Archive

Unions Plan Protests Outside Wendy’s

Posted 2:32pm Sunday 15th March 2015 by Joe Higham

A new branch of the fast-food giant Wendy’s has opened on Anderson’s Bay Road, Dunedin, making it the southernmost Wendy’s in the world. The new location was officially opened on Monday 9 March 2015, bringing 54 new jobs to the area. “We’ve been wanting a presence here for a long time, but Read more...

Interview: Sigma

Posted 5:30pm Sunday 8th March 2015 by Basti Menkes

Drum and bass duo, Sigma, is made up of British talents Joe Lenzie and Cameron Edwards. Critic caught up with them just before their bombastic set at the Orientation Afterparty, to talk about dubstep, e-cigarettes and Karl Pilkington. Critic: Firstly, I’ve got to ask — what flavor vape are Read more...

Interview: Kiesza

Posted 5:30pm Sunday 8th March 2015 by Basti Menkes

Headlining the OUSA Orientation Afterparty, Kiesza performed for nearly 4000 students last Thursday night. Critic sat down with her beforehand to hear about the road she’s travelled to get here and what her thoughts are on L&P, Crocs and James Brown. Critic: We’re just going to start off Read more...

Leaking Dunedin Hospital Helps Fish

Posted 5:30pm Sunday 8th March 2015 by Bridie Boyd

T his February, the Southern District Health Board (DHB) was issued with a BECA (an engineering consultancy group) report concerning the state of Dunedin Hospital, in particular the Clinical Services Building. The report outlined that the building would need to be replaced within ten years and Read more...

Athletes Around the Country

Posted 5:30pm Sunday 8th March 2015 by Daniel Lormans

T he most popular sports from around the world are dominated by large, synthetic and inflatable balls that are delicately manipulated by the hands, feet and sometimes heads of the players. However, there is another group of more sharply dressed individuals who prefer to derive their pleasure Read more...

Russian Opposition Leader Shot Dead

Posted 5:30pm Sunday 8th March 2015 by Henry Napier

L ast week, the Russian opposition leader, Boris Nemstov, was shot dead. Nemtsov, 55, was shot four times in the back as he was heading home from dinner with his wife. His death came only a day before a planned protest against the current Russian government. Nemstov was the co-leader of Read more...

Peeping through the Key Hole

Posted 5:30pm Sunday 8th March 2015 by Henry Napier

N ew Zealand is in the spotlight after Edward Snowden, former NSA analyst and “whistle-blower”, has revealed a mass of data showing New Zealand’s spying activity in the South Pacific. The data shows that the GCSB (Government Communications Security Bureau) has collected phone calls, emails and Read more...

Peters Flies North... Or Crawls

Posted 5:30pm Sunday 8th March 2015 by Henry Napier

The Electoral Commission has confirmed the 11 candidates who will run in the upcoming by-election for the vacant Northland seat. In the 2014 election, the seat was won by National MP Mike Sabin. However, after rumours of a police investigation surrounding him came to light, Sabin stepped down. The Read more...

Electoral Donations Raise Questions

Posted 5:30pm Sunday 8th March 2015 by Henry Napier

P rime Minister John Key has come under fire recently concerning a fundraising dinner he attended in 2013. Key has confirmed that he attended a private dinner at the home of Chinese businessman, Donghua Liu. The dinner is said to have been organised by Botany MP and National Party member, Read more...

Otago Academic Awarded Harkness Fellowship

Posted 5:30pm Sunday 8th March 2015 by Laura Munro

D r. Jennifer Moore, from Otago’s Law Faculty and the Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, has been awarded the prestigious Harkness Fellowship for 2015. After being interviewed on the afternoon of 3 December, Moore was told she had won the fellowship a mere three hours later. Read more...

Otago Staff Receive Teaching Awards

Posted 5:30pm Sunday 8th March 2015 by Emma Lodes

On Monday 2 March, four University of Otago teachers received awards for teaching excellence. The awards went to Dr. Roslyn Kemp, Dr. Rachel Zajac, Associate Professor Christine Jasoni and Associate Professor Jacinta Ruru. Along with a certificate to recognise their efforts, they each received Read more...

Cheaters Reveal All the Tissues

Posted 5:30pm Sunday 8th March 2015 by Laura Munro

T he University of Otago’s Annual Discipline Report has shown a total of 42 recorded cases of alleged dishonest practice, otherwise known as cheating, in 2014. The Humanities exceeded all other divisions in alleged dishonest practice in 2014, with 16 cases reported. Of these, 11 were Read more...

Roadworks Make the Right Turn

Posted 5:30pm Sunday 8th March 2015 by Emma Cotton

T he Dunedin City Council has recently decided to publish a list of current roadworks to its website. The list, which was first posted last week, will be updated each Friday. Depending on feedback, the list may soon be published on social media, said Cr Kate Wilson, Chairwoman of the Council’s Read more...

Skiing Flights Ready for Take Off

Posted 5:30pm Sunday 8th March 2015 by Joe Higham

In the wake of Air New Zealand abandoning several regional flights, a new service picking up some of the routes has been offered by airline entrepreneur Ewan Wilson and several associates. The new venture will see flights depart from Dunedin, travel to Queenstown and then fly directly to Read more...

Dunedin’s Debt Drops by $25 Million

Posted 5:30pm Sunday 8th March 2015 by Emma Fletcher

Dunedin City Holdings Ltd (DCHL)’s half-yearly report, released Friday 27 February, shows its debt has dropped by $25.8 million in the last six months, bringing the total to $586.5 million. The report, which shows finances to 31 December 2014, says that the previous year’s debt peaked at more than Read more...

Execrable | Issue 3

Posted 5:30pm Sunday 8th March 2015 by Laura Munro

Recreation Manager Debbie Coulter kicked off the meeting with the OUSA Aquatic Centre’s repairs and capital work. This included painting and repairing structural support for the canopy located above the deck, as well as the fire-exit steps. The rust is “so severe” that the steps have to be replaced. Read more...

Pregnancy Counselling Services Criticised

Posted 5:30pm Sunday 8th March 2015 by Amber Allott

A n advertisement for Pregnancy Counselling Services (PCS) played on Radio One has been removed due to “numerous complaints” from the public. The advert was also printed in the first two issues of Critic this year. The original advert stated: “On call 24/7, local people who Read more...

Critic’s Night at the Rugby!

Posted 6:26pm Sunday 1st March 2015 by Daniel Lormans

7:00pm: I decide I can’t afford stadium-priced beer so I knock back a few leftover Cindys as I wait for my friends to show up. Their lack of punctuality is noted for the future. KICKOFF: A huge roar from the crowd as the Highlanders’ season gets underway. Unfortunately, we are still five Read more...

Political Round Up | Issue 2

Posted 6:26pm Sunday 1st March 2015 by Henry Napier

1. ANDREW LITTLE — FACE OF HYPOCRISY — Opposition Leader Andrew Little has been caught out for accidentally not paying one of his workers. The individual, a contractor, was owed $950 for nearly four months. Funnily enough, Little had spoken out against the challenges small-business owners face Read more...

Best of the Week | Issue 2

Posted 6:26pm Sunday 1st March 2015 by Henry Napier

N ews this week has been dominated by Prime Minister John Key’s decision to send New Zealand troops to Iraq. The decision, coming as no surprise after months of discussion in Parliament, was finalised on Tuesday 24 February. Key confirmed that 143 New Zealand soldiers will be sent to Read more...

Cumberland Courts No More

Posted 6:26pm Sunday 1st March 2015 by Emily Draper

C umberland Courts, affiliated with Castle Street’s Cumberland College, are no longer running. James Lindsay, Director of Accommodation Services, said “the properties are being administered by UniFlats for 2015” — this is a university operation that mostly houses single-semester international Read more...

Massive Magazine Back in Print

Posted 6:26pm Sunday 1st March 2015 by Laura Munro

M assey University’s magazine, Massive, is back in print after being online-only since February 2014. The Magazine, launched in 2012, was forced out of print due to a lack of funding. In order to get the print format back up and running, MAWSA Manager James Collings said it was a case of Read more...

Otago Researchers Prep for Diabetes Trial

Posted 6:26pm Sunday 1st March 2015 by Amber Allott

A group of research scientists from the University of Otago is currently preparing to begin clinical trials of a cure for type 1 diabetes. Led by cell biologist, Dr. Jim Faed, clinical trials are expected to begin within the next two years. The research involves extracting bone marrow from Read more...

What You Need To Know: The Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA)

Posted 6:26pm Sunday 1st March 2015 by Carla Green

I f you type “TPPA” into a search engine, the first result will probably be the website of It’s Our Future NZ, a hub for anti-TPPA activity in New Zealand, decorated with a handy countdown to the next action organised against the agreement. The second will probably be Greenpeace’s webpage Read more...

DCC Goes Green

Posted 6:26pm Sunday 1st March 2015 by Carla Green

T he Dunedin City Council has presented its Sustainability Audit Subcommittee with a draft proposal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The goal is to cut emissions by five per cent of 2013–2014 levels before 2019. The plan comes as the DCC prepares to vote on an ethical investment policy Read more...

OUSA and VUWSA Hit With NZUSA Bill

Posted 6:26pm Sunday 1st March 2015 by Laura Munro

A fter its withdrawal application last November, OUSA has received a bill from NZUSA (the New Zealand Union of Students’ Associations) for $22,500. The bill, which is half of the 2015 membership fee, was also sent to the Victoria University of Wellington Students’ Association (VUWSA). Read more...

Fruit and Vege Scheme Goes Bananas

Posted 6:26pm Sunday 1st March 2015 by Joe Higham

A ll Saints’ Anglican Church is aiming to “prepare well” for the deluge of interest in their new fruit and vegetable distribution scheme. The scheme involves the supply of various fruits and vegetables in three different box sizes (single people – $3, couples – $6, and family/flats – $12) to Read more...

Execrable | Issue 2

Posted 6:26pm Sunday 1st March 2015 by Laura Munro

T o kick off the second executive meeting for 2015, President Paul Hunt warned that the proceeding 40 minutes would be the final “warm-up meeting” for the year. In the future, “more substantial issues” are to be covered. That said, business this week was swift and productive. The Read more...

DCC Considers Liquor Ban Extension

Posted 6:26pm Sunday 1st March 2015 by Emma Lodes

A View Street residence known as “Backpackers” has come under scrutiny from the Dunedin police and neighbouring houses, as the behaviour of its inhabitants is seen to have crossed the line. Urinating on the street, wrecking household items, blasting music and smashing bottles and windows have Read more...

Seriously accurate predictions to continue

Posted 4:35pm Sunday 22nd February 2015 by Daniel Lormans

Last year’s FIFA World Cup coverage proved our credentials in providing serious analysis, accurate predictions and the ability to type a sentence like that with a straight face. Here is an update and preview of some of the sports action that we will be reporting on and ranting about in 2015. Read more...

Fears deepen as drought drags on

Posted 4:35pm Sunday 22nd February 2015 by Bridie Boyd

O n January 30 2015, the Otago Regional Council asked the government to officially recognise the devastating dry spell as a recorded drought, after the longest dry spell since 2004. Except for the Clutha River, most tributaries and rivers still have dangerously low levels, with no sign Read more...

Backlash over University Council amendments

Posted 4:35pm Sunday 22nd February 2015 by Carla Green

A bill amending the 1989 Education Act has come under fire recently from university student associations around New Zealand. In addition to creating a new professional body for teachers — a move that infuriated the Post-Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) — the bill aims to decrease the current Read more...

Dunedin Sick of Mores

Posted 4:35pm Sunday 22nd February 2015 by Emma Lodes

S ycamore trees have become a topic of conflict in recent weeks, with the Dunedin City Council and the Chalmers Community Board arguing that they’re choking out native plants, hogging sunlight and stamping out undergrowth bush. According to Lisa Wheeler, DCC Parks Manager, the city is Read more...

Execrable | Issue 1

Posted 4:35pm Sunday 22nd February 2015 by Laura Munro

T he first OUSA Executive meeting for the year kicked off with OUSA President Paul Hunt laying down the law for 2015. Executive members were instructed to raise their hand if they want to say their piece during the meeting. Additionally, it was clarified that if an executive member misses Read more...

Posties stamped out

Posted 4:35pm Sunday 22nd February 2015 by Oliver Gaskell

D unedin-based postal workers are at risk of unemployment as New Zealand Post makes cuts to its residential delivery services. Dunedin is currently home to around 60 posties, all of whom could be at risk of unemployment as part of a five-year strategy to restructure New Zealand’s postal Read more...

O Week heats up

Posted 4:35pm Sunday 22nd February 2015 by Carla Green

O n Wednesday 18 February 2015, emergency services were called to four separate North Dunedin areas in the early hours of the morning. A house located on Leith Street was left with severe damage to the front porch, as well the front two rooms of the house. The Leith Street residents had not Read more...

Parties go ahead despite warnings

Posted 4:35pm Sunday 22nd February 2015 by Laura Munro

T he University of Otago took a tougher stance on out-of-control flat parties leading up to the 2015 Orientation Week, with flats being asked to cancel events before the week had even begun. Residents of the Dundas Street V Flat, Dylan Hall, Tessa Lunam, Baily Beecher and Ross Stocker, Read more...

Dunedin's proposed Local Alcohol Policies

Posted 12:31pm Monday 1st December 2014 by Isaac Yu

I'm sure you've all heard the saying that the road to Hell is paved with good intentions. We all like to think, especially when it comes to the affairs of others, that what we are doing is for peoples’ own good - that if we could sit them down and have a chat we could sort them out and have their Read more...

OUSA Withdraws From NZUSA

Posted 6:51pm Thursday 27th November 2014 by Josie Cochrane

After prolonged discussion, Otago University Students’ Association (OUSA) has withdrawn from the New Zealand Union of Students’ Associations (NZUSA). The unanimous decision follows the Victoria University of Wellington Students’ Association (VUWSA) decision to also withdraw earlier this Read more...

OUSA President Resigns, Effective Tomorrow

Posted 10:04pm Thursday 6th November 2014 by Josie Cochrane

At the Executive meeting held on the evening of Wednesday 5 November 2014, OUSA President Ruby Sycamore-Smith announced her resignation. Giving three days of notice, her resignation is effective from Friday 7 November 2014. On Monday 3 November 2014, the OUSA Executive discussed Read more...

Critic Sport takes a stroll down memory lane

Posted 11:58pm Sunday 12th October 2014 by Daniel Lormans

For this sad occasion, the last issue of Critic for this year, we go the tear-soaked nostalgia desk and revisit some of the most memorable sporting moments of 2014, pointing out when we got things right with our predictions and conveniently not mentioning when we got things wrong. Thanks for reading Read more...

Critic tackles election year one more time

Posted 11:58pm Sunday 12th October 2014 by Carys Goodwin

This is it. The final Critic of the year. A year of the most tumultuous election activity we could have asked for; a year of the weirdest gaffs; and a year of the most frustratingly normal results. It got so strange that Twitter began to wonder when we’d hit “peak cray,” and a simple search of the Read more...

Dunedin students’ private photos exploited online

Posted 11:58pm Sunday 12th October 2014 by Josie Cochrane

On Tuesday 7 October 2014, a group called “Rack Appreciation Society Awareness” was created on Facebook. 24 hours later, over 2,000 women were members of the page. The group was formed out of disgust at the “Rack Appreciation Society” – a Facebook group formed two weeks ago, with over 4,000 Read more...

Execrable | Issue 27

Posted 11:58pm Sunday 12th October 2014 by Josie Cochrane

This week’s meeting went on for nearly three hours, but the presence of the 2015 Executive made for a little more excitement than usual. 2015 OUSA President-elect Paul Hunt held the chair for this meeting to give him some experience as the incoming top dog. The Executive also welcomed the new Read more...

No bones about it, there are some top supervisors

Posted 11:58pm Sunday 12th October 2014 by Emily Draper

The Supervisors’ Awards, instituted by the OUSA and the Graduate Research School, aim to recognise and celebrate excellence in PhD, thesis or dissertation supervision. This year, Associate Professor Ruth Fitzgerald of the Anthropology & Archaeology Department was awarded the grand prize of 2014’s Read more...

AUSA Dismisses General Manager

Posted 11:58pm Sunday 12th October 2014 by Anna Whyte

The Employment Authority and Employment Court have deemed the 2012 dismissal of former Auckland University Student Association General Manager Tom O'Connor justified. O'Connor brought the case to court after he was dismissed by AUSA due to the mismanagement of AUSA finances. However, O'Connor Read more...

Top Lecturer Of The Year wants “no part of UCSA”

Posted 11:58pm Sunday 12th October 2014 by Laura Munro

The University of Canterbury Student’s Association (UCSA) has come under scrutiny recently by staff member Dr Ekant Veer. The popular lecturer of the marketing department wrote a blog post on 7 October declaring that he would hand back his Lecturer of the Year award, as well as the $50 prize. Read more...

Final figures for OUSA’s General Election drive

Posted 11:58pm Sunday 12th October 2014 by Bella Macdonald

As final figures come in, Dunedin North booth votes show an overall boost in votes by 11 per cent for the 2014 General Election versus the 2011 General Election. This follows a $28,000 budgeted spend by OUSA towards an enrolment and voting campaign this year. OUSA spent $20,127 more on Read more...

Craft Beer Festival Is a Hit For Dunedin

Posted 11:58pm Sunday 12th October 2014 by Josie Cochrane

This year’s Craft Beer and Food festival took place on Saturday 4 October. The event has been hailed as a success by organisers and attendees alike. The Critic team thoroughly enjoyed themselves, finding some new favourite brews, including Garage Project’s Tournesol and Green Man Brewery’s Read more...

Sickness at Student Health an extra $10

Posted 11:58pm Sunday 12th October 2014 by Laura Munro

As of 1 October 2014, Student Health have begun their trial period for the updated Health Declaration process during the exam period. Students will now be charged a non-refundable $10 on top of their consultation fee if they would like to be considered for the declaration. This means those with a Read more...