One of Them

NZ on Screen now has One of Them online now - a great short film made in 1997 - adapted from a short story by Peter Wells.

One of Them! was one of two films (with Memory and Desire) adapted from short stories in Peter Wells' book Dangerous Desires, (1991). It was made for TV One as a Montana Sunday drama. Set in Auckland, 1965, this film tells the story of Lemmy and Jamie, two teenage boys coming to terms with their sexuality. In the dark days before gay liberation, bullying and intimidation was rife, and while the boys flaunt their sissyness, their internalised homophobia wreaks havoc on their emotional lives - until they can admit to being ‘one of them'. 

Great to watch this again. It is amazing to think how much things have changed in New Zealand in the past 30 years. 

Broadband Plans

Both Australia and New Zealand look set to get substantially improved internet access with annoucnements on both sides of the Tasman of broadband plans.

The Australian Plan

The new fibre-to-the-home network would take eight years to build, cost $43 billion, and give 90 per cent of Australian households download speeds 100 times faster than they currently experience.

In the process Australia will break the Telstra monolopy and stalemate in Internet connectively. 

The New Zealand Plan

Communications and Information Technology Minister Steven Joyce said a new Crown-owned company would work with private sector partners as a key part of its plan to deliver ultra-fast broadband to 75 per cent of New Zealanders' homes, workplaces and places of study within ten years.

The Government has committed up to $1.5 billion of taxpayers' money for the roll-out and expects that to be at least matched by the private sector.

Both plans do mean that both countries might finally get to experience the internet as other countries do.

It will be interesting to see how they develop. Hopefully the plans won't get delayed by politics and by big business politics of Telstra and Telecom.

Flashback: For Today

1985 was my final year living in Wellington which was a great time to be living in New Zealand's capital city. This song still can take me right back to those times - to friends, lovers, flatmates and events. 

1985 was the year the homosexual law reform bill debate started including the infamous "Nuremburg rally" - the protests, the nuclear free legistation, Rainbow Warrior bombing and the protests against the proposed All Black tour to South Africa which was cancelled.

Enjoy the song from the Netherworld Dancing Toys - and the ferry's still run between Wellington and Picton and are as amazing as the video - though the weather isn't always that smooth.