Sam Brooks reviews the latest entry of the Trails of Cold Steel saga and finds the rarest thing in a video game: a whole lot of care. When you look at Falcom’s Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel III from the outside, it’s not an enticing prospect. Firstly, it’s a game that promises (more like demands) … Read more
In the first part of a three-part series “What They Don’t Tell You”, Emily Writes looks back at the early days of her children’s lives and wishes she knew that no parent knows what they’re doing. I’m on the very cusp of leaving babyhood far behind me. My youngest child – my baby – turns … Read more
Could beloved reality star Lily McManus be joining The Bachelorette NZ? Alex Casey assesses the evidence. UPDATE 30/1/2020: After last night’s tease that a mysterious second woman will be joining The Bachelorette NZ, an eagle-eyed viewer sent in this compelling side-by-side knee tattoo comparison. It’s a hard time to be a lover of reality romance … Read more
What does a celebrity have to do to get a slice of our paradise? Like the kid in primary school with the yummiest lunch, everyone wants a piece of New Zealand. More specifically, when Americans (and Brits and Australians) don’t like an election candidate, they threaten to move to New Zealand. The day after George … Read more
Two Sketches is a webseries featuring Spinoff cartoonist Toby Morris chatting and drawing with a selection of New Zealand illustrators, artists, comic artists, cartoonists, sketchers and doodlers. This episode, Toby sits down with children’s book author Bob Kerr, co-creator of Terry Teo. In the sixth episode of The Spinoff’s webseries Two Sketches, Toby Morris visits … Read more
New research has found a third of New Zealanders are actively reducing their meat consumption or have cut it out entirely. What’s this nonsense? Meat and three veg all the way for us Kiwis, surely? Apparently not – a newly released study found 31% of New Zealanders can be categorised as flexitarian or meat-reducers, while a … Read more
At Wellington’s New Zealand Portrait Gallery for one last week is Jacqueline Fahey’s Suburbanites, a survey show showcasing 60 years of the Auckland artist’s riotous oil paintings. Megan Dunn writes a fan letter, in lieu of a review. Dear Jacqueline, I wanted to make time to review Suburbanites but a four-year-old daughter, my own half-written … Read more
Linda Jane Keegan is an environmental educator slash nature nerd – this year she heroed salps, kelp and mangroves in her excellent children’s book, Things in the Sea are Touching Me! Here, she explains what makes a functional field guide, and shares her favourites on our native flora and fauna. Every hike or wander in … Read more
With its snow-capped mountain, black sand beaches and rich arts culture, Taranaki is a region absolutely bursting with hidden gems. We’ve put together a list of all you need to know before you explore this stunning part of our backyard this summer. If you’ve got friends or relatives visiting Aotearoa, top of their list should … Read more
The prison and remand systems, courts and police have an institutional racism problem that sees Māori imprisoned at an alarmingly high rate. The Parole Board are no different. A response from the New Zealand Parole Board is at the bottom of this piece. New Zealand is currently experiencing a crisis of imprisonment. However, not everyone … Read more
Once again, Britain is going to the polls in an attempt to dig themselves out of the utter mess they’re in around Brexit. Will this one finally sort it all out? What’s all this then? A dream outcome for those who want nothing more than the chance to see big, dramatic elections: The home of … Read more
Don’t have your costume sorted yet? Fear not: Halloween and bizarre news story enthusiasts Alice Neville and Toby Morris bring you eight ideas guaranteed to impress and terrify the neighbours in equal measure. It’s a little-known fact that the Halloween costume was invented in a small Scottish village in 1585, when local children dressed up … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Defence report outlines changing nature of Pacific threats, DHBs unaware of staff vaccination, and visitors desecrate Lake Waikaremoana. The Defence Force has released a report which outlines their views on the most important threats currently facing the Pacific. As Politik reports, it hasn’t necessarily been about singling out … Read more
Proponents of the End of Life Choice say that controls on euthanasia will make it safe for all. But the reality is that euthanasia will be impossible to fully regulate, argues Jannah Dennison. The End of Life Choice Bill has now made its way through the Committee Stage, and with the issue poised to be … Read more
Calls to Marcus Lush’s Newstalk ZB show defending the incorrect pronunciation of Māori place names in Otago have been captured and shared by angry listeners. Should we despair at the callers’ attitudes, or celebrate the popular response, asks Māori Language Commissioner Rawinia Higgins It’s the way it is. These are the words a caller to … Read more
Sure, everything around you might be reproducing with disgusting enthusiasm, but at least there’s asparagus. Here’s a vinaigrette to save the day. Spring has sprung! New things are growing! Lambs are frisking! Last week I went outside briefly without a raincoat! Not that I am actually enjoying this fresh season, of course. I now complain … Read more
Transport minister Phil Twyford is under fire again, and is facing calls to be sacked over delays around Auckland’s light rail system. Should he stay or should he go? Alex Braae assesses the arguments. The drums are beating for Phil Twyford. The failure to get the government’s Auckland light rail plans out the door, and … Read more
An open letter signed by more than 150 New Zealanders under 30 who specialise in biological or environmental science says the current law hinders efforts to tackle the climate crisis, and urges the Greens to change their position and take a lead on reform. A group of more than 150 young New Zealand scientists has … Read more
Ambitious families are spending big money on Crimson’s services – but top New Zealand schools say they provide the same advice for free, and are sceptical of what the highly valued startup provides. Business editor Maria Slade reports. Crimson Education has been a darling of the New Zealand startup scene since precocious teenaged co-founders Jamie … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Government ministers and iwi leaders in Waitara for commemoration, open letter to Greens over GE, and Hamilton’s leading public servant calls for election reform. Government ministers, iwi leaders and other dignitaries have gathered in Taranaki this weekend to commemorate a foundational period in New Zealand’s … Read more
More than 150 New Zealand scientists under 30 have signed a letter to the Green Party urging a rethink of its stance on the regulation of genetic modification. The full text of the letter follows. To the members and supporters of the Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand and their representatives in government Climate change … Read more
Even the most ardent Remainers are hoping that a deal will at least bring closure to the interminable wrangling over Brexit. That’s wishful thinking, writes UK political scientist Helen Parr. Brexit seems deadlocked after the UK House of Commons voted in favour of Boris Johnson’s withdrawal agreement, but against the timetable to push the legislation … Read more
Like other parts of the criminal justice system, bias in New Zealand’s remand system continues to discriminate against Māori. Many of us take for granted that if we are ever accused of a crime, we will be treated as if we are innocent until proven guilty. This idea is such a cornerstone of our democracy … Read more
Thirty years ago, a Lower Hutt intermediate school performed the full, unabridged, adult version of West Side Story. Jet gang member Morgan Davie looks back. September 24, 1987. My gang moves with purpose under the streetlights. In the middle of Lower Hutt, a rival gang is waiting. There’s gonna be a rumble. We walk tough, … Read more
Alice Neville looks back on a heady time in New Zealand’s social history – when an insatiable thirst for a new dairy product brought the country to its very knees. Think back, for a moment, to October 2014. Exactly five years ago. What were you doing? Some occurrences of note for context: the National government … Read more
Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola, and Ken Loach all have one thing in common: they don’t like superhero movies. But are they right? Are they heck. Josie Adams defends the existence of the world’s most money-hungry film genre. There’s only one thing worse than a comic book nerd; a film nerd. Nerds of any kind … Read more
The lithium-ion battery has won this year’s Chemistry Nobel Prize. Justin Hodgkiss celebrates the slow and steady speed of technological developments. Back in the 1970s, when the lithium-ion battery research recognised by the Nobel Prize committee was still in the lab, mobile phones and laptops existed only in our imaginations or science fiction. Today, … Read more
One of the oldest political parties in New Zealand is plotting a comeback. But Social Credit would argue that they never went away. Alex Braae went to their annual conference to find out more. “Here for good”, they say. It’s a slogan that Social Credit leaders believe sums up their party, despite spending the last … Read more
With the fourth and final game of the Constellation Cup this afternoon, the Silver Ferns are out to prove their consistency and put a bow on what has been an amazing 2019 season. Coach Noeline Taurua shares her thoughts on today’s game and the changing landscape of netball in New Zealand. In ten years of … Read more