Visit ‘The Free Radical online’ at: www.FreeRadical.co.nz URBAN DESIGN changes have become such an issue in Los we now know as environmentalism. Think of Today it is notoriously “McMansions”--houses Angeles and Atlanta not because these are Henry David Thoreau in his shack at Walden judged by some observer to be excessive in inherently undesirable places to live. Quite Pond just beyond suburban Boston, John size or stylistic pretension. the contrary. These places have become Muir in a house across the Berkeley hills from so attractive that many new residents have San Francisco, Aldo Leopold at his weekend In both the U.S. and elsewhere, the driving fl ooded in. This has been benefi cial for much retreat near Madison, Wisconsin. These were force behind complaints against sprawl at any of the population. These cities have generated all exurbanites, individuals who loved what period seems to be a set of class-related tastes enormous numbers of jobs and vast wealth for they considered a rural life but who also and assumptions, almost always present but a tremendous number of people. Of course, wanted ready access to the city. rarely discussed. In the nineteenth century, as in all other cities throughout history, there for instance, London exploded outward as have been problems. Many members of cultural elites are not developers threw up mile upon mile of brick interested in hearing about the benefi ts of terrace houses. The resulting cityscape For some of these problems, there are increased choice for the population at large- horrifi ed highbrow British critics of the time, solutions. Others will simply disappear as -because they believe that ordinary citizens, who considered the new districts to be vulgar, boom periods fade and citizens adjust given a choice, will usually make the wrong cheap, and monotonous. Nevertheless, the their lives to avoid the dislocations and one. Yet sprawl has certainly increased houses continued to be built, because so imbalances. For yet other problems there choices for ordinary citizens. many middle-class inhabitants of central are no real solutions, because they involve London saw them as a vast step upward for a clash in goals and desires among different At the turn of the century, it was primarily their families. Within the last generation or two, parts of the populations. In these cases, most wealthy families who had multiple options in elite opinion fi nally came around, and today people will eventually learn to live with the their living, working, and recreational settings. these row houses are widely considered to be consequences. An affl uent New York banker and his family the very model of compact urban life. could live in many different communities in the Trying to ameliorate longstanding urban city or its suburbs. They could summer in the Similarly, during the 1920s the built-up area trials is a sensible course of action. What is Adirondacks or at Newport, winter in Florida of greater London underwent a doubling, far less sensible is directing so much critical or on the French Riviera. They had the luxury creating an outward sprawl at least as energy at conditions that don’t really qualify of ignoring their neighbors and choosing their great as anything seen in recent America. as traumatic, or circumstances that can’t be friends elsewhere. Much of the growth consisted of rows of changed without causing severe unintended semidetached houses. These sturdy homes, consequences. This is particularly so in the Today, even the most humble American like the row houses of the nineteenth century, case of urban sprawl--where a clampdown middle-class family enjoys many of these were deprecated by much of the British would cause severe losses among the choices. The privacy, mobility, and freedom cultural elite. But they were highly appreciated less savvy and well-connected parts of our that once were available only to the wealthiest by ordinary Londoners. And now, ironically population. and most powerful members of society are enough, these neighborhoods are considered now widespread. So if the question is, “Why the antithesis of sprawl, and the homes are As comfort spreads, blame the other guy has sprawl persisted over so many centuries being lovingly restored by members of the and accelerated in the modern era?” the most aesthetic elite of the current generation. 41 When asked, most Americans declare convincing answer seems to be that growing themselves to be against sprawl, just as numbers of people have discovered that it is If history is any guide, the current revolt of they say they are against pollution or the the surest way to obtain the rich, satisfying life the “sensitive minority” against sprawl will destruction of historic buildings. But the very all citizens crave. soon seem a quaint product of a bygone development that one individual targets as era. Highbrow critics loudly castigated the sprawl is often another family’s much-loved Class bias is the key landscape created by “vulgar masses” fed by community. Very few people believe that “greedy speculators” in cookie-cutter postwar they themselves live in sprawl, or contribute Class-based aesthetic objections to sprawl American suburbs like Daly City, California. to sprawl. Sprawl is where other people live, have always been the most important force But now that their landscapes have matured particularly people with less good taste. Much motivating critics. It seems that as society and their original plastic-shaded fl oor lamps anti-sprawl activism is based on a desire to becomes richer and the resources devoted to have become collectible, many of these reform these other people’s lives. securing basics like food and shelter diminish, vintage neighborhoods have become trendy. aesthetic issues loom larger. Certainly the In like manner, as hard as it is to imagine Affl uent exurban residents are among the number of people complaining about the today, by the time the landscape around the most zealous guardians of the status quo. visual impact of sprawl, and the vehemence now-treeless subdivisions of look-alike stucco They are often adamant about preserving their of their rhetoric, have increased with each boxes at the edge of suburban Las Vegas area exactly as it was when they arrived. Yet successive campaign against it. fully matures, these subdivisions will likely be rural areas, after a century of losing people as candidates for historic landmark designation. farmers abandoned their land for the cities, are There is an obvious class bias in these Most urban change, no matter how wrenching now being repopulated, often at nineteenth- judgments. The indictments against for one generation, tends to be the accepted century densities. The new residents are sprawl almost never target architecture or norm of the next, and the cherished heritage urban families who want the look of old rural landscapes acceptable to upper-middle-class of the one after that. New England, but with all of today’s urban taste, no matter how scattered or consuming conveniences. They demand the aesthetic of land. One doesn’t hear complaints about Beware of faulty fi xes experience of “traditional” settlements without the spectacular British villas, the private all of the inconveniences associated with that gardens of the French Riviera created in the Although sprawl obviously causes kind of landscape. 1920s, or the great country houses built considerable problems of all kinds, the same by American industrialists at the turn of the could be said of any kind of settlement This trend, while much accelerated by affl uence, century on northern Long Island or in the pattern, and there is precious little evidence has been going on for a long time. Among the Brandywine Valley in Delaware. “Sprawl” that the dislocations caused by sprawl are best documented inhabitants of exurbia are a means subdivisions and shopping centers as serious as activists would have us believe. number of early American prophets of what for middle-and lower-middle-class families. More important, many of their proposed

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reforms would likely create fresh diffi culties. Many anti-sprawl plans are based on a simple elaborate public transit. Neither effort was Some of the anti-sprawl remedies tried thus and static view of the proper shape of an successful. As planners of new towns in Britain far have been highly ineffective; others have urban area. There is a desire to repudiate the had discovered decades earlier, ambitious led to unintended consequences arguably untidiness of the democratic, industrial city residents of any given community are quite worse than the problems the reformers of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, likely to fi nd better jobs somewhere else in the set out to correct. Whether in London and return to the order of the European region than in the place where they happen to immediately after World War II, or in Portland, city from medieval times through the era of live. The result was that a high percentage of Oregon during the last couple of decades, absolutist monarchs--when city form was the residents of Reston and Columbia ended previous anti-sprawl policies have failed to dictated by central authority and the building up working elsewhere. Given the overall stop the outward spread of people and jobs, of successive walls. low densities of both towns--around 3,000 and may well have aggravated the very things people per square mile--it’s not surprising they were supposed to alleviate, like highway Like the common schematics of electrons that residents use the automobile much like congestion. racing around the nucleus of an atom, suburbanites anywhere. In the end, despite or diagrams of planets circling the sun, all of the careful planning and high-minded The history of political treatments for urban planners love to push a “natural” order. But architectural design, these towns function very woes is rife with traumatic side effects. In everyone now knows that none of those much like any other middle-class suburb. the mid twentieth century, for instance, there natural phenomena is as tidy as the diagrams were panicky responses to the “crisis of the suggest, and systems of human social life Leaping to judgment central city.” Proclaiming that they would put are even more complex and chaotic. Yet an end to declining property values and the many urban reformers continue to reject the Unfortunately, we don’t understand our new fl ight of residents and jobs, planners instituted inevitable human messiness of cities, which urban areas very well because many of the “urban renewal,” public housing expansions, they try to manipulate with blunt controls. individuals best equipped to describe them- “neighborhood revitalization,” and such. In -historians, social scientists, planners, urban the end, many of these efforts to “cure” urban Two of the most important American attempts theorists--have been so quick to condemn woes ended up triggering and worsening to create utopian “garden cities” illustrate the that they’ve never really looked carefully. them. Diffi culties that could have been short- diffi culties of artifi cially planning and then Aesthetic biases and failures of analysis and lived blips were actually exacerbated. manufacturing an ideal community. The towns fair description of suburbs have created of Reston, Virginia and Columbia, Maryland a prejudicial hierarchy that looks down on This is not surprising. In very complex systems were privately developed “new communities” suburbia as a lower form of urbanity. I suggest like a city, any intervention in one place is likely to intended to be compact and transit-oriented, we set aside the traditional distinctions cause changes, often unintended, throughout with a balance of jobs and housing. In the end, between urban, suburban, and rural and think the entire mechanism. Besides, anti-sprawl Reston and Columbia managed to attract an instead of settlements across a vast landscape policies tend to be highly inequitable. They enthusiastic resident population. What they as if they were celestial bodies, each exerting are usually most benefi cial to an “incumbents’ did not do was to provide models for stopping a force fi eld, stronger or weaker according club”--families who already have many of the sprawl. to their size and density, and changing in urban amenities they want, and who benefi t In both of these cases, the original master- intensity across time. 42 from the rise in land prices that accompanies planning team failed fi nancially, and the any regulation discouraging new growth. projects had to be reorganized. Nor were For instance, many people have viewed These same policies can place a heavy these two communities notably successful in suburbia as antithetical to the old downtowns. burden on exactly the part of the population their central goals. The planners had hoped But it is probably more useful to think of the least able to protect itself. that residents would take jobs adjoining two locales as siblings, always reacting to one their housing, and drive less. They pushed another. After seeing the success of offi ce parks in the suburbs, for instance, developers in the central city created large new offi ce and hotel complexes with extensively landscaped grounds. Conversely, developers of suburban places like the Reston Town Center in Virginia or the Easton Town Center in Ohio watched downtown business associations improve their competitive position by capitalizing on their historic heritage, restoring buildings, and installing traditional street furniture, and countered by creating new suburban “downtowns” meant to look and function like old city centers.

This competition is healthy.

Another misunderstanding grows out of the provincialism of critics living in fast-growing urban areas. Many such people have the impression that the entire country is fast being paved over. But in truth, cities and suburbs occupy only a small percentage of our country’s land. The entire urban and suburban population of the United States could fi t comfortably into Wisconsin at suburban densities. Moreover, the amount of land set

July-August—The Free Radical Visit ‘The Free Radical online’ at: www.FreeRadical.co.nz URBAN DESIGN aside permanently for parks and wildlife areas decades, many of the people who still think exactly like those of the U.S., the patterns has grown faster than urban land. of themselves as progressive have turned have been similar. The shift of population from pessimistic and have concluded that social the center of Paris to its suburbs, for instance, Self-interest and fear of change trends have actually gotten worse rather has actually been sharper in recent decades than better. They look to conservation and than in Chicago. Between 1962 and 1990 Although opponents of sprawl believe they are preservation rather than the development of the city of Paris slipped steadily in population making rational and disinterested diagnoses new resources or technologies, they want to from 2.8 million to 2.2 million. The inner of urban problems, their actions usually limit growth rather than aid it, and they prefer suburbs fi rst gained in population, overtaking involve powerful, often unacknowledged, to recreate urban forms of previous eras the population of the city and reaching over self-interest. The self-interest is clear in the rather than experiment with new settlement 3 million by 1975. Then the outer suburbs case of the New Yorker who owns a weekend patterns. witnessed an accelerating growth, rising from home in the Hamptons and rails against the This position puts them squarely in the camp 1.7 million to 2.6 million in 1990. Beyond that, continuing development of Long Island. In of many traditional conservatives, who have an “exterior zone” including the rest of greater similar fashion, families who have recently always been more interested in maintaining Paris grew from 1.2 million to 2.9 million. At moved to the suburban periphery are often what exists than forging toward the possibility present, the city of Paris accounts for fewer the most vociferous opponents of further of progress. The anti-sprawl movement is a than a quarter of all Parisians. development of exactly the same kind that powerful compound of this new progressivism created their own house, because that would and a traditional conservatism. It seems to be Despite efforts by the French central destroy their views or reduce their access to part of a widespread erosion of confi dence in government to channel growth, the outer the countryside beyond their subdivision. the future, and a desire to sentimentalize the Parisian suburbs and exurbs, with their low- past. density subdivisions of single-family houses, The power of self-interest can also be seen in shopping centers, industrial parks, and individuals who press for mass transit yet are The reality is that, rather than declining, many freeways, function and look increasingly like very unlikely to use it themselves. They assume suburbs are actually becoming increasingly those in the United States. This process of someone else will ride, and free up highway gentrifi ed. One of the most visible aspects rapid dispersal has been visible in virtually space for themselves. Here again, members of of this has been the dramatic rise in the every major city on the globe where incomes the incumbent’s club form alliances to protect number of teardowns: the replacement of have risen and there has been an active real their advantages, sometimes in unexpected smaller houses with much larger ones. One estate market--from Boston to Bangkok and and ephemeral ways. might have thought that teardowns would from Buenos Aires to Berlin. The anti-sprawl campaign might bring be welcomed by anti-sprawl forces because together, if only temporarily, a conservative they represent a desire to reuse and revitalize Cars win everywhere retired couple in Maine worried about a older communities. But many of the same shopping center outside their village and a organizations that fi ght sprawl also want to Given the low overall densities in European young New York City social worker of radical discourage teardowns, claiming they destroy suburbs, it’s not surprising that the private political inclinations infuriated by what she the character of communities. This suggests automobile has become the most common perceives as a government tilt toward SUV that the real target might be less sprawl than way for residents to get around in recent owners over subway riders. A small farmer change itself. decades. Even in the Paris region, which has 43 worried that new suburban neighbors in Des one of the most extensive systems of public Moines might complain about farm odors, The world is right behind us transportation in Europe, public transit does crop spraying, and agricultural vehicles on not play much of a role through large parts of local roads could easily fi nd himself backing Enemies of sprawl often hold up dense the territory. Public transit accounts for only the same kind of stringent land controls as European city centers as alternatives. But about 30 percent of vehicular travel in the a large residential developer in San Diego it’s not so much the actual preferences of area, and this fi gure declines further with each who knows that he will be able to pass on the inhabitants that make those areas the passing year. the cost of additional regulatory hurdles to his way they are, as simply the fact that their homebuyers, and that his lawyers will be able settlement patterns were fi xed generations Use of the private automobile, in contrast, has to negotiate the bureaucracy more easily than ago in a way that would be hard to alter now. been rising quickly throughout Europe--even his smaller competitors. Opposing sprawl Though many Europeans still live in small faster, in fact, than in the U.S. This makes could well be the only issue on which all of apartments in high-density districts, polls sense, since, outside the central core, the these people would agree. consistently confi rm that the vast majority automobile is almost always a quicker means of them, like most people worldwide, would of getting from one place to another. The There seems to be no strong correlation rather live in single-family houses on their own average commute to work in greater Paris, between political affi liation and anti-sprawl piece of land than in an apartment building. for example, is 27 minutes by car, 53 minutes activism. The most important factor in pushing by public transport. A massive switch from individuals toward an anti-sprawl position is And now that they are becoming affl uent public transit to the automobile has taken class. In general, like the City Beautiful and enough to act, Europeans are moving into place even though the French government, Prohibition movements before it, the anti- suburbs in increasing numbers. They are along with those of all the other Western sprawl project has been heavily supported by bringing jobs and retail with them. In country European nations, has levied very high taxes upper-middle-class professionals. The reform after country across Europe, consumers are on autos and gasoline to discourage car use leaders come overwhelmingly from an elite demanding the convenience of longer store and fi nance public transport. group of academics, central-city business hours, shops closer to where they live, and executives, and employees of non-profi t easier access by automobile. The result is a The same pattern is visible in the Tokyo area. organizations. proliferation of large supermarkets, shopping Despite one of the best public transit systems centers, discount centers, and Big Box retail in the world, Tokyo has some of the world’s One of the oddest aspects of the anti- outlets like Wal-Mart or Target. longest commuting times. And the public sprawl campaign is the way it has altered systems are the slowest option. the relationship between progressive and While the suburbs of European cities or those conservative ideas. Within the past several of Australia or Canada have not developed Even if travel times were longer by automobile

Visit ‘The Free Radical online’ at: www.FreeRadical.co.nz July-August—The Free Radical URBAN DESIGN

than by public transportation (which is choices, because options are dictated by vast rarely the case in any city) the comfort and economic, political, and social systems. The convenience of the automobile would probably family can only buy what the merchant offers, make it the transportation mode of choice for or the developer builds, or the government many middle-class urban dwellers. That’s why allows. the automobile had become the dominant mode of travel in all affl uent nations. Even in Of course everyone’s choices are constrained a country like the Netherlands, which has one by what is available. Yet it seems fair to say of the highest densities of any country in the the average American family today has more world, less than 10 percent of commuting real options than a similar family in any other trips are now on public transportation. society or previous era. Moreover, the power to make decisions capable of reshaping society Getting what we wished for is highly decentralized at present. Even a billionaire willing to spend every penny would For generations, almost all urbanists who only be able to buy about 2,000 moderately critiqued the ills of the modern city ended expensive houses in most big U.S. cities. up advocating dispersal of tightly packed populations. When that really happened At the same time, every individual has some on a large scale, the next generation of role in determining how the city looks and planners were horrifi ed. Without a doubt, functions. If I shop at a suburban Wal-Mart suburbanization has created many problems, rather than a downtown department store, or as fast change always does. But, on the choose to live in an apartment near the old whole, it appears to have been very benefi cial downtown rather than in a single-family house OBITUARY to most urban dwellers. on fi ve acres in exurbia, these actions have an effect on urban form. It is precisely these kinds Ed Welander: It’s hard for us today to really grasp the of choices, echoed and re-echoed by millions aircraft engineer, libertarian, nature of city life a hundred years ago, when of independent citizens, that have profoundly Objectivist, and a man of rare millions of urban dwellers were obliged to reshaped America’s urban areas. endure cramped and unsanitary tenements, common sense. dangerous traffi c, pollution-choked streets, More than any other human artifact in the world today, our urban areas are the result and deadly factories. The cleaner, greener, Ed inspired and motivated those safer, more private neighborhoods that most of the everyday actions of each person, metropolitan residents now live in would each group, each institution. In its immense around him, encouraging them astound our great-grandparents. At very complexity and constant change, the city-- to: “Just get on with it.” He loved least, our highly dispersed urban regions whether concentrated at the core, looser and Nancy, and he believed in liberty. deserve a bit of respect, before we jump to more sprawling in suburbia, or extending into He hated bureaucracy, spouting 44 the conclusion that they are terrible places in the vast exurban penumbra--is the grandest need of total transformation. and most marvelous work of mankind. Tear of hot air, meetings, laziness, up and start over at your own risk. incompetence and stupidity. He Intellectuals often resist the notion that ordinary Excerpted from the book, ‘Sprawl: A Compact kept busy, mentally and physically, citizens play a large and healthy role in the History,’ by Robert Bruegmann. This excerpt and his sleeves were always rolled creation of cities and societies. They argue originally published in ‘American Enterprise’ that the average urban family actually has few magazine. Reproduced by permission. up. He was a voracious reader on a wide range of subjects. He felt at home amongst complex machines, particularly boats and aeroplanes. It seemed he could do anything if he put his mind to it, and if he took that fi rst step, which so many people seem afraid to do. He had a gentle and quiet demeanour which refl ected his self-confi dence and inner strength.

The world is poorer for his leaving, but very much richer for his having been here.

We will miss you. Nancy, Jasmine and Julian

July-August—The Free Radical Visit ‘The Free Radical online’ at: www.FreeRadical.co.nz Cue Card Libertarianism, Introduction ‘TRANSLATOR’S’ NOTE Cue Card Libertarianism Cue Card Libertarianism Many years ago, Free Radical editor Lindsay Perigo put together a set of ‘Cue -- Abortion -- Anarchy Abortion is frequently a matter of dispute Cards’ to help newbies understand all Anarchy is the absence of government those diffi cult concepts that we libertarians among libertarians because of confl icting and law. Some anarcho-libertarians maintain use that leave everyone else slack-jawed views on the status of the foetus. There is that anarchy is the only state consistent with with confusion. I’m thinking here of such acceptance by both sides that if the foetus liberty, or that if we are to have government phrases and ideas as the “non-initiation of is a human being, then abortion is murder, at all, it should take the form of private, force principle,” “Galt’s Speech,” “altruism a violation of the right to life, properly to be competing governments. Most, including is evil” and “the world will be a better place outlawed. TFR, emphatically oppose these positions, when the last politician is strangled with the TFR takes the Objectivist view that the arguing that whatever the nominal starting guts of the last bureaucrat.” foetus is not yet a human being, but a part position of such a society the result is Libertarians meanwhile stand around of a human being – the mother – who has gangsterism en route to something worse. slack-jawed in wonder that others don’t rights over it. To be an actual, rather than Any anarchist utopia is by its nature grasp these simple and obvious ideas as merely potential, human being is, among impermanent – it is merely a transition to self-evident, particularly the last. How could other things, to be physically separate, something else. anyone not understand the truth of that, we which a foetus is not. As Leonard Peikoff All that is spoken about by anarcho- wonder quietly to ourselves? has argued, “That which lives within the So for those who need help understanding capitalist ‘hippies of the right’ about the what libertarians mean when they say these body of another can claim no prerogatives systems of anarchy amount in TFR’s view things (and to paraphrase Dame Edna against its host.” to no more than wishful thinking about the Everage, we do mean them lovingly), over Thus we uphold the right to abort as state of things and the nature of men. Some the next few issues TFR will update this part of the mother’s right to ownership of men. series, beginning this issue with the entries her own body. We do not, however, support As James Madison said, “If all men were below and around this magazine. state-funded abortion, since anything at all angels no government would be necessary. If Hopefully as the series progresses you funded by compulsory-acquired money is angels were to govern men, neither external will fi nd yourself understanding -- if not a violation of the rights of the involuntary nor internal controls on government would necessarily agreeing with -- these simple and funders. be necessary.” But all men ain’t angels, timeless libertarian concepts. And perhaps hence the need both for government and for there will dawn the day when you too will Cue Card Libertarianism controls on that government. We call those come to realise that the auto-asphyxiation controls a constitution, just as Madison did. of politicians and bureaucrats may not be -- Altruism Government and law then, ideally such a bad thing. (But as always with such Not to be confused with simple kindness things, readers are advised not to try such and benevolence, as in common usage, but speaking, exist to protect the individual from things at home.) defi ned literally as “other-ism” or “living for physical coercion and from its derivative, We’ll begin with the introduction that others,” precisely as the term’s originator, fraud; in the absence of government and appeared in this very magazine all the way Auguste Comte the founder of sociology, law there can be no such protection, and no 45 back in 1993: conceived it. proscribing of coercion in the fi rst place. One Altruism is the ethic of subordinating cannot rely on spontaneous benevolence EDITOR’S NOTE, Wanganui, 1993 one’s own interests as a matter of principle to effect a miraculous disappearance of Some people encountering “The Free to those of others in particular and to compulsion from human affairs; human Radical” for the fi rst time are reporting ‘society’ in general has been the lifeblood beings are volitional, and as such, capable a diffi culty coming to grips with its of tyrannies throughout history. All tyrants of error and evil, from whose coercive forms statement of editorial policy, evidently have invoked “the common good” and it is legitimate to institute protection. fi nding it too “abstract” and not easily extolled (and forcibly imposed) the “virtue” The agency of protection can be likened applicable to everyday issues. Mindful of to a referee, beholden to no particular this, I decided to embark on an A-Z of of self-subordination and self-sacrifi ce as player, ensuring with scrupulous impartiality everyday, and not so everyday, issues, a means of ensuring a docile, acquiescent to show how the non-initiation of force population. that the rules of the game (in this case, no principle applies in each case. Altruism is the ethical foundation of murder, theft, rape, etc) are observed. To The “non-initiation of force principle” is collectivism in politics. advocate anarchy is tantamount to saying that no one should force anyone to do Said Joseph Goebbels (approvingly), “To that each player may make up his own rules anything – all our dealings with each other be a socialist is to submit the I to the Thou; and then enforce them as best he can – by should be voluntary. This formulation socialism is sacrifi cing the individual to the enlisting anyone he chooses, in the case of is derived from Galt’s Speech in Ayn whole.” One Volk, with one neck. advocates of private governments – clearly Rand’s Atlas Shrugged. Non-Randian Libertarianism deems altruism to be a prescription for the rule of brute force. libertarians commonly refer to the ‘non- incompatible with individual self-ownership, The need for an objective, neutral aggression principle’ – which amounts to and upholds instead an ethic of rational self- agency to which citizens can repair in the the same thing but without the principled interest (see Objectivism). As David Kelly event of force being initiated against them justifi cation. The following are the fi rst argues in his book Unrugged Individualism, is inescapable. That agency is government; part of a thumbnail introduction to the an ethic of rational self-interest does not good government is the means by which libertarian perspective on matters of moment, which I hope will make clearer, exclude benevolence towards others, it the retaliatory use of physical force is placed implicitly or explicitly, how the non- simply recognises that this may only come under objective control. initiation-of-force principle applies and about once the acting party has secured And just remember what P.J O’Rourke from whence it is derived. his own fl ourishing. “Is it better to give or to said was the fi rst thing an anarchist would When the series is complete, we shall receive?” asks Kelley rhetorically, answering, be saying when visiting mid-eighties Beirut: release it in its entirety as a small book. “It is better to produce.” “Uh, more police please.”

Visit ‘The Free Radical online’ at: www.FreeRadical.co.nz July-August—The Free Radical PETER CRESWELL URBAN DESIGN

Rebuilding Auckland’s Tank Farm Auckland’s ‘Tank Farm’ on Wynyard Point is Auckland latest political the public imagination, without which the ‘open space and more trees’ brigade might football, and looks likely to be so for the next thirty years or so. As oil have the upper hand in the public mind. company leases expire there (on land co-owned in the main by Ports of There are lessons from the success Auckland Ltd, and on the margins by Viaduct Harbour Holdings Ltd and of the Viaduct renovations, as the Americas Cup Village Ltd) forces are gathering to re-develop the area. Herald’s John Roughan pointed out when the concepts were released2:

As always in New Zealand, there are forces For once in Auckland, on a site representing But the success of the Viaduct is not opposed to development, forces opposed such an enormous opportunity, that opportunity due simply to the human scale of the exists. It would be good if – just for once to competition, and forces opposed to place. It owes at least as much to the way anything beyond the bland and mediocre. – the bland and the mediocre and the merely commercial activity is combined with public suburban were overlooked, and a real hard- areas there. That is the formula to follow. ‘When in doubt, plant a tree’ seems to be all edged, working, exciting, urban waterfront too common a theme. There are demands for could result. Think downtown Manhattan It does not necessarily mean more apartments, parks, demands for open space, demands and Battery Park, downtown Sydney and restaurants and bars but if there is a demand for to ban “shops, offi ces and apartments,” the Rocks. Or London’s Docklands and them, let it happen. More likely the commercial demands to ban profi ts… All too predictable, Greenwich; Stockholm’s Old Town, or Venice activity would change as you proceed west and all so much nonsense. and St Marks Square. Better yet, think things from the Viaduct. The high life would give way not yet seen elsewhere, or yet thought about to marine industries much as it does now. “The new development should be democratic, in this funny little city of the South Pacifi c not just for the elite,” says ARC councillor Possibly the best thing the designers Sandra Coney, making the point for most of Oddly, unexpected sense and a portion could do would be to fi nd ways that the those opposed to mostly everything that makes of good thoughts have been rolled out by fi sh markets, boatyards and every sort Port’s Design Team1, whose concept (right any sense. “The Tank Farm will become a of marine servicing depot could continue 46 and below) is simple but surprisingly strong playground for the rich with the poor emptying to operate there with more generous despite some occasionally bland illustrations, the bins,” says Heart of the City’s Alex Swney, public access to the same waterfront. a somewhat suburban scale (particularly at the summoning up working-class envy on behalf point’s tip), and fi ve grave errors: 1) not taking I’m sure this would present more of a problem of Queen St retailers opposed to competition account of the second harbour crossing, 2) to planners than it would to people working out to the west. Swney it is who has set up assuming there are enough people in Auckland or walking on the waterfront. Planners abhor the dripping wet WeOnlyGetOneChance. to fi ll even more bars and restaurants, 3) chaos, but left alone people would quickly Com in an effort to mobilise forces against ignoring almost totally, it seems, the needs resolve so-called issues of confl icting use. business competition (you probably heard of the existing marine industry located in the his sneering radio ads). What a pair. area, and the attractiveness of an urban area Quite right. One thing almost all parties combined with a working marine industry; 4) seem to agree upon is that the area needs Many of the comments from most of the usual insuffi cient commercial activity to generate a landmark building -- an iconic building to suspects ignore the reality of the proposed people and excitement for the area; and 5) do for Auckland’s harbour what the Opera (and much-needed) second harbour crossing, offering no scope for iconic tall buildings, and House does for Sydney’s. Even Councillor for which Wynyard Point is an obvious and about as much excitement as an empty beer Coney agrees, albeit rather wetly: “A number already mooted candidate. And too many fridge. Aside from those major oversights, of people say this area needs an iconic ignore the excitement that a hard-edged Port’s concept works. What might make it fail building or structure - art galleries and urban landscape generates when done well. is the lack of an iconic centrepiece to capture museums have been mentioned. Whatever

July-August—The Free Radical Visit ‘The Free Radical online’ at: www.FreeRadical.co.nz URBAN DESIGN is chosen should meet a number of criteria enjoying the sunlight and the birds. Sadly, - and be of interest to the city’s diverse Don’t Go Near the Water! we could hardly see the boats at all, because communities... The concept of an Arrival Owen McShane not only were we well back from the water’s Museum could well fi t the bill...” Good grief. edge, but the Council had erected a long For mine, John Roughan sums it up well: In 1972 I stood on the edge of Stockholm’s harbour with Sir Dove Myer Robinson raised “public viewing platform” which blocked our view. No members of this All week we’ve been reading of ideas for the – better known as “Mayor Robbie”, even “privileged public” were anywhere to be redevelopment of the waterfront from the when he wasn’t actually Mayor. We were seen. Viaduct to Westhaven, including the removal of both attending the fi rst United Nations the tank farm and using that commanding site for Human Environment Conference, as This determination to keep the real public a building of Sydney Opera House signifi cance. “Citizens’ Observers”. We stood on a long away from the water so that some mythical paved series of steps leading down into the public can enjoy the water is the curse of I haven’t heard a more exciting subject for a long water, in front of a small square within the waterfront development everywhere in New time. Auckland could erect something there that “Old Town”. Zealand. would defi ne the place, dominate the harbour We looked down and both noticed that if This perverse policy is further compounded and swell the hearts of its citizens forever. the tide was coming in our shoes would by our love affair with “open space” which Sydney has done that so well that anything soon be wet. allows for buildings, provided they sit in the we do might look imitative, but give us time. We took in the view and after a few seconds middle of a grassy paddock. We destroy Robbie turned to me, fi xed me with his our rural landscape with rows of houses The iconic building is literally the last thing we beady eye, and asked “Why can’t we enjoy stuck in the middle of ten acre blocks and should do. That is to say, we should do it, but the waters’ edge like this at the bottom of even make this worst solution compulsory not until somebody comes up with the idea that Queen Street?” under RMA law. is so good, so right and natural for that location that we’ll all wonder why we didn’t think of it. I explained that the Auckland Harbour Board These two perversities now seem destined owned the waterfront, and regarded the to destroy the Tank Farm’s opportunity to We’ll know it when it happens... whole area as its private domain secured create true urban spaces on, and even behind high steel fences. Under this suspended over, our waters’ edge. Already Maybe no other construction could match arrangement there was no competition for the Auckland Regional Council and the the tower for grandeur but that tank farm best use and hence the most valuable land Auckland City Council are engaged in an site will inspire something exceptional. But would be used for storing cars, containers “open space” war in which both assume no matter how grand the design let’s not and so on forever. that success is measured by how much consign it to a cultural purpose as Sydney Of course, while I was partly right, I was “open space” is left over. Their scheme did. Let’s come up with something that will more than half wrong. The old Harbour plans show large areas of open space at have commercial life. That’s where people go. Board has since been replaced with a Ports the end of the peninsula and cordons of Authority, Queens Wharf is now a multi-use open space isolating every building from As you can imagine I agree almost completely, development, and the America’s Cup has the water’s edge. except to say that I see both the last few transformed the Viaduct Basin. 47 No diners will hang over the water here. paragraphs and that piece of land beside But there is still nowhere to enjoy that No visitors will get their feet wet as the tide the Harbour Bridge as a challenge. (“No intimacy with the sea, that Robbie and I comes in. other construction could match the tower both experienced, all those years ago in The Waitemata Harbour is a great sailing for grandeur.” You ain’t seen nothing yet!) Stockholm. Landmark buildings are sadly not something harbour because most of the time there Auckland has thick on the ground -- iconic This deprivation is not unique to Downtown. is a reasonably strong wind blowing from and distinctively New Zealand tall buildings Indeed the Viaduct Basin is probably as the North East or from the South West. even less so. But on that, more soon. close to the water as any Aucklander can So when you create a large piece of open ever get. If you sit down for coffee or lunch space at the end of a peninsula sticking out Watch these spaces. in Mission Bay, Devonport, or Orewa, can into the harbour it will in fact be windswept you push your toes into the sand, or watch – and rainswept too. You might be able to This originally appeared at the blog Not the waves break on the waters’ edge? No drink your coffee but forget about reading PC, www.pc.blogspot.com/2006/03/ – you have to look at a car-park or a road. the paper. rebuilding-aucklands-tank-farm.html (Footnotes) In most of our “seaside” areas we are further If real people are to enjoy the Tank Farm it 1 www.tankfarm.co.nz/design_team.htm separated from the sea by a daunting area will need a number of small town squares 2 www.nzhpremiumcontent.blogspot. of “public open space”. This last stretch of surrounded by verandahs (colonnades if com/2006/03/john-roughan-timely-re-jig-for- no man’s land ensures that any glimpse of you like) and be of a scale which is more harbour.html the water is truly distant. If any entrepreneur like a room than an open space. attempts to provide some dining or other facilities closer to the water they will be Think of St Marks Square in Venice – not stopped in their tracks by demands that the Aotea Square. St Marks is on the harbour’s waterfront must be protected “for the public” edge but provides intimacy, bustle, and – and so the public remains isolated. shelter. Clearly people love it.

These strange priorities are best The Tank Farm is our last chance to learn demonstrated at Whangarei’s “Town Basin” something from Robbie’s question. A group where harbour-side buildings and wharves of Councillors and staff are going on a grand have been restored to accommodate coffee tour to get some ideas of their own. bars, restaurants, galleries and chandleries. The last time I had lunch at the Basin there If I had my way they would go to Stockholm’s must have been a hundred or so of us, all Old Town, then to St Marks Square – and looking towards the harbour and marina, then come straight home.

Visit ‘The Free Radical online’ at: www.FreeRadical.co.nz July-August—The Free Radical FREE RADICAL Budget Special

PHIL RENNIE Are New Zealanders Paying Too Much Tax? The ever increasing tax burden has become a heated issue in New A popular slogan is that ‘taxation is the price we pay for living in a civilised society’. Zealand. At the 2005 election, over-taxation was hotly debated with the Government arguing that high taxation is a myth despite clear indications But this is too simplistic. If this were true, then we could raise taxes to 100% and have the to the contrary. most civilised country in the world. The optimal level of taxation is arguable, and higher taxes are no guarantee for a civil society. • New Zealand’s taxation burden is high by world standards. It is higher than Australia and Most experts agree that the point of tax is the dynamic economies of Asia and America, to raise enough money to cover spending in and only slightly lower than the stagnant a fair way (‘fairness’ being open to debate) European economies. with the least distortion possible. This paper argues that the Government has gone well • Anyone earning under $180,000 is likely to beyond this brief. pay more personal income tax in New Zealand than in Australia. How much tax do we pay? • While our top tax rate (39%) is one of the According to the most recent update, the lowest in the world, its application is one of the Government’s core crown tax revenue for most inequitable. New Zealanders pay the top 2006 will be $49.7 billion, which is 31.3% of rate at 1.4 times the average wage compared Gross Domestic Product (GDP). With local to the weighted average for OECD countries Government taxes and rates added on, the of 5.6. This affects professionals such as OECD has estimated our total tax burden teachers, nurses and police and, ironically, at 35.4% of GDP for 2004 (the most recent some families that also qualify for Government 48 available year). This means that over a third of assistance. all wealth produced in New Zealand is taken • In nominal terms, New Zealanders pay by government. 50% more tax than they did in 2000. The Government’s tax revenue has increased at To make these numbers more comprehensible, twice the rate of infl ation and well ahead of all based on these fi gures every man, woman predictions. and child pays an average of $262 in tax • The Government is taking far more revenue every week. than it needs. We have record budget surpluses Another way of expressing the tax burden is which present a once-in-a-generation chance Introduction with Tax Freedom Day, the symbolic day when to cut taxes signifi cantly without even touching The question of whether New Zealand is over- spending. taxed was a heated election issue in 2005 with workers have paid their share to government strongly confl icting opinions. Critics argue and can fi nally start working for themselves. • By changing accounting methods, the that the Government can afford tax relief, but In New Zealand’s case, Tax Freedom day for Government has been able to argue that the in response the Minister of Finance, Michael 2006 was on 10 May. cash surplus (as opposed to the operating Cullen, has attacked what he calls the ‘myth surplus) is, in fact, relatively minor and will While personal income tax is the most visible of high tax’: go into defi cit in coming years. While this is form of taxation, it makes up less than half fi scally conservative and a commendable way (43%) of the Government’s tax revenue. First and foremost is the misperception that to manage the accounts, it also indicates the New Zealand has a relatively broad tax base taxes are too high … and that New Zealanders very strong condition of the nation’s economy. so that much of our revenue is collected in pay far more tax than other countries. There is In such a healthy environment it defi es other ways, such as GST, corporate tax, and simply no truth to this. comprehension that tax relief is not on the excise tax on things like petrol, alcohol and This paper looks at some of the main Government’s agenda. tobacco. arguments and indicators for and against the • Much of the increase in revenue has gone proposition that New Zealand is a highly taxed How do we compare with other countries? unnoticed because of ‘bracket creep’. Our nation. It examines how we compare to other At fi rst glance our tax burden might seem tax thresholds haven’t changed in ten years, countries, including Australia, our top rate, the reasonable compared to other countries. In but the average worker is earning more and problem of bracket creep, and how much tax 2003 (the most recent comparable year) tax therefore paying tax at a higher rate. revenue has increased in recent years. made up 34.9% of GDP, slightly lower than • As a fi rst step our income tax thresholds the OECD average of 36.3%. This made us should be indexed to infl ation, as is done for Before deciding if New Zealanders are paying the 12th lowest taxing country in the OECD, welfare benefi ts. Otherwise the Government is too much tax, we need to ask: what do we with 18 countries above us—a fact often increasing taxation by stealth. actually pay tax for? promoted by defenders of the status quo.

July-August—The Free Radical Visit ‘The Free Radical online’ at: www.FreeRadical.co.nz FREE RADICAL Budget Special

But this kind of comparison doesn’t give comparable year) show total tax revenue $6001-$25,000 15c the true picture because it measures small as a percentage of GDP as 34.9% for New $25,001-$75,000 30c countries like Luxembourg equally with Zealand and 31.6% for Australia. $75,001-$150,000 40c the United States, Japan and other large $150,001+ 45c economies. If we weight the OECD fi gures When it comes to basic personal income for the size of their economies the average is tax Australia’s system is more progressive. It There are some more important caveats closer to 31%. has a tax-free threshold of $6000 along with though. higher rates for top income earners, although There are also signifi cant regional differences these apply at higher thresholds than in New The above comparisons are only for single within these fi gures. European countries tend to Zealand. workers, but both countries have various be much more highly taxed (and economically schemes for giving tax credits and other forms stagnant), with an average ratio of 38.9%. This Using the basic rates, and adjusting for the of rebates to families with children. compares with 26.1% for the Americas and respective Medicare and ACC levies, Australia 29.3% for the Pacifi c, which includes Japan will have a lower level of taxation for all incomes There is also a difference in non-income and Australia. For English speaking countries, under $180,000 from July of this year. The tax taxes. Australia has capital gains and estate the weighted average is 28.7%. free threshold of $6000 makes a big difference duties, compulsory superannuation (paid by for lower incomes, but as incomes increase the employer) and different indirect taxes. And the OECD is only a sample of 30 countries. the gap narrows and is never more than 3%. Many of our regional trading partners have For example, a person earning $50,000 in Even though Australia is a lower taxing nation much lower ratios, like Singapore and Hong New Zealand will pay 23.9% of their income than New Zealand, it is still a highly taxed Kong, who were at 22% and 15% respectively in tax compared to 21.3% in Australia. nation when compared to its trading partners in 2002. Even in communist China, taxes and other similar countries. Like New Zealand account for just 19% of their GDP. New Zealand there is strong public demand for tax cuts and (does not include ACC earners levy) reform. New Zealand is out of step with our nearest $0-$9,500 neighbours and our main trading partners. 15c (with low income rebate; 19.5c without) How does our top tax rate compare? Instead, we are dangerously close to the big- $9,501-$38,000 21c Our top personal tax rate of 39% is one of the spending, stagnant European economies. $38,001-$60,000 33c lowest in the world. Australia has a top rate $60,001+ 39c of 46.5%,15 while most European countries How do we compare with Australia? are between 40% and 50%. New Zealand’s Looking at the economies of New Zealand and Australia major anomaly, though, is that our top rate Australia as a whole, there is no doubt that from 1st July 2006 (does not include kicks in at a very low level: at $60,000, which New Zealand collects a greater proportion of Medicare levy) is just 1.4 times the average wage—one of tax. OECD fi gures for 2003 (the most recent $0-$6000 0c the lowest ratios in the world. For the OECD, 49 the weighted average is 5.6 times the average wage.

As a result our top rate affects people in professions like teaching, nursing and the police—a far cry from the ‘tax the rich’ calls of the 1990s. Ironically, many families paying the top rate now also qualify for Government assistance as part of the Working for Families scheme.

In hindsight, the increase in the top tax rate in 2000 to 39% for incomes over $60,000 was completely unnecessary. The original goal was to raise an additional $450 million a year, which pales in comparison with the total increased revenue since then. In fact the Government could have cut income tax and still be receiving far more revenue than it ever expected. This will be discussed in more detail below.

What about the tax wedge? A recent report by the OECD Taxing Wages (March 2006) looked at the size of the ‘tax wedge’ in various countries, by calculating the tax and social security contributions (if any) paid by employees and employers, minus any cash benefi ts received from the Government. For a single person on the average wage, New Zealand’s rate is 20.5%, while for the average family with two children the rate is 14.5%. This is the third lowest rate in the OECD for the

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average worker, and one of the few positive to visibly increase taxes, apart from increasing of $60,000 only applied to the top 5% of signs regarding New Zealand’s tax burden. the top personal rate to 39% for incomes over taxpayers. This has now doubled to 11% $60,000. This now raises an estimated of taxpayers, or 20% of full-time workers, Again there is an important disclaimer to this $780 million a year in extra revenue. affecting 330,000 people. study. As noted before, New Zealand has a relatively broad tax base which means that The National Party calculates that there have The problem of bracket creep applies to personal income tax is not the Government’s been 41 new taxes or increases to existing nearly all taxpayers, not just the higher income biggest source of revenue. Personal income taxes, levies and fees since 2000. Many earners. In 1996 (the last time the thresholds tax makes up just 43% of the Government’s of these have been minor, with only four were changed) a person on the average wage revenue, which is lower than the OECD increases generating signifi cant revenue: paid a top marginal rate of 21 cents in the average of 49.6%. Therefore this study • tobacco excise; dollar, but now a good chunk of their income doesn’t give the full picture because it doesn’t • petrol excise (several times); is taxed at 33%. include indirect taxes (which are substantial in • road user charges for light diesel vehicles; These marginal rates—the amount of tax a New Zealand). and person pays on the next dollar they earn— • ACC motor vehicle levies. are hugely important because they infl uence The recent trend people’s behaviour, such as whether to return Comparing the tax take to GDP is not the By 2005, these had raised an extra $415 million to the workforce, work more hours, or invest sole measure of how big a Government is, a year in revenue, so new and increased in education and training. and it can even be misleading. It is a relative taxes don’t really explain the Government’s measure, so that increases in taxes can be surge in tax revenue. This taxation by stealth is particularly unfair hidden by increases in GDP. given that welfare benefi ts are adjusted on Table 1: Contributing factors to the 1 April every year to match infl ation. Why For example, at fi rst glance it might seem that growth in total direct tax are workers—people who actually earn their New Zealand’s tax burden has only gradually between 1999 and 2004 money—treated differently? increased since 2000, up from 33.9% of GDP Contributing factor Contribution to 34.5% by 2004. Corporate tax growth 34% Even more galling for taxpayers is the fact that Personal income growth 34% excise duty on petrol, tobacco and alcohol is Looking at the actual amount of tax revenue Employment growth 24% also increased every year in line with infl ation. gives a very different view. It has increased massively: from $32.2 billion in 2000 to a 39 per cent top personal income tax rate 8% Bracket creep is one of the most insidious forecast $49.2 billion in 2006. By 2010 it will The Treasury has determined the four main ways a government can increase the tax take reach $58 billion . factors why tax revenue has increased so with no debate or public acknowledgement. much in recent years, all of which are due to Westpac chief economist, Brendan New Zealanders are now paying over 50% strong economic growth: O’Donovan, labels it ‘theft by fi scal creep … 50 more tax than they were in 2000. If tax an increasing proportion of people pushed revenue growth had followed the infl ation rate New Zealand’s unemployment has halved into higher tax thresholds.’ of 3% a year it would only have increased by since 1998 and a large number of new half that amount. employees have entered the workforce. More The Government’s had a choice—to pay down people in employment obviously mean more debt, to decrease taxes or increase spending. Treasury’s own graph below clearly shows the taxpayers and more tax. What they’ve done is paid down debt, massive increase. increased spending and actually increased On top of this, the more people earn the more taxes [by not adjusting tax thresholds to keep they spend, which leads to an increase in pace with wage movement]. GST and other indirect tax revenue. Belatedly, the Government announced in the Corporate tax returns have also been well Budget last year that tax thresholds will be ahead of all forecasts and are a sure sign adjusted for infl ation on a three-yearly basis, of a strong economy. Corporate tax now but not until 2008. In the wait for adjustment constitutes 17% of the total tax take, up from O’Donovan says the Government ‘will 12% in 2000, while the share of income and collectively rob us of another $1.4 billion’. indirect taxes in the total tax take has slightly declined. After widespread derision (the media labelled it the ‘chewing gum tax cuts’), Dr Cullen has The problem of bracket creep now signalled the adjustments may not go People’s wages and salaries tend to increase ahead after all: ‘There is no fi nal decision on over time, be it from promotions, new jobs, that’, he told the fi nance select committee in working extra hours, or from regular pay rises February. to meet the cost of living. This is especially This decade has been a boom time for the the case in a tight labour market like New Bracket creep will always be a problem Government’s coffers. Last year alone, tax Zealand, where there is a shortage of workers with progressive tax rates. Ultimately, lower revenue increased by 9.6%, or $4 billion. in many industries. and fl atter tax rates (as recommended by Much of this windfall has been unexpected, the Government Tax Review of 2001) are with tax revenue consistently ahead of all Higher wages mean that people move into preferable, and this will be covered in future forecasts. For 2007 the forecast revenue is higher tax brackets. This is the problem of papers. nearly $5 billion ahead of what was originally ‘bracket creep’: wages naturally rise over predicted in 2002. time, but the tax levels don’t. In real terms, A surplus of riches? our tax rates increase subtly every year. ‘Surpluses deny people their reward from Why are we paying so much more? work through over-taxing.’ Since 2000, the Government has done little For example, in 1999 an annual income Gareth Morgan, Infometrics.

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Avoiding debt, and repaying it, is fi scally conservative and a commendable way to manage the accounts. But it beggars belief that room can’t be found for tax relief when the accounts are so healthy.

Even using the cash surplus of $3.1 billion would allow for signifi cant cuts. For example, the top, middle and corporate tax rates could all be dropped to 30% and the middle rate could be lowered to 18%, costing $3.15 billion, according to Treasury’s estimates.

All this could be done without even touching current spending or debt repayment.

Conclusion No matter how you look at it, tax revenue has increased massively in recent years. The Government is taking more revenue than it ever expected and more than it needs to cover spending and investment.

Some argue that New Zealanders have deliberately chosen higher taxes and spending.

To some extent this is true—a Labour-led Government has been elected three times now with promises of higher spending. However there was only ever one specifi c tax increase promised, in 1999, and last year saw a strong groundswell for tax cuts. Perhaps the ultimate sign that a government 1–2% above) since 2000 then the amount of is taking more than it needs is the budget excess taxation would be enormous. Moreover, the amount of extra tax the 51 surplus—the gap between what it collects Government now takes from us is so huge and what it spends. But is there really spare cash? that it could be returned to taxpayers without Minister of Finance, Michael Cullen, has even touching the issue of spending. The big increase in tax revenue has led to a consistently argued that the surplus is a subsequent increase in budget surpluses, misleading fi gure because most of the money Even if the Government refuses to lower again well ahead of all forecasts. Tax revenue has been already allocated. He has berated taxes, adjusting the tax brackets for infl ation is rising faster than the Government can the media, saying: would be a small but important fi rst step in spend it. Unfortunately the media—and obviously reducing our tax burden to a fair level. It would political opponents, for purely tactical change the presumption in favour of the state Last year the operating balance was $6.2 reasons—couldn’t get it through their heads back towards the individual, and ensure that billion, about $500 million ahead of what that the operating surplus wasn’t the amount when the country does well the creators of was forecast and equivalent to 4% of GDP. you could spend. that wealth get to keep a fair share of it. In effect, one eighth of the Government’s tax take is left over after spending is accounted Dr Cullen points out that much of the surplus Countries such as Canada, the United States for. has been allocated towards the Government and Netherlands automatically index their Super Fund ($2.1 billion for 2006), for District national personal income tax thresholds, while The trend looks set to continue in 2006. In the Health Boards, and for buying land for schools many others have partial indexation. nine months to March, the operating balance and prisons. He argues that the cash surplus had already reached $9.4 billion, $3.5 billion is the most appropriate fi gure, which is $3.1 Clearly New Zealand is a highly taxed nation higher than forecast. billion for 2006 and will actually go into minor defi cits in coming years. by world standards and by our own standards. This is an absolutely enormous amount of Future papers will look at why and how we over-taxation, unprecedented in New Zealand Critics have argued that debt should be could reduce our tax burden. history. It works out at $1600 per year for used for big capital projects because the every New Zealander, or around $30 each a benefi ts will last a long time and be enjoyed Tax, and over-taxation, is an issue that won’t week. by future generations, rather than saddling go away. The 2006 Budget provides a unique the taxpayers of one year (ie, 2006) with the opportunity to do something about it. If we include the $1.9 billion allowance for whole cost. unallocated spending as part of the surplus Are New Zealanders PAYING TOO then the numbers get even bigger. Remember, Putting arguments about defi nitions aside, the MUCH TAX can be seen in full, complete too, that all this is in the context of big increases money for capital expenditure still has to come with footnotes, at the website of the in Government spending. If spending had from somewhere and Dr Cullen has chosen to Competitive Enterprise Institute, www. increased at the rate of infl ation (or even say use the surplus. cis.org.nz/IssueAnalysis/ia71/ia71.pdf

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GREG EDWARDS

The Prozac Budget Imagine for one moment that you are a dairy farmer. Recently your cow had The fi gures show that the actual cost of the student loans scheme is at least 8-9 times a calf, but you still require the milk for your own purposes. You work out how what they said it would be. Hence the smoke much the calf needs to keep it alive, and you take the rest. You are careful and mirrors now employed to stop a blow out – on the one hand by getting rid of interest on to feed the cow, but only enough to keep it alive and producing milk. Always student loans, and on the other by cutting the eager for more you invent new and wonderful ways of getting as much milk number of Eligible private providers. from your beast as possible—after all it must be in the cow’s best interest. There are no deep dark secrets in this Budget. The only really dark thing I can fi nd came a And it’s all because you actually love the cow. few days after the budget in documents that Treasury released to pre-empt Offi cial Done that? Oddly, most depressing is not the most Information Act requests. ideologically driven tax-and-spend govern- Congratulations!!! You’re now qualifi ed to ment running the show, but the pitiful It seems that Treasury are in a bit of a minor be the Minister of Finance! (or at least get 3 resistance and critical reaction to it. We panic because all those new bureaucrats and NCEA credits to go towards the job.) have a public that is truly madly and deeply programmes have taken on a life of their own in love with the money being dished out, a and now they have to keep them employed Having been involved in some way in either media in love with those dishing it out, and an and pay for their desks. Labour has spent working on, working around or reporting on “opposition” that can only read the fi ne print, up, not thinking about how to pay for that 13 budgets in Australia, the United States, and never what should be hitting it full in the spending after the election. This seems to Britain and here, I do realize that the fi rst face. have taken up a lot of Cabinet’s time in the rule of critiquing a budget is that you need months leading up to the Budget. some catchy phrase that encapsulates it. The This Budget should be considered carefully, 52 Greens branded it “the fl at Earth budget”; if for no other reason than the anger it will The truth is that at this point in this young National, “the Bondi budget.” Not to be impart on you can be used for motivational country’s history, government spending has outdone on the pointless slogan stakes, I’ve purposes. never been bigger. Cullen makes Muldoon read the budget and the reaction to it from look like Ebenezer Scrooge. The government’s the major political parties, and if I had to Note for instance the curiously Soviet make-work policy of moving unemployed characterise the budget in one word, it would overtones in relation to Telecom: into the bureaucracy is now starting to come be: depressing. home to roost. Many will argue these changes are overdue. So disturbingly depressing it’s quite possibly Certainly, successive governments have This budget was different to previous Cullen an OSH hazard. Even more dangerous than been very patient with Telecom. But budgets. The basic thrust of this Budget is loose carpets and kids’ toys on the stairs! national interest must prevail. that the economy isn’t in great shape, it’s Quite simply, the most depressing budget in going to slow-down and unemployment is on all human history, ever, of all time . . . that’s what “National interest must prevail”?? Isn’t that a the rise, so to get out of it we’re going to do we got. In other words, more of the same. licence to plunder if there ever was one? what statists have been doing ever since they tried and failed to spend their way out of the Any self respecting liberty-head or defender Sadly, there is very little hidden in this budget Great Depression: they’re going to increase of small government would need to start on – it’s all right out there. Remember before spending. a serious programme of Prozac just reading the election when Labour waved their hands the Budget Notes. In fact, after reading the around and declared that there would be no This Government does not intend to react whole thing, considering the reactions and increase in the number of people taking up to this situation by slashing government the lost opportunities -- and analysing the student loans? They had “done the maths” expenditure, thus making the slowdown New Zealand Psyche that makes it possible and they “ weren’t at all concerned” that the worse. The fi scal prudence adopted over -- I really need some serious pharmaceuticals numbers would balloon. The maximum extra the previous six years, in other words -- lots and lots of them, preferably illegal -- in it would cost, we were assured, would be allowing the automatic stabilisers to work order to escape the awful truth. about 200 million? Compare that to this line in on the upside, means they can now be the budget speech, just eight months later: allowed to work on the downside. I’m not just talking antidepressants now, I’m talking about the good stuff. Nothing has ever Uptake of student loans so far this year Compare that to previous budgets, when the made me want to turn to class-A drugs more has been less than forecast and this is theme was that because things are going well, than this budget. I’m talking Syd Barrett/ the best thing to do is to increase spending. refl ected in forecast new lending being Hunter S.Thompson drive-a-big-red-car-to- Now, when clouds appear on the horizon, Las-Vegas type wasted here folks. That’s $600 million lower over the forecast period the remedy is the same: more spending. It how bad this Prozac budget is for liberty. than previously estimated. would seem that Michael Cullen has never

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seen a tax-and-spend programme he didn’t It is an act of utter arrogance when a if you never intend using it? The money is like. Spend when things are good, spend government decides to spend an extra currently being used simply as equity and is not when things are bad. I can’t help but wonder $12.3billion, when it still makes a surplus on readily available, but it does beg the question: if the prescription has been written before the budget day of 8.5 billion (later updated by would you rather this money be in the private patient has been seen. more than another billion) and still has the capital market and available for fuelling the front to plead poverty and the unaffordability economy, or sitting in a low value government Cullen loves calling himself fi scally conservative of tax cuts. slush fund? The loss of potential from over- and uses the word ‘prudent’ so many times in taxing to such a degree is staggering, and his budgets that they now take pools on how If Cullen had decided to take the surplus it demonstrates all-too well the government many times he’ll say it. The truth is something and not spend a cent more then he could talent for bloating itself on tax, and its mistrust quite different. have given $5787 to every taxpayer in New of the economic machinery of capitalism. Zealand. Perhaps that’s just over-simplifi ed, This year Cullen announced a staggering but let’s also look at two areas that I think To me, the whole issue of the affordability of $9.6 billion in new spending for intangibles have been over-looked. This year will be the tax cuts comes back to this point. We haven’t and $2.7 billion (billion!) for new ‘assets’ over fi rst year that the government will have cleared just been over-taxed in recent times, we have the next four years. If that is “prudent” and its net debt, which is to be applauded, but been grossly over-taxed – and for so long “conservative,” the3n I’m a Munchkin. If that’s it means that next year a major cost will no now that the opportunity cost is now taken “prudent” and “conservative,” then what I longer exist for the government. But still no as a given, and is worked around by the wonder would be considered to be a spend- glimmer of tax cuts. economy. up. That’s over $6.5million every day to be spent over and above what the government Something else about the Government’s Right smack in the middle of the build-up to was already going to spend (and that’s fi nances has got very little attention. It is this year’s budget build-up we got a stark presuming there’s no more new spending that component called ‘net worth.’ This is reminder of what we’re missing. Despite promised). the accumulated value of assets held by the having run surpluses for half as long as New government, both tangible and intangible. Zealand and having an average surplus per- So things are not good for the prudent liberty- Hence, the higher the surplus is, the greater capita of about a half of ours, Australian lover. the net worth, similar to a savings account. Treasurer Peter Costello delivered Australian And where is all this spending going? It taxpayers substantial tax cuts right across the seems there isn’t an itch going that won’t Now, the New Zealand Government has board. get scratched. The logic behind much of the not run a defi cit since 1993. To read the spending in this budget is that there is no government reports you would think that once Cullen’s automated response has been to say affl iction which the salve of taxpayers’ funds a fi scal year is ended, that money disappears. that their accounting principles are different can’t fi x. But it hasn’t, and by defi nition it has not been to ours and therefore the two cannot be spent. It has not gone onto servicing debt, compared. Slobs getting too fat? but has gone into the consolidated fund and 53 Give ‘em $76 million. Oh really? I’ve worked in Australia on budget Kids acting up in school? then into equity in the Government’s name. Currently, that fund sits at $148.2 billion coverage and as far as I could tell the means Throw out $9.5 Million. of collecting the raw data was the same. Artists not selling anything? dollars. That’s $148.2 billion dollars. What’s more, the proportion of net worth to GDP The difference is that New Zealand doesn’t Flick them $15 million. count things that Australians use and vice- continues to grow. Not enough organic-farmers? versa. But the categories are all available. If Dole out $2.2million in subsidies. we put the Australian data into NZ’s OBERAC Why is the Government continuing to insist model then something interesting happens: “This Government does not intend to react that tax cuts can only be funded out of this Australia’s surplus is still far smaller than New to this situation by slashing government year’s surplus alone? According to Treasury’s Zealand’s, but now only by just under two expenditure, thus making the slowdown own numbers, the Government currently times instead of three. What’s more, their worse,” says Cullen, showing that his grasp owns ‘property, plant and equipment’ that reserves are nowhere near the amount as a of the role of capital in making an economy is mostly schools, prisons, buildings worth proportion of GDP as ours. work is just totally beyond him. His constant $73.9billion, $18.1billion under the heading of presupposition is that government spending ‘other’ and a staggering $56.2billion in cash, I believe the maths is conclusive. If there was in and of itself is what keeps the economy marketable securities, bonds, currency and the will, then tax cuts are easily affordable. rolling along, and therefore it does not matter outstanding loans. on what the money is spent, just as long as it No matter how Mr Cullen protests about is spent. The bung has certainly been pulled unaffordability, any casual observer can only That’s $14,000 for every man woman and child out of the pork barrel. conclude that the decision to not make tax- in the country, and they still plead poverty. cuts now is a matter of ideology, rather than The spend-more mindset is not restricted to on lack of opportunity. A grossly ideological You see now why I’m reaching for those pills. the Red side of the House either, as shown burp. The means are there -— the will is not. when National called for the resignation of the Why is there so-much in the savings account? It cannot be for superannuation —- the super Minister of Maori Affairs because “he hadn’t George Bernard Shaw once famously asked sought more funding” for his Department. In fund is expected to reach assets of over a woman if she would sleep with him for the rarefi ed world of Parliament, this action is $20billion by 2015. It cannot be for roading £1000000 she said that she possibly would, considered an example of failure. and infrastructure -— since we are told that adequate funding has been ear-marked. but when he asked her if she would do so for On and on it goes. Very depressing. Have £5. “Of course not!” she exclaimed. “What do another pill. The accumulated surpluses over the years you take me for?” to which came the reply: have lead me to wonder if the government “We’ve established what you are, now we’re So what of the other side of the ledger? Can super-fund has been used as a sump to make merely haggling over price.” we afford tax cuts? As the Americans would net worth seem less of an embarrassment. The Prozac Budget say: “do the math.” Why would you have such a stack of cash continued on page 56

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SCOTT WILSON

Better Roads Or Not? $618 million a year – that’s the money that goes from petrol tax into the costs of new equipment and training – and who’d blame them? This isn’t a market – this Crown Account. That’s the money most of you think the government is government doling out funding, and like US rips off from motorists to pay for everything but roads. Well, with Budget defence department hardware purchases, everything bought starts to have large zeroes 2006 those days are now gone. attached. Labour know this, and that’s why acting Transport Minister Pete Hodgson announced in April a Ministerial Advisory While around 18.7 cents a litre in petrol tax into Land Transport NZ (the funding agency) Group on Roading Costs to explain the rising used to go straight to the Crown Account and to spend on roads. The result? Motorists are costs, if not avert them. It’s demand and stay there, Dr Cullen will now be taking that no longer being robbed at the petrol pump to supply – government wants more roads built, money, turning it around and putting it BACK pay for things other than roads, though they more expensively – the builders oblige! into roads (with just a little for public transport). are still being robbed with GST on petrol taxes The Greens are not impressed – Transit New -- in fact, the government is now subsidising Why roads? Why Labour? Zealand, the asphalt monster so derided by roads. People who don’t drive will now be the Green of hue, has seen its admin budget paying for those who do. So why is Labour embarking on the biggest increase dramatically and is now awash with road building programme of any government cash – and the road contracting industry could Never mind the roads, feel the in around forty years? Aren’t they fl aky train hardly be happier. The National Billboards cost and bus-loving public-trasport-promoting about what Labour uses petrol tax for can no statist centralisers? Why are they encouraging longer be repeated. Labour is embarking on The increase in funding for roads has been car use? a big old-fashioned road-building and public- enormous. The 1999/2000 National Roading spending programme that hasn’t been seen Programme budget was $950 million. The Here’s why. On the one hand, the Government since the 1960s. 2005/06 one was $1.8 billion, and the 2006/07 -- and Dr Cullen in particular -- sees road 54 one will top $2 billion. That increase is building as benefi cial economically and that Keynes is back. And so is the pork barrel. dramatic, and infl ationary. The huge increase there is a lot to gain politically from building in spending on road construction (particularly more roads. On the other hand, he has Show me the money on state highways) has meant that the such a growing surplus he doesn’t want to contracting industry is milking your road tax throw more money down the black holes of Labour has increased petrol tax twice, and dollars. While increased oil prices have put up worthless extra health and welfare spending. introduced infl ation indexing for petrol tax construction costs, through bitumen and cost And he sure as heck doesn’t want to give it – and all of those increases have now been of running equipment, engineers and labour back. He listened to Treasury, which advised dedicated to the National Land Transport are in short supply and getting shorter. that the money poured into health in recent Fund. Dr Cullen started ploughing money years isn’t paying off in better health and a from the Crown account into transport back At present, every contractor is fi nding it diffi cult more productive state health sector – it’s being in 2003, with an additional $900 million for to acquire skilled labour, and wages being sucked up in higher wages and cost infl ation. Auckland transport over ten years, then paid are commensurate with that problem The RMA has killed the chance of other big $225 million for Wellington, $660 million for – (meanwhile, plenty of lazy people remain infrastructure projects, as the death of Project Wellington’s “Western Corridor”, $150 million on welfare not interested in a career working Aqua showed. So, given that Labour won’t for Bay of Plenty transport and most recently on roads). So the cost of labour goes up. As give tax cuts, that means if you want to spend $215 million for Waikato. Transit has effectively been told that it WILL big, it’s got to spend that money for roads. build a whole host of road projects across the The 2005 budget also saw an additional $800 country, contractors bidding for these jobs Roads once built cost little to maintain, they million of general funding over fi ve years. ask for higher prices. On top of that, Transit save lives, reduce congestion and tend to Now while all that money is voted specifi cally used to be bad at estimating project costs for produce economic benefi ts, so they are better for transport, and can be cut at any time, it really big projects. Some project costs have than continually boosting health, education meant that, for the next fi ve years at least doubled in two years (the Te Rapa Bypass for and welfare – or so thinks Dr Cullen. – of the 18.7c/l petrol tax taken for the Crown example went from $90 million to $180 million account, about 11.4c/l was being redirected and is still climbing). In short, the increase Good, or not? back into transport. in funding has been TOO much too quickly – and it is already producing a bubble. A So this is all good isn’t it? All of the petrol This latest, 2006 budget, however, signals an bubble that Dr Cullen has promised will last tax is going into roads – seems fair – user enormous increase in funding. In this budget, for fi ve years, after which funding will drop pays. Well, it’s far from as simple as that. roading has been promised an additional once again. For starters, had Dr Cullen wanted to redirect $1.3 billion in funding over fi ve years. That the money into roads, he could have simply takes all of the remaining petrol tax revenue, The contracting sector fears this, so it needs changed the rate of diversion of petrol tax and another $30 million a year and ploughs it to amortise over the next fi ve years all the

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so that all of that money goes directly to the too much money is spent on maintenance or the legislation, has tried to embark on social National Land Transport Fund. That would subsidies. However, this objectivity has been and environmental mitigation writ large. make it more diffi cult to reverse, and would blurred by this Labour government. have seen the money get allocated nationally One view of this is that projects are no according to the best projects around the First: The Land Transport Management Act longer built “on the cheap.” Another is that country, rather than the best politically. (“the Act”) changed the criteria for funding those benefi ting from a tunnel instead of a Instead, he has voted it through budgets, land transport in several ways. It fi rst got wider viaduct (local property owners) pay with SIX separate output classes – dedicated rid of economic effi ciency as the primary nothing for that benefi t – while money is money for Auckland, Wellington, Waikato, measure for testing quality of spending –it spent which could have been better spent Bay of Plenty and then money for the whole now uses “multi criteria analysis,” much too on fi xing another section of road. Overall country including those regions. Politically it complicated to explain, but it essentially it delays projects – 6-laning the motorway looks like special funding is granted to those means that benefi t/cost ratio is only one across Victoria Park to Spaghetti Junction is regions, and makes it hard to pull that money measure establishing whether a project is probably the most important congestion relief back if the region doesn’t need it. It puts worth funding; also taken into account now project in Auckland, and it has been delayed far greater political control on that spending is the “seriousness” of the problem and its for years due to consultation, redesign and – political control that the Labour and National “strategic importance.” For “strategic” read cost escalation brought on by prevarication, governments of the 80s and 90s were trying politically-driven. “Strategic” is how for and “environmental mitigation.” to remove. example Peter Dunne describes Transmission Gully – it is how you justify funding projects Third: Instead of just letting Land Transport You see New Zealand is unique in the world when it isn’t your money you are spending. NZ fund the best projects overall and decide in having a dedicated fund for roads – where This has meant that some good projects have how best to spend the money collected from money collected from road users through not been advanced, like the Ruby Bay Bypass motorists – the Act allowed the Minister of fuel tax, road user charges and motor vehicle in Nelson, while some poor quality ones have Transport to direct how much money would registration/licence fees is dedicated for – like Transmission Gully. It also meant that go into specifi c activity classes, such as state funding road maintenance, construction, public transport projects weren’t judged by highway construction, public transport – and traffi c enforcement, road-safety advertising, the same criteria as road projects – so double he could defi ne them – such as “Wellington and in subsidising public transport that is tracking the railway line to Henderson gets Western Corridor” to fund Transmission Gully. meant to benefi t motorists. Other countries funding when it is doubtful that the benefi ts This meant that, indirectly, Land Transport NZ send the money straight to Treasury, and exceed the costs. and Transit were being directed to fund specifi c every year the transport department has to projects. With the government appointing request a budget for annual approval. In Second: That Act introduced far greater the boards of both Crown entities (with Mike New Zealand, by contrast, Land Transport weighting to consultation, and to the views Williams, President of the Labour Party on the New Zealand is meant to be an independent of minor political middle-weights on local Transit Board), there was increasing political funding agency – it receives almost all of the government. This has meant that poorer direction through the backdoor. One of the 55 money from the National Land Transport Fund projects (like Transmission Gully) get advanced early decisions of those boards when Labour (after admin costs are deducted and money over lower cost projects that produce most of came to power was to NOT fund the ALPURT for the Police enforcement of traffi c laws) the same benefi ts – because people lobby for B2 motorway north of Silverdale, and redirect which it then allocates in the National Land them. funds to upgrading Spaghetti Junction. Transport Programme. It has also meant that project costs have Maybe not a bad decision of itself – but it did increased, as people and councils lobby for mean that the independence of funding, and It is meant to allocate funds according to bids such things as “environmental mitigation” the use of objective criteria to decide what its receives from Transit New Zealand (which – things like a tunnel on the ALPURT bypass projects would get funded was being blurred. operates the state highway network) and from being built behind Orewa where a cutting local authorities for road maintenance and was the previous plan; or like a tunnel under So all in all – a funding system that WAS construction, and for public transport subsidy Victoria Park in central Auckland to carry extra designed to fund the best projects, without assistance. lanes, where the widening of the existing political direction (and Ministers used to delight Much of the funding is allocating according viaduct would have done the same job, for in saying that decisions on specifi c projects to fairly objective criteria, designed to ensure just half the cost. So project costs have were NOT up to them, unlike Australia, US and the best projects get funded fi rst and that not skyrocketed as Transit New Zealand, following the UK), is now funding poorer projects, with a great deal of indirect political direction. For example, you’ll hear a lot about the Auckland Western Ring Road, but you wont hear how the last section – the Avondale extension, has a benefi t/cost ratio below 1 – meaning it isn’t worth building (at least not until traffi c levels have increased substantially or if the cost was brought down by not tunnelling). Full-speed ahead, and damn the consequences is the current thinking … or lack thereof. But it’s all worth it , isn’t it? So roads are being subsidised, some poor projects get funded, some good ones get neglected, the cost of projects is skyrocketing, but it’s all worth it in the end, isn’t it?

Visit ‘The Free Radical online’ at: www.FreeRadical.co.nz July-August—The Free Radical FREE RADICAL Budget Special I want to be a consumer, sir Well, no. It isn’t. You see there are two major off-peak it should cost less. Empty roads are As a tribute to the Keynesian idea being fl aws in all of this. The fi rst is that roads a waste of capacity, and making it cheaper resuscitated by Michael ‘Keynes’ Cullen, are being funded from money collected to use them will make better use of those from current road users. The $169 million assets. More importantly, if the owner of TFR offers this tribute to Keynes by Patrick extension of State Highway 20 through Mt the roads could charge road users, then the Barrington, originally published in ‘Punch’ Roskill when it is opened will have been paid owner could borrow off that revenue to invest in 1934. See if you can spot the logical for by money collected from road users that in improvements. fallacy exploited by Barrington: hadn’t used it – the ones that do use it will only pay for its maintenance, for and the next new Instead we have the pay-as-you-go system, “And what do you mean to be?” project somewhere. In other words, when a with most car owners paying a tax on fuel The kind old bishop said new road is opened, the users don’t pay for – and roads being decided on a bureaucratic As he took the boy on his ample knee the capital cost of that road – it’s already been process that either sees too much being built, And patted his curly head. paid for by other people. or not enough. The National government had “We should all of us choose a calling a report prepared that said that NOT changing To help society’s plan; this system would mean either big growth in Other infrastructure is generally funded Then what do you mean to be, my boy, congestion and inadequate roading, with through borrowing, with money recovered When you grow to be a man?” from the users when it is opened and the cost the only response being to increase funding spread through the economic life of the asset. well beyond the capacity of the contracting “I want to be a consumer,” Roads however are paid for in advance, with sector to effi ciently use it. So now we have The bright-haired lad replied current funds, limiting the roads that can be inadequate roads and huge amounts of built, but more importantly distorting the cost money being poured into fi xing them, with As he gazed up into the Bishop’s face of roads. Secondly, and this is critical to not a great deal of value from that investment. In innocence open-eyed. managing roads like other infrastructure, what National can’t promise more spending, and “I’ve never had aims of a selfi sh sort, road users pay doesn’t refl ect the costs or nor should it. For that, as I know is wrong, benefi ts they get from particular roads. Petrol I want to be a Consumer, Sir, tax is the same across the country, and it only The next ten years should be New Zealand’s And help the world along. varies per km according to whether you drive last great road building adventure. fast, slow or in congestion. “I want to be a Consumer So what SHOULD happen? Does the And live in a useful way; recently released study on Auckland road Unsealed rural roads cost a lot to maintain, For that is the thing that’s needed most, but you pay the same as if you were on a pricing provide an answer? Are the Greens I’ve heard Economists say. cheap to maintain motorway. Congested right and the increased price of oil means There are too many people working inner-city streets are jammed because demand for roads will decline over the long And too many things are made. 56 demand for something that is ‘free,’ is not term because the cost of motoring has gone limited by price. Like airlines, hotels and up? Should we just all watch all the roads I want to be a Consumer, Sir, phone calls, using roads at peak times should getting built and feel lucky that at least it isn’t And help to further trade. cost more (reducing demand, and producing going into welfare? Or was the National Party revenue that could be used to provide extra right in 1999, and the roads should be run as “I want to be a Consumer capacity when it is economic to build), while businesses? That’s all in the next issue of The And work both night and day, Free Radical. For that is the thing that’s needed most, The Prozac Budget continued from page 53 I’ve heard Economists say. I won’t just be a Producer National’s plight can be similarly summed up. The eagerness to be milked by Nanny runs Like Bobby and James and John; deep in the New Zealand psyche it seems. I want to be a Consumer, Sir, While it is true that they would offer token tax And help the nation on.” cuts, without signifi cant spending cuts one is And what of ACT? After dancing around the issue for some time, they did eventually left with the feeling that we are just haggling decide that we should have been able to cut “But what do you want to be?” over the price of being screwed over. Given tax, but there really isn’t enough spending on the post-Budget speeches from the Blue The Bishop asked again. roads. Team, there is no evidence that National “For we all have to work, as must, realises that spending cuts must accompany And the media? Well, their combined, I think, be plain. tax cuts, nor that they would do anything considered conclusion was that Cullen had a Are you thinking of studying medicine different to Labour on the spending side. nice tie this year and that he should give press Or taking a bar exam?” gallery journos personal tax-cuts. Or not. “Why, no!” exclaimed the lad A Blue Minister of Finance will still look at As he helped himself to jam. you as if you were a cow just waiting to be Perhaps the most depressing thing of all about this budget is that it is not out of step milked. I want to be a Consumer with New Zealand politics. They all want your money, this is just their overt plan of how they To do my duty well; Two points to always remember: plan to do it. For that’s the thing that’s needed most, 1. How many times did National cut I’ve heard Economists tell.” tax when they were last in power, or I have to stop there; the pills are wearing off And so the boy resolved, the time before that; and and the animals have nearly stopped climbing As he lit a cigar, to say: 2. no party has ever won an election up the walls. I clearly need to go fi nd more “I want to be a Consumer,Sir, in New Zealand by promising tax pharmaceuticals. cuts. And I want to begin today.” Au revoir. July-August—The Free Radical Visit ‘The Free Radical online’ at: www.FreeRadical.co.nz GEORGE REISMAN ECONOMICS

Production Versus Consumption There are two fundamental views of economic life. One dominated other workers are to become unemployed. The productionist does not desire long hours the economic philosophy of the nineteenth century, under the or child labor because he attaches no value to fatigue or premature exertion. The problem, infl uence of the British Classical Economists, such as Adam Smith in the eyes of the productionist, is not what and David Ricardo. The other dominated the economic philosophy to do with the additional products produced by longer hours or by child labor—only the of the seventeenth century, under the infl uence of Mercantilism, and intense need for the additional products calls forth this additional labor—but how to raise has returned to dominate the economic philosophy of the twentieth the productivity of labor to a level at which century, largely under the infl uence of Lord Keynes. people can afford to have time for leisure and to dispense with the labor of their children.

What distinguishes these two views is this: In jobs, but not jobs. At all times, the productionist Wealth Through Scarcity? the nineteenth century, economists identifi ed holds, there is as much work to be done—as the fundamental problem of economic life many potential jobs to be fi lled—as there Because he imagines production to be as how to expand production. Implicitly or are unsatisfi ed human desires which could limited by the desire to consume (rather explicitly, they perceived the base both of be satisfi ed with a greater production of than consumption being limited by the ability economic activity and economic theory in the wealth; and as these desires are limitless, the to produce), the consumptionist values fact that man’s life and well-being depend amount of work to be done—the number of not wealth but the absence of wealth. For on the production of wealth. Man’s nature potential jobs to be fi lled—is also limitless. The example, after World War II, he imagined that makes him need wealth; his most elementary employment of more and better machinery, the relative absence of houses, automobiles, judgments make him desire it; the problem, therefore, argues the productionist, does television sets, and refrigerators in Europe was they held, is to produce it. Economic theory, not cause unemployment. It merely allows an asset of the European economy because therefore, could take for granted the desire to men, to the extent that they do not prefer it represented a large supply of unused consume, and focus on the ways and means leisure, to produce more and thus to provide consumer desire, thereby supposedly ensuring by which production might be increased. for their needs more fully and in a better way. a strong consumer demand. By the same Nor does the working of longer hours or the token, he imagined that the relative abundance In the twentieth century, economists have employment of women, children, foreigners, of these goods in the United States was a returned to the directly opposite view. Instead or people of minority races or religions liability of the American economy because it 57 of the problem being understood as how deprive anyone of employment. It simply represented a depleted supply of consumer continuously to expand production in the face makes possible an expansion of production. desire, thereby supposedly ensuring only a of a limitless desire for wealth resulting from weak consumer demand. Prosperity depends the limitless possibilities of improvement in the If one is on the twentieth century, consumptionist on the absence of wealth, and poverty follows satisfaction of man’s needs, the problem is premise, one takes another view of machinery from its abundance, the consumptionist erroneously believed to be how to expand the and the employment of more people. One concludes, because that priceless commodity, desire to consume so that consumption may regards every expansion of production as a consumer desire, more limited in supply than be adequate to production. Economic theory threat to some portion of what is already being diamonds, is produced by the absence and in the twentieth century takes production for produced. One imagines that production is consumed by the presence of wealth. It is on granted and focuses on the ways and means limited by the desire to consume. One fears this principle that the consumptionist relishes by which consumption may be increased. It that this desire may be defi cient and, therefore, war and destruction as sources of prosperity proceeds as though the problem of economic that an expansion of production in any one and attributes the poverty of depressions to life were not the production of wealth, but the segment must force a contraction of production “overproduction.” production of consumption. in some other segment. Hence, one fears that the work performed by machines leaves less The consumptionist does not believe that These two diametrically opposed and mutually work to be performed by people, that the work the destruction of wealth is the only means exclusive basic premises concerning the performed by women leaves less work to be of achieving prosperity. Though he believes it fundamental problem of economic life play the performed by men, that the work performed by diffi cult of accomplishment, he has hopes that same role in economic theory as do confl icting children leaves less to be performed by adults, the supply of his commodity, consumer desire, metaphysics in philosophy. Point for point, they that the work performed by Jews leaves less may nevertheless be increased by positive result either in opposite conclusions or in the to be performed by Christians, that the work measures. One such measure is a high birth advancement of opposite reasons for the same performed by blacks leaves less to be performed rate. By bringing more people into the world, conclusion. So thoroughly and fundamentally by whites, and that the extra work of some one brings more consumer desire into the world. do they determine economic theory that they means a defi ciency of work available for others. The existence of a larger number of people, the give rise to two completely different systems of consumptionist tells businessmen, will make it economic thought. Neither the productionist nor the consumptionist possible for business to fi nd someone upon desires long hours or child labor. Here, to whom to unload its otherwise superfl uous Two Views of Employment this extent, both reach the same conclusion. goods. Business will prosper because its supply But their reasons are completely different. of goods will fi nd a counterpart in an adequate If one is on the nineteenth century, productionist The consumptionist does not desire them supply of desire for goods. In the absence of a premise, one realizes fi rst of all that there is no because he thinks there is a problem of what high birth rate, or along with a high birth rate, such thing as a problem of “creating jobs.” to do with the resulting products, unless other the consumptionist believes advertising may There is a problem of creating remunerative products are to cease being produced and suggest to the otherwise fully sated consumers

Visit ‘The Free Radical online’ at: www.FreeRadical.co.nz July-August—The Free Radical ECONOMICS

some new desire. And, on a somewhat such, for every competing product whose sale automobiles. If the quality of the automobiles is different plane, technological progress, the is increased by it, there is another competing to be improved, then a larger quantity of capital consumptionist argues, may provide new uses produce whose sale is decreased by it. goods is required for the production of the for an expanding supply of capital goods, same number of automobiles. For example, which otherwise would fi nd no “investment The consumptionist’s attitude toward a given number of cars of Chevrolet quality outlets.” Or, if all else fails, the government advertising brings into clear relief some require a larger quantity of capital goods in their may be counted upon to supply an unlimited further corollaries and implications of his basic production than the same number of cars of consumption—even in the absence of desire. Or premise. His estimate of advertising, like that Volkswagen quality; the same number of cars perhaps, the consumptionist hopes, a country of war and destruction, is ambivalent, and of Cadillac quality require still a larger supply of may be fortunate enough to be in danger of necessarily so. On the one hand, he approves capital goods; and the same number of cars of attack by foreign enemies and therefore stand of it, on the grounds that by creating consumer Rolls Royce quality require yet an even more under the necessity of maintaining a large desires, it creates the work required to satisfy enlarged supply. defense establishment. In either case, the those desires. However, this very belief, that consumptionist imagines that the government advertising creates desires where absolutely The identical principle applies to houses of will be able to promote prosperity by exchanging no desires would otherwise exist, also makes different size and quality. A given quantity of its consumption for the people’s products. him condemn advertising. For if it were true eight-room houses of a given quality requires that, in the absence of advertising, men would the employment of a larger supply of capital Production Limits Consumption be perfectly content with very little, the desires goods than the same number of seven-room The productionist, of course, takes a different created by advertising must appear to be only houses of the same quality. A given number of view of matters. He argues that the birth and superfi cial and basically unnecessary and brick houses requires a larger supply of capital upbringing of children always constitutes an unnatural. goods than the same number of wooden expense to the parents. In raising children, the houses of the same size; the bricks or any more parents must spend money on them which they And this is precisely how the consumptionist expensive material constitute a larger supply otherwise would have spent on themselves. Of regards such desires. In his eyes, all desires of capital goods because a larger quantity of course, the parents may, and hopefully will, men have for goods, beyond what is labor is required to produce it. The principle consider the money better and more enjoyably necessary to make possible bare physical applies to food and clothing, to furniture and spent on their children; but still, it is an expense. survival and a vegetative existence, represent appliances, to every good. So long asmore of And if they have a large enough number of an unnatural taste for “luxuries.” These any consumers’ good is desired, so long as children; they will be reduced to poverty. This desires the consumptionist considers to be not every consumers’ good that is produced is is a fact, the productionist argues, that anyone inherently unimportant. Their only justifi cation of the very best known quality, there is a need may observe in any large family which does is the creation of work. The consumptionist’s for a larger supply of capital goods. not possess a correspondingly large income. conception of the greater part of economic The presence of children does not make the activity, therefore, is that it represents senseless As Technology Advances parents spend more than they otherwise would motion, with deceit and deception required to It is not the case that in the absence of have, but only spend differently than they make people desire goods for which they have technological progress, the supply of capital otherwise would have. They buy baby food, no need, in order to enable them to pass their goods would continue to expand, but fi nd no toys, and bicycles instead of more restaurant lives in the production of those very same goods. “investment outlet.” It is not the case that what 58 meals, a better car, or costlier vacations. There we have to fear from a lack of technological is no stimulus given to production. Production Paradoxical as it may fi rst appear, it is the progress is a fl ood of goods in which every car is merely differently directed, to the different productionist who attaches importance to produced will be the equivalent of the fi nest distribution of demand. consumer desires. In his view, the desire for known model Rolls Royce, in which every “luxuries” is important; it is necessary and house that is built will be a palatial mansion, The only increase in production that could natural; for it is nothing but the desire to satisfy in which every suit of clothes produced will be take place, the productionist maintains, would one’s inherent needs (including the need for fi t for the Duke of Windsor, and in which every be as a result of the parents having to take aesthetic satisfaction) in an ever more improved morsel of food will be a rare delicacy, and that an extra job or work longer hours to support way. It is from the importance which attaches to then we shall be at a loss as to how to employ their children and still be able to maintain their the satisfaction of the desire for “luxuries,” the our expanding supply of capital goods. On own previous standard of living. And when the productionist maintains, that the importance of the contrary, what we have to fear from a lack children grow up, the additional market which the work required to produce them is derived, of technological progress, the productionist they are supposed to constitute for houses and and not vice versa. argues, is that we shall not have an increase in automobiles and the like will only materialize the supply of capital goods, that we shall not to the extent that they themselves are able Technology and Capital Goods be able to exploit any considerable portion of to produce the equivalent of these things The value of technological progress, the the virtually limitless “investment outlets” which and thereby earn the money with which to productionist holds, does not lie in the already exist, within the framework of known purchase them. It will only be by virtue of their creation of “investment outlets” or “investment technology. production, and not by virtue of their desire to opportunities” for an expanding supply of consume, that they will be able to constitute an capital goods. If the concept of capital goods The value of technological progress, the additional market. is properly understood, as denoting all goods productionist maintains, consists in the fact which the buyer employs for the purpose of that it enables us to obtain a larger supply Advertising and the Consumer producing goods which are to be sold, then, of capital goods, and not that it solves the Advertising, the productionist holds, does the productionist maintains, there is no such problem of what to do with a larger supply. The not create consumer desire where no desire thing as a lack of “investment opportunity” for technological advances which made possible for additional goods would otherwise have capital goods. So long as more or improved the canal building and railroad building of existed. It is not the case that, in the absence consumers’ goods are desired, there is need the nineteenth century and the development of advertising, people would be at a loss as to of a larger supply of capital goods. of the steel industry were valuable, not how to spend their money. Advertising is not because they absorbed capital goods, as the required, and would not be suffi cient, to rouse For example, ten million automobiles of a given consumptionist maintains, but because they vegetables into men. What advertising does is quality require the employment of twice the made possible the accumulation of capital to lead people to consume differently and in quantity of capital goods—twice the quantity goods. The consumptionist does not realize a better way than they otherwise would have. of steel, glass, tires, paint, engines, and that capital goods can only be expanded Advertising is a tool of competition, and, as machinery—in their production as do fi ve million in supply by means of an expansion in their

July-August—The Free Radical Visit ‘The Free Radical online’ at: www.FreeRadical.co.nz ECONOMICS production, and that precisely this is what their products and give them nothing in return. accumulate paper as others acquire their goods. technological progress makes possible. Had the technological advances which made The only economic benefi t which one can Hoarding is not the only phenomenon upon possible the fi rst railroads in the 1830s not give to a producer, argues the productionist, which the consumptionist seizes. Where nothing taken place, the supply of capital goods consists in the exchange of one’s own products in reality will serve, the consumptionist is highly required for the expanded and improved or services for his products or services. It is by adept at bringing forth totally imaginary causes railroad building of the 1840s would not have means of what one produces and offers in of economic catastrophe. Invariably, the solution been obtainable; or, if obtainable, only at the exchange that one benefi ts producers, not by advanced is consumption by those who have price of the expansion of some other industry. means of what one consumes. To the extent not produced, for the sake of those who have. Had no technological advances been made in that one consumes the products or services of Always, the goal is to demonstrate the necessity railroading in the 1840s, the supply of capital others without offering products or services in and benefi cial effect of parasitism—to present goods in the 1850s would have been less, both exchange, one consumes at their expense. parasitism as a source of general prosperity. for railroads and for all other industries. And so it would have been decade by decade, had the The use of money makes this point somewhat The Rationality of Economic Life technological advances made in railroading or less obvious but no less true. Where money is In view of the overwhelming absurdities and in any other industry not taken place employed, producers do not exchange goods contradictions of consumptionism and the gross and services directly, but indirectly. The buyer perversion of values which it engenders, one For capital accumulation to continue for exchanges money for the goods of a seller. may only conclude that its support is founded any period of time, technological progress The seller then exchanges the money for the on the interest which it obviously serves: is indispensable. Only it can make possible goods of other sellers, and so on. But every parasitism. This, of course, does not relieve the continued increases in production, and only buyer in the series must either himself have economist of the duty of identifying the particular continued increases in production can make offered goods and services for sale equivalent errors of every consumptionist argument. It possible continued capital accumulation. The to those he purchases, or have obtained his does, however, disqualify every consumptionist consumptionist is not aware that the very thing funds from someone else who has done so. as an economist. No scientist, in any fi eld, which he considers to be the solution to his can accept the view that reality is irrational or imagined problem is the source of what he The fact that in a monetary economy everyone that irrational action is required to deal with it. imagines to be the problem. Nor is he aware measures his benefi t by the amount of money that when he advances technological progress he obtains in exchange for his goods or services Those economists of the present day who as the solution to the problem of what to do is interpreted by the consumptionist to imply openly and defi antly proclaim that the economic with more capital goods, he is confronting that the mere spending of money is a virtue world is “non-Euclidean,” do so happily. That is and that economic prosperity is to be found himself with the problem of what to do with the the way they would like the economic world to through the creation and spending of new and larger supply of consumers’ goods, which even be. If they merely believed that economic life additional money—i.e., by a policy of infl ation. he admits results from technological progress. appeared to be irrational, and did not at the In rebuttal, the productionist argues that for The consumptionist is faced, in addition same time desire it to be irrational, they would everyone who spends newly created money to other quandaries, with the dilemma of never proclaim it to be so in fact. Instead of and thereby obtains goods and services explaining how it is that technological progress leaping to the support of consumptionism without having produced equivalent goods may raise the rate of profi t by, as he puts it, after only the most casual examination of and services, there must be others who “increasing the demand for capital,” while at their subject, they would not rest until they 59 suffer a corresponding loss. Their loss, says the same time, as he admits, it increases the had identifi ed the errors which could make the productionist, takes the form either of production of consumers’ goods, which, he them believe that economic life possessed a depletion of their capital, a diminution of maintains, lowers the rate of profi t through the appearance of irrationality; and the greater their consumption, or a lack of reward for the “overproduction.” such an appearance might be, the greater added labor they perform—a loss precisely would they realize their own ignorance to be, corresponding to the goods and services Consumptionism and Parasitism and the harder would they work to overcome obtained by the buyers who do not produce. it and expose the errors. It is this which The idea that by consuming his product, one distinguishes an economist from a Lord Keynes. benefi ts the producer, by giving him the work The consumptionist’s advocacy of consumption to do of making possible one’s consumption, by those who do not produce, to ensure the This essay originally appeared in the October is absurd, the productionist holds. Only the prosperity of those who do, is, the productionist 1964 issue of The Freeman. It is available use of money lends it the least semblance of argues, a pathological response to an economic as a pamphlet from The Jefferson School of plausibility. If it were true, then every slave who world which the consumptionist imagines to Philosophy, Economics, and Psychology. This ever lived should have cherished his master’s be ruled by pathology. The consumptionist has edition appeared at George Reisman’s Blog every whim, the satisfaction of which required always before him the pathology of the miser. on Economics, Politics, Society and Culture, of him more work. A slave should have been His reasoning is dominated by the thought of www.georgereisman.com/blog/2006/03/ grateful if his master desired a larger house, cash hoarding. He believes that one part of production-versus-consumption.html. an improved road, more food, more parties, mankind is driven by a purposeless passion The author wishes to note that his book and so on; for the provision of the means of for work without reward, which requires for Capitalism contains a far more comprehensive satisfying these desires would have given its fulfi llment the existence of another part of treatment of the subjects dealt with here. (See him correspondingly more work to do. mankind eager to accept reward without work. in particular, Chapter 13 “Productionism, Say’s This is the meaning of the belief that one set of Law, and Unemployment.”) The belief that the consumption of the men desire only to produce and sell, but not to government benefi ts and helps to support buy and consume, and the inference that what The interested reader may also be interested in the economic system is on precisely the is required is another set of men who will buy a historical background to Reisman’s thinking same footing, the productionist argues, as and consume, but who will not produce and sell. on this most basic of topics in economics the belief that the consumption of the master In the consumptionist’s world, the producers Reisman has also posted on line the valuable benefi ts and supports the slave. It is a belief are imagined to produce merely for the sake of if sadly little-known paper by James Mill (John the absurdity of which is matched only by the obtaining money. The consumptionist stands Stuart’s father) ‘On the overproduction and injustice it makes possible. It is the means by ready to supply them with money in exchange underconsumption fallacies,’ available for download which parasitical pressure groups, employing for their goods—he proposes either to take at www.capitalism.net/Jamesmil.pdf the government as an agent of plunder, seek to from them the money he believes they would Copyright © 1964, 1991 by George Reisman. delude their victims into imagining that they are not spend, and then have someone else spend Read George Reisman’s Blog, www. benefi tted and supported by those who take it, or to print more money and allow them to georgereisman.com/blog/

Visit ‘The Free Radical online’ at: www.FreeRadical.co.nz July-August—The Free Radical DR VINCENT GRAY BOOK REVIEW Climate Change Propaganda For The Faithful The Weather Makers by Tim Flannery. 2005; 332 pages. of the weather for 1 July 1998, obtained by tweaking the many poorly- known parameters Text Publishing Company Melbourne ISBN 1 920885 84 6 in one of the many models to get it to fi t. Yet there has never been a successful prediction of any future climate from a model, and until Tim Flannery is a fair dinkum Aussie bloke, has not been disproved “ (page 2). So it is a there is, there is no reason to think that any of a best-selling writer, Humanist of the Year, scientifi cally valid theory if I state that Flannery them could do so.. Director of the South Australia Museum, and will go to a special monkey heaven when discoverer of 29 new species of kangaroo. He he dies. Who could ever disprove that? No As one who has recently spent many weary is also an enthusiastic environmental activist, wonder he has trouble assessing the reliability hours, and fi fty pages, commenting on the and, egged on by the likes of Jared Diamond of the theories he discusses. First Draft of the Fourth Scientifi c Report and Bill Bryson, he has now published of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate “The Weather Makers” a propaganda tract He also has trouble with predictions. On page Change (IPCC) I was shocked to be told by in support of the widely accepted belief 114 we read “not a single species is defi nitely Mr Flannery that the IPCC is in the pocket that human greenhouse gas emissions are known to have become extinct because of of the large oil producers. He is, admittedly, responsible for “climate change”. It can be climate change” Surely by “Occam’s Razor” one of the few I have met who realises that seen as a counterweight to the recent best- we should, from this, deduce that future the ”consensus” statements of the IPCC selling sceptical novel by Michael Crichton, climate change is unlikely to cause extinction. have never actually agreed that there was “State of Fear”. Yet he tries to persuade us, at great length, a proven relationship between greenhouse that the situation has suddenly changed, and gases and “climate change”, but I had always “The Weather Makers” starts off swimmingly future climate change will cause massive assumed that this was because the scientists with the foreword by Robert Purvis, who extinctions, including those of several themselves could not agree. However, I do claims that “Quite simply, climate change beautifully illustrated creatures. support Mr Flannery’s view that the IPCC is a threat to civilisation as we know it” Tim Reports are “dull as dishwater”. Flannery has rather a hard job living up to this He joins many climate scientists in believing claim, but he does his best. that computer models can be reliably used Mr Flannery has refrained from confronting the to predict future climate, and he proves it by views of Michael Crichton and the scientists 60 As one who has tried it (on the sceptical showing us (page 157) a successful simulation who support him, and has side) it is not easy to master chosen to try and persuade us all the scientifi c and economic that the chief sceptic is Fredrick disciplines required for this Palmer, a US Coal executive. book. Flannery falls down He does, however, mention rather badly in his Physics the doyen of Email sceptics, when on page 23 he claims Fred Singer, whom he falsely that the greenhouse effect is accuses of being a member of due to the heating of the trace the Unifi cation Church of Sun gases in the lower atmosphere Myung Moon! by the sun, rather than the more orthodox, and widely The last chapters are almost publicised explanation, that acceptable. they are heated by radiation from the earth. This correct He thoroughly debunks the view does admittedly appear “hydrogen economy”, supports later on. He also considers carbon dioxide to be the chief nuclear energy, and ends by greenhouse gas when it is recommending a series of water vapour, but many others unexpectedly easy ways of seem to be affl icted with this evading the coming disasters, blunder. I am glad, however, involving walking or biking to to fi nd that he understands work and buying solar panels. the Principle of Archimedes But he does not yet advocate which implies that the ocean buying a horse! level will not rise when the icecap melts.. Mr Flannery’s book will reinforce the faith of the converted, but His view of science is also it might send many others to rather unorthodox ”a theory read Mr Crichton, if only for the is only valid for as long as it exciting thriller plot..

July-August—The Free Radical Visit ‘The Free Radical online’ at: www.FreeRadical.co.nz LINDSAY PERIGO BOOK REVIEW

Riveting Rand I’ve spent the past day reacquainting myself with Ayn Rand, via the don’t like bad eclectics—not in architecture, and certainly not in politics and philosophy— recently-published Ayn Rand Answers—the Best of her Q & A. particularly when I’m one of the pieces butchered. Or: I’ve spent the past day in Atlantis. A: No. I don’t have a magnifying glass. Q: What is the Objectivist view of free verse? I thought of leaving it at that. What more is She is everything she always was—fearless, there to say? But of course, I want to say forthright, and frequently funny: A: That it’s lower than free lunches. more, in gratitude if nothing else. Q: Have you seen Milton Friedman’s program It’s all here—the soaring eulogies to human Q: What is your purpose in life? Free to Choose on public television? achievement, the searing excoriations of evil and mediocrity, the unrelenting mind-and- A: My purpose is to enjoy my life in a rational A: I saw fi ve minutes of it. That was enough man-worship, her batty views on a woman way: to use my mind to the greatest extent for me, because I know Friedman’s ideas. president and Beethoven—this is the Ayn Rand possible; to pursue, admire and support He is not for capitalism; he’s a miserable we all know and adore, for all her occasional human greatness; to make all my choices eclectic. He’s an enemy of Objectivism, barminess. There are no surprises. rationally; to expand my knowledge constantly. and his objection is that I bring morality into That’s a pretty ambitious programme, and I’ve economics, which he thinks should be amoral. Let me amend that—it’s not quite all here, and achieved most of it. I don’t always like what public television puts there is an occasional surprise. Missing is her on, but they have better programs than Free infamously silly response on homosexuality. These are off-the-cuff answers, appearing to Choose—the circus, for instance. Instead, there’s a relatively mild answer on for the fi rst time in print, given by Ayn Rand the subject on a different occasion, where to various questions at various venues, over And: she advocates the repeal of all laws against the period 1958-1981. Editor Robert Mayhew homosexual acts, even though “I do not Q: Could you comment on Robert Nozick’s confesses that “some (but not much) of approve of such acts or regard them as Anarchy, State, and Utopia? my editing aimed to clarify wording that, if necessarily moral …” left unchallenged, might be taken to imply A: I don’t like to read this author, because I 61 a viewpoint that she explicitly Surprising, at least to me, is her rejected in her written works.” I answer on voluntary euthanasia. want to join those who have said to She’s against a law allowing it Editor Mayhew, “You should have “because of the safeguards needed left the wording as it was. We can to prevent unscrupulous doctors fi gure things out for ourselves.” The in cahoots with unscrupulous original transcripts, he tells us, are relatives killing someone who is available to “serious scholars.” Well, not dying and not in pain.” Well, I’m not a serious scholar; I’m an what if such safeguards were to intellectual ruffi an and a polemicist; be put in place? I can still fi gure things out for myself. If Ayn Rand contradicted herself Surprising also her agnosticism on while thinking on her feet, no big gun control: deal. She shouldn’t be edited to say something she didn’t. Still, especially for those of us who’ve I do not know enough about it to heard many of these answers have an opinion, except to say on tape, this is unmistakably Ayn that it’s not of primary importance. Rand we are encountering. Forbidding guns or registering them is not going to stop criminals Q: Which composers do you from having them; nor is it a great recommend today? threat to the private, non-criminal citizen if he has to register the fact A: Buy yourself some classical that he has a gun. records. I cannot listen to modern music. I can’t hear it. It’s anything And: but music. I do not know how the issue is to And: be resolved to protect you without giving you the privilege to kill Q: Could you comment on the people at whim. current status of literature?

Visit ‘The Free Radical online’ at: www.FreeRadical.co.nz July-August—The Free Radical Not at all surprising, and extremely relevant to It was not just the spectacle of a brilliant, our contemporary context, is this, on whether nimble mind in action that transported me freedom of speech includes the right to to Atlantis—it was the magnifi cent spirit that Six Ways To advocate genocide: animated it. In an age of weasel-words, hand- wringing and touchy-feely political correctness, Handle Bad When you lose the distinction between action Rand’s sizzling-hot, unapologetic, in-your-face and speech, you lose, eventually, the freedom candour in pursuit of reason, freedom, the Customer of both. … The principle of free speech is not best within, and life as it might be and ought to Service concerned with the content of a man’s speech be is more than simply refreshing, more than and does not protect only the expression of a mood-lifter, more than an inspiration—it’s a • Rude convenience store clerk: good ideas, but all ideas. lifeline, especially for those like Steven Mallory Ask what the fuck is so convenient in The Fountainhead who allow themselves to about pouring your own soda. Then Obviously, space prohibits my quoting the be ground down by it all. take all the pennies in the little tray and buy gumballs. lengthier responses. And there are many—on the correspondence theory of truth, free will, It’s a reminder that when we hear the • Bad taxi driver: Kant, sense of life, romantic realism in the caterwaulers’ headbanging, see the poseurs’ Tell the driver his potential tip has arts, for instance—where Rand really hits splotches and splurges, read the nihilist just dropped to 5%, and for each her stride and shows her intellectual mettle. philosophers telling us philosophy cannot additional driving infraction, as One of her discussions of Kant appears to provide answers—we don’t have to take any determined by you, you will dock his debunk the claim often made about her that of them seriously. They are “trash”—and this tip one percentage point, even if it she never read his actual text but relied on woman is a hero. means he ends up owing you money. how interpreters, including Leonard Peikoff, And then say, “Hey buddy, could you presented him. And it’s remarkable that every hurry the fuck up? If I wanted to sit Q: What do you think will happen when you die? time she’s asked about a movie or a book, motionless in one place with my legs she’s seen it and read it and is able to discuss cramped and inhale foreign body it in impressive detail. Still, one of my favourite A: I assume I’ll be buried. I don’t believe in odors all night, I would have made answers is the briefest: mysticism or life after death. This doesn’t another visit to your wife’s bedroom.” mean I believe man’s mind is necessarily • Slow fast-food restaurant cashier: Q: What do you think of the works of the artist materialistic; but neither is it mystical. We Maxwell Parrish? know that we have a mind and a body, and that Walk up to the counter, take out a neither can exist without the other. Therefore, piece of paper, and write the word “Fast” on it with a red magic marker. A: Trash. when I die, that will be the end of me. I don’t Hold it up and say to the cashier, think it will be the end of my philosophy. “See this, asshole? This is what your mother should have done while she was pregnant with you, so maybe then 62 your fetal brain wouldn’t be comprised of fucking animal lard. It’s also the speed at which you should be bagging www.organonarchitecture.co.nz my cheeseburgers.”

• Slow movie theater ticket agent: “They made a movie about you. It’s called “Dim-Witted Fuck” and it’s now playing in theater seven. How about you give me my tickets so I can go catch the ending? I don’t want to miss the part when the pissed-off customer takes out an Uzi and blows the guy’s fucking head off.”

• Rude waiter: “Can I please see the menu again? For some reason, I don’t remember the creme brulée coming with an arrogant prick.”

•Rude bus driver: “I’m not going to insult all other bus drivers by naming all two skills required to drive a bus, just for the sake of emphasizing your inability to master these two skills. Instead, let me just say that whatever these two unmentioned skills are, you, sir, not only do not possess them, but, as you might recall, there are only two skills to possess. And, fi ne, if you insist: driving and not being a fucking cunt.”

July-August—The Free Radical Visit ‘The Free Radical online’ at: www.FreeRadical.co.nz HUMOUR

63

Visit ‘The Free Radical online’ at: www.FreeRadical.co.nz July-August—The Free Radical SUSAN RYDER COLUMN

Chewing The Fat AKA Libertarian Sus

Known to talkback listeners across the country as Libertarian Sus, in what to stop you from taking your own home- made lunch. I would agree that many promises to be a regular column here, Susan chews the fat. of the television ads targetted toward children are nauseating. They are certainly powerful. So take a leaf from the book of Perhaps this would be better titled, ‘Living useless, parasitical bureaucrats in an artifi cially the sensible lady who called earlier and off the Fat of the Land.’ Ministry of Health created job, which was obvious to all but the educate your children accordingly. Or statistics (yes, it’s enough to make you yawn, truly stupid, and furthermore, nobody should here’s a radical concept: just say ‘no, but read on nonetheless) suggest that one have the right to make impositions upon we’re not eating that tonight’. Or turn the in three New Zealanders are overweight.1 others’ companies. (And I might have also damned TV off. Contrary to popular belief In response, the government has recently made a disparaging comment about the it is possible to do that. allocated some $75 million to attempt to hilarious-if-I-wasn’t-paying-for-it politically combat the problem. correct warnings additionally translated into Banning TV ads will not change the Maori). situation one iota. I fi nd it ironic that Dr No doubt the usual suspects who believe the X mentioned the banning of cigarette state is there to make things better, and/or That’s when Pandora’s Box opened. In short advertising in terms of trying to prove his generally look after us, nodded in collective order a GP from South Auckland, (let’s call point. Well now, hasn’t that just worked approval -- excepting our friends in the Green him Dr X.), rang in and blasted anybody who, a treat. I haven’t seen anyone smoke in Party of course, who probably thought that said he, was naïve enough to believe that years, I don’t think. (I would also point out $75 million was not enough. the solution was largely a matter of parents that watching professional cricket for years turning off the TV! He ranted and raved about never once made me scream down to the However the news reminded me of an the insidious advertising practices of large dairy during tea for a packet of B&H!) argument I once had with a caller to a radio corporations, particularly where children were news talk-back programme. It was very much concerned. ‘The government should ban fast The source of this problem can largely be st a 21 century argument conducted as it was food advertising as a matter of urgency’, said traced back to statism, but that’s a topic for my part via email, but this particular caller this paragon of virtue and self-proclaimed in itself and far too big to cover today. became most irate with my written comments. protector of South Auckland’s collective However, as long as we keep paying no- The story went like this. health. hopers to have babies, you’re going to see 64 this sort of neglect - and poor nutrition in a The day’s topic was the unhealthy combination The programme host asked him why he fi rst-world society is a form of neglect. And of fast food and overweight children. thought that way. Some people just can’t if the state was removed from broadcasting Inevitably, it wasn’t long before some genius help themselves! declaimed this man of the altogether, allowing the public to pick and suggested that kids were eating far too much people. Besides, in some South Auckland pay for channels the way we pick and pay fast food and wouldn’t it be a good idea if industrial suburbs, there were no other lunch for, say, our reading material, it is reasonable commercials for fast food were banned; if not options aside from fast food outlets! You to expect television companies to meet outright, then certainly during kids’ viewing can’t change bad habits!’ he concluded, and family-friendly demand, including carefully hours, (whatever they might be in this age of anyway, anything has to start at the top with selected advertising content. Dare I say it, 24-hour television). the government! that’s the power of the marketplace when the state isn’t around to pollute it. I rolled my eyes and was probably guilty of Well, free-thinkers, what would you say? Me, wishing momentary harm upon the hapless too. So here’s what I rang and said to Dr X: But as for his ridiculous comment that individual, but decided to be the bigger man one cannot change bad habits, get out of and let it go. Alas, several more, doubtless Dr X seems to not understand that it is here. Where’s your faith in the power of well-intentioned, but terribly painful callers possible to ignore advertising. He was quickly joined this call-to-arms and before long scathing of people who have the strength the human spirit, man? Are you resigning there was a four-strong movement planning to of mind to do so. He was scathing of the everybody to stay where they are in life? storm the Bastille (alright then, The Beehive) to callers who don’t have diabetes, heart or It’s not easy to make changes, but you demand that the government step in and stop lung disease, etc and disagree with his call- cannot say it can’t be done. That’s an children from being exposed to the apparent to-ban. To think like that, though, defi es excuse, purely and simply. And an excuse evils of the likes of Macs, Wendy’s and KFC logic as a doctor. Far from criticising, he is a lie wrapped up in a reason. on TV. (Presumably driving past them was still should be promoting that sort of thinking. okay – for the time being, anyway). Promoting strength instead of excusing My point is this. There is no quick fi x for the weakness. ramifi cations of several decades of state- As a libertarian, I could take no more. I made sanctioned irresponsibility. Responsibility the polite point that banning fast-food ads in Fast food outlets are everywhere and can only be encouraged by discouraging the name of improved health was about as they’re not going away in a hurry. They’re irresponsibility – and that’s never going to ludicrous as plastering health warnings all over a fact of life and the sooner you accept happen as long as other taxpayers foot the cigarette packets in the hope that it would that and simply choose not to eat there bill. deter smokers, which it patently doesn’t. I if disinclined, instead of grizzling about less politely added that the said warnings their existence, the better. If there are only And lastly, as for saying that ‘anything has ultimately achieved bugger all except to keep fast food places where you work, what’s to start at the top with the government’,

July-August—The Free Radical Visit ‘The Free Radical online’ at: www.FreeRadical.co.nz Continued bottom of following page STEPHEN HICKS HUMOUR

A Brief History Of Philosophy A Compilation Of Student ‘Research’ Edited By Stephen Hicks

Is philosophy a waste of time? Ethical debates have been around for that we should all strive to pleasure our neighbors. John Stuart Mill said that even if a long time, but nobody seems to have any answers. Ethnics are very what is being said is true, it is still wrong to important. Ethnics are a code of values to guide human life. Basically, censor it. Of course, we cannot take it for granite that all of Mill’s assumptions are true. what you do with your life comes down to your personal ethnics. For According to Freud, the child has lust during the world to be good means having strong Altruistic people to help the the breast-feeding stage. Eventually his society survive in this doggy dog world. mother stops, and his lust is suppressed until his adultery stage.

To Socrates, having a good life meant dying. is said to be another force in the universe, a Marx says the broughers who employ the Socrates was completely opposed to the dark force. His name is Satin. workers can and do enslave the proliterate Sophists. Not only did the Sophists not have workers. So Marx promoted socialism which reasons, they also did not have reasons. Mysticism is the direct and immediate operates the production of products produced Sophists felt that there were no real reasons. experience of the scared. by the society. Socialism is an ideal, but come on now! Let’s be realistic! For Aristotle, the virtuous person can be In feudal times, jobs were passed on from known as temperature, someone who is fathers to sons. For example, if your father Against Marx, Rand advocates free enterprise under complete control. Aristotle thinks the was a priest, you would probably become a and selfi shness, but her philosophy is sort of Principle of Noncontradiction is an axiom is priest too. controversial, in a sense. She commits the because it is one. fallacy of hoc poc der doc. Priests vow poverty and while money isn’t The existence of God is questionable since evil everything a priest should be able to have a Stephen Hicks is professor of philosophy at does have some good points to make. John little of life’s enjoyments just like every other Rockford College, Ilinois. Hick rebukes the concept that God would human bean. Priests also take the vow of not allow suffering if he existed in the third celibacy. On the conventional view, sex without © Stephen Hicks paragraph of his essay. Because of evil there the possibility of recreation is immoral. Priests 65 want to sustain themselves from sex so they can have eternal childhood in the Lord’s eyes. One thing religions teach is that you should prey regularly.

Basically, we need to decide what’s best for society as a hole. That is the purpose of laws. Some states have laws that if broken cause one to be a criminal. In our country, the Deceleration of Independence sets the basic rights and laws. Some people have the right to liberty, but are unable to exorcize it. Shall I go against the laws put forth by my four fathers, who wrote, “All men are entitled to certain unalienable rights”?

In modern times, Utilitarianism is the doctrine

Continued from previous page

I understand the doctor’s professional Think about that, Doc. oh, for God’s sake. The last thing I need frustration. But you don’t improve a is a bureaucrat telling me what to eat. The situation by foisting regulation upon all and I don’t know whether he did or not, but I bastards are busy enough telling me how sundry. Regulation does not create Utopia. certainly felt better for the rant. And the to live as it is – and worse, at my damned If it did, the former Soviet Union would have discussions was, after all, about health. expense! Handing responsibility over been a paradise. It was nothing of the to the state is only going to worsen the sort. But it was full of useless bureaucrats (Footnotes) situation, and is precisely why we are in making useless laws to keep themselves 1 Ministry of Health, ‘Obesity in New Zealand’; the situation we fi nd ourselves. employed. 2002-3

Visit ‘The Free Radical online’ at: www.FreeRadical.co.nz July-August—The Free Radical PETER CRESSWELL ARCHITECTURE Architecture Is The Scientifi c Art Of Making Structure Express Ideas ”Architecture is the scientifi c art of making structure express ideas.” A was adopted wholesale, and with its adoption a new idea was able to be expressed. friend asked me recently just what the hell that quote from Frank Lloyd Wright actually means -- to answer him, I had to go all the way back to You see, since the height of the arch no longer determined its width on the ground, the fl oor the Middle Ages. Back specifi cally to Gothic cathedrals, perhaps the plan could become more supple and more clearest and most powerful example of ideas being expressed through lively. And since the pointed arch transferred loads more effi ciently and with a smaller structure. sideways thrust, the buildings could become tall, really tall -- reaching to heaven you see, Prior to the development of Gothic cathedrals, form was insuffi ciently supple to do it. The “linking the heavenly and earthly spheres” as the prevailing mode of construction was problem, you see, was the semi-circular or Christian Norberg-Schulz puts it -- and the Romanesque, ie., in the form of Roman Roman arch, after which the style was named. walls and buttressing could become ever architecture, and the overwhelming things Specifi cally, the semicircular arch couldn’t thinner. And one more thing now entered, the being constructed in this manner were easily transfer loads vertically to the ground invention of a Paris priest, Abbot Suger of St churches. This was after all the Dark Ages, without signifi cant sideways buttressing - Denis: something called the fl ying buttress. and Romanesque churches refl ected that: - the sideways thrust is signifi cant with a dark interiors, few windows, little life in semicircular arch or dome, as Michelangelo Rather like the stone scaffolding a spider would the proportions or rhythm of the building was to fi nd later when he had to throw a chain erect to support an outside wall if he were a -- in short they were overwhelmingly around the base of St Peters dome to keep it great stonemason, Suger’s fl ying buttresses gloomy, refl ecting the overwhelming mood intact -- and also with a semicircular arch the took the load path away from the enclosing of the times (see below for example). height and width of the arch are inextricably walls, allowing them to be even thinner, and linked, which meant variation in fl oor plan held them aloft so the building could become Yet after the turn of the millennia, a new mood was diffi cult to achieve. Taken together, these even taller, and so thin that vast holes could be was afoot. The year 1000 AD had passed two features on their own meant the Roman punched through for ‘God’s glorious light’ to and the world hadn’t ended. The church arch itself, the very motif of the imperial fl ood in and overwhelm the supplicant within. 66 still sucked the life out the peasantry, but Romanesque style, was keeping churches more wealth and more intellectual inquiry low and gloomy, and stale and dull -- perfect The effect was stunning and profound (see were pursued. And a new, more optimistic for the Dark Ages but not so good for a more picture p68 of the St Denis interior), and the conception of ‘God’s light of illumination’ being optimistic age. The Roman arch had to go. idea exploded around Europe -- with great at the heart of the town or city was formed spiders-webs of stone erected around ever (see for example Ulm Cathedral at right). Enter the ‘pointed arch,’ an Islamic innovation higher and ever more glorious creations of brought back from the Crusades and from man (see for example the choir of Reims A new architecture was needed to express journeys to Moorish Spain. The pointed arch cathedral at the bottom of the page). the new idea, but the prevailing Romanesque solved both these problems at a stroke and To take the sideways thrust of these

The typicallly gloomy Romanesque interior. Flying buttresses surround the choir at Rheims Cathedral

July-August—The Free Radical Visit ‘The Free Radical online’ at: www.FreeRadical.co.nz ARCHITECTURE

67 buttresses great piers were then erected, cathedral in his novel Notre Dame de Paris, of literature, which formerly received the away from the outside walls and their vast ‘This Will Kill That,’ an essay much admired law from it. In India, Vyasa is branching, stained glass windows, and on top of these by Frank Lloyd Wright and which expressed strange, impenetrable as a pagoda. piers enormous spires were then erected much the same idea as had Wright in the In Egyptian Orient, poetry has like the to counter-balance the sideways thrusts quote with which we began: edifi ces, grandeur and tranquillity of line; from the buttressing -- and with that the Human thought, in changing its form, was in antique Greece, beauty, serenity, calm; windows could be made much larger and about to change its mode of expression; in Christian Europe, the Catholic majesty, the buildings even taller and ever more ... the dominant idea of each generation the popular naivete, the rich and luxuriant transparent! This was an exciting time to be would no longer be written with the same vegetation of an epoch of renewal. The a stonemason, with trial and error and much matter, and in the same manner; ... the Bible resembles the Pyramids; the Iliad, the collapsing of stone producing ever taller and book of stone, so solid and so durable, Parthenon; Homer, Phidias. Dante in the ever more transparent structures expressing was about to make way for the book of thirteenth century is the last Romanesque the great idea of the age, such as it was. paper, more solid and still more durable. church; Shakespeare in the sixteenth, the Never was so much of mans’ ingenuity used In this connection the archdeacon’s vague last Gothic cathedral. for so long in the service of such a shabby idea. formula had a second sense. It meant, “Printing will kill architecture.” ...The great Thus, to sum up what we have hitherto The great idea of the Gothic cathedral was the accident of an architect of genius may said, in a fashion which is necessarily expression of ‘the age of faith,’ of God’s light happen in the twentieth century, like that of incomplete and mutilated, the human illuminating man and the world, this idea itself Dante in the thirteenth. But architecture will race has two books, two registers, two being illuminated and expressed to an illiterate no longer be the social art, the collective testaments: masonry and printing; the Bible population through the means of architecture. art, the dominating art. The grand poem, of stone and the Bible of paper. No doubt, The age of the Gothic Cathedral and the age the grand edifi ce, the grand work of when one contemplates these two Bibles, of blind faith and illiteracy it represented was humanity will no longer be built: it will be laid so broadly open in the centuries, it is eventually killed by the printing press, and by printed. permissible to regret the visible majesty the ‘Age of Reason’ that the printing press of the writing of granite, those gigantic and the Renaissance between them helped And henceforth, if architecture should alphabets formulated in colonnades, in to bring about. As Victor Hugo put it in his arise again accidentally, it will no longer be pylons, in obelisks, those sorts of human famous essay on the demise of the Gothic mistress. It will be subservient to the law mountains which cover the world and the

Visit ‘The Free Radical online’ at: www.FreeRadical.co.nz July-August—The Free Radical ARCHITECTURE

past, from the pyramid to the bell tower, At least one architect of genius did appear in behooves both the reader of literature and from Cheops to Strasburg. The past must the twentieth-century who understood what the student and practitioner of architecture be reread upon these pages of marble. Hugo meant, and he put it much more simply: to understand how architecture can and has This book, written by architecture, must “Architecture is the scientifi c art of making expressed ideas in the past, and how it still be admired and perused incessantly; but structure express ideas.” Architecture may does just occasionally. the grandeur of the edifi ce which printing never again compete with literature for pre- You can fi nd Peter on the web at: erects in its turn must not be denied. eminence in the expression of ideas, but it organonarchitecture.co.nz

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Interior of Abbot Suger’s St Denis.

July-August—The Free Radical Visit ‘The Free Radical online’ at: www.FreeRadical.co.nz LINDSAY PERIGO MUSIC Mario Lanza’s Secret, Kick-Arse Nessun Dorma Fifty-one years ago, long before Luciano Pavarotti made it a Well, blow me down with a High C, it turns out that he did. Or rather, he’d already done it. household aria, Mario Lanza had recorded the great and demanding Yes, the take that was used in the movie and Nessun Dorma for the soundtrack of one of his movies. released on the soundtrack recording was a second take—that was much inferior to the fi rst! In the fi rst, there’s still the occasional Serenade has a Fountainhead-like plot, nella tua fredda stanza, (slight) sharpness, but none of the other except that the Dominique who wishes to guardi le stelle problems of the second parlay. As I’ve had destroy Roark-Lanza really means it, and only che fremono d’amore occasion to remark elsewhere, in this glorious ever cultivated him with a view to destroying e di speranza. fi rst attempt he kicks Principessa’s cold ass him, as she had destroyed a long line of artists to the other side of the moon, dramatically before him just because they were talented (None must sleep! None must sleep! speaking; musically, it’s a treat, with delightful and in danger of being successful. How had And you, too, Princess, rubati and an electrifying climax. As he alights she done it? By sponsoring them, seducing in your cold room, on the last syllable of the penultimate Vincero! them, declaring her undying love, securing gaze at the stars Mario is fair exulting, “Here I come, ready or their besotted devotion—and then, just when which tremble with love not!” Then he duly “comes,” orgasmically they were poised for a career breakthrough, and hope!) nailing the last Vincero! in a way that would dumping them ignominiously from a great drive a live audience delirious. height. When Roark-Lanza survives her Ma il mio mistero e chiuso in me, attempt to wreck him thus, and shows every il nome mio nessun sapra! I played this take the other night to a live sign of having gotten over her and being on No, no, sulla tua bocca lo diro audience that included The Free Radical’s the comeback trail, she goes after him again. quando la luce splendera! resident esthetician, Peter Cresswell. His reaction? “Fuck! Where has that been all Impresario Vincent Price remarks, “I’m (But my mystery is locked within me, these years?!” Like so many Mario (or Elvis, or curious, my dear. It’s not like you to work no-one shall know my name! anyone) treasures, it’s been hidden away in the your victims over a second time.” She (Joan No, no, I shall say it as my mouth RCA vaults. But now it’s out there, thanks to Fontaine) responds, “Has it ever occurred to meets yours when the dawn is breaking!) Damon Lanza Productions, who’ve released you that I might really love him?” Price, wryly: 69 “Frankly, my dear, no, it hasn’t.” (Price has Ed il mio bacio sciogliera il silenzio the Serenade soundtrack with the fi rst take as already commented to Lanza on Fontaine’s che ti fa mia! well as the second. (Damon is Mario’s son.) predilection for buying up masterpieces just Write to [email protected]. to hide them in dank cellars.) You will readily (And my kiss will break the silence appreciate, dear reader, how it was fi tting that which makes you mine!) So why was the inferior second take the one melodramatic arias like Nessun Dorma should that was released? Who knows?! Maybe abound in Serenade. Damnably, Mario’s Dilegua, o notte! it’s the better voice/orchestra balance (they rendering of it was below par. Tramontate, stelle! brought Mario’s voice forward the second Tramontate, stelle! time). Maybe it’s because the fi rst take was Some context: Nessun Dorma is sung by the All’alba vincero! under-bassed. Maybe it’s because the second hero of the opera (Turandot), Calaf, after he has Vincero, vincero! take deleted the rubati and galloped through given correct answers to the notorious three the thing at a sizzling pace for a movie that riddles posed by the icy Princess Turandot to (Vanish, o night! was over-shot. all her would-be suitors. He has thereby saved Fade, stars! himself from the fate that befalls all who give At dawn I shall win!) Or maybe Dominique Francon-Fontaine was wrong answers, execution (the opera begins in charge of the selections! with a hapless, failed wannabe being carted So just what was wrong with Mario’s STOP PRESS: A Lanzaphile by the name off to meet his demise). Calaf, however, has recording? Little things that cumulatively of Vince di Placido has “matched” this take given the man-hating Turandot an out—if meant disappointment. He blares sharp of Nessun Dorma to the scene in the movie she can discover his name by dawn, he’ll (above the note) on the opening phrase; he Serenade in which Lanza lip-synchs to the forfeit his life anyway. In the aria, he muses breaks the vocal line in the fi rst succession on the edict that Turandot has sent out: None of High As (“bocca lo diro”); he mangles the other take. Therefore, of course, the lip- shall sleep [“Nessun Dorma”] until his name pronunciation of “tramontate” in the second synching doesn’t match, but Vince covers a is revealed, and looks forward to victory at batch of High As; he is horribly sharp in the lot of it up with very cleverly selected snippets dawn: “Vincero!” (“I shall conquer!”) second two syllables of the fi rst “Vincero”; from other parts of the movie that match the he loses intensity on the penultimate, lyrics or pulse or both of what Mario is singing. For the benefi t of those who might like to play climactic note and veritably falls off the very For the full experience, visit www.youtube. the aria while following the lyrics, here they last one. Those of us who love Lanza and com/watch?v=PoN8Q71TYIA. are: know what he could have done with this aria have remonstrated with his ghost for years, Turandot plays in Sydney from 14 Nessun dorma! Nessun dorma! “Dammit, Mario, why didn’t you do a second July through September. Visit www. Tu pure, o, Principessa, take?!” sydneyoperahouse.com for details.

Visit ‘The Free Radical online’ at: www.FreeRadical.co.nz July-August—The Free Radical NEIL MILLER BEER Beer And Elsewhere: One Man’s EPIC Neil Miller from RealBeer.Co.NZ begins a regular column on the pleasures fi nish. Twice Supreme Champion, this is a breathtakingly good beer. of one of mankind’s fi nest creations: Beer. Fuggles (4.75%) straddles the Best Bitter and Pale Ale style but does so with such Perhaps the toughest question a beer writer He is always prepared to tweak his recipes fl avour that it hardly seems an issue. Often can be asked is “So, what’s the best beer to “keep the drinkers thinking” and to always served through a traditional handpump, this then?” This is the equivalent of demanding move the beer towards being the “perfect slightly creamy British style beer combines Lindsay Perigo identify his favorite Ayn Rand pint” – a beer that you totally enjoy all evening, a mouthwatering malt and fruit body with quote, and the answer in both cases will pint after pint. a punchy bitter fi nish. Roll out the barrel usually depend on the context. Luke also likes hops – lots of hops. He uses indeed. hops from around the world but particularly At the recent New Zealand International relishes the intense fl avours and aromas of The darkest beer in the range is Dark Star Beer Awards a panel of distinguished judges American hops. His beers are all generously (5%) which is broadly in the style of an English focused their laser-like palates on 199 hopped and he says he aims to “keeping Porter. This beer has a toasty nose, a body domestic beers to fi nd the best beer entered. pushing the envelope out to see how much laced with chocolate, roast coffee and burnt hops people can handle. I haven’t found the They fi nally crowned one beer as Supreme toast fl avours followed by a fi rm, cleansing limit yet.” Champion – EPIC Pale Ale from Auckland’s bitterness. This is a distinctive dark beer and Epic Brewing Company. a fi ne drop. Luke admits that many brewers would EPIC Pale Ale (5.4%) is a burnished golden consider the “shedload” of hops used in EPIC The Cock and Bull also cater for more beer which throws a punchy citrus nose. It to be insane. “I call that fl avour,” he smiles. mainstream tastes at their pubs. Luke ensures has an immaculate balance of rich creamy Hopheads like me can only applaud such an that these more familiar styles of beer are still malt body with lashings of summerfruit and attitude. fresh, well-made and full fl avored. citrus notes before a lingering, almost oily, The Epic Brewing Company is a new brewing bitterness dries the mouth. entity which grew out of the operations of the The Blue Goose (4.6%) is an extremely Cock and Bull English Pubs and Brewery. popular Premium Lager. This pale golden EPIC actually won the top award in its 70 The fi ve Cock and Bull pubs - Ellerslie, Botany, beer has a subtle aroma of dry grass and competition debut on the eve of its nationwide Lynfi eld, Hamilton and Newmarket – all serve clean smooth body. launch. Brewer Luke Nicholas says “We are Luke’s handcrafted beers. confi dent that New Zealand beer drinkers will The bar-coaster most likely to go home with enjoy it just much as the judges.” The fl agship Cock and Bull beer is Monk’s a visitor belongs to the Buxom Blonde Habit (7%) – an American Pale Ale. This Wheat Beer (4.8%). Very pale, it has hints Luke’s track record suggests that confi dence rich copper beer has been described as of lemon, wheat, citrus and honey along with is justifi ed. The quality of his beers have been the country’s most decadent pint with a full a soft, slightly tart fi nish. A highly refreshing recognized with bags of awards and trophies body of grapefruit, orange and soft honey beverage. including twice brewing previous Supreme fl avours followed by a beautifully intense bitter Champions. Inspired by the traditional New Zealand style of “draught beer”, the Classic Draught (4%) brings a little more class and fl avour with imported English malts contributing to the bustling biscuity body. This is closely followed a clean fi nish with just a hint of hops (by Luke’s standards). A good session beer for even the terminally unadventurous.

With EPIC, Luke has created a massively fl avored beer which retains drinkability. At my own tastings, most drinkers found it easier to step up to EPIC than to step back down to their mainstream lagers after trying it.

A bottle of EPIC would be a good place to start the search for New Zealand’s best beer.

You can fi nd Neil offering regular beer Helen blows the froth off a Monk’s Habit. commentary at RealBeer.Co.NZ, or at his weekly Beer O’Clock posts every (Insert obvious punchlines here.) Friday afternoon at Not PC, www. pc.blogspot.com July-August—The Free Radical Visit ‘The Free Radical online’ at: www.FreeRadical.co.nz Photo Caption Contest

Guess which one has the brownest nose? Later in court Mallard pleaded: “It was only a hickey!”

Taito Philip Field was disappointed to be caught up in the passports-for- blowjobs scandal.

I know we’re both desperate to please the Only one of the attendees paused to Using the latest technology, Steve Chadwick hopes leader but I recall it was YOUR idea for us consider the wisdom of naming the to track down the people who gave her a boy’s to come here and have a civil union. party’s youth arm ‘Child Labour’. name. 71 Photo Caption Contest Now it’s your turn. Send your caption for the photo below to: [email protected] by July 31. The best caption wins a book of cartoons courtesy of GenerationXY.blogspot.com

Visit ‘The Free Radical online’ at: www.FreeRadical.co.nz July-August—The Free Radical LINDSAY PERIGO FREE SPEECH Reporting Now From The Soviet Socialist Republic Of Aotearoa Ronald Reagan used to tell the story, though not to Mikhail Gorbachev, CivicCorp to decide how big a conventional sign he could erect. Now, the Queenstown of the fellow in the late unlamented Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, Lakes District Council chief executive who bought a car. He was told by a clerk behind a desk that delivery has magnanimously declined to seek Mr Henderson’s imprisonment and agreed to would be seven years three months and fi ve days away. “Morning or let the sign stay until it grows over naturally. afternoon?” asked the buyer. “Morning or afternoon?” echoed the clerk For Mr Henderson to have a permanent sign he would have had to seek the community’s … what difference does it make when it’s seven years three months agreement. We’re waiting for the Queenstown and fi ve days away?” “Well,” said the buyer, “it has to be the afternoon. Lakes District Council to take over all the land in its jurisdiction outright, and bring back the The plumber’s coming in the morning.” glory days of Stalin’s collectives, here in the Soviet Socialist Republic of Aotearoa. Be very fat.

That’s about what it’s like now in the Soviet Or might that be … the Islamic Republic of Here in the Soviet Socialist Republic of Aotearoa? Abu Bakar Bashir, the cockroach Socialist Republic of Aotearoa. No, you don’t Aotearoa, Nanny State runs the health cleric who inspired the Bali bombings, had a have to wait for a plumber. You don’t have system. What does she give us? Waiting lists. to queue for bread. There’s no toilet paper How does she reduce the waiting lists? By message for Australian Prime Minister John shortage. You can buy a CD of your choice— tearing them up! You don’t get your surgery Howard when he came out of jail this week: or computer, or book, or mobile phone, or TV, but you’re no longer on a waiting list because become a Muslim or burn in hell. This to a or car, or pair of shoes—pretty well straight Nanny says you’re not. She’s sent you back crowd of thousands of fellow Islamo-fascists away, because these things are produced to your GP. Now isn’t that reassuring when screaming and fl ailing and generally doing and supplied by private enterprise, for a you’ve got skin cancer. Fat lot of use your GP what they do so well—behave like crazed profi t. In the old USSR they were produced, is there, but Nanny is saying you have to wait monsters. Yes, that was Indonesia, and he if at all, by Nanny State, supposedly for till your tumour is really big, by which time was taunting Australia’s Prime Minister, not it’s more diffi cult to remove and will probably service—and service was surly or non- ours. But let us not forget that the Islamo- have metastasised. Nanny’s die-while-you- 72 existent. Here in the Soviet Socialist Republic fascists over the ditch have demanded Sharia of Aotearoa, Nanny State runs the electricity wait health system is also currently serving Law be implemented there, and our lone system. Nanny State’s Transpower operates up chronic staff shortages and, of course, Muslim MP has said it would be proper to the national grid, overseen by Nanny State’s strikes. Be very … healthy. stone homosexuals to death. How long before Electricity Commission and Nanny State’s Did someone say RMA? Here in the Soviet the deeply stupid but vicious and insistent Commerce Commission. What do they give Socialist Republic of Aotearoa, property voice of Islamo-fascism is raised concertedly us? Blackouts. Blackouts without back-ups. developer Dave Henderson, the man who here? Islam is the locus of totalitarian evil in This supposedly First World country’s biggest beat the IRD, was told he couldn’t keep the city was without power for a day because the modern world—and the price of liberty sign, “fi vemile.co.nz” he had had mown into is eternal paranoia. Our Soviet Socialist supply was literally hanging by a thread, a paddock on his Frankton Flats land. He Republic at least allows a signifi cant degree which snapped. Nanny State’s Resource didn’t have resource consent, and could be of free speech still, such as mine right now. An Management ACT is one of the reasons our jailed for two years or fi ned $200,000. He Islamic Republic would allow none, and I and grid is on a par with Chernobyl. The Beehive had mown the sign into the grass because Commissars are promising reports, reviews he’d become sick of waiting for Nanny State’s many of you would be beheaded by these and revamps. Be very afraid. Transit New Zealand and her local bossyboots super-superstitious savages. Be very alert.

Lindsay Perigo on Radio Live - 0800 723 465

July-August—The Free Radical Visit ‘The Free Radical online’ at: www.FreeRadical.co.nz Libertarianz leader Bernard Darnton sums up the Labour Government’s performance Burning the Censeless (census) forms

Another census form hits the shredder 73 Libertarianz Activism

Join fellow Libertarians at the Libertarianz conference, 2006, celebrating Libertarianz’ 10th birthday.

Visit ‘The Free Radical online’ at: www.FreeRadical.co.nz July-August—The Free Radical Visit ‘The Free Radical online’ at: www.FreeRadical.co.nz