Archive

Lift Your Game, Baird

Posted 10:55am Sunday 26th February 2017 by Lucy Hunter

OUSA Student President Hugh Baird got stuck in a lift in an Auckland hotel when on a presidential trip earlier this month. He was in a lift with five German people who, he says, were talking to each other in German. He is “sure they were talking about him.” They were stuck in the lift Read more...

Little Visits Cadbury Factory in Show of Solidarity with Workforce

Posted 10:52am Sunday 26th February 2017 by Joe Higham

Mondelez International, the company that owns Cadbury, have stated their intention to end their manufacturing operations at the company’s Dunedin factory.  The closure of the Dunedin factory means the loss of 362 jobs, the first phase of which Mondelez have outlined will begin later Read more...

Dotcom Loses High Court Extradition Battle, Vows to Fight On

Posted 10:48am Sunday 26th February 2017 by Joe Higham

Last week, New Zealand’s High Court ruled in favour of extraditing Kim Dotcom and his co-accused to the United States over their roles in the now-defunct file-sharing business Megaupload.  The United States of America are seeking to have Dotcom (and the three other co-accused) Read more...

DCC and Uni Begin New Initiative to Clean up North Dunedin’s Streets

Posted 10:42am Sunday 26th February 2017 by Anna Linton

A collaborative recycling initiative between the Dunedin City Council and Campus Watch, overseen by the Proctor, will mark an overhaul in how glass and rubbish are dealt with in North Dunedin. Street cleaning, extra blue glass recycling bins and skips in North Dunedin, every Friday of February Read more...

‘17 Executive already proving to be better than 2016

Posted 4:59pm Friday 10th February 2017 by Joe Higham

The second executive meeting of the year began with a discussion about a funding request from the charity ‘Heart Kids NZ’, which was swiftly shut down after Education Officer, Bryn Jenkins, noted that OUSA “should be giving to charities in the student interest”, something the Read more...

Execrable

Posted 5:17pm Friday 16th December 2016 by Joe Higham

The agenda for the final OUSA Executive meeting of the year was largely uncontentious, as the vast majority of the agenda items were passed without issue: notably a disaffiliation a now defunct group, passing an employment agreement, reporting on Welfare and Education Committee Meetings, and giving Read more...

Execrable Xmas Edition

Posted 5:44pm Tuesday 13th December 2016 by Joe Higham

The 2016 OUSA Executive year has been marred by communication failures, finger-pointing, on-going arguments, and a lack of cohesive action, and inevitably the penultimate executive meeting of the year was similarly frustrating. 
 The meeting was largely consumed with the presentation of Read more...

Press Council ruling against Critic

Posted 2:36pm Wednesday 12th October 2016 by Critic

The Press Council has part-upheld a complaint from Dunedin City Council against two Critic articles. This is a summary of the Press Council ruling.  See here for the full decision www.presscouncil.org.nz Critic’s article headlined DCC accused of ‘active and willful campaign to Read more...

Opinion: Is yoga a sport?

Posted 10:39am Saturday 8th October 2016 by Rosa Woods

Did you just mutter the words “no of course not” internally? Hey now, let's not jump to any conclusions. I know what you’re thinking; yoga is a leisure activity, it’s nothing more than an excuse for Lululemon clad fitspos to get together, stretch and do breathing Read more...

The self-crucifixion of Colin of Howick, King of the Conservatives

Posted 10:35am Saturday 8th October 2016 by George Elliott

Colin Craig, who formed the Conservative Party in 2011, was meant to be with us much longer. He’d declared during the 2014 election campaign that he’d one day ascend to the top level of the Beehive as a true conservative. But Craig is dead. The party he created kicked him out and no Read more...

Breaking-very-important-news

Posted 10:29am Saturday 8th October 2016 by Critic

Congratulations on former OUSA President, Ruby Sycamore Smith and former Critic Editor, Zane Pocock for tying the knot recently! On the sly,Hugh and Laura refused to comment on their nuptial plans. Hugh continued whistling Skater Boy by Avril Lavigne, including some sick drum beats Read more...

OUSA Execrable | Issue 26

Posted 10:27am Saturday 8th October 2016 by Joe Higham

The final reportable OUSA Executive meeting began characteristically slowly, but became easily the most interesting meeting of the year as the largely dysfunctional group came to a head over their third quarter reports, which they present at the culmination of each quarter to determine whether Read more...

While the Labour movement has an existential crisis, what about the worker and the radical?

Posted 11:51am Saturday 1st October 2016 by George Elliott

The Labour movement in the UK and its former colonies has transformed dramatically in the past century and has slipped into an identity crisis after gazing back at the neoliberal experiments of the past four decades and, pondering Key’s eight years and Corbyn’s idealism, asking Read more...

Trump and Clinton clash in most watched televised US presidential debate ever

Posted 11:48am Saturday 1st October 2016 by Cameron Meads

Eighty four million Americans tuned in last week for the first US presidential debate between former Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, and New York businessman, Donald Trump. Despite a civilised well-mannered start to the debate particularly by an out-of-character Trump, Clinton soon crawled her Read more...

Don Brash’s Hobson’s Pledge campaign seeks equality for all New Zealanders

Posted 11:37am Saturday 1st October 2016 by Joe Higham

A new campaign launched by, among others, former National Party leader Don Brash, is seeking to lobby politicians to end New Zealand’s separatism and preferential treatment of Maori. The campaign, called Hobson’s Pledge, is named after Captain William Hobson, who was New Read more...

The student candidate who dares to be Right-Wing

Posted 11:34am Saturday 1st October 2016 by Joel MacManus

“40% of the population is under 30, yet not a single member of the council represents our demographic. It’s time for a student voice”. Hamish Fraser, a 20 year old Law and PoliSci student wants to be that voice. He’s running for Council this year as an unapologetically young Read more...

Losi Filipo & Wellington Rugby part ways

Posted 11:32am Saturday 1st October 2016 by Hugh Baird

Wellington Rugby and Losi Filipo have come to a mutual understanding to part ways in the wake of a controversial assault case which saw Filipo discharged without conviction. The move to terminate the contract came after an increase in pressure from the public, sponsors of the team and victims to Read more...

Auckland mayoral forum reminds the rest of the country how Aucklanders really are

Posted 11:29am Saturday 1st October 2016 by Joe Higham

The Auckland Mayoral debate descended into chaos on Tuesday night as one candidate, Adam Holland, had painted his face brown and shouted the Arabic phrase “Allahu akbar”, meaning God is Great, while two other candidates were on the verge of a fist-fight. Others looked on in both shock Read more...

Branson’s becomes most recent target of liquor license opposition

Posted 11:25am Saturday 1st October 2016 by Joe Higham

Branson’s hotel in Dunedin has become the latest local off-license to find itself in a battle in relation to alcohol licensing issues. The hotel, located on the corner of St Andrew’s Street and Great King Street, ran into problems on the night of the third All Blacks v Wales test Read more...

Hayne’s comments factually incorrect, after public opposition of liquor license

Posted 11:20am Saturday 1st October 2016 by Liam Brown

The Super Liquor store located on North Dunedin’s Cumberland Street has had its liquor license renewal declined due to its location next to the BP service station as well as the level of harm in the student quarter that is related to alcohol.  In recent comments, Otago University Read more...

OUSA’s 2017 Budget morbidly depressing

Posted 11:19am Saturday 1st October 2016 by Joe Higham

The budget looks like a series of percentage icons, abbreviations and dollar signs at the best of times, and, apart from one significant change, the 2017 budget is no more intriguing in comparison to any of the recent budgets.  That significant change comes in the form of an amendment to Read more...

Opinion: Guardiola proving that the EPL is nothing special

Posted 10:36am Saturday 24th September 2016 by Sean Nugent

All too often the media portray the English Premier League as the toughest in the world, and that a player or manager’s career is not totally fulfilled if they do not prove themselves on a cold, rainy night in Stoke. Having won all eight competitive games so far, including five in the EPL, Pep Read more...

World got more problems than beach has sand:

Posted 10:26am Saturday 24th September 2016 by George Elliott

Every now and then an event comes along that’s so existentially pressing, so apocalyptically spectacular that it requires the finest minds in New York traffic-jamology. Manhattan hosted the jam of jams last week as leaders and dignitaries made their way to the 71st United Nations summit, the Read more...

Los Angeles’ bizarre ‘Shade Balls’ save millions

Posted 10:18am Saturday 24th September 2016 by Liam Brown

LA’s unique attempt to curb the harsh effects of the Californian drought first made headlines last year when the city dumped 96 million black plastic balls into their main reservoir. Throwing balls at your problems may seem like an illogical and confusing solution, but their reasoning was Read more...

Legal Aid Office closures put “extra strain on the system”

Posted 10:16am Saturday 24th September 2016 by Joel MacManus

The Ministry of Justice has confirmed that 6 of the 8 legal aid offices in New Zealand will close early next year, including the Christchurch branch, the only office left in the South Island. The process will be centralised in Auckland and Takapuna, something widely criticised by many in the legal Read more...

Dunedin comedian teams up with 7 Days stars for hilarious new webseries

Posted 10:09am Saturday 24th September 2016 by Joe Higham

When professional comedians venture into the vastly unprofessional abyss of Dunedin’s student flats, comedy naturally ensues. Thanks to a hilarious new comedic venture called Flat Gigs Dunedin, which is brought to you by entrepreneur and comedian ‘Skivvy Jon’ alongside comedians Read more...

Polling booth coming to campus

Posted 10:04am Saturday 24th September 2016 by Joel MacManus

After months of discussion and negotiation, the DCC has relented and will provide a special voting booth on campus this Thursday for local body elections. After Critic reported on the DCC imposing overly strict conditions surrounding the provision of a booth, OUSA has re-opened talks and found DCC Read more...

Hugh Baird wins OUSA Presidential Election by a landslide, as 4 out of 5 ‘Your Voice’ candidates are successful

Posted 9:57am Saturday 24th September 2016 by Joe Higham

The ‘Hugh Baird for President’ ticket has won both the Presidential and the Administrative Vice-President’s seats by a landslide, as fellow presidential candidates Lark Hare and Hashmat Lafraie struggled, coming in equally 14 percent behind Baird. The ‘Hugh Baird for Read more...

Wawrinka stuns Djokovic to win first US Open

Posted 11:14am Saturday 17th September 2016 by Globa L.Warmin

World number three Stan Wawrinka has beaten out number one seed Novak Djokovic last week to take home the US open at Flushing Meadows.  Wawrinka ground out his first US Open trophy, and third Grand Slam Trophy after wearing down Djokovic 6-7 (1), 6-4, 7-5, 6-3. By breaking in the final game Read more...

Opinion: Blackcaps should stop persevering with Martin Guptill

Posted 11:06am Saturday 17th September 2016 by Sean Nugent

The Blackcaps start their tour of India this week, hoping to improve on their disappointing performance in South Africa last month. They will play three tests and five ODIs over the next five weeks, before coming home to prepare for another long summer of cricket. Coach Mike Hesson has said that it Read more...

Tickets? More like clique-ets

Posted 11:01am Saturday 17th September 2016 by Sam McChesney

My judgement is, to put it mildly, questionable. One of my desert island films is The Room, I’ve recently rekindled a long-suppressed enjoyment of the Spice Girls, and I want Gilda Kirkpatrick to be my life coach. I like to call myself a connoisseur of guilty pleasures; you could just say that Read more...

N. Korea nuclear ambitions: This time’s different & no one knows what to do

Posted 10:55am Saturday 17th September 2016 by George Elliott

On the September 9, North Korea conducted its biggest test of a nuclear weapon to date. The yield of the nuclear device is estimated at around 20 to 30 kilotons of TNT, more than ten times the size of the country’s first test in 2006, raising fears and prompting calls for fresh diplomacy with Read more...

Missing: grey rectangles

Posted 10:49am Saturday 17th September 2016 by Critic

Police are seeking the owners of a number of items they suspect were stolen from North Dunedin flats in the last several weeks.  A man was driving a scooter when he was stopped by police on Albany Street, North Dunedin, according to a Police Media Centre statement, along with several Read more...

More government funding for random drunk hook-ups

Posted 10:42am Saturday 17th September 2016 by Joel MacManus

Parliament is considering the repeal of a controversial measure which penalises mothers applying for child support who do not know the identity of the father.  Under the Social Securities Act, sole parents who do not name the father when applying to WINZ are docked $22 a week from their Read more...

‘Your Voice’ posters torn down

Posted 10:37am Saturday 17th September 2016 by Joel MacManus

The ‘Your Voice’ ticket, led by Presidential candidate Lark Hare in the OUSA election, has had 28 of their campaign posters around campus torn down, largely those in the Castle Lecture Theatres, according to Bryn Jenkins, who is the Your Voice candidate for Education Officer. He says it Read more...

Otago University Council votes to divest from fossil fuels

Posted 10:34am Saturday 17th September 2016 by Joe Higham

The Otago University Council has voted in favour of committing to divest from fossil fuels within its investment portfolio. The university downplayed the significance of the decision, assuring everyone affiliated with the university that they have “no investments in fossil fuels” Read more...

Presidential Election Forum

Posted 10:32am Saturday 17th September 2016 by Joe Higham

The OUSA Election Forums that ran last week, were a chance for students to hear what the candidates running for the 2017 OUSA Executive are pledging to do if they are elected. Hugh Baird is the editor of Critic*, and is running on the ‘Hugh Baird for President’ ticket alongside Read more...

Sir Gordon Tietjens calls quits on stellar career

Posted 11:00am Saturday 10th September 2016 by Hugh Baird

Sir Gordon Tietjens has finally called stumps as coach of the New Zealand Sevens team, after an unprecedented 22 years behind the reins. During his time as coach, Sir Gordon led the side to four Commonwealth gold medals, two Rugby World Cup Sevens titles and 12 World Rugby Sevens Series Read more...

Opinion: Warriors prove their consistency

Posted 10:55am Saturday 10th September 2016 by Sean Nugent

This was supposed to be the year that the Warriors finally turned it around and made a serious push at not only the playoffs, but also at the NRL title. Yet, following the conclusion of their embarrassing 40-18 loss to Parramatta last weekend, the Warriors found themselves out of the playoffs for Read more...

Hong Kong’s revolution alive & well

Posted 10:51am Saturday 10th September 2016 by George Elliott

For about 80 days in late 2014, hundreds of thousands of mostly young Hong Kongers took to the streets in an unprecedented act of protest against China’s rule over the semiautonomous territory and the increasing detrimental effects of late capitalism. The student-led occupation of streets Read more...

NZ First’s time to shine in an age of populism?

Posted 10:48am Saturday 10th September 2016 by George Elliott

Order is crumbling. The democratic world is in disarray. Neoliberal capitalism, academia’s Marxist identity politics, immigrants, the expert elite - they’re all dragging us into an abyss. Only the toughest ‘anti-politician’ politician will rise to lead us in our anger, our Read more...

German Chancellor Angela Merkel defends immigration policy

Posted 10:40am Saturday 10th September 2016 by Joel MacManus

Angela Merkel has laid down a strong defence of her immigration policy after witnessing the dramatic rise of right-wing parties in Germany’s regional election in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. The country’s most popular right-wing party, Alternative für Deutschland, Read more...

Quarterback's protest moves beyond football field

Posted 10:39am Saturday 10th September 2016 by Tom Kitchin

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s decision to not stand for the national anthem before games has caused debate in America. During the team’s most recent matches, Kaepernick has either sat down or kneeled during the anthem to protest against racial injustices in the Read more...

A bit of beef at the beach

Posted 10:36am Saturday 10th September 2016 by Anonymous Bird

Multiple cows have washed up on Dunedin beaches in recent weeks, with local residents confused as to how they got there.  As many as three cows were washed up on St Clair beach, with two others appearing in the Lawyer’s Head and Tomohawk areas. Brian Benn, Senior Sergeant of Read more...

Mt Eden Prison suggested as shelter for homeless

Posted 10:34am Saturday 10th September 2016 by Joe Higham

The derelict grounds of Mt Eden Prison could be used to shelter the homeless, according to submissions from a cross-party inquiry into homelessness.  Submissions to the inquiry will “initially be heard in person at four locations: Te Puea Marae in Auckland, Tauranga, Wellington, and Read more...

John Key calls Australian PM his “BFF Forever”

Posted 10:32am Saturday 10th September 2016 by Joel MacManus

Drama broke out on the international relations front after Australian PM Malcolm Turnbull tweeted a picture of himself with newly appointed UK leader Theresa May, with the caption “There couldn’t be two countries with closer bonds than Australia and Britain”. A heartbroken John Read more...

Cost of homelessness more than anyone at Critic will earn in a year, ever

Posted 10:29am Saturday 10th September 2016 by Joe Higham

The Government has stated that it will consider a report by opposition MPs on homelessness, despite being unconvinced with the originality of its findings. It found that each homeless person in New Zealand is costing the taxpayer up to $65,000 per year, a figure that, if correct, would likely Read more...

How Newshub started a national body shaming campaign against two university students for daring to be skinny

Posted 10:27am Saturday 10th September 2016 by Joel MacManus

Last week, Farmers posted a photo on their Facebook page to promote dresses from the new Andrea Moore collection. The models were twins and 21 year old students at Auckland University students. Unfortunately, as internet commentators are want to do, the post had a bunch of negative comments Read more...

Otago University & DCC to collaborate to clean up North Dunedin’s streets

Posted 10:23am Saturday 10th September 2016 by Joe Higham

The Dunedin City Council (DCC) and the University of Otago are investigating and preparing the initial procedure to increase the frequency of rubbish collection in North Dunedin to improve the campus’ street cleanliness.   According to the meeting minutes from a 30 August 2016 meeting Read more...

Otago University ranking rises four places

Posted 10:21am Saturday 10th September 2016 by Joe Higham

Otago University has improved in the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings by four places from 2015’s results, moving from 173rd to 169th place respectively.  The improvement does nothing to alter their nationwide ranking of second, with the University of Auckland being Read more...

Otago University conducting concussion research alongside Otago RFU

Posted 10:17am Saturday 10th September 2016 by Joe Higham

Otago Rugby Football Club has teamed up with the University of Otago to explore the connection between neck strength and concussion.  The ground-breaking study will focus on sensors placed behind the players’ ears and will log information allowing them to assess whether or not the neck Read more...

OUSA Execrable | Issue 22

Posted 10:14am Saturday 10th September 2016 by Joel MacManus

The Executive met Monday in a highly disorganised and easily distracted fashion to consider a proposal by local artist Guy Howard-Smith to paint a large anti-pollution mural on the side of the Birdwatchers flat, 74 Albany Street. Howard-Smith has had a hand in producing a number of large-scale Read more...

Disillusionment continues within the Humanities Division

Posted 10:11am Saturday 10th September 2016 by Joel MacManus

On a rainy, windy Wednesday afternoon, a crowd of around 400 gathered to protest ongoing cuts to the Otago University Humanities Division. OUSA Admin VP Jarred Griffiths stood at the foot of the Clocktower addressing the raucous mob through a megaphone declaring “we stand here today surrounded Read more...

Opinion: Has the All Blacks dominance made international rugby less exciting?

Posted 10:50am Sunday 4th September 2016 by Sean Nugent

Former England footballer Gary Lineker once said “football is a simple game. 22 men chase a ball for 90 minutes and at the end, the Germans always win.” Applied to the All Blacks, Lineker’s quote fits like a glove. I’m sure plenty of opposition have walked off the park Read more...

Flying Fijians make nation proud —A Fijian perspective

Posted 10:45am Sunday 4th September 2016 by Otessa Tuisila

Every athlete's dream is to compete amongst the best of the best at the Olympic games with the opportunity to showcase their skills on the world stage, stepping out onto the track, plank or field as an equal. All competitors, whether representing big nations or the smaller islands, have the same Read more...

Somalia: Hope after 25 years of bloodshed

Posted 10:37am Sunday 4th September 2016 by George Elliott

While most people’s knowledge of Somalia might come from the 2001 blockbuster Blackhawk Down or occasional horrific news stories popping up, there has been some recent optimism that the state could pull itself out of its long running civil war in time for the 2016 elections. Sadly, this Read more...

Eggs benedict and our humanitarian myth

Posted 10:32am Sunday 4th September 2016 by George Elliott

At New York’s Turtle Bay, where the United Nations building stands, there’s a breakfast club for Security Council diplomats to meet and start the day with a meal and a chat. It has become quite a tradition, and it is all thanks to New Zealand. The bringing together of some of the most Read more...

Hekia Parata to introduce new ‘COOL’ initiative

Posted 10:27am Sunday 4th September 2016 by Joel MacManus

In an effort to seem innovative and exciting, Minister for Education Hekia Parata has announced a poorly thought out initiative with an even worse name, which would allow school-aged students to register in online operated charter courses as opposed to attending a regular school.  Any Read more...

Otago student swaps books for beach thanks to marooned friend

Posted 10:20am Sunday 4th September 2016 by Hugh Baird

One Otago University student has escaped the winter blues by winning an all expenses paid trip to Fiji thanks to Vodafone, while her loyal friends stayed stranded on a barge parked up in Auckland's Waitemata Harbour for the duration of her trip.   Second year law student Kirsty Fern Read more...

Transgender patrons dissuaded from attending Dunedin club session

Posted 10:16am Sunday 4th September 2016 by Joe Higham

A dispute has emerged over the decision by management to attempt to dissuade transgender patrons entry to Dunedin gay and bisexual venue Space4u’s club session ‘Bodyworks’. A transgender man who wanted to remain anonymous due to his current employment, enquired as to whether the Read more...

Small loans no longer needed to purchase avocados

Posted 10:13am Sunday 4th September 2016 by Hugh Baird

After a 2015 season which saw avocado fans forking out huge sums due to a nationwide shortage, the 2016 season has already been predicted as being our best yet.  Prices soared earlier this year in May with avocados costing over $4 each, due to a myriad of factors including; poor weather, Read more...

Dunedin Hospital celebrates 150 years amid strife

Posted 10:10am Sunday 4th September 2016 by Joe Higham

Former staff, stakeholders, and residents of Dunedin Hospital gathered last week to celebrate 150 years at its Great King Street location. The hospital chapel played host to a modest ceremony as speakers told tales of times past, and look hopefully forward to a continuing future of medical Read more...

Campaign begins to highligh exhaustion of New Zealand’s ‘Resident Doctors’

Posted 10:08am Sunday 4th September 2016 by Joe Higham

Resident doctors are registered medical practitioners, ranging in experience from first year qualified doctors to those with more than 12 years experience, primarily working in the public sector and are employed by all 20 DHBs, according to the campaign’s media release.  The press Read more...

North Dunedin bar leaves student staff high & dry

Posted 10:00am Sunday 4th September 2016 by Joe Higham

Part of the Employment Standards Legislation Bill came into force on 1 April 2016. The bill amended various statutes and sought to address the growing issue of exploitative employment contracts, most notably zero hour contracts, along with changes to the law relating to the cancellation of employee Read more...

Opinion: New Zealand’s Olympic performance satisfactory, but not ground-breaking

Posted 10:59am Sunday 21st August 2016 by Sean Nugent

Whether it was the overhyping of the media, or failure to perform on the biggest stage, I think it’s fair to say that New Zealand’s performance at the Olympics so far has been a bit underwhelming. At the time of writing, New Zealand has eight medals, consisting of two gold and six Read more...

Otago possible contenders

Posted 10:56am Sunday 21st August 2016 by Hugh Baird

The Mitre 10 Cup kicked off over the weekend, with Otago taking on the neighbours from over the border, Southland. Whilst the game took place after Critic went to print, we’re praying that the team managed a win and are nursing a solid hangover this morning.  The Otago team named this Read more...

NZ Politics in review

Posted 10:50am Sunday 21st August 2016 by George Elliott

Parliament’s back for its August session, with new spy legislation set to be introduced by the government. Elsewhere, a new poll shows an increase for the opposition and Labour leader Andrew Little has floated the idea of wiping student loans—with a catch! Following up on Read more...

Island of horror: abuse at Australia’s Nauru detention centre exposed

Posted 10:48am Sunday 21st August 2016 by George Elliott

A cache of 2000 reports pertaining to Australia’s infamous asylum seeker detention centre on the island-nation of Nauru has found its way into the hands of UK newspaper, The Guardian. The leaked documents are sickening, shocking and shameful, which illustrates the scale and severity of the Read more...

National’s Lost Luggage Bill ­— a worthless, cynical attempt to waste everyone’s time

Posted 10:47am Sunday 21st August 2016 by Joel MacManus

National MP Nuk Korako has proposed an entirely ineffective and meaningless Bill in parliament that will do absolutely nothing, is not necessary, and appears to be a deliberate attempt by the government to stall the democratic process. It has resulted in criticism across the board, government Read more...

Fidel Castro calls out Obama in a rare public appearance

Posted 10:38am Sunday 21st August 2016 by Liam Brown

Amidst celebrations for the revolutionist’s 90th birthday, Fidel Castro made a surprise entrance at his birthday gala, the first time he has been seen in public since April. The retired prime minister and president who restructured Cuba into a one-party communist state did not speak at the Read more...

Grocery Prices

Posted 10:36am Sunday 21st August 2016 by Critic

With the price of groceries requiring a small mortgage these days, we at Critic decided it’d be a good idea to compare prices of the big three supermarkets and see where you can get the best bang for your buck. Countdown= $89.80 New World= $84.53 Pak N Save= $77.63  Few top Read more...

UNICEF report shows bleak picture of child poverty in New Zealand

Posted 10:30am Sunday 21st August 2016 by Joe Higham

A UNICEF report has revealed that as many as 305,000 New Zealand children, or 28 percent, currently live below the poverty line. Alone this is problematic, but alongside this is the cost it has on society. The report detailed it costs $10 billion year on year, as well as a $2 billion burden on Read more...

John Key crushes dreams by refusing to decriminalise cannabis

Posted 10:28am Sunday 21st August 2016 by Joe Higham

John Key has revealed that there is no chance of a law change in relation to cannabis following a review into the possibility of personal and or medicinal cannabis usage in New Zealand, believing that it sends the wrong message to the nation’s youth.  An article in the ODT noted John Read more...

University of Canterbury kicks men from gym

Posted 10:26am Sunday 21st August 2016 by Charlotte Haselden

The University of Canterbury has introduced "women only" hours at its campus gym, which has been met with controversy. The decision was made by the university to meet the needs of all the students after a student group submitted a formal request. A spokesperson for the University Read more...

Nominations close for mayoralty race

Posted 10:24am Sunday 21st August 2016 by Joel MacManus

Dave Cull could be facing a tougher race than usual in this year’s DCC Mayoral election, with a total of 11 candidates standing.  DCC elections are run on a Single Transferrable Vote system whereby voters rank the candidates in terms of favorability, eliminating the lowest polling Read more...

New Zealand Young Writers Festival to take place in Dunedin

Posted 10:21am Sunday 21st August 2016 by Tom Kitchin

Calling all writers of any kind! Novelists, journalists, poets, songwriters, illustrators and more—this is the festival for you. From 1 – 4 September, Dunedin will host the second annual New Zealand Young Writers Festival. It will feature 15 completely free events. If you’re stuck Read more...

New World employees vow to continue fight for pay parity

Posted 10:18am Sunday 21st August 2016 by Joel MacManus

Protests at Centre City New World over a $2 an hour pay gap between North Island and South Island stores have resulted in multiple trespasses, a breakdown in negotiations, and threats of legal action after employees and management failed to reach an agreement after months of Read more...

75 turn out to protest Animal Research Centre

Posted 10:16am Sunday 21st August 2016 by Anonymous Bird

Around 75 people attended a protest on Saturday July 13 against the $50 million animal research centre being built on the University of Otago campus. The protest took place at the facility building site on Great King street. It was reportedly peaceful, with no police attendance required and campus Read more...

Meningitis case serves as reminder

Posted 10:13am Sunday 21st August 2016 by Hugh Baird

Brittany Arthur, an Otago Polytechnic nursing student in her final year, died last Saturday after an acute case of meningococcal meningitis.  Arthur had been out for dinner, celebrating her final nursing exam. She awoke the next day with a headache and decided to go back to bed. However, she Read more...

Williamson coming of age

Posted 2:47pm Monday 15th August 2016 by Sean Nugent

During the second test against Zimbabwe last week, New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson became the youngest ever batsmen to score a century against every test-playing nation. Not only was he the youngest to do so by over four years, but he also did so in the quickest time —both in terms of days Read more...

International scientists reveal 2015 worst on record for global warming indicators

Posted 2:41pm Monday 15th August 2016 by Sally Wilkins

Findings in a major international report indicate that 2015 was the worst year in modern history across a range of key climatic indicators with the “toppling of several symbolic mileposts”, international scientists have said. The report noted record highs in the average global Read more...

It’s not looking good for Aunty Helen, according to leaked UN Security Coucil straw poll

Posted 2:36pm Monday 15th August 2016 by George Elliott

Despite a worldwide media campaign, a celebrated televised debate performance and a refreshing message, Helen Clark’s bid for the United Nation’s top job could be coming to an end. Clark is in seventh place, according to the results of an informal straw poll conducted by the Security Read more...

Real Change’ remains unchanged: Exec elects to say ‘bye’ to by-Elections

Posted 2:31pm Monday 15th August 2016 by Joel MacManus

2016 is shaping up to be the first year in over two decades in which no OUSA by-elections have taken place. According to records of meeting minutes and annual reports, the last Executive group to make it through an entire year without a by-election was the group from 1994. The last year in which no Read more...

Sleepy second semester students seek secure study space

Posted 2:28pm Monday 15th August 2016 by Joel MacManus

OUSA is hoping to ensure the return of the 24 Hour Study Space for second semester exam time this year. The initiative, which saw the Clubs and Socs building on Albany Street extend its opening hours pasts its usual 10:30pm closing time, was hugely popular among students, who packed out the Read more...

Gender equality takes a hit as pay gap widens

Posted 2:26pm Monday 15th August 2016 by Joe Higham

The gender pay gap widened last quarter from 12.9 percent to 13.2 percent, a seemingly small change, yet one that highlights a step away from gender equality in New Zealand’s workplaces. The Pay Equality Coalition’s spokesperson Angela McLeod spoke of how it is “time for action Read more...

Viability of computerised exams investigated

Posted 2:24pm Monday 15th August 2016 by Joe Higham

Otago University has revealed it is investigating whether widespread use of computer-based examinations (CBE) is a possibility. A Working Group set up by the University includes representatives from the Divisions of Humanities, Health Science, Science, Commerce, and also OUSA, among others. The Read more...

Funnily enough Dunedin does need students

Posted 2:20pm Monday 15th August 2016 by Hugh Baird

The annual University of Otago Economic Impact Report was released last week at the latest University Council meeting. The report, which was compiled by the office of the Vice-Chancellor reported on the economic impact that the University had on the local economy, through expenditure of the Read more...

OUSA Execrable | Issue 19

Posted 2:16pm Monday 15th August 2016 by Joe Higham

Pro-Vice Chancellor for the Division of Humanities, Tony Ballantyne, attended this week’s executive meeting in order to provide answers to the student representatives in relation to the ‘Management of Change’ process taking place in the division, in which redundancies are certain Read more...

Harawira is back, and a Maori-Mana alliance over Te Tai Tokerau is on the cards

Posted 11:26am Sunday 7th August 2016 by George Elliott

Harawira lost his seat in the Maori electorate of Te Tai Tokerau to Labour’s Kelvin Davis by nearly seven percent of the vote in the 2014 election. It was a devastating loss for Mana, which had held the seat since it split with the Maori Party in 2011. Pundits chalked the de-crowning moment up Read more...

Have you heard of a feminist foreign policy? Sweden has

Posted 11:20am Sunday 7th August 2016 by George Elliott

In the aftermath of the Cold War, a feminist approach to international relations became popular among some academic circles. Two of the movements founding scholars, Cynthia Enloe and Carol Cohn , proposed using a critical "feminist consciousness" when examining how countries do business Read more...

All Blacks name squad for upcoming Rugby Championship

Posted 11:09am Sunday 7th August 2016 by Hugh Baird

Chiefs fullback Damien McKenzie and midfielder Seta Tamanivalu are the notable omissions from an All Blacks squad named last week to play in the upcoming Rugby Championship. Instead the All Blacks coaching staff have opted for Blues midfielder George Moala, who impressed in the test series Read more...

Opinion: Three Olympic events you need to watch

Posted 11:06am Sunday 7th August 2016 by Sean Nugent

The 2016 Rio Olympics are underway! It may be the most controversial games in history. But let’s forget that for a moment and focus on the actual events and the athletes taking part. Of course, there are some events that are must-watch television. However, instead of rattling off some obvious Read more...

Man jumps from plane without parachute, world shits itself

Posted 11:00am Sunday 7th August 2016 by Charlotte Haselden

A 42-year-old skydiver has plummeted back to earth, becoming the first person to jump from a plane with no parachute, landing in a net instead. Luke Aikins jumped from 25,000 feet above the desert landscape of California's Simi Valley, landing in a 39-by-39-metre two-tiered net which was set Read more...

American man kills home intruder by tying him to a tree

Posted 10:55am Sunday 7th August 2016 by Tom Kitchin

Tying a burglar to a tree with layers of tape and a clothesline, leading to death; some things can only happen in the US.   Nathaniel Johnson, a 68-year-old resident of the town Leroy, Alabama, had become annoyed at the increasing number of burglaries at his property and decided something Read more...

Octagon Sleep-Out a resounding success

Posted 10:53am Sunday 7th August 2016 by Joe Higham

If you were drinking in town on the 29th July, you may have been wondering why there was suddenly a huge group of people sleeping in the Octagon. No they weren’t drunk students or the homeless community, but if you’d said the latter, you would’ve been close.  In fact, 150 Read more...

Hope for AIDS eradication in Africa disappearing, experts say

Posted 10:51am Sunday 7th August 2016 by Georgia Vosper

Hope for the end of AIDS in Africa is disappearing, with recent warnings by health experts suggesting that ‘the end of AIDS by 2030’ is not actually a very achievable goal. The number of infections is rising and the input of funding internationally is declining, possibly due to the Read more...

Uncertain times for humanities staff as five departments facing redundancies

Posted 10:49am Sunday 7th August 2016 by Joe Higham

A media briefing held by Otago University on Wednesday 3 August, provided few assurances to the future of staff members in the Division of Humanities.  Otago University’s Pro-Vice Chancellor, Tony Ballantyne, addressed the media, stating that five departments within the division will Read more...

OUSA on a mission to get students voting

Posted 10:46am Sunday 7th August 2016 by Joel MacManus

OUSA has launched what Administrative Vice-President Jarred Griffiths describes as “the largest student voter enrolment drive we’ve ever done”. Over the past two weeks, Exec members have been visiting halls and encouraging enrolments with the promise of pizza for the floors who Read more...

Yet another proposal could chip away at already diminishing student freedoms

Posted 10:44am Sunday 7th August 2016 by Joe Higham

A registration scheme for students planning flat parties is being considered by OUSA following its successful implementation in the Riccarton West suburb of Christchurch.  The scheme allows people who are planning to throw a party to register it in order to seek advice on issues such as Read more...

Hyde street residents fearing for safety after spate of attacks

Posted 10:41am Sunday 7th August 2016 by Joel MacManus

A number of residents on Hyde street have raised concerns over student safety after a series of attacks in the area. Police were called to the area last Saturday after a male student walking with his girlfriend was assaulted by two males believed to be non-students. No arrests were made. Another Read more...