Our Little World

An overview of James Cooks early life and 1st expedition.

A brief introduction to the origins, history and traditions of ANZAC Day

A brief introduction to the world of aboriginal spirituality

A brief, informative introduction to Maori mythology

A rundown of Australian History from its early colonial origins to modern day

A brief History of Australia from the beginning of time to its early colonial days

A brief overview of the Geography, demographics, government, and economics of Australia

The second installment of our New Zealand history series. This show covers the period from 1840 to modern day

Our brief overview of New Zealand history from the beginning of time up to 1840.

New Zealand (Aotearoa) 101 OutlineLocationSouthwestern Pacific OceanDescriptionArchipelago with two major islands, and roughly 700 outlying islandsCapital CityWellington (Bottom of North Island)Size ComparisonNew Zealand≈Colorado≈United KingdomMajor LanguagesEnglish and Maori PolynesianDiscuss other polynesian speaking placesClimateOceans make NZ temperateHighs: 30° C (86° F)Lows: 6° C (42° F)Exception: inland Alpine areasPopulationAbout 4 and a half million (July 2017 est.)2 mill. More people in MassachusettsPopulation Distribution75% on the North Island33% Auckland Metropolitan Area1 mill on the south islandPopulation Breakdown– About ¾ European descent– Roughly 15% Maori descentOne of the few growing indigenous pops.– Asian and Pacific peoples- restReligionsCulturally ChristianEx. ChristchurchBecome Less religious over timeslightly less than 1/2 Christianroughly 40% non-religiousa good percentage choosing not respond or adhering to another religionI don't have sponsors! Haha! As a result, I wanted to take a moment to say thank you to one of my favorite podcasts--- Planet Money--- If you haven’t listened to planet money definitely give it a listen! It is a show that tells short stories about the economy in a really fun entertaining way that is so captivating that I haven’t missed a single episode in two years! I just wanted to say thank you to the team at planet money for all of your hard work. This show is definitely inspired by youGovernmentConstitutional monarchy since 1852Queen Elizabeth is the ceremonial head of stateNot part of the UK anymoreNo official ties with the UKProgressive, left-leaning countryuniversal healthcaresocial security40 hr work weekMinimum wage of 16.50 NZD/hr-> US $11.30/hr-> £8.49GBPGay marriage legalization: 2013Totally Nuclear free 1987Rainbow warrior sunk in Auckland, 1985Sunk by French gov, because of its plan to protest a French nuclear test in the PacificMedicinal marijuana easy to obtain as of December 2018A referendum on recreational use scheduled for 2020[PAUSE]Two major parties (over 80% of votes in most recent election)National PartyThe national party “supports a limited welfare state but says that work, merit, innovation and personal initiative must be encouraged to reduce unemployment and boost economic growth”Labour PartyThe labour party “aims to use the power of the state to try to achieve a fairer and more equal society, based on a mixed economy in which both the state and private enterprise play a part.”(3) Labour has been and is still a strong proponent of gay, Maori and women’s rights.Other parties with seats in the houseNZ FirstEconomic centrists. Support a nationalist, populist agendaGreen PartyEconomic leftists. Also, support environmentalismACTEconomic RightistsSupport Neoliberal, free-market reformsCurrent Prime Minister: Jacinda Ardern Labour Party and NZ first and Green coalitiondescribed by Vogue magazine as “a blend of Bernie Sanders’s bluntness and Elizabeth Warren’s fearlessness.”[PAUSE]Started August 1st, 2017Gave birth in office on June 21st, 2018, one of only 2 world leader to do soISSUES (Pro)Strong social protections against extremes of capitalismLower immigration (b/c infrastructure)Higher intake of refugeesPro same-sex marriagePro-choiceAbortion illegal except in extreme circumstancesDecriminalization of cannabisBig on climate changeEx. ban on plastic bags last yearEconomyQuoting the CIA world Factbook “Over the past 40 years, the government has transformed New Zealand from an agrarian economy, dependent on concessionary British market access, to a more industrialized, free market economy that can compete globally. This dynamic growth has boosted real incomes, but left behind some at the bottom of the ladder. It has also broadened and deepened the technological capabilities of the industrial sector.”GDPPer Capita in 2017 USD$38,500, GBP 28,000 (USA 57,000) (UK 40,000)Service Sector 70%Tourism 10%BungyVan rentalFoodaccommodationIndustry 26%Agriculture/primary sector 4%Raw goods#1 in the world for ease of doing business, World Bank 2018Quoting the official New Zealand Government website “…New Zealand ranks first in half of ten different indicators that affect the life of a business including starting a business, dealing with construction permits, registering property, getting credit, and protecting minority investors.”

- Introduction- A brief chat with the team discussing our aspirations and inspiration for the show.- Cash Armstrong, Laura Jackson, Alexander Brindley