June 2013

Nicole Foss May2013Last year BRCT hosted international speaker, world-renowned financial analyst and energy industry consultant Nicole Foss as she kicked off the NZ leg of her world tour (see inset image of Nicole's poster). This June we were again pleased to be able to host Nicole towards the end of a follow up world tour. Since January 2008, she and co-author Raúl Ilargi Meijer have been chronicling and interpreting the on-going credit crunch as the most pressing aspect of our current multi-faceted predicament (a combination of Climate Change, Resource Depletion and Economic Volitility). In two presentations (at the Pine Hill school and at the University of Otago) Nicole outlined a virtual world financial tour, looking at where different countries find themselves in terms of financial vulnerability, and potential immediacy of impact. The overview included Europe, Iceland, China, Australia and New Zealand, and demonstrated the highly integrated global financial system while helping to explain its seemingly chaotic nature. Nicole, with her growing familiarity with the New Zealand situation (and even with our own local frugality drive at local government level), was able to talk eloquently about the various roles of money and its scale, with lessons on how to restore trust, and ensure the economy works for us, and not vice versa. Stimulating talks and a stimulating guest, as always!

BRCT’s Annual General Meeting was held on the 31st of May this year, aligning more closely with the Trust’s financial year. Chris Skellett, Ross Johnston, Tony Wilson and Katie Parker were re-elected to the Trust, with Jenny McDonald and Charles Abraham entering their second term and Gerry Carrington stepping down after two terms of dedicated service to the Trust. The Trust’s co-Chairs are Chris Skellett and Ross Johnston, Katie Parker replaces Gerry Carrington as Trust secretary and Tony Wilson continues as Trust treasurer.

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