Travelling North

I recently spent nearly 3 weeks in the North Island.
I feel I should post some pictures as I do with my overseas travels.
Day 1 I drove North to a little town called Cheviot then on Day 2 I continued up the east Coast through Kaikoura.

 

 to Picton and onto the Strait ferry to Wellington.

Day 3 I drove over the Rimutaka Range

and took a break in Greytown which was once the capital of this area known as the Wairarapa so has many old buildings.

The night was spent in Napier which was destroyed by an earthquake in 1931 and rebuilt in the Art deco style of those times.

In the evening I went to a concert by the NZ Symphony orchestra in the art deco theatre.

Day 4 I attended Eucharist in the Cathedral built after the earthquake.

Then I went to the NZ National Aquarium which had some kiwis as well as sea creatures.

Shame on Australia, the unfair country

I have copied this from the Sydney Morning Herald
The bold is mine

Australians and New Zealanders have fought alongside one another in world wars, can move without restriction under our trans-Tasman travel arrangement and share a mutually beneficial free-trade agreement. Yet when it comes to our expatriates, Australia has been accused of treating Kiwis like second-class citizens.
And while incoming prime minister, Tony Abbott, was only elected a week ago, New Zealanders hope the fact his wife, Margie, is a Kiwi will help influence change.
Under travel arrangements reached in the 1970s, expats can live and work in either country indefinitely. But legislative changes introduced by the Howard government 12 years ago - as well as amendments to several other laws thereafter - mean that although Kiwis can permanently reside and seek employment in Australia on special category visas, they are not entitled to permanent residency. Nor do they get automatic rights to citizenship.
In contrast, Australians are granted residency on arrival in New Zealand, can vote after living there for a year and become eligible for citizenship after five years. They are also entitled to welfare benefits after two years.

''Basically, any [New Zealander] who arrived here after February 26, 2001, or who had been living here and, for whatever reason, was living overseas the year the law was changed, is affected,'' said Tim Gassin, the spokesman for Oz Kiwi, a group campaigning for equality for the estimated 300,000 unprotected Kiwis affected.
Academy Award-winning actor Russell Crowe is among them. Despite moving here in 1968, Crowe was working overseas filming Gladiator and A Beautiful Mind when the Family and Community Services Legislation Amendment (New Zealand citizens) Act 2001 was brought in.
He planned to get naturalised in 2006 only discover he was ineligible - despite living here for 37 of his 49 years.
Crowe has described the immigration loophole as ''arbitrary and ridiculous'', noting that, while he could not become a citizen, he had featured on an Australian Legends stamp and was awarded a Centenary of Federation medallion.
''There's a whole bunch of New Zealanders who have committed to a life here, who have had children here, who bought their first houses here, who have been productive, taxpaying members of society … Until recently, I had an Australian wife. I have two Australian children. But I still fall between the cracks,'' Crowe said.
Mr Gassin's Kiwi fiancee Grace Edwards has even taught Australian history at Melbourne University where they met in 2007 and are both doing their PhDs.
''Essentially, the way the system now operates in Australia, despite all the history between our two countries, New Zealanders are treated the same as anyone sitting in the desert in Namibia who wants to come here and get citizenship,'' he said.
''They have to go through the same skills tests, security checks and health checks for things like contagious diseases, which is a bit stupid when they've already been living and working here - some of them - for 10 years.''
He said Kiwis had the highest workforce participation rate in Australia and it was ironic that many residency and citizenship applications had been rejected by the Australian government on the basis their skills were not in demand.
''But a lot of occupations are not in demand here because there are so many Kiwis filling the gaps,'' he said.
Without citizenship, Kiwis cannot vote or access any form of social or disability welfare - even though they contribute an estimated $5 billion in income tax annually. Furthermore, children born here to New Zealand citizens are no longer considered Australian. Such children only qualify for citizenship after they have lived here for 10 years, meaning those born with disabilities are not eligible for any government assistance.
The productivity commissions of Australia and New Zealand completed a joint report last year on the trans-Tasman relationship and found Australia's treatment of Kiwis was unreasonable, unjustified and required change.

Actually I think there are some inaccuracies. I received the NZ aged pension backdated to the day I arrived.  My Australian Aged pension is paid to the NZ Government but as it is means tested it is less than what I receive from NZ.

I was able to vote in the first elections after I arrived, the local elections were held about 9 months after my arrival and I received voting papers.

Unlike an American citizen, as an expatriate, I have lost the right to vote in Australia, so my views are of no interest to politicians. 

 

In fact, if I did not have relatives and friends in Australia, I would have no interest in ever returning to that country again.

A Cartoon

Taken from the blog Liturgy by Rev Bosco Peters whom I thank for his efforts on behalf of homosexuals.

New Zealand continues to show the way

Great news today as New Zealand elects the third woman Diocesan bishop.

The Rev Dr Helen-Ann Hartley has been elected the next Anglican Bishop of Waikato.
Helen-Ann, who is 40, succeeds Archbishop David Moxon, who is now the Anglican Communion’s ambassador to Rome.
Bishop-elect Helen-Ann is at present Dean of Tikanga Pakeha students at St John's College in Auckland.
She was born in Edinburgh and grew up in north-east England. She is the fourth generation of her family to be ordained, and was priested in 2005 in the Diocese of Oxford.

So apparently she is the first woman ordained in the Church of England to become a bishop.

In New Zealand she follows Penny Jamieson, who was the Bishop of Dunedin from 1990 till 2004, and Victoria Matthews, who was elected the Bishop of Edmonton, in Canada, in 1997, and who was chosen as the Bishop of Christchurch in 2008.

Of course England is yet to vote to allow women to be bishops and while Australia now has 4 assistant bishops they are still not allowed to be in charge of a diocese.

Travels 2013-14

1. I am driving to the North Island leaving Thursday and crossing Cook Strait on Friday.
Hope those earthquakes settle down in Wellington where I have booked accommodation for Friday night.
Have booked Saturday night in Napier then plan to enter new territory to Gisborne, East Cape, Tauranga (was there 1 night in 2004) Coromandel (also 1 night in 2004) then have booked into Auckland from Aug 29 to Sun Sep 1.  May stay longer and have plans for Wanganui and probably cross back over to the South Island on 7 or 8 Sep.

2. I am flying to Sydney on October 29 for a reunion of my class of 1973 the following weekend. They meet every 10 years and I would hate to miss, though I doubt I will be there in 2023.  Will fly home November 11 so will stay in Dunedin for Christmas.

3. Will probably fly to Sydney for Easter (April 18 to 21) and Anzac Day (April 25) The last time for many years they will be within a week of each other.

4. Have begun making reservations for USA next June/July.

Have booked train (the Cardinal) from Washington to Chicago on June 25/26 and a package involving train (Empire Builder) from Chicago to East Glacier on 27/28 then 4 nights in Glacier National Park followed by overnight train to Seattle July2/3.
Will leave remaining bookings for now but am considering flight from NZ to Salt Lake City, Coach tour of Yellowstone, Flight to New York for a week then train to Washington.

After Seattle I may go by train to San Francisco and Los Angeles before flying home.

Christchurch Cathedral

The new cardboard cathedral in Christchurch was opened to the public for the first time this week.

 

I saw it under construction when I visited Christchurch in March.  I will be passing through Christchurch next Thursday but probably will not have time. However I will be returning  3 weeks later and hopefully will be able to visit. 

Why I campaign for homosexual acceptance

In reply to discussion on my previous post where I was led to relate some of my experiences in Evangelical churches in Sydney.

As a young man I was a youth leader at church, a leader in the Evangelical Union at University, a worker at Beach Mission, involved as a student and later a teacher in the Inter School Christian Fellowship, taught Scripture (in my 'preparation periods') at school, a parish councillor and a counsellor at the final Sydney Billy Graham crusade.

Many of my friends of that time went on to become priests or academics in religious studies. Actually some did reject their faith and others went to other dioceses  but that is too long to relate here, except to say they have been far more accepting of my sexuality when I have met them in later years than those still involved with the Diocese of Sydney.

I expected to teach for a few years then enter Moore College.  I gradually began to realise that would not be possible as I wrestled with my sexuality.

Sometimes I regret that but at other times I think I would probably have not made a good priest and I have had a generally fulfilling career as a high school teacher.

However I soon learnt to keep my head down when attending church.  I went to church to partake of Holy Communion and left immediately after.   Even staying for coffee might lead to too many questions.  There were periods when I stayed away and a long period when I flirted with the Catholic church.  Catholic priests do not (in my experience) shake hands at the door and ask questions then want to visit you at home.  For a number of years I found fulfillment in Acceptance a Catholic gay group which had weekly mass provided by inclusive priests.  While the official Catholic position is bad, many religious and lay people are far more accepting.

Eventually I found my way to the inclusive St James, King Street in the Diocese of Sydney and now to the Diocese of Dunedin.  I still find it hard to be open about my sexuality in church circles and do not volunteer to take any role but I do stay for coffee.

When I was a young man, not only was the church condeming of homosexuality but it was illegal in society.

Today there has been a tremendous transformation in my lifetime. Here in New Zealand there is no longer any official bar to a homosexual.  The first same-sex marriages will soon be celebrated. GLBTI people are able to be open as members of parliament, the legal profession, business, film and stage. There are anti-discrimination laws (from which churches are exempt).

The only place they are not equal is the church.  We are still waiting to see what will happen at the 2014 synod of the Anglican church of Aotearoa/New Zealand.  The Evangelicals are working hard to see there will be no change and the inclusive members (like the Bishop of Dunedin) are not willing to upset them.

Obviously young people today, especially those with a homosexual orientation, do not want to join the church. They see it, rightly so, as the last bastion of discrimination in our society.

That is why I continue to campaign for full homosexual acceptance, same sex marriage and ordination of partnered gay men and women, in the church.

Finally with regard to those who quote the "Word of God" against my position. As the Bishop of Dunedin has pointed out there are 6 passages that condemn homosexual activity.  There are over 30 that condemn usury.  In the past the "Word of God" was used to justify slavery and apartheid.
"the Word of God" condemns the eating of shellfish.  We can go on.

Even in my most evangelical days while at University, I remember arguing against capital punishment and others quoting scripture to justify it.

I refer to past posts

Worshipping in Dunedin

 The Gay Debate and the Bible

or

More on the Gay Debate

The best of a bad choice

I think.

But who knows in Sydney Diocese?

It has been announced that Bishop Glenn Davies of North Sydney is to be the next Archbishop of Sydney.  He is 62, so will have to retire in 8 years whereas the other candidate was only 49 and the diocese could have been stuck with him for 21 years although he apparently said he would only stay for 15.
it seems Dean Philip Jensen was campaigning for the alternative and wrote some on the surface polite criticisms of Bishop Davies. That would be the obvious reason for me to prefer Davies. I have written elsewhere that I knew Philip at University and even in those days did not like him and actually told him once he was not a real Anglican.  I think he was pleased.  It would be great if he was soon sacked but, of course, that will not happen but he is only a year younger than me so will soon be 70.
I also read there is an emergent generation of bright young, evangelicals, now in their early 40s, who are still conservative but seem to think for themselves.  Philip must be losing his touch.

Both candidates oppose any teaching role for women in the church. they also agreed they would continue to license women to preach if a parish asked them to, but they would not encourage the practice. Women can only lead Bible studies if a man leads too. If the man was sick, Glenn added, then you would not necessarily need to cancel.

I just find this unbelievable. 

In my youth when I was still an evangelical and the idea of women being ordained was just surfacing.  I am pleased to remember that I was in favour.  I remember arguing with my then rector. He was an old school evangelical. He once reprimanded me that, although I spent most of Sunday at the church with sunday school teaching, Christian Endeavour, afternoon meetings, Youth fellowship and Evening Prayer, I rarely attended 8am Holy Communion so only took Communion once a month in the evening.  In other words, I had imbibed the Evangelical view that preaching was more important than the sacraments.

He was not theologically opposed to women teaching/preaching but believed that if women became priests, men would leave the running of the church to them.

I felt he would be turning in his grave last Sunday.  

In my church in Roslyn, Dunedin, the vicar is on leave.  

At our service last Sunday, our woman associate priest presided and preached. As Jo was ordained while I was in Rome,  it was the first time I have been present when she has presided at the Eucharist so was a time of joy for me.  Barbara, our deacon and a good friend, read the Gospel and carried out the other deacon's duties. Both lessons were read by laywomen  and the prayers of the faithful were led by Verna, the parish licensed lay minister.

A young boy was the crucifer and altar assistant and I think our male church warden assisted with the distribution so some males were involved. :-)

I can find nothing Christlike in those who deny women roles in the church. The current situation in England with flying bishops and no women bishops is ridiculous and, of course, I do not see why any young person, especially women, would be attracted to belong to churches in the Diocese of Sydney except the handful of Anglo-catholic parishes such as St James, King Street.

Social media?

I have been thinking about this post since an incident on the hike to Mt Cargill ( so it has taken 3 weeks).  At morning tea, half way up the mountain, one lady took a mobile (cell phone) call.  I was not the only one who declared that, although we had our mobiles with us, they were not turned on.
We only carry them for emergency.  Except when I am travelling I just turn mine on once per day in case there is a message.  Most months go by and there are no calls out or in.  Ocasionally I realise I have left it at home but am only concerned in case my car breaks down.  I can think of no other reason to use it.
I never talk long on my home phone.  I have always been uncomfortable making phone calls and put them off if possible.  I only use it to ring tradesmen and to make arrangements to meet a friend. I do use Skype to chat with my sister in Sydney every morning but she does most of the talking.

The same people were amazed that I have my computer on from the time I get up to the time I go to bed.  I turn it off when I go out but will check for emails at least  once per hour when I am at home.  They told me, and I know from having sent them emails,  that they only turn their computers on a few times per week. They only email close friends and family and use google for occasional research. Some have Skype because they have children living overseas but have no intention of joining any online group.

I have my blog but blogs seem to have lost favour.  There are almost no comments now, although I see there are still quite few views each day.  I laugh that the most commonly viewed post is the one I made back in November 2008 about the flags of Australia and New Zealand (45 in the past week).  I am glad I am still fulfilling my role as a teacher.

I use email to keep in contact with friends.  I like to read their messages and enjoy replying.  I usually take time to create an email.  I have never tried Twitter.

I did join Facebook but could not accept receiving messages about inane topics.  I do not want to know the weather in New York everyday nor that people are going to bed.  It took ages to remove myself yet nearly every day I receive a message asking if I am on Facebook.  Also nearly every day there are news items about the dangers of Facebook.

Even our church is now on Facebook and the webpage is so out of date it is a disgrace so of little use.

I belong to one or two online groups where I can read friends' messages but in my own time and when I am in the mood.  Even there I am concerned at the information some put up.  One lady is now giving us great detail about her problems with her sons and drugs.  All her readers are on different continents so can do very little to help.  As the police are now involved, I think the less information online the better.

I enjoy meeting and chatting with friends while hiking or over coffee.  While I am glad I have overseas friends and have enjoyed meeting with them, it is unrealistic to think they can ever replace  friends whom I can meet regularly in the flesh.  I prefer to talk with people face to face.

I guess I am showing my age.

Mount Cargill

Yesterday I finally climbed Mt Cargill.  It is the highest mountain in the Dunedin area. I can see it from my front gate and last week it  was covered in snow.  You can drive to the top, the TV mast is there,  and I did so with my sister back in March but it was covered in cloud. Yesterday we went up the hard way on foot, shorter but steeper. It is is 676 metres high and the carpark, where we started, is approximately 100 metres.

This photo is not mine and shows the Mountain in mid-winter, much like 2 weeks ago..

We sat on the sunny north side for lunch and I took this photo looking north to Blueskin Bay and beyond.

Then we went to the top where there was still some ice on the road.

A view of Otago Harbour

A view of the city of Dunedin

A closeup of the suburb of Brockville.  My house is about the centre of the photo.