Have you read “Thunder”, the glorious, bitter-sweet short story by acclaimed author Patricia Grace? If not, make yourself a cuppa and click the link above to have a read – it will take less than 10 minutes. Then come back for a discussion about what this story tells us about the bubbles we live in,…
Continue reading →Last year I signed this Open Letter on Tax, calling for wealthy people to be taxed more. But this year, instead of paying more tax, rich and middle income people will be paying less. For me, my tax cut will buy me four or five loaves of bread per week. I don’t want or need…
Continue reading →If we are donating money, whether it is $5 or $5 million, whether as individuals or foundations, we all need to answer the same, deceptively simple question. Which is this: “where should we give our money?” Common responses include funding causes which have affected us personally, funding on an ad hoc basis to those who…
Continue reading →Recently a group of us had the privilege of seeing mana motuhake [Māori self determination] first hand. And it was beautiful. Let’s start with this term “mana motuhake” – what does it really mean? Te Aka online dictionary defines it as “separate identity, autonomy, self-government, self-determination, independence, sovereignty, authority – mana through self-determination and control…
Continue reading →Aotearoa New Zealand’s founding document, Te Tiriti o Waitangi, (also referred to as the Treaty of Waitangi), is a hot topic currently. Te Tiriti is very important to me as a Pākehā New Zealander, and here, in seven sentences, is why. Te Tiriti is the agreement signed in 1840 which sets out a peaceful relationship…
Continue reading →Here are some reflections prompted by the Philanthropy NZ conference earlier this month: 1. Positive change is normal and happens all the time: When I was growing up, way back in the 1970s, these things were true: Smoking was everywhere, even in planes and restaurants. Children were regularly smacked, strapped and caned in homes and…
Continue reading →“What is the crucial work we must be doing as Pākehā to be part of Te Tiriti justice and decolonisation?” That was the question posed to 14 of us who were invited by the wonderful Emily Beausoleil to contribute to this year’s Joan Cook Memorial Essay, an annual offering set up in memory of Treaty…
Continue reading →I’m in a Wellington cafe, at a coffee meeting with a colleague from Ngāti Kahungunu. We are both born in Hastings, so that is a nice start. Then after a while he says, “Actually, I am not really from Hastings, I am from Flaxmere.” And I say, “Actually I am not really from Hastings either,…
Continue reading →If we are lucky enough to live comfortably, why wouldn’t we share some of what we have? Two key ways of sharing financial resources are through philanthropy and taxation, and I frequently blog about philanthropy, but this time let’s talk about tax. Personally I see tax as a good thing, and I am willing to…
Continue reading →When I was asked to speak on Steven Moe’s Seeds podcast, my friend and colleague Haimona Waititi from Tūmanako Consulting suggested that I share some of the missteps I have made as part of different organisations trying to better support Māori aspirations. So, I talked on the podcast and shared three personal stories of situations…
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