Someone Emily Writes knew, or thought she knew, raped a woman in a horrific attack. She asks why she didn’t see the monster within. Someone I knew from high school killed someone many years back. When I was asked what he’d been like in high school I said there had been something “off” about him. … Read more
Illustrator and writer Toby Morris spends a day in Albert Park for Laneway 2019. Who is that big sweaty bearded guy with his notebook out watching a band? Wait, is he… drawing? Why? (All fair questions.) First impression is always the styles. This year at least 1999 men dressed in prints. Second impression, at … Read more
Does the way we approach drug law form fundamentally overlook what addiction is all about, asks Danyl Mclauchlan It’s been a long time since I smoked pot. My friends and I used to smoke it at school. We were bored, I suppose, but in retrospect this was a terrible place to take drugs. My prevailing … Read more
On Monday night, Joseph Parker, one of a group of young men investigated relating to alleged sexual offences, broke his silence, talking to Newshub five years after The Roast Busters scandal exploded. Many of his survivors were watching. Alex Casey sat down with one of them this week in her Auckland home. Appalled by Parker’s … Read more
Nothing that happens in Friday’s big celebrity cricket game will ever be as good as Paul Vautin’s catch in the 1993 Allan Border testimonial, argues Calum Henderson. This Friday afternoon at Hagley Park in Christchurch, a team of famous cricketers are playing a team of famous rugby players in a game of celebrity T20 that … Read more
The hours are long and lonely, your creations are constantly criticised and alcohol is everywhere – is it any wonder many brewers are struggling? Content warning: suicidal thoughts From the outside, the beer industry seems like a brilliant lifestyle choice. What could be better than making beer all day, drinking free beer at night, selling … Read more
Pregnancy and birth-related injuries are all too common, but with ACC requiring proof of that treatment or other external force was to blame, many new mothers are forced to live with excruciating, untreated pain. Sarah Bichan reports. It’s almost taboo to talk about birth injuries. Some people have never heard of pelvic floor dysfunction (vaginal … Read more
How two families, in the space of one week, brought out the worst in New Zealand media and public. Tragedy unites us. A shared pain can be what brings a nation together, with people from all backgrounds setting aside their differences to suffer, grieve, and rebuild together. But as it happens, there’s one thing that … Read more
When cricketer Scott Kuggeleijn took to the pitch for the Black Caps last Friday there was no mention of his two trials for raping a woman in 2016, for which he was ultimately found not guilty. Asks Jessie Dennis, is silence really the best NZ Cricket can do? Content warning: details of sexual violence. On … Read more
With this detailed guided tour, it’s easy to follow in the footsteps of the unruly visitors whose shocking antics have gripped the nation. Mere weeks into 2019, we already have a strong contender for the year’s most compelling news story. From the farthest reaches of the North Shore to the light-industrial outskirts of the Tron, … Read more
Toilet spray product VIPoo has haunted our televisions and pre-roll ads for over a year now. Alex Casey dissects one of the most challenging art pieces of the decade. You know what I was casually thinking, just the other day? Even Hollywood’s sweethearts need to punish the porcelain. If that’s a normal thing to say … Read more
Drivers peeing into a bottle because they can’t afford toilet stops and migrant workers sleeping in depots: The trucking industry is in a race to the bottom, a new study says. It took AUT researcher Dr Clare Tedestedt George several days to recover from her 15-hour interview with a truck driver. The conversation lasted that … Read more
Every year the NBA holds an All-Star game, showcasing the best players in the league, as voted in by players, league officials, and fans. It’s time for New Zealand to make Steven Adams an All-Star. Here’s how. When was the last time you felt pure, unadulterated patriotism? Now when was the last time you put … Read more
I’ve worked at parliament for three different MPs over five years. For the first time, I’m now working for a woman MP, and the kind of messages sent to her online are shocking. “Hey, what are you up to tonight?” “Is that your boyfriend?” It’s 9.37pm and I assume my MP has had the gall … Read more
Simon Day spoke to Sir John Kirwan about what he’s learned about living well – and why he’s determined to help young Kiwis learn, too. This story originally ran in Barker’s 1972 magazine under the title How to Enjoy Grappa Sir John Kirwan is relaxed. Standing in his kitchen chopping parsley and garlic, the view of Rangitoto … Read more
Banning 1080 would lead to the annihilation of nearly all New Zealand’s native land animals and birds, writes Forest & Bird’s Kevin Hague. Is this really what our leading animal welfare organisation wants? On Monday morning the SPCA posted an article in which they called for a ban on 1080, suggested that introduced predators could … Read more
Your house might be tidy but now you’re surrounded by garbage bags full of all of your KonMarie’d shit. What do you do? Emily Writes looks for answers. My house was as messy as my life is – which is to say very messy. But then I discovered Marie Kondo. I am now a convert, … Read more
Environmental limits, changing tastes and a redefined social licence are driving consumers away from animal proteins. In part two of a series on the rise of veganism, Daniel Eb looks at what New Zealand must do to get on board. There is a sense of impending transformation ahead for agriculture in New Zealand. The world’s … Read more
He’s a lot of things: a commentator, political PR guy, Twitter scrapper, dad, recovering alcoholic – even Mongolian ambassador. But Matthew Hooton’s main focus at the moment is chalking up a philosophy Master’s in London. Toby Manhire meets one of the most fascinating – and polarising – characters in NZ politics Life is a like … Read more
Dragon tears, meteorites, or just plain shit – ambergris is an olfactory miracle of the deep. Sought after for thousands of years, and worth upwards of $10,000/kg today, ambergris washes up on beaches across New Zealand all year long. Don Rowe goes looking for it. This story originally ran in Barker’s 1972 magazine under the title … Read more
New Year, new you? We hear that a lot in January. The focus tends to be on the body, but what if you have a shit personality online? What can you do to fix that? Emily Writes can help. I think 2019 should be the year that people who are assholes in comment sections try … Read more
When you have a kid, words like ‘hangover’ and ‘holiday’ take on a whole new meaning. Mum Anna Gowan rewrites the dictionary for parents. Published 7 June, 2018. Fact: Kids give new meaning to life. “Yeah yeah,” I used to say upon hearing this. “I’ve seen the nappy ads and the cheesy photo shoots of … Read more
The groping of a topless woman at a music festival last year highlights just how retrograde our attitudes to public nudity remain. But, writes Kristin Hall, there is a better way – just look at any European beach. This post was originally published 8 January 2018. It was a lazy day on a white hot … Read more
An artificial intelligence bot called Zach is creating a stir in the medical community. A doctor in Christchurch is teaching it to write patient notes. An Otago professor has it interpreting ECG results. But AI experts are not convinced. David Farrier goes in search of Zach. This post was originally published 6 March 2018 Last … Read more
The Side Eye is a monthly non-fiction comic by Toby Morris, supported by NZ On Air. Read more comics here
With actor Jason Momoa putting his problematic interpretation of haka on the world stage during the press tour for Aquaman, Tina Ngata revisits some of the myths and misunderstandings about Māori as a ‘warrior race’. “The notion of a warrior gene as a scientific fact is actually based on the history of a scientific and cultural … Read more
It has been the best-performing media brand of the past five years. Yet Labour’s bold plans to grow it have caused RNZ nothing but trouble so far, and major clouds loom on the horizon, writes Duncan Greive. While reporting this series I spoke to over a dozen executives, senior editors and reporters across the New … Read more
In the wake of the death of Grace Millane, violence against women has prompted the usual round of complaints that not all men are violent. Shut it down, says Sophie Bateman for Newshub. In this unpredictable, ever-changing world, a few things remain absolutely dependable. The sun will rise every morning. Babies will be born. Aucklanders … Read more
What does it mean to step out into the world on your own as a young woman? Three days after my 21st birthday, I jumped on a plane and went to Europe. I spent five months in London studying for a semester at UCL, and then another five months traversing much of the continent. Other … Read more