Author Archive
Trump’s not so bad: the nuclear holocaust edition
Written By: - Date published: 11:32 am, September 15th, 2021 - 52 comments
An occasional series
The problems for women with sex self-ID in law and society
Written By: - Date published: 10:57 am, September 13th, 2021 - 105 comments
What should have been be a straight forward attending to the documentation needs of trans and non-binary people has become a political mess of conflicts with women’s rights. There is still time to make a submission to the BDMRR Bill in order to protect women’s rights (last day for submissions is Tuesday).
Hospo resilience: pairing covid response and climate action
Written By: - Date published: 6:05 am, September 8th, 2021 - 13 comments
We’re now in the time of synchronous and overlapping crises. With Delta Level Two and ongoing restrictions affecting the hospitality sector, and eighteen months into our covid response, solutions need to be for the long haul. One of the keys to that is positive adaptation.
Women, the Taliban and sex based rights
Written By: - Date published: 10:38 am, August 16th, 2021 - 66 comments
What is being done to women in Afghanistan by the Taliban is sex-based oppression.
Ways out of the climate catastrophe
Written By: - Date published: 6:05 am, August 10th, 2021 - 130 comments
As the IPCC drops its grim, damning report on humans and climate change, and as we are surrounded by social and mainstream media narratives of disaster, we desperately need cogent and hopeful visions of where we can go next, and stories of futures where things work out.
What if all New Zealanders had enough to live on?
Written By: - Date published: 6:10 am, August 6th, 2021 - 97 comments
Rather than economics, can we talk about the values that underlie how we manage the country?
What if saving the world meant life was tasty, beautiful and just long enough?
Written By: - Date published: 10:43 am, August 4th, 2021 - 22 comments
The nasty, brutish and short meme is a failure of the imagination. We can have less and still live good lives.
Women’s Space
Written By: - Date published: 1:19 pm, August 1st, 2021 - 58 comments
A dedicated space on The Standard for women’s debate, and introducing the new feminist online space of Women’s Liberation Aotearoa.
“We have to talk about sex. It’s important”
Written By: - Date published: 10:55 am, July 28th, 2021 - 145 comments
British philosophy professor Kathleen Stock being interviewed by Redline’s Daphna Whitmore on gender critical feminism and the sex/gender wars. Also, why being able to debate matters.
Why aren’t Labour acting on the housing crisis?
Written By: - Date published: 11:30 am, July 27th, 2021 - 68 comments
Bernard Hickey calls Labour’s inaction a scandal, and it’s hard to disagree.
Keep the faith, deep greenies
Written By: - Date published: 10:00 am, July 22nd, 2021 - 75 comments
For those that understand the cyclical, interconnected nature of reality and why growth is inherently limited in the physical world, kia kaha, we’re making headway.
Why we debate
Written By: - Date published: 11:55 am, July 18th, 2021 - 18 comments
Explorations in debate culture, how to argue well, and what we do on The Standard.
Women’s Day
Written By: - Date published: 10:45 am, July 17th, 2021 - 106 comments
A dedicated space on The Standard for women’s debate.
If a thousand baby flamingos die in the desert does anyone hear them howl?
Written By: - Date published: 3:06 pm, July 16th, 2021 - 43 comments
Farmers aren’t the problem here, they’re the mirror New Zealand is holding up to itself. We say we want change, despite the evidence.
Climate transition transport and the rural road tumbleweeds
Written By: - Date published: 6:05 am, June 16th, 2021 - 69 comments
Beyond the cycle/car wars.
The Public Service pay freeze
Written By: - Date published: 6:05 am, May 8th, 2021 - 18 comments
Mindboggling.
Regenerative agriculture and climate solutions
Written By: - Date published: 6:05 am, May 6th, 2021 - 94 comments
Research is now showing the advantages of regenerative agriculture. Are we wise enough to make best use of them?
Sustainability and learning from forest gardening
Written By: - Date published: 6:15 am, April 11th, 2021 - 30 comments
The Guytons’ 25 year old food forest in Riverton is a showcase of sustainability practice and knowledge.
Government announces plan to help first-home buyers maintain the housing crisis
Written By: - Date published: 10:33 am, March 23rd, 2021 - 226 comments
Labour disappoints again. Individual investment rights trump collective responsibility for people having homes.
Women and male violence
Written By: - Date published: 6:10 am, March 15th, 2021 - 37 comments
Sarah Everard’s death has been a touchpaper that has ignited the ever present anger in women at having to live in a world that is fundamentally unsafe for us simply on the basis of our sex.
UBI experiment success
Written By: - Date published: 11:11 am, March 6th, 2021 - 46 comments
A newly published report in the United States on a two year UBI trial shows remarkable results. Is such a trial possible in New Zealand?
The unlucky New Zealand
Written By: - Date published: 10:17 am, February 17th, 2021 - 107 comments
The first New Zealand study to look at the effects of food hardship on pre-schoolers’ nutrition has found that nearly half of families struggle to access healthy food in their child’s first year of life.
Having a say on how NZ transitions to a post-carbon society
Written By: - Date published: 6:11 am, January 31st, 2021 - 99 comments
Now is the time for people power. The government is about to ask us what we think about New Zealand’s plan on climate action.
UPDATED with links to the report and media analysis.
What do you want our government to achieve on climate action in their first 100 days?
Written By: - Date published: 6:06 am, January 23rd, 2021 - 38 comments
“We want our government to listen to us as youth and as New Zealanders. Our house is on fire, and soon, all that we know will be too”
School Strike 4 Climate’s rally on Tuesday will present demands to the government on what action needs to be taken now.
Inauguration Day
Written By: - Date published: 6:01 am, January 21st, 2021 - 57 comments
According to the constitution of the United States, a president’s four-year term “shall end at noon on the 20th day of January”. On Wednesday, the end of Donald Trump’s presidency will see Joe Biden assume the office in the enduring inauguration ceremony at the US Capitol.
-The Guardian
“You can’t vote that problem away”
Written By: - Date published: 6:03 am, January 15th, 2021 - 111 comments
Alexandria Oacasio-Cortez burns in the aftermath of the Capitol attacks, and the left in New Zealand seems content to ridicule our own people radicalising to the alt-right.
Climate news and personal actions
Written By: - Date published: 6:05 am, January 4th, 2021 - 19 comments
2021, the climate emergency is still an emergency. Personal action is not sufficient but it’s still necessary.
Show me the climate action New Zealand
Written By: - Date published: 9:06 am, December 15th, 2020 - 67 comments
The Prime Minister is talking about demonstrating a plan for action, but as we move into 2021 we need to settle back into grappling with the urgency of the climate crisis.
How can NZ incomes be lifted to match housing costs?
Written By: - Date published: 10:37 am, December 12th, 2020 - 68 comments
Not a vague let’s raise wages and benefits explanation, but an in-depth, number crunching, evidence-driven explanation. Where is it?
What could possibly go right?
Written By: - Date published: 6:05 am, December 6th, 2020 - 34 comments
Bridging the gap between the people who are involved in proactive, regenerative responses to the climate, ecological and social crises, and those who don’t know this is happening, feel overwhelmed, and don’t know what to do.
Climate emergency framing
Written By: - Date published: 9:53 am, December 5th, 2020 - 19 comments
Climate goals explained.
- New Zealand Economy In Freefall While The Government’s Books Burn
...1 week ago - Survey Shows Government Lacks Mandate To Repeal Live Export Ban
“Sending live animals on boats into volatile conditions to destinations with poor animal welfare standards is not progressive, lucrative, or likely to stimulate the economy,” says SPCA Chief Scientific Officer, Dr Arnja Dale. ...1 week ago
- Bill To Increase Penalties For Slavery Welcome, But Doesn’t Go Far Enough
World Vision New Zealand welcomes the introduction of a Private Members’ Bill to increase penalties for slavery offenses, but warns it does not go far enough to address weaknesses in New Zealand’s modern slavery and trafficking laws. ...1 week ago
- Politics with Michelle Grattan: Chalmers says the budget’s better than it was; Taylor says it’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Appropriately, we finish our podcast for 2024 talking to Treasurer Jim Chalmers and his shadow, Angus Taylor because, as the saying goes, “it’s the economy, stupid!” This week’s mid-year budget update showed Australia’s economy ...1 week ago - Treaty Principles Bill A Threat To The Rights Of Children In Aotearoa
Teresa Tepania-Ashton, Director of Advocacy at UNICEF Aotearoa, says it is critical that New Zealanders who care about children participate in the submissions process and identify the risk to the rights of tamariki. ...1 week ago
- PM skipping Waitangi appearance ‘a good first step’ – hīkoi organiser
"There's no point in speaking to ears that will not listen to mine," Eru Kapa-Kingi says. ...1 week ago - YouTube populists are driving South Korea’s political instability. It’s a warning for the rest o...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Timothy Koskie, Postdoctoral Researcher, School of Media and Communications, University of Sydney In the space of three weeks, South Korea has seen a brief declaration of martial law, its sudden repeal and the impeachment of its president, Yoon Suk Yeol. One ...1 week ago
- When medals matter most: high-performance sport funding risks a return to the ‘win at all costs’...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Holly Thorpe, Professor in Sociology of Sport and Gender, University of Waikato Getty Images On the face of it, New Zealand’s new high-performance sport funding model announced yesterday is an increase on the previous round. But it is ultra-focused on already ...1 week ago
- The Essure contraceptive device left some women with chronic pelvic pain. Why did their class action...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Wendy Bonython, Associate Professor of Law, Bond University ben bryant/Shutterstock The Victorian Supreme Court recently dismissed a class action on behalf of more than 1,400 women who received Bayer’s Essure contraceptive device. The decision attracted significant publicity, including criticism ...1 week ago
- Menstrual cups are safe and sustainable – but they can be tricky for first-time users, our new stu...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Julie Hennegan, Senior Research Fellow; Co-Head, Global Adolescent Health Working Group, Burnet Institute Iryna Inshyna/Shutterstock Many young women and other people who menstruate are turning to menstrual cups to manage their periods. In 2021, my colleagues and I surveyed 15- ...1 week ago
- Prime Minister Christopher Luxon will not attend Waitangi at all next year
He says he has chosen to take part in celebrations elsewhere. ...1 week ago
- Can you run through airport security for love? Leave a child home alone? Here’s what the law says ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rick Sarre, Emeritus Professor in Law and Criminal Justice, University of South Australia 20th Century Studios/IMDB It’s the time of year when many of us return to our favourite Christmas fables to get into the festive spirit. While film often ...1 week ago
- Why does family violence increase during the festive season? Here are 3 contributing factors
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elizabeth Summerell, Lecturer, School of Psychology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Adelaide Shutterstock While the holiday season is supposed to be a happy time, evidence suggests it’s one of the worst times of year for domestic and family ...1 week ago
- A world on fire: the World Bulletin year in review
Looking back at the events that made headlines around the globe in 2024. This is an excerpt from The World Bulletin, our weekly global current affairs newsletter exclusively for Spinoff Members. Sign up here. If you’re anything like me, you’ll be hard pressed to think of a grimmer year than ...1 week ago - Government to change free speech rules for universities
The coalition's proposal will also prohibit unis from adopting positions on issues that don't relate to their "core functions". ...1 week ago
- From garlic to parsley, new research reveals the herbs and spices Australians love most
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Evangeline Mantzioris, Program Director of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Accredited Practising Dietitian, University of South Australia Herbs and spices have been used in cooking for centuries. They add flavour, aroma and colour to foods and have long been used for health ...1 week ago
- Keith Rankin Essay – Judaism, Antisemitism, and Israel
Analysis by Keith Rankin. To understand antisemitism, we need a meaning for ‘semitism’, and another -ism to contextualise semitism. Keith Rankin, trained as an economic historian, is a retired lecturer in Economics and Statistics. He lives in Auckland, New Zealand. Literally, semitism means the promotion of the Semitic people, whoever ...1 week ago
- Former Defence Minister Peeni Henare calls Vanuatu flight woes ’embarrassing
A Hercules plane carrying urban rescue staff to Vanuatu was stranded in New Caledonia after an engine fault. ...1 week ago
- The Spinoff’s favourite movies of 2024
1 week ago
- NZ’s dairy industry faces an uncertain future – its fate now lies in its ability to adapt
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Milena Bojovic, PhD Candidate, Macquarie University William West/AFP via Getty Images New Zealand’s dairy sector faces an uncertain future due to several challenges, including water pollution, high emissions, animal welfare concerns and market volatility. All of these issues are building ...1 week ago
- Call for entries: Rod Oram Memorial Essay Prize
Calling all young writers!To honour our great friend and esteemed colleague, Rod Oram, we are calling for essays from young people campaigning for a more equitable, sustainable and compassionate world.Rod Oram was a revered journalist and environmentalist, known for his rigorously researched and passionate commentaries on business, government and wider ...1 week ago - Banger alert: the song of the summer is ‘Harty Māori Stylez’
Espresso this, Not Like Us that. There will be only one true song of Aotearoa’s summer: Harty Māori Stylez by Te Kura Reo Rua o Waikirikiri. This summer, as you cruise coast to coast, you’re going to need an anthem to soundtrack your movements. A song that encapsulates the feeling ...1 week ago
- GMO Bill Creates More Societal Division
Organics Aotearoa New Zealand (OANZ) last week completed another two days with Ministers, political leaders, Ministries and primary sector leaders sharing science knowledge, societal concerns, economic impacts and trade findings. ...1 week ago
- Lake Alice redress payments won’t have sway on what other survivors receive
Lead minister of the government's response to abuse in care Erica Stanford said Cabinet looked at this case very separately. ...1 week ago
- Help Me Hera: I hate spending Christmas with my in-laws
I grew up in a family where Christmas was all about tradition and hospitality. My husband’s family takes a different approach. How do I get over my resentment and have a nice day? Want Hera’s help? Email your problem to helpme@thespinoff.co.nz Dear Hera The Christmas I had growing up was always quite lovely, ...1 week ago
- AI will continue to grow in 2025. But it will face major challenges along the way
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daswin de Silva, Professor of AI and Analytics, Deputy Director of the Centre for Data Analytics and Cognition, La Trobe University cybermagician/Shutterstock In 2024, artificial intelligence (AI) continued taking large and surprising steps forward. People started conversing with AI “resurrections” ...1 week ago
- Fifty years ago, Cyclone Tracy devastated Darwin. The lessons from it have still not been learnt
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Steven Farram, Associate Professor in North Australian and Regional Studies (History), Charles Darwin University It is hard to comprehend the force with which Cyclone Tracy struck Darwin early on Christmas Day, 1974. It was so ferocious that it killed 66 people, partly ...1 week ago
- Australia has an ongoing GP shortage. Why can’t we just train more GPs?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christopher Harrison, Senior Lecturer, Sydney School of Public Health, University of Sydney NotarYES/Shutterstock If you have Australia is critically short of GPs – and the shortfall is growing, predicted to be 8,600 GPs by 2048. So why can’t we just train ...1 week ago
- Could NZ’s two kākā subspecies actually be remnants of a more diverse species? Here’s why we n...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Knapp, Associate Professor in Biological Anthropology, University of Otago Wolfgang Kaehler/LightRocket via Getty Images As many Wellingtonians will know, kākā can be trouble. New Zealand’s pesky forest parrots have expanded throughout New Zealand’s capital city since they were reintroduced 22 ...1 week ago
- More than 1,300 Hajj pilgrims died this year when humidity and heat pushed past survivable limits. I...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emma Ramsay, Research Affiliate in Climate Adaptation, Monash University Every year, hundreds of thousands of Muslims undertake the Hajj –the sacred pilgrimage to Mecca. In 2024, the pilgrimage took place in mid-June, the start of the Saudi summer. But this year, ...1 week ago
- How a Cold War satellite and Robert Menzies changed the way Australian schools are funded
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jennifer Clark, Adjunct Professor of History, University of Adelaide Prime Minister Robert Menzies during the 1963 federal election campaign. Image courtesy of the National Archives of Australia. NAA: A1200, L46014 As students and teachers prepare to go on holidays, there’s a ...1 week ago
- Where does Santa live? It’s a trickier question to answer than you may think
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Marcus Harmes, Professor in Pathways Education, University of Southern Queensland Santa Claus Village in Rovaniemi, Lapland, Finland. Roman Babakin/Shutterstock Sending a letter to Santa can be difficult as no one can agree on where exactly Santa lives. Several countries are competing to ...1 week ago
- Winston Peters spends much of year’s last speech criticising Te Pāti Māori, Waititi breaks i...
Watch: "Have a good Christmas, 'cos you'll need it sunshine," the NZ First leader said in a rowdy final debate in the house. ...1 week ago
- The year in five news events
For the penultimate Bulletin of 2024, editor Stewart Sowman-Lund flicks back through some of the biggest headlines of the year. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. ...1 week ago
- Swimming loses public funding but elite duo protected
High Performance Sport New Zealand will invest $162.8m into 36 national sporting organisations and athletes over the next four years, up from $131m in the four years leading up to this year’s Paris Olympics.From March next year, nearly $41 million per annum will go directly to national sports organisations for ...1 week ago
- Former National MP joins push for University of Waikato’s third medical school.
A former National MP and incumbent Hamilton City Councillor has been hired by the University of Waikato to advocate for its proposed third medical school. ...1 week ago
- Transmission Gully: New plan to tackle long-standing fight
A new plan has been hatched to try to resolve a years-long fight to protect native fish at Transmission Gully. ...1 week ago
- Opposition parties move towards ‘formalising’ collaboration
Te Pāti Māori had to "get past ourselves" and is figuring out working with Labour. Labour says collaboration is still "casual", but the Greens say they'll be meeting regularly. ...1 week ago
- The Spinoff’s biggest stories of 2024
From malls to gods, woke foods to putrid stenches, the year’s greatest hits had a bit of everything. A tip: to create a perfect summer reading list (albeit with a crowded browser), click the headline of every story you missed to open it in a fresh tab. The 10 most ...1 week ago
- Ten stories that defined New Zealand’s media in 2024
It was a torrid year for almost every aspect of New Zealand’s media. Duncan Greive breaks down the key storylines – and the one vast, existential threat lurking underneath. Duncan Greive and Glen Kyne discuss many of these stories on The Fold’s year in review. 1. The end of ...1 week ago
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