40 Questions
What percentage of the participants reported having direct engagements with authorities?
40%
What did officials do when someone challenged their version of events during public meetings?
They told the person they were wrong
What is silencing in the context of power and violence?
Actions taken to hush, gag, or render silent those who might offer evidence against powerful interests
Why did officials remove speakers from the meetings?
Because the speakers were agitated
What is a consequence of silencing, according to the text?
The creation of cultures of silence, which help maintain an obscured view of violence and victimization
What was the outcome for Leslie in terms of compensation?
He received some money in the end
What has criminology historically silenced, according to the text?
Harms by and against women; harms against non-human animals; harms against the environment; and harms by corporations
How did the deciding panel review applications for compensation?
Through a paper-based process
What happened to the voices of the people of Havelock North in the government Inquiry into the 2016 Havelock North Drinking Water Crisis?
They were ignored and left out of the official inquiry
What was the result of the officials' actions on the residents?
They felt silenced and ignored
What prevented crucial information from coming to official or public attention, according to some participants?
The Privacy Act
What did the author of the text experience after posting a request for participants on their Facebook page?
They received a phone call from the executive assistant to the CEO of the council
What was the extent of Leslie's debt due to the crisis?
In the tens of thousands
What is an example of silencing by the Hastings District Council (HDC), according to the text?
The HDC attempted to silence the author and participants
What did the Mayor do during one of the meetings?
He made a quick exit to avoid an agitated audience
What is a result of silencing, according to the text?
Hopelessness and indifference
What was the initial action the council threatened to take against the person?
Sue him for defamation
What was the outcome of the lunch organized by the council?
The people walked out
What was the person promised by the council?
A job when medically fit to work
What did the person who witnessed the digging up of the intersection claim to have seen?
A team of workers panicking and switching the water and sewer pipes
Why did the person who witnessed the digging up of the intersection think the team was panicking?
Because they were in a rush to get the road covered up again
What did the council's media person suggest to the person?
To sit down and talk about the issue
What did the person who walked out of the lunch say about the food?
We can't eat that posh stuff now
What did the person who witnessed the digging up of the intersection used to be?
A former engineer
What penalty was proposed for individuals in the original bill?
A sentence of imprisonment not exceeding 10 years
What was the maximum fine proposed for corporations in the original bill?
$10 Million
What is the name of the Act that replaced the original bill?
Health and Safety at Work Act
What is the maximum penalty for individuals under the Health and Safety at Work Act?
5 years in prison
What is the maximum fine for corporations under the Health and Safety at Work Act?
$3 Million
Who is the individual mentioned in the text who died in the Pike River mine explosion?
Joseph Dunbar
What is unique about the entrance of the Pike River coal mine?
It is located below the coal resource
What was Joseph Dunbar's age when he died in the Pike River mine explosion?
17
Why is ventilation important in coal mines?
To reduce the risk of explosions
What was Joseph Dunbar's situation at the time of his death?
He was on his first full-time job
What happened on the 19th of November 2010?
An explosion occurred and 29 miners were trapped
How many miners survived the initial explosion?
2
What was the outcome of the royal commission's investigation?
Pike River Coal Ltd was found to have prioritized production over health and safety
What was the outcome of the court case against Pike River Coal Ltd?
The company was ordered to pay $110,000 to each of the victims' families and fined $760,000
What was the main reason for the explosions at the Pike River coal mine?
Methane build-up
What was a consequence of the company's failure to prioritize health and safety?
Miners were exposed to unacceptable risks
Study Notes
Silencing and Power
- Silencing refers to actions taken to hush, gag, or render silent those who might offer evidence against powerful interests.
- Silencing serves power and fosters hopelessness and indifference, creating cultures of silence that help maintain an obscured view of violence and victimization.
Silencing in Criminology
- Criminology has silenced certain harms throughout its history, including harms against women, non-human animals, the environment, and corporations, as well as states.
The 2016 Havelock North Drinking Water Crisis
- The government Inquiry into the crisis left out the voices of the people of Havelock North, thereby silencing them.
- The Inquiry primarily heard from experts and officials, with no references to testimony from those who suffered.
- The NZ Privacy Act prevented crucial information from coming to official or public attention.
- Hastings District Council (HDC) silenced participants by providing flippant and dismissive responses to their concerns.
- HDC officials presented a united front, telling those who challenged their version of events that they were wrong.
- Officials avoided questions or removed speakers from meetings to control understandings of the crisis.
- Participants who attended public meetings reported being silenced by HDC officials.
Silencing Strategies
- HDC offered a fund for compensation, but the deciding panel's paper-based process silenced applicants.
- Officials pursued silence in other ways, such as offering jobs or other benefits in exchange for silence.
The Pike River Mine Explosion
- On November 19, 2010, an explosion occurred at the Pike River mine, trapping 29 miners, two of whom survived.
- The government set up a royal commission to examine the case, which found that Pike River Coal Ltd was not meeting its proposed targets and had prioritized production over health and safety concerns.
- The commission identified inadequate systems and infrastructure, inadequate ventilation and methane drainage systems, and ignored warnings.
- The Department of Labour lodged 25 charges of health and safety failures against Pike River Coal Ltd and its CEO.
- In July 2013, Pike River Coal Ltd was ordered to pay $110,000 to each of the victims' families and fined $760,000.
- The Health and Safety at Work Act was introduced, which holds individuals and companies accountable for reckless conduct that exposes individuals to serious injury, serious illness, or death.
- The Act provides for holding individual workers accountable for not behaving in ways stipulated by an organization, but may provide a loophole for corporations.
This quiz explores the concept of silencing in the context of power dynamics and violence. It discusses how silencing can be used to suppress evidence and maintain cultures of silence.
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