Society

New Zealand citizen Peter Thiel – 5 awkward questions and 10 peculiar facts

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Controversial Trump endorser and Silicon Valley billionaire Peter Thiel is reportedly now a New Zealander. But how did that happen, and who the hell is he? Toby Manhire counts the ways. He’s already got quite the CV: founder of PayPal, early investor in The Facebook, funder and advocate for both Hulk Hogan and Donald Trump. … Read more

Think Māori can’t be racist? Jimi Jackson’s blackface stunt proves otherwise

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When a brown-skinned man darkens his face and jokes about being black, that’s colourism – the belief that people with dark skin are inherently inferior to those with lighter skin – in action, writes Miriama Aoake. This is an edited version of a post which first appeared on Medium.com. Last week Jimi Jackson (Te Āti Haunui-a-Pāpārangi), … Read more

Auckland’s housing crisis is a gift to the regions, but the regions still need convincing

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This year thousands of people priced out of Auckland – or just looking to escape the big city rat race – will pack up and move to regions like the Queenstown Lakes District, where Peter Newport calls home. But if they’re hoping to be welcomed with open arms, he says, they may just be in … Read more

David Miscavige’s Auckland Scientology HQ launch speech: as interpreted by David Farrier

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Hayden Donnell went to the jaw-dropping opening of the New Zealand Church of Scientology on Saturday – you can read his account here. At the event Scientologist-in-chief David Miscavige spoke directly to the crowd. Here, top NZ Scientologist David Farrier attempts to explain what Miscavige is on about in extracts from his address. Dave M: … Read more

Undercover at the opening of Scientology’s new Auckland headquarters

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The Church of Scientology opened a new $16 million headquarters in Auckland on Saturday. Hayden Donnell glides excitedly into the ceremony. Guy Williams had just been kicked out of Auckland’s new Scientology Centre when I walked in. He’d turned up with his brother Paul, who’d dressed up as the beautiful and talented Scientologist, Tom Cruise. … Read more

Ali Mau on breaking the habit of a lifetime for the Auckland Women’s March

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The Women’s Marches on January 21st drew 2.9 million people onto the streets of America, the biggest protests in US history.  Ali Mau was MC of the Auckland sister march and writes about what it meant to her. 10am Saturday, Customs St I’ve never marched before. I’ve written and spoken in public about causes dear … Read more

Nor any drop to beg, borrow or steal – a dispatch from Mangawhai’s Big Dry

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In the east of Kaipara the land has been burned a dusty gold and drought tensions among locals are running high, writes Kelly Ana Morey. As the drought in the upper half of the North Island heads into its fourth month, the big dry is starting to leave its mark, especially on Mangawhai, a sleepy … Read more

I ain’t your baby: An open letter to all cat-callers

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Whether its a whistle, an unwelcome comment or – that old favourite – someone telling you to smile, being on the receiving end of street harassment can be a demeaning and infuriating experience. Ta’ase Vaoga has had enough. Dear Cat-Caller, Please don’t cat-call me or any other woman who happens to walk past your current … Read more

The young and the homeless: New Zealand’s big human rights fail

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A group of AUT students have banded together to make a documentary on our growing homelessness problem – and to argue that by failing to act, New Zealand could be in contravention of its international human rights obligations. “I contemplated why I should even be alive right now, when I can’t even put a roof … Read more

Homeowners, beware: shun the low-interest seduction and hit your mortgage hard

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Falling interest rates are great news for homeowners – but pocketing your mortgage savings could be the worst financial decision you make, says the Commission for Financial Capability’s David Boyle. A couple of things happened in 1988 that stick in my mind: I got my hands on The Pogues’ album If I Should Fall From … Read more

De-risking: the New Zealand banking policy causing more suffering in war torn countries

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Having reached safety in New Zealand, refugees desperate to help relatives still trapped at home are being prevented from doing so by overly strict local banking regulations. Not only are the rules morally wrong – they’re exacerbating the refugee crisis itself, says Steve Liddle. For the past nine months I’ve been working with a group … Read more

Exclusive: Richie and Gemma thrill onlookers in Auckland dairy

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Fresh from their nuptial marriage, newly-weds Richie McCaw and Gemma Flynn have delighted downtown Auckland with a walkabout that left many onlookers lost for words. Flynn, 26, who exchanged vows with the Rugby World Cup winning hero over the weekend before friends and family at an exclusive Wanaka event dubbed “New Zealand’s royal wedding”, looked … Read more

Liberals got walloped in 2016. Can ‘post-liberalism’ rise from the ashes?

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Brexit and Trump hurled rotten fruit at a liberal consensus that included our own former Prime Minister Key. Is the emerging ‘post-liberal’ approach something to reach for, or a recipe for xenophobia? David Hall writes. Who will defend liberalism now? Now that Trump is doubling-down on his sourest impulses? Now that far-right populists are empowered … Read more

Pound my yams: Emily Writes gets the horn for Idris Elba

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Editor’s note, January 20 2017: This post has been removed at the author’s request. Emily writes about the original post, the response, and her decision to take it down here. Thank you Lana for this post, I hope it’s shared widely. I apologise sincerely for my ignorance and racism https://t.co/ffTwP1PuLF — Emily Writes (@DearMama_) January … Read more

Restoring the house that Jack built: how the lessons of the past can help solve the housing crisis

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Politicians John A. Lee and Norman Kirk used lessons drawn from their experience of poverty to create affordable housing, while John Key – despite famously being born in state housing – has overseen its demise. Oliver Chan argues that it’s time to restore the house that Jack built. This is the story of three politicians: … Read more

I’m a data nerd and a data cheerleader, but still I fear Bill English’s datatopia

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NZ’s new prime minister is a champion of evidence-based policy, the “social investment approach” and open government. So why is fellow data-evangelist Keith Ng warning of a data-democracy cargo cult? Bill English is the most data nerdy prime minister we have ever had. An ex-Treasury wonk and a champion of open data across government, he’s … Read more

Who to blame for appalling road congestion? Start with National’s feeble attitude to ridesharing

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MPs on all sides have embarrassed themselves in their ignorance of Uber and similar services. The simplest, cheapest way to tackle traffic gridlock is for the ruling party to abandon its timorous don’t-rock-the-boat attitude, writes ACT leader David Seymour. I sometimes joke that my parliamentary colleagues aren’t in their current job because they got bored … Read more

Silly old sausage: Why the Mad Butcher’s Waiheke comment matters

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As his friends and supporters continue to remind us, Sir Peter Leitch holds a special place in Māori and Pasifika communities through his support for rugby league. That’s all the more reason for him to step up and admit that his casual racism is a serious problem, says Annabelle Lee. Before it was a maze … Read more

Summer reissue: A property expert answers your questions about the housing crisis

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In October we invited you to lob your Auckland housing crisis questions at AUT professor John Tookey, an expert on the subject. Here he responds to a selection of the many questions he received, and explains why – spoiler alert – there are no easy answers. John Tookey is a Professor of Construction Management at … Read more

Summer reissue: Yes, ‘Moana’ is Disneyfied and corporate, but it’s still a great thing for Pacific peoples

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Community worker Ngaiterangi Smallman argues that the Moana movie is an opportunity Pacific communities should be grasping with both hands. First published on September 28, 2016. Two years ago I visited a Kohanga Reo (Māori-language preschool) in Tāmaki (Auckland) and enjoyed time with the mokopuna and teachers. The whanau had decorated the walls with cut … Read more

Summer reissue: Real Housewives and the real racism New Zealand prefers to pretend doesn’t exist

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A Black woman living in New Zealand talks about this year’s infamous episode of Real Housewives, and why it’s indicative of a broader racist culture in New Zealand we still refuse to acknowledge. Originally posted September 23, 2016 This week’s episode of Real Housewives has left many people shocked. They cannot believe that there are … Read more

Christmas edition On the Rag: Who made the naughty and nice list for 2016?

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For the final Christmas episode of On the Rag, the gang look at the highs and lows for women in 2016.  It’s the last episode of On the Rag, a podcast for people who consider themselves feminists every day of the week and definitely understand the dictionary definition of the word. To toast the year that was – … Read more