U3A Cromwell: How we are Changed, and Should we be Concerned?

U3A Cromwell - How we are changed, and should we be concerned?

Speaker: Russell Garbutt

Born, raised and educated at Maori Hill Primary School and King Edward Technical College before joining New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation in Dunedin.   Became a Technical Producer before marrying in 1970 and working at ATV Network Ltd in Birmingham.   Spent a summer milking goats in far north of Norway and rejoined TVNZ in Christchurch in time for the 1974 Commonwealth Games and working on shows such as That’s Country.   Transferred to Dunedin where I eventually became last TV Manager and then the External Business Manager for Natural History.   Travelled to both Antarctica and Nepal with Sir and Lady Hillary making films.   Then became Media Production Manager for University of Otago until retirement and 61/2 years on Vincent Community Board.   Have recently written historical biography of Vincent Pyke. 

This talk explores how societies change over time and the forces that shape those changes. It reflects on lessons from fictional works such as Nineteen Eighty-Four, and considers shifts in New Zealand’s electoral system. How political parties develop policy, the structure and role of party-list MPs, and selected examples of current party policies. It also discusses the role of the media in reporting political issues, including questions around media influence and independence.

Further topics explored include decision-making and spending priorities within universities, debates around equity and promotion frameworks, and the ways in which local  government engages with wider societal and ideological change.