Archive
Students Not Convinced By Government’s ‘Pet-Bond’ Policy
Posted 10:28pm Friday 26th April 2024 by Gryffin Powell
In a spate of new changes to renting legislation, the National coalition Government announced a new pet bond policy which claims that it will make rentals easier to find for pet owners. The pet bond of two weeks of rent aims to make landlords more accepting of the risk of letting a pet live at their Read more...
Trojan Cafe Locks Their Toilet to Students
Posted 9:56pm Friday 26th April 2024 by Angus Rees
Everyone’s favourite post-town one-stop-kebab-shop Trojan Cafe has broken hearts (and bladders) after students noticed a questionable policy preventing customers from using its bathrooms. It’s almost like they want us to piss in public. The problem was outlined in a UoO Read more...
Changes to DCC Waste Management Loading
Posted 9:54pm Friday 26th April 2024 by Abbie Williams
A Critic Te Ārohi investigation into waste management has uncovered that unlicensed rubbish bags are being taken by collectors. This comes after we sniffed around allegations that students have been storing piles of rubbish in wait of July 1st when DCC will be rolling out their new rubbish Read more...
Re-O Comes to Queen St
Posted 9:48pm Friday 26th April 2024 by Hugh Askerud
Re-O could see a Queen St spin-off after an announcement on the QUEEN/GEORGE 24 Facebook group was met with fierce support from the University’s third-year community. The admin of the page stated that it would be “an awesome opportunity for us…to send off those leaving this year! Read more...
Massive Organisational Effort Keeps Hyde Out of the Headlines
Posted 9:46pm Friday 26th April 2024 by Hanna Varrs
A combination of food and security supply created a Hyde St Party on Saturday April 20th (4/20 leshgo) that went “relatively smooth” according to residents. Critic Te Ārohi takes their word for it, having opted for the gonzo journalistic approach that landed us in the thick of the Read more...
Howe Neighbourhood Tensions Explode
Posted 9:44pm Friday 26th April 2024 by Sam Smith-Soppet
Howe Street has become the scene of neighbourly feuding as property destruction and physical violence has erupted in the wake of the Hyde Street Party. Out-of-towners who were reportedly from Lincoln and Canterbury University have been blamed for the majority of the damage. The group were Read more...
Theology Students Miffed at "Rigged" Exam Timetable
Posted 9:32pm Friday 26th April 2024 by Hugh Askerud
The recently released first semester exam timetable has sparked controversy after Religious Studies students noticed that none of their papers would escape a 6:30pm start time, constituting 72% of the exams in that time slot overall. To say they’re “miffed” would be an Read more...
Disabled Community Protests Against ‘Minister’s Biases’
Posted 9:27pm Friday 26th April 2024 by Hugh Askerud
Dunedin’s disabled community hosted a 100-strong protest on Friday, March 19, against the government’s changes to the structure of Whaikaha, the Ministry of Disabled People, announcing new limits on support services and what disabled individuals can purchase with Read more...
There’s a St Dave’s Insta Hate Account
Posted 9:24pm Friday 26th April 2024 by Hanna Varrs
St David Lecture Theatre has been suffering under the tirade of an Instagram account dedicated purely to chatting shit about the building. Boasting a current total of 19 followers and 9 posts, @stdavidsbuildinghate is true to their handle. The page’s bio states that they “HATE st Read more...
Students “So Fucking Excited” for Dunedin Mecca
Posted 8:30pm Sunday 21st April 2024 by Gryffin Powell
Hold your Frank Green drink bottle tight because cosmetics giant Mecca is opening a store in Dunedin later this year. The chain confirmed the rumours to the Otago Daily Times after job positions were posted online. The store is set to open at an unspecified location on George Street – likely Read more...
Bot Takeover Prompts Private Castle24
Posted 8:14pm Sunday 21st April 2024 by Gryffin Powell
The Castle24 Facebook group has been invaded – not by freshers, but by hundreds of bot accounts claiming to sell tickets to the Hyde St Party. What started as a trickle of scammers has turned into a shit storm of hundreds of bots in the lead-up to Hyde, leaving students confused about who to Read more...
Dusty Laps for Life
Posted 8:05pm Sunday 21st April 2024 by Nina Brown
Suicide prevention trust ‘Life Matters’ hosted Laps for Life at North Grounds on Sunday, April 14. Fuelled by the sausage sizzle, the crowd of 200 yellow-dressed attendees cumulatively ran 1,954 km (over the length of Aotearoa) eclipsing the original goal of 365 km before lunchtime. Read more...
Daddy Grant’s Home!
Posted 5:22pm Sunday 21st April 2024 by Molly Smith-Soppet
Grant Robertson was spotted on campus recently, spending a week acquainting himself with the University and the people within. A select few were lucky enough to meet the soon-to-be-VC for a lunch date, telling Critic Te Ārohi they felt privileged to be fit into a schedule that was allegedly Read more...
71.6% Increase in Region’s MDMA Consumption During Flo-Week
Posted 5:19pm Sunday 21st April 2024 by Hanna Varrs
Wastewater testing has revealed a 71.6% increase in MDMA consumption during Flo-Week, meaning the cops know you got geary. Cocaine consumption also had a marginal rise (in this economy?) but it was 35 times less prevalent than MDMA. The information has come to light after Critic Te Read more...
Breaking Sound’s Policies Still Under Fire
Posted 5:17pm Sunday 21st April 2024 by Jordan Irvine
Breaking Sound’s policies continue to be questioned by local musos. It’s been revealed to Critic Te Ārohi that multiple Dunedin bands, including IVY and The Beatniks, have had issues of underpayment with the company owing to their odd policies. Discussions centred around their Read more...
Crossword Trauma Leads to Plea for Hyde Tickets
Posted 5:14pm Sunday 21st April 2024 by Hugh Askerud
The Hyde hustle has been strong this year, with some twisting the “trauma” of repeated Critic crossword errors (soz) into a bid for tickets. A flat of four sent an email last Monday after spotting the latest typo to Critic Editor Nina and OUSA President Keegan, claiming it had Read more...
Castle Street Clean-up Turnout Disappoints
Posted 5:09pm Sunday 21st April 2024 by Hugh Askerud
The fifth annual Sophie Crestani Castle Street Clean-up took place last Friday, attracting a disappointingly small turnout. Few members of the Castle St fraternity showed up, with the majority of initial attendees being either Caroline Freeman College residents or Hold On To Your Friends (HOTYF) Read more...
Letter from KnowYourStuffNZ: What is Harm Reduction?
Posted 2:20pm Sunday 14th April 2024 by Max Phillips
My name is Max Phillips, and I am a drug user. “User” is a bit of a loaded word, but it shouldn’t be, since everyone reading this is also a drug user. Over 80% of New Zealanders drink alcohol (one of the most harmful drugs), and we can tend to forget that things like panadol are Read more...
Unicol Fresher Wins Big from Online Gambling (Twice)
Posted 2:17pm Sunday 14th April 2024 by Iris Hehir
A Unicol fresher has won big money from online gambling. Known around campus as Elvis*, he won $27k in total; taking his gambling virginity in a weekend that can only be described as one for the books. Elvis tells Critic that it all began the summer before Uni, when he was drinking with some Read more...
South D Warehouse Starts to Sell Frozen Meals
Posted 2:15pm Sunday 14th April 2024 by Gryffin Powell
There’s a new player in the budget culinary scene in Dunedin: South D Warehouse. The store is the second Warehouse location in Aotearoa to start selling frozen meals after they successfully popped off in Manukau. The meals are “family-sized” (or a single serve for a drunk Read more...
Te Rōpū Māori Names Te Kaihāpai and Tumuaki Takirua at Bi-Election
Posted 2:12pm Sunday 14th April 2024 by Harriette Boucher
Te Rōpū Māori held their SGM/bi-election last Wednesday, April 10 – the third and final time you’ll be seeing that date in the news section this week, promise. The election was called to fill the positions of Tumuaki Takirua (Co-President) and Te Kaihāpai Read more...
White Claw’s Coming to Town
Posted 1:46pm Sunday 14th April 2024 by Nina Brown
Don your frat boy caps, White Claw is coming to Aotearoa. In a statement to Newshub, DB Breweries, official partner of the American RTD, confirmed that “the rumours are true” – they’ll be hitting shelves nationwide from April 19. For those not in the know, White Claw is Read more...
TiB Seeks Feedback on Uni Sexual Misconduct Policy
Posted 1:44pm Sunday 14th April 2024 by Hanna Varrs
TW: Mention of sexual harm. Thursdays in Black kicked off their year with a sexual harm prevention hui last Wednesday in the Union common room. The hui was organised in collaboration with OUSA Student Support, Te Whare Tāwharau, and the Uni’s Sexual Misconduct Action Response Team Read more...
Landlord Leases Queen St Parking for $35 a Week
Posted 1:41pm Sunday 14th April 2024 by Hugh Askerud
A landlord has been leasing out car parks to a Queen St population battling to find a park. Eight to ten car parks have been made available for lease by the landlord after he realised his tenants only “had about three cars.” What’s shocked students is the price, with one student, Read more...
OUSA Exec Hyde Giveaway Increases Insta Following By 500%
Posted 1:39pm Sunday 14th April 2024 by Hugh Askerud
The OUSA Exec’s Instagram page has popped the fuck off after announcing a Hyde St Party ticket giveaway. All students had to do to enter was follow their Instagram page. OUSA’s President/Overlord Keegan reported to Critic Te Ārohi that, at the time of publishing, the giveaway had Read more...
Feedback Section Skipped at Clubs Meeting to Gather Feedback
Posted 1:34pm Sunday 14th April 2024 by Hugh Askerud
Last Wednesday was the first OUSA-affiliated Clubs meeting of the year, held at the Clubs and Socs building. Critic was told, by Clubs and Socs Rep Emma Jackson, it would be “very informal,” as she also told people to get their fill of chips which she had “bought too many” Read more...
Aquinas Room Security Still An Issue
Posted 1:28pm Sunday 14th April 2024 by Hugh Askerud
Allegations of break-ins at Aquinas have proven to be true, despite the college stating that “locks are up to date.” Critic Te Ārohi has received evidence of residents accessing specific locked rooms with the use of only a student ID. A series of differing lock mechanisms has meant Read more...
The Baaa Karaoke Threatens Thirsty Thursday Supremacy
Posted 11:04am Monday 8th April 2024 by Hugh Askerud
Word on the street is that The Baaa karaoke has ostensibly filled the Thursday night social calendar gap after reporting “lines out the door” since the start of 2024. Supporting the piss-fuelled antics of over 200 breathas a night, The Baaa’s karaoke has allegedly trumped all other Read more...
Bar Behemoths Combine to Support LGBTQIA+ Community
Posted 9:47pm Friday 5th April 2024 by Hugh Askerud
Woof! have teamed up with Emerson’s Brewery to create a t-shirt encouraging people to “be proud of the rainbow thirst trap that you are!” Not only will the t-shirts be drippy as fuck, but they’re also helping fund an initiative to provides stores with printed materials in Read more...
Non-Student Kicked Out of OUSA Sauna
Posted 9:45pm Friday 5th April 2024 by Hanna Varrs
A non-student has been permanently banned from the OUSA Clubs and Socs building following a sauna incident where the patron caused “discomfort for other users within that session,” according to OUSA’s Clubs and Societies Operations Manager Jamie Leckie. Leckie told Critic Read more...
Salmond Lashes Out Following Food Review
Posted 9:42pm Friday 5th April 2024 by Sam Smith-Soppet
Critic Te Ārohi has once again come to blows with a hall after a full kitchen staff meeting was organised to address the magazine’s now infamous food review. The meeting allegedly saw Critic staff being called out by name and staff shed tears after reading the review in the company of Read more...
New Queen St. Facebook Group Claims to Have No Freshers
Posted 9:40pm Friday 5th April 2024 by Molly Smith-Soppet
The smell of a fresh Dunedin street Facebook group is in the air again with the creation of ‘QUEEN/GEORGE 24’. And wow, it's not got the one thing all of Dunedin claims to despise: fucking freshers (or so they reckon). If you're wondering why you need another platform to buy fake Read more...
Opinion: Nitro Goes Woke?
Posted 9:20pm Friday 5th April 2024 by Nicholas McDermott
In the ever-evolving landscape of alcoholic beverages, one name has stood out for its unapologetic embrace of the wild side: Nitro. Known for having partygoers buzzing with energy, Nitro has carved a niche for itself as the go-to drink for those looking to elevate their night from the mundane to the Read more...
University “Highly Likely” to Cut Some Journal Subscriptions
Posted 9:12pm Friday 5th April 2024 by Monty O’Rielly
Academic journals have been added to the University’s list of casualties after Critic Te Ārohi was told that it was “highly likely” that resources, including some academic journals, would be cut. A University spokesperson told Critic Te Ārohi that they could be Read more...
Capping Show Reveals ‘Beezie’ Theme
Posted 9:08pm Friday 5th April 2024 by Molly Smith-Soppet
The Capping Show is back for the 130th time (never gets old), brandishing a new theme and a bucket load of sure-to-be-explicit skits – we counted “49 assorted sex, dick and tit jokes” last year. Critic Te Ārohi met up with co-Stage Director Jack Archibald to flesh out the Read more...
Aquinas Has a Bra Thief
Posted 8:58pm Friday 5th April 2024 by Sam Smith-Soppet
News of a bra thief on the loose in Aquinas has students in a panic. Sources say that the thief has been on the loose since the beginning of March. In the space of a few weeks, several pairs of women’s brassiere and underwear have been reportedly stolen, leading residents to suspect Read more...
Pint Night Glasses Going Extinct
Posted 8:20pm Friday 5th April 2024 by Hugh Askerud
U-Bar’s pint glasses are in short supply, dropping to a stock of only 500 out of the 3000-4000 that were bought for the bar just a few years ago. Weird, I wonder why? Hospitality Services Manager Adrian Lowrey told Critic Te Ārohi that he is “trying to buy some new ones at the Read more...
Uni Football Rising Out of the Pits
Posted 4:28pm Saturday 23rd March 2024 by Hugh Askerud
University football has pulled itself out of a hole after slashing through both men’s and women’s University of Canterbury teams in a pre-season derby. Now the club is talking a big game, with men’s captain Ben Campbell telling Critic Te Ārohi, “Anything short of the top Read more...
Citizens Advice Bureau Launch Youth-Focused Website
Posted 4:25pm Saturday 23rd March 2024 by Gryffin Powell
Nobody ever seems to be truly prepared for the shit show that is moving out of home, which is why the Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) have created a tool to help. Launched with the knowledge that there’s no 100-level paper on bullshitting through life, the Bureau announced the ‘Youth Tool Read more...
“Nut Free” Carrington College Serves Nuts
Posted 4:19pm Saturday 23rd March 2024 by Angus Rees
Carrington College found themselves in a tricky situation last week, after a resident allergic to peanuts unknowingly consumed a biscuit containing nuts. The student ate said sweet treat with faith in the fact that Carrington kitchen had become nut free. Yikes. A student associated with Read more...
Pint Night Pox Strikes!
Posted 3:58pm Saturday 23rd March 2024 by Jodie Evans
Chickenpox’s ‘patient zero’ has come forth after students received an email on Thursday March 14 alerting them to an outbreak of chickenpox (or varicella-zoster) within the student community. The email warned that the virus is “highly infectious” and the “risk of Read more...
OUSA First Quarter Reports
Posted 3:30pm Saturday 23rd March 2024 by Hugh Askerud
Every quarter, each OUSA exec member submits a report to prove they’ve actually been doing the job they were elected to do. The exec then meets to vote on whether each member should be paid their honorarium (like a salary for elected positions, paid only on the basis that members are actually Read more...
A Fond Farewell to L.Hotel
Posted 3:25pm Saturday 23rd March 2024 by Jordan Irvine
On Thursday, March 14th, we all received a gutting post notification (we have ours on at least) from L. Hotel announcing a ‘CYA L8TER NZ Tour’. The tour marks the last chance for fans and haters (kidding, everyone loves them) to say goodbye to the “tax-evading, gluten-free Read more...
‘Let’s talk about Drugs’ Turns To ‘Let’s Talk Shit’
Posted 3:23pm Saturday 23rd March 2024 by Hugh Askerud
Sparks flew at an otherwise underwhelming ‘Let’s talk about Drugs’ event where panellists and the handful of attendees squabbled over who can prevent drug harm the best. At its peak, 15 people were at the event, including its four panellists: Max Phillips (president of Students for Read more...
Otago Regional Councillor Calls Student “Entitled” Over Bus Fares
Posted 3:17pm Saturday 23rd March 2024 by Nina Brown
Last week, the Otago Regional Council (ORC) voted 5-7 not to extend the half price bus fares. In what would normally be a one-liner headline in the TL;DR, Critic sniffed a story when we were forwarded an email chain between law student Grace and Councillor Michael Laws, who attacked her character Read more...
Transfer Station Dumped from North D
Posted 6:04pm Sunday 17th March 2024 by Harriette Boucher
Brace yourself for some trashy news, the local dump is gone. The Dunedin Wickliffe Street Transfer Station (the tip near the Uni) has permanently closed. A shame, since it was both conveniently close to the student area and free for all students to use. Green Island is now the closest dump, setting Read more...
Staunch University Presence for St Patty’s
Posted 5:59pm Sunday 17th March 2024 by Hugh Askerud
The University is set to take a stand on St Patrick’s Day, utilising subbies and a host of others to take an organised security approach during the event. Subwarden Rachel* told Critic Te Ārohi about the Uni’s planned presence on the day: “They were trying to get the Read more...
New Post-Grad Club Emerges Under Mysterious Circumstances
Posted 5:56pm Sunday 17th March 2024 by Hugh Askerud
The Society for Postgraduate Students (SPS) has mysteriously emerged after the old post-grad club (the Otago Postgraduate Association) was left abandoned late last year. The club was sworn into being by the OUSA exec at a meeting on the 5th of March, passing with all Read more...
Harm Reduction Hui ‘Bout to Drop
Posted 5:52pm Sunday 17th March 2024 by Hugh Askerud
Harm reduction is about to take centre stage with the Deep South Alcohol and Drug Harm Reduction Hui happening Monday and Tuesday this week at the Dunedin Art Gallery. According to the invite, the key aim is to “provide an opportunity to network to build relationships with others who are Read more...
Dunedin Debuts New Fringe
Posted 5:48pm Sunday 17th March 2024 by Jordan Irvine
On Wednesday, March 13th, the Dunedin Fringe Festival officially kicked off at Te Whare o Rukutia, ushering in 11 days of comedy, theatre, art, and the kind of general sophistication which you just need every once in a while. The night began with MC/comedian/Fringe act Nicola Brown, who Read more...
Free Breakfast is Back to Five Days a Week
Posted 5:46pm Sunday 17th March 2024 by Gryffin Powell
For those of you bold enough to wake up before 9:30 (we get it, you’re better than us), OUSA Clubs and Socs have recently announced the extension of their renowned free breakfast programme to five days a week. The breakfast is open from 8:30-9:30am. Located in the Evision lounge, all Read more...
Music Company’s Policies Questioned
Posted 5:44pm Sunday 17th March 2024 by Jordan Irvine
Musos and performers alike have rallied together in defiance of ‘Breaking Sound’ after only one of five acts made revenue on a Wednesday night gig at Errick’s due to a questionable policy. Breaking Sound is an LA-based company that gets promoters to find 4-5 bands to Read more...
“Weird” St Patty’s Escorted Walk Raises Eyebrows
Posted 5:22pm Sunday 17th March 2024 by Nina Brown
Last week, Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP) had planned to host an escorted walking tour of North Dunedin on St Paddy’s Day for attendees of an alcohol and drug harm hui they’re co-hosting. On Thursday, SSDP’s executive announced its cancellation, stating they’d Read more...
Rainbow Story Time Attracts Boomer Hate
Posted 5:19pm Sunday 17th March 2024 by Nina Brown
A Dunedin Pride event went ahead smoothly, despite the presence of several protesters both online and in person. ‘Rainbow Stories with Miss Annie’ was held at the Dunedin Public Library on Saturday, March 9, attracting a significant amount of publicity due to online protests prior to the Read more...
Knife-wielding Vampire Robs Flat
Posted 3:07pm Sunday 10th March 2024 by Sam Smith-Soppet
On March 1st, someone posted photos to the Castle24 Facebook page of a guy sitting on the ground with a bleeding nose, surrounded by police. The post warned others that he’d been on a thieving spree in the neighbourhood before “the cops took him”. The burglar — who Read more...
Rob Roy Dairy For Sale
Posted 2:35pm Sunday 10th March 2024 by Gryffin Powell
Rob Roy is for sale. Harcourts listed the historic building on their website on Feb 21, calling it “an icon of the local dairy and ice cream scene.” Critic Te Ārohi swung by Rob Roy and had a yarn to owner Liz Watson, who was forced awake before 6:30am (after a big night at Read more...
U-Bar Takes the sword to Pint Night line…inequality
Posted 2:22pm Sunday 10th March 2024 by Hugh Askerud
Management at U-Bar is taking a stand against inequality in the Pint Night line. The call for action comes after reports that wait times could be over an hour long late last year. In their battle against lines that haunt students’ nightmares, U-Bar will extend its opening hours on Wednesday Read more...
Opinion: Shit’s Really Going Downhill for Student Journalism
Posted 2:20pm Sunday 10th March 2024 by Monty O’Rielly
The sentiment that journalism is dying is thrown around so often that it seems a tired subject at this point. It’s treated as an inevitable. Last week’s report that Newshub, one of our major media sources in Aotearoa, is being forced to close was surprising but banal. It was merely Read more...
Link Gets a Glow-Up
Posted 1:57pm Sunday 10th March 2024 by Hugh Askerud
The Link is about to look like the Dunedin Farmers Market after getting a glow up which will leave microwave-lovers and OUSA clubs rejoicing. The University is partway through constructing a quasi-kitchen for the area, as well as opening up space for a series of groups to open stalls during Read more...
Student Journalists Restricted (And Then Not) From Parliament
Posted 1:50pm Sunday 10th March 2024 by Hugh Askerud
Student journalists cried for blood across the motu last week after Speaker of the House Gerry Brownlee revoked the Aotearoa Student Press Association’s (ASPA’s) access to Parliament’s Press Gallery. Critic Te Ārohi joined in with the masses (despite not having been aware of Read more...
OUSA’s TikToker Accused of Rigging Giveaway
Posted 1:44pm Sunday 10th March 2024 by Angus Rees
The OUSA marketing team’s TikTok content creator Amber Harrison has been slammed by commenters after giving away a Hybrid Minds double pass to her ex-flatmate. A series of extremely avid Hybrid Minds fans have protested the giveaway, alleging a conspiracy designed by the TikTok-famous Amber. Read more...
Hayward Accuses Critic Food Reviewers of Subterfuge
Posted 1:34pm Sunday 10th March 2024 by Nina Brown
Critic Te Ārohi spent the past couple of weeks reviewing every hall of residence’s food — some with permission, but largely as undercover freshers. It went well for the most part, until News Editor Hugh and Features Editor Iris had their covers blown at Hayward, and Critic was put Read more...
Initiations Meet Their Maker in the Proctor’s Office
Posted 2:35pm Friday 8th March 2024 by Harriette Boucher
What do you get when you cross a duck, a goldfish, and an eel with copious amounts of alcohol and ‘sufficient evidence’? Suspension and community service. 58 students from the University of Otago and three from Te Pūkenga have lived to tell — or rather not tell — the Read more...
Alcohol Brands Battle Over The Student Taste Bud
Posted 5:09pm Saturday 2nd March 2024 by Hugh Askerud
Sensing blood in the water, several alcohol companies have engaged in a cut-throat competition to secure student tastebuds over the Flo and O-Week period. The increased competition comes after a number of new RTD brands entered the student market, letting the old guard of Cruisers pass gently into Read more...
Baby Hall Shits Its Diaper
Posted 5:05pm Saturday 2nd March 2024 by Hugh Askerud
Shit went down (literally) at Te Rangihīroa College in O-Week after a blocked drain forced the college to close part of its first-floor due to flooding. The blockage happened on the morning of Sunday, Feb 18 – about 24 hours after new residents moved into the $100 million behemoth (no one Read more...
Students Encouraged to Vaccinate Against Meningococcal Disease
Posted 4:59pm Saturday 2nd March 2024 by Adam Stitely
The Meningitis Foundation has started a national campaign urging students to get vaccinated and highlighting the extreme risks of the disease. This push for vaccination comes after a smattering of individual cases have been reported at the University over recent years. Margaret Perley, the Head Read more...
New Low Cost Clinic Set to Ease Student Health Wait Times
Posted 4:56pm Saturday 2nd March 2024 by Gryffin Powell
Dunedin City GP have set up a new low-cost clinic aimed at easing disparity in health outcomes for students and other (likely more deserving) groups. The change comes after Student Health wait times have lengthened to a criminal degree in recent years. The new centre will be a Very Low Cost Read more...
Know Your Stuff Finds a Bad Batch of MDMA
Posted 4:50pm Saturday 2nd March 2024 by Monty O’Rielly
A bad batch of gear was making the rounds during O-Week, leaving students both impoverished and with severe stomach pains after consumption. On Thursday, Feb 22, Know Your Stuff (with the unfortunate acronym KYS), the national drug-testing agency, issued the warning, “Several samples presented Read more...
‘The Dairy’ on Castle Turned Hyoketsu Billboard
Posted 4:47pm Saturday 2nd March 2024 by Sam Smith-Soppet
The Dairy, one of Castle Street's most recognisable derelict buildings, has been given a fresh coat of paint after Japanese RTD behemoth Kirin Hyoketsu paid for its temporary use as an advertising billboard. This comes after The Dairy, corner-shop-turned-flat (turned asbestos-filled shit hole), Read more...
New Club Dances on the Grave of Infamous Eleven Bar
Posted 4:24pm Saturday 2nd March 2024 by Hugh Askerud
Die-hard town-mishers are counting their blessings after a new club, Residency, has opened in the building that once housed the infamous Eleven Bar. Having opened its doors on Friday, Feb 16, the bar has fallen into the natural swing of town life, fuelled by sweat, stickiness, and the throng of Read more...
Disc Den Drives Into the Sunset
Posted 5:42pm Sunday 25th February 2024 by Hugh Askerud
Dunedin music industry titan Disc Den is set to close up shop after a legendary 47-year run. If you haven’t been to Disc Den (*cough* fresher) it’s a music joint near the Octagon that offers posters, T-shirts, CDs, and pretty much everything else music-related in the big Read more...
Catacombs Slammed for O-Week Lineup Diversity Shortfall
Posted 5:36pm Sunday 25th February 2024 by Angus Rees
Dunedin DJs and local music punters are criticising Catacombs for its severe lack of diversity in their O-Week lineup. Despite Catacombs opening their doors to DnB artists for six nights of O-Week, the selection is distinctly fuelled by testerone, and a number of allegations suggest that Read more...
Inflaty 180 Relaunches OUSA/Highlanders Partnership
Posted 5:32pm Sunday 25th February 2024 by Nina Brown
To relaunch their official partnership with the mighty ‘Landers, OUSA introduced the Inflaty 180 at the Highlanders vs Moana Pasifika game last Saturday, February 24. The half-time fun run saw first-year students from each hall (because who else can you count on for free labour in times of Read more...
Fringe Fest Gettin’ Fruity
Posted 5:29pm Sunday 25th February 2024 by Gryffin Powell
Call your mum for a cheeky bank transfer because the Fringe Festival is back, running March 14th until the 24th in our very own Ōtepoti Dunedin. The annual arts festival (because this fringe isn’t just a phase!) will feature 86 events, dipping its toes into the student market by inviting Read more...
Otago Staff and Alumni Urge University to Back Palestine In Open Letter
Posted 5:22pm Sunday 25th February 2024 by Iris Hehir
Last November, 221 Otago University staff and alumni signed an open letter calling for Vice Chancellors at universities across New Zealand to issue a joint statement in solidarity with Palestinians. The letter came a month after Hamas’ October 7th attack on Southern Israel, re-igniting a Read more...
Daddy Grant Announced as Otago's New VC
Posted 12:03pm Tuesday 20th February 2024 by Hugh Askerud
Ex-Minister of Finance Grant Robertson has been announced as Otago Uni’s fresh Vice Chancellor, effective from July 1st this year. According to the Chancellor, Stephen Higgs, Grant’s “appreciation for and understanding of the needs of students was evident” during the Read more...
Duck-Biting Story Threatens Otago’s Reputation, Says Newspaper that Wrote the Story
Posted 9:54am Saturday 2nd December 2023 by Fox Meyer
The ODT has highlighted how Otago University’s reputation was damaged by a story broken in early October about students biting the legs off live ducks. This story was broken, of course, by the ODT themselves, who remain the only organisation privy to any sort of evidence that this ever Read more...
We Can't Find the Duck-Biters
Posted 1:34pm Wednesday 25th October 2023 by Fox Meyer
Critic has been unable to find any evidence of an alleged duck-biting initiation. Following the ODT’s story on October 6, we got in touch with a bunch of recently-initiated first-years, and a few hosting second-years. None had witnessed anything involving a live duck, but all were Read more...
Castle Street (mostly) Denounces Animal Abuse
Posted 6:31pm Saturday 14th October 2023 by Fox Meyer
As Dunedin flat initiations have come under fire, students on the rowdiest street in town have rushed to their defence. They say the leading story, about allegedly being forced to bite the feet off a live duck, is “not what we’re about at all”. Critic Te Ārohi spoke to one Read more...
OUSA Condemns “Vigilante” Action after Duck Initiation
Posted 12:53pm Monday 9th October 2023 by Fox Meyer
A post on the Dunedin News Facebook page calling for the names and addresses of students involved in an alleged initiation has stirred up online vigilante action. OUSA has denounced the initiation activities - if true - and has also denounced any wannabe justice seekers. Public backlash to the Read more...
Onslaught of Cyber Security Emails Annoy Students
Posted 12:31pm Sunday 8th October 2023 by Reuben Kiss
If you've looked at your inbox at all this year, you will have noticed a torrent of emails from the Uni giving you a “friendly reminder that you have not yet completed the University of Otago cyber security training module(s)” and that these are “mandatory to complete”. Read more...
A message for the 2024 Otago Student Cohort
Posted 12:27pm Sunday 8th October 2023 by Quintin Jane
Since this is the last issue of Critic for the year, I thought I’d take the opportunity to use the my executive privilege to hijack a page here and say thank you to everyone at the University of Otago and across the country who has taken time this year to bring attention to the tertiary Read more...
The Vice Chancellor Position is open, Se We Applied
Posted 12:22pm Sunday 8th October 2023 by Critic
The University is advertising for a new Vice Chancellor. Again. Someone has to take up the mantle and lead this struggling institution through tough times, so we at Critic Te Ārohi figured we’d throw our name in the hat. After all, nobody knows Dunedin like we do. Here’s what we Read more...
Initiations “Back With a Vengeance” after Covid Hiatus
Posted 11:52am Sunday 8th October 2023 by Fox Meyer
Last week, we reported on a flat initiation involving a live eel. Since then, the ODT and NZ Herald have picked up the story, police have been informed, and an investigation by the Uni (who knew about the incident prior to publication) is underway. A minority of students defend the initiation in the Read more...
Otago Uni Proctor Investigates Eel Initiation
Posted 2:37pm Thursday 5th October 2023 by Fox Meyer
Last week, we reported on a flat initiation involving a live eel. Since then, the ODT and NZ Herald have picked up the story, police have been informed, and an investigation by the Uni (who knew about the incident prior to publication) is underway. A minority of students defend the initiation in the Read more...
The Hottest (and Nottest) Takes from the OUSA Referendum
Posted 11:21am Sunday 1st October 2023 by Critic
The OUSA Election happened and some people voted. We went through all the feedback and took out the hottest takes, filled mostly with people who were complaining about things that OUSA is literally already doing or literally has no ability to do. Lots of complaints for people who didn’t run Read more...
DCC Passes Ambitious Zero Carbon Plan
Posted 11:11am Sunday 1st October 2023 by Zak Rudin
The DCC voted last Monday to pass the Zero Carbon Plan 2030, with a 10 to 5 split between councillors. Not only did they pass the plan, they also opted to take the highest investment option of a cool $137 million for climate action. 350 Aotearoa, a climate crisis action group who pushed strongly for Read more...
Animal Abuse at Leith Street Initiation
Posted 11:07am Sunday 1st October 2023 by Iris Hehir
Last Wednesday a flat on Leith Street held an initiation for several freshers who allegedly endured various hazing rituals, including the gross norm of physical abuse, chugging milk, and funnelling vomit. And, as seen by several witnesses, abusing a live eel. A video Read more...
DCC: Definitely Causing Chaos
Posted 10:12pm Sunday 24th September 2023 by Harriette Boucher
The pseudo-soap opera that is the Dunedin City Council has been making news. If you’ve been reading headlines, you’ll have seen the antics that have been going on amongst our electorate. From racist remarks to climate hesitation, you might be left wondering: who the hell is Read more...
One Day, Five Sports and Food Poisoning
Posted 10:11pm Sunday 24th September 2023 by Zak Rudin
The classic trifecta is skiing, surfing and rock climbing or mountain biking. But just three technical sports were not enough for students Anya and Eugene - the pair were set on achieving the elusive “fivefecta” about a week ago. That’s five events, if your two leftover brain cells Read more...
Accidental Studentville Ram Raid
Posted 10:00pm Sunday 24th September 2023 by Hugh Askerud
How does a flat 30 metres shy of the road find a car in its living room? In perhaps the most bat-shit crazy twist of the year, at around 7pm on Friday the 15th (may as well have been the 13th) the girls at Salt Shaker found themselves staring down the eye of an old beat-up grey wagon that had Read more...
OUSA Exec Candidates Run Uncontested
Posted 12:49pm Monday 18th September 2023 by Nina Brown
Last week saw the candidate forum for the 2024 OUSA Exec nominees. It was an opportunity for the candidates to campaign for their chosen positions and appeal to the masses - the masses being the current exec, their flatmates, and Radio One and Critic. That was about it. In what some Read more...
Aerospace Summit Disrupted by Protests
Posted 12:48pm Monday 18th September 2023 by Zak Rudin
A group of local Otago students sent it up to Ōtautahi Christchurch last Monday to join forces with environmental justice and peace activists there and protest the Aerospace Summit. As the name suggests, the conference was about space. The conference was sponsored in part by Lockheed Martin, Read more...
Heavy Breathers Cross the Finish Line
Posted 12:47pm Monday 18th September 2023 by Harriette Boucher
In the race for men’s mental health, the Heavy Breathers smashed not only their personal bests but the silence that surrounds the issue that resonates deeply with the group. The Heavy Breathers, a group of 33 third-year boys, set out on a mission to raise money for men's Read more...
Frisbee Fanatics Fantastically Finish First
Posted 12:06pm Monday 18th September 2023 by Keegan Wells
Toroa, one of the two Otago Ultimate Frisbee teams, took home first place at the national tertiary championships a couple weeks ago on the 2-3 of September. Hoiho, the secondary Otago team, moved up in the ranks from previous years, landing 7th place overall. Critic Te Ārohi Read more...
El Duniño is Here
Posted 12:02pm Monday 18th September 2023 by Ollie McKenna
Between bouts of cone theft, bottle smashing and mould wiping, a lot of us are still riding the wave of winter blues that continued through last year’s flop of a summer. But what if Critic Te Ārohi were to tell you that in collaboration with El Niño and climate change, Big Climate Read more...
Tramping Club Gets Sick
Posted 12:38pm Monday 11th September 2023 by peter barclay
As many students ventured home over the mid-sem break, 45 members of the Otago University Tramping Club (OUTC) took a bus to the West Coast for their annual Copland Trip. Now they all (well, most of them) have Covid. “You, about 20 others, and counting got Covid from the Read more...
Science Communication Changes Confirmed
Posted 12:37pm Monday 11th September 2023 by Nina Brown
Students at the Department of Science Communication received confirmation last week from Pro-Vice Chancellor (Sciences) Richard Barker of changes that will be made to the Department. The Department is still set to be disestablished, with just a distance-only Postgraduate Certificate and Diploma Read more...
An Inconvenient Tooth
Posted 12:06pm Monday 11th September 2023 by Fox Meyer
Labour has announced a plan to provide free dental care by - in part - training more dentists, but students in the country’s only dental school are asking: who’s going to teach them? Free dental care could return $1.60 to the economy for every dollar spent, according to last Read more...
Where Does Your $1,015 Fee Go?
Posted 12:04pm Monday 11th September 2023 by jack campbell
You probably paid about $1,015 to Otago as a Student Services Fee. Why do we do this? Where does it go? Imagine a group of students wondering where all their money is going as they are sitting around eating instant noodles. And then, lo and behold: a $20 million student levy fund! Read more...
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