This pissed me off.A bloke by the name of Sir Paul Callaghan, an otherwise incredibly intelligent man, has suggested that all expatriate kiwis with outstanding student loans should do the heroic thing and repay them now so the approximately $2b owed can be spent in the Christchurch earthquake recovery. He has called on them to do the "heroic thing" in this.
What a dick!
Sir Paul and his generation were the beneficiaries of a system that meant their tertiary education was completely paid for by the New Zealand Government. His generation were also the ones who, after gaining the qualifications they wanted, (Sir Paul himself getting a free doctorate in physics,) tore down this system meaning generations X and Y are burdened with often crippling student debt. They also create a job market that does nothing for graduates, forcing many NZers overseas, mostly to Australia. Graduates are generally underemployed and paid poorly in New Zealand and overseas. Meanwhile Sir Paul's generation, the Baby Boomers, own the power and the wealth. They were the ones who immediately invested heavily in Fletcher Construction to profit from the Earthquake - because they
could.
The Baby Boomers in New Zealand lived off their elders, consumed their wealth, were gifted their education, given a faultless safety net, consumed all the wealth
they made and now have not only taken this away from their kids and grandkids but continue to live off them - the major concern in NZ at the moment is how all us younger generations can fund the retiring Boomers. All this while they continue giving themselves tax cuts and creating a housing market that heavily favours owners - i.e. them - meaning we have a generation or two of people who's only option is to rent and are unable to gain any real assets of their own.
Sir Paul Callaghan, how about you call on your own generation to do the heroic thing? Even half a percent of the Boomers generation's housing equity
alone, (i.e. not counting any other assets,) would cover the $2b you seek. You're calling on people who have yet to even build themselves a life to pay for a recovery that you will profit from. Either you're fucking idiot or you need a wheelbarrow to carry your balls around. I'm guessing the former.
Not only this but the Government and tax department agree with him, setting up a web page to allow those poor heroes to do their part. Sir Paul has started it as a project called the Heke Project.
Meanwhile, since I can not afford in any way to significantly contribute to the Christchurch earthquake relief fund, I will do what I can by providing security as a member of the armed forces, my second job after my part time job which I am forced to work to fund my University and meager existence which I make work on around $15K a year - and I
still have to rely in part on a student loan.
And yes I'm a graduate too.
Fuck you Sir Paul.
(If you read the letter you'll see that Sir Paul did acknowledge that he was from a luckier generation with free tertiary education and commented "So who am I to ask?" But he still asked.)
