Researchers say 51.6% of the 153 charities surveyed feared losing contracts or grants as a result of criticising government actions.

Nearly a third of the charities thought debate was silenced or actively silenced by Government.

The report states that:

"The relationship between the state and civil society was altered from 1984 with the rise of the neo-liberal contract state.

This "market liberal" model of interest group politics "...depicts interest groups as self-interested, "vested" interests, seeking special advantages or "privileges" for themselves which are contrary to the public interest and to the long term prospects of the country"

"This view" the report says, "is found in the speeches and writings of New Zealand's political architect of neo-liberalism, Roger Douglas.

In one speech he noted that interest group lobbying served only to slow down the pace of economic reform.

Source

• Radio New Zealand
• Victoria University of Wellington
• Image i.telegraph.co.uk

National Planning Minister Charles Abel will table a report on the Social Development Plan or Church State Partnership Program where K120 million has been spent with nothing to show on the ground.

He will present the Report when Parliament resumes next week Tuesday.

The abuse of public funded programs has been a major concern to the O'Neill-Dion government with Department of National Planning putting in place measures including reviewing of government programs.

Minister Abel did not give details of the disaster in the church state partnership program but will do so in his Report to Parliament.

"I have met with the Church partners under the Church Partnership Program last week after finalising the historical report on this program, and they will report back this week on propositions to re-engage with government after the disaster of the previous programme."

"We will be providing through this programme funding to support health and education services through the churches in particular."

Source

• The Catholic Bishops' Conference of Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea/Post Courier
• Image: HDRcreme.com

It was the fifth such encounter since Monti was tapped to lead a technocratic government in November 2011, underscoring the positive vibe between "Super Mario" and the pope.

The parallels are certainly striking. Both Benedict and Monti are low-key figures who followed celebrities, John Paul II and Silvio Berlusconi. Benedict actually is German, while Monti is routinely described as more German than Italian, especially his passion for fiscal discipline. Both are struggling with crises that festered under previous administrations: the sex abuse scandals for Benedict and Italy's $2.5 trillion public debt for Monti.

Here's why all this rates a mention: At a time when church/state relations in many places seem to be deteriorating, including talk of a "war on religion" in America, the simpatico between Monti and Benedict could lead to détente on one of the most perennially contentious political matters of all: money.

Earlier this year, Monti's government announced a host of austerity measures, including revisions to property taxes. Heretofore religious institutions have been exempt, even those that turn a profit, such as hostels and health clinics, on the grounds that they serve a public purpose.

In effect, the government has proposed to reclassify some of those facilities as commercial and insist they pay up.

The church operates roughly 50,000 parishes and oratories in Italy: 11,000 properties used for educational and cultural activities, 14,000 schools, and just under 5,000 hospitals, hospices and health clinics. All will be evaluated, and those deemed primarily commercial could theoretically be asked to pay back taxes dating to 2005. (The change applies to all nonprofits, but numerically, those operated by the church are the most significant.) Read more

Sources

• John L Allen Jr in National Catholic Reporter
• Image: Zimbio