Dr Jess Berentson-Shaw chats with Dr Ben Sedley, clinical psychologist, father of three, and author of Stuff That Sucks, a book about teen mental health. Wellingtonian Ben Sedley is a clinical psychologist who works with adults and adolescents. He’s the author of the illustrated book Stuff That Sucks: A Teen’s Guide to Accepting What You Can’t … Read more
The 2017 election took place on Saturday but in reality it may never end. It’s all around us, it’s in us, it is us. The Gone By Lunchtime team* react in the appropriate way by dissecting it and making more definitely correct predictions of the future. *Toby Manhire is currently away in an undisclosed location … Read more
Inspired by Augustine Pulu’s goal post antics this weekend, Jamie Wall counts down his favourite moments of rugby cheating. One of the good parts about the Mitre 10 Cup, aside from the often frivolous attempts at defence, is the opportunity for a lot of players to try new things. Counties-Manukau’s Augustine Pulu certainly got in … Read more
As we brace ourselves for more hyperbolic post-radio survey self-congratulations, Henry Oliver talks to MediaWorks’ Leon Wratt, who argues it’s time for the radio networks to end the arms race and start reporting on the results even-handedly – for the good of all radio. It’s almost that time of the year again – or, now, … Read more
Michael Botur shares his experience with running a Boosted campaign to publish his sci-fi novel. This is the story of how I went about trying to crowdfund my latest novel. If I get enough donations, I’ll shortly wrap up a crowdfunding campaign to self-publish a kickass young adult novel. Moneyland is a YA dystopian sci-fi … Read more
In the second episode of our week-long series exploring the possibilities, challenges, and potential of social enterprise in New Zealand, our panel asks: is consumerism the new politics? Watch the rest of the series here. Consumers making ethical choices are changing the market and the way companies operate in it. This has become a method … Read more
Superfan Tara Ward counts down the top ten moments from ‘All Debts Paid’, the third episode of Outlander season three. Contains major spoilers, obviously. [Editor’s note: Before we go any further, if you haven’t watched the third episode of Outlander and don’t want a major plot point spoiled then YOU SHALL NOT PASS. Otherwise, please enjoy.] I’m … Read more
Enough of the objective electoral examinations and commitments to creating a better country in spite of the Government. It’s time for irresponsible anger and finger-pointing, observes Hayden Donnell. There’s been a lot of sober, informative analysis following Saturday’s election. Spinoff public transport tsar Simon Wilson explained the things we learned from the vote, and the … Read more
The annihilation of the Māori party shows the grim reality of MMP, and the rationality of the Greens’ refusal to engage with National under any circumstances, writes Duncan Greive. Perhaps the most affecting scene of the election was watching Te Ururoa Flavell interviewed by Paddy Gower the morning after the election. Gower asked him what … Read more
Calum Henderson watches the revamped My Kitchen Rules NZ, with shiny new judges and shady new contestants. By now we should all understand the basic rules of reality television, especially the one that dictates every series must portray at least one team or contestant as being the embodiment of pure evil. Deep in our heart … Read more
Madeleine Chapman becomes bewitched by a new television phenomenon: people reacting to Don Brash on current affairs panels. This morning Don Brash, former leader of the National Party and current bad person, was on The AM Show alongside writer Verity Johnson. The topic was the Māori Party and I guess every single other person in the country … Read more
Next up in Sam’s Celebrity Game Reviews, Sam Brooks plays an incredibly strange Kevin Hart game that is unfortunately aimed at families, maybe. How fortuitous to be reviewing a celebrity mobile game that is mildly relevant to the news of today. Last week, we found out that Kevin Hart cheated on his pregnant wife, and … Read more
Brought to you by Inflatable World, Breeder’s Digest is your monthly coffee group in a podcast. Hosted by mum of three Jane Yee and virgin mum Nicola Winslade, Breeder’s Digest is a casual chat with your mates about all the rubbish bits of parenting and all the really good bits as well. Have your say using … Read more
Last summer, before the release of his amazing album Big Fish Theory, Henry Oliver tried to go deep with Los Angeles rapper Vince Staples and failed, so asked him about basketball and cartoons instead. Vince Staples is young, very skilled and very, very chill. He raps fast, but talks slow. His records are loud, but … Read more
An excerpt from Colin Hogg’s new book The High Road: A Journey to the New Frontier of Cannabis, in which he and his mate Bruce travelled to the US for a tour of legally available dope. Today’s big event is the Budz and Sudz Grow and Dispensary Tour. There’s a big neon noticeboard behind the reception … Read more
Today we launch a week-long series of videos and articles which explore the possibilities, challenges and potential of social enterprise in New Zealand. The first episode asks: is a charity also a social enterprise? The rise of social enterprise in recent years can be seen as an attempt by capitalism to self-medicate – fixing some … Read more
Last week, the Otago Daily Times published a conspiratorial and objectively terrible opinion piece claiming APRA’s ‘gender-affirmative action regime’ is a mediocrity-encouraging membership drive. Dunedin musician, pop music scholar and APRA member Millie Lovelock responds. It’s a losing battle, arguing with idiots. Unfortunately, being an idiot is currently very much en vogue in Dunedin, especially … Read more
The Aussies earn on average one-third more than Kiwis, and in some countries the gap is even wider. Data scientist and mathematician John Holt crunches the numbers. New Zealand is a low-wage economy compared to other OECD countries. When a currency’s buying power is taken into consideration, New Zealand ranked 18th out of 36 OECD … Read more
Have you ever prepared a meal so gluttonous, so shameful, so grotesque that you’ve had to take a cold hard look at yourself in the mirror and ask ‘what would Pete and Manu think?’ Alex Casey was able to ask them IRL. Just as you shouldn’t look at a solar eclipse without special glasses, I’d … Read more
To find out which side Winston might swing toward, Branko Marcetic takes a hard look at what he did before – specifically the campaign and aftermath of the 1996 election. For the third time now in his career, Winston Peters is going to decide which party will govern New Zealand for the next three years. … Read more
How hard is Labour trying to form a government? Who made it into the new parliament, and who’s waiting on the edge for those specials? Let’s do the bad news first. Jacinda Ardern’s speech on election night was a surprise. It sounded like she believed there wasn’t much she could do to form a government. … Read more
Their supporters may not like it, but the smart choice for Labour might be to bow out of coalition negotiations and resign themselves to three more years in opposition. Former National cabinet minister Wayne Mapp explains why. It is almost always the case that political parties will want to form a government whenever it is … Read more
The usual way electoral results maps are presented can be deceiving, overemphasising the relative importance of large but sparsely populated rural areas. Stephen Beban shares his map that more accurately reflects last night’s results. This post was updated on 16 October 2017 to reflect the final vote tallies. If you watched the results on election … Read more
Compiling the best reading from your friendly local website. Jane Yee: I was there when The Block NZ shat itself “As the season recap and Block Party footage played I started to get excited about the auction. I’d watched 54 hours of the show over the last three months and was giddy with the thought of liberty. … Read more
Simon Wilson went round the party election parties last night, and lived and breathed the campaign. These are the 10 things he learned. 1. Time is not of the essence. Bill English said in his speech last night that it was important to move as quickly as possible to form a new “strong and stable … Read more
Election Night 2017: Simon Wilson is at the National Party’s party at Sky City in Auckland. It’s business as usual at Sky City. A bustling Saturday night in the casino, diners coming and going all over Federal St, and in the National Party party, it’s calm confident assurance. This is what they have earned. But … Read more
The resurgence of the left has fallen short, as the ruthless final weeks of National’s campaign have them well placed to secure a fourth term. As predicted for months, NZ First will ultimately decide – but the calculus favours the incumbents. The shock resignation of John Key. The whiplash rise of Jacinda Ardern. The rainstorm … Read more
Election Night 2017: Simon Wilson reports from the Green Party party in central Auckland. David Farrier is at the Greens and Peter Gordon’s at Labour. Election night party parties attract the celebs, although not as many as you might think. Weirdly, some people find better things to do with their time. At the Green Party … Read more
Election Night 2017: Simon Wilson reports (almost) live from the Labour Party victory party/wake. That moment, when Clarke Gayford was standing on the street outside his house, a tray of sausages and tomato sauce in his hands, teatowel over the shoulder. Jacinda called to him from inside. She wants more sauce, someone said. And he … Read more