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Author Archives: cjkperley
Swan Lake
I saw you dance tonight Through the first floor window Your arms upraised in ballet stance First the one and then the other I knew it was you by your hair tie piece of lace you use to hold your keys. … Continue reading
Posted in Poems
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Full Moon on the Lamb’s Ear
The eternity that only a child can know, an interminable drive through that wild and stormy night, on the Desert Road. . The window’s whistling – never quite closed – incessant whispering thoughts, bright flashes in the dark – and … Continue reading
Posted in Poems
4 Comments
Climate Change: from a Protest to a Movement
We dread the horror documentaries on climate change. “This is what is happening. If we don’t do something about it, these are the consequences.” It has the effect of stunning us. It’s better to put our head under a rock. … Continue reading
Things I’ve never seen
I believe in things I’ve never seen I believe in Africa I believe in Atoms I believe in the Rings of Saturn Call me irrational Unscientific Unprofessional I believe in transcendence and beauty and love I believe in the power … Continue reading
Posted in Poems
2 Comments
The Government’s TPPA spin is not Working: We know it is a Corporate Deal for Their Rights Usurping Ours
My apologies for this rant. I confess to being very worried about the rise of powers that would have no problem in their hearts with reducing our civil liberties; but worse, would entrench a view of the world that would destroy … Continue reading
The Purpose of Life: Assimilation into the Borg Collective?
I’m quoting this Hundertwasser idea (below) because I’m interested in human purpose and creativity. I don’t think we’re meant to be deconstructed into cogs in the Corporate machine, obedient and defined by tasks, job descriptions and money. That is Modernity … Continue reading
Becoming Native to a Place
I am searching for farm landscapes (farmscapes); researching & writing something about how to look at land as other than a utilitarian set of ‘resources’, a list of measurable ‘nouns’ to put on a truck with a weight and a … Continue reading
Posted in Land Use, Thought Pieces
3 Comments
Are we in the Endgame of the Age of the Zombie Neoliberal Cult and Corporate Influence
Let us document the changes, the shift in consciousness that is happening around the world, the signs of hope. The 1 percent (or is it the top 0.1 percent) – An interviewer of Russel Brand challenged him that the Occupy movement … Continue reading
The Trans-Pacific ‘Partnership’ and Our Environment
The very idea that the Trans-Pacific ‘Partnership’ (TPP) is good for the environment (Craig Foss MP Hawke’s Bay Today 26th October) is arrant nonsense. More than that, it is wilful distortion. While Mr Foss might have the privilege of knowing what clauses … Continue reading
Posted in Building Regional Economies, Land Use
Tagged Better economics, Biodiversity, Commons, Corporate Influence, Culture-Nature, Development, Economics of Natural Systems, environment, Environmental Ethics, FSC, Government Propaganda, Labeling, Local Development, Local Enterprise, Neoliberalism, Planetary Boundaries, SME, Sustainable Land Management, TPPA
5 Comments
Choice: A Bigger Machine, or Democracy & Culture
What are the critical factors determining good local governance? The recent amalgamation debate in Hawke’s Bay was certainly raised some issues, but the debate was narrow – focusing on the idea that bigger is better. The logic of the Local Government Commission, … Continue reading
Morality & Strategy Trumped by Financial Expedience
After reading the enthusiastic trumpeting of the sale of our water overseas in Saturday’s paper (17th Oct) I wondered when what is morally right got trumped by what is expedient to the financial minds. Certainly it took a major turn … Continue reading
The TPPA and New Zealand’s Democracy
Presented in weekly radio spot on Hawke’s Bay local radio station Bay FM. The Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) negotiations are concluded, and have shifted to the next phase – ratification by parliaments. The government is spinning like a … Continue reading
Posted in Building Regional Economies, Thought Pieces
Tagged Commoditisation, Commodity trap, Democracy, Neo-liberal Economics, TPPA, Trade
1 Comment
Ways of Seeing II: The Mechanical View and the Treadmill of Techno-Fixes
This is the second in a series. I wanted to write about where we have come from in land use and conservation, what we are doing, and where we could be going: from Pre-modern (Pre-Industrial), To Modern (Industrial, or Productivist), to … Continue reading
Summarising the Neo-Liberal Agenda – A Letter to Treasury
Dear Treasury neo-liberals, and mega-corporate backers of Ayn Rand et al. in various university neo-liberal seminaries. My Adam Smith quote of the day. “The proposal of any new law or regulation which comes from [businessmen], ought always to be listened … Continue reading
Posted in Thought Pieces
Tagged Adam Smith, Better economics, Colonisation, Corporate Power, Neo-liberal Economics, The Market
2 Comments
Irrigation in New Zealand and yet more Propaganda
The following was submitted to regional papers in response to an opinion piece written by Andrew Curtis from Irrigation NZ in early September 2015. Irrigation NZ’s Andrew Curtis’s comments (3rd Sept 2015) about land use and irrigation – as well … Continue reading
Propaganda and the Rhetoric of the Ruataniwha Dam
“Political language… is designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable, and to give an appearance of solidity to pure wind.” George Orwell I was taught propaganda at school. Our English master, Mr Brown, liked words. He had an inspirational … Continue reading
Ways of Seeing I: Paradigms of Progress – the Rise of the Machine
Preamble. This is the beginning of a series. I wanted to write about where we have come from in land use and conservation, what we are doing, and where we could be going: from Pre-modern (Pre-Industrial), To Modern (Industrial, or … Continue reading
Regional Development – Thinking Short & Narrow or Long and Broad
Wairarapa MP Alistair Scott’s opinion piece regarding the environmental record of New Zealand’s National led government (Hawke’s Bay Today 26th July 2015) is so full of errors, misrepresentations and clichés that it is difficult to know where to start. At its … Continue reading
Satirist Jon Stewart Bows Out – Oh the Humanity!
Jon Stewart from the Daily Show has gone. Satire is a way of speaking truth to power, and also to highlight and question the values of our society – racism, attitudes to money, etc. Instead we get reality TV that … Continue reading
Two Dystopias: “Voltaire’s Bastards” and “Paris in the Twentieth Century”
Strange how we speculate on future dystopias, while we are living in one. The great writers shine the truth on it. The subtle and covert power games of Brave New World have won over the overt oppression of 1984.
Posted in Thought Pieces
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Reframing our Water as a Commons
This article was published in the Hawke’s Bay Today following the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council’s (HBRC) decision to allow an overseas water bottling plant to take water from the high quality aquifer that lies beneath the cities of Hasting and Napier. … Continue reading
Posted in Land Use, Socio-ecological Systems, Thought Pieces, Wicked Problems
Tagged Alternative Vision, Better economics, Common Pool Resources, Commons, Culture-Nature, Development, Environmental Ethics, HBRC, Heretaunga Aquifer, Neo-liberal Economics, Privatisation of the Commons, Privatisation of Water, Socio-Ecological Systems, Water Rights
8 Comments
Seeing the World System of Weeds – Or – Do Androids dream of Intelligent Sheep? A Compleat Ramble
An anecdote about our research focus on ‘weeds’. I was a little mischievously provocative about our ‘weed’ research at Otago University. I remembered an Aldo Leopold article in one of my books of his essays (no, I can’t be bothered … Continue reading
Future Goals and Options in NZ Land Management – A Transdisciplinary View
A brief argument from some years ago to rethink land use in New Zealand “If we go through a list of some of the main problematiques that are defining the new Century, such as water, forced migrations, poverty, environmental crises, … Continue reading
A Regional Energy Strategy for Hawke’s Bay
A number of regions in New Zealand are working on developing ‘energy’ strategies. Some are more tactical than strategic with a narrow of view of what ‘energy’ encompasses and how it interrelates to other issues. The following are notes prepared prior to … Continue reading
Posted in Building Regional Economies, Resilience Thinking, Thought Pieces, Wicked Problems
Tagged Climate futures, Corporate Influence, Decentralisation, Diversity, Energy efficiency, Energy futures, Public engagement, Renewables, resilience, Scenario Analysis, Strategic thinking, Transport strategy
1 Comment
Building Land Systems for Drought-Flood Resilience
A few notes from a morning rant “Although rainwater harvest has been accomplished by humans in virtually every drought prone region of the world for millennia, our society seems to have collective amnesia about the utility, efficiency, sustainability and beauty … Continue reading
Two strategic directions for Land Use in New Zealand: Where do we stand?
I wrote this what seems light years ago. I think it was 2007 or 2008. This is very rough, a mind dump. It was done quickly, and is more to do with me getting thoughts out of my mind and … Continue reading
Resilience Principles: Managing for an Uncertain Future
Below are three sets of principles for dealing with an uncertain world. Updated. First, there has to be recognition that the world is complex and uncertain! G D Peterson’s schema is I think best at visualising that point (see below). … Continue reading
Posted in Building Regional Economies, Resilience Thinking, Thought Pieces
Tagged Adaptability, Adaptive Capacity, Ball in a Bowl, Complex Adaptive Systems, future generations, Managing Complexity, Resilience Principles, Socio-Ecological Systems, System Shifts, Thresholds, uncertain future
7 Comments
We do not need a Resource Development Act
New Zealand has a comprehensive piece of legislation (Resource Management Act 1991) by which the use and development of ‘resources’ is managed. The current government is attempting to reform this legislation to make it more amenable for development interests. Corporate lobby … Continue reading
Posted in Building Regional Economies, Land Use, Thought Pieces
Tagged Local Development, RMA
3 Comments
Rural Decline and the Ruataniwha Dam Revisited
I wrote this article below in response to a promotional meeting for the Ruataniwha Dam held in Waipukurau in 2014. I’ve edited it slightly. In early March 2016, another meeting was held, and the same justifications were made – jobs, … Continue reading
Posted in Land Use, Thought Pieces
7 Comments
The Future of Belonging in This Place
It took 27 years for me to come home. For years I felt the lone voice screaming “Come on the Bay” amongst the red and black rugby faithful during Canterbury’s 1980s Ranfurly Shield era. In later years I facetiously referred … Continue reading
What is Development? Hawke’s Bay’s future
Whatever happens after the election, Hawke’s Bay needs a combined vision and strategy. Most protagonists agree. The real issue will be what type of strategy we get. If any strategy is based on the ideas of the past 30 years, … Continue reading
Posted in Building Regional Economies, Land Use, Thought Pieces
1 Comment
We need a credible inquiry into what has happened to the NZ Public Service
On Monday 8th September 2014, Associate Professor Grant Duncan wrote an opinion piece in the Hawke’s Bay Today asking whether there is a need for a Royal Commission of Inquiry into the New Zealand Public Service. This was a serious issue … Continue reading
Posted in Letters & Opinion Pieces
3 Comments
Alternatives to Conventional Economic Development: And the Philosophy of Not Realising our Potential
More than 20 years ago a deep thinker, Richard Norgaard, wrote a book called Development Betrayed. What he wrote wasn’t particularly new. Other beautiful minds from Leopold Kohr, E. F. Schumacher to the still living treasure, Wendell Berry, made similar … Continue reading
Posted in Building Regional Economies, Thought Pieces
Tagged Development, Local Development
4 Comments
Guest Blog – The Daily Blog – Confessions of an Ex-Public Servant: Watching the Slow Death of the Public Sector
Back in the 16th century, good Queen Bess said to her Privy Council of advisors something along the lines of: “I want your free, frank advice, without consideration of fear or favour.” In other words, tell me what you think, … Continue reading
Posted in Guest Blog, Letters & Opinion Pieces, Thought Pieces
1 Comment
Trapped in the Louvre
You can get bored with beauty. This extraordinary road from Greymouth to Westport. Coastal cliff top roads are iconic, think Big Sur. Add green-topped coveys of rocks, mum, dad and the chicks sandstone and limestone cliffs in evening light and … Continue reading
Posted in Poems
2 Comments
Ohoka Market
In Ohoka the market stalls sell sense experience. You need not buy, just drift, From place to place and soak it in. The taste of honeyed nuts, the sound Of laughs and strummed guitar, The smell of bacon frying, the … Continue reading
Posted in Poems
4 Comments
Sitting
Sitting with my second coffee Reading Mexico City Blues in the low, pale sun Shining golden vagina notes of wish and will in this mind Cast deep in some gut, visceral, wrenching want or Desire to understand this feeling that … Continue reading
On the Cook Strait Ferry in the Marlborough Sounds
This land is like a cluster of hands, Fingers extending Tips dipping into The blue bath of the channel, Knuckles crooked. What is the collective noun for hands? A fiddle? A drum? Why not a Sound of hands. The tourists … Continue reading
Posted in Poems
2 Comments
The Forest Glade Megamall
‘Sylvia Park’. Welcome to the archetypal Auckland megamall where to-the-door valet parking makes shopping more complete. There is no better function than conspicuous consumption. Spot my Tiffany bag? Did you remark upon my Raybans? You cannot sell a Te Kaha … Continue reading
Coromandel Town
The Bohemians walk the streets in Coromandel Town. At measured pace, wearing a trilby hat (with feather), a manuka tramp staff over his shoulder with a Country Road bag tied to the end. Love the irony. Gucci shoes? The rain … Continue reading
Posted in Poems
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A Piece of Wild Land
I be getting me a piece of wild land with an angry creek, a drunk duck and a paranoid chook with a gully of kawakawa and a knob of oak sprawled out all bent and dripping lichen with kunekune pigs … Continue reading
Posted in Poems
6 Comments
On Discovering a Passage
Sometimes things drift past your laid back musing mind with its unbaited fishing rod, and wake you from thoughts of coffee and the beauty of cricket by throwing themselves, wet and writhing, onto your lap. Chris Perley 2013
Posted in Poems
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HBRC Election 2013 – Land and Water Concerns of Federated Farmers and Irrigation NZ
The following was in response to questions asked of Hawke’s Bay Regional Councillor candidates in the 2013 Local Body Elections. Federated Farmers and Irrigation New Zealand Questions Chris Perley Ngaruroro Ward, Hawke’s Bay Regional Council Federated Farmers and Irrigation NZ … Continue reading
The Loss of the Napier-Gisborne Rail Link: Things fall apart, the centre cannot hold
This article critiquing the current government’s 2012 decision to close the Napier-Gisborne rail line was published in the NZ J Forestry in December 2012. ================================================================ Turning and turning in the widening gyre The falcon cannot hear the falconer; Things fall … Continue reading
Posted in Resilience Thinking, Thought Pieces
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Alternatives to the Agricultural Industrial Model
The Central Hawke’s Bay area of New Zealand is a warm to hot summer dry environment with strong hot equinox winds. An in-stream dam (Ruataniwha Dam) is being promoted for irrigation of 25,000 hectares of flat land. The intensification of agriculture … Continue reading
Posted in Land Use, Thought Pieces
2 Comments
Edible Landscapes – Away from the Factory Model
There is many an idea presented as new that has its roots in days long past. We too often forget that the way things are done now was not always so. We too often presume that the ways of today … Continue reading
Posted in Land Use, Socio-ecological Systems, Thought Pieces
4 Comments
Ruataniwha Dam: The Winners and the Losers
The following is an Op-ed published in Hawkes Bay Today, Wednesday 9th April 2014, in response to a column by Federated Farmers Spokesperson Will Foley promoting the dam Federated Farmer’s Will Foley highlights three conflicting issues in his defense of … Continue reading
The Renaissance of an Ethos of Care
It is now more and more a forgotten fact that much of the effort by the New Zealand state in planting trees in the landscape had as its primary goal the ‘protection’ of some social and environmental value. These values … Continue reading
