If we want to reduce the harm done by social media in any meaningful and sustainable way, we have to address the root causes, writes Marianne Elliott Read the full text of the Christchurch Call here In Paris this morning Jacinda Ardern announced the successful agreement of the Christchurch Call, a voluntary pledge by governments … Read more
Seventeen countries and eight tech companies have in Paris agreed on a text designed to eliminate terrorist and violent extremist content online, in the wake of the terrorist attacks at two Christchurch mosques, an atrocity which was both planned online and livestreamed on Facebook. Below, the full text. A free, open and secure internet is a … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Quiet fight over Central Otago mine roars into the headlines, Christchurch call summit gets agreement signed, and allegations made of widespread Uni cheating. This story has been building for a long time, but coverage has stepped up significantly in the past month, so it’s worth covering … Read more
In government departments, Pākehā are the norm and Māori are optional extras. Fixing that requires fundamental change. In not so shocking news, some government departments are devoid of Māori staff. Or close to it, anyway. The State Services Commission has a bunch of roles including supporting government agencies with workforce and talent management. In December last … Read more
Who are the victims of crime in New Zealand? Former National MP and justice system reform advocate Chester Borrows casts his eye over a major survey which paints a complex picture of the cycle of offending, incarceration and victimisation. Crime feeds on the young, vulnerable and the very communities that have the least capacity to … Read more
After The Spinoff delved into the dubious world of cosmetics and skincare brand Arbonne, two people came forward with very different stories. One says it’s misunderstood. The other says the cult-like organisation has nearly destroyed family relationships. The consultant Lily has been a consultant for Arbonne for a little over a year. She got started … Read more
All men must die, and all true Game of Thrones fans must dress up as their favourite character, sup from a goblet and recite quotes from the show without context at some point in their lives. It’s the rules. It has come to our attention that a certain love-or-hate television programme is about to come … Read more
A poem from Ockham prize-winning poet Helen Heath. Helen Heath’s second collection of poetry, Are Friends Electric?, took out the top poetry prize – now sponsored by Peter and Mary Biggs – last night at the Ockham New Zealand Book Awards. Are Friends Electric? is a work that explores questions of life and death and … Read more
Communities with a first-hand view of racism had warned authorities of threats ahead of the mosque attacks in Christchurch. Gaurav Sharma speaks about how this knowledge has turned his grief into anger, in a new edition of the For Auckland podcast. “I can’t tell you how angry I am,” says Gaurav Sharma, editor-in-chief of the Auckland-based Multicultural … Read more
The government’s refusal to take up recommendations by the Welfare Advisory Group that would have incentivised people on a benefit in seeking part-time work is bizarre and mean-spirited, writes Moira Lawler of Lifewise Who would work for $2 an hour? That’s what vulnerable people returning to work after long periods living on the margins are … Read more
Aglio, olio e peperoncino is a beautifully simple dish that’s as good at home on the couch as it is at a back-street Napoli trattoria. I have to first admit to having a penchant for all things pasta. A soft spot. A great love. An obsession. A problem. I’m constantly trying to ditch the carbs … Read more
The Spinoff had multiple scouts at last night’s awards bash. This piece is by Alec Redvers-Hill, and we’ve dropped in a selection of texts from Spinoff publisher Duncan Greive, who maintained a barrage of such updates all night. Duncan Greive’s texts are [italicised]. “So, who won?” It’s a perfectly natural thing to ask about an … Read more
A little bit of Taika, a little bit Jackson, a little bit Footrot Flats. Calum Henderson celebrates the best New Zealand-made films available to watch on Lightbox right now. Growing up, the options sometimes felt a bit limited when it came to New Zealand movies. Want a whimsical romcom? Your best bet was probably the first half of Heavenly Creatures. … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Doubt cast on full rollout of fees free tertiary education policy, Vodafone NZ sale analysed, and Tamihere proposes partial port privatisation. The fees free policy for tertiary students may not get fully rolled out. Currently, the first year of study is free, and funding for the next … Read more
Many people were disappointed about the government’s abandonment of the capital gains tax plan. But is there an alternative that could still open up the property market to those currently priced out? I’m just going to put my cards on the table – I am a supporter of a capital gains tax (CGT). I’m an … Read more
Paula Bennett’s refusal to go head-to-head with Chloe Swarbrick on the cannabis referendum suggests that the National Party is yet to come to terms with what it means to be in opposition, writes Ben Thomas Schitt’s Creek is a Canadian comedy series about the wealthy Rose family, who lose their privilege, and are forced to … Read more
Tatau: A History of Sāmoan Tattooing won the Illustrated Non-Fiction category at the Ockham New Zealand Book Awards last night. Convenor Douglas Lloyd Jenkins called it “a visual feast… a milestone in contemporary publishing… a book that will expand and enrich the knowledge of readers throughout Aotearoa, the Pacific and beyond”. Here, authors Sean Mallon … Read more
Fiona Kidman! The clock strikes nine and we can reveal all. Fiona Kidman Fiona Kidman Fiona Kidman! Congratulations, Fiona Kidman, winner of the 2019 Acorn Foundation Fiction Prize, the richest prize in New Zealand literature, for This Mortal Boy, ahead of Vincent O’Sullivan, Lloyd Jones and Kate Duignan. Fiona wins $53,000 and a lot of … Read more
The deadline for our lavish Ockhams giveaway – a stack of all 16 books on the shortlist – has rolled on by and it’s time to announce a winner. Rant, we said. Tell us about the book that dipped out, the one that should’ve made the shortlist. Tell us why the judges are know-nothing nincompoops. The … Read more
Psychologically distressed survivors of the Christchurch terror attacks can’t get ACC help. Can a government which says it’s prioritising mental health continue with this ACC model? This post was originally published by RNZ. Yama Nabi’s father had been killed, he had seen dead bodies, wounded children and a river of blood. He was traumatised and unable … Read more
The United Nations Secretary General has given a nod to indigenous rangatahi in their fight for climate justice. Yesterday morning, rangatahi Māori activists made their way to Auckland Museum’s event centre for an unusual meeting. Te Ara Whatu, Aotearoa’s first indigenous youth delegation to the United Nations, joined climate minister James Shaw and other climate … Read more
The WW100 centenary programme was exceedingly effective at raising awareness of New Zealand’s involvement in the First World War. But did it leave any lasting impression? At the end of April the commemorative body WW100 released its final report on New Zealand’s First World War centenary programme. Alongside the report were the results of a … Read more
Parks and Rec, The Office, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, The Good Place – creator Mike Schur has become a titan of the television sitcom. Jordan Hamel explains exactly how he did it. Mike Schur is a name you may not know, but you almost certainly know his work. His shows are the family-sized pepperoni pizza of network television, … Read more
The Hi-Tech Awards are fast approaching, but who’ll be deemed the most innovative of them all? We take a closer look at the five nominees for Kiwibank’s Most Innovative Hi-Tech Service award. Eleven billion dollars: that’s how much revenue New Zealand’s leading hi-tech companies brought into our economy last year. That’s an 11% increase from … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Indifference from major players looms over Christchurch call summit, big changes coming for NCEA, and Peters savages Fonterra’s decision to sell Tip-Top. The Prime Minister is in the spotlight at the Christchurch Call summit on stopping extremism spreading on social media in Paris. It comes at an … Read more
Julie Hill fondly recalls one of the Australian media’s great, accidentally truth-packed print cock-ups. Every now and then, an epic headline blunder (or spelling booboo or layout flub or grammar snafu), the work of some doomed subeditor, is so bad it becomes famous. “Girls’ Schools Still Offering Something Special – Head”, it will say, or … Read more
In response to a tough decade for the people of Christchurch, Mike Rehu proposes a name change. Headlines scream around the world: The Christchurch earthquakes. The Christchurch shooting massacre. The largest city in the South Island has had a rough decade. It has been a literal rocky road that has scoured the emotions of residents. … Read more
We’re halfway through the celebrity stepping competition that is Dancing with the Stars. Sam Brooks power-ranks week five! It was cool to see the judges acknowledge the harshness of their criticisms against the women in this competition, and, quite correctly, give the public a call to action to vote for the women! Does it matter? This is … Read more
With children’s vegetable intake in decline, decision makers are too focused on pointing the finger at parents, a new study suggests. When it comes to children’s nutrition, key players in our food system are stuck on the idea of individual responsibility. That’s a key finding of new research that surveys decision-makers about their views on New … Read more