On Friday 15 March, a terrorist attack in Christchurch took the lives of 50 people at prayer. Eighteen months into her first term as prime minister, Jacinda Ardern faced a formidable task: communicate what happened, embrace a ruptured community, and force through real reform. Madeleine Chapman reports. The kids couldn’t believe she was there. A … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Bi-partisan changes to gun laws announced, immigration minister urged to step in on visas of attack victim families, and stats lay bare Islamophobia in media. The first major law change since the Christchurch terrorist attacks has been announced. The PM has announced that all of the weapons … Read more
Over recent days, Jacinda Ardern has been acclaimed internationally for her response to the atrocity in Christchurch. Below, a selection of statements that have resonated “It is clear that this can now only be described as a terrorist attack.” – Press conference, a few hours after the attack, March 15 “[March 15] will now be … Read more
In the first address to parliament since Friday’s terrorist attack on Christchurch, Jacinda Ardern paid tribute to the Muslim community and pledged to deny the perpetrator the notoriety he craves Al salam Alaikum. Peace be upon you. And peace be upon all of us. The 15th of March will now forever be a day etched … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Multi-party consensus starts to form on gun law changes, moving student led vigil held in Christchurch, and inquiry into attack announced. Across parliament, a consensus has formed that New Zealand’s gun laws need to change. The pressure is coming on particularly with regards to military style semi-automatics … Read more
The prime minister has just delivered an update to media from the Beehive on the security situation following the mosque terror attacks in Christchurch. Here is the text of her statement. A total now of 49 people have been killed – work is under way to confirm their identities as quickly as possible. Forty-one people … Read more
‘This can only be described as a terrorist attack,’ Jacinda Ardern has said from the New Zealand parliament, following a crisis meeting of NZ security chiefs in response to the mass murder at mosques in Christchurch. Below, an edited transcript of her remarks, and responses to journalists’ questions. I have now had the opportunity to … Read more
Lunch at Downing Street, pottery retreats with Nigella Lawson and Yotam Ottolenghi… New Zealand’s best-known chef has built quite a life for himself in London, but, now more than ever, he yearns for Aotearoa. This content was created in partnership with The Collective He’s been a top chef in London for three decades, with a … Read more
Jacinda Ardern’s personality, relative youth and air of doing things differently are winning over the centre, but she needs to get moving on climate change, writes former National minister Wayne Mapp. In 2017, the day after Winston Peters had chosen which of the two major parties would be in government, I wrote a column about … Read more
Literally decades worth of untaxed capital gains have created a political nightmare for the government. Is there any way they can navigate a capital gains tax through it, asks Danyl Mclauchlan? Part of the problem is that this government is trying to unshit the bed. We’ve had a deeply unfair tax system with its grossly … Read more
The period of benign relations between New Zealand and China appears to be drawing to a close, writes Massey University’s David Belgrave. Until recently, New Zealand’s relationship with China has been easy and at little cost to Wellington. But those days are probably over. New Zealand’s decision to block Huawei from its 5G cellular networks … Read more
Simon Bridges said the Government Tax Working Group’s call for a capital gains tax was an ‘assault on the Kiwi way of life’. That betrays a very depressing and limited view of the Kiwi way of life, says Hayden Donnell. The ink had barely dried on the Tax Working Group report and Simon Bridges was … Read more
As long as New Zealand is a member of the US-dominated Five Eyes spying network we will keep getting into trouble with China, argues former Green Party defence spokesperson Keith Locke Last November my heart sank when I heard our government had blocked Huawei from helping Spark set up a 5G network. Didn’t our prime … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: China conundrum deepens for New Zealand’s diplomats, massive shakeup for polytechs signalled, and seagulls under serious threat. The relationship between the New Zealand and Chinese governments appears to be particularly strained right now. Over the course of this week, there have been a range of individual reports … Read more
As China sends abstract signals about its unhappiness with New Zealand, there are some concrete steps that Jacinda Ardern’s government can take, writes Robert Ayson of the Victoria University of Wellington Centre for Strategic Studies. At the height of the Cold War, western intelligence agencies overanalysed who was standing next to whom at Red Square parades … Read more
The Gone By Lunchtime peloton roars into 2019. Just as you’re wondering whether it’s too late to say ‘happy new year’, Annabelle Lee, Toby Manhire and Ben Thomas wish you a happy new year with a return to the Gone-pod. On the agenda: A hell-poll for National sees Judith Collins casting a shadow over Simon … Read more
For a government promising “a year of delivery”, Ardern’s team has begun in something of a defensive crouch, writes Guyon Espiner for RNZ Labour will count itself lucky the Newshub-Reid Research poll was held for nine days and released the night before MPs returned to parliament on Tuesday. The poll, completed on 2 February but … Read more
When even the ‘woke’ are ignorant about Te Tiriti o Waitangi, it’s clear we need to make teaching its history compulsory in schools, writes Liam Hehir. Sometimes something happens in the news that shakes you out of a bubble. I thought that making New Zealand history a compulsory part of the curriculum was more heavy-handed … Read more
Social media has provided access to more information than ever, but at the same time it’s harder than ever to tell what’s real and what’s fake. InternetNZ policy advisor Nicola Brown looks back at the year Fake News broke the internet. Bad news spreads fast. In 2018 we saw what might be the breaking point of … Read more
A group of Indian students who were kicked out of New Zealand say their lives are ruined, and that electioneering Labour MPs, including Jacinda Ardern, promised help but went silent after coming to power. This story was originally published on RNZ Few people celebrated Labour’s 2017 return to power more than a broke, unemployed IT … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: PM tells MPs it’s time to deliver some results, National launches new tax policy aimed at bracket creep, and Local Government NZ counts cost of climate change. It’s time for the rubber to meet the road, as far as the government’s agenda is concerned. PM Jacinda Ardern … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Drama erupts over departure of Kiwibuild boss, West Coast Council’s climate change stance in spotlight, and change is coming to insurance sector. There’s some serious drama going down about the suspension and resignation of former Kiwibuild boss Stephen Barclay. He was forced to take leave in November, … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Jacinda Ardern wows the world at Davos, range of reactions to Kiwibuild news, and tobacco funding for Taxpayers Union revealed. The Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has continued her uncanny ability to wow the world, regardless of what’s going on at home. She’s been in Britain and Switzerland … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: New study lays bare housing unaffordability, a return to the news of a Roast Buster, and inequality continues to widen. Housing unaffordability in New Zealand is among the worst in the developed world, reports Stuff. That’s not necessarily a measure of prices alone, rather it’s a measure … Read more
Good morning, and welcome back to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Problems with seasonal work laid bare, expanded CPTPP trade deal becomes more likely, and new swimming safety guideline launched in Auckland. A few big stories over the last few weeks have indicated serious strain on New Zealand’s seasonal economy. The details differ, but at the heart … Read more
Rangatira ki te rangatira: Ardern’s approach to Waitangi commemorations offered the chance to break from the bad old days under PMs of both parties, wrote Annabelle Lee This post was first published January 24 2018 Every Waitangi it’s the same. The lack of gratitude shown by Māori at being among the poorest, sickest, most unemployed and … Read more
Jacinda Ardern’s full speech to the United Nations General Assembly. This post, first published September 28 2018, was viewed in tens of thousands. The NZ prime minister’s speech called for kindness over fear, accountability, and collectivism on inequality and climate change. E ngā mana nui o ngā whenua o te ao Tēnā koutou katoa Nei rā … Read more
In the first days of 2018, as she embarked on a critical year for her newly formed government, Jacinda Ardern hosted Spinoff editor Toby Manhire at her Auckland home. This post was first published Feb 1 2018 Mid-morning, Anniversary Monday, and Auckland is melting. “Yesterday, I was trying to write a speech, and it was … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Wally Haumaha to keep job despite criticism in IPCA report, state of the immigration system in focus, and quarterly stats show economic slowdown. The appointment of Deputy Police Commissioner Wally Haumaha has been a festering sore of a story over much of the year. From the criticisms raised by … Read more