This week the government announced a mass cull in an attempt to rid New Zealand of Mycoplasma bovis. Via RNZ, an explainer on how we ended up here On Monday, the government announced a 10-year plan to eradicate the disease, saying about 150,000 cows would have to be slaughtered. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the … Read more
Each week, Jesse Mulligan talks to hundreds of thousands of New Zealanders, through TV, radio and in print, and his voice is beloved throughout the country. He tells Alex Casey about the humiliating failures, awkward experiments and games of Strip Honk he endured along the way. This story originally ran in Barker’s 1972 magazine. Jesse Mulligan … Read more
We need to stop arguing about whether the government has made the right decision to cull more than 100,000 cows and get on with supporting those affected, says Gore farmer Bernadette Hunt. My husband Alistair I own 430 acres just north of Gore, and farm a total of 1500 acres with leaseblocks included. We bought … Read more
Auckland Council have passed the Regional Fuel Tax on a 13-7 vote, but concerns about how it will disadvantage low-income communities remain. Better public transport would help – but so would greater access to e-bikes, argues Auckland University’s Dr Kirsty Wild. I am a cycling researcher who drives a lot. When my son was little … Read more
Jono and Ben is back for another season, and they’re refreshing their comedic stable with some new faces, most of them women. Let’s meet them! Jono and Ben is more than just a showcase for the titular dudes who front the show. It also has a legacy of being a springboard for some of our most talented … Read more
Today is World Smokefree Day, and we’re presenting two views on the future of tobacco and nicotine use. Here the NZ Initiative’s Jenesa Jeram argues for a ‘harm reduction’ approach – one which includes tobacco products. Today on World Smokefree Day, it is time to listen to the needs and preferences of smokers. Yes, that … Read more
Today is World Smokefree Day, and we’re presenting two views on the future of tobacco and nicotine use. Here the co-directors Otago University’s tobacco-control research group ASPIRE 2025 explain how we can build on existing success to make New Zealand almost entirely smokefree by 2025. New Zealand has a world-leading goal to reduce smoking to … Read more
Inside the cutting edge Waikato farm technology hub which makes our pastures greener and impregnates up to 80% of New Zealand’s dairy herd. The inside of a cow’s anus is warm and cavernous, and getting your hand inside is a breeze. After smearing a dollop of lubrication to a sleeved glove you simply beak your … Read more
The government is proposing to reshape research and development incentives, with MBIE proposing to phase out the Callaghan Growth Grants and replace them with R&D tax credits. Nathan Torkington has some concerns. As the FAQ says, there are differences in the definition of eligible expenditure between the Growth Grant and the proposed R&D tax incentive (for instance, overseas expenditure … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Government plans major sentencing changes to reduce prisoner numbers, meth contamination testing scandal rumbles on, and Google pays almost no tax in NZ. The government is planning to introduce major changes to sentencing in the next two weeks. Newshub reports the changes will include ditching the controversial three … Read more
The most underrated city in New Zealand is ready to step up, not just because it’s well situated, sustainable and expandable, but because of its people, writes Tron champion Angela Cuming When Steve Braunias took to the stage at the inaugural Hamilton Press Club on the banks of the mighty Waikato River last month he … Read more
One third of all food produced is thrown away, at the same time as one billion people go hungry. Simon Day met some of the people trying to fix our broken food system. On Monday evenings, when most Auckland restaurants rest, Gemmayze St is consistently host to more than 200 customers. While the award winning … Read more
In the latest in our occasional series which look for signs of literary life in the regions, Kerry Sunderland studies Nelson – and talks to an author whose book is being filmed right this second, in Prague, by some guy called Taika Waititi. Two words: Maurice Gee. Of course literature exists in Nelson; New Zealand’s … Read more
Marama Fox’s elimination from Dancing with the Stars NZ on Monday caused outrage across the nation. She talks with Leonie Hayden about leaving the show, ‘scrapping’ with producers, and why she wouldn’t back down on using her performances to showcase Māoritanga. Māori Party co-leader Marama Fox is often painted, fairly and unfairly, as firey, mouthy … Read more
When your audience is children, and their attention spans are shorter than their tempers, how do you keep them entertained at a theatre show? Thomas LaHood talks about his approach. The thing about making live performance for kids is that kids as an audience are just not polite. If they are bored with the show … Read more
We will also test Housing NZ properties for traces of students, pets and bad vibes, reveals our proud CEO (Boiler Suits Division) Alex Braae The report into the pointlessness of testing houses for meth contamination has come at a very bad time for The Spinoff. All those stories about how if one hit was taken … Read more
Last Thursday, former Guns n’ Roses drummer Steven Adler brought a band of ring-ins to Auckland to play (most of) Appetite for Destruction and have a chat with his mum. Bronwyn Bent was there. It seems old-fashioned now to even consider whether someone is a sellout. Especially as to make a career as a musician … Read more
Innovation Minister Megan Woods says the Government’s new R&D tax incentive is far from a startup killer. In fact, she says, it will open up R&D funding to more businesses than ever before. We want New Zealand to have a vibrant, innovation-led economy that will give us new solutions to old problems. Developing our innovation sector … Read more
People keep dying in police pursuits. Despite this repeated cycle of calls for change, has anything actually changed? Mark Hanna looks at the evidence This week, as it does every couple of years or so, a police pursuit has hit the headlines because people died. Such incidents generally prompt criticism of police pursuits, sometimes including … Read more
Morag Bellingham QC was a rare gem in soap television: a complex, fiercely flawed character who viewers loved nonetheless. Tara Ward pays tribute to the character – and the actress who played her, who died yesterday. For 29 glorious years she graced our screens as Alf Stewart’s evil sister in Home and Away, the brutally honest … Read more
Isa Nacewa hung up his boots yesterday after leading his beloved Leinster to Champions Cup and Pro14 glory. Scotty Stevenson remembers a remarkable career for a man who deserves to be known for so much more than not playing for the All Blacks. There was possibly a time when Isa Nacewa regretted playing two minutes of test rugby for Fiji. … Read more
For decades, New Zealand consumers have bought hoki on the assumption that it is a sustainable and properly managed fishery. That’s far from the truth, write Otago and Auckland University researchers Elisabeth Slooten; Bruce Robertson; Glenn Simmons; Graeme Bremner, and Nigel Haworth. New Zealand’s hoki fishery has come under renewed criticism this week after leaked … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Another leaked MPI report shows more fish dumped, meth testing scam dismissed by top scientist, and Christchurch residents turn to spring water to escape chlorine. Huge amounts of fish are being wasted and dumped, according to an MPI report leaked to Newshub. Almost 3000 tonnes of Southern Blue … Read more
National might be the largest polling party, but they’re sorely lacking any serious parliamentary sidekick. ACT clearly isn’t the solution, so how about contriving a new splinter-party? Good luck getting that past the electorate, writes Alex Braae Voters are a strange group of people to lump together. By and large they have little in common … Read more
A rush to assign blame for deaths in police chases can only distort the important discussion around a pursuit policy that should put human life first, writes Toby Manhire. The debate around police pursuits is one of those that can be relied upon to coax out the uglier side of our natures. A chase in … Read more
Lightbox has a bunch of new options – but are you wondering how to use them? How do you watch movies? How do you download things to your phone? Never fear, tech adept Sam Brooks is here to help. What’s the difference between Standard and Premium? With the standard Lightbox plan, you can watch all … Read more
Olivia Newton-John: Hopelessly Devoted to You was as awkward as its title, and as bald a vanity project as they come. Sam Brooks reviews the Delta Goodrem-led mini-series. On paper, Delta Goodrem is a perfect fit for an Olivia Newton-John biopic. Both are surprisingly enduring Australian popstars, both have distinctive and versatile pop voices, and … Read more
Pip Adam won the Acorn Prize for best novel of the year at the recent 2018 Ockham New Zealand national book awards. Is her book actually any good? Readable? Likeable? Brannavan Gnanalingam – a losing finalist – makes his assessment of her story about fashion hags and bustling millennials on K Road. I held my breath while … Read more
Against all odds, the self-titled Shawn Mendes album is not only worth a listen, it’s bloody great. Sam Brooks reviews. To many, the success of Shawn Mendes can seem bizarre. He has a huge fanbase amongst teenage girls because he looks and sounds like he’d only ever say nice things to and about you. He has … Read more