Author Archive
Bringing it home
Written By: - Date published: 1:02 pm, December 9th, 2008 - 16 comments
These ads made by the ACTU to oppose John Howard’s removal of unfair dismissal rights sure bring home what National’s fire at will law will mean for working families. No wonder National wants to curtail any real debate by ramming it through under urgency. Part two is here.
Ramming it through
Written By: - Date published: 11:11 am, December 9th, 2008 - 51 comments
I’ve just been informed that the National/ACT Government has put its 90 day fire at will bill on the Order Paper and could ram it through under urgency as early as tomorrow. This is frankly an astonishing abuse of our democracy. A piece of legislation that will remove basic work rights from hundreds of thousands […]
No longer at the back of the class
Written By: - Date published: 10:47 am, December 9th, 2008 - 17 comments
Word is National’s David Bennett will be chairing the Transport & Industrial Relations select committee. After his unhinged performance over the youth minimum wage bill (audio below) where he screamed that the bill was “communism” and that we need to protect our hierarchical society, I’m not surprised John Key doesn’t want to send the 90 […]
Kiwisaver changes
Written By: - Date published: 9:20 pm, December 8th, 2008 - 16 comments
NZPA reports that the Government is looking at reviewing its changes to Kiwisaver so that workers who don’t earn enough to get the full $20 tax credit in a revised 2% scheme are not unfairly discriminated against. The changes are expected to cost $700 million over five years. This is a good measure, and in […]
Urgency
Written By: - Date published: 2:38 pm, December 8th, 2008 - 50 comments
During this morning’s Nine to Noon politics segment Matthew Hooton was saying how he thought the Government’s 100-day action plan would only include policies signalled prior to the election when he let slip: “And I’m sure while there will be some complaints about one measure… er… some measures…” I wonder what that one unpopular measure […]
What to do with Treasury
Written By: - Date published: 2:28 pm, December 5th, 2008 - 38 comments
It’s good to see Treasury’s extreme right-wing prescription for New Zealand has not been wholly embraced by the National Party – and it’s easy to see why. While Bill English (a former Treasury wonk himself) no doubt agrees with the policy ideas and direction outlined by Treasury, he has the disadvantage of being accountable to […]
A journal for the ruling class
Written By: - Date published: 12:36 pm, December 4th, 2008 - 74 comments
The Herald continues its campaigning today with a puff piece about a poll that claims business wants National’s 90 day ‘fire at will‘ policy enacted as soon as possible. The policy would remove the right of any worker in a small business to appeal against unfair dismissal during their first 90 days in a new […]
Godwinin’
Written By: - Date published: 9:55 am, December 3rd, 2008 - 3 comments
More gold from Lyndon Hood: Blogger Still Maintains Clark Just Like Mugabe The power-sharing arrangement Helen Clark has permitted after the opposition National party’s election victory may dissolve into violence at any time, reports an anonymous blogger who continues to insist New Zealand has become exactly like Zimbabwe. There is increasing concern for the blogger, […]
Fiasco
Written By: - Date published: 3:56 pm, December 2nd, 2008 - 68 comments
John Key’s first test as Prime Minister in a crisis is turning into a bloody fiasco, with the leader of the opposition having to tell him how to do his job through the media. Read the linked article, it’s extraordinary. For the sake of the hundreds of Kiwis stranded in Thailand, can’t John just spare […]
Garth McVicar
Written By: - Date published: 3:08 pm, December 2nd, 2008 - 68 comments
Sensible Sentencing Trust spokesman Garth McVicar’s analysis of prisons today: “Under our present prison policy the inmates are basically running the prison” Why does anyone take this man seriously?
ACT snaps up Hollow Men star
Written By: - Date published: 1:50 pm, December 1st, 2008 - 5 comments
The Sunday Star Times reported yesterday that ACT had “snapped up” former Brash advisor Peter Keenan, one of the lead stars of Nicky Hager’s The Hollow Men. The Hollow Men revealed, among other things, that Mr Keenan counselled Dr Brash to campaign on populist issues such as law and order and the Treaty of Waitangi […]
CTU calls for fairer tax cuts
Written By: - Date published: 12:19 pm, December 1st, 2008 - 50 comments
The Council of Trade Unions is calling on National to re-jig its tax package to give it more balance. And fair enough too – despite the media narrative about National’s ‘moderate’, ‘centrist’ policies the figures show its tax package is actually incredibly regressive. In fact, you could argue it’s been explicitly designed to divert money […]
Nats scrap citizens’ jury on electoral reform
Written By: - Date published: 5:49 pm, November 28th, 2008 - 42 comments
Frogblog reports: The Green Party initiative to have electoral reform reviewed and managed by a citizens’ jury has been scrapped by the National government today. While not surprising, it does mean that electoral reform falls back into the hands of the politicians – putting the wolves back in charge of the hen house. The press […]
Basin Reserve flyover
Written By: - Date published: 11:31 am, November 28th, 2008 - 43 comments
Over the last few weeks I’ve heard the odd grumble in Wellington leftie circles about the proposed Basin Reserve flyover but until now haven’t really paid much attention. Nor, does it seem, have many others. The 3D artists’ projection above shows why we probably should. According to the Save the Basin Reserve campaign, the NZ […]
Kids set back children’s franchise 100 years
Written By: - Date published: 3:55 pm, November 26th, 2008 - 23 comments
The results are in from the NZ Post-sponsored Kids Voting project, and while it’s a worthy project it nonetheless shows why we don’t allow children the franchise. More than 13,000 school students nationwide took part in the project aimed at encouraging kids to take an interest in our democracy. The resulting Parliament had Labour and […]
TVNZ cancels Agenda
Written By: - Date published: 1:13 pm, November 25th, 2008 - 27 comments
No Right Turn reports that TVNZ has cancelled Agenda, New Zealand’s only in-depth political interview and analysis show: According to Dennis Welch on Radio NZ this morning, TVNZ has cancelled Agenda, New Zealand’s top current affairs show. No word on what, if anything, they plan to replace it with, but it would be interesting to […]
All the facts
Written By: - Date published: 11:52 am, November 25th, 2008 - 81 comments
National’s David Farrar has been running a series for some time trying to paint NZ Labour as out of step with Labour Parties around the world when it comes to their attitude on tax cuts. His intention, of course, is to portray Labour as extreme left and his mates in National as centrist and middle […]
Work choices
Written By: - Date published: 4:48 pm, November 24th, 2008 - 48 comments
Watching this new ad from the Australian Council of Trade Unions on employment law reform was kind of depressing – while the Aussies are looking forward to getting their work rights back under a new government, ours is drafting up legislation to take them away. Time for a change eh? Guess we should have read […]
X-rated
Written By: - Date published: 3:01 pm, November 21st, 2008 - 13 comments
There’s a lot of fuss about at the moment over Ayman al-Zawahri’s labelling of Barack Obama as the kind of “house negro” described by Malcolm X. It’s a rather absurd comparison, and in my view probably more a sign of Al-Qaeda’s increasing irrelevance than anything else. But as it turns out, I was listening to […]
Farmers workers protest today
Written By: - Date published: 10:25 am, November 21st, 2008 - 33 comments
Workers from Farmers stores in the Auckland area will take part in a ‘Skinny Santa’ parade down Queen Street today to protest against their low rates of pay and for a $15 minimum wage. Most Farmers staff are only paid between $12 and $13.50 an hour and the company’s latest pay offer would give the […]
Goff announces shadow cabinet
Written By: - Date published: 12:22 pm, November 20th, 2008 - 44 comments
Labour leader Phil Goff has announced his shadow cabinet. As announced already Cunliffe takes finance, Clark takes foreign affairs, Hughes and Chadwick are whips. Annette King takes on social development in addition to the deputy leadership – a smart move, she’ll make mincemeat out of Paula Bennett. Ruth Dyson takes health, Chris Carter holds education […]
Delaying tactics
Written By: - Date published: 4:49 pm, November 19th, 2008 - 73 comments
The National Party’s decision to resurrect the idea of a carbon tax is one of the most cynical plays I’ve seen in a while, coming from a party that opposed a carbon tax from day one. In fact, for all their hollow attacks on Labour’s climate change record it’s been National that has campaigned harder […]
Wellington party vote breakdown
Written By: - Date published: 10:01 am, November 19th, 2008 - 30 comments
The Wellingtonista has a cool post up with a breakdown of Left vs Right voting patterns in Wellington this election. The map above shows party vote on a booth by booth level. The blue bloc represents National, Act and United Future, and the red bloc is Labour, Green and Progressive. NZ First and the Maori […]
A break from the honeymoon
Written By: - Date published: 2:00 pm, November 18th, 2008 - 60 comments
While most of the big media are giving John Key his criticism-free honeymoon (“OMG! A solo mum! An Asian! And a gay chap!”) the good old ODT has seen through the centrist spin: Prime Minister-elect John Key showed a clear intention yesterday to move the National-led government more to the Right of the political spectrum […]
Trotter back blogging
Written By: - Date published: 10:31 am, November 18th, 2008 - 16 comments
Chris Trotter has a new blog. Good to see he’s left those creeps over at policy.net and gone out on his own. I don’t always agree with Trotter, in fact at times I find him infuriating, but he’s a smart guy and always worth a read. Welcome back, Chris. Hat tip: Jafapete
Cabinet announced
Written By: - Date published: 3:35 pm, November 17th, 2008 - 112 comments
National’s cabinet has been announced. No major surprises, though Maurice Williamson has been dumped outside cabinet and unpopular newcomer Steven Joyce has taken Transport. Lockwood Smith is speaker. More detail and analysis later, but for now the full list is over the break. THE CABINET Portfolios Other responsibilities 1 John Key Prime Minister Minister of […]
John Key’s victory parade
Written By: - Date published: 3:05 pm, November 17th, 2008 - 2 comments
No, not the one the Herald’s organising. Over at Scoop Lyndon Hood’s unveiled his own victory parade for John Key and I gotta say, it’s his best effort yet. Go over and have a look.
Key reneges on PSA promise
Written By: - Date published: 2:13 pm, November 17th, 2008 - 24 comments
Well, just days after a high profile meeting with PSA head Brenda Pilott and a promise to engage with unions John Key has decided to exclude the PSA from his Task Force on the future of the public sector. The National/ACT government will instead appoint private sector consultants and private sector chairs to review government […]
Local Govt minister wants to privatise water
Written By: - Date published: 11:58 am, November 17th, 2008 - 91 comments
As you’ll have read, John Key has made ACT leader Rodney Hide his Minister of Local Government. So, what’s ACT’s local government policy? Commercial activities are best performed by the private sector because they have more incentive to innovate and deliver better services. Local government should progressively shed ownership of its commercial activities. Local government […]
Polar bear returns
Written By: - Date published: 11:28 am, November 14th, 2008 - 17 comments
From Scoop: The hapless polar bear that emerged during the recent TVNZ You-Tube leaders debate has resurfaced to issue a plea to Prime Minister-elect John Key. “The planet is on the slide due to climate change,” stresses the bear. “Me and my ilk are like canaries in the coal mine. But by-God we’re not the […]
- Jim Chalmers’ third budget will have a surplus of $9.3 billion for this financial year
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The third Chalmers’ budget will deliver a surplus of $9.3 billion for this financial year – the second successive surplus of the Albanese government. This will be the first time there have been back-to-back ...6 days ago - Leadership In An Insecure World: Urgent Need To Increase NZ’s Official Development Assistance At T...
The Council for International Development (CID) presented a compelling case to the Finance and Expenditure Select Committees this week at Parliament, urging the New Zealand Government to significantly boost its Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) ...7 days ago - Te Pāti Māori slams tabling of controversial Oranga Tamariki Bill during Parliament recess
The bill to repeal Section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989 was introduced to Parliament on Monday. ...7 days ago - Pākiri residents would be 'crushed' if sand mining fast-tracked, committee toldA provision in the proposed fast-track law allowing previous court rulings against consents to be put aside would be a 'travesty of justice', they say. ...7 days ago
- Waitangi Tribunal able to summons minister, court finds
The Waitangi Tribunal’s summons to sitting Minister Karen Chhour as part of its inquiry into the Government’s plans to amend the Oranga Tamariki Act was lawful, the Court of Appeal has found. The ruling runs counter to a judgment by the High Court three weeks ago, in which Justice Andru ...7 days ago - Court of Appeal overturns decision that blocked Children's Minister from Waitangi Tribunal summ...But a bill has been introduced to Parliament, meaning the Tribunal no longer has jurisdiction over the case. ...7 days ago
- Snap Protest Against Archive Cuts On Tuesday 14 MayThe PSA is holding a snap protest at 8am, Tuesday 14 May outside the National Library in Wellington against the decision to not continue funding digitising the national archives. ...7 days ago
- Goodbye to Fair Go, television’s ‘plucky little battler’
Ahead of the final episode of Fair Go, some of the show’s former presenters look back at what the iconic consumer affairs series meant to them. Fair Go, as former presenter Haydn Jones puts it, was “the show nobody wanted to appear on”. You either had to be ripped off ...7 days ago - How to cope with not seeing the aurora this weekend when everyone else didDidn’t see the amazing and exquisite southern lights over the weekend? You’re not alone: Shanti Mathias has some tips on how to cope. Not to gloat, but I had a very lovely weekend. I went for a long bike ride in the sunshine. I read a magazine on the back ...7 days ago
- Roads Over Everything Else Will Cost People And PlanetThis morning’s announcement from the Minister of Transport highlights his lack of ideas and lack of appetite to confront the climate crisis ...7 days ago
- Auckland Man Sentenced To Home Detention For Pokies Gambling Grant FraudAt the time of the offending, Mr Ape ran Hoop Star Basketball Academy and submitted fraudulent grant applications that represented over $75,000 in fictitious costs. ...7 days ago
- Local Authority Financial Statistics: Year Ended June 2023Local authority financial statistics provide information on the annual performance of core non-trading activities of all New Zealand's territorial and regional councils. ...7 days ago
- Transport Minister announces new 'Roads of Regional Significance'The government its expanding Roads of National Significance to regional routes, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. ...7 days ago
- Why public housing is under threat from the debt narrativeKāinga Ora’s debt problem is serious – but so is the urgent need for more affordable homes, says poverty campaigner Alan Johnson. As Kāinga Ora cancels projects and sells land previously earmarked for development, it’s clear that two issues are set to dominate the public housing narrative over the next ...7 days ago
- Watch live: Transport Minister announces new 'Roads of Regional Significance'The government its expanding Roads of National Significance to regional routes, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. ...7 days ago
- Wellington Residents’ Views Being Misrepresented In Long-Term Plan ConsultationTrue to form, Wellington City Council’s consultation has been a flop. If they’ve been recording residents’ answers incorrectly, then the only option is to go back to the drawing board and start public consultations again from scratch. ...7 days ago
- Mayor told about Auckland parking changes in April, Auckland Transport head claimsThe head of Auckland Transport is a "little bit surprised" by the mayor's claim he was blindsided by the changes. ...7 days ago
- A record-breaking year for political donations is no cause for celebrationBig business is pouring eye-watering sums into parties on the political right. Max Rashbrooke wonders what it’s getting in return. A couple of years ago, a National Party contact told me it had “never been easier” to get big donations from businesses. Anger about the Covid-era “fortress New Zealand” policy, ...1 week ago
- Announcement From Councillor Ray Chung, WellingtonWellington City is in the worst shape it’s ever been – economically, socially, and culturally. ...1 week ago
- Why the UK parliament is monitoring our fast-track consenting billIn this extract from The Bulletin, Stewart Sowman-Lund looks at the proposed law and the ongoing concern about it. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. Where we’re at with the fast-track ...1 week ago
- NZTA tells dealers to repay Clean Car rebates on almost 200 EVsWaka Kotahi has found almost 200 cases where car dealers pocketed electric vehicle subsidies, then broke the law. ...1 week ago
- Heath funding fails to keep up with inflation or demand – doctors' unionSome experts argue it's time to consider alternatives ways to pay for healthcare which could take politics out of it. ...1 week ago
- Can you really provide meals for teens for $3 a pop? And will they eat it?The revamped school lunch programme is budgeting $3 per lunch, rather than the current $8. But is it really so simple to cut costs? Shanti Mathias investigates. Last week, associate education minister and Act Party leader David Seymour announced the government’s revamped school lunch programme, which will provide food to ...1 week ago
- A Kiwi mermaid in Paris, 100 years agoExactly 100 years ago, on the eve of another Paris Olympics, young Kiwi Gwitha Shand was the talk of the swimming world. The 19-year-old from Christchurch had broken the world record in the 440-yard freestyle multiple times leading up to the 1924 Olympics, and was described in newspapers as one ...1 week ago
- Ockhams: Penguin shock on eve of book awardsThe New Zealand book trade is still reeling after the shock news that Penguin has axed its head of publishing. The redundancy comes just as the biggest week of the year in New Zealand literature is set to take place. The winners of the Ockham national book awards are announced ...1 week ago
- The haves and have-nots of aged careA rest home with a concierge, iced tea fountain, hybrid Jaguars to drive, and caviar on the menu. That’s not imaginary or from some far-flung country – it’s reality here in Aotearoa. Oceania Healthcare just officially opened ‘The Helier’ – a retirement apartment and aged-care complex in the Auckland suburb ...1 week ago
- I don’t know what Aukus is and at this point I’m afraid to askThe USA and China are beefing, Winston Peters is getting sued by some Australian guy, and Helen Clark and Don Brash are friends now? Here’s everything you need to know about Aukus but were too afraid to ask. What is Aukus? Aukus, which stands for Australia, the United Kingdom, and ...1 week ago
- Newsroom daily quiz, Monday 13 MayLoading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A,DIV,A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp'); Got a good quiz question? Send Newsroom your questions. The post Newsroom daily quiz, Monday 13 May appeared first on Newsroom. ...1 week ago
- Daily crossword, Monday 13 MayThe post Daily crossword, Monday 13 May appeared first on Newsroom. ...1 week ago
- Job seekers feel the pressure as labour market softens againBusiness & investing: All regions recorded an annual double-digit percentage decline in job ads The post Job seekers feel the pressure as labour market softens again appeared first on Newsroom. ...1 week ago
- No need to shock with a fake crisisOpinion: The cold weather and spikes in power demand have been well handled by the electricity system The post No need to shock with a fake crisis appeared first on Newsroom. ...1 week ago
- Auckland’s gravity-defying debt swallows the airport share millionsAuckland’s debt remains stubbornly high, despite a large airport share sale, but the Watercare deal and new limits might start to tame the beast The post Auckland’s gravity-defying debt swallows the airport share millions appeared first on Newsroom. ...1 week ago
- Explainer: Why new school attendance data doesn’t match the rhetoricAnalysis: The Government has launched its crackdown on truancy, with daily attendance data reporting The post Explainer: Why new school attendance data doesn’t match the rhetoric appeared first on Newsroom. ...1 week ago
- Mining lobby: Fast-track bill’s ministerial powers ‘not unusual’ Ministers make the final decision in many areas, but the ability to control the front and back end of the process would be unique The post Mining lobby: Fast-track bill’s ministerial powers ‘not unusual’ appeared first on Newsroom. ...1 week ago
- Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters meets with new Solomon Islands PMThe foreign affairs minister has landed in Solomon Islands for the first leg of his Pacific tour, and an audience with the newly elected Prime Minister. ...1 week ago
- Season two of The Boy in the WaterOn an unusually hot night in January 2019, a little boy’s lifeless body was found face up in a small town’s sewage oxidation pond. To the police, it was an open and shut case: three-year-old Lachlan Jones had run away from his home in the Southland town of Gore, climbed ...1 week ago
- Pre-budget teasers increase exposure – and scrutinyMediawatch looks at how one pre-Budget announcement played well for a minister last week - but this week, one was badly botched. ...1 week ago
- An Ode to .. SeymourGrub Street King Luxon rode through the streets Of King’s Landing, and was troubled By the sight of hungry urchins in the mud. “Who would be the best of my Lords To deal with this negative optic?” He pondered. The answer came to him instantly. “Seymour!” he said to himself. ...1 week ago
- Fast Track Bill Should Be Withdrawn“The Bill does not provide environmental protection, good quality decision making, certainty, public participation or speed. It should be withdrawn.” ...1 week ago
- Fast-track Approvals Bill: Chief Ombudsman calls for accountability by lawDemocracy will be the "loser" if sweeping executive powers are granted to ministers under the new bill, the Chief Ombudsman warns. ...1 week ago
- Australian Strategic Policy Institute warns AUKUS could 'crush' its defence industryAn Australian Strategic Policy Institute report says Pillar Two could raise the industry to state of the art capability - or "crush" it "under the weight of the globe's biggest player". ...1 week ago
- UN vote: NZ supports 'enhancing Palestine's status' – PetersNew Zealand has voted in favour of a resolution to broaden the Palestinian role at the United Nations General Assembly. ...1 week ago
- Cold houses to blame for people needing to 'blast the heater' – Green Building Counc...New Zealand's housing building standards are decades behind most other countries in the OECD, green building advocates say. ...1 week ago
- Austerity For Everyone Except Weapons Dealers“Instead of following along countries that are investing in death and better ways of killing people faster, we need to invest in life and in making Aotearoa a fair, just and equitable place where everyone has what they need for a dignified life.” ...1 week ago
- The Secret Diary of .. Te Pāti MāoriMARIAMENO KAPA-KINGI, TPM MP FOR TAI TOKERAU This Government will not waver in its mission to exterminate Māori. CHRISTOPHER LUXON Oh well look you know I don’t think that hard-working Kiwis want to hear language like that. It’s just really unhelpful rhetoric. My Government is genuinely committed to advancing outcomes ...1 week ago
- When body positivity morphs into toxic masculinityThe body positivity movement started with women confronting the unrealistic expectations and unrepresentative portrayals of them in media and advertising. Men weren’t part of it … their bodies hadn’t been sexualised to the same extremes and they didn’t really need it. But now that’s changed. And in a warped sort ...1 week ago
- ‘A curse and a blessing’: Ginette McDonald on how Lyn of Tawa changed her lifeThe New Zealand comedy legend takes us through her life in television, including the time she hugged Elton John and the unshakeable legacy of a girl named Lyn. In 1981, Ginette McDonald stood on the stage of Auckland’s St James Theatre and directly addressed Queen Elizabeth II. It was a ...1 week ago
- ‘Mothering looked beautiful but also chaotic and stifling’: On flatting with a newbornAn essay by Lily Duval from the just-released anthology Otherhood: Essays on being childless, childfree and child adjacent. I was 22 when my friend Alice gave birth in the living room of our pokey Addington flat. She laboured in the blow-up pool for hours. Garish fish swam along the inflated ...1 week ago
- Motherhood: A reading journeyElla Borrie on the best books about motherhood she’s come across so far. Over the past few years I’ve been drawn to books about motherhood. I’m fascinated by the joys and horrors of becoming a parent. The question of children also feels more pressing than it used to. It’s like ...1 week ago
- The Steve Awards 2024: Honouring the year’s worst Mother’s Day marketingOut of gift ideas for mum? You can’t go wrong with a bottle of toilet cleaner and a new squeegee. Emily Writes is the writer and editor of Emily Writes Weekly. This week marks five years since I published a post on The Spinoff about Mother’s Day marketing titled ‘A ...1 week ago
- The Sunday Essay: A buzzy yearMy husband is posted overseas for 12 months and I’m armed with an expensive, newfangled vibrator. Will I miss him? The Sunday Essay is made possible thanks to the support of Creative New Zealand. A few days after my husband leaves, a new sex toy arrives at the front door. Nestled ...1 week ago
- Tracing four decades of Wellington street artJaimie Baird’s new book Here Today Gone Tomorrow is a record of four decades of graffiti and street art in Wellington, told through more than 1,200 photographs. He spoke with Joel MacManus about what inspired the book. How did you first get interested in photographing street art? I remember ...1 week ago
- The Weekend: How the woke sausage is madeEditor Madeleine Chapman looks back at a busy week where food of all political leanings dominated. Sometimes you’re just going about your week thinking you’ve got a good handle on what might be coming as far as news topics and then someone (usually a politician) says something so ridiculous that ...1 week ago
- The Boy in the Water: Police caught in ‘zone of uncertainty’ In a week of cold rain and frost, the climate in courtroom four upstairs at the Invercargill courthouse was simmering with restrained indignation. At times it felt like the famous Mexican standoff scene from Reservoir Dogs, or, as someone watching the proceedings described it, there was so much throwing of ...1 week ago
- Short story: Message me, by Lucy O’ConnorA banner notification alerts me to the fact that I’ve received an Instagram message from @felicity.loves. She always comments on my posts. I shouldn’t have opened the message, but clicked on the notification before rationalising this. OMG! Are you in Wellys? X I debate not replying, but Instagram will inform ...1 week ago
- Callum Donaldson has his head in the gameIn Melbourne’s hardscrabble western suburbs where AFL – Aussie rules football – is a state religion, Callum Donaldson has been quietly grafting away, four months into an odyssey that he hopes will take him to another promised land: the NRL. It was a solid 2023 for the softly spoken 20-year-old ...1 week ago
- Why the Defence Force has been calling for a Budget boostFailing accommodation, tarmac problems and a deteriorating naval base were all laid bare before a $571 million spend-up was unveiled today. ...1 week ago
- Back in Black: Aldora’s year gets even betterAldora Itunu is back in the Black Ferns squad after a three-year absence. The last of her 24 internationals was an underwhelming loss to France (7-29) in Castres to conclude the disastrous 2021 Northern Tour. The powerhouse prop won a Rugby World Cup in 2017 and thought she was done. ...1 week ago
- ‘Who’s actually governing this city?’The fight to control major transport policy and projects in Auckland has burst into the open again, with councillors rejecting Mayor Wayne Brown’s latest attempt to steer things more under his influence. Councillors from the left and right broke ranks on the mayor’s bid to control Auckland Transport more directly ...1 week ago
- The return of .. Raw PoliticsExhausted by the general election campaign, horrified by the twilight zone of coalition negotiations, distracted by the silly season and waiting for the honeymoon to begin, Raw Politics has been in hibernation since October. From today, we’re back. Our weekly political video show and podcast returns for ...1 week ago
- Transmission Gully could need new builder – Infrastructure Commission reviewFailing to anticipate the complexity of the consenting system is being cited as the the current builder's shortcomings, an Infrastructure Commission review says. ...1 week ago
- Transmission Gully could need new bulider – Infrastructure Commission reviewFailing to anticipate the complexity of the consenting system is being cited as the the current builder's shortcomings, an Infrastructure Commission review says. ...1 week ago
- Proposed repeal of Oranga Tamariki Act section 7AA breaches Treaty of Waitangi – TribunalThe government is planning to repeal Treaty obligations from the Oranga Tamariki Act. ...1 week ago
- Committee Silences Majority Of Submitters On Fast-track Bill350 Aotearoa is calling the Environment Select Committee’s decision to allow oral submissions from just 40% of individual, unique submitters who asked to speak to the committee ‘a disgraceful blight to democracy’. ...1 week ago
- Labour Up, Greens Down But Centre-Right Remains AheadThis is the first time since February that voters have had a net positive view of the country direction. ...1 week ago
- RNZAF Hercules, NZDF Personnel Arrive In Papua New Guinea To Help Distribute Relief SuppliesPapua New Guinea experienced a significant earthquake on 24 March in East Sepik and there has also been recent flooding there and in surrounding provinces. ...1 week ago
- Week in Politics: Triumph and disaster, but no austerityAnalysis - A big announcement about Auckland's water woes was overshadowed by a chaotic press conference about prisons, Peter Wilson writes. ...1 week ago
- Community Groups Furious That Government Silencing Hundreds In Fast-Track HearingsThe Environment Select Committee has just announced that 60 percent of individuals who asked to speak at the hearings will not be heard. This equates to almost 700 people who made individual submissions and more than 1000 more who made a form submission. ...1 week ago
- Review: Swan Lake is a reminder of how much work it takes to look effortlessThe Royal New Zealand Ballet is performing Swan Lake around the country. What kind of dream does the ballet sell? Before going to see the Royal New Zealand Ballet perform Swan Lake, I had about as much familiarity with the plot of this ballet as could be expected from having ...1 week ago
- The Friday Poem: ‘High Tide at Local Maxima’ by Eamonn TeeA new poem by Auckland poet Eamonn Tee. High Tide at Local Maxima It is only going to get worse. The streams will be narrow and fickle. The week will bend and buckle like a pot-bellied waist. You will make it to the weekend with one ...1 week ago
- The plastic-heavy drinks industry is in for a shake-upThe New Zealand entrepreneur behind beauty business Ethique is gearing up to launch a new eco-venture. This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. Our thirst for a tasty bevvy is insatiable, but it comes with a hefty plastic price for the planet: 580 billion ...1 week ago
- The Unity Books bestseller chart for the week ending May 10The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington. AUCKLAND 1 James by Percival Everett (Mantle, $38) A retelling of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn from ...1 week ago
- Downsizing Of ERO Inconsistent With Govt Priority Of Lifting Student AchievementThe PSA is concerned that Government spending cuts have forced ERO to downsize at a time when student achievement is a significant challenge. ...1 week ago
- Education Review Office set to cut 13 jobs, union saysThe Education Review Office is set to cut 13 jobs, the Public Service Association says. ...1 week ago
- Judith Collins announces $571 million Defence spend-upAn extra half a billion dollars is going to Defence in this year's Budget for pay and equipment upgrades, the Defence Minister has announced. ...1 week ago
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