Light, air, water: A celebration of Māori poetry in lockdown

As we emerged, blinking, from the first lockdown, essa may ranapiri said they might write a response to the wonderful poetry published by Māori writers over that strange time. They did not want the work “dumped in the world and forgotten” – they wanted it seen, held high, lit up. Here is that piece.  He … Read more

Covid-19 isn’t going anywhere but still the clock keeps ticking on election 2020

Level one might not be back for some time amid warnings the current Auckland outbreak will linger. But the election campaign must go on – one way or another, writes political editor Justin Giovannetti. There’s an election campaign going on out there if you know where to look for it. With the move to extend … Read more

In lockdown 2.0, sewing is the new sourdough

The first time around, lockdown birthed a wave of artisan bread makers and K-Fry truthers. This time, it’s the craftspeople’s turn.  If you live in Auckland, the likelihood is you’ve been spending a lot more time inside than you usually do. Not only because the city has been placed into a level three lockdown, but … Read more

‘Lockdown is a bit boring’: 10 Auckland kids on being back in level three

How do the youngest members of our team of five million feel about the Covid-19 resurgence? When photographer Sonya Nagels had to explain to her kids that they were back in lockdown, she was struck by how much they understood. Lockdown, social distancing, masks, outbreaks, viruses – they knew all the jargon. Sonya asked a … Read more

Covid-19 lockdown settings review today: what can we expect and when?

Covid-19 lockdown and alert level settings are being assessed today by cabinet. What decisions are they making, and when will those decisions be announced? This piece was first published on RNZ. Cabinet ministers will meet this morning to review the Covid-19 lockdown settings, but are not expected to make a definitive decision on whether to … Read more

A brief intermission: Auckland’s live industry takes a nap

Just over a week ago, Auckland had a full slate of live events going ahead. But this week and next? Silence. Sam Brooks reports on how returning to lockdown has affected Auckland’s live scene. If you were an Aucklander leaving the house on Tuesday morning, you might have been leaving that house with a full … Read more

Ranking the top five TV news masks of Lockdown 2.0

From the trusty old blue disposable medical face mask to a bandana made out of a pair of gruts, New Zealand’s TV news and current affairs shows have been a veritable parade of PPE this week. José Barbosa has compiled all the best examples here: The news that Auckland was moving back to level three … Read more