Baz Macdonald
Here’s the things we Googled this year
In 2020 - stuck at home, glued to our monitors and desperate for information - what did New Zealand Google? Below are the terms from New…
Why people are taking the 'date rape' drug
With rising hospitalisations from liquid ecstasy experts say drug checking at festivals is needed.
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.
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 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.
More affordable, more walkable and more resilient: plans for Wellington’s CBD
How Wellington's CBD will keep up with its rapid population growth.
For six months, cops in NZ had guns - campaigners say it can't continue
For six months, cops in New Zealand had guns. Campaigners say we can’t allow it to continue.
New Zealanders tell us why they marched with the Black Lives Matter movement
On June 1, New Zealanders marched in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement. Here's why.
Meet the 25-year-old behind New Zealand's Covid fight
Tara Swadi is only 25 but she's the chief advisor for the Ministry of Health's Covid-19 response. The last two months have been... busy. She's looking…
Covid proved having no access to internet is dangerous in NZ
The internet is what made eight weeks in lockdown bearable for most of us. But for the estimated 20% of Kiwis who experience digital exclusion, not…
Live music's fight to survive Covid-19
It's estimated the NZ live music industry has lost $68 million due to Covid-19. Musicians, venue owners and all those who love music are rallying us…
Beautiful post-lockdown reunions to make you cry
Take two minutes to soak up the love and joy in these level 2 reunion moments. Then give your loved ones some bone-crushing hugs!
Release of the Week: Kita takes us into 89 lockdown houses around the globe in their latest video
There are fewer phrases more appropriate to this moment than “try to find a way”.
When Nikita 雅涵 Tu-Bryant , Ed Zuccollo and Rick Cranson of Wellington…
Midwives say we're going to have a baby boom because of lockdown
Midwives predict we'll be looking at a baby boom around Christmas time. Looks like all that time holed up in our homes has been quite productive.
(Footage…
Job losses hit Weta game division after layoffs from AR company Magic Leap
Update: Weta Workshop has confirmed all of the layoffs on Monday 4 May were Magic Leap employees - which they say is less than half of…
Queuing up for Maccas at alert level 3
It's been a long 4-5 weeks without our takeaways fix. Baz Macdonald braves the lines at a McDonalds drive thru on the first day of alert…
Restaurants are begging us not to order through delivery companies
Delivery companies can take such a high cut that it's not worth it to open at all.
What bread says about our food security
Flour is finally back on the shelves after nearly a month of lockdown. While New Zealand is self-sufficient with milk, meat, fruit and vegetables, it turns…
Students are fuming at the government's Covid-19 tertiary support package
Yesterday the government announced a Covid-19 tertiary support package, but the allowances can’t be spent on essentials like rent and food. Students say the government is…
Vulnerable families are struggling to eat during lockdown
The level four lockdown has been disruptive for every single New Zealander, and we’ve all had to make changes to how we would normally eat and…
Lockdown games to play on your phone, even if you're not a gamer
The World Health Organisation has launched a campaign to encourage us to stay home and play video games with each other to socialise. Gamers already know…
A sex therapist’s advice on the importance of touch during isolation
Over the past few months, the world has become intimately aware of the impact of our touch. We have started to see our own hands as…
How to handle your sexual health in lockdown
Many sexual health services aren’t open during lockdown. What do you do if you need to get a refill of the pill, an IUD removal, and…
New Zealand's Muslim community reacts to Christchurch terrorist's guilty plea
On the 26th March, the terrorist responsible for the Christchurch mosque attacks pled guilty to all charges. Muslim New Zealander of the year Asim Mukhtar talks…
Five tips to shop normally at this abnormal time
It can be hard not to over-buy at the supermarket at the moment. Lines to get in the door can be half an hour long, and…
Here's a list of books to help you escape from this Covid-19 nightmare
We all have a lot of time on our hands now that we’re in lockdown. Some of you might want to read dystopian fiction or watch…
What it’s like to travel across the country hours before lockdown
Over the weekend Re: journalist Baz Macdonald needed to travel home to Invercargill for his grandma’s funeral. Back in the distant past of three days ago,…
5 ways to keep your social life going from a distance
The Ministry of Health’s Director General Dr Ashley Bloomfield said he’s no longer using the term “social distancing” and instead using “physical distancing”. That’s because in…
Students tell us the most racist thing about New Zealand
Students at Victoria University talk about the insidious nature of racism in New Zealand, and how the classroom is the key place to produce change.
Nadia Reid’s new album brings Otago to the world
Folk is a genre with a deep sense of place - music that breathes life to the nature and communities rooted within it. For Nadia Reid,…