INL Nov 1 2019 Digital Edition

10
NOVEMBER 1, 2019
Businesslink
Researcher says smartphones promote patriarchs
Supplied Content
Smartphones and other mobile
devices amplify the patriarchal values
that are part of our culture, according
to new research by a Massey
University expert in organisational
communication and gender.
Senior Lecturer Dr Debalina
Dutta said that while we might all
understand the freedoms mobile
devices bring to our lives, it would
be a mistake to think the devices are
gender-neutral in their impacts.
“Our mobile devices are full of
really cool features, but these things
are not neutral. They actually amplify
the patriarchal values that are part
of our culture. This ability to contact
someone at all times means women
are expected to be constantly available
in their homes and in their workspaces,”
she said.
Amanah KiwiSaver success can promote other Islamic products
Brian Henry and
Arifa Fiqria
Of New Zealand’s population
of 4.79 million people, 1.1%
are Muslims, according to
the World Population Review
2019 website.
New Zealand is working hard to
accommodate the needs of its Muslim
community, ranging from places of
worship to Halal food.
It currently has 57 Islamic Centers,
17 Halal bakeries/cafes, 58 Halal
meat/grocery stores, and 241 Halal
restaurants, according to NZ Halal
Food Guide 2017-2018 Edition.
The Teachings
Islam itself is not only about
worshiping (Fiqh Ibadat) or eating
(Shariah) but also about dealings (Fiqh
Muamalat).
The distinctions are in Ibadat - all
matters involved in the law, are
not susceptible to innovations or
change (Ittiba) in practice. While for
Muamalat, there is still some room to
develop or change to facilitate human
interaction and promote justice,
according to Dr John L Esposito in The
Oxford Dictionary of Islam (2003).
Then, we may ask, “How developed
are Islamic dealings in terms of
finance in New Zealand?’
Until March 2014, there were no
Islamic financial institutions at all in
New Zealand.
The main reason for this was likely
the relatively low demand for Islamic
financial products - aligning with the
Muslim population at that time, which
was less than 50,000 people. Arguably,
this population size was considered
significant enough to support a
Shariah-based institution.
Launch of Amanah Ethical
In 2014, Amanah Ethical Managing
Director Brian Henry decided that the
Muslim community needed someone
to provide some Shariah-based
financial products.
Amanah Ethical was launched,
providing two funds - Amanah
KiwiSaver Plan (a savings scheme
for retirement that meets the New
Zealand Government’s KiwiSaver
proposal) and AmanahNZ (a separate
unit trust investment fund).
MediaWorks to sell TV 3 in New Zealand
Sourced Content
Struggling media company MediaWorks
is putting its TV business Three on the
sale block, after axing and scaling back
shows.
The Company, which owns television, radio
and advertising operations, had reported
through its own news organisation Newshub
that it would sell its largest asset.
Three included ThreeLife, the Bravo joint
venture and all of Newshub’s operations.
MediaWorks is owned by US private equity
firm Oaktree Capital.
Radio Network stays
MediaWorks Chairman Jack Matthews said
it would hold onto its profitable radio network
and newly-acquired outdoor advertising
company QMS.
“We are in the fortunate position of having
two very strong growth platforms in radio
and outdoor [advertising] that deliver both
revenue and margin growth. Our focus now
is to accelerate the opportunities that exist for
those platforms,” he said.
MediaWorks merged with the billboard
company QMS earlier this year.
Tough realities
He said the company had to face its
commercial realities.
“The market that free-to-air television
operates in is tough and has been exacerbated
this year. This is reflected in the performance
of all free-to-air television operators in New
Zealand, not just us.
“Clearly the market - alongside the structural
hindrances we operate under - has a larger
impact on Three given its genuine commercial
imperative.”
The Company would also sell its television
headquarters near central Auckland, which it
had owned for 30 years, to be leased back to
the television business.
MediaWorks Chief Executive Michael Anderson (Picture
Courtesy: Newshub)
MediaWorks Chief Executive Michael
Anderson said that MediaWorks TV was now
in a place where “it can be separated from
the radio and outdoor business to be operated
under a new owner in a more sustainable
fashion - and, ultimately, for profit.”
Shows axed
The Project presenter Jesse Mulligan said on
the show that Three might have to shut down
the entire station if the government didn’t
change its broadcasting policy.
Earlier, MediaWorks said it was cutting
key local TV comedies citing the company’s
deepening problems and wider troubles in
free-to-air television.
MediaWorks confirmed 7 Days - the country’s
longest-running comedy show - will drop
from 32 episodes a year to just 12 in 2020.
New Zealand Today - a new comedy series
featuring Guy Williams - will not return to
Three next year.
Commercial TV programmes come and
go whether they have been fixtures in the
schedule or not. Three’s long-running weekly
comedy Jono And Ben (also New Zealand On
Air supported) was canned last year because
it was deemed to have run its course.
Last week, MediaWorks Head of News
Hal Crawford said that he would leave the
company in February next year and return to
Australia.
Dr Debalina Dutta
The STEM factor
Her qualitative study consisted
of in-depth interviews with women
working in the male-dominated
science, technology, engineering and
mathematics sectors (known as STEM),
but according to her, women everywhere
will recognise the experiences
of her research participants.
She found mobile phones’ interactive
features can overwhelm women
with home and workplace demands,
while simultaneously excluding
them from informal decision-making
channels at work.
“It really is a double-bind for women.
Interactive devices give them the
flexibility on the one hand to continue
working with children. However, it
also means that their role as family
caregiver does not stop when they are
at work, and they can still be contacted
about work matters at home. These
are gendered expectations that do not
affect men to the same degree,” she
said.
Messaging Apps
Dr Dutta also found messaging apps
provided an informal communication
channel in many workplaces and, in
These funds are strictly Shariah-compliant
to accommodate the
needs of Muslims for retirement and
investment products.
Why did Amanah Ethical start with
these two products?
The fundamental needs for the
Muslim community are Halal retirement
funds and first home financing.
If Muslims want Islamic funding to
finance their first home purchase,
then the quickest way to fund it is by
supporting the Amanah KiwiSaver
Plan. Savings can be withdrawn to
assist purchase a first home.
In terms of ‘mortgage-type
products,’ there are currently no
institutions in New Zealand providing
any Shariah-compliant options.
If Amanah Ethical continues to grow
and demonstrate success in the New
Zealand market, then it is hopeful that
in time, it will be able to partner with
another entity to launch an Islamic
Home Financing product such as Ijara,
Musharaka and Murabaha.
Amanah KiwiSaver for all
Interestingly, investment in Amanah
KiwiSaver Plan and AmanahNZ is
not only intended for Muslims but
Husband and wife,
Paramjeet Singh
Parihar and Kuldip
Kaur Parihar, who
owned two Super Liquor stores
in Hamilton have been ordered
by the Employment Court to
pay a record $200,000 in penalties
for serious employment
law breaches.
This is in addition to $250,470
they already repaid to six former
employees for minimum
wage and holiday pay arrears.
The six employees worked
at Super Liquor Flagstaff and
Super Liquor Hillcrest between
2010 and 2017. They were paid
between $8 and $11 an hour,
which was well below the
minimum wage in any given
year.
One employee alone was
compensated $106,076 for
seven years of underpayments.
Some of them worked more
than 60-70 hours per week –
including on public holidays.
They had not been provided
with any sick leave, holiday pay
or public holiday entitlements.
Where they took time off,
they were either not paid or
required to return the money
to their employer or make up
the time they were away by
organisations where management
roles are dominated by men, this
can remove women from important
conversations.
“Women can be completely
excluded from informal chat groups,
which can have implications for their
careers,” she said.
“And sometimes, if they do join the
chat group, they can feel isolated by
the content of conversations, for example
if the men in the group exchange
messages and jokes they perceive
as inappropriate and/or sexist,” she
added.
Additional burdens
While Messaging Apps can isolate
women, they can also be a communication
channel that creates additional
burdens.
“I think a lot of women feel that they
cannot win. Their friends and family
expect them to be active members
also non-Muslims in New Zealand
who value Amanah’s strong ethical
mandate: it puts people before profit,
all equity investments must be in
companies with strong balance sheets
(low debt and high asset ratios), and
have assets that are producing or
protecting the goodness of humankind
and the environment.
Why do this?
Regulated Life
Because Islam is Rahmatan Lil
Alamin - it is a mercy to all creations.
In Islam, every aspect of life is regulated,
such as the manner of eating,
entering the bathroom, interacting
with neighbours, and how we manage
our finances. As Muslims, we cannot
pick and choose, taken, or not taken in
our life. And also, from the word itself,
Islam means ‘submit’ or ‘surrender.’
It means that we submit fully to the
Creator of life. Insha Allah (if God is
willing), Allah knows best in every
command.
He has given to us in the Holy
Quran:
“O you who have believed, obey
Allah and obey the Messenger and
those in authority among you. And if
Liquor store owners to pay
$450,000 for law breach
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working for free.
“Inexplicable and Heinous”
The employers also failed
to keep accurate employment
records which the Court saw
as an attempt to cover up their
abuse.
All employees in question
were migrant workers from India
on temporary visas. Mr and
Ms Parihar are themselves of
Indian decent. The Judge noted
this makes the way they treated
their workers even more
“inexplicable and heinous.”
The Court imposed penalties
of $200,000 to be paid immediately
by Mr and Ms Parihar.
Following the Labour
Inspectorate’s submissions,
$80,000 of this will be paid as
compensation to the workers
for the mental and emotional
hardships they endured at the
hands of their employers.
Failure to comply with
these Court orders can lead to
imprisonment.
The Court heard Mr and Ms
Parihar have sold the two liquor
stores and do not propose
becoming employers again.
Sale no way to escape
Labour Inspectorate Regional
Manager Callum McMillan
said this case sends a clear
message that employers won’t
get away with taking advantage
of chat groups, constantly uploading
photos of children and responding to
questions. Men don’t seem to have the
same expectations made of them so,
when at work, it’s fine for them to be
fully focused on work,” Ms Dutta said.
She said it is important for women
to be aware of these pressures, but
to also identify the ways in which
technology allows them to connect
with others for support.
“I recommend everyday micro
practices, being aware and resisting
the expectations where you can;
but it’s not easy, the growth of new
technologies can be challenging,” Ms
Dutta said.
Her Paper, ‘Mobile Phone as interactive
technologies mediating gendered
work-life conflict: A qualitative study
on women in STEM,’ was published
recently in the academic journal ‘Sex
Roles.’
Dr Debalina Dutta is a Senior
Lecturer at Massey University School
of Journalism, Communications and
Marketing based in Palmerston North.
you disagree over anything, refer it to
Allah and the Messenger, if you should
believe in Allah and the Last Day. That
is the best [way] and best in result.”
(Qur’an An-Nisa [4] verse 59.)
Prophet Mohammed said:
“A dirham of riba (interest) consumed
knowingly by a man is worse
before Allah than committing zina
(adultery) thirty-six times.” (Narrated
by Ahmad & Tabaraani, classed as
saheeh by al-Albaani in ‘Saheeh
al-Jaami’ No. 3375.)
Muslims in New Zealand are
grateful for the creation of Amanah
Ethical, the very first Islamic financial
institution in New Zealand, and
recognise the need to support them to
keep Muslims safe in conducting Islam
in a non-Muslim country.
Not every non-Muslim country can
provide that.
Wallahu Alam Bissawab (only Allah
knows the truest intention).
Brian Henry is Managing Director
of Amanah Trust Management (NZ)
Limited and Amanah KiwiSaver Plan
Arifa Fiqria is Regional Director
(Asia) of Amanah Trust Management
(Asia) Limited based in Auckland.
of vulnerable workers for their
own gain.
“Beyond that, it sends a
message to all franchisors that
they risk having their brand
name marred unless they take
steps to routinely monitor compliance
with employment laws
within their franchise group to
prevent worker exploitation.
“It’s disappointing that
exploitation such as this has
occurred in a well-known franchise
like Super Liquor. There
is a growing demand in New
Zealand and worldwide, for
corporations to be ethical and
accountable in their practices,
which extends beyond direct
legal obligations. This means
their profits cannot be at the
expense of frontline staff in
their franchises or in their
supply chains,” he said.
Improving practices
Mr McMillan said that
the Labour Inspectorate has
been working with Super
Liquor Holdings to improve
employment practises from the
top down.
“Since earlier this year, Super
Liquor has been taking steps
to close the gaps that existed in
their employment law compliance
programme. We expect
to see the results of this with
future audits,” he said.