Latest news with #Bisset
Otago Daily Times
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Otago Daily Times
Communities go to bat for public halls
The smaller communities of Central Otago have come out fighting for their council-owned halls and buildings, with some challenging elected members to push back at central government demands they say are putting rural ratepayers in impossible situations. The Central Otago District Council heard on Thursday from submitters on its Long Term Plan, which includes a controversial proposal to divest a selection of council assets to save $284,000 (0.54% per ratepayer) in year one of the nine-year plan and eliminate the need for future borrowing for earthquake strengthening. Michelle Bisset, of Patearoa, told the mayor and councillors it was her view the council proposal was driven by economic drivers while social ones were being ignored. Ms Bisset called earthquake risk the ''elephant in the room'', having ''such an impact on small communities''. Despite smaller towns having a relatively lower risk to life from buildings flagged as earthquake-unsafe, they were being treated the same under legislation as more populated areas, she said. ''The onus is on local bodies to start putting the pressure up the chain back to central government so that central government is funding you adequately to do the jobs you are asked to do.'' Ms Bisset, along with other speakers, expressed a wariness at the urgency with which they claimed the council was moving forward with the proposal. Deborah Dons, speaking in support of the Miller's Flat Hall, urged the council to hold off making any decision regarding their local facility until other funding models could be explored. ''At the very least we're asking for a stay of execution.'' A group of Poolburn School residents brought at least one councillor close to tears as they collectively put forward a case alongside principal Melissa Gare that their hall was ''a keeper''. One of the young people who spoke, Charlie, said her parents had hosted their wedding dance in the local Poolburn-Moa Creek Community Hall, while she had celebrated both her fourth and fifth birthdays there. She argued the hall had great ''sentimental'' value to her and to others. Other pupils spoke of the importance of the building for hosting school discos, productions, sports teams, and prizegivings, with their principal saying all schools needed such spaces, but Poolburn's size made Ministry of Education provision of one unattainable. Maniototo ward councillor Stuart Duncan asked those around the council table, ''Did we get the list right?'', suggesting it felt inappropriate for representatives from the district's smaller communities to have to turn out and plead for the future of what were so obviously vital community assets. Mayor Tamah Alley said the discussion was not about the value such assets brought to the community they were located in, but simply whether the council should own them. She said she had sought advice on the part private ownership might play to fill the gap that council increasingly could not because of budget constraints. But Naseby Vision spokesman Dave Brady did not see that as not a good option. ''Council, in our opinion, needs to support the community to do what the community needs to do. ''Private enterprise, by its very nature, will take and maximise the gains from these types of properties, which may not necessarily be in the best interests of the community,'' Mr Brady told the mayor. The council is scheduled to deliberate on its plan on Monday.
Express Tribune
13-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Can drab clothes save the day?
SLOUGH, ENGLAND: Have you been wistfully craving a spot of victim-blaming when it comes to women attracting unwanted male attention? Perhaps you have been perusing through stories of Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni's legal battles, or avidly reading up on Udit Narayan kissing female fans on stage and thought, "You know what's missing from this? Someone crying foul about inadequately cloaked women." Well, this is your lucky day because 1970s actor Jacqueline Bisset has stepped up to fill that void. Before you say, "Jacqueline who?", all you need to know is that Bisset was a model and actor in her heyday with a healthy CV comprising appearances in Murder on the Orient Express (1974) and many more. More pertinently for our purposes, she is a woman that celebrity outlet Page Six deemed worthy of their time. Modest clothing is no armour "I understand as an idea, it's important that men behave, but I do really think it's important that women behave, too," explained Bisset. "I think how you dress, your subtext is very, very important," she continued. "It's very dangerous and not to be played with." As we all know by now, much to the chagrin of film producer Harvey Weinstein, the #MeToo movement went viral in 2017 after a myriad of women who had had enough launched abuse and assault allegations against him. And if you feel that Weinstein is stale news by now, you can always turn to Neil Gaiman's fresh hell as he faces at least eight allegations of rape and sexual assault. Failing that, there is also disgraced rap mogul Diddy's ongoing legal battles as prosecutors find more and more women willing to testify that they, too, were assaulted by the hip-hop star. Bisset graciously grants that men (such as Weinstein, Gaiman, and Diddy, although she does not name them) should "behave", but in the same breath, she implies that the women who have spoken against them should have been more mindful of their demeanour, body language, and wardrobe choices. In other words, she has proven to us that it is not judgemental mothers-in-law in Pakistani dramas who excel in victim-blaming. As a caveat, according to Page Six, she offers the helpful suggestion that women "need to learn the word 'no' or the F-word or something" to put an end to sexual harassment. "You have to do it, and you can get through it without any problem," she advises, adding that she has never, throughout her career, experienced any harassment of any form. Bisset is not alone in subscribing to the optimistic notion that drab clothing confers protected status. In 2017, actor Mayim Bialik wrote in the New York Times that she has managed to sidestep sexual harassment by choosing to dress modestly. Not as easy as Bisset thinks Unfortunately for women, not even the brownest, dullest, shapeless blob of an outfit can spare a woman from sexual exploitation if the atmosphere is right. That atmosphere, of course, can be anywhere – be it a crowded bus or an entertainment industry in a country where women do not generally dress the way Bisset assumes Western victims of sexual harassment can be found. Last year, during an online interview, filmmaker Bee Gul addressed head-on the lewd requests running rampant in the Pakistani showbiz industry, and her comments were ominous. "It is so common that any girl who enters the industry considers it normal," declared Gul in a matter-of-fact tone, ripping to shreds the misguided notion that the industry could ever be "paak saaf". "It happens everywhere I know. Women are mentally prepared for it. They know that at some point, they will have to trade off their body or beauty." Given the universal nature of sexual exploitation, then, it is a shame that Weinstein's victims or the women who have spoken up against Gaiman or Diddy didn't think of Bisset's brainwave and just vocalise their standpoint. Think of all the trouble they could have avoided if they had only expanded their vocabulary to 'no' and 'the F-word'! Also, as an aside, the next time we read about a man robbed in the streets at gunpoint, we should ponder whether or not he was really asking for it by flashing a wad of cash or brandishing his new phone and shouting "Come and get this!" In addition, we must also ask ourselves why this idiot man did not just say 'no' during this armed robbery to fend off his attackers because as Bisset has shown us, that is all it takes. Of course, you could take Bisset's argument further and point out that we would never think to step outside without locking our houses and cars – and nor, for that matter, unlike our hypothetical male victim, would we think to flash a wallet or a phone in public (unless we despise that phone and want to pretend to someone at home that we lost it and have a cast-iron excuse for buying a new one). You could argue that, as Bisset so thoughtfully suggests, we should take as much care with our bodies as we do with our prized material possessions and shield them with yet more fabric to ward off hopeful harassers. But as women in Karachi can testify, no amount of clothing can repel a harasser who is really determined to take that unwanted peek. Perhaps Bisset should throw on a burqa and take a stroll along Tariq Road or on the 11C bus to test her hypothesis on women's tailoring (or mannerisms) controlling the direction of the lecherous male gaze. Actually, she need not bother making the trek all the way to Karachi and risk heat rash in a burqa. She could save herself the trouble and idly scroll through posts littering Pakistan-based women-centric social media groups. Those who are esteemed members of these groups already know that here lies a certified goldmine of reading material involving women who have been groped in public as they line up to pay for groceries or eyed up and down as if last year's sweat-soaked lawn outfit and giant dupatta is a seductive come hither sign. Drab clothes, sadly, do not confer any sort of protected status, despite what Bisset and Bialik may believe.
Telegraph
04-02-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
From baby boomers to Gen Z – the best practices for generational inclusivity
In recent decades, our workforces have become more diverse than ever. For the first time in history, there are five generations in today's workplace, spanning workers born in the 1940s to those born in the 2000s. Few are more well-versed with this challenge than Lucy Bisset, director of Robert Walters North West UK, one of the world's leading specialist professional recruitment consultancies. In her 10-plus years working with the organisation – which recruits across fields including finance, banking, legal and sales – she's seen first-hand how crucial it is to engage employees of different ages and backgrounds. 'Diversity of experience drives innovative ideas,' she says, 'Trying to create a culture of mutual respect to help harmonise the workforce is really something that's key.' Managing a workforce that has both 17-year-olds and 70-year-olds is one of the major challenges for businesses today Credit : Getty The age divide According to Bisset, there are a number of key differences between younger and older workers. Firstly, communication – younger professionals are digital natives, deferring to Slack and Teams, whereas senior employees are more likely to opt for traditional methods of communication such as face-to-face meetings and phone calls. Another difference between younger and older generations of workers is the way they perceive authority. Bisset has noticed that while senior professionals are often more inclined to climb the ladder and conform to traditional structures of hierarchy and authority, younger workers may view their careers more holistically, seeking to become specialist in their field as opposed to managing people, and motivated by wellness, lifestyle and, perhaps most importantly as Bisset notes, 'the true art of being happy'. 'A lot of Gen Z have witnessed their parents or relatives or people in more senior roles historically getting burnt out,' she says, 'I think a lot of people look at that and then they say: 'That's not necessarily what I aspire to do. I want more of a work-life balance and I want happiness in my workplace'.' Making it work Managing a workforce that has both 17-year-olds and 70-year-olds can be a challenging endeavour. Empathetic leadership and emotional intelligence are essential in making it work. According to Bisset, this means effective people skills and a human-first approach to the workplace is crucial. 'It's key to understand from the top down what motivates and drives people, because incentives and career development opportunities will differ from different generations.' Empathetic leadership and emotional intelligence are essential to managing a multigenerational workforce Credit : Ben Quinton After-work socials and team bonding activities often revolve around alcohol, but that is potentially becoming a thing of the past. Younger generations have been found to consume a third less wine and beer compared to previous generations, and often seek activities that are inclusive to all lifestyles and health needs. With that in mind, Robert Walters held a wellness-themed 2025 kick-off day which included gratitude journals, a motivational session held by an expert coach, yoga classes and sound baths. Reflecting on the wellness day, Bisset views it as a key way to foster inclusivity across age groups: 'You can appeal to different generations while trying to kind of include everybody.' Blending ideas for business success When managers are able to engage their entire workforce, endless opportunities for collaboration and innovation open up. 'Each generation will bring something different,' Bisset says. 'The blend of ideas and experience should really benefit businesses going forward.' MHR, a leading HR, payroll and finance software provider, has firsthand experience of how the power of a multigenerational workforce can be harnessed to bolster an organisation's longevity, innovation and success. Its fully integrated People First platform enables leaders to understand employee sentiment, employees to engage in training and upskilling, and the organisation as a whole to cater to individual needs across the five generations. Embracing the skills of different age groups is key to driving workplace success now and in the future Credit : Getty Bisset suggests introducing a peer mentorship program, which can help both younger and older generations as workers, and drive organisational success. While junior employees might benefit from having a coach, mentees can be a 'sounding board' and 'a source of new ideas, especially from a technological perspective'. 'By nurturing talent across different age groups, you can future-proof your organisation – you have a steady pipeline of future leaders and you are able to tap into the strengths of each generation,' Bisset says. 'It allows your organisation to grow and be agile.' The way multigenerational workforces are navigated is becoming a key determinant of an organisation's future success – and there are myriad opportunities waiting for those who embrace the rich blend of age and experience. 'If we continue to embrace the lessons that each generation is able to offer – learning from those with experience as well as those with fresh ideas and perspectives – we will be well equipped to navigate the ever evolving future of work,' Bisset concludes. Discover how MHR's People and Finance platforms can help connect your workforce and enhance knowledge sharing.
