06-26-2003, 09:34 AM
Good place to post what's happening in N.Z.
It feels like living in a piece of history at the moment. The following things have been or are looking at being legislated:
1) Prostitution has been decriminalised (legalised?). Sorry, I haven't been keeping up with the whole thing, and there doesn't seem to be much clear coverage from the media. The main points they raised were:
- Passed by 60-59 with one abstension(sp?) Focus being put on the person that abstained
- The amount of lobbying, the issue was one of conscience.
- Police already concerned with potential for child prostitution
- Occupational Safety and Health already stating that they realise that brothels will not be like ordinary businesses and are looking at guidelines for things like disease transmission reduction etc.
- Fines for not having safe sex, but these seem low compared with levels of income $2000 per worker, or $10,000 max per brothel. But I see T.V. advertise rates of $160 per hour, so is this fine really a deterrent?
2) Legislating state ownership of the coastline.
- Triggered by a Maori Land Court ruling that stated that fore-shore ownership could be claimed
- There are claims that the legislation created may break international law (not sure why).
- Brings up ethical considerations: Should anyone be able to own coastline and/or control beach access? Should a group of people be compensated for things that happened to their ancestors at the expense of another group of people (not neccessarily mutually exclusive groups, and includes people that did not neccessarily have ancestors who actually committed 'offenses')
3) Fat tax: Under investigation
- Unfortunately ;) it is not the same as I proposed back when I was 16 where people would be taxed by their weight at specified intervals. The government is considering (amongst many proposals) taxation on food based on fat content. Too early to know what forms they are looking at, it may be a tax on all foods, or just fast foods. It may just be limited to fat, or may be extended to other things.
And just to round things off lets poke some fun:
Governments use carrots and sticks. Here it seems their aim is health of the population. They are using the stick to get people off fatty food, and the carrot of 'legalised sex on the beach' to get them exercising :lol:
It feels like living in a piece of history at the moment. The following things have been or are looking at being legislated:
1) Prostitution has been decriminalised (legalised?). Sorry, I haven't been keeping up with the whole thing, and there doesn't seem to be much clear coverage from the media. The main points they raised were:
- Passed by 60-59 with one abstension(sp?) Focus being put on the person that abstained
- The amount of lobbying, the issue was one of conscience.
- Police already concerned with potential for child prostitution
- Occupational Safety and Health already stating that they realise that brothels will not be like ordinary businesses and are looking at guidelines for things like disease transmission reduction etc.
- Fines for not having safe sex, but these seem low compared with levels of income $2000 per worker, or $10,000 max per brothel. But I see T.V. advertise rates of $160 per hour, so is this fine really a deterrent?
2) Legislating state ownership of the coastline.
- Triggered by a Maori Land Court ruling that stated that fore-shore ownership could be claimed
- There are claims that the legislation created may break international law (not sure why).
- Brings up ethical considerations: Should anyone be able to own coastline and/or control beach access? Should a group of people be compensated for things that happened to their ancestors at the expense of another group of people (not neccessarily mutually exclusive groups, and includes people that did not neccessarily have ancestors who actually committed 'offenses')
3) Fat tax: Under investigation
- Unfortunately ;) it is not the same as I proposed back when I was 16 where people would be taxed by their weight at specified intervals. The government is considering (amongst many proposals) taxation on food based on fat content. Too early to know what forms they are looking at, it may be a tax on all foods, or just fast foods. It may just be limited to fat, or may be extended to other things.
And just to round things off lets poke some fun:
Governments use carrots and sticks. Here it seems their aim is health of the population. They are using the stick to get people off fatty food, and the carrot of 'legalised sex on the beach' to get them exercising :lol: