The government has accepted the Royal Commission’s recommendations, but the job is far from done, says Abbas Nazari – we underestimate the threat of white supremacy at our peril. With the government making an “in-principle” commitment to all 44 of the recommendations made by the Royal Commission, no doubt the response to the Christchurch mosque … Read more
Aotearoa’s challenges are clear, but it is incumbent, too, on the Australian government to launch an inquiry of its own – the society that shaped the terrorist and the failure of its own intelligence services, writes Anjum Rahman. My first impression on reading the report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Terrorist Attacks … Read more
The Royal Commission into the Christchurch attack has made 44 recommendations, including a sweeping overhaul and expansion of New Zealand’s national security state. Justin Giovannetti reports from parliament. New Zealand’s security services knew almost nothing about the the terrorist’s intentions before the Christchurch attack and could have done very little to stop him, the long-awaited … Read more
While the March 15 terrorist was not on the intelligence agencies’ radar, Haamid Ben Fayed has been. He hopes the inquiry will be a chance to address the systemic discrimination faced by Muslims in this country – but, as he tells Jo Malcolm, he doesn’t hold out much hope for change. Haamid Ben Fayed thinks … Read more
Today’s news that the mosque shooter will represent himself at his sentencing next month has raised fears he plans to use it as a platform for his hateful views. But the judge may have other ideas, write Otago University professors Danica McGovern and Andrew Geddis In March of this year, the man responsible for last … Read more
The six-month trial of police armed response teams, introduced in the wake of the Christchurch attacks, ended on Sunday. An evaluation is expected in June, but we don’t need to wait until then to know that routinely arming police isn’t the solution, says Anjum Rahman. On dark winter nights last year, I went to the … Read more
Dr Hamimah Tuyan, the widow of Zekeriya Tuyan, the 51st victim of the Christchurch mosque attacks, was to speak at the remembrance service in Christchurch today. This is what she was planning to say. Kia ora. Peace be upon you. Assalamu alaikum. Last March the world witnessed a phenomenal show of your solidarity. You defied … Read more
We don’t need an anniversary to pray for those who died, to honour the suffering of those who survived. But are we ready to face the complexity of the changes that are needed? An essay by Anjum Rahman. Anniversaries are a difficult thing. Muslim beliefs around death are quite different. No grave stones or other … Read more
In recent weeks, Christchurch-based Muslims have contributed to the One Year On project, telling their stories in their own words. Here we share a selection. Siham Alsalfiti: ‘Love makes you happy, hatred burns you‘ We were hurt, badly hurt. It’s still incomprehensible, it’s still very difficult that we lost Abdul who was a caring dad, … Read more
With the exception of arrivals from the Pacific islands, those coming from every country in the world will be required to self-isolate for a fortnight. It follows the cancellation of the remembrance service scheduled for tomorrow in Christchurch and confirmation of a sixth positive Covid-19 case in New Zealand, a man who had been in … Read more
Tech sector giants have a vested interest in prioritising freedom of expression, often at the expense of other rights. A new project to reduce harmful online content, presented yesterday to the Paris Peace Forum, aims to change that. One of the architects of the Christchurch Principles, Dr David Hall, explains. What is the harm in … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Pressure on government from unions, mosque attack victim widows turned down for residency, and another Nat eyes safe Botany seat nomination. Pressure is being put on the government to deliver on one of their major promises to the union movement, reports the NZ Herald (paywalled.) It relates to … Read more
The ban and buyback passed by a united parliament in the wake of the Christchurch massacre will achieve little in the long term unless accompanied by modernised gun regulation, writes Hera Cook. New Zealanders register their cars, they register their dogs. Why should they not register guns, which are designed to kill? Guns are uniquely … Read more
Vana Manasiadis wrote a collection of poetry in the wake of her mother’s death. In this essay, ahead of her appearance at the Going West festival, she argues that as a nation Aotearoa needs to learn to make space for mourning. When Mum died in Athens, I cried loudly and publicly and was held up … Read more
The old utopian ideal of an unmoderated free speech arena can’t survive this upswing in right wing violence, writes the co-author of a report calling for greater regulation of the internet. Like many people my age, I feel like I grew up both on and with the internet. There was an amazing sense of freedom … Read more
The white supremacist terrorist who killed 20 people in El Paso over the weekend claimed direct inspiration from the Christchurch mosque shootings. Don Rowe explores how our darkest day became an aspirational target for the far right. Scrolling 8chan after another white supremacist terrorist attack was foreshadowed on the site over the weekend I flicked … Read more
Immediately following the Christchurch Mosque Shootings the National Telehealth Service expanded by 120 staff to counsel more than 800 New Zealanders by phone. Don Rowe visits to learn how they did it. In the 24 hours following the Christchurch Mosque Shootings an army of counsellors mobilised across New Zealand. Psychologists, psychiatrists and social workers scrambled … Read more