Author Archive
Books but no beds
Written By: - Date published: 6:11 pm, October 18th, 2017 - 14 comments
Most viewed story on the Guardian website today: “New Zealand library cracks case of missing books.” Turns out some of Auckland’s 23,000 homeless were hiding bookmarked books in odd places so they wouldn’t lose their place. The library will now keep their books safe. Good on them. Finding homes for homeless must be a high priority for Aotearoa’s next government.
Passchendaele and Pyongyang
Written By: - Date published: 3:14 pm, October 12th, 2017 - 19 comments
The massive artillery barrage at Passchendaele was supposed to cut the German wire and make advance easy. All it did was churn up the mud though which so many doomed New Zealanders slogged and died. A monument to military incompetence and political disaster. These days they prefer bombs, which are equally deadly and equally futile. Its time we said no more.
Politics or Policy?
Written By: - Date published: 5:46 pm, October 9th, 2017 - 56 comments
Policy is everything, Winston Peters said today. This should not be a surprise. Before every election, he has refused to give any hint of Party support preference until after the vote. But he will have thought a lot about what he might want, as it has long been clear that his Party would decide the outcome. So what are his policies?
She’s got what it takes
Written By: - Date published: 12:23 am, September 17th, 2017 - 73 comments
Great read in London today – full page Guardian article headlined “I’ve got what it takes, says the charismatic Labour leader taking New Zealand by storm.” Send it far and wide.
Fire and Fury over North Korea
Written By: - Date published: 3:00 pm, August 12th, 2017 - 60 comments
Donald Trump may not know it but Koreans certainly remember the last time the United States unleashed fire and fury over North Korea. In the 1950s, B-29s used bombs and napalm to flatten every North Korean city. Gen Curtis Lemay boasted that the USAF killed off 20% of the population. That’s why this time they have nuclear weapons.
Politics in the Age of Populism
Written By: - Date published: 9:28 pm, July 6th, 2017 - 3 comments
Bryce Edwards, Stephanie Rodgers and Rob Egan. Connolly Hall, Guildford Street, Wellington, 5:30 pm Friday 7th July.Fabian society, all welcome.
New information on Glenda Hughes?
Written By: - Date published: 8:12 pm, June 28th, 2017 - 43 comments
On 20 June after Melanie Read’s Newsroom interview Andrew Geddis blogged about possible obstruction of justice by a National Party Board member. That was based on new information in the Barclay case, and may be why the Police have since re-interviewed Glenys Dickson.
Follow the money
Written By: - Date published: 10:39 pm, June 22nd, 2017 - 49 comments
Bill English’s texted electorate chair Stuart Davie on 21st February 2016 saying Glenys Dickson was given an extra payout from the Leader’s fund “to avoid potential legal action.” It was the only source available for an extra payout for confidentiality. English said today no-one in February knew there was any issue of illegality. Then what legal action and why an extra payment?
Dirty Politics 2017 style
Written By: - Date published: 4:05 pm, June 8th, 2017 - 27 comments
Latest polls and some anecdotal evidence from the doorstep are showing a move back to the Tories in Britain. If so it may in part be due to last-minute dark and dirty personally targeted Facebook advertising to voters in marginal seats. They cost so will need to be watched later on here.
Hager Hit & Run and NZ’s Asian wars
Written By: - Date published: 8:23 pm, June 5th, 2017 - 13 comments
Nicky Hager will talk about his book Hit and Run, and the issues it raises about New Zealand’s values and role in the world at 5:30pm on Wednesday 7th June at Connolly Hall, Guildford Terrace, Wellington. The book is about important events and the incoherence of New Zealand fighting it’s longest ever war in Central Asia. This talk is particularly timely in view of this week’s visit of the American Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson.
Scots git on Q+A
Written By: - Date published: 2:11 pm, March 27th, 2017 - 12 comments
I went to Q+A yesterday in search of political comment and was astonished to see John McTernan aka “Malcolm Tucker without the charm” given ten minutes to burble. McTernan promotes himself as a former political adviser to Blair and Gillard, but his last real job was chief of staff to Jim Murphy who led the Scottish Labour Party to oblivion in 2015.
Social investment meets the surveillance state
Written By: - Date published: 11:14 pm, March 4th, 2017 - 45 comments
First they came for the budgeting services. Now we know that every social service agency has to provide clients’ private personal data to the Ministry of Social Development or get no funding. Apparently it’s essential to Bill English’s much-touted and little understood “social investment” strategy, which is sounding more like something out of Orwell’s 1984. […]
Thanks Annette
Written By: - Date published: 11:38 am, March 3rd, 2017 - 9 comments
I well remember going to see new Minister of Employment Annette King in 1989 to ask for support for group apprenticeship in the motor industry. “Seems like a good idea, we’ll put up $50,000.” she said. I nearly fell off my chair. It was not the usual response from Ministers in those days, but is Annette King to a T – positive, decisive, and supportive.
Good ideas in Gisborne
Written By: - Date published: 1:28 pm, February 17th, 2017 - 97 comments
Andrew Little’s announcement yesterday in Gisborne of Labour’s pledge of up to $20million to build a prefabricated timber plant there is a much-needed boost to the area and a sign that Labour’s 100,000 new house pledge first made by David Shearer in 2012 has legs.
Key gives up on us, keeps International Democratic Union.
Written By: - Date published: 9:00 am, February 10th, 2017 - 33 comments
The Herald informs us that Key is going on the speaking circuit and will go back into finance (not that he ever left). Like John Howard before him, he also intends to carry on chairing the International Democratic Union of right-wing parties. Not a surprise.
Prof John Quiggin – After Reform, What Comes Next?
Written By: - Date published: 10:26 pm, February 9th, 2017 - Comments Off on Prof John Quiggin – After Reform, What Comes Next?
University of Queensland Professor John Quiggin, author of Zombie Economics, will speak on this topic for the Fabian Society in Wellington on Monday 13th and Auckland Thursday 16th of this month. All welcome, details and registration inside. Will be interesting.
Peter Thiel’s Libertarian Dream – for New Zealand?
Written By: - Date published: 11:08 am, February 2nd, 2017 - 86 comments
From a Business Insider article in the OIA papers: Thiel is a long-term thinker, so what’s the big picture? What could the contrarian investor see in a country of 4 million people whose economy is based on agriculture and tourism? Maybe Peter Thiel wants to turn New Zealand into the next Silicon Valley. Or maybe even the libertarian utopia of his dreams.”
75th Anniversary Battle of Endau
Written By: - Date published: 4:24 pm, January 26th, 2017 - 9 comments
Today marks 75 years to the day since the suicidal Battle of Endau, when obsolete aircraft were sent to prevent the Japanese landing. Of the 72 aircrew from Nos. 36 and 100 Squadrons who participated in the raids, 27 were killed, seven were wounded and two were captured. My uncle was killed but Ron Reid survived the raid and captivity. He is interviewed by Dave Homewood of WONZ in memory of the day.
2017: Political Year in Prospect
Written By: - Date published: 7:28 pm, January 25th, 2017 - 9 comments
Morgan Godfery, Mike Munro and Stephanie Rodgers will discuss this topic Thursday 26 January at Connolly Hall, Guildford Terrace, Wellington at 5:30pm for the Fabian Society. All welcome – will be interesting.
Trump’s First Press Conference
Written By: - Date published: 9:38 am, January 12th, 2017 - 41 comments
You have to say he is not afraid to take on the heavy mob. A very direct attack on Big Pharma – a US version of Pharmac? A very direct attack on the armaments industry’s star program the F-35 fighter-bomber and its cost overruns. Then there is the intelligence community and the mainstream news media. Read the transcript for yourself.
Spy vs Spy
Written By: - Date published: 10:47 pm, January 9th, 2017 - 127 comments
It is MAD. In the frenzy leading up to Trump’s inauguration, we have the extraordinary spectacle of the CIA interfering in the US election by accusing the Russians of interfering in the same election. The CIA used only to interfere in other people’s elections. On the serious side this intervention means the war party hasn’t given up yet, no matter what Trump may say.
Of Leaks and Hacks
Written By: - Date published: 3:23 pm, December 20th, 2016 - 24 comments
Maybe the Russians weren’t coming. Or we must believe that “KGB chief Vladimir Putin put Inspector Clouseau in charge of Russian security and left him to get on with it.” George Washington discusses the evidence. Fodder for the net-savvy
Denial in Politics
Written By: - Date published: 9:26 pm, December 17th, 2016 - 33 comments
There’s a lot of it around. The Democrats and their media and spook allies are in a complete lather over Putin’s supposed personal influence in the US election. Confident of victory and its spoils up till midday on election day, the Clinton team are incapable of assessing just what a debacle of a campaign they ran, still less what they need to do now. Lessons abound.
Cabinet reshuffle – Haere ra McCully?
Written By: - Date published: 9:46 pm, December 10th, 2016 - 31 comments
Bill English gets to name his own cabinet on Monday. It will be interesting to see what happens to McCully. In February McCully announced his intention to stand down in East Coast Bays and that he would seek a list place, but only if he remained as Minister of Foreign Affairs after the next election. It’s an ultimatum he may have cause to regret.
Three’s a crowd
Written By: - Date published: 9:28 am, December 7th, 2016 - 24 comments
The policy wonk, the ambitious change-maker, or the no-bullshit bullshitter – the contenders for National Party Prime Minister set out their stalls yesterday with John Campbell. Just like the Kaikoura quake, their pitches exposed some complex fault-lines. It’ll be a long week in politics.
Fabian Event – 5th Labour Government – 30 October Auckland 1pm
Written By: - Date published: 11:18 am, October 27th, 2016 - 4 comments
All are warmly invited to hear Sir Michael Cullen, Hon Margaret Wilson, Hon David Parker, Mike Williams, and Dot Kettle reflect on the experiences of Helen Clark-led three-term Labour government – its achievements and its legacy and discuss its lessons for the future. Sunday 30 October 1pm-5pm Owen Glenn Centre, Auckland University, Grafton Road. Please register here.
Fifth Labour Govt – Challenges and Lessons
Written By: - Date published: 8:04 pm, October 18th, 2016 - 7 comments
Michael Cullen and Margaret Wilson will speak at the Fabian Society Seminar “5th Labour Government – Lessons from a time of Challenges” at Owen Glenn Centre, Auckland University, Grafton Road on Sunday October 30 from 1-5pm. Mike Williams, Dot Kettle and David Parker will be on the panel. Everyone welcome to discuss and debate. Guaranteed to be interesting – details inside.
Out of the mouths of babes
Written By: - Date published: 1:35 pm, September 29th, 2016 - 15 comments
Watch five-year old Brook Blair give it to Theresa May about homeless people. Got the right answers too. Brilliant!
“Itching Scratches” on Nine to Noon
Written By: - Date published: 6:27 pm, September 26th, 2016 - 61 comments
Matthew Hooton got carried away on Nine to Noon dissing Andrew Little’s views on political strategy and the centre ground that appeared to differ from Helen Clark’s. Stephen Mills piled in too on Jeremy Corbyn and the “missing millions.” All Little said was that he wants to connect with different groups of voters on issues important to them. Can’t argue with that.
Brendon Bonner supports Living Wage
Written By: - Date published: 8:11 pm, September 22nd, 2016 - 17 comments
Red/Green/Independent Brendon Bonner is a candidate for the Southern Ward in the Wellington City elections. PSA staffer and declared socialist, he would like Wellingtonians to know that he too supports the Living Wage. His campaign video is here and a list of the policies he supports is here. More information on Facebook.
Warren strips cross-selling bank CEO
Written By: - Date published: 2:02 pm, September 22nd, 2016 - 25 comments
Watch Elizabeth Warren strip Wells Fargo CEO John Stumpf alive at a Senate hearing on ‘cross-selling’ of bank products customers didn’t need. Wells Fargo, one of the US’ biggest banks, was fined $185million, and 5300 employees at branch and teller level were sacked. The senior executive in charge was allowed to retire with nearly $100million in stock benefits. Warren thinks the top management should be held accountable. See what you think.
- Insulting people in printPerhaps contrary to appearances, I endeavour to keep my criticism of people in the spotlight here on topic, and confined to a recounting of facts (to the best of my knowledge) and then express my opinions and conclusions. I don’t ...7 hours ago
- Auckland show to commemorate the Russian Revolution
As Russia’s political leaders and oligarchs struggle with how to commemorate the centenary of the 1917 workers’ revolution, Auckland actors and activists will be assembling in Karangahape Road on Guy Fawkes’ Day in November for a show that examines ...8 hours ago - Artist Erin Forsyth wants you to care
We chat to Erin Forsyth about her illustrations of threatened native species that are on display at Whitespace Gallery. Erin Forsyth Whether it be the ground dwelling bats, male frogs that carry babies on their backs or parasitic plants with ...15 hours ago - Battery train plans go flat
Back in July, the council was pushed by Auckland Transport to make an urgent decision to approve additional funding to buy much needed new trains. Primarily this was to provide additional capacity on the network by enabling all trains (except ...15 hours ago - The lessons from the 2017 election … so far
Hey, we still don’t have a government! Nevertheless, the Wellington Fabians got together last night to hear Jane Clifton, Morgan Godfery, Mike Smith and me talk about the election aftermath. Here’s my speech notes. ~ The 2017 general election is ...16 hours ago - 5 Percent Of The Population, 100 Percent Of The Power.
17 hours ago - He toa takitini: if anything needs fixing, it’s our communities, not young people
Morocco Tai died on 9 October. He was 15 years old and driving a stolen car. He died when the car collided with a tree during a police pursuit. His two passengers are both in hospital, seriously injured. I do ...18 hours ago - South Auckland’s missing bus lanes
Back in December last year, newly elected Mayor Phil Goff looked to assert some authority over Auckland Transport through a Letter of Expectation. It included clear expectations about the need for more bus lanes with comments such as: We invite ...21 hours ago - Inferno XI: The geography of crime and punishment
Hell is a place on Earth. And although it is inhabited by spirits that are non-corporeal, they too will be reunited with their bodies after the Day of Judgment – whereupon they shall have to endure a second eternity, longer ...1 day ago - The beautiful world of whakawhanaungatanga
I got asked by my cousin Tommy Wilson to respond to Don Brash’s column (find it here on page 18) on the demise of the Māori Party in our local Bay Waka. Originally I was going to be his ghost ...1 day ago - The Maker Of “Men” – Masculinity and its Origins
1 day ago - Bird of the Year – Loving Aotearoa
I love that I live in a country where there is a competition for ‘Bird of the Year’. Right now, around New Zealand, there are teams and campaigns promoting the attributes of our native birds; from the famous kākāpo creeping ...1 day ago - #MeToo must be translated into action.
"They cannot just let it be a hashtag." Photo: creative commons / Richard Potts On Sunday, “When my tormentor died, I didn't feel a thing,” was the headline of broadcaster Alison Mau’s Star Times column. Mau’s father had ...2 days ago - Farmers are poisoning Canterbury
Thanks to intensive farming, a quarter of Canterbury's wells are close to exceeding safe nitrate limits:Increased irrigation in Canterbury is putting newborn babies at increased risk from water contamination, a medical officer of health says. Canterbury Regional Council figures show ...2 days ago - From Syria to Porirua
Meet the refugee rapper who rhymes to remember. Sharif King outside his home in Porirua. Photo: The Wireless/Max Towle Sharif King has been shot at, punched so hard his teeth have shattered and had an iron bar ...2 days ago - Spain has political prisoners againUnder Franco's dictatorship, Spain had political prisoners. And now, under the Francoist People's party, it has them again, with two Catalans jailed for sedition for organising peaceful protests for independence:The leaders of two of the main pro-independence civil society organizations ...2 days ago
- This is it – a government – soon – maybe
This is the week we will be told what parties will make up the governing coalition and who will sit on the opposition benches of Parliament. Of this I am sure. read more ...2 days ago - The Waterview Voluntary Tax
The Waterview tunnels were opened in July and one of the many pieces of equipment in them are a set of four speed cameras to monitor the 80km/h speed limits. Yesterday police revealed how many tickets they had issued and the ...2 days ago - The Zero Carbon Act
On 8th of November 2016 the World Meteorological Organization first demonstrated that global temperatures surpassed 1°C above earth’s pre-industrial average for an entire year. Believer in climate change or not, the scale of the job in front of our policy-makers ...2 days ago - The war on coal is over. Coal lost.
Last week, Trump’s EPA administrator Scott Pruitt announced, “the war on coal is over.” If there ever was a war on coal, the coal industry has lost. According to a new report from the Union of Concerned Scientists, many old American coal power plants ...2 days ago - Sue Bradford: Constant RadicalMy first memory of Sue Bradford is of the feisty speech she gave to the 1984 Economic Summit Conference pleading that a greater commitment be given to the people she worked with – those on the margins of society: the ...2 days ago
- A Post Election UpdateIt’s the start of another week and I wanted to give you a quick update on what’s happening in relation to our efforts to form a new Government for New Zealand. We’ve been working hard to ensure that the issues ...3 days ago
- Dainties and Chains: Progressive MPs And The “Wellington Bubble”
3 days ago - We should not be involved in thisIn 2015, the National government sent New Zealand troops to Iraq. Their role there was to train the Iraqi army so it could be used to fight "terrorists". Now, the army we helped train is being used to invade Kurdistan:Iraqi ...3 days ago
- Council’s City Centre video
On Friday the council published this video highlighting the importance of Auckland’s city centre and busting a few common myths, such as that the city sucks rates out of the rest of the region. Overall the video is pretty good ...3 days ago - Did Britain manipulate Australia’s dismissal?The British government and its monarch have always denied any responsibility for the 1975 dismissal of an elected government by an unelected governor-general. But it appears they were lying:Representatives of the British government flew to Australia in the lead-up to ...3 days ago
- Abortion denied at 18 weeks
A woman considered driving off the road when she discovered she was four months pregnant. Photo: Flo Karr / Unsplash A 22-year-old woman has been denied an abortion by North Shore Hospital, in the second known case ...3 days ago - Erotica from a woman’s perspective
Taking ownership of your body. Naomi Werrett, or Sylvia Gold. Photo: Carlos de Treend There are no photos of a teenage Naomi Werrett. Born in the Saudi Arabian port city Jeddah, on the Red Sea, she ...3 days ago - We have one year to create the largest ever protected area on Earth
In the words of David Attenborough, “Our planet is a blue planet”. With over 70% of our world covered by water, our oceans can be seen from across the solar system. It wasn’t long ago that the oceans were ...3 days ago - 2017 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming Digest #41
Story of the Week... El Niño/La Niña Update... Toon of the Week... Graphic of the Week... SkS Spotlights... Coming Soon on SkS... Poster of the Week... SkS Week in Review... 97 Hours of Consensus... Story of the Week ...3 days ago - Safety must become a higher priority
It has been a terrible time on our roads recently. Fourteen people died in the space of a week on our roads and the individual stories are heartbreaking: Police said a 56-year-old woman, 60-year-old man and a five-year-old boy who ...3 days ago - The Ocean Plastic Crisis
"Plastics!" This became one of the most famous film lines from the 1960s era. In the film The Graduate, young university graduate, Ben (Dustin Hoffman) appears annoyed and distracted when his wealthy American parents stage an elaborate party to show ...4 days ago - Sunday reading 15 October 2017
In the last few weeks we’ve seen a lot of engagement on the topic of housing, so I thought I’d share the perspectives of a few young women doing the mahi in this space. Firstly, Women in Urbanism Aotearoa ...4 days ago - 2017 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #41
A chronological listing of news articles posted on the Skeptical Science Facebook page during the past week. Editor's Pick Record Amazon fires stun scientists; sign of sick, degraded forests If climate change continues to worsen unchecked, and forest degradation ...4 days ago - An Expression Of Democratic Interest.
People Power: "Politics without romance" was how the extreme right-wing "public choice" theorist, James Buchanan, described the substitution of market forces for Democracy’s “expressive interests”. If the 2017 election was about anything, it was about turning that around.REGARDLESS of NZ First’s ...5 days ago - Time to Use the Remedy Provided by the Constitution?
We have now had three-quarters of a year in which to form a judgment of Donald Trump’s fitness to hold office. That judgment cannot help but be adverse – and the only remaining question is, how much more damage will ...5 days ago - Making massive profits from Greece’s debtCapitalism can turn almost anything to private profit for the rich minority. Take the massive Greek debt and the misery of austerity imposed on the Greek masses: by Michael Roberts The announcement by the European Central Bank that it has ...5 days ago
- New research, October 2-8, 2017
A selection of new climate related research articles is shown below. Climate change 1. Comment on “Scrutinizing the carbon cycle and CO2 residence time in the atmosphere” by H. Harde "As we will show, this alternative scheme is too simple, is based on ...5 days ago - Golriz Ghahraman on discrimination, hate, and white dudes on Twitter
'We're not in a post-race, post-gender society at all.' Iran-born New Zealand MP Golriz Ghahraman. Photo: Luke McPake / The Wireless "It's funny," Golriz Ghahraman says. "My Twitter account is going into the national archives... It ...5 days ago - CRL bus stop changes 3.0
A reality of a project like the City Rail Link is disruption. This disruption creates challenges but it can also provide interesting opportunities too. Challenges One of the challenges has been that Albert St has long been one of Auckland’s ...6 days ago - Even the IMF thinks we should tax the rich moreThe International Monetary Fund is not what you'd call a left-wing organisation. Instead, they've been one of the major forces pushing NeoLiberalism on the world for the past 40 years. But even they have been forced to admit that we ...6 days ago
- Talkin’ ‘Bout A Revolution – Or Not?
6 days ago - ‘I don’t like to remember, re-enact or glorify war.’
Poets Onehou Strickland and Zechariah Soakai on the Great War and the Māori and Pasifika soldiers who fought for an empire far from home. Poet Zechariah Fa'aumu David Soakai Photo: supplied. During the Great War, hundreds of ...6 days ago - Hard News: Friday Music: Staying Okay
One of the more welcome developments in the local music business in recent years has been a better focus on the welfare of people who work in it. That focus was given form a year ago when the New Zealand Music ...6 days ago - The Singles Life: Abdul Kay is ready for big things
Welcome to weekly series The Singles Life, where known experts Katie Parker and Hussein Moses peruse, ponder and pontificate on the latest and (maybe) greatest in New Zealand music Photo: Youtube With a co-sign from David Dallas and ...6 days ago - Observations on the 2017 Election campaign… (tekau)
. . At 2PM today (7 October 2017), the Electoral Commission announced the final vote results, including some 446,287 special votes cast (17% of total votes cast). As a result, National has lost two seats and the Greens and Labour ...6 days ago - NZTA still sabotaging the Northwest Busway
The NZTA not building a Northwest Busway alongside the upgrades to State Highway 16 is already shaping up as one of the biggest in Auckland’s long and notable history of transport mistakes. While investigations have been underway since at least ...6 days ago - Media Link: Weinstein, Trump’s mental health and Mueller lurking.
Mitch Harris and I continued our weekly radio conversations from the US, this week discussing Harvey Weinstein, reports that Trump is mentally “unraveling” and how the Mueller investigation into possible Russian interference in last year’s US election is progressing. Theme ...6 days ago - MMP doesn’t make king/queenmakers; the concept of voting does
Where there’s voting, there’s a Deciding Vote There’s a lot of focus on how much power Winston Peters (i.e. NZ First) currently has in coalition negotiations. He can choose which of Bill English or Jacinda Ardern is Prime Minister, and ...6 days ago - Is this Democracy?
As I write this Winston Peters may or may not have made up his mind whether to go with Bill or Jacinda. How many brain cells to you have to lose in order to regard MMP as a workable and ...6 days ago - Power, the AphrodisiacPower is an aphrodisiac. Fame, often power’s companion, is an aphrodisiac. Anyone who has enjoyed power or fame will know this to be true. The aphrodisiac qualities of power and fame are to a large degree unrelated to the physical ...6 days ago
- Consumerism or citizenship
Life as a consumer is very different to what we’re told. We’re told it’s easy, it’s effortless. That life flows better with Visa. We’re sold an image of smash avo on toast; of beautiful, thin, white women laughing at ...6 days ago - Capitalism’s moral mazeLife as a consumer is very different to what we’re told. We’re told it’s easy, it’s effortless. That life flows better with Visa. We’re sold an image of smash avo on toast; of beautiful, thin, white women laughing at ...6 days ago
- Baran-Sweezy and Marxist theory: further comments“The imperialists loot the world not out of sheer piggery but because they actually need the profits they extract. That ‘surplus’ is keeping their system alive, despite its deepening decay.” The Imperialism Study group hosted by Redline is focused on ...6 days ago
- White Man Behind A Desk, having a panic attack
White Man Behind A Desk's Robbie Nicol used his own experience with anxiety to create Billie, a character in The Candle Wasters' queer rom-com musical webseries Happy Playland. He shares his story with The Wireless for Mental Health Awareness week. Source: ...7 days ago - Waiting for Winston
Why is Winston Peters taking so long, wonders Māni Dunlop. Winston Peters' NZ First has the power to decide the next government. Photo: RNZ/Brad White A quick glance at all our major news outlets’ websites shows ...7 days ago - Otago University confirms job cuts
Tertiary Update – Vol 20 No 30 The University of Otago confirmed today that 160 general staff positions will be cut as part of a massive shake-up in the way support services are delivered at the university. The university has decided ...7 days ago - The path to change runs through our classrooms, labs, workshops, and lecture theatresSandra Grey, national president of the Tertiary Education Union, reflects on some of the debate taking place at this week’s Education International Asia-Pacific conference. Another mass shooting in the US, ethnic cleansings and genocide, climate change threating the very existence of Pacific ...7 days ago
- Massey staff and students stand together for fair payStaff and students at Massey University have come together to urge the Vice-Chancellor to support well paid jobs. Several hundred staff and students have signed postcards calling on Vice-Chancellor Jan Thomas to introduce a transparent and equitable pay model for general staff ...7 days ago
- Unitec Chief Executive steps downThe Chief Executive of Unitec, Rick Ede, has announced that he is stepping down after almost 10 years in the role. Ede’s contract had been due to finish at the end of 2018; however his resignation means the search for a new ...7 days ago
- Enrolments down as cost of living risesThe number of students enrolling in tertiary education has dropped to its lowest point in more than a decade, according to Ministry of Education figures. Ministry figures show 353,000 domestic students were enrolled in tertiary education last year, down from 423,030 people ...7 days ago
- Institutions need to do more to support mental healthThis week is Mental Health Awareness Week which offers an important opportunity to reflect on the impact workplaces can have on our mental health. Looking after the wellbeing of staff benefits everyone – and tertiary education institutions need to do more. ...7 days ago
- Support Australia’s marriage equality YES campaignThe Tertiary Education Union is urging members to support their colleagues across the ditch by backing the Marriage Equality Yes Campaign. Australians have until 7 November to vote in a national postal survey intended to gauge support for legalising same-sex marriage. It ...7 days ago
- Play it again, Winston: An Article Written 12 Years Ago For “The Independent”.
7 days ago - Comment: A celebration of social experiments
A celebration of social experiments. The offending Tweet, with jazzy filter Screenshot. Yesterday, Sean Plunket - Broadcasting Standards Authority board member, former TOP Party media advisor, and the guy who called Spinoff editor Duncan Grieve a ...7 days ago - Do we need a new fluoride debate?
I think we do. Something like the good faith scientific exchange I had with Paul Connett four years ago (see Connett & Perrott, 2014 – The Fluoride Debate). After all, there have been a number of important scientific reports since ...7 days ago - Once Upon a Time in Mainstream Media Fairytale Land…. . You can feel mainstream media’s frustration with the news-vacuum created by the two week period necessary to count the approximately 384,072 (15% of total votes) Special Votes that were cast this election. . . . Winston Peters has ...7 days ago
- An Open Letter To Winston Peters. . Kia ora Mr Peters, With the counting of Special Votes, a clearer picture has emerged as to what voters in this country have chosen. The majority have voted against National and it’s allies. In the face of childish ...7 days ago
- Why “Designing Cities for Women” should be a thing
This is a guest post from Emma, one of the founders of Women in Urbanism Aotearoa Cities are meant to be our greatest invention, where people can thrive, prosper and be happier because of close proximity to other people – ...7 days ago - Lessons from Argentina: the story of a factory takeover by workersIn the early 2000s, in response to capitalist austerity, especially workplace closures, a wave of factory takeovers by their workers occured in Argentina. Factory occupations in that country have continued and provide useful and practical examples how to fight redundancies ...1 week ago
- Despite Trump, American companies are still investing in renewable energyAfter the election of Donald Trump, many of us in the climate and energy fields were rightfully fearful. What would happen to international agreements to cut greenhouse gases? What would happen to funding for climate research? What would happen to the ...1 week ago
- While we wait, a few lessons from the caretaker daysWell, I hate to say 'I told you so'. But, this. As frustration builds over the way our new government is being built - amidst casual abuse, secrecy and over-reach - we really only have ourselves to blame, for the ...1 week ago
- These coalition talks
A summary of what we know, where we are at, and what may come next ...1 week ago - The world we live inHow scary is the Trump presidency? Scary enough that his senior officials have actually discussed physicly restraining him if he tries to nuke anyone:New York Magazine contributing editor Gabriel Sherman on Tuesday reported on a remarkable conversation he had with ...1 week ago
- Signed and suspendedLast weekened Catalans chose democracy over fascism, marching to the ballot boxes to vote for independence in the face of Spanish truncheons and rubber bullets. While Spanish violence succeeded in keeping the turnout to only 43% (55% if the ballots ...1 week ago
- Bird of the Year – Loving Aotearoa
I love that I live in a country where there is a competition for ‘Bird of the Year’. Right now, around New Zealand, there are teams and campaigns promoting the attributes of our native birds; from the famous kākāpo creeping ...1 day ago - A Post Election UpdateIt’s the start of another week and I wanted to give you a quick update on what’s happening in relation to our efforts to form a new Government for New Zealand. We’ve been working hard to ensure that the issues ...3 days ago
- Labour welcomes final election results
Today’s final election count has strengthened the mandate for change, and for negotiations to continue in earnest, says Leader of the Opposition Jacinda Ardern. “We congratulate Angie Warren-Clark on becoming Labour’s 14th additional MP, which expands the Labour caucus to ...2 weeks ago - Lewis Moeau – he aituā, he aituā!Kua tau ngā pōkeao ki runga i te marae o Te Poho o Taharākau ki roto o Manutūkē, oti rā ki runga o Puketapu me Manawaru, ngā maunga tipua o te hautipua kua riro nei. E heke ana ngā roimata me ngā ...2 weeks ago
- Statement on coalition negotiations“This morning I spoke with New Zealand First Leader, Winston Peters. We will look to hold a meeting between our respective teams later this week, while we wait for special votes to be counted. “Special votes remain an important part ...2 weeks ago
- Christchurch Helicopters helps rare parakeet
Christchurch Helicopters helps rare parakeet A new partnership between the Department of Conservation and Christchurch Helicopters to help save our rarest forest bird, the orange-fronted parakeet/kākāriki karaka, was announced at an event in Christchurch ...7 hours ago - Fairfax axe for sports reporters another blow to journalismE tū says a proposal by Fairfax Media to axe its entire team of 11 regional sports and racing reporters sends the message that the regions don’t matter. ...12 hours ago
- Animal advocates unveil ‘dog rodeo’ campaignLabour weekend, the start of the New Zealand rodeo season, will see calves, horses and bulls subjected to stress and fear in the name of entertainment. To coincide with the season’s start, SAFE has unveiled striking billboards and a hard-hitting ...18 hours ago
- Helping backyard trappers measure conservation successConservation Week 2017: Goodnature App allows kiwis to count their predator kills and see the nationwide capture tally grow in the build up to Predator Free 2050 ...18 hours ago
- NZMA policy on bullying adopted by World Medical AssociationThe New Zealand Medical Association (NZMA) believes the medical profession must take a leadership role in condemning bullying and harassment, says NZMA Deputy Chair Prof Harvey White. “We are delighted that, at its recent meeting in Chicago, the World ...1 day ago
- Remuneration for CEO of Guardians of NZ SuperannuationThe Guardians of New Zealand Superannuation, a Crown Entity operating as part of the State Services, has today publicly released information on its decision to increase the Chief Executive’s 2016/17 remuneration. ...2 days ago
- Local Government Virtue Signalling Shows Warped PrioritiesThe Taxpayers’ Union is calling for councils across New Zealand to ‘stick to their knitting’ and stop wasting money on public smoking bans and other unenforceable measures designed solely for political, rather than practical, purposes. “Listening ...2 days ago
- Plastic bottle sea monsters take on Coca-ColaSea monsters made out of plastic bottles and cans by children over the school holidays are being hand-delivered to Coca-Cola’s Auckland headquarters this afternoon, calling on the beverage giant to get serious about plastic waste. ...2 days ago
- Te Ara Whatu fundraising to attend COP23This year, the 23rd Conference of the Parties (COP23) will take place from 6 to 17 November in Bonn, Germany. The conference will be convened under the Presidency of Fiji. ...2 days ago
- East – West link needed irrespective of GovernmentEast – West link needed irrespective of Government Auckland needs the proposed East - West link between Onehunga and Sylvia Park irrespective of the final make-up of the new Government. ...2 days ago
- One year of Mayor Goff – Will he keep his rates promise?Today marks one year since Phil Goff was elected to the mayoralty of the Auckland Super City. Jo Holmes, Spokesperson for the Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance reflects on whether Mr Goff has delivered on his promises made to Aucklanders: ...3 days ago
- InsideOUT Advocates for LGBTQIA+ Youth Rights In SchoolsNational youth charity InsideOUT have released a new resource advocating for LGBTQIA+ young people’s legal rights at school. ...3 days ago
- Predator Free 2050 and The Call to ArmsNew Zealand’s Predator Free 2050 goal includes encouraging community-led projects to kill possums, rats and stoats. Nicola Toki, New Zealand’s Endangered Wildlife Ambassador, claims that it is important that New Zealanders get on board with the ...3 days ago
- On the NZ First’s delay in forming a governmentThree weeks after the September 23 election, the make-up of New Zealand’s next government is still undecided and a sense of crisis is engulfing the political establishment. ...4 days ago
- Q+A: US ambassador Scott BrownIran not adhering to the “spirit of the deal” – US Ambassador to NZ President Trump’s man in Wellington, Scott Brown, admitted on TVNZ’s Q+A programme this morning that “Iran could do better.” ...4 days ago
- On The Nation: Workers’ Rights PanelEqual Employment Opportunities Commissioner Jackie Blue says NZ could close the gender pay gap within 10 years and should make that our goal. She says a good start would be requiring companies with more than 250 employees to publish their ...5 days ago
- Moana Jackson at campaign against solitary confinementPrison abolitionist organisation People Against Prisons Aotearoa (PAPA) is launching its campaign against solitary confinement today in Auckland. The group’s aim is to have all forms of solitary confinement in prisons banned. ...5 days ago
- Prisoners and Community Offenders help for Conservation WeekPrisoners and Community Offenders help New Zealanders ‘love our backyard’ for Conservation Week Prisoners and community offenders across the country are helping New Zealanders ‘love our backyard’ – the theme for Conservation Week 2017. ...5 days ago
- Broadcasting Standards Authority and Sean PlunketMedia Release 13 October 2017 Statement from Sean Plunket In the interests of the smooth running of the Broadcasting Standards Authority I have chosen to resign my position as a member of the BSA Board. I wish the Board well ...5 days ago
- Campaign Involving Kiwis Wins Nobel Peace PrizeThe Peace Foundation worked to realise the New Zealand Nuclear Free zone in 1987, and has since worked with the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) to inspire others to realise a nuclear-free world. ...6 days ago
- Labour Selects Fleur Fitzsimons Candidate for Southern WardThe Labour Party has selected lawyer, mother of three and Island Bay resident Fleur Fitzsimons as its candidate to replace Paul Eagle as the Councillor for the Southern Ward on the Wellington City Council. ...6 days ago
- New Zealanders say North Korea will use a nuclear weaponA special Roy Morgan SMS Survey taken in late September, after the New Zealand Election, shows a majority (58%) of New Zealanders saying it is either ‘Very likely’ (19%) or ‘Fairly likely’ (39%) that North Korea will use a nuclear ...6 days ago
- Convicted Murderer Paroled for the Seventh TimeHow many chances should a convicted murderer, who keeps breaching Parole conditions be given? ...6 days ago
- AUSA Protects Young Nats, But Not ProLife GroupFamily First NZ says that in the latest bizarre twist in the debacle covering the Auckland University Students Association’s (AUSA) attempt to disaffiliate the student club Prolife Auckland, a similar attempt to disaffiliate the Young Nats has been ...6 days ago
- EU Delegation to NZ // NEWSLETTER no. 160HR/VP on 60 years of Euratom Treaty and the award of the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize ...6 days ago
- Gynaecologists to Train on Live SheepThe New Zealand Anti-Vivisection Society (NZAVS) are asking the organisers of an upcoming surgical workshop to reconsider using anaesthetised sheep. ...7 days ago
- 2017 General Election Writ ReturnedThe Electoral Commission has returned the writ for the 2017 General Election marking the end of the formal election process. ...7 days ago
- NZ First, deciding next NZ govt, keeps board members secretOct. 12 (BusinessDesk) - Two days after undertaking to release a list of the board of the New Zealand First party board, its president Brent Catchpole has changed his mind. ...7 days ago
- Leadership on speed limits required to reduce road tollNew Zealand’s horrifying road toll demonstrates the vital need for safer speed limits, according to road safety group Movement. ...7 days ago
- 100 years on from PasschendaeleAs commemorations are held in Wellington to mark 100 years since the Battle of Passchendaele a reminder is being made of how little progress has been made towards the fight for worldwide peace. ...7 days ago
- Police response to a 111 call reporting a suspicious drivingThe Independent Police Conduct Authority has found that two officers should have made further enquiries when dealing with an incident involving Tevita Filo on 6 January 2016, and that a Police dispatcher did not pass on all the available information. ...7 days ago
- Let’s Do ThisThe Taxpayers’ Union is welcoming the endorsement of the NZIER in its calls for an independent policy costing unit to be established for the use of all political parties. Executive Director of the Taxpayers’ Union , Jordan Williams, says “It ...7 days ago
- Generation Zero calls on new parliament to take actionDelegates attending the 10th Australia-New Zealand Climate Change and Business Conference in Auckland passed a unanimous resolution yesterday supporting the concepts outlined in the Zero Carbon Act, proposed by youth climate change campaigners Generation Zero. ...7 days ago
- Moana Jackson to speak out against solitary confinementPrison abolitionist organisation People Against Prisons Aotearoa (PAPA) is launching its campaign against solitary confinement this Saturday in Auckland. The group’s aim is to have all forms of solitary confinement in prisons banned. ...7 days ago
- Australia/NZ Climate Change & Business Conference, AucklandDelegates at a climate a climate and business conference in Auckland are calling for a statutory climate commission to set and monitor New Zealand’s carbon budgets. ...7 days ago
- Protection & Safety Of Families Sacrificed For Sex IndustryFamily First NZ is calling for the rights of families in Christchurch to take precedence over the prostitution industry, and is accusing politicians – both local and central government - of turning a blind eye to the harmful effects of ...1 week ago
- Ponzi scheme operator pleads guiltyA Christchurch man who used his businesses to conduct a Ponzi scheme has appeared in the Christchurch District Court today and pleaded guilty in a Serious Fraud Office (SFO) prosecution. ...1 week ago
- Peace actions continue amid concern about police tacticsPeaceful protests against the weapons industry continued today with a walking tour and picnic. The walking tour showed Wellingtonians the arms dealers on their doorstep. ...1 week ago
- Parents and Drinking BehavioursResponsible drinking champion Matt Claridge says regardless of where alcohol is sold, it is parents that are the biggest influencers when it comes to children’s future drinking behaviours. ...1 week ago
- PSA welcomes Inland Revenue’s halt to psychometric testingThe Public Service Association welcomes Inland Revenue’s sensible decision to suspend the use of psychometric testing as part of its controversial Business Transformation restructure following a legal challenge on behalf of PSA members, but cautions that ...1 week ago
- Call for lower speed limit ‘misguided’Lowering the speed limit will not reduce the road toll, says the car review website dogandlemon.com . ...1 week ago
- Call for New-Born Baby to Be Returned to Its ParentsA new-born baby taken from its parents at North Shore Hospital two weeks ago by Ōranga Tamariki should be returned to its parents, says former Human Rights and Race Relations Commissioner Joris de Bres. ...1 week ago
- New Council Assessments Show Councils Performing StronglyThe second round of council assessments through the local government excellence programme CouncilMARK™ have been released and include the programme’s first AA rating. ...1 week ago
- Professor honoured for political anthropologyUniversity of Auckland Professor of Social Anthropology, Cris Shore, has been honoured by Royal Society Te Apārangi for his contributions to political anthropology and the study of organisations, governance and power. ...1 week ago
- Fraudulent votes set Bird of the Year aflutterBird of the Year has been rocked by scandal on the first day of competition with someone making over a hundred fraudulent votes for the white-faced heron. ...1 week ago
- Commissioner uses final speech to urge Climate Change ActEnvironment Commissioner uses final speech to urge incoming Parliament to pass Climate Change Act Date: Wednesday 11 October 2017 Time: 3.15 pm Where: Climate Change and Business Conference, Grand Millennium Hotel, 71 Mayoral Drive, Auckland Where: Climate ...1 week ago
- It’s the corporate welfare not Israel which is the problemIt's the corporate welfare not Israel which is the problem 10 October 2017 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE An article published last week by Fairfax has left an incorrect impression on the reason why the Taxpayers' Union objects to the Government signing ...1 week ago
- NZ First board membership closely guardedOct. 10 (BusinessDesk) - New Zealand First party president Brent Catchpole has reluctantly agreed to make public the membership of the party's board of directors, who leader Winston Peters has said will be consulted before any government formation proposal ...1 week ago
- Amazing day of peace action disrupts Weapons ExpoMedia Release: Amazing day of peace action disrupts Weapons Expo Date: October 10, 2017, 5:30pm From: Peace Action Wellington ...1 week ago
- Auditor-General’s Annual Report 2016/17The Auditor-General’s Annual Report 2016/17 is now available on our website. Please note that PDF and physical copies of the report will be available after it has been presented to the House of Representatives once Parliament resumes sitting. ...1 week ago
- PNG faces ‘catastrophe’ over health if no crisis action taken, warns MP
Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz Port Moresby General Hospital … Papua New Guinea “has some of the worst health indicators in the Asia-Pacific region”. Image: Archive Pacific Media Centre Newsdesk An unprecedented level of mismanagement of Papua New Guinea’s affairs ...10 hours ago - Negotiation announcement tomorrow arvo – NZ First
New Zealand First says it will be in a position tomorrow afternoon to make an announcement on the result of negotiations. ...10 hours ago - NZ First announcement due tomorrow
NZ First leader Winston Peters says his party will announce the result of its coalition negotiations on Thursday afternoon, following days of talks. ...10 hours ago - Choice not duty: A mother interviews her husband about step-parenting her child
These days an increasing number of families are blended families, which means more step-parents and step-children. Julia Kerr reflects on the challenges of welcoming a new parent into your family, and talks to her husband about becoming a step-father to ...11 hours ago - Enough with the MMP catastrophising. The system is working just fine
It might feel like we’re waiting forever, says Simon Wilson, but MMP is operating effectively right now. What exactly is the problem? We had an election that did not deliver an obvious majority government, so coalition talks have been required. ...12 hours ago - Election17: A brief history of quite a long timeWinston-watch is enough to make even the most ardent political junkie's eyes glaze over. While you wait, Kate Newton has what you might have missed since Election Day. ...12 hours ago
- O, we wait! (A very short roundup of the state of negotiations)Just a collection of concluding sentences in recent political commentary.The last week or two have been an ordeal for people tasked with covering party politics. As New Zealand First’s negotiating team has shuttled between the National and Labour suitors, lips ...12 hours ago
- Shailendra Singh: How journalists can walk the Pacific climate change talkArticle by AsiaPacificReport.nz OPINION: By Dr Shailendra Singh Climate change seems to be getting increasingly more news coverage recently, which is a positive outcome—on at least some levels. But how engaging is the material? A core challenge with climate-change reporting ...13 hours ago
- Sharesies the love: how an online investing startup took flight
It’s only been going since June, so how did startup Sharsies capture thousands of customers and millions of their hard-earned money? Rebecca Stevenson caught up with Sharesies founder Sonya Williams to find out how they did it.Got a fiver? Want ...15 hours ago - Why learning te reo Māori doesn’t have to be a political actGraham Cameron proposes reasons for learning a language that have nothing to do with business.Ni hao! It’s Chinese Language Week. There has been some attempt in our local media to wrap their lips around the unfamiliar sounds of Mandarin, a few ...16 hours ago
- Why did Trump win? Hillary Clinton appears to have no goddamned idea
Danyl McLauchlan reviews the new election memoir by baffled sore loser Hillary Clinton.What did Hillary Clinton do after losing the election to Donald Trump? Pretty much what you’d expect: she cried; she prayed; she read books and poems (inevitably by ...16 hours ago - NZ First MP: ‘We’re getting close’New Zealand First is "98 percent of the way there" on policy discussions as it decides who to form a government with, MPs say. ...16 hours ago
- Rape culture lives in everyone, not just Hollywood bogeymen
They’re not lurking in bushes. We date them, we love them, we coddle them. Spinoff columnist Felix Desmarais explores why, in a country that doesn’t teach consent, rape culture thrives.Content warning: This post discusses sexual violence and harassment. It ...17 hours ago - Edging towards a final decisionPower Play - The New Zealand First board has packed up and gone home, and there is now a real sense of momentum towards the ultimate goal of forming a government. ...17 hours ago
- A decade after Urewera the Terrorism Suppression Act remains a threat to civil liberties
The designation of national liberation groups like the PKK as terrorist organisations, and the scrapping of a planned Law Commission review mean the legislation could be abused again, writes Cameron Walker.The 10th anniversary of the so-called “Urewera raids”, which saw armed police descend ...22 hours ago - The flower seller
Shobhana Ranchhodji runs a florist’s shop in one of the most difficult locations in the city: right by the Albert St tunnelling project for the City Rail Link. Simon Wilson went along to meet a retailer who’s determined to keep ...22 hours ago - Forget cancelling student fees. Let’s focus instead on fixing student welfare
With three out of the five parties in parliament keen on some form of free tertiary education, reform seems inevitable. That might be great news for graduates, writes Jack Close, but for students it’s a raw deal.In June of this ...22 hours ago - We found the genius behind the 1 News Tonight weather music
Fascinated by the surprising and often inspired music curation on TVNZ 1’s evening news bulletin, Calum Henderson goes in search of the person responsible.It is one of the great pleasures – only sometimes guilty – of modern TV viewing: being able to ...22 hours ago - Peters meets with leaders alone this eveningThe New Zealand First leader has met with the leaders of the National and Labour parties this evening as post-election negotiations continue. ...1 day ago
- Peters meets with leaders aloneThe New Zealand First leader has met with the leaders of the National and Labour parties this evening as post-election negotiations continue. ...1 day ago
- Matangi Tonga condemns state for ‘annihilating’ public broadcastingArticle by AsiaPacificReport.nz Viola Ulakai (left) and Laumanu Petelō out after TBC newsroom in “shake-up” … critical of PM ‘Akilisi Pōhiva. Image: Kalino Latu/Kaniva Tonga Pacific Media Watch Newsdesk Matangi Tonga has hit-out at what it says are ...1 day ago
- Is Winston Peters a Very Hungry Caterpillar?"Soon, the monarch butterfly will emerge", said NZ First MP Shane Jones of his leader this morning. Craig McCulloch asks how hungry is Mr Peters? And when will he shed his cocoon? ...1 day ago
- Bill English police interview on Barclay releasedPolice have released audio of the statement the then-Prime Minister gave during the original investigation into former National MP, Todd Barclay. ...1 day ago
- Winston Peters: Further talks with National, LabourNew Zealand First leader Winston Peters now says the party is not committed to an end-of-the-week timeframe for a final decision. ...1 day ago
- Former Hot Chip Alexis Taylor: ‘I’m alright with people knowing I’m a person.’
Matthew Crawley chats with Alexis Taylor, who saved many a dancefloor in Hot Chip and now tours the world playing solo songs on the piano.Once was a time when you couldn’t hit a dancefloor without being treated to a sweet ...1 day ago - The Kiwi face mask breathing new life into clean air
Combining the power of US capital and Kiwi engineering, O2O2 Facewear is on the forefront of anti-pollution technology. Jihee Junn talks to CEO Dan Bowden about how the future of filtration is transparent. In densely populated megacities like Beijing, surgical face ...1 day ago - ‘They speak English and have good lamb’: a Kiwi immigrant’s story
Thirty years ago this weekend, writer and filmmaker Ghazaleh Golbakhsh arrived in New Zealand with her family, refugees from war torn Iran. Inspired by Duncan Garner’s recent outburst, she reflects on life so far as an immigrant New Zealander.I was ...2 days ago - Mocking the haka: The Haka Party Incident and ‘casual’ racism in New Zealand
An innovative piece of theatre has resurfaced a long forgotten story with a lasting effect on race relations in New Zealand. Simon Day spoke to director Katie Wolfe about The Haka Party Incident.New Zealand is full of racism, from your ...2 days ago - NZ First has ‘inbuilt self-destruct’ mechanism – DunneThe former United Future leader Peter Dunne says whichever government is formed after coalition talks with New Zealand First is unlikely to last the parliamentary term. ...2 days ago
- ‘Just let her do the album by herself’: An oral history of Bic Runga’s Drive
To mark the 20th anniversary of Drive, and the upcoming anniversary tour to celebrate it, Hussein Moses talks to Bic Runga and those involved in the recording to find out how it became one of the most significant albums in ...2 days ago - Poor, tormented Charles Brasch and the Landfall poetry reading that went horribly wrong
Philip Temple reviews a mammoth volume of journals by Landfall founder Charles Brasch – and recalls a harrowing poetry reading which starred a blind man, a Scotsman, and a drunkard.Charles Brasch is principally remembered for founding Landfall in 1947 and, ...2 days ago - The Real Pod: The Married at First Sight NZ honeymoon is overThe Real Pod team assemble to talk about the haphazard honeymoons of Married at First Sight NZ. Just like the Married at First Sight contestants, The Real Pod team are finally back together in the same room to gossip themselves to ...2 days ago
- Meet the couple who tried to get sperm on Reddit
Eighteeen months ago, an anonymous couple posted on Reddit’s New Zealand forum with an unusual request: they wanted sperm, any sperm. Joel McManus tracked them down to ask them why. This article was originally published in Critic Te Arohi, the ...2 days ago - My Kitchen Rules NZ recap: The secret ingredient that rocked Manu’s world
The youngest contestants in My Kitchen Rules NZ history write the weirdest menu in My Kitchen Rules NZ history, and poor old Pete Evans has to read it out loud. From Teal and Sophie’s Wellington stately ...2 days ago - Greens will wait for Winston’s choice – ArdernLabour leader Jacinda Ardern says the Green Party will hold off ratifying any agreement to support a Labour-led government until after New Zealand First makes its choice. ...2 days ago
- Four big reasons why National should not lead the next government. And four why it should
As we await the puffs of white smoke from the Beehive, Simon Wilson offers the compelling arguments that National is unfit for office – and those that suggest they could still be a better option.Why National is unfit for office, ...2 days ago - Labour-Greens ‘pretty much ready to go’ – ArdernLabour leader Jacinda Ardern says all discussions with the Green Party have been settled, as New Zealand First continues to deliberate on who to form a coalition with. ...2 days ago
- ‘Considered’ coalition process important – ArdernLabour leader Jacinda Ardern says the party's negotiations with New Zealand First have focused on policy, not ministerial appointments. ...2 days ago
- LIVE: Jacinda Ardern on coalition talksLabour leader Jacinda Ardern is in Morning Report's Wellington studio as New Zealand First gets set for a second day of internal talks. ...2 days ago
- NZ First internal meetings to continueNew Zealand First's internal talks to decide which major party it will support to lead the next government will continue into their second day today. ...2 days ago
- The new work order
If robots are going to be the accountants, what is the point of getting a degree? Rebecca Stevenson reports on the future of work, and finds old skills are getting a new relevance.Late last month 100 New Zealand companies including ...2 days ago - Former NZ First MP picks change of governmentThe 55 percent of people who did not vote for National at the last election have sent a meaningful message for change, a three-term former New Zealand First MP says. ...2 days ago
- John Minto: Urewera 10 years on – recounting the lessons of the NZ surveillance stateArticle by AsiaPacificReport.nz A breathless police and media commentary about a cocktail of napalm bombs, terrorist cells, guns, ammunition, Māori extremists, guerrilla warfare, assassination threats against politicians … but it was all hyped up. Image: The Daily Blog ...2 days ago
- Married at First Sight NZ Power Rankings – Drowning sorrows at the cocktail party
Alex Casey power ranks the third week of Married at First Sight NZ, full of cocktails, baths and deep regret. I think I was more excited for this cocktail party than any Bachelor cocktail party, real-life cocktail party, or shrimp cocktail. ...2 days ago - NZ First board to meet again tomorrowThe New Zealand First board and its MPs will resume their discussions tomorrow about whether to form a government with National or Labour. ...2 days ago
- By the numbers: the story of women and the NZ Music Awards
Jessie Moss crunches the numbers on the VNZMAs and discovers some surprising – and unfortunately not so surprising – facts about gender representation in our biggest music awards. 2017 has been a big year for women in the New Zealand music ...2 days ago - Huge: there’s a Stranger Things mobile game, and it’s both free and good
Don Rowe dips his toes back in the murky waters of the Upside Down with the Stranger Things mobile game. It’s almost inevitable these days that any somewhat successful media product will be iterated across every platform and medium like some ...2 days ago - What did you just yell at me?
Every day, women with the temerity to go out onto our streets are subject to catcalling, harassment and abuse – and women who run have it especially bad, writes Megan Hunt.The worst case of catcalling I’ve experienced was more of ...2 days ago - The baby with the broken bones
A baby girl with broken ribs is taken into government care; 14 months later her newborn brother is also taken into custody at an Auckland hospital. But the case is not as simple as it seems, writes Joris de Bres.Two ...3 days ago - The Urewera Raids: a prison diary
Wellington activist Valerie Morse was among the Urewera 16 arrested and jailed 10 years ago. We present an excerpt from her prison diary, Can’t Hear Me Scream.As follows, four pages reproduced from a kind of journal written inside Arohata Womens Prison by Valerie Morse ...3 days ago
Recent Comments