A Civilised Society

This documentary looks at the new right ideology that transformed public education in the 80s and 90s and the schism it caused with teachers. Interviews with parents, teachers and unionists are cut together with archive footage of treasury officials and politicians advocating that schools be run as businesses. There are vexed board of trustees' meetings, an infamous deal between Avondale College and Pepsi, and teachers take their opposition from the classroom to the streets. The film is the third in Alister Barry's series critical of neo-liberal reform in NZ.

A high quality universal public education system is a fundamental requirement of an egalitarian society.

– Alister Barry

Key Cast & Crew

Alister Barry

Writer, Director, Producer

David Long

Composer

Shane Loader

Camera, Editor

Adele Broadbent

Narrator

Abi King-Jones

Editor

Lockwood Smith

Subject