Police conducted a ‘major operation’ in the aftermath of Tonga’s loss to England in the RLWC. Jamie Wall was there, and reports on what many in the community felt like overkill. Last night, in the wake of Tonga’s 20-18 loss to England in the Rugby League World Cup, thousands of locals took to the streets … Read more
Māori are the greatest victims of New Zealand’s war on drugs, but many Māori leaders are opposed to ideas of decriminalisation or legalisation. Professor Khylee Quince spoke to Simon Day about why tikanga Māori needs to be at the heart of drug reform. It’s a stat the needs to be repeated: although making up … Read more
The evidence shows that a ‘tough on crime’ approach is a posture, not a solution, writes criminologist Antje Deckert. In 2011, when Bill English was Finance Minister, he declared that New Zealand’s prisons were “a moral and fiscal failure”. Five years later, the National government has announced that it will recruit 1,100 new police officers … Read more
From the 70s through the 90s, Auckland’s inner-city streets hosted a population of trans sex workers who were not only outside the protection of the law, but often at the mercy of those who enforce it. Those who survived that era tell Julie Hill about the sexual acts demanded by police, and how they made … Read more
A police takedown of a drunk and belligerent biker in the Auckland suburb of Kingsland went viral this week. Pro fighter Shane Young breaks down the action ahead of his own fight this evening in Auckland. Though its logo might look like the sticker on a New Era snapback, the Portland Public House is a … Read more
Targeting people who attended a euthanasia advocacy group meeting under the guise of a road safety operation is deeply disturbing. The police minister needs to condemn it immediately, writes Toby Manhire Breath-testing checkpoints have these days become a staple of the New Zealand driving experience, as reliably familiar and cheering/infuriating as flocks of sheep being … Read more
Kamal Reddy is going to jail following the successful use of the controversial ‘Crime Scenario Undercover Technique’. What does our highest court have to say about its use? Sorry, you’re not allowed to know that yet, writes Andrew Geddis Kamal Reddy is an undeniably bad man. Last month a jury decided that, back in late … Read more
Opinion: Last month’s early-morning street brawl has renewed police calls for earlier closing times in the Auckland CBD and beyond. That’s precisely the sort of overreaction that has decimated the nightlife industry over the ditch, says Tom McGuinness. At around 4:30am on Sunday 20th March, a street brawl erupted on Fort Street in Auckland’s CBD. … Read more