Is Southland finally free of its toxic burden?

After a long struggle, the Environment Court has finally ruled that the ouvea premix stored across Southland will be removed by May 2021. Michael Andrew spoke to those involved in the campaign. The Paper Mill is part of Frame, a series of short, standalone documentaries produced by Wrestler for The Spinoff. Made with support from … Read more

Frame: Who owns the toxic waste in Mataura’s paper mill?

On the edge of the Mataura River, a disused paper mill is filled with thousands of bags of toxic waste. Locals want to find out who’s responsible for it – and they want it gone before disaster strikes. First published November 10, 2020. The Paper Mill is part of Frame, a series of short documentaries … Read more

Frame: Who owns the toxic waste in Mataura’s paper mill?

On the edge of the Mataura River, a disused paper mill is filled with thousands of bags of toxic waste. Locals want to find out who’s responsible for it – and they want it gone before disaster strikes. The Paper Mill is part of Frame, a series of short documentaries produced by Wrestler for The … Read more

The quest to free Southland residents from a toxic liability

It’s been a battle beset by fear, floods and corporate negligence. But will big business finally take responsibility for the toxic waste dumped around Southland? The Paper Mill is part of Frame, a series of short, standalone documentaries produced by Wrestler for The Spinoff. Made with support from NZ On Air. Watch more here. It … Read more

Deep dross in the deep south: Is Rio Tinto holding New Zealand to ransom?

Minerals giant Rio Tinto has once again provoked the fury of the government over their operations down in Southland. So what’s going on, and why are people so angry? What’s all this then?  This story is all about dross. Not the dross that gets put out by global corporations as PR when they find themselves … Read more

The Bulletin: Parliament returns as petty as ever

Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Parliament is back for another fraught year, bad weather news likely to continue, and Winston Peters goes live. After taking a day to mark the life of former PM Mike Moore, Parliament began in earnest yesterday. As is customary, the party leaders each start the year … Read more

The Bulletin: Long cleanup looms after Mataura River floods

Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Long cleanup looms after Mataura floods, anger inside and outside of RNZ at major proposed changes, and quarantine in effect for Wuhan returnees. The evacuation warnings for several flooded-out South Island towns have mostly been lifted. But there will be a long cleanup ahead for the … Read more