Politics
We asked a graphic designer to rate election billboards
Wellington graphic designer Matt does deep analysis of the colours, grammar and symbols of election billboards in the Ōhāriu electorate.
Stoners tell us why they smoke and how legalising might impact them
Stoners are hidden everywhere. From business executives to teachers, people from all walks of life love to toke every now and then.
The idea of Kiwis being…
The arguments for and against legalising weed
The main arguments for both sides of the weed referendum.
A visual history of Wellington’s anarchist house
On the evening of Tuesday August 25, Wellington watched as a local icon burnt down - the anarchist house at 128 Abel Smith Street.
Located right beside…
The guy who wrote the book on weed tells us what he learnt
If you've got questions on what weed legalisation in NZ could look like, James is your guy.
Livening up Wellington’s outer suburbs
As our population rises, Wellington’s outer suburbs can become hubs where people live, work and play – all while having easy public transport access to the…
The simple guide to dealing with online conspiracy
A step-by-step guide on what to do when you encounter a piece of unverified information online.
How character and growth can exist side-by-side in Wellington’s inner suburbs
Wellingtonians have said they want us to be building up rather than out to accommodate our rising population. This means it’s time to change up our…
I don't know anything about politics: how did the election just get moved?
Just how exactly was the election day moved, and what does "dissolution of Parliament" even mean?
More affordable, more walkable and more resilient: plans for Wellington’s CBD
How Wellington's CBD will keep up with its rapid population growth.
I don’t know anything about politics: where do parties get all their money from?
Zoe Madden-Smith looks into the different ways parties fund themselves, and the flaws in the system.
I don't know anything about politics: what’s the deal with minor parties?
New Zealand has 14 registered political parties, can you name them all? I couldn’t.
I don’t know anything about politics: what do the parties stand for?
My feed's been spammed by so many political scandals I don’t know what each party stands for anymore
We don't have a Ministry of LGBTQIA+ Affairs, but some politicians want to change that
Our government is made up of about 70 ministerial portfolios. We have a minister for women, for Pacific peoples, for children and for seniors. However, we…
Explainer: here's what you need to know about new National leader Judith Collins
We’ve all seen the gun photo and heard the phrase “Crusher Collins”, but what does she stand for?
A gender-neutral option has finally been added to NZ voting papers
The gender-neutral title Mx. is an option on the electoral roll for the first time. Kiwis tell us what this means for them.
You can enrol to…
A majority of NZers say they will vote to keep weed illegal
A new poll says majority of NZers would vote against legalising weed.
In pictures: my life as a refugee in New Zealand
For 30 years New Zealand’s annual refugee quota sat at 750 people. In 2018 that number rose to 1000 and next month it will increase further…
Black Lives Matter: The biggest march in Wellington in a decade
“The future is hope. The future is change. The future is us.”
Some unis are bumping up grades because of Covid and students say it’s unfair
Otago and Auckland University are automatically bumping up grades across the board in response to Covid-19. But most other New Zealand universities have ruled a grade…
I don't understand the Budget so I got an economist to explain it to me
Last week the Government announced a $50 billion dollar budget, or as Finance Minister Grant Robertson likes to call it, “The most significant commitment by a…
Who the heck is the new National Party leader Todd Muller
Today Simon Bridges was toppled from the leadership of the National Party.
He’s been replaced by Todd Muller, a man who many voters don’t even recognise.
Here’s the…
New Zealanders seem to hate beneficiaries. Is there hope that Covid will change that?
Covid has meant nearly 40,000 people have accessed the jobseeker benefit, nearly half of them for the first time. One million New Zealanders have been given…
Explainer: Budget 2020 in the wake of Covid-19
Here are the key points.
Weed Vote 2020: the justice minister on the law he designed to legalise cannabis
At this year's election, you will be asked, "Do you support the proposed Cannabis Legalisation and Control Bill?" Justice Minister Andrew Little gives his perspective on…
‘We failed her’ - Young ACT vice president resigns after sexual harassment
The vice-president of Young ACT has resigned, saying she faced months of sexual harassment.
Explainer: the cannabis referendum that could make weed legal in New Zealand
At this year’s election, as well as voting on who we want to be in government, we will also be asked this question: Do you support the…
Students are refusing to pay rent for university accommodation they can’t use
Students at halls of residence across the country are being asked to continue to pay for accomodation they can’t access due to Covid-19 restrictions. Halls at…
Explainer: what's happening for homeless people after lockdown
During lockdown, the streets of Aotearoa have been nearly empty at night. That's partly due to the fact that the government has made 1600 motel units…
Future essential workers are expected to live in poverty to get qualified
Covid-19 has made life harder for many New Zealanders, but students remain the only group whose support package is just more debt. Re: spoke with eight…