Archive

‘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 Blockley

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...