The Treasury has dumped a monsoon bucketful of scorn on the campaign for a living wage. But the case for such a campaign withstands the deluge. In a report released last Friday, the Treasury argues the “living wage is not well targeted at the intended demographic of low-income families”. It thinks the $18.40 an hour Read more
Surgery without anaesthesia is a miserable and brutal reality in Syria. Doctors report that demolished hospitals and humanitarian blockades have left some Syrians to suffer, awake, through amputations and Caesarean sections. I saw similar horrors while working in a northern Syrian field hospital under airstrikes in August. I operated on children who had the bone Read more
The Sept. 30 decision by Archbishop Jose Luis Escobar of San Salvador, El Salvador, to close its human rights office, Tutela Legal, has produced an outpouring of protest from organisations and individuals in many countries concerned with the protection of rights. They recognize Tutela Legal as a particularly valiant part of their movement that played a Read more
I’m ashamed to say that I almost never interact with poor people. I like to think that I care, that I humanise the issue in my mind, that I don’t ignore it like so many do. But the truth is I am guilty of not caring — of failing to be touched by the humanity Read more
The Roman Catholic and Anglican archbishops of New Zealand are inviting their churches to pray and discuss how the Christian gospel is foundational to the rights and needs of victims, offenders, and their families. The archbishops, John Dew, Justin Duckworth and Philip Richardson (above) say a justice system, levels of offending, and victims’ needs and Read more
The absence of violence is not an indication of the existence of peace, the Pacific Conference of Churches (PCC) said on Thursday. General Secretary Reverend Francois Pihaatae said a key component to creating peace was to first ensure a just society. Pihaatae was speaking ahead of the International Day of Peace on Saturday (September 21). Read more
The cases of Pfc. Bradley Manning, who prefers to be known as Chelsea Manning, and Edward Snowden raise acute issues about the role of confidentiality in our society and the responsibilities of individuals who encounter disturbing information that they consider damaging to national security. In each case, an individual chose to divulge classified information even Read more
Project Turnaround, the provider of restorative justice in South Canterbury, has been given the green light to continue for another two years. Timaru District Council’s community services group manager, Sharon Matson, said yesterday Project Turnaround had been advised verbally that it had secured the tender for providing the service over the next two years. “Until Read more
The fact that millions of people face the danger of starvation in today’s world is “truly scandalous”, Pope Francis has told participants in a conference organised by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. “A way has to be found to enable everyone to benefit from the fruits of the earth … to satisfy the Read more
A judge has commended a grieving woman and the man responsible for her partner’s death during an emotional court hearing following a fatal road accident. Donald Stewart Wills, 66, of Morison’s Bush, appeared for sentencing today before Judge Bill Hastings on a charge of careless driving causing the death of Ricki Cobb on the Waiohine Read more