For the second time since New Zealand went into lockdown, the public toilet block and carpark at Ōwairaka has been defaced with racist images. The dispute over the native restoration programme for the maunga of Ōwairaka took a nasty new turn last week when the words “Majurey lies” were spray painted in orange across the … Read more
There are few things better to do than watch The Hui on a Sunday morning, but this week’s episode was especially spicy. Leonie Hayden on an amazing appearance by Auckland Nimby activist Lisa Prager. The protesters opposing Ōwairaka’s native regeneration programme have been camped out at the maunga for two weeks now, believing that the … Read more
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Big changes coming for how schools are run, highly anticipated OCR decision coming today, and a clear-eyed look at the protests up Ōwairaka/Mt Albert. The government has set up a fight with a dangerous political constituency – highly involved parents at affluent schools. That’s putting it facetiously … Read more
A protest against the felling of non-native trees on one of Auckland’s maunga has erupted this week. Ben Thomas says they’re behaving like brats and ignoring the rights of iwi. Letting go can be hard, even if it’s for the best. This is not to say that a few dozen angry residents of Mt Albert, … Read more
Auckland is going through a period of rapid change. Hayden Donnell talks to an urban design advisor about whether it’s possible to transform the city without riling everyone up. With local body elections less than three months away, Auckland is divided in two. On one side are people who want to continue reshaping the city … Read more
There is an increasing class division in Auckland, defined by access to the democratic system. Where does this leave our young people in the future, asks Shehara Farik? This is a condensed version of an extremely long story about democracy. I want to show how the history of democracy has defined the crisis we are … Read more
Mt Albert is a town at a crossroads. The pressures of growth are set to radically reshape the area, but so far change has left some of its residents and business owners pining for the past. Hayden Donnell travels to the suburb to talk to locals about the way forward. It’s 4pm on a Tuesday … Read more
Mt Albert is on the verge of a transformation. Josie Adams gives a roadmap for how to change Auckland’s second-oldest suburb without ruining it in the process. Until now, Mt Albert’s drawcards have tended towards its outskirts. Hotspots like St Lukes and the Auckland Zoo all lie on the fringe of the township, teasing at … Read more
We’re on the record praising the virtues of Mt Albert, but how did it get to where it is today? Alice Webb-Liddall tells the story of a suburb’s 900-year history in ten moments. Mt Albert is Auckland’s second oldest suburb and arguably its best. It’s home to one of the country’s biggest schools, best playgrounds, … Read more
Mt Albert isn’t exactly known as a cyclist’s paradise, but it has some good rides if you know where to look. Local rider Helen King shares her secrets to cycling in the suburb. Being a bike enthusiast in Mt Albert can feel like being a Labour voter in Epsom: you know you’re in the minority … Read more
Other suburbs have their appeal, but one rises above them all. Hayden Donnell argues Mt Albert is the best place to live in Auckland. First, a terrible confession: I grew up on Auckland’s North Shore. For most of my life, all I knew were Planet 8 board shorts and bowl lattes; golden sand beaches clogged … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Auckland Council the latest to declare a climate emergency, money runs out on Fox River cleanup, and taking of children into state care in focus. If you live in Auckland, you now live in a city where a ‘climate emergency’ has been declared. The motion was passed … Read more
Two restaurants with the exact same name operate beside each other in Mt Albert. But which is the real Mt Albert BBQ Noodle House? Madeleine Chapman eats and investigates. Occupying the heart of the Mt Albert food district are two rival restaurants right next door to each other. Both make cheap, generously portioned, delicious Chinese … Read more
How will the government’s Kiwibuild plans in Mt Albert look once they’re fully built? Urban designer Matthew Prasad casts a critical eye over the project. It’s only been a week since the government’s first Kiwibuild development announcement, and there has been a lot of talk and hypothesising about what form the development may take at … Read more