PODCAST: How and Why Democracy is Backsliding Around the World – Buchanan and Manning

A View from Afar – In this the seventh episode of A View from Afar podcast for 2023 political scientist Dr Paul Buchanan and Selwyn Manning examine the strengths and weaknesses of democracy around the world.

In particular Paul and Selwyn consider how and why democracy in many countries around the world is on the slide.

They examine the causes of democratic backsliding and also test why the erosion of high democratic ideas have, in many cases, popular support.

First, Paul gives us a context and defines democratic backsliding.

He identifies the countries that are decisively eroding their own democracies of principles that were once embraced by both power elites and citizenry.

The Questions:

• Why are we seeing more democratic backsliding in recent times?

• Is it just a political phenomenon or does it extend beyond the political sphere?

• Where has democratic backsliding been most evident?

• What do Chile, Guatemala, Israel and Thailand have in common?

INTERACTION WHILE LIVE:

Paul and Selwyn encourage their live audience to interact while they are live with questions and comments. To interact during live recordings of A View from Afar podcasts, go to YouTube Remember to subscribe to the channel and be notified of future episodes.

For the on-demand audience, you can also keep the conversation going by clicking on one of the social media channels below:

• YouTube
• Facebook.com/selwyn.manning
• Twitter.com/Selwyn_Manning

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Participants in this podcast can be contacted via email below:

• Dr Paul G. Buchanan: email Paul@36th-Parallel.com
• Selwyn Manning: email Selwyn@milnz.nz

You can follow A View from Afar via our affiliate syndicators including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music and where all good podcasts are found.

RECOGNITION:

The MIL Network’s podcast A View from Afar was Nominated as a Top Defence Security Podcast by Threat.Technology – a London-based cyber security news publication.

Threat.Technology placed A View from Afar at 9th in its 20 Best Defence Security Podcasts of 2021 category.

ENDS

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KEEPING THE DREAM ALIVE: QUEENSTOWN VISIONARIES BRING THE USD $1.5B+ GLOBAL LUXURY HOLIDAY HOME CO-OWNERSHIP WAVE DOWN UNDER

Move over Uber and Airbnb, the latest sharing economy to boom is the holiday home. It’s no wonder why… Who doesn’t want a multimillion-dollar, luxury holiday home for 1/8^th the cost? Here’s how.

Queenstown, New Zealand – The appeal of owning a holiday home is undeniable. It’s exciting to imagine having a special place in another part of the country or world where you can create amazing memories with family and friends. However, the cost can be difficult to justify in today’s market, especially if the home is only used for a few weeks each year. As a result, a global trend is seeing financially astute and environmentally savvy families drastically reduce the cost, responsibility, and environmental footprint of second home ownership through co-ownership. In fact, co-ownership has become so popular that an American provider has recently received $1.5B valuation since its 2020 inception and more than 2 million USA holiday homes are co-owned. Now, New Zealand/Australian co-ownership experts John and Sharon Russell have launched their latest business venture, Second Home, to help Kiwi and Australian families safely and reliably establish affordable second home co-ownership for themselves at 1/8 the cost. The Queenstown visionaries possess 24 years’ experience with co-ownership having introduced syndicated boat ownership to the Australian and New Zealand markets in 1999. “We have designed a practical and affordable way to fulfil the dream of owning a holiday home and creating those amazing memories of family holidays that become such a profound part of our lives,” said John and Sharon. Second Home brings eight like-minded individuals together to own the title to their dream holiday home, enjoy it exclusively for six or more weeks each year and benefit from any market appreciation, whilst paying only a fraction of the cost. Co-ownership significantly reduces the upfront and ongoing costs associated with owning a property and Second Home ensures the property is looked after and managed. “We are excited to co-own a stunning property in Queenstown valued at approximately eight times what I have invested, with like-minded families. It’s affordable and flexible, allowing us to spend quality time together in one of the most beautiful parts of the world,” said Peter Hamilton, Second Home owner. “Homes are luxuriously furnished, and a personal concierge is on hand to ensure that all is set up for your arrival.  On departure, just lock up and leave and Second Home takes care of the rest.” Second Home property locations include New Zealand (Queenstown Central, Jack’s Point in Queenstown, and Wanaka) and Italy (Mercatello sul Metauro and Venice) with the Gold Coast on the horizon. From an investment of only NZD$316,000, suitable buyers can co-own one of these multimillion-dollar homes for themselves. “So far, the interest and uptake have surpassed our expectations. Our first Queenstown property was so popular and went so quickly, that we secured two more in Queenstown and another in Wanaka. “We only just started marketing Jack’s Point last week and two of eight co-owners have already purchased.” “In uncertain financial times we have historically seen tremendous interest in the co-ownership model for both boats and holiday properties. During 2007 to 2009 our business Riviera Syndication experienced an increase in sales due to owners still wanting the leisure experience, but also wanting to be cautious with their investments.” Co-ownership is also sustainable. “Instead of holiday homes sitting empty for a large portion of the year, we are seeing families embrace co-ownership and reduce their carbon footprint, while also boosting the local economy with more frequent visitors. “It’s the perfect way to holiday and invest in real estate at the same time.” For more information and full listing details, visit www.secondhome.co.nz or contact John Russell at +64 21 854 597  or jrussell@secondhome.co.nz  or  Sharon Russell at  +64 21 863 759 or srussell@secondhome.co.nz. About Second Home Second Home is founded by experienced co-ownership pioneers and boutique lifestyle experts John and Sharon Russell, who have over 24 years of experience in co-ownership. They previously founded and operated Boatshare Australia in 1999 and Riviera Syndication luxury yacht co-ownership in Australia from 2007. Their new venture, Second Home, was launched in February 2023 in Queenstown, New Zealand with the aim of making second home ownership more accessible and sustainable through their holiday home co-ownership model.   Useful Links:  The Full Story How it Works Bullet Points How it Works & FAQS Photos & Logos www.secondhome.co.nz Second Home Facebook Second Home Instagram Second Home LinkedIn   Media Contacts:  John Russell +64 21 854 597, jrussell@secondhome.co.nz Sharon Russell +64 21 863 759 or srussell@secondhome.co.nz

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SpaceBase “Space for Planet Earth Challenge 2023” seeks applicants from the Pacific region leveraging space technologies to address climate change.

Auckland, NEW ZEALAND, [18 May 2023] The “Space for Planet Earth Challenge” officially kicks off today and invites students and innovators from New Zealand, Australia, the Philippines, and the Pacific Islands to participate. The Challenge seeks innovative ideas to combat climate change in the region. Auckland based organiser SpaceBase is calling applicants to specifically use satellite data, in combination with other data sources, to help develop scientific methods to identify target areas of methane emissions around the world. “SpaceBase leverages incentive prizes and space-based technologies to solve grand challenges on Earth”, said CEO and Co-founder Emeline Paat-Dahlstrom. “We hope the solutions created will further R&D as well as spark products and services in the realm of methane identification and monitoring in the region.” Methane contributes about a third of global warming worldwide and traps heat 25 times more than CO2. The competition is open to two categories: high school level and university/start-up level. Qualified teams will be invited to participate in a three month incubator programme that will include learning about remote sensing and data analysis, as well as design thinking and prototyping. Shortlisted teams after the incubator will be invited to pitch their ideas during the final event hosted in Auckland in March 2024. The grand prize winners and finalists will win cash prizes up to $25,000 NZD, mentorships, and more. Proposals to participate in the incubator programme can be submitted online between 18 May and 31 August. Full Challenge applications are due 25 February 2024. The Challenge is sponsored through organizations like K1W1 Ventures, Callaghan Innovations, and the Auckland Space Institute. Our partners include the Government of New Caledonia, and the Australian and Philippine Space Agencies. See full list of sponsors and partners on the SpaceBase website. For more information on submitting a proposal and other details, go to: https://spacebase.co/challenges/space-challenge-2023 or contact info@spacebase.co

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