Hope, censorship, the Hong Kong protests and their threads across Asia and the Pacific: a conversation with artist Yuk King Tan, whose show Crisis of the Ordinary is at Starkwhite gallery now. A lattice screen made out of white plastic zip tie police handcuffs. Batons, bottles, drones and other protest objects, wrapped in many-coloured threads, … Read more
Auckland’s latest mall development, Westfield Newmarket, had its first stage opening yesterday. Josie Adams went to see what all the fuss was about. The long-awaited Westfield Newmarket, on the site of the iconic 277 and now the largest shopping centre in the country, has opened some of its eventual 200-plus doors. Consumers across the supercity … Read more
Who makes up the royal ‘we’? Lana Lopesi reviews a massive show at ST PAUL St Gallery in Auckland that investigates questions of community, culture and conflict. How to Live Together at ST PAUL St Gallery could hardly have been better timed, opening just days before the protection of Ihumātao in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland reached … Read more
Work-obsessed drone Alex Braae assesses whether shutting himself up in a dark room will allow some semblance of normality on a day off. It is a sad fact of life that many of us spend alarmingly large chunks of it working. The relationship is like quicksand: as we spend more time on the job, we … Read more
Phil Goff has kept a low profile compared with his headline-grabbing opponent in the early stages of the Auckland mayoral campaign. Hayden Donnell heads along to see if the mayor can win back the spotlight at his campaign launch. The Spinoff local election coverage is made possible thanks to The Spinoff Members. For more about becoming … Read more
On the latest episode of The Good Citizen podcast, Anahera Rawiri talks to Jeremy Hansen about a uniquely Māori solution to Auckland’s housing crisis. The Good Citizen podcast: Download (right click to save), have a listen below, or subscribe to the series on iTunes. New Zealand’s housing crisis is a systemic failure on so many fronts: … Read more
For Auckland is a Spinoff podcast of civic conversations with people working to create and sustain a better Auckland for all. In episode seven, host Timothy Giles speaks to Penny Hulse, longtime Auckland councillor and former deputy mayor, about her time in council, why she’s stepping down and her hopes for the future. There’s never … Read more
More than 20,000 Aucklanders don’t have access to regular showers or the ability to wash their clothing. Alice Webb-Liddall tags along on a shift with Orange Sky, who are giving homeless people back these basic needs. On an overcast Friday morning outside the Auckland City Mission, a group of volunteers are gathered around an orange … Read more
For Auckland is a new Spinoff podcast of civic conversations with people working to create and sustain a better Auckland for all. In episode three, host Timothy Giles speaks to Grace Stratton about accessibility, in fashion and in Auckland. She’s launched a groundbreaking fashion business, been nominated for Young New Zealander of the Year, profiled … Read more
With everything in politics moving so fast these days, it can be hard to remember characters from earlier seasons who get brought back for yet another run. So with John Banks considering another Auckland mayoralty run, what are some things you might have forgotten? Once upon a time, he was utterly ubiquitous. John Banks was … Read more
No, more density doesn’t mean more traffic – and other widespread myths about the effects of increased housing, busted by Greater Auckland’s Heidi O’Callahan. Aucklanders would do well to get more involved in the discussion around how our city develops. Leaving the struggle to the techno-centric planners – with their unwitting NIMBY supporters – and … Read more
Auckland is going through a period of rapid change. Hayden Donnell talks to an urban design advisor about whether it’s possible to transform the city without riling everyone up. With local body elections less than three months away, Auckland is divided in two. On one side are people who want to continue reshaping the city … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Tamihere makes a splash with Watercare policy announcement, wind power set to boom, and breakthrough in efforts to reduce cow methane. With the election only a few months away now, it’s a good time to check back in with the state of the Auckland mayoralty … Read more
About as far as you can get from Aotearoa’s rural heartland, a new breed of farmers are rethinking the way we grow. At the heart of that shitshow of an Auckland city confluence where Symonds St, New North Rd, Khyber Pass and Newton Rd come together, observant passers-by will notice an unlikely thing. Amid the … Read more
Mt Albert is on the verge of a transformation. Josie Adams gives a roadmap for how to change Auckland’s second-oldest suburb without ruining it in the process. Until now, Mt Albert’s drawcards have tended towards its outskirts. Hotspots like St Lukes and the Auckland Zoo all lie on the fringe of the township, teasing at … Read more
We’re on the record praising the virtues of Mt Albert, but how did it get to where it is today? Alice Webb-Liddall tells the story of a suburb’s 900-year history in ten moments. Mt Albert is Auckland’s second oldest suburb and arguably its best. It’s home to one of the country’s biggest schools, best playgrounds, … Read more
Onehunga is throwing a nine-day celebration of the creativity that defines the suburb. Josie Adams reports on what you need to visit on every single day of the Onehunga Arts Festival. More than 35 events are scheduled to take place in Onehunga from the 22nd June through to the 30th as part of the suburb’s … Read more
For anyone considering fixing up a bike, sourcing bike parts, or with an interest in perusing a yard full of years’ worth of trash-turned-treasure, now is your time. Loop Groop – the Eden Terrace co-op that rescues and repairs old bicycles and provides space for people to tinker with bikes themselves – is being forced … Read more
Other suburbs have their appeal, but one rises above them all. Hayden Donnell argues Mt Albert is the best place to live in Auckland. First, a terrible confession: I grew up on Auckland’s North Shore. For most of my life, all I knew were Planet 8 board shorts and bowl lattes; golden sand beaches clogged … Read more
An urban farm in Auckland has been raising cows for meat for years. This time, they decided to involve the community in the process – but the backlash was so intense, the plan was canned. Alice Neville talks to those involved about what went down, and what we can learn from the saga. A sprawling, … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Alarming raids against journalists in Australia, new stats show how many Aucklanders left town during boom, and yawning deficit in DHB funding. We’re going to start with an international story today, because it’s taking place in our backyard and is deeply concerning. The Australian Federal Police have … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Fears for cities with loss of trees, competitive battle looms for Dunedin mayoralty, and teacher strike talks to take place amid new secondary strike action. New Zealand’s urban environments are losing worryingly high numbers of irreplaceable mature trees, reports Charlie Mitchell at Stuff. It comes a decade after … Read more
For Auckland is a new Spinoff podcast of civic conversations with people working to create and sustain a better Auckland for all. In episode three, host Timothy Giles speaks to Pania Newton about the fight for Ihumātao. So much of New Zealand history is defined by our conflict over land. In Māngere, south Auckland, the … Read more
A play teaching teens about consent and sexual harassment opens in Wellington this week, followed by Auckland next month. Co-creator Karin McCracken talks about why the show was necessary, and the generationally unique struggles kids face today. The current model of health education in New Zealand allows parents to opt their kids out of sex … Read more
Is this the Harbour Bridge crossing breakthrough Auckland has been waiting for? And what does it mean for SkyPath? This post was first published on Bike Auckland. Today the NZ Transport Agency unveiled its preferred design for a walking and biking pathway across the Auckland Harbour Bridge, breaking the silence around the project since the government … Read more
A legal challenge from a tiny group of pensioners is protesting a 100 apartment development on Dominion Rd that the council’s own development arm is trying to build. Sam Grover explains why this is not as cute as it might seem. Last year, Auckland Council declined planning permission for a proposed development on Dominion Road. … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Figures of foreign buyers shows a big decrease, principals unimpressed by government teacher recruitment fund, and CRL funding issues debated at Council. The statistics on foreign house buyers since the ban came into effect have shown a dramatic decline in sales to those overseas. It has pretty … Read more
It pays to shop around, and ridesharing services are no different. Some are cheaper, others are more convenient, so which is which? We take you through four options worth trying in Auckland. Uber: The Incumbent It’s the company synonymous with 21st-century ridesharing. A company so big, so ubiquitous, that ‘Uber’ isn’t just a name any … Read more
John Tamihere has launched his first policy slate ahead of the Auckland mayoralty election, making a pitch for the conservative vote. Alex Braae was at Chamberlain Park golf course for the launch. John Tamihere has picked a side on some of Auckland’s most contentious issues around parks and facilities. Depending on your point of view, … Read more