At this ecological crossroads, Central Otago writer Jillian Sullivan seeks a kinder path forward. The Ida Burn is running shallow, the interstitial spaces between pebbles and stones dense with silt, and in the glides a yellow sheen of flowering broom. The wind that whooshed in the trees all morning has quietened to the sound of … Read more
Our failures threaten the wellbeing of all of us – and our descendants, writes Mike Joy. Our failure to protect the ecosystems on which we depend on for our wellbeing is galling. A raft of recent Ministry for the Environment reports on New Zealand’s environmental performance reveal that far from improving, we are not even … Read more
In a legal first, Ngāi Tahu has lodged a statement of claim in the High Court seeking recognition of its rangatiratanga over its awa and moana, to address the ongoing degradation caused by the environmental mismanagement. Chair of Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu, Lisa Tumahai, explains why it’s long overdue. We all know that something … Read more
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Mixed messages on freshwater regulations, Christchurch gunman won’t address court, and an important story about what happens after a positive Covid-19 test. National leader Judith Collins has told a Facebook live chat that the government’s freshwater regulations will be “gone by lunchtime” if National wins. As Stuff’s Henry … Read more
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Millions of dollars divvied up by Sport NZ, MSD’s problem with wrongly denied payments grows, and internal coalition battles emerge in time for election. It’s Friday, and there hasn’t been a lot of it recently, so we’re going to start with sport today. Don’t worry, it’s … Read more
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Mixed views on freshwater rules, pay equity settlement for teacher aides, and concerns raised about new internet filtering proposal. The final form of a major package of freshwater reforms was announced yesterday, and it was notable how little anger came from certain quarters. Throughout this process, … Read more
The government has just announced a whole lot of new rules and policies for freshwater with the aim of urgently stopping degradation and cleaning up rivers over the long term. What’s all this then? A massive package of work on freshwater quality has just been announced in an attempt to halt further damage and start … Read more
It makes sense to focus on our unique selling points as a country during the post-Covid rebuild. But we also have to live the values we market to the world, writes Jessica Desmond. Earlier this week ‘future of food’ expert Rosie Bosworth wrote that to turbo-boost our Covid recovery, New Zealand should capitalise on our … Read more
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Impacts of coronavirus in focus, claims of NZDF coverup of indecent assaults, and will NZ and Europe get a trade deal this year? I realise that the lead story in Friday’s Bulletin was also about the coronavirus, so apologies if you feel there is too … Read more
Were Fonterra’s Open Gates events a shallow PR stunt, or was there something deeper going on? Alex Braae went to Mangatawhiri to find out. This feature is made possible thanks to the Spinoff Members Fund. We need your help to make journalism that matters. For more information, click here. Walking into the Fonterra Open Gates event … Read more
If we want to assure our export markets and tourists that we are actually a clean sustainable country, we actually have to prove it, writes freshwater ecologist Russell Death. According to some in the agricultural industry, the sky will fall on New Zealand agriculture if the government’s new freshwater policy becomes law. Consumers will no … Read more
Freshwater ecologist Dr Mike Joy makes a plea to politicians and the public, urging them to trust that the people who study water quality know what they’re talking about. Imagine you had just stepped onto a plane, and the captain’s voice came over the intercom. “We’ve been held back from take-off while the engineers look … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Covering Climate Now week begins, hate crimes in focus six months after Christchurch attack, and scale of house flipping laid bare. Over the course of this week, you’re going to see a lot of climate change coverage. The Spinoff will be one of the organisations participating … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Examples of why teaching history matters immediately emerge, accused Labour staffer resigns, and giant of Tongan democracy dies. In the space of a day, there were two examples that clearly showed why New Zealand’s history needs to be taught in schools. In case you missed it, … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Farmers furious at freshwater proposals, small King Country town to have dual name, and cupboards bare at Auckland City Mission. The government’s big week of announcing things has continued, with the news dominated yesterday by their plans for freshwater. Once again, Toby Manhire has a cheat sheet which … Read more
The government has just published its plan to halt the degradation of waterways and restore the health of freshwater over a generation. But one group says it ‘throws farming under the tractor’. What’s this then? David Parker, the environment minister, has just announced government plans for waterways. “Our rivers, lakes and wetlands are under serious … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: School food programme welcomed with questions about scale, vital tourist infrastructure under pressure, and Transmission Gully won’t be tolled. It’s difficult to do anything on a chronically empty stomach, let alone learn. That is the rationale behind a new announcement from the government, to provide students … Read more
Imagine if we treated our native birds with as little care as we do our precious fish stocks, writes ecologist Stella McQueen. Earlier this year, 900 at-risk native mudfish were relocated to make way for a wastewater development. But despite a huge amount of planning, volunteer hours, and a $160,000 bill, only a handful survived. … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: What to watch for on Budget day, education minister gets brutal heckling from teachers, and Wellington mayor throws support behind trackless trams. “Don’t tell me what you value, show me your budget, and I’ll tell you what you value.” So goes the quote often attributed to former … Read more