NZ Herald - Plus Feature September 2019

A New Zealand Herald Commercial Publication

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

AGE DISCRIMINATION

The invisible epidemic

DATING POST-50 CANDACE BUSHNELL'S NEW BOOK REVIEWED River cruising IN FRANCE INSIDE: WIN A YATES GARDENING HAMPER

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nzherald.co.nz | The New Zealand Herald | Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Where community shapes the heart of your retirement Not one for letting the grass grow under her feet, Judith has always enjoyed being active. That certainly hasn’t changed since moving into her independent apartment at Bert Sutcliffe Retirement Village, in Birkenhead.

“The opportunities here to try new things, are endless,” she says.” I joined the Tai Chi group which I really love. I’ve also taken up bowls which I’m also really enjoying.

There’s a lot of camaraderie on the bowling green – it’s a lot of fun!

Judith also explores Auckland with the Bert Sutcliffe walking group. “I look forward to going somewhere different every week.

Occasionally we walk locally, but mostly we go out into Auckland and see all sorts of different

places, and go on wonderful bush walks.

“The companionship is great, it’s a huge benefit – there’s always laughter and never a dull moment!”

However, it’s the group’s social interaction that is most important to Judith. She says people love being in the walking group, “We make

time to talk, look at the scenery and gardens: to ‘stop and smell the roses’.” At the end of their walks, the group usually find themselves at a local café. “We talk about where we’ve been – it’s our wind-down time and we all enjoy it.”

Residents, like Judith, love the village environment and they feel connected to their neighbours and friends. Ryman villages provide the setting where community spirit thrives.

For more information or for your free guide to living in one of our 30+ villages, contact us on 0800 555 103 I rymanhealthcare.co.nz

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nzherald.co.nz | The New Zealand Herald | Tuesday, September 24, 2019

PLUS Contents Young hearts run free p12 The invisible epidemic p5

The rise and fall of Roger p14

Cruising France p6

Win with Yates Celebrate National Gardening Week (October 21-28) with a Yates hamper containing everything you need to flower-bomb your garden.

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Editor Greg Fleming gregory.fleming@nzme.co.nz Advertising enquiries Sam Glasswell samantha.glasswell@nzme.co.nz Design Courtney Whitaker The next issue of +Plus publishes on November 26

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nzherald.co.nz | The New Zealand Herald | Tuesday, September 24, 2019

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COVER STORY

nzherald.co.nz | The New Zealand Herald | Tuesday, September 24, 2019

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Ageism is mostly likely to start with getting fewer job interviews or being overlooked for promotion, sometimes as early as age 45

THE INVISIBLE

EPIDEMIC

Everyday ageism is alive and well in our country, writes Diana Clement

A

ge discrimination is alive and well in New Zealand.

Whilst it’s socially unacceptable to discriminate on the basis of race or gender, casual ageism abounds.

Ageism is simply treating people unfairly because of their age. That can be anything from looking right through them, to helping yourself to their money. Financial elder abuse is one of many ugly faces of ageism.

Some examples of everyday ageism include: ● Losing a job because of your age and/or failing to get interviews. ● Having your opinions ignored by employers, family and even being served last in shops/restaurants because it’s perceived you have more time. ● Being refused a referral from a doctor to a consultant because you are “too old”. Stopping older people getting new dentures, updated glasses or hearing aids because they won’t live long enough to use up the value of the outlay. ● Comments about an older person directed at a younger companion or child of the older person. ● Patronising language such as calling them sweetie, dear, honey, love and talking to them as if they’re children. ● Name-calling such as old bag, old fart, granny, grandpa, dirty old man, bag lady, old biddy and fogey. ● Assumptions that older people are technologically inept. ● Assuming older people don’t enjoy sex. ● Blaming older people for the housing crisis or other economic and social problems. ● Physical abuse.

Tips

Ageism comes in many guises and it’s difficult to overcome them all ● Remember we are all getting older ● Each life stage has its challenges.

Wisdom grows with age ● Old age is not a diagnosis ● Becoming older is a privilege that some don’t get the chance to try out ● How would New Zealand communities survive without older people volunteering?

Kate Ross (left), founder of Wise Ones recruitment agency; Diversity Works Photos / Supplied Chief Executive Rachel Hopkins (right).

In the workplace

● Take control of the conversation with recruiters ● Do not internalise assumptions that you are being discriminated against ● Use the language of recruitment to sell yourself ● Put your hand up in your current role for professional development ● Offer to use your experience to solve problems in your organisation. ● Withholding contact from older people, which may include blackmailing them for money. ● Denigrating jokes e.g. “senior moments”. Ridiculing memory loss as automatic with old age.

Most 20, 30 or 40-somethings don’t realise ageism will happen to them. Yet it will, says Kate Ross, founder of Wise Ones recruitment agency.

Ageism is mostly likely to start

with getting fewer job interviews or being overlooked for promotion, sometimes as early as age 45.

The first time real-life ageism hit Ross fair and square between the eyes was when a candidate she’d placed several times over a decade suddenly feared ever getting a job again. The candidate’s skills hadn’t changed. In fact they’d improved. It’s one of the events that led to her founding Wise Ones.

Age 45 and up is when some people start to feel the cloak of invisibility coming on, says Ross. It can be a decade or so later for other people.

Anyone who thinks it’s not real just hasn’t got to the point yet where it will affect them, says Ross.

“Eventually candidates get a ‘you are too experienced’ or ‘you are going to be too expensive’ [rejection].

“It is something where someone presumes because you are of a certain age bracket you are not going to fit into an organisation. You won’t be adaptable. Are you technical enough? There is prejudgement coming in.”

The irony about ageism is the perpetrators are prejudiced against their future selves. Ross, a recruiter herself has a message to those in the industry who are making the ageist decisions. “We are here to source the right candidate for our clients. The important thing is for us to challenge that client to look outside the square.

“If you are sitting in front of a 55-year-old candidate, value the fact they have been in life longer than you have and spend time getting to

know that person.”

On the ageism at work front Rachel Hopkins, chief executive of Diversity Works NZ, points out that 20 per cent of the work force is aged 55 and over. “It is a very substantial percentage.”

And things are getting worse. The New Zealand Workplace Diversity Survey found ageing was the only diversity issue considered less important by organisations in 2019 than it was in 2018.

Ian Fraser is one older worker who has found it hard to land jobs in recent years, despite having 45 years of experience under his belt.

So he has set up a new job site, seniorsatwork.nz, for older workers who can be matched to organisations that value their knowledge and experience.

Adult children are some of the worst offenders when it comes to elder abuse. It can happen in any family and siblings need to keep a close eye on their parents and ensure that more than one has power of attorney when it gets to this stage.

Take Age Concern New Zealand’s Dignity Champion pledge: 1. Reject stereotypes and focus on the uniqueness of every individual 2. Speak up when they hear people speaking negatively about growing old 3. Have the courage to question practices they feel are disrespectful to older people 4. Not patronise older people 5. Be patient, polite and friendly 6. Have zero tolerance for abuse or neglect 7. Build relationships — they combat isolation and loneliness by getting to know the older people in their lives.

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TRAVEL

nzherald.co.nz | The New Zealand Herald | Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Try a river cruise along the Rhone (main); and visit the Palace of the Popes in Avignon (below).

Photos / Supplied

FRANCE’S

GREATEST HITS For an unforgettable trip to France, pair the pleasures of Paris with a leisurely cruise in Provence, says Kristie Kellahan

K

iwi travellers are flocking to France in record numbers this year, drawn to the fabulous food, wine, culture and shopping. With so much to do and a lot of ground to cover, what’s the best way to spend two weeks in the land of fromage and foie gras?

Experts recommend pairing an escorted group tour of Paris with a luxury river cruise in Provence. The combination of big-city sophistication with charming village life offers an irresistible feast of French experiences.

Collette’s Spotlight on Paris itinerary fits many of the City of Light’s greatest hits into six action-packed days. Travellers are advised to arrive a day early in Paris to rest and recharge with a croissant or two before the tour starts. This is a busy, active itinerary with plenty of walking and early mornings. Comfy shoes are a must (but please, leave the jandals at home).

Naturally, there’s a guided visit to the Louvre museum to say hello to Mona Lisa. At a group dinner in a cosy Parisian bistro, the Sancerre and souffle is laid on. And during an outing to the magnificent Palace of Versailles, the over-the-top bling of King Louis XIV’s reign redefines opulence.

Now in its 100th year of escorted group travel, Collette knows what guests want: the convenience of a tour director to handle on-the-ground logistics, the comfort of coach travel

(forget driving in Paris) and the insider knowledge of local guides. Some included meals at well-chosen restaurants add value to the tour without locking guests into eating with the group at all times.

Guests on the Collette tour stay at the lushly appointed Le Meridien Etoile hotel, not far from the postcardperfect Arc de Triomphe. A tour director is on hand to offer advice on everything from where to withdraw euros to the best place to pick up fleamarket finds.

The first evening is designed to dazzle with a leisurely sunset cruise along the Seine, followed by a threecourse dinner at the Eiffel Tower. Lit up like a Christmas tree with a dynamic light installation, the grand monument leaves even the most jaded traveller speechless.

With plenty of free time for independent exploration, this tour isn’t just for Paris first-timers. I found a spare afternoon to revisit the Tuileries gardens next to the Louvre, stopping for an icecream and to take photos of the summer carnival and Ferris wheel. Early one morning, I rode the Metro to Bastille for what I consider to be the best open-air market in Paris. Strolling the aisles and chatting with stall-holders about their truffle salt, fresh cherries, just-baked brioche and creamy goat cheese, I was reminded of the way the French infuse life with daily pleasures.

My quest to leave no cheese behind continued 700 kilometres away

TAKE-OFF

● Collette’s 6-night Spotlight on

at the covered food market, Les Halles, in the city of Avignon. An earlier visit to the Palace of the Popes, the striking 14th century medieval seat of the Catholic Church’s papacy, had worked up an appetite for earthly delights. Les Halles is where Avignon’s chefs shop; browse the counters of pate, cheese, charcuterie, seafood, breads, fresh fruit and vegetables to understand why everything tastes so good in this part of the world.

Foodies and wine connoisseurs are well catered for on Viking River Cruises’ Lyon & Provence seven-night cruise. The ship ambles along the Rhone from Avignon to Lyon with stops in charming medieval villages and some of the loveliest cities in the south of France.

Days are filled with outings to Beaujolais wine country, olive oil tastings, truffle hunts and cooking classes where the secrets of Provencal cuisine are revealed. I couldn’t go past a guided walking tour of Lyon, with mouthwatering tastings of pastries, small-batch chocolate, local cheese and salty saucisson.

On another day I boarded a bus

to visit the famed Chateauneuf-duPape wine region. Prized around the world for the bold, strong reds it produces, the region is home to around 2000 people and most of them are involved somehow in the wine-making business. Many of my fellow cruise guests — “CDP” aficionados — declared the experience of visiting the vineyards and cellars as a life goal, realised.

Back on-board the Viking ship, all meals are included, as well as wine and beer with lunch and dinner. The house red and white comes from Famille Perrin, one of the leading winemaking families in the southern Rhone Valley. Expect plenty of local specialties from the kitchen too, with an emphasis on regional cuisine, such as salad Lyonnaise (frisee lettuce, a poached egg, hot bacon, croutons and Dijon vinaigrette), zesty bouillabaisse and coq au vin casserole.

The extensive programme of included and optional shore excursions is a hit with nature lovers and those who appreciate art, with options to visit the Camargue region or take an art class in the town that inspired

Paris tour includes many of the city’s best attractions, some meals, an expert guide and luxury accommodation.

See gocollette.com.au or call 1300 792 196.

● Viking River Cruises’ Lyon &

Provence itinerary is a 7-night cruise along the Rhone River from Avignon to Lyon (or vice versa) with daily shore excursions. See vikingrivercruises.com.au or call 0800 447 913.

Vincent Van Gogh.

Viking River Cruises’ ships are designed for comfort and relaxation, with a clean, elegant aesthetic derived from the line’s Scandinavian roots. In place of the razzle dazzle of larger, ocean-going ships, these vessels feature blonde wood, paredback decor and a well-curated library that will entice book-lovers to linger.

Guests can choose to take their meals in the main restaurant or on the openair Aquavit terrace. When the weather is pleasant, it’s a great spot to sit and enjoy the beauty of Provence.

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nzherald.co.nz | The New Zealand Herald | Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Ruby red.

Just like everything else at Rawhiti, it’s her choice.

After decades building lives of their own design, the residents of Rawhiti Estate have found the place where they can continue to do the same in retirement.

From the way we created each apartment, to the suite of services available, everything we do is bespoke.

Our view is it’s your life to live how you wish, and retirement should be no different. Right down to your manicure preference.

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14 Rangitoto Avenue, Remuera

Enjoy estate tours and refreshments

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BOOKS

nzherald.co.nz | The New Zealand Herald | Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Is there still Sex in the City? ex and the City was a fairytale.

It was a parlour game. Pick a character! Are you the sexpot, the serious brilliant one, the air-headed sweet girl, or the princess with $3000 shoes? Will you meet your billionaire prince, or be flung to the eternal dungeon of spinsterhood?

But for all its ridiculousness (and it was ridiculous, who lives like that?) it was also delicious fun. The weekly Sex and the City fix was something 30-plus singleton women could use as a cultural touchpoint for their own lack of romantic success. If those sassy, sexy New Yorkers couldn’t succeed in love, well, who could?

In the fairytale finale, Carrie Bradshaw (Candace Bushnell’s alter ego) is followed to Paris by Big (her on-off paramore) who declares his love. It’s schmaltzy, but it’s a fairytale, and fairytales (the American versions, anyway), are always schmaltzy.

Fifteen years on from the final episode of Sex and the City, and more than 20 years since Bushnell’s book of essays was published, she has decided to take us back into the love lives of affluent New Yorkers. But this time around, it’s not 30-somethings who are in the spotlight. It’s 50-somethings.

In this post-fairytale world, women of a certain age are having cosmetic surgery, vaginal reconstructions and spending thousands on face creams.

They are single: their lives shattered by ugly divorces. No longer the bright young things of Manhattan society, they are plunged into purgatory–a place called “The Village” where dumped ex “it” girls wallow in self-pity by the swimming pool, supping on champagne.

It’s easy to pity Bushnell. A few years before she wrote the book, she was freshly divorced, recovering from the death of her beloved mother. In the opening chapter of Is There Still Sex in the City?, her dog dies. It’s all sad, human stuff. She can’t get a mortgage to buy out her ex from the apartment they own, she has to move out. It sucks.

Most of the book is set four years post this personal apocalypse. She’s moved back into a small apartment in the Upper East Side (a non-hip part

Author Candace Bushnell.

Photos / Supplied

of town, which she can afford). The book moves between here and a place called The Village, which may be the Hamptons, where she owns another property. And we are introduced to a new set of characters– Tilda Tia, Marilyn et al–as they navigate the world of 50-plus dating.

One of Bushnell’s dating experiences involves a 75-year-old billionaire, who, tired of young flesh decides to sink his vile tentacles into someone more age appropriate. This guy is gross. He dates 25-year-olds, and admits that there is no chance they are really attracted to him. The system works in his favour, he says, because women are greedy. They want expensive handbags, and he can provide them.

Then there’s the “cubs” — young men, barely out of college, with a penchant for older women. This is unexpected for Bushnell and her friends, men are meant to be older than women, surely? But apparently there is a market for older women among the youngsters, and these

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keen pups are flocking to Bushnell’s rich older mates like moths to a flame.

Many of the women in Bushnell’s book set are afflicted with a condition called “middle-aged madness” or MAM. MAM causes all sorts of horrifying symptoms: drunkenness, partying with “cubs”, on-a-whim cosmetic surgery. It passes once a middle-aged woman of means meets a new man, but it can go on for years.

The horror.

There’s no denying that Bushnell is funny and socially savvy. Hers is the world of the one per cent (her dearest wish is to go to rich people’s

parties and drink their champagne) and she is able to encapsulate the foibles.

But all the extravagant spending, sex in pool houses, liposuction and Botox, seems empty and kind of desperate.

What made Sex and the City refreshing was that it allowed women in their 30s to be single. It was a female perspective on sex. It was liberating. In 2019, we have every perspective on sex available. The female perspective in drama, while still underrepresented, isn’t such a rarity. What gave the original books

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their vitality in the late 90s and early noughties, is no longer so relevant.

And so, we are left with the dating habits of people with buckets of money and little common sense.

The book is easy to read, and funny. A good book to read while waiting for a bus. Or on a plane. But its uncritical take on the culture of excess and extreme privilege is sometimes hard to stomach.

Try as she might, Bushnell can’t inject the quirky appeal of Carrie Bradshaw and friends into the characters that inhabit Is There Still Sex in the City?. They are trying too hard to maintain what they should have gracefully let go of years ago.

So, while Candace Bushell finds there is still sex in the city — sex with old men, young men, and everything in between — it’s not the sort I want to read about. One of the best things about getting older, is becoming wiser. Something that Bushnell’s mates don’t seem to have grasped.

Fairytales shouldn’t have sequels.

E9

nzherald.co.nz | The New Zealand Herald | Tuesday, September 24, 2019

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nzherald.co.nz | The New Zealand Herald | Tuesday, September 24, 2019

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KIWISAVER

nzherald.co.nz | The New Zealand Herald | Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Tips ●

Retirees don’t need to withdraw their KiwiSaver

● The money should last longer in

Photo / Getty Images

S

KiwiSaver conundrums

Diana Clement

KiwiSaver than term deposits

● If you do withdraw look for funds designed for retirees

● KiwiSaver providers are starting to open funds for retirees

a portion of the capital invested in assets designed to grow, such as shares and property. A balanced fund has even more growth investments and should last longer.

Some financially savvy retirees do keep their money in growth funds, knowing they may not need it for 10 years or more. It’s not necessarily the answer for anyone who cannot face the ups and downs of a volatile fund.

A common rule of thumb for making your KiwiSaver savings last, says Boyes, is withdrawing 4 per cent of your capital per year. If you do that your savings should last 20 years.

From next year, your KiwiSaver statement should show projections of how much your total will be on retirement and approximately what that’s worth on a weekly basis.

One reason to withdraw the money from KiwiSaver rather than keep it in is to invest in a fund designed specifically for retirement.

One example of such an investment is the Lifetime Income Fund, which pays a guaranteed fixed amount fortnightly for life, no matter how long you live. The fortnightly amount is based on the size of the lump sum you invest. When you die, any remaining capital is returned to your estate. Lifetime uses insurance to ensure if you outlive your capital you still get your fortnightly payment for the rest of your life.

Another example of a retirementfocused investment is the Harbour Income Fund. The fund is set up to give a 5 per cent return after all costs.

That’s certainly better than term de-

posits are paying currently. Any capital left on death is repaid to the investor’s estate. Rather than insurance, Harbour and others like it use derivatives and other complex investments to smooth out the ups and downs to ensure it can pay the promised amount.

Over time, KiwiSaver providers will begin to promote products specifically aimed at retirees. Simplicity KiwiSaver has already launched such a product, which also pays 5 per cent.

With the Simplicity Guaranteed Income Fund, your money is invested behind the scenes in its balanced fund, to ensure the capital continues to grow. Simplicity uses insurance, from Lifetime, to ensure it can pay you for the rest of your life even if you outlive your money. The fee is

1.30 per cent per annum, which is relatively low. The downside of a guarantee is that it costs money, so ultimately your capital will be eaten up faster than it will be in a fund that isn’t guaranteed. But the peace of mind of a guarantee can be invaluable once you stop work.

One advantage of investing in funds specifically designed for retirement is that it removes the need for active choices later in life. No-one believes they will succumb to dementia, frailty or elder financial abuse, but it happens. Boyes points out that if, like many Kiwis, you work beyond the age of 65, you can continue to contribute to your KiwiSaver through PAYE, even if you’re making the occasional withdrawal from time to time.

BFS0076_KS

hould you or shouldn’t you withdraw your KiwiSaver?

New Zealanders sometimes make the assumption that they must withdraw their KiwiSaver at age 65, or that it’s the norm to take the money out and put it in term deposits.

Around 110,000 KiwiSaver members are over 65, and another 177,000 are within five years of that age, says Gillian Boyes, manager for investment capability at the Financial Markets Authority.

Anecdotal evidence from providers shows some retirees are making partial withdrawals, says Boyes. Others may be withdrawing the lot, either to invest elsewhere or to spend it.

Leaving your savings in KiwiSaver may be a better financial decision for money.

Boyes says KiwiSaver is a great place to leave your money until you need it because it’s a tried and tested investment that is well regulated and well protected.

The money you don’t need immediately should continue to grow within KiwiSaver, ensuring your nest egg lasts longer. The fees are also lower than they are with most equivalent managed funds.

When you do need to withdraw money, it should be easy. You can set up a regular automatic withdrawal from your KiwiSaver and/or take lump sums when you need them.

There should be no charges for this.

Whether you withdraw or leave the money in KiwiSaver it’s worth giving some thought as to how you will make your capital last as long as you do. We’re living longer. In the meantime a portion of your nest egg needs to continue to grow.

A nest egg left in cash or at low interest rates won’t last as long as it would in most KiwiSaver funds. A conservative KiwiSaver fund still has

E11

Turn your KiwiSaver into an income for life One option worth considering when you retire is to invest your KiwiSaver savings in Britannia’s Lifetime Income Fund. You will receive a regular income throughout your retirement which won’t be negatively affected by market fluctuations, interest rates or even how long you live, giving you peace of mind for your future.

To chat further about Britannia’s Lifetime Income Fund, call 0800 663 663 or visit britanniafinancial.co.nz Disclosure Statements for Britannia’s Authorised Financial Advisers are available on request and free of charge. The Product Disclosure Statement for the Britannia Retirement Scheme is available from Britannia Financial Services Limited at britanniafinancial.co.nz.

The Lifetime Income Fund Is part of the Britannia Retirement Scheme.

Lifetime Income Fund

E12

MUSIC

nzherald.co.nz | The New Zealand Herald | Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Singer Benee performing at Roundhead Studios, Auckland (main); Lewis Capaldi (below); Clairo (below right), and The Lost Boy (bottom).

Photos / Diego Opatowski; Supplied

Young hearts run free Graham Reid, a veteran music writer, listens to upcoming young artists

W

hat older people forget about the careers of artists they love — whether it be the Beatles or Dusty Springfield, the Clash or Eurythmics, Kate Bush or Michael Jackson — is that they all had to start somewhere.

With hindsight we reflect on the great careers those artists and others enjoyed, but if they’d just had a couple of singles would we remember them?

Love Me Do was no great shakes, and what might we think of Kate Bush on the basis of just Wuthering Heights?

We’d hear it as a gimmick song of no more value than Lena Lovich’s equally catchy and weird Lucky Number.

So let’s not dismiss young artists just because they’ve had jawdropping numbers of plays for their songs on Spotify and haven’t put in the hard yards. Here are four albums by interesting artists of the Spotify/ Instagram generation just out of the gate, and who have certainly got time on their side.

Clairo: Immunity As with Lana del Ray — who came from privilege, hard the nerve to change her name from Elizabeth Grant (like Bowie wasn’t David Jones?) and broke through on the internet — this 20-year old, (Claire Cottrill to her highly placed family) has had to fight off accusations of being a manufactured artist, as if that was a new thing.

The fact is however, that her breakthrough single Pretty Girl two years ago (now up to nearly 65 million plays on Spotify) was a clever slice of a slightly cynical sentiment (“I could be a pretty girl, shut up when you want me to”) coupled to lo-fi bedroom electro-pop.

It captured the imagination of teens. Which, lest we forget, is her target audience.

This debut album has a warm, languid, if sometimes underachieving, mood which moves between airy ballads (over beats and clever production by Rostam Batmanglij, formerly of Vampire Weekend) and gentle pop bangers, which are slow burners rather than clubland explosions.

Yes, they deploy auto tune but it’s pretty sparing, and smart folks will be able to decode some of this knowing she has come out as ambiguous about her sexuality.

So very much a young artist — who also sings about torpor and boredom — in tune with her changing times.

Benee: Fire on Marzz Anyone within earshot of a teenager into local pop will have had heard Benee (Stella Bennett) from Auckland. Her hook-laden mid-tempo single Soaked — which opens this sixsong debut album — was all over radio and teen playlists, and she’s already done showcases in various places in Europe, in LA and New York. Her recent Powerstation show in Auckland was considered the triumphant arrival of a major pop player, and this collection — which includes two other previously released songs — confirms it. It’s more the story-so-far than a proper debut album, but these are the days of single-play songs (You Tube, Spotify etc) so this makes sense.

Located somewhere between Lorde’s sometimes detached delivery (and enunciation) and crisp pop R’n’B, these songs are pleasantly catchy.

And for those who bemoan the lack of shape in many contemporary pop songs there are subtle but memorable choruses here to pull you in.

Kind of a funky ’70s feel in places too.

Lewis Capaldi: Divinely Uninspired to a Hellish Extent And now for someone, at 23, who is a bit different by being a more tra-

ditional singer-songwriter, albeit one who channels anxieties about love and a broken heart. But he’s got a big voice and this debut album — which went to number one in the UK and to 10 here, but did little in the US — shows no signs of going away for a while yet.

Of Scottish-Italian background, he has toured relentlessly, been nominated for many awards (won a few too) and brings a raw and commanding voice to his songs, which come across as open-heart surgery on his emotions. (Whoever broke his heart deserves a share of the royalties for being such an inspiration.)

Angst and heartache rarely come from a single voice (supporting himself on guitar or piano, with a small band) with such stadium-shaking power.

With this album and these darker sentiments he’s probably put young teens behind him and comes across as a more adult voice in the land-

scape. He can be hard going over the long haul, but sampled judiciously you can hear some serious potential in his songwriting and delivery. But let’s hope he gets a bit happier soon.

YBN Cordae: The Lost Boy When it comes to rap and R’n’B, those of us who grew up with the expectation that artists penned their own songs or went to a publishing house for proven writers often wonder aloud, if not loudly, “You mean it took eight people to produce this?”.

And “What is it with this ‘featuring’ thing these days?”

For you, here’s the album to get annoyed by: There are 18 other producers credited on this debut by the 21-year old Cordae Dunston out of North Carolina, he co-wrote these with sometimes many others, and it is a celebrity collision with guests such as Anderson.Paak, Chance the Rapper, Pusha T and others.

Oh, and there are also samples

(Quincy Jones speaking on the opener Wintertime), additional vocalists, profanity and songs about his struggles (he dropped out of university, had mental health problems).

If you put aside the now customary offensive language — quite easy — and get into the stories of struggle and success (pretty funny images of what the latter means) then this comes alive from a preternaturally clever rapper with something to say, interestingly non-aggressive musical settings, nods to jazz and gospel as much as contemporary R’n’B and the rap traditions, a general vibe of positivity (check Thanksgiving) and a rejection of gangsta cliches.

By rap’s sometimes bellicose and belligerent standards this is a bit tame, but it’s the better for it. ● Graham Reid is a music writer, university lecturer, former awardwinning Herald journalist and hosts his own music.travel.arts website elsewhere.co.nz

FILMS

nzherald.co.nz | The New Zealand Herald | Tuesday, September 24, 2019

E13

Fraud the focus of film festival ou might think a film festival on fraud would feature screenings of House of Games, The Talented Mr Ripley or Heist but November’s New Zealand International Fraud Film Festival instead casts a light on realworld scammers and their victims — offering a great selection of documentaries including New Zealand premieres of The Kleptocrats, about Malaysia’s $4.5 billion 1MDB corruption case and Alex Winter’s The Panama Papers.

Each film will be followed by panels with industry experts and business journalists discussing the issues raised, and the implications for New Zealanders.

The festival is also an opportunity for seniors to become scam savvy, says Commission For Financial Capability manager fraud education Bronwyn Groot.

“The issue of fraud is quite widespread, with reports from Netsafe, last year, showing $33 million in losses.

And many of those victimes are likely to be seniors.Yet we know we are only seeing the tip of the iceberg.”

About 70 per cent of New Zealanders have been the target of some form of scam, whether that’s online or via the telephone.

Groot says that while everyone is a potential target, seniors are often the focus of scammers because of the money they have accrued during their working lives.

“The aim of the Festival is to educate people, create awareness and spark debate around fraud prevention. The morning of day two [November 14] of the Festival will give seniors an opportunity to get more

Photo / Getty Images

Y

Greg Fleming

Tips

Beware of these common scammer approaches

● Phantom riches — “You’ll make a lot of money from this opportunity.”

● Source credibility — “You can trust me.” ● Social consensus — “Everyone is doing it.” ● Scarcity — “Hurry, time is running out.” ● Comparison — “You’re getting a really good deal.”

● Friendship — “Do this for me as your friend.”

informed about scams so that they can identify the warning signs.”

What sort of impact can these scams have?

“The impact of fraud on victims is utterly devastating. Unfortunately, seniors also have the added burden of not being able to recover financially afterwards.”

Do police take action quickly in your experience?

“I’ve seen various times when the police have knocked on doors to warn people that they are being scammed, only to find that victims do not follow their warnings and fall even further into the fraud.”

Are seniors considered easy pickings by scammers?

“I don’t know if they are considered easy picking — but seniors are more likely to be home, answer the phone,

and many have built up significant savings. That makes them a target.”

What are the chances of getting your money back if you have been targeted?

“If your money has gone overseas, it is next to impossible to get it back.

Even if it moves through a mule account based in New Zealand — the money moves very quickly and is also extremely difficult to retrieve.”

● The NZ International Fraud Film Festival, 13-14 November at the ASB Waterfront theatre.

Tickets are available by contacting the ASB Waterfront Theatre. To confirm attendance, simply email your name and number of people who will attend to nzifff@gmail.com or for further information, visit fraudfilmfestival.co.nz.

MAKE IT YOUR BUSINESS TO KNOW. GET THE INSIDE WORD ON NEW ZEALAND AND GLOBAL BUSINESS. JUST $2.50 A WEEK FOR THE FIRST EIGHT WEEKS. Terms & Conditions apply.

Your business intelligence × nzherald.co.nz/premium

E14

TV/GARDENING

nzherald.co.nz | The New Zealand Herald | Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Paul Casserly TV review

W

ho doesn’t think we need more New Zealand history taught in school? Tick that off as a no brainer, a given.

As part of a generation that grew up with scant knowledge of Māori stories, of the land wars or even the coarser, let alone the finer details of the Treaty, I’m all for injecting the nations ears and eyes with as much of this stuff as possible.

My endeavours haven't extended much beyond watching UTU or reading some Michael King and a bunch of Anne Salmond. Māori Television has helped with some relief teaching over the years and has just now come up trumps with an unlikely winner — The Negotiators. I say unlikely because it’s a series about the legal struggles of various Iwi as they settled their treaty claims with the Waitangi Tribunal. For the most part I like my legal-themed telly to be filled with murderers and self medicating antiheroes. The word tribunal does not get the engines revving.

So we’ve established that it’s not your usual guilty pleasure or bingeable delight but as it turns out, it’s a bloody enjoyable watch, thanks in no small measure to the feisty flair of director and force of nature, Moana Maniapoto.

Episode one really comes out swinging, featuring the famed chairman of the Ngāi Tahu Māori Trust Board, Tipene O’Regan, a raconteur with the assured swagger of a man doing his victory lap.

If the first instalment (you can see it via Māori Television On Demand) is anything to go by, this is going to be a remarkable series. And should be core Kiwi curriculum. I’d say that it should be compulsory viewing but, that word, compulsory, tends to trigger people.

The Loudest Voice (Soho/Neon) is also about whakapapa. In this case

Russell Crowe as Roger Ailes; Year of the Rabbit. Photos / Getty Images; Supplied

The rise and fall of Roger the family tree of Fox News, circling on its troublesome founder, the selfstyled populist prophet, Roger Ailes (played by Russell Crowe). I was skeptical about this dramatic take on the real-life tale and had fears of the heavy hand of liberal hand wringing.

Fox News tends to polarise people, and finding balance can be elusive in these troubled times. Thankfully, the sorry story of silly old Roger mostly avoids the perils of overcooking. I had some gripes. The graphics department needed a cup of tea rather than whatever stimulant it was they were on, but aside from that and few overly

on-the-nose moments, it won me over.

Ailes was the brains of the Fox News operation, and knew how to push America’s buttons, especially the ones marked patriotism and hate.

But like the best tabloid savants, he also knew how to entertain and how to get viewers fizzing. Sadly he was unable to keep his filthy paws to himself and feasted on the young, female staff like a corpulent wolf.

Most were too terrified to complain, but one of the network’s biggest stars, a former beauty queen called Gretchen Carlton (Naomi Watts)

Spring in full swing

T

Sarah O’Neil

here is often debate as to when spring actually starts.

For some they swear by the calendar version, with September 1 being the moment winter changes automatically into spring.

For the keen gardener this can’t come quick enough as this date is also conveniently in line with the recommended date deemed to be safe from the possibility of frost, which is about six weeks into spring.

This six-week time frame is also conveniently the same length of time generally required from when a seed is sown until it is large enough

and robust enough to be planted in the garden, where it will continue to grow and thrive.

However, for the more patient types, the start of spring begins with the equinox on September 21. The date determined by astronomical reckonings. Although, if you say the start of spring is three weeks earlier or later, it is a good idea to apply your own wisdom to the situation.

Because no two years are the same and one season may find daffodils and blossoms bursting into life days or even weeks before spring is due.

Other years it would seem spring will never come as the cold and icy conditions maintain a firm grip, trees

steadfastly refuse to bud and any early bloom is quickly layered in ice.

Not to mention the effect individual microclimates can add to the situation. You may find you and your neighbours on one side of the street still plagued with frost and shadow, while across the road, they are basking in warmth and sunshine.

Look around you and observe what is going on. If you are steadfastly waiting for a date on the calendar or the stars to align, you could be missing out on an opportunity to add a little extra time to the growing season, or you could jump too soon and struggle with plants that have nowhere to go.

would prove his undoing. She was mad as hell and just wouldn’t take it anymore.

Somehow it helps if you know, as I did, and you now do, that Ailes will be dead before the end of the series.

Russell Crowe plays him with a monstrous intensity that comes off as comical at times, but overall, is a hell of a performance.

A testament to the truthfulness of it all, is the fact the book it was based on (and the series itself) has taken on minimal flak from Fox and its supporters, and these tend to be people known to explode over the slightest Another nonsensical thing a gardener holds dear is the muchrevered Labour Weekend, when a green light is switched on in the heads of most gardeners.

This is the date to plant the garden. It is almost mystical in its promise of no more frosts and linked into tradition that this is when it must be done. Maybe it entered our psyche as the day to do all the gardening as it has become linked to a public holiday. Not only is it the right time to do it, but we get a day off to do it. Perfect, right?

The thing is — Labour weekend is a moveable holiday and this year it falls on October 28. Last year it was on the 22nd. Does this mean we put our plants at risk a week early last year, or are we wasting a week’s growing time this year? Not to mention the risk of frost itself, the sup-

Are you property prepared?

slight. Their silence speaks volumes.

The rise and fall of Roger is a classical tale, power corrupts and all, and in his world, Roger’s power was absolute. Only Rupert Murdoch (played with precision by Simon McBurney) has the upper hand and the uppity sons to make Roger’s life hell. His punishment, when it comes, is not that he dies, but how.

Speaking of bastards, one of my favourites is the latest comedy creation of Matt Berry, he of Garth Marenghi’s DarkPlace, Mighty Boosh and Toast of London fame. More recently he’s popped up in the US remake of What We Do In The Shadows. In Year of The Rabbit (Neon) he plays Detective Inspector Rabbit, a sozzled, boorish, man-child with disgusting habits and the morals of an alley cat. Berry has played a variation on this theme in pretty much everything he does, aided with an unsavoury face and a lovely baritone. He is immensely watchable. The absurdist, antic turns that he deals in are unpredictable and delightful. He snorts, and says things like “Bloody Nora”. The setting is Victorian London, but the tone is ’70s UK cop show.

The Elephant Man is a recurring character, and like Russell Crowe, his prosthetics are superb, and if you pay close attention you’ll spot Taika Waititi popping in with a cockney cameo. As Berry has shown us in the past, and especially with the brilliant Toast of London (Netflix) more than anything, he’s a master at making us laugh at how awful he isn’t. posed reason for it all. It is not unheard of to have a killing frost in November just as much as it is possible to not have one in October.

If you pay attention to what is going on around us, it is easy to notice our seasons aren’t fixed and appear to be in a state of flux. As much as it would be nice to wake up and know that going forward the days will be warm and fine and predictably spring-like, that isn’t the reality.

But that unknown is part of the joy of gardening, the hope and promise the start of each growing season holds. ● Sarah O'Neil is an author, blogger and passionate gardener, writing about growing food for her family. Her books Play in the Garden and Growing Vegetables are available at bookstores. sarahthegardener.co.nz

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E16

nzherald.co.nz | The New Zealand Herald | Tuesday, September 24, 2019

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