The internet is a place where the darkest seeds of the world take root – but there’s light there too. Sam Brooks talks to the person behind one of those lights, the Can You Pet the Dog twitter account which documents dogs you can pet in video games. When I see a dog, there’s one question … Read more
For three days every March, New Plymouth’s Brooklands Park is transformed into a village of colour, energy and inclusion. Michelle Cruickshanks celebrates the WOMAD spirit. WOMAD is a bubble. It’s an eclectic retreat from day-to-day life, the chance to step outside your normal experiences and tastes, to be transported and transformed – if only for … Read more
Almost as soon as police arrested the Christchurch shooter, conspiracy theories began proliferating. Those narratives are perilous and self-perpetuating. Friday’s mass shooting, which led to 50 deaths and just as many injured, prompted an outpouring of grief and aroha for the country’s Muslim community. It has also been the subject of conspiracy theory after conspiracy … Read more
As Christchurch tries to come to terms with the atrocity perpetrated at the Al Noor and Linwood Mosques, the people who call the city home have found novel ways to support those who are affected. James Dann talked to a few of the helpers. Charmed Flowers Ginny Fagan, the owner of Charmed Flowers, lives in … Read more
The terrorist is clearly an extremist, but it is an unfair leap to assume we can blame mental illness for his actions, writes Shaun Robinson of the Mental Health Foundation Following Friday’s appalling terrorist attack, the Mental Health Foundation has been disappointed but unsurprised to see some people speculating the terrorist must have been mentally … Read more
The man accused of killing 50 worshippers at mosques in Christchurch will be going on trial this year, which means media organisations will have difficult decisions to make. Craig McCulloch reports in this piece first published on Radio NZ. Media outlets have begun discussions on how best to cover the court case of the accused … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Christchurch attacks become political footballs overseas, major tech companies like Facebook under pressure, and concerns raised over continued spread of measles. The Christchurch mosque attack has become a political football in the upcoming Turkish election campaign. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has made inflammatory comments and played footage … Read more
The killer was an Australian. But New Zealand has a long history of white supremacist ideology, writes Scott Hamilton. Content warning: this article contains descriptions of racist behaviour and quotes racist language. The young man wandered the world. By the time he arrived in New Zealand he was obsessed. He tried to warn his fellow … Read more
If the big sites ignore your complaints, come straight to us, say Netsafe. Alex Casey reports Netsafe have seen a spike in complaints lodged about offensive content following the white supremacist terrorist attack in Christchurch on Friday, with the majority of reports being made about content on social media sites. “We’ve received hundreds of reports … Read more
Over recent days, Jacinda Ardern has been acclaimed internationally for her response to the atrocity in Christchurch. Below, a selection of statements that have resonated “It is clear that this can now only be described as a terrorist attack.” – Press conference, a few hours after the attack, March 15 “[March 15] will now be … Read more
In New Zealand we’re waiting to see if the all-powerful Facebook boss means what he says about ‘moral responsibility’, writes Toby Manhire More than four days have passed since the world’s weakest man launched an assault that took the lives of 50 people at prayer in Christchurch. He did it with a camera stuck to … Read more
A coalition of major New Zealand advertisers is building a coalition to demand change from the tech giants. New Zealand’s biggest advertisers are working both individually and collectively to try and force change from the tech giants in the wake of the Christchurch terror attacks. At midday on Monday the Association of New Zealand Advertisers … Read more
An open letter from the CEOs of Spark, Vodafone and 2degrees to the global CEOs of Facebook, Twitter and Google To: Mark Zuckerberg, Chairman and CEO, Facebook Jack Dorsey, CEO, Twitter Sundar Pichai, CEO, Google A call from the companies providing internet access for the great majority of New Zealanders, to the companies with the … Read more
In the first address to parliament since Friday’s terrorist attack on Christchurch, Jacinda Ardern paid tribute to the Muslim community and pledged to deny the perpetrator the notoriety he craves Al salam Alaikum. Peace be upon you. And peace be upon all of us. The 15th of March will now forever be a day etched … Read more
Imposing a Digital Services Tax will concentrate the tech giants’ minds on their woeful response to the Christchurch massacre, writes Terry Baucher. What to do about Facebook, Google and Twitter’s reprehensible failure to stop the live-streaming of a terrorist atrocity and the dissemination of vile images? How about a 20% Digital Services Tax, for starters … Read more
Not for the first time, the bleakest corners of the internet have apparently spawned real world tragedy. What is 4chan, and how does it foment so much hate? Even as the nation was plunged into a whirlwind of shock, horror and grief, there were plenty of online communities that had an opposite, chilling reaction – … Read more
If you’re still feeling down in the wake of the horrific events of Friday, you’re not alone. Here are some simple ways to care for yourself and others. It’s been a horrific few days in New Zealand. People have been affected in different ways, but for many of us, our reaction to the events of … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Multi-party consensus starts to form on gun law changes, moving student led vigil held in Christchurch, and inquiry into attack announced. Across parliament, a consensus has formed that New Zealand’s gun laws need to change. The pressure is coming on particularly with regards to military style semi-automatics … Read more
At any time, but especially as New Zealand’s Muslim and migrant communities recoil from an inhuman attack, you can play a role, writes Lucy Lawless I wrote this in Nov 2018 and am now infuriated and ashamed that I didn’t get it published. Want to know how to actually be part of a healing process? … Read more
Calls to foreground the voices and perspectives of our Muslim community in the days following the Christchurch attacks have been heeded by many newsrooms, but are all too soon drowned out again by the sheer number of headlines. Here we’ve highlighted Muslim voices from across the media in the wake of the white supremacist terror … Read more
How New Zealand and international organisations are dealing with inflammatory and racist moments in their pasts. UPDATED to include apparent false information from the National Party, and the National party’s subsequent response. In the wake of the Christchurch terror attack, organisations around New Zealand have removed content which might be seen as part of the culture … Read more
History has shown us time and again how atrocity begins with cheap opportunistic hate speech against minorities. It has to stop in New Zealand, now, said refugee and MP Golriz Ghahraman in a speech at the Aotea Square rally on Saturday. Below, an edited transcript E nga mana, e nga reo, e nga karangatanga maha. … Read more
As New Zealand grapples with the aftermath of the Christchurch mosque shooting anger is growing over the ‘gaps, omissions and errors’ in our gun laws. In a day of extraordinary contrasts on Monday, the prime minister this afternoon said gun law reform would urgently pursued, while the man who sold weapons to the man charged with … Read more
After the vigils, the flowers, the messages, and the grief, what happens next? Donna Miles-Mojab, an Iranian New Zealander based in Christchurch, has a list of simple yet practical steps all New Zealanders can take. Let’s all stand “shoulder to shoulder” and circle the mosque, a friend writes. He suggests we should build a human wall, “a … Read more
Poems by Louise Wallace, James Brown, Tofig Dankalay, Gregory Kan, Tusiata Avia, Qalina, Airini Beautrais, Selina Tusitala Marsh Ahakoa he iti he pounamu | Although it is small it is greenstone Louise Wallace I choose pounamu / it is a river stone / she was of the earth / she was orchids in the hothouse … Read more
Australian media helped feed the anti-Muslim prejudice that led to the Christchurch attacks, writes Australian journalism lecturer Dr Nasya Bahfen, a practising Muslim of Indonesian heritage. Despite not personally knowing anyone who was gunned down at Friday prayers in Christchurch, I did not sleep that Friday night. I know I am not the only one who … Read more
The words of the Christchurch gunman were vile, vicious and unhinged. What they were not was shocking. In fact, they were ordinary, recycled lines from the political mainstream, writes Mehdi Hasan in this post originally published at the Intercept “IT’S THE BIRTHRATES.” So begins the online manifesto of the man accused of shooting and killing at least … Read more
In the wake of the Christchurch terrorist attacks, there’s been an outpouring of support from all over New Zealand and around the world. Here, a selection of the best images (including several from our Spinoff readers). This post will be updated with new images over the week. If you have any photos from NZ/around the … Read more
Wellingtonians gathered at the Basin Reserve last night to mourn the loss of 50 lives, grieve together, and stand against terrorism, Islamophobia and white supremacy, reports Emily Writes. Many wore white. Many cried. There were many tamariki there, in the sunshine, sitting quietly on the laps of their parents. A young girl stood at one of the entrances … Read more