‘A journey I had to make’ – New Zealander Paula Friis on why she joined the Standing Rock protest in the United States

The Standing Rock protest against the proposed Dakota Access Pipeline officially opened on April 1st this year. It has grown into the world’s biggest pipeline protest, and the largest gathering of Native Americans in 130 years. As winter sets in and a violent December 5th eviction looms, Kristina Hard talks to Auckland woman Paula Friis … Read more

It’s a Wonderful Lifeline: an SOS call for a genuinely life-saving service

The suicide helpline Lifeline Aotearoa has been providing essential support to New Zealanders in desperate need since 1964, but a catastrophic funding loss means the service is set to close in 2017. That would be a disaster, says Kristina Hard – one we can’t allow to happen, . In the early hours of the morning, a … Read more

In defence of Warriena Wright: an open letter to a slut-shaming newspaper columnist

Its ostensible subject was rugby’s recent sex scandals, but yesterday’s op-ed by Northland Age editor Peter Jackson seemed more concerned with criticising the sexual behaviour of Warriena Wright, the New Zealander whose death led to Gable Tostee facing murder charges in a Brisbane court. An appalled Kristina Hard responds. Yesterday nzherald.co.nz republished a vitriolic screed … Read more