Originally commissioned for the Yale University’s CCAM Fluxus festival and performed by Dr Matthew Dutton, this is an instructional performance work that is designed to be performed by anybody concerned with the ongoing catastrophe of neoliberalism.

This work came out of thinking through different waves of economic migration by Māori during times of high inflation, particularly my own whanau moving to Australia and the rates of Māori leaving Aotearoa for better work opportunities. Following the historic high of up to 7.6% inflation in 1990, my parents decided to move after almost losing their first home in 1991.

This followed years of neoliberal reforms and sales of state assets, following Rogernomic policies during the third labour government. During the early 1990s inflation rates soared. The Mother of all Budgets was the nickname given to the New Zealand budget introduced in 1991. It was the first budget delivered by the new National Party Minister of Finance Ruth Richardson and formed the catalyst of her economic reforms known in the media as "Ruthanasia".

The 'Misery Index' is calculated by adding unemployment and inflation. It was first devised in the 1960s in the US to give American presidents an easy snapshot of how households were faring.The Misery Index was created originally by Yale University economist Arthur Okun in the 1960s as the Economic Discomfort Index, but was supposedly renamed by United States president Ronald Reagan. In June 1990, New Zealand’s misery index score or Economic Discomfort index was 15.2%, made up of 7.6% unemployment and 7.6% inflation.

My entire life has been shaped by the nefarious force of ‘inflation rates’. It is a word constantly used by politicians and economists that has real material consequences for everyday working people. In thinking about rising wealth inequalities in western countries I wanted to make a work that spoke to why and how market forces are entangled constantly with our lives. The market is constantly waiting to be blown up and popped like a balloon.

When we imagine the kind of world we want for our children and younger generations, how do we counter and organise as artists against the arguments for economic growth through policies that create scarcity and deprivation? We create conversations.

Hana Pera Aoake (Ngāti Mahuta, Ngāti Hinerangi, Waikato/Tainui) is an artist, writer and sweaty milf living at the foot of Pūtauaki maunga. Hana is the author of three books, with a fourth, On How To Be, with Discipline to be released at the Same Page Book Fair in Naarm in October. Mostly they are a haututu mum and a PhD candidate at Auckland University of Technology where they are investigating industrial poisoning, governmental decision making, Māori labour and the role of artists and writers in social and political movements in Aotearoa. Often they work collaboratively with friends in lots of mediums and organise spaces for sharing and learning. Their favourite movie is Terminator 2: Judgement Day.