Hi and welcome to the March edition of Werewolf. Our cover story this month carries out an in-depth analysis of Sir Roger Douglas’s rationale for his legislation that would bring youth rates for workers aged 15-17 years of age, and deny them equal access to the minimum wage. According to Douglas, young workers are being priced out of the jobs, but our story reviews the international and local research and finds that changes in the minimum wage have little or no negative effect on youth unemployment and in some cases even have a positive effect. Our conclusion : the Douglas plan is wrong, and likely to be politically counter-productive.

Also in this issue, James Robinson examines whether computers really have killed the ancient art of handwriting. Your signature may have once been your bond, but it seems hardly anyone still writes letters with a pen or signs cheques these days – when for instance did you last write anything in longhand, or sign your name to anything? Yet still handwriting survives, albeit on the education system’s life support system. In other features, Wellington writer Neil Adcock talks to Treaty Minister Chris Finlayson about – among other things – how the media helps to frame the way in which many New Zealanders interpret and react to the Treaty settlement process. In this issue, we also conclude our two part backgrounder about the new White Paper on Defence, due to be tabled at the end of this month. Meanwhile, Rosalea Barker reports on the surprise re-emergence of San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom – who now appears to be seeking a new role in state politics, and is already re-kindling his co-dependent relationship with California’s media.

March being Oscar month, Werewolf has two stories on the race for Hollywood’s top prize. Brannavan Gnanalingham examines the history and prejudices that make those alleged Hollywood liberals vote in very conservative ways, year after year, for the ‘Best Picture’ award. In a related story we lavish love upon this year’s Oscar frontrunner The Hurt Locker and use the occasion to celebrate the best war movies of the past. Cynthia Voigt’s book Homecoming is the children classic book this month, and satirist Lyndon Hood has some suggestions for the logo for the new Supercity. In our travel feature this month, Conor Machugh hitchhikes the Pamir highway in Central Asia.

In Cartoon Alley, Tim Bollinger, Brent Willis and Ned Wenlock have new offerings in store. Werewolf exists as a thank you’ to Scoop.co.nz supporters, and to provide a fresh outlet for writers and cartoonists. If you’d like to be part of it, email me at gordon@werewolf.co.nz. and we can talk about it. Thanks as always to David McLellan for helping to edit and post this issue.
Cheers,
Gordon Campbell,
Werewolf/Scoop

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