Changes of Pace – #MeToo Moves and Holden Production Stops
The #MeToo campaign got incredible momentum this week. In contrast, Holden’s Australian manufacturing lost all it’s momentum and came to a complete stop.
These are the two stories we looked at this week. Guests Erin Rooney and Te Rina Taite joined Host Sean Morahan for this week’s Vultures’ Nest.
The deluge of #MeToo activity on social media came in response to a call from the actor Alyssa Milano, who wrote: “If all the women who have been sexually harassed or assaulted wrote ‘Me too’ as a status, we might give people a sense of the magnitude of the problem.”
During last week, allegations emerged of sexual harassment, sexual assault and rape. These allegations were made against American film producer Harvey Weinstein, who was subsequently fired by his company’s board of directors, and expelled from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Due to the sensitive nature of this topic, guests were asked before the show if and how they wanted to participate in this discussion.
Our discussion included:
- Did you post using a #metoo hashtag?
- Have you experienced sexual harassment?
- Did you read much of what was posted under the hashtag MeToo?
- If you did read it, did you notice if it changed how you feel?
- Were you surprised by any of it?
- Can you see it changing any men’s behaviours?
- Did you read many #metoo posts and tweets?
- What was your reaction?
- Trump has bragged about ‘grabbing them by the pussy’ yet is still President. Weinstein and others have been forced out of their positions. Why do you think there’s such a difference?
- Were you surprised by #metoo?
- There is public shaming of Weinstein and others. Does shame change behaviors or just drive them underground?
If you have experienced sexual assault and need help, advice or someone safe to talk to, you can call 1800 RESPECT. That’s the national sexual assault counselling service. 1800 737 732. Their website is 1800respect.org.au
Hobart Mechanics’s Pilgrimage for Holden Closure
Holden finished making their last Australian-built car yesterday.
When Hobart mechanic Christian Mason learned the date that Holden would close its South Australian plant, he planned a road trip to acknowledge the solemn occasion.
“I come from a pretty passionate Holden family. [I’m] a third-generation motor mechanic, we’re all Holden, always have been,” he said.
He has a Holden statesman with the number plate RIPGMH.
Some of the questions we had about this story were:
- Can we take anyone with personalised number plates seriously?
- Do you have any affection for Holden?
- Are you sad for the loss of Aussie manufacturing jobs?
- Have you ever been made redundant in a job?
- Do you perceive Holden as Australian?
- As Aussie icons change or fade away, are they replaced by anything else? What’s the modern equivalent of football, meat pies, kangaroos and Holden cars?
- What brand/s, if any, do you have affection for?
- Who or what would you undertake a pilgrimage for?
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The Vultures’ Nest is on 2SER 107.3 on Saturdays from 10.30 am.
