Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: The government’s month of hell begins, BP under pressure over fuel price manipulation, and Amazon tax coming on online shopping. Government ministers and staffers are facing what could feel like the longest month of their lives. They’ve got four sitting weeks of Parliament to get through starting … Read more
A leaked email from a BP manager has exposed the tactics fuel retailers employ to increase prices at the pump. But do we all just pay too much anyway? Here’s ten numbers which show we’re paying a premium for petrol. 20 cents How can it be that petrol prices at the BP petrol station in … Read more
We’re two nights into the dance off, and now we’ve seen all the acts. So with a lot of trash talk, but absolutely no back-walking or mascots, we’re going to do a power ranking. Dance off. These are the power rankings for the first week of highly anticipated not-dropping-dancer-celebrity show, Dancing with the Stars NZ. In … Read more
Henry Oliver talks to Wellington artist and producer Estère about technology, attention and her new album My Design, On Others’ Lives. Estère has had one crazy year. She’s released a conceptual double album, My Design, On Others’ Lives (recorded with help from NZ on Air) opened for Grace Jones toured Africa, Europe, Scandinavia, UK, South Korea, Australia and … Read more
Adi Leason tells the full, unlikely story of the Catholic activists who invaded the government’s surveillance station at Waihopi, and deflated its famous dome. It was after 5pm when Manu and I finally arrived in Picton. Sam and Father Peter were waiting for us in a rental car. We joked around about a last supper and … Read more
Spinoff Parents editor Emily Writes reflects on the death of a family member and what it means to be a mother. The school holidays have flown by in a blur. Attempts to work felt like I was just barely keeping my head above water. I dropped many balls – but managed to keep some in … Read more
As gamers grow up, so does gaming. Baz MacDonald writes about how gaming is maturing along with the people who play them, and what that means for the medium. Despite video games being one of the world’s biggest entertainment industries, there is still an undeniable stigma in telling some people you play video games – … Read more
We review the entire country and culture of New Zealand, one thing at a time. Today, Don Rowe hops in an ice bath and gets introspective with the Wim Hof Method. “Breathe into your ballsack Art. Breathe into your balls brother.” Strange words to hear when one is concerned with visualising their diaphragm as an … Read more
In less than 20 years, e-commerce giant Alibaba has revolutionised how people buy, pay, sell and market products in the world’s most populous nation. Jihee Junn travelled to its headquarters in China to see Alibaba’s complex ecosystem in action and find out how New Zealand companies are using it to leverage their entry into the … Read more
Last week Red Nicholson tweeted a word of advice to Stuff, and found the system works. But to help us avoid bungling it in the first place, he offers some extra advice for journalists and editors on disability-related news and language Most days on Twitter are spent shouting enlightened reckons into the social media void, … Read more
It’s week two of Survivor NZ and Luke Harries is jumping back in the drink to see what our Kiwi castaways got up to in the Thai jungle. Cracks start to show in Khang Khaw Viewers got an extra special treat during the first reward challenge as Matt climbed out of the drink to reveal … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Health budget feels the strain, National eyes up Green voters, and a gravel shortage looms for big infrastructure projects. Health minister David Clark has been put under the microscope by TVNZ’s Q+A. The theme that ran through the interview was that there simply isn’t enough money to cover … Read more
UMR survey shows National largely resistant to the Labour surge, though Jacinda Ardern’s party has made inroads among centre voters, writes Stephen Mills Between June 2017 and February 2018 Jacinda Ardern has made Labour the dominant force on the left and much more competitive among centrist voters. National, however, has remained largely resistant to the … Read more
They challenge you to a dance-off. No trash talk, no back walk. Dance off. These are the power rankings for the first episode of highly anticipated celebrity-moving show, Dancing with the Stars NZ. From its first moments, it was clear Dancing with the Stars NZ came here to play. They knew they had stars, they knew … Read more
Bringing you the best weekly reading from your friendly local website. Danyl Mclauchlan: Breaking news: Clarke Gayford reputation rocked by Herald allegations “This is not to deny that the Herald’s investigation raises some valid issues which Ardern and her government must urgently move to address. Why were we not told that Gayford came second in the … Read more
In going along with the Queen’s wish to make Charles their next head, Commonwealth leaders put paid to any hopes the crown might skip a generation, writes Louis – sorry, Lewis – Holden When it comes to the British Royals, the excitement of many for Prince William and Kate’s latest addition eclipsed a somewhat more … Read more
On Auckland’s Vulcan Lane, a small opening with a spiralling staircase leads you to a basement, transporting you into the world of American vintage 10,490km from its original home. Max Tetlow talks to the founder of Magichollow, Laura Wright, about how she took her business from a simple online webstore to Auckland’s premier vintage destination. ‘F*** … Read more
As the population of New Zealand booms and our largest city grinds to a standstill, the government faces a once in a generation challenge – housing the nation. Don Rowe spoke to Master Builders’ David Kelly about the state of the New Zealand construction industry, and how the private sector will play an essential role … Read more
Geopolitical commentator Graham Cameron looks at the lessons learned at the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues over the past two weeks. Law professor Valmaine Toki is purported to have described the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues as a “huge Waitangi Tribunal.” Did she mean unpopular, underfunded and ignored or an opportunity … Read more
The arguments against following Australia’s lead and holding a commission of inquiry into our banking and insurance industry don’t stack up. We’ve simply got to have one here, writes the head of one KiwiSaver provider Not long ago, Australian politicians, regulators, insurers and bankers were asked whether a Royal Commission into the banking and insurance industry … Read more
This week, Fijian-New Zealand artist Luke Willis Thompson was short-listed for the Turner Prize, Britain’s most prestigious contemporary art award. Don’t know what that means? We’re here to help. I see contemporary art is in the news again. What charlatan is leaching from the public purse for their conceptual pile of trash this time? First … Read more
Last night North Korean supreme leader Kim Jong Un and South Korean president Moon Jae-in met for the first time, pledging a new era of friendship between the two countries. In today’s Cheat Sheet: is peace finally about to come for the people of Korea? What’s all this about then? The leaders of North and … Read more
New Zealanders might complain about their banks but all signs suggest a Royal Commission into the industry here would fail to uncover serious problems, writes Massey Business School’s Dr Claire Matthews. One banking boss collapsed under cross-examination, another resigned after revelations that clients were charged for services they did not receive. There’s no doubt Australia’s … Read more
A new cultural hub in Ruatāhuna is the third eco-friendly building for Ngāi Tūhoe, representing their values of mana motuhake and self-sustainability. Jason Renes went to the opening and explored Tūhoe’s 40-year housing strategy. This is part of a series on Māori land and housing. Hokimoana Te Rika-Hekerangi sits on the courtyard of Te Tii. Her … Read more
Amid all the controversy over EQC re-repairs cost overruns, little attention has been paid to the huge amounts we’re paying to bail out Southern Response, the agency formed to take over private insurer AMI’s earthquake claims. This column first appeared on interest.co.nz. There has been much focus in the media recently on the extent of … Read more
It’s not just a challenge on Fear Factor anymore. Charlie O’Mannin talks to locust farmer Malcolm Diack about farming locusts for human consumption, doing it within city limits and doing it ethically. Malcolm Diack loves animals. As we enter his suburban house in Caversham we’re greeted by a beautiful deaf Samoyed, two cats, and a tank of … Read more
The NZ International Comedy Festival is here, and last night it kicked off with its traditional opener, the NZ Comedy Gala. But this year, among the local and international comedians, there was a whole lot of racism. Julie Zhu writes. As a Chinese woman, I’m used to surface racism. My brain has almost developed an … Read more
New verse by Wellington writer Claudia Jardine. The Vodka Rondeau In the spare room there is a bed below the mould and rusted red of the top flat’s hot water tank, which burst and made the room so rank that you can’t sleep there clear-headed. We are the deaded; few drinks bled … Read more
In an email to the Spinoff, Barney McDonald says In Plain Sight investigation misrepresents the magazine, the men at its helm, and amounts to ‘sensationalist click-bait’. Barney McDonald, the former editor of Auckland culture magazine Pavement, has written to the Spinoff renewing and expanding upon his earlier response to In plain sight: behind the pages … Read more