Archive

OUSA Execrable | Issue 18

Posted 10:37am Sunday 7th August 2016 by Joel MacManus

Following the results of the 2016 OUSA Referendum, there will no longer be regulations against offensive costumes at the annual Hyde Street party. The controversial measure, which was introduced this year, was defeated by a 28 percent margin, with a total of 3205 votes cast.  In a more Read more...

The greatest ever Olympic moment?

Posted 11:34am Sunday 31st July 2016 by Hugh Baird

After a four year wait since London, this week will see the commencement finally of the Rio Olympics. In honour of that, we here at Critic decided to take a look back at likely the finest moment in Olympic history: Eric Moussambani—“Eric the Eel” Eric Moussambani produced quite Read more...

Opinion: IOC just another dodgy sports organisation

Posted 11:26am Sunday 31st July 2016 by Sean Nugent

In the early hours of Monday morning, the leaders of the International Olympic Committee convened to discuss the banning of the Russian Olympic team from the upcoming games. Over the course of three hours, they had the chance to come to a conclusion that could change the future of sport forever. Read more...

Plea for Policy: Why the government should devolve social services to iwi

Posted 11:13am Sunday 31st July 2016 by Henry Napier

The 21st century so far has offered some significant ebbs in New Zealand race relations. If one were to ask a New Zealand politics student what the major blows for bi-culturalism were in the last 16 years you would likely receive a list of the following; the passing of the Foreshore and Seabed Act Read more...

John Key plans to eradicate all NZ predators by 2050

Posted 11:04am Sunday 31st July 2016 by Joel MacManus

The Government has announced what John Key calls “the most ambitious conservation project attempted anywhere in the world”, with a lofty goal of making New Zealand predator-free by 2050. The plan would establish a new Crown Entity, Predator Free New Zealand, which will work alongside Read more...

Labour and Greens already arguing, despite ‘Memorandum of Understanding’

Posted 10:58am Sunday 31st July 2016 by Joel MacManus

Trouble in Paradise? The Labour-Greens agreement has had its first public spat, a disagreement over housing policy. Greens Co-Leader Meteria Turei said she wanted to see a 50 percent drop in house prices over the next 10 to 15 years, and outlines a plan to get there by introducing a Capital Gains Read more...

Hospital to change focus from specialised to general provider

Posted 10:55am Sunday 31st July 2016 by Joe Higham

The Dunedin Hospital may look like a carpark, but now, plans are being developed to completely rebuild the hospital, at a cost of approximately $300 million. On top of that, or despite it depending on how you look at it, the Southern District Health Board are also in the process of changing the Read more...

Cull served with defamation papers ahead of election

Posted 10:44am Sunday 31st July 2016 by Joel MacManus

Dunedin Mayor Dave Cull is facing a $500,000 defamation action after being served with legal papers while walking down Bath St last Thursday. The claim was filed by fellow Dunedin City Councillor Lee Vandervis. At a council meeting in December, Cr Vandervis had stated a belief that there were Read more...

Political conventions are stupid, dumb, pointless, fun

Posted 11:04am Sunday 24th July 2016 by Joel MacManus

We are right now in the middle of the most meaningless, overhyped, expensive exercise in political cheerleading in the Western World ­—The Republican and Democratic National Conventions. National Conventions are to the US what the Monarch is to New Zealand – Formerly powerful Read more...

Tiger Woods out for season, set to play off course instead

Posted 10:57am Sunday 24th July 2016 by Hugh Baird

Tiger Woods has announced he will pull the pin on the rest of the season, citing on-going rehab from a spate of back surgeries late last year.    The PGA released a statement last week in which they announced that Woods had withdrawn from their upcoming tournament. Woods’ agent, Read more...

Opinion: Just how stupid is the Super Rugby format?

Posted 10:53am Sunday 24th July 2016 by Sean Nugent

Answer: Extremely. In fact, it could be argued that it is the worst in the world, across all sports and all competitions. It’s so bad I don’t even know where to begin.  First of all, what’s the deal with the conferences? Are there two or are there four? Surely it would be a Read more...

President Erdogan yet to rule out death penalty following coup

Posted 10:46am Sunday 24th July 2016 by Hugh Baird

More than 50,000 people in Turkey have been rounded up, sacked or suspended from their jobs in the wake of an attempted coup, including teachers, university deans and those in the media. Additionally, 103 generals and admirals have also been formally charged, making up over a third of the general Read more...

Trump chooses conservative, homophobic, overly religious running mate

Posted 10:43am Sunday 24th July 2016 by Georgia Vosper

Donald Trump has announced Governor of Indiana Mike Pence as his vice-presidential running mate, after he was officially sworn in as the Republican presidential candidate last week.  Politically, Pence is a ‘safe’ choice for Trump, due to his vast legislative and executive Read more...

Neither rich white nominee will help quell America’s racial tensions

Posted 10:37am Sunday 24th July 2016 by Joe Higham

As America narrows its presidential hopefuls down to just two, the expectation on whoever is sitting in the Oval Office come the end of the year is intensifying.  American President Barack Obama, who is now about to reach the culmination of his administration, remains largely unable to quell Read more...

Dunedin in lockdown as election excitement grips city

Posted 10:34am Sunday 24th July 2016 by Joe Higham

Dunedin’s Local Elections are underway, with nominations opening on July 15. Nominations close on August 12, with election day set for Saturday October 8 at noon.  With only 10 days having passed since the nominations, it is understood that more people will decide to run for the Read more...

Reserve Bank pulls out new lending restrictions

Posted 10:29am Sunday 24th July 2016 by Hugh Baird

The Reserve Bank announced last week that new restrictions will be put in place for lending on property in an attempt to cool the already heated property market.  The changes announced will see property investors throughout the country needing a minimum required deposit of 40 percent, while Read more...

South Dunedin fucked without bold decisions

Posted 10:27am Sunday 24th July 2016 by Joe Higham

A report made by the Otago Regional Council has discovered houses in South Dunedin are in danger in relation to sea-level rise without bold decisions from those in power.  The report, which used seven years of data, identified that rising water levels could potentially cause permanent Read more...

Drinking in cars set to skyrocket during NY festivities.

Posted 10:25am Sunday 24th July 2016 by Hugh Baird

For those looking at making the annual pilgrimage to Rhythm and Vines, expect to be hit in the pocket. This year, the campsites organisers are planning on doing away with the BYO after concerns from local police and council.  On site camping at Rhythm and Vines increased last year after the Read more...

Students sleeping in Octagon by choice this time

Posted 10:23am Sunday 24th July 2016 by Joe Higham

The Dunedin Sleep Out, an event in which participants sleep out in the Octagon to raise awareness and money for homelessness in Dunedin, will take place from 7pm on July 29.  Last year, the event raised $12,000, which went toward contributing the final amounts needed for the Dunedin Night Read more...

OUSA Execrable | Issue 16

Posted 10:19am Sunday 24th July 2016 by Joe Higham

The Executive met on Friday July 15, in the first meeting since OUSA President Laura Harris left for a leadership course in Beijing. OUSA Administrative-Vice President, Jarred Griffiths, chaired the meeting in her absence.  A Returning Officer's’ Report was presented at a previous Read more...

Rory McIlroy blasts inclusion of golf in Olympics

Posted 11:05am Sunday 17th July 2016 by Sean Nugent

Earlier this week top golfer Rory McIlroy dished out a scathing attack on the Olympics, maligning the inclusion of golf in the games for the first time since 1904. He spoke bluntly and honestly about his decision to not compete in the games, citing the fact that the Olympics are not, and never have Read more...

Opinion: Are the Olympics starting to lose legitimacy?

Posted 11:02am Sunday 17th July 2016 by Sean Nugent

After Rory McIlroy’s comments this week, one was reminded of the ridiculous amount of sports now included in the Olympic Games. This year’s games will have 308 events across 28 different sports, an Olympic record. To put this in context, there were only 43 events at the first modern Read more...

DCC accused of “active and wilful campaign to discourage student voters”

Posted 10:58am Sunday 17th July 2016 by Joel MacManus

The Press Council has part-upheld a complaint from Dunedin City Council against this article. The PressCouncil decision is here http://www.presscouncil.org.nz/ Negotiations have broken down between OUSA and Dunedin City Council over plans to place a special Read more...

Emails reveal DCC deception over 2013 voting booth decision

Posted 10:55am Sunday 17th July 2016 by Joel MacManus

The Press Council has part-upheld a complaint from Dunedin City Council against this article. The PressCouncil decision is here http://www.presscouncil.org.nz/ Emails have been acquired by Critic between DCC Electoral Officer Pam Jordan and a number of Read more...

International student fees set to rise across the board

Posted 10:50am Sunday 17th July 2016 by Joe Higham

Otago University is set to increase fees for international students in all subjects bar one, a decision that has not been welcomed across the student body. The only papers that have escaped the increases are within the postgraduate clinical dentistry course, which will see their cost cut by up to Read more...

Sociability hit as ‘Pokemon Go’ takes hold

Posted 10:47am Sunday 17th July 2016 by Sally Wilkins

Gotta catch ‘em all” has taken on a whole new dimension with the release of Pokemon Go on July 6. Topping Apple’s app chart in mere days, the game has taken the virtual and real world by storm with users hitting the streets in search of Pokemon to catch. New Zealand, alongside Read more...

Opinion Piece: ‘Secret’ animal research facility plans “appalling”

Posted 10:41am Sunday 17th July 2016 by Otago Student Animal Legal Defence Fund

Otago Student Animal Legal Defense Fund are startled by Otago University’s announcement of plans of a new animal research facility, to be included in a new $50 million, five-storey development on the Dunedin campus.  As students whose fees contribute to the funding of University Read more...

More landlords need to use HD projectors as bait for tenants

Posted 10:37am Sunday 17th July 2016 by Joe Higham

With Flatting Week upon us and students already searching for their 2017 flats, Critic thought it would look at all of the flats students are, or will soon be, choosing from. Every flat listed on Trade Me as of 14 July with three-plus bedrooms that are located in North Dunedin has been included, and Read more...

Violent attacks hit Dunedin city

Posted 10:35am Sunday 17th July 2016 by Tom Kitchin

Fractured jaw, surgery, weeks spent in recovery. One may not expect such an assault from a night out in Dunedin. Unfortunately, on Friday July 8 this very kind of attack took place.     A group of four to five males assaulted a man and a woman around 11:00 – 11:30pm that night, on Read more...

Messi in a mess

Posted 10:40am Sunday 10th July 2016 by Hugh Baird

A Barcelona court has found Argentine and Barcelona football star Lionel Messi, and his father Jorge Messi guilty on three counts of tax fraud.  The court rulings come after the prosecution had argued that both Messi and his father, Jorge used tax havens in Belize and Uruguay as well as Read more...

Donald Trump is losing to himself

Posted 10:35am Sunday 10th July 2016 by Joel MacManus

Recent reporting on the financial and organisational state of the Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton campaigns show a historically unprecedented divide in resources and planning that could very well lead to a landslide election.  Hillary Clinton boasts 823 paid staff around the country, $42 Read more...

A Brit on Brexit

Posted 10:31am Sunday 10th July 2016 by Kirio Birks

The U.K. is set to dismember itself from the EU after a referendum which saw 51.9 percent of the public vote to leave.  The aftermath has been turbulent. The pound fell to its lowest point since 1985, and the global economy is tilting after US$ 3 trillion was wiped off world stock markets Read more...

New proctor supports Hyde Street, already student favourite

Posted 10:24am Sunday 10th July 2016 by Joe Higham

After his predecessor was in the job for a brief four months, Dave Scott was appointed as his replacement, a job he considers a “once in a lifetime opportunity.” Despite there being a host of similarities between his previous role in the police force and his new role, he told Critic that Read more...

OUSA Execrable | Issue 14

Posted 10:23am Sunday 10th July 2016 by Joe Higham

OUSA President Laura Harris will be away in the Chinese capital, Beijing, for three weeks from Saturday July 9, meaning she will miss the first three weeks of second semester. Harris was selected for a leadership scholarship by Otago University, which will take place at Beijing Normal University. Read more...

From an ABBA tribute band to opening for Sam Smith

Posted 10:20am Sunday 10th July 2016 by Hugh Baird

With Broods playing as part of the Reorientation festivities next Monday we thought we’d take the opportunity to sit down and chew the fat with Georgia Nott, who makes up one half of the brother sister duo, to talk ABBA tribute bands and life on the road!  You guys are down here for Read more...

France’s new generation ready to bring joy back to nation

Posted 11:15am Sunday 29th May 2016 by Sean Nugent

Paul Pogba and Antoine Greizmann headline a French squad full of youthful exuberance for the upcoming European Championships. As hosts, France will have the weight of expectation on their shoulders to win their first international tournament since 2000. A talented side, many onlookers see them as a Read more...

Leaders budget chat proves predictable

Posted 11:08am Sunday 29th May 2016 by Joel MacManus

Bill English promised that this year’s budget would be ‘predictable and boring’. As it turned out, that applied not only to the fiscal announcements, but to the traditional leaders remarks. Andrew Little stayed disciplined on his rhetoric, painting the government as ‘out of Read more...

Clark V. Woodhouse | Issue 13

Posted 11:00am Sunday 29th May 2016 by David Clark

David Clark On the one hand, it does seem odd that the ability to become our head of state is genetically determined, a privilege reserved for a single inbred family of German descent. On the other hand, constitutional monarchies like New Zealand are amongst the wealthiest and healthiest Read more...

Critic breakdown: Budget 2016

Posted 10:54am Sunday 29th May 2016 by Henry Napier

The government collects approximately $75 billion a year from income taxes, corporate taxes and GST.  The budget is the annual allocation of government funds to state services and initiatives. The allocation covers all government spending from social welfare to health. Spending breakdown: Read more...

Student finds $5 million in bank account, spends it all

Posted 10:44am Sunday 29th May 2016 by Charlotte Haselden

A 21-year-old student living in Australia went on a lavish shopping spree after mistakenly receiving an unlimited overdraft of nearly $5 million. Christine Jia Xin Lee, a Malaysian student living in Sydney, found Westpac bank had accidentally given her AUS$4.6 million which she spent over an Read more...

No good being TV’s Robin Hood

Posted 10:40am Sunday 29th May 2016 by Tom Kitchin

If you streamed the fight between boxing heavyweights Joseph Parker and Carlos Takam on Facebook last Saturday evening you’re a ‘lowlife shithead’ according to Dean Lonergan. The Duco events promoter and former rugby league player is seriously unhappy that the fight was Read more...

Escalating taxi rank violence causes DCC to get involved

Posted 10:37am Sunday 29th May 2016 by Joe Higham

Recent violence at Dunedin’s Octagon taxi rank has prompted the DCC to get involved in order to find a solution to the issue.  The taxi rank, which is located outside ‘10 Bar’, regularly has long lines until the early hours of the morning and runs parallel to the Read more...

DCC gets AC/DC (cars)

Posted 10:34am Sunday 29th May 2016 by Zahra Shahtahmasebi

A new initiative by the Dunedin City Council (DCC) is looking to add twenty electric vehicles to the council’s car fleet.  The motion was put forward by Councillor Kate Wilson, and the changes will take place within the next five years.  Staff figures determine that even though Read more...

Students vent anger at disruption caused by Dental School demolition

Posted 10:32am Sunday 29th May 2016 by Joe Higham

Otago University dental students voiced their outrage during a meeting last week after they were told they would have fewer clinics as a result of the ongoing planned demolition taking place within parts of the dental school.  One dental student attributed the cause of the inconvenience to Read more...

“...and my axe”

Posted 10:29am Sunday 29th May 2016 by Sally Wilkins

The thief responsible for stealing almost 100 exam papers from the University of Otago clocktower building last November has been denied a discharge without conviction.  The 23-year-old woman’s lawyer, Stuart Grieve QC, successfully argued for permanent name suppression due to her Read more...

OUSA Execrable | Issue 13

Posted 10:21am Sunday 29th May 2016 by Henry Napier

The OUSA executive has suffered a major breakdown in communications according to Administrative-Vice President Jarred Griffiths.  Last week Mr Griffiths released a statement saying communication between himself and President Laura Harris have broken down, following ongoing rumours of an Read more...

Students to break free of third-world living?

Posted 11:04am Sunday 22nd May 2016 by Connor Fry

Nine months ago I pulled my bed out from the mildew and mould creeping along the walls, sent a few emails to my then landlord asking about fixing the leaking roof of questionable structural integrity and opened my window to help air what other damp belongings I had with me. For me dripping walls Read more...

A quick preview of Roland Garros

Posted 10:51am Sunday 22nd May 2016 by Sean Nugent

The 115th edition of the French Open begins in Paris on Monday, signalling the start of the second tennis major of the year. The long-awaited tournament will be noteworthy for a number of reasons, none more so than being the first major since Maria Sharapova was banned for using performance Read more...

Cancer victim receives United States first penis transplant

Posted 10:46am Sunday 22nd May 2016 by Hugh Baird

A United States man who had his penis removed due to cancer has received the nations first penis transplant at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. Just last week Thomas Manning, a 64-year-old bank courier from Halifax, Massachusetts underwent the 15-hour surgery, which was made possible Read more...

Incriminating satellite images shed new light on MH17’s crash

Posted 10:44am Sunday 22nd May 2016 by Jonathan Guildford

Incriminating new satellite images have been released, which would appear to confirm the exact time and location of the air defence system that was used to take down flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine on the 17th July 2014.  The satellite images were released by global intelligence agency, Read more...

Industry competition and journalism at stake in proposed giant media merger

Posted 10:40am Sunday 22nd May 2016 by Joe Higham

Recently it has been confirmed that Australian and New Zealand media giants APN and Fairfax Media are in talks to merge, in a move that is subject to Commerce Commission approval. The two media outlets produce many newspapers, magazines and radio stations throughout both countries, including Read more...

NZ fisheries have caught 24.1 million more fish than they reported

Posted 10:36am Sunday 22nd May 2016 by Joe Higham

A collaborative study has discovered that New Zealand fishery catches are 2.7 times more than previously reported. The study was conducted by Glenn Simmons from Auckland University, alongside various researchers at the University of Oxford and the University of British Columbia as well as Read more...

University of Otago animal research centre opposed by animal rights activists

Posted 10:33am Sunday 22nd May 2016 by Anonymous Bird

On May 11 the University of Otago announced plans to build a $50 million animal research centre on campus.  The SPCA have actively opposed the plans, with the New Zealand chief executive explaining that animal testing causes unnecessary pain and suffering. He told the Otago Daily Times that Read more...

Police discover woman falsified abduction

Posted 10:30am Sunday 22nd May 2016 by Joe Higham

A teenager who made an allegation to police claiming that two men in a parked vehicle attempted to abduct her has now been ousted as a liar following a thorough investigation into the claim. The 18 year old told police she was the victim of an abduction attempt at around 4.25pm on May 7 while she Read more...

MP believes hospital food steering in the wrong direction

Posted 10:27am Sunday 22nd May 2016 by Tom Kitchin

Make sure you keep yourself healthy in Dunners this winter, because if you’re unlucky you might be sent to our glorious public hospital where you’ll be in for a treat when it comes to meal time. Some people have said it’s food you wouldn’t share to your pets, one person has Read more...

OUSA Execrable | Issue 12

Posted 10:22am Sunday 22nd May 2016 by Henry Napier

The OUSA programme to provide free flu vaccinations to students will be offering a mere 150 shots to the 20,000 students enrolled at Otago University. OUSA has negotiated with Student Health Services to provide 150 free flu vaccinations to students for two hours on Thursday 26 of May, with a Read more...

Campus Watch turns up heat on fire safety in flats

Posted 10:18am Sunday 22nd May 2016 by Henry Napier

Landlords should be responsible for ensuring working smoke alarms in student flats says Deputy Proctor Andrew Ferguson. The comments come following last week’s flat fire in the 6/60 flat on Castle Street where a fire begun early in the morning and continued to spread unbeknownst to the tenants Read more...

The Captain Cook Tavern is back, but not as students will remember

Posted 10:16am Sunday 22nd May 2016 by Liam Brown

Even Dunedin’s sweet summer children who have not yet survived a winter will still have heard praise of the revered pub, which was forced to close in 2014 due to legal matters. However, other factors such as students favouring a cheap trip to the liquor store for a Scrumpy or a box of Read more...

The Healthy Homes Bill is Andrew Little’s ‘Cool Runnings’ moment

Posted 11:12am Sunday 15th May 2016 by Joel MacManus

Feel the rhythm! Feel the ride! Get on up, it’s bobsled time!.” The 1993 family sports comedy Cool Runnings (AKA the greatest movie ever made), tells the tale of a rag-tag group of failed Jamaican sprinters who team up to become their nation’s first Olympic bobsled team. With the Read more...

Kangaroos kick Kiwis’ winning streak to the curb

Posted 11:09am Sunday 15th May 2016 by Willy Chapman

There has been a feeling of disappointment from both sides of the ditch after last weekend’s annual ANZAC rugby league test match between the Kangaroos and Kiwis. Despite the Kangaroos coming away with the 16-0 win, critics have labeled both sides performances as underwhelming.   As Read more...

The Oklahoma City Thunder & Arsenal F.C.

Posted 11:05am Sunday 15th May 2016 by Sean Nugent

Every year seems to be a repeat of the last for both the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA and Arsenal in the Premier League. As the Thunder stare down the barrel of another playoff defeat, it makes one wonder whether they will ever get a better chance to win the NBA championship. Having made the NBA Read more...

North Korea seeking peace?

Posted 11:02am Sunday 15th May 2016 by Georgia Vosper

Kim Jong-Un has stated that North Korea will not be the first to use Nuclear Weapons. Jong-Un recently declared this at the National Workers’ Party congress, the first congress meeting in more than 35 years.  North Korea has said it will strengthen self-defensive nuclear weapons Read more...

Questions asked of Silver Fern Farms suitor

Posted 11:01am Sunday 15th May 2016 by Sally Wilkins

Research released by New Zealand First has questioned the viability of the proposed merger of Dunedin based Silver Fern Farms (SFF) and the “indebted” Chinese company Shanghai Maling. The merger comprises of a NZ$261m cash investment on behalf of Shanghai Maling in return for a 50 Read more...

Dunedin addresses listed in Panama Papers

Posted 10:58am Sunday 15th May 2016 by Henry Napier

The release of 240,000 names by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) following the Panama Papers leak, has left many New Zealanders perplexed as to how they were implicated despite having no involvement in so-called “foreign trusts”.  The online Read more...

Police officers breath easy after J-Day protest

Posted 10:56am Sunday 15th May 2016 by Sam Fraser-Baxter

Each year our national J-Day sees cannabis enthusiasts turn out to protest New Zealand’s prohibition of the drug.  Around 200 partook in J-Day in Dunedin’s Octagon which falls on the first weekend of May each year. This years events marked the 25-year anniversary since its Read more...

130 Dunedin activists protest ANZ’s $13.5 billion investments in fossil fuel

Posted 10:54am Sunday 15th May 2016 by Joe Higham

Approximately 130 people took part in a peaceful protest on Thursday May 12 against Australasian banking giant ANZ’s investments in the fossil fuel industry.  The protesters peacefully blockaded the entrances to the two ANZ banks on the corner of Hanover Street and George Street and Read more...

Young woman narrowly escapes abduction attempt

Posted 10:51am Sunday 15th May 2016 by Joe Higham

An 18 year old female, walking on Forth Street in North Dunedin at 4.25pm on 7th May was reportedly grabbed by a passenger in the back seat of a parked vehicle, in an attempt to abduct the young woman.  Despite the driver aiding the passenger in pulling her into the vehicle and also Read more...

Increased funding good news for Hep-C sufferers

Posted 10:49am Sunday 15th May 2016 by Henry Napier

Hepatitis-C suffers may be able to access currently unavailable, highly effective medicine in the near future following increased funding from the Government. Last week the Government announced an increase of $50 million to the PHARMAC—New Zealand’s drug buying agency. The Read more...

Why NZUSA sucks, & what we can do about it

Posted 10:39am Sunday 15th May 2016 by Sam McChesney

What do poop-flavoured lollipops, tits on a bull, and Matthew McConaughey’s shirts all have in common? They’re all slightly more useful than NZUSA. Last month, the annual chorus of boos aimed at the New Zealand Union of Students’ Associations began, kicked off by Massey student Read more...

OUSA Execrable | Issue 11

Posted 10:36am Sunday 15th May 2016 by Joe Higham

Auckland University Students’ Association (AUSA) has given a notice of withdrawal to the New Zealand Union of Students’ Association (NZUSA).  The decision to give notice to withdraw from the organisation comes as a result of an AUSA review of NZUSA, which the AUSA Executive began Read more...

About as Likely as Kim Kardashian taking the Oval Office

Posted 11:13am Sunday 8th May 2016 by Sean Nugent

In arguably the greatest sporting upset in history, Leicester City have been crowned champions of the English Premier League after Tottenham Hotspur were held to a 2-2 draw by Chelsea, eliminating any chance of them catching the midland side. The 5000 to one rank outsiders were expected to be Read more...

Government to pump more coin into drugs

Posted 11:09am Sunday 8th May 2016 by Hugh Baird

Three weeks ahead of this year’s Budget announcement, Health Minister Dr Jonathan Coleman has announced an extra $39 million boost for national drug buying agency Pharmac.  Prime Minister John Key explained that it would boost Pharmac’s annual budget to $850 million a year. He Read more...

And the nominees are…

Posted 11:02am Sunday 8th May 2016 by Joel MacManus

The Indiana Primary last week gave the Republican Party one last chance to save themselves from having Donald Trump as their presidential nominee. If they could unite around one candidate, they could prevent him from getting to the magic number of 1237 delegates, and defeat him at a contested Read more...

#Zuckerberg2020

Posted 10:51am Sunday 8th May 2016 by Henry Napier

Facebook CEO and co-founder Mark Zuckerberg may have signalled his intention to run for President of the United States sometime in the future. Facebook recently stated its proposed changes to the stock structure of the company, where a new class of non-voting shares would allow Zuckerberg to liquate Read more...

Offender still at large after unprovoked Octagon stabbing

Posted 10:48am Sunday 8th May 2016 by Joe Higham

A twenty-one year old male was stabbed in the early hours of Sunday morning near Dunedin’s Octagon, in an attack that has provoked on-going shock and worry among the local community.  The victim had received multiple stab wounds to his neck and back in a seemingly unprovoked attack, Read more...

More action needed to make New Zealand smokefree by 2025

Posted 10:44am Sunday 8th May 2016 by Joe Higham

In 2011, the New Zealand Government decided to set a goal to have New Zealand smokefree by 2025, which is categorised as having fewer than 5 percent of New Zealanders smoking by 2025. Currently that number stands at 15 percent. Tobacco kills approximately five thousand New Zealanders every year Read more...

Hundreds gather to protest appalling ‘slop’

Posted 10:41am Sunday 8th May 2016 by Anonymous Bird

Around 300 people gathered outside Dunedin Hospital on April 29 to highlight their dissatisfaction with the standard of Compass Group’s food for patients.  The protest was organised by the Real Meals Coalition, who have vociferously called on the Southern District Health Board to Read more...

Acting Proctor unwilling to act on harassment claims

Posted 10:38am Sunday 8th May 2016 by Henry Napier

Acting Proctor Andrew Ferguson will not act on the accusations of harassment made by social work student Chris Boyd, saying Mr Boyd was offered the opportunity to meet with the then-Proctor Dave Miller which he refused. Last week fourth year social work student Chris Boyd contacted Critic with Read more...

Asbestos discovered in University Dental School

Posted 10:36am Sunday 8th May 2016 by Joe Higham

Building material that could contain asbestos has been discovered in the ground floor of the Otago University Dental School on Thursday morning. Otago University exclusively told Critic on Thursday evening: “there is no risk to people in the building, but we are taking a cautious Read more...

Healthy homes in the house

Posted 10:31am Sunday 8th May 2016 by Hugh Baird

Labour's healthy homes bill, which is set to bring in new regulations for rental properties passed its first reading late last week. The bill, which was passed by just one vote would make it compulsory for all rental properties to have proper insulating, heating and ventilation.  The Read more...

Execrable | Issue 10

Posted 10:27am Sunday 8th May 2016 by Joe Higham

The week’s executive meeting began with OUSA finance officer Jesse Hall’s financial report for the academic year to date. Laura Harris concluded that the report was a “comprehensive overview” and Hall spoke of how it showed that OUSA are in a “solid financial Read more...

Breakdown of the NBA playoff chances

Posted 11:01am Sunday 1st May 2016 by Sean Nugent

Western Conference Golden State Warriors – 2/1 In an article I wrote about the Warriors earlier in the year I said “in sport you have to expect the unexpected.” Well, here we are. After a record breaking season where they escaped any major injury setbacks, it took less than a Read more...

Too much coffee with Andrew Little

Posted 10:55am Sunday 1st May 2016 by Joel MacManus

Andrew Little, current Leader of the Opposition stares at the gigantic mug of cappuccino in front of him, “Actually… Yeah, I think this is number five today”. I try to restrict it to two or three cups a day. Maybe four. In a recess week you’re meeting with a lot of Read more...

Tesla passes through town without a sound

Posted 10:52am Sunday 1st May 2016 by Georgia Vosper

The Tesla SP90D electric supercar was on show last week in Dunedin, showcasing the future in the luxury automotive industry.  Tesla Motor Company was co-founded by Kiwi Ian Wright and has been revolutionary with the introduction of sustainable cars around the world. The Model S, one of the Read more...

Government signs historic Climate Change agreement

Posted 10:48am Sunday 1st May 2016 by Henry Napier

The Government has recently signed a major climate change reduction agreement in Paris, which according to the Minister for Climate Change Issues Paula Bennett will include a multi-faceted approach to reducing carbon emissions. The Paris agreement, which was finalised in December 2015, was signed Read more...

Government’s inflated positivity over increase in university fees

Posted 10:45am Sunday 1st May 2016 by Tom Kitchin

Otago university has argued that the increase in fees is necessary because it will help control spiraling costs. In October last year, Otago chief financial officer Sharon van Turnhout said the university was under “significant financial pressure” and “providing an acceptable level Read more...

Otago top ranked scientific research university in New Zealand

Posted 10:43am Sunday 1st May 2016 by Anonymous Bird

The University of Otago has been ranked the top university in New Zealand for publishing high-quality scientific research papers, according to the Nature Publishing Group.  This follows on from last year, where the university was also ranked first, second in 2014, and first again in Read more...

Otago University’s contribution to the World Wars

Posted 10:39am Sunday 1st May 2016 by Joe Higham

A week on from the ANZAC day commemorations, many of the emotive anecdotes, moving speeches, and poignant minutes of silence may largely be forgotten for another 51 weeks. New Zealand played a sizeable and courageous part in the wars, but how much of a part did Otago University play in the largest Read more...

Hipsters boycott sold-out festival

Posted 10:36am Sunday 1st May 2016 by Sam McChesney

It was time once again for long hair, bandanas, rull koiwi senging eccents, weed smoke and Double Brown at Pine Hill last Saturday as local music festival Feastock celebrated its eighth year. Around 400 people attended the sold-out event, which featured 18 acts from Dunedin, Auckland, Read more...

What has NZUSA given OUSA?

Posted 10:32am Sunday 1st May 2016 by Joe Higham

Last October’s referendum saw the student body overwhelmingly vote for OUSA to remain members of the New Zealand Union of Students’ Associations (NZUSA). Do OUSA need NZUSA or are they simply a hollow representative body? Linsey Higgins, NZUSA’s president, told Critic she Read more...

Campus Watch accuses student of being a “gang member”

Posted 10:30am Sunday 1st May 2016 by Henry Napier

Campus Watch has been accused of harassing and abusing a University of Otago student based on his appearance resembling that of a gang member. According to student Chris Boyd a Campus Watch officer approached him and proceeded to question his status as a University of Otago student saying he Read more...

Sevens side struggles in Singapore

Posted 11:47am Sunday 24th April 2016 by Willy Chapman

Singapore hosted the eighth round of the World Sevens Series last weekend, with New Zealand struggling to be at their best in an overall disappointing tournament. However despite losing three games, New Zealand coach Sir Gordon Tietjens is looking at the positives as he prepares his side for the Rio Read more...

Barcelona slide blows La Liga race wide open

Posted 11:00am Sunday 24th April 2016 by Sean Nugent

Barcelona suffered their third straight league defeat on Monday, allowing Atletico Madrid to move level on points with four games to go. Not only has Barcelona’s lean run seen Atletico catch them, but bitter rivals Real Madrid have also narrowed the gap to just one point. With such a thrilling Read more...

Cricketers of the year

Posted 10:56am Sunday 24th April 2016 by Sean Nugent

New Zealand cricketers Kane Williamson and Suzie Bates have been named the Leading Men’s Cricketer in the World and Leading Women’s Cricketer in the World by renowned cricketing almanac Wisden. Williamson became the first New Zealander to receive the honour when it was introduced in Read more...

Alarm bells: What ever happened in Burundi?

Posted 10:53am Sunday 24th April 2016 by George Elliott

It is almost a year since the small landlocked nation of Burundi, in the African Great Lakes region, burst into the world headlines. Experts and commentators feared a repeat of the 1994 ethnic genocide next door in Rwanda when between half a million and a million people were slaughtered. The current Read more...

Latest Poll: National Rises, Labour Fails BSNS103

Posted 10:50am Sunday 24th April 2016 by Joel MacManus

In the new One News-Colmar Brunton poll, Labour fell by two points to 28% while National rose three to a new high of 50%, and leader Andrew Little took a painful slide in the preferred Prime Minister rankings to 7%, coming in third behind Winston Peters. In an attempt to explain this, I refer to Read more...

Things not looking so peachy for Rouseff

Posted 10:46am Sunday 24th April 2016 by Hugh Baird

Brazil's President Dilma Rouseff faces impeachment following claims that she tampered with state funds to hide budget gaps ahead of her 2014 re-election.  Brazil’s lower house of Congress voted last Sunday to authorize the senate to open an impeachment trial against Rouseff. Read more...

Earthquake devastates Ecuador

Posted 10:44am Sunday 24th April 2016 by Henry Napier

At least 7,015 people have been injured following a 7.8 magnitude earthquake in Ecuador.  The Andean country has recorded up to 570 deaths and over 2,500 injured in the latest estimates from Ecuador’s Risk Management Office.  The earthquake struck on the coast of Ecuador, Read more...

200 dead and 100 abducted in Ethiopian Raids

Posted 10:42am Sunday 24th April 2016 by Hugh Baird

Over 200 hundred have been killed and over 100 children kidnapped by armed militants from South-Sudan in a cross border raid into Ethiopia.  Officials from Ethiopia have blamed the South Sudanese Murle tribesman for the deadly attacks which took place within some districts in the Gambela Read more...

Auckland University on the move

Posted 10:41am Sunday 24th April 2016 by Tom Kitchin

Auckland University are relocating. Well, to an extent. They’re not setting up shop in Dunedin just yet, but they have decided to sell their Tāmaki Innovation Campus, their campus farthest from the city centre, to a local property investment firm.  The role of the Tāmaki Read more...