Statistics NZ yesterday released the annual child poverty statistics. The reveal small achievements and big shortcomings, writes Janet McAllister from Child Poverty Action Group. Successive governments have neglected families with disabilities – with appalling results Here’s a fact to change the conversation: more than half of the New Zealand children in material hardship, 53%, live … Read more
Statistics NZ yesterday released the annual child poverty statistics. The reveal small achievements and big shortcomings, writes Janet McAllister from Child Poverty Action Group. Successive governments have neglected families with disabilities – with appalling results Here’s a fact to change the conversation: more than half of the New Zealand children in material hardship, 53%, live … Read more
Early trials of every approved Covid-19 vaccine involved giving them to animals. Ethicist Ben Bramble explains why vegans have a legitimate right to be upset about this – but why they should get the vaccine regardless. Some of my vegan friends are reluctant to get the Covid-19 vaccine. These vaccines do not contain animal products, … Read more
Not many cities have endured what Christchurch has over the past decade. But as Steven Moe writes, the tragic legacy has inspired a new, impact-minded business community to emerge from the rubble. It’s quite difficult to put in words just how difficult the earthquakes were for the people of Ōtautahi Christchurch. Alongside the tragic loss … Read more
It’s hardly surprising that the story has faded from front pages, writes Amal Samaha – forgetting is just what we do when it comes to uncomfortable truths about New Zealand’s actions overseas. Early last week it was revealed that Air New Zealand’s gas turbine division was supplying the Saudi Arabian Navy with parts and engine … Read more
Having recently moved here with his family from the UK, Chris Hall reflects on sending his two young children to school in New Zealand for the first time as well as the sacrifices that were made along the way. After my girlfriend and I dropped our children off for the start of school two weeks … Read more
A recent Twitter thread, which asked Pākehā who are learning te reo to be gentle with Māori who don’t know the language, sparked a lot of conversation. Ātea editor Leonie Hayden reflects on her own experience, and offers some advice. It was a Pākehā friend who first told me that it wasn’t appropriate for her … Read more
Just-released pre-pandemic stats show that rises in disposable income have been matched by skyrocketing housing costs. And that poses a conundrum for the prime minister, writes Max Rashbrooke. Jacinda Ardern’s critics, who see her as unable to solve the housing crisis or make meaningful progress on tackling poverty, will be emboldened by yesterday’s release of … Read more
The gymnastics governing body has admitted the sport has been physically and psychologically abusive, and apologised for past harms. But saying sorry isn’t enough, writes former international gymnast Georgia Cervin. Within days of serious allegations of physical and psychological abuse in New Zealand gymnastics emerging in late 2020, the sport’s governing body Gymnastics New Zealand … Read more
The 30-year suppression of evidence and submissions from the inquiry into the March 15 terrorist attack sets an unwelcome precedent, writes former race relations commissioner Joris de Bres. The final act of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Terrorist Attack on Christchurch Mosques was to suppress for 30 years all the evidence it received … Read more
A global pandemic may still be raging, but those who must travel abroad to help suffering loved ones should be shown empathy and understanding, writes Rebecca Howard for BusinessDesk. We pat ourselves on the back for dodging the Covid-19 bullet. We are vaguely smug as we head to the beach, to restaurants, summer barbecues and … Read more
It’s time to abandon the culturally bound and frankly lazy concept of ‘business attire’, which is simply code for Pākehā visual symbols of authority, writes former Green Party leader Metiria Turei. At least they are not talking about how women MPs dress for a change. From that awful Makeover an MP segment to the awarding … Read more
From seemingly out of nowhere, the veteran tech giant has waded into the war between Facebook, Google and the Australian government – and may emerge the ultimate victor, writes Hal Crawford. The “big friendly giant” of the tech world, Microsoft, has shown in recent days it retains every bit of the cunning that has seen … Read more
The Māori economy continues to grow, while employment drops and home ownership remains a distant dream for many. Business advisor Joshua Hitchcock explains the disconnect. The Māori economy is now worth almost $70 billion. That was the headline figure of Te Ōhanga Māori 2018-The Māori Economy Report 2018 recently released by BERL (Business and Economic … Read more
Our politicians love a PR opportunity to talk about their support for the queer community, but when the time comes to act, they hesitate again and again, writes Shaneel Lal. When I wake up every morning, I don’t look in the mirror and say, “oops, I’m trans, better fix that”. But in the summer of … Read more
in 1996, as he completed his journey from Labour to Act, the polarising politician Richard Prebble wrote his bestseller: I’ve Been Thinking. Today he looks back on its genesis and impact. It is a quarter of a century since I wrote “I’ve been thinking”, an account of how my experience in government made me rethink … Read more
This week, the National MP said the proposed compulsory history curriculum for New Zealand schools lacked ‘balance’. Historian Lydia Whiting believes his concerns hint at a deeper anxiety. On Wednesday, speaking from the site of the battle of Ruapekapeka, prime minister Jacinda Ardern announced the rollout of the Aotearoa New Zealand histories curriculum. The curriculum … Read more
Nanaia Mahuta has confirmed the Labour government’s commitment to urgently change the law so that councils may establish Māori wards in the same way as general wards. Those in opposition have a lot to say about it – but what are they actually saying? The release from local government minister Nanaia Mahuta this week states: … Read more
With an extra $4 billion a year in revenue and backed by plenty of support from voters, the government has the opportunity to tackle some of the country’s most urgent problems. But first, Labour must abandon its cautious approach, writes Clint Smith. At Labour’s first caucus of the new year, Jacinda Ardern – reflecting on … Read more
The author and intensive care specialist on why he’s hopeful the prime minister will this week make a transformational announcement on Māori health. Maybe it was no coincidence that the country’s new cancer control agency, Te Aho o Te Kahu, released its first report in the week leading up to the commemorations at Waitangi. The … Read more
Incensed by yet another sky-high school uniform bill, father-of-three Dylan Reeve tries to get to the bottom of the school uniform racket. For New Zealand parents, the end of January tends to mark the end of one nightmare – the seemingly endless summer school holidays – and the beginning of another: new uniform-stationery-and-shoes season. The … Read more
High-profile and controversial figures often use PR consultancies and the media to help clean up their public perception. But as Pattrick Smellie of BusinessDesk reports, it can easily go the other way. Every journalist loves an exclusive scoop. So much so that last weekend, the country’s main rival news publishers, NZME and Stuff, both published … Read more
An open letter to prime minister Jacinda Ardern, minister of foreign affairs Nanaia Mahuta and trade minister Damien O’Connor on supporting a People’s Vaccine Dear Prime Minister Ardern and Ministers Mahuta and O’Connor, The world has watched Aotearoa New Zealand’s remarkable response to Covid-19. Our leaders struck a different path from many other countries, one … Read more
In the wake of the latest round of flagrant racism, some believe it’s time the format was completely written off. Alex Braae argues that talkback has so much more to give than audiences are currently getting. If you think talkback radio in New Zealand is only ever an unremitting stream of bigotry and outrage, you’ve … Read more
As dozens of unions, advocacy groups and NGOs sign an open letter to the NZ government, Phoebe Carr and Edward Miller make the case for replicating the values of our domestic Covid response on a global scale. The world watched stunned as New Zealand eliminated Covid-19 from our islands. We did it by listening to … Read more
It’s easy to sacrifice John Banks. It’s a lot harder for brands, sports organisations and government to truly stop funding racism. Are they willing to try? Yesterday John Banks, the former Auckland mayor and MP, became subject to one of the fastest firings in media history when audio covering his approving response to a racist … Read more
We’re only a few weeks into the year, and already there are two new seasons of Drag Race. Are we in danger of reaching peak Drag Race? In the first month of this year, there’s been more RuPaul’s Drag Race than ever. The 13th season of the flagship US version debuted on January 2nd, the … Read more
In her first years of adulthood, Jai Breitnauer found herself living in a bold and hopeful nation. More than two decades on, she laments on how the Britain we know now came to be. Apparently, fish off the coast of the United Kingdom are happier because they’re British. This is what leader of the House … Read more
How does one turn into a rabid extremist over the description of a children’s bike? Emily Writes looks at Facebook comments so you don’t have to. You’ve been there, I know it. You’re scrolling along, trying to avoid QAnon conspiracy theories and Trump apocalypse memes when a story catches your eye. You scan the headline, … Read more