Extracting raw materials for new technology like electric vehicles can take a terrible toll on the environment. So New Zealand company Geo40 has developed a process for sourcing strategic minerals from our abundant geothermal resources. Over four decades ago, Mike O’Sullivan, founder and COO of Geo40, did a high school project examining whether precious minerals … Read more
IoT is everywhere – we’ve just got to know where to look. Ben Fahy got a lesson on how to find it. Spark’s Tony Agar has a lot of explaining to do, which comes with the territory when you specialise in the Internet of Things. “I’ve had to explain to my kids what I do … Read more
When writer Charlotte Muru-Lanning noticed her friend JP sharing conspiracy theories online, she challenged him on it. Here they continue that conversation. For Māori and Pasifika, using social media at the moment almost always means some type of interaction with conspiracy theories. The phenomenon has created widespread concern in our communities and we’ve seen an … Read more
Can’t decide which rabbit hole to fall into? Not sure if you think Jacinda’s a reptilian shapeshifter, or if there’s a moose on the loose in Fiordland? Fear not – Sherry Zhang has consulted the stars. The rise of conspiracy theories goes hand in hand with a global pandemic. Could the combination of fear, misinformation … Read more
To stamp out rampant rumours, we must turn to fearless and fastidious scholarship – and writers, says Jared Davidson. On a spring morning in March 1906, people making their way to work along Oxford Street in central London were alarmed to see well-built men wearing Prussian army uniforms prowling up and down the pavement. From … Read more
Huawei is stoking tensions overseas, causing some countries to ban its technology from their 5G networks. But what does that mean for us? Last week the UK announced it would be banning the country’s mobile providers from buying 5G equipment from Huawei, previously a major technology provider for the new network. That decision is expected … Read more
Mistrust in the government and generational trauma mean Māori communities are more at risk of falling victim to conspiracies relating to the 5G spectrum. Alice Webb-Liddall finds out what needs to be done to combat this dangerous misinformation. The real danger of conspiracy theories can sometimes be hard to grasp. When comments on Facebook link … Read more
In the 90s, the so-called information superhighway was more of a dirt road. Now it’s a multi-lane motorway. Vodafone NZ’s Sharina Nisha explains the technology that makes it all possible. They used to call it the information superhighway. Back in the heady days of the 1990s, the term was used to describe the burgeoning potential … Read more
The government has proactively released a whole bunch of Covid-19-related documents. Alex Braae has been trawling through them to bring you the highlights. The last time a whole lot of Covid-19 papers were released, it was controversial. They came out late on Friday afternoon, and seemed to be a case of overwhelming the nation’s journalists … Read more
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Religious groups struggle with level two limits, many more kids going back to school today, and further cellphone tower attacks over the weekend. Another weekend has passed with strict attendance restrictions on religious gatherings, despite the country moving into level two. The vast majority of worship … Read more
David Farrier looks at the way two conspiracy theories have merged into something very nasty online and into real world violence. Over the weekend we saw another suspicious fire at a cellphone tower, this time in South Auckland. This comes off the back of a string of arson attacks over the last six weeks: 10 … Read more
For the second time since New Zealand went into lockdown, the public toilet block and carpark at Ōwairaka has been defaced with racist images. The dispute over the native restoration programme for the maunga of Ōwairaka took a nasty new turn last week when the words “Majurey lies” were spray painted in orange across the … Read more
In today’s edition: Coronavirus’ harsh impact on New Zealand’s economy starts to reveal itself; Bridges advocates matching Australia’s deportation policies and the Shelly Bay dispute ratchets up. As major outbreaks were confirmed in Iran and Italy, the impact of Coronavirus on New Zealand’s economy started to become more clear, with the NZX50 dropping nearly 2% … Read more
Why are we still looking to America first when it comes to our decisions on which countries to engage with, asks former MP Keith Locke. Britain’s decision to resist American pressure and let Huawei into its 5G network is embarrassing for New Zealand. Earlier our government had fallen into line with Washington and Canberra and … Read more
Its arrival has been said to herald the next generation of innovation, but in a world where we’re already conditioned to expect near-instantaneous speed from our mobile internet, what kind of change can we actually expect to see from 5G? It’s easy to forget that much of what we take for granted – browsing Facebook, … Read more
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Māori Party revival gathers steam, Coronavirus response screening stepped up, and rural economists predict dairy land value slide. A clear theme has emerged from the political gathering at Rātana this weekend – the Māori Party are getting ready for a serious tilt at the 2020 … Read more
A fringe political party is hoping for better returns in 2020 after adding a high profile independent lawyer as co-leader. Alex Braae reports. A courtroom champion of stopping 1080 drops and promoting medicinal cannabis rights is turning her attention to parliament. Independent lawyer Sue Grey gained national profile through cases like the Brook Valley brodifacoum … Read more
Richard MacManus finds out how 5G will help Auckland smarten up by building better relationships with its citizens. In its latest Smart Cities Index, Swedish company EasyPark ranked Auckland 58th out of 100 worldwide cities. Decidedly average. But it gets worse, I’m afraid. In the same list, Auckland was ranked 85th out of 100 cities … Read more
At Vodafone HQ on the North Shore, a multinational team is working to build a network which will change New Zealand. Duncan Greive watches the birth of 5G. The fridge is basically the same as those at workplaces across New Zealand, groaning with beer and little else. It looks like any other modern double door, … Read more
New Zealand banning Huawei’s 5G network equipment won’t impact you nearly as much as the US’s recent moves against Huawei phones, writes Henry Burrell. Twenty years ago, you would have shown off your flash new Ericsson or Nokia. How times change. Now, those two entities exist only to provide mobile network equipment, (Nokia’s Android phones … Read more
Spark ramps up its Internet of Things (IoT) network with a leading investment in Kiwi tech company Parkable. Auckland-based startup Parkable has raised more than $4.6 million in its first funding round led by telecommunications giant Spark. The funds will be used to increase Parkable’s international expansion and continue developing its technology and product. Currently, the … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Huawei’s stern letter to ministers gets leaked, Fonterra announces dire financial projections, and movement inches forward on genetic engineering changes. Chinese technology giant Huawei has threatened to leave the NZ market, if they’re not allowed to participate in the 5G rollout. It came in a letter … Read more
Vodafone just announced that they’ll be flicking on the new generation of mobile signal in four centres before the end of the year. Hold the phone. What just happened? In an all singing, all dancing, all hologramming extravaganza at its Auckland HQ, Vodafone announced that it will be switching on a 5G network in December … Read more
Forget 1080 – these days 5G is the conspiracy theory that everyone is freaking out about. But is there any basis for the scare stories? Emily Writes tries to unravel fact from fiction. Have you heard the news about 5G? Folks are absolutely frothing over it in conspiracy groups on Facebook. They’re absolutely convinced that … Read more
Scientists say that 5G is safe, but a small, vocal group of people insist it causes cancer. RNZ’s Susan Strongman speaks to two of the rollout’s most rowdy opponents. Sue Pockett and Stephanie Honeychurch are puffed up like sparrows waiting for me as I disembark from the ferry on Waiheke Island. It’s a cold, drizzly morning, … Read more
The US banned Huawei and now Google is breaking up with the Chinese smartphone maker. How did all go so wrong? I’ve been hiding under a rock for the last few days. What happened? Earlier this week, Google announced plans to restrict access to its apps and services on Huawei products. That means no more … Read more
A 1999 Waitangi Tribunal report said Māori have rights to the radio spectrum, what we know as the 2G, 3G and 4G mobile networks. The Crown disagreed. Now, 20 years on from the original claim, the government has the opportunity to right past wrongs when it makes its 5G allocation. Next year will mark 20 years … Read more