Filling Helen Kelly’s Shoes – a Salon with new CTU President next week

For what force on earth is weaker than the feeble strength of one?

So asks the union anthem, Solidarity Forever. Richard Wagstaff has taken the helm of the CTU from the inimitable Helen Kelly, and with it an enormous organisational, political and economic challenge. He’ll join the Ika Salon on Thursday August 18th fresh from the NZCTU’s first ever Organising Conference, and alongside two leading Australian union and social change activists.

Hear Richard’s perspective on the NZ union movement, and learn from Madeleine Holme (United Voice Union Australia) and Mark Chenery (Co-founder, Common Cause Australia) about framing a new narrative to draw people into campaigns like Save Our Weekends – which is defending the long-gone-from -Z institution of penal rates.

Enjoy a delicious Ika meal (seafood, meat and vegetarian options) and take a look into union renewal. Book here, the evening, including your main meal, is $32.

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Funny man Jeremy Elwood hosts Table Talk on the serious subject of assisted dying – August 30

Professional funny person, broadcaster Jeremy Elwood, hosts our August 30 current issues discussion, on the serious matter of assisted dying. Join panelists David Seymour MP, promoter of the End-of-Life Choice Bill; Dr Jan Crosthwaite, University of Auckland Proctor and formerly Department of Philosophy; and Dr Stephen Child, Chair of the NZ Medical Association for a free-ranging discussion of a topic that crosses political boundaries.

Book today for Tuesday 30 August – join a large table or come with a group. Ika will open for dinner from 5.30 pm on the night, with the discussion brought to you in partnership with thespinoff.co.nz starting at 7.30 pm. Great food and drink will be available throughout.

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Our First Day of Spring is booking out fast

From lead roles in Cats and JC Superstar and jazz bars in Manhattan we will welcome in the spring on 1 September with the glittering Denise Norton, accompanied by pianist Mark Bradley, in a classic cabaret show performed in the guises of “Helga und Gunther”. Denise’s last show at TheVic Devonport was a sell-out success. You’ll see why in our intimate made-for-cabaret dining room. Enjoy the show (starts at 7.30 pm and is $25 pp). Come anytime from 5.30 pm for a delicious meal, tapas and drinks plain or fancy. Book today, and pay on the night.

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Next month’s Salon – Is the Pope Catholic? Sept13

Once a cheeky response to a question with “yes” as the only answer, Is the Pope Catholic? has become a more serious question for debate, including among Catholic scholars. What’s the significance of a Pope who commonly appears alongside the latest petition on non-Catholic Facebook feeds?

Chris Sullivan is an ordained married Catholic permanent deacon (itself a radical reform in the Catholic Church) with a background in trade union and labour movement activism, the living wage movement, ecumenism and interfaith, and a variety of solidarity movements such as Latin America, anti-Apartheid, Treaty of Waitangi.

He will speak of a Catholicism which expresses the radicality of Jesus and his support for the poor, oppressed and marginalised and his challenge to the social structures which create that. In other words, Liberation theology, and its re-emergence.

Book for a delicious Ika meal (seafood, meat and vegetarian options) and take a look into the Catholic Church.