Archive

Ōtepoti hosts Festival of Anarchy

Posted 4:34pm Sunday 29th May 2022 by Zak Rudin

On Saturday 21 May, from midday to sundown, people congregated at 111 Moray Place for the Ōtepoti Festival of Anarchy (or A-Day, as the cool kids call it). Despite the cold, the festival delivered on providing food, music, workshops and free stuff. What more could you ask for? Critic Te Arohi Read more...

Otago Uni Students* Say No to Microbreweries and te ao Māori papers, Yes to Freshers at Pint Night

Posted 4:32pm Sunday 29th May 2022 by Keegan Wells

The results of OUSA’s referendum have been released, with students voting on everything from mental health accessibility and compulsory recording of lectures to Pacific law school entry pathways, compulsory te ao Māori papers and two-week semester breaks.  The exciting admin stuff Read more...

Two Students Shave $6k Worth of Hair

Posted 4:28pm Sunday 29th May 2022 by Nina Brown

Two third-year students managed to raise almost $6,000 for Leukaemia and Blood Cancer New Zealand, as part of Shave for a Cure. Critic Te Arohi spoke to the two do-gooders to find out how they pulled it off.  What started as a comment about how much easier it would be to gender-bend with a Read more...

Ill Bus Drivers Cause Wave of Cancellations

Posted 4:26pm Sunday 29th May 2022 by Denzel Chung

Bus commuters in Dunedin have been having it rough lately, with a wave of cancellations and delays hitting local services. These have been blamed on “high levels of illness” among bus drivers.  The cancellations have been happening since at least May 17, when Orbus Read more...

Hundreds Hospitalised By Flu, Worst Yet To Come

Posted 4:23pm Sunday 29th May 2022 by Denzel Chung

Hot on the heels of Omicron, a flu outbreak is now ripping its way through North D. Dunedin Hospital has already admitted nearly 200 emergency cases, with many more expected in the community.  Across Aotearoa, after our immune systems enjoyed a cushy two years with zero influenza cases Read more...

Hekate Opens Doors

Posted 5:07pm Saturday 21st May 2022 by Fox Meyer

A period health clinic on Albany Street has recently rebranded. Despite the flashy new look, they’ve promised they’ll continue to offer services to menstruators from all backgrounds.  Hekate presents itself as “New Zealand's leading private, nurse-led health clinic with Read more...

Uni Makes Big Economy Go Boom Boom

Posted 5:04pm Saturday 21st May 2022 by Keegan Wells

Otago Uni’s 2021 Economic Impact Report found that they contributed a whopping $1.79 billion to the New Zealand economy last year. In other news, the new Budget plan means that everyone earning under $70,000 a year is getting a free $350, which you can then give straight back to the Uni. How Read more...

Dough-No!

Posted 5:00pm Saturday 21st May 2022 by Fox Meyer

It’s been a rough few weeks for Mama’s Donuts. After struggling with staff shortages due to Covid, the icing on their donut came when their donut-slinging caravan was blown off the road en route to Milton. Rachel from Mama’s Donuts told Critic Te Arohi that her son was driving Read more...

Flu Vaccine Shortage Resolved

Posted 4:59pm Saturday 21st May 2022 by Sean Gourley

Student Health has now replenished their stocks of flu vaccines. This comes after supply shortages caused roughly thirty students to be turned away from a vaccination clinic set up in the Dental School.  Head of Health Services Manager Margaret Perley said the shortage was due to a series of Read more...

Mandatory Masks Removed, Mask Usage Declines

Posted 4:56pm Saturday 21st May 2022 by Zak Rudin

Even though it doesn’t feel like it, Covid-19 is still spreading amongst the student community – now joined by an old friend of ours, the flu. In-person lectures have resumed and the Government’s mask mandate has now been dropped. Meanwhile, the official advice from the University, Read more...

Filipino Students Concerned After Marcos Jr Wins Election in the Philippines

Posted 4:53pm Saturday 21st May 2022 by Zak Rudin

*Note: the views expressed in this article do not represent the opinion of the whole Filipino community* On May 9, the Philippines elected Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr, the son of previous president Ferdinand Marcos, as their new President. Sara Duterte, daughter of outgoing Read more...

Cowards Steal from Charitable Beekeeper

Posted 4:50pm Saturday 21st May 2022 by Fox Meyer

Someone has stolen an entire hive of bees – queen included – from the Peace Garden Albany street sometime in the last month. A three-box hive is worth about $500 at the moment, so it’s a significant loss to the man who voluntarily keeps the bees and gives away the honey for Read more...

New Vice-Chancellor Hanging by a Thread

Posted 4:48pm Saturday 21st May 2022 by Fox Meyer

Vice Chancellor David Murdoch strapped in for a 35m abseil down the Forsyth Barr Stadium on 17 May. The ‘Toss the Boss’ event was hosted by the Malcam Trust to fundraise for their youth development mahi in Dunedin. David was one of dozens of local bosses taking the plunge, and his Read more...

Students React to Potential Abortion Ban in the USA

Posted 4:45pm Saturday 21st May 2022 by Zak Rudin

A leaked United States Supreme Court draft majority opinion has revealed plans to overrule Roe v Wade, a 1973 Supreme Court decision which upholds the right to an abortion as a constitutional right. The decision, if followed through on, is expected to have wide-reaching implications for other human Read more...

Cowards Steal from Charitable Beekeeper

Posted 2:30pm Tuesday 17th May 2022 by Fox Meyer

Someone has stolen an entire hive of bees – queen included – from the Peace Garden Albany street sometime in the last month. A three-box hive is worth about $500 at the moment, so it’s a significant loss to the man who voluntarily keeps the bees and gives away the honey for Read more...

Edinburgh Asks Students To Re-Sign by May, Backtracks

Posted 7:50pm Sunday 15th May 2022 by Quintin Jane

Edinburgh Realty was sending letters to students telling them to decide whether they would re-sign their flats in May. They were forced to backtrack after admitting that their demands violated the Residential Tenancies Act.  In the letter sent to tenants, Edinburgh Property Management asked Read more...

Human Nutrition Dept. Launches Cheap Student Meal Kits

Posted 1:41pm Sunday 15th May 2022 by Denzel Chung

The Department of Human Nutrition has launched meal packages to help flats take some stress out of meal prep. It’s one of a long list of initiatives that aim to snap students out of their perennial Indomie addiction. The Feed My Flat initiative is basically the same as My Food Bag or other Read more...

Rally Held For Palestine

Posted 9:35am Sunday 15th May 2022 by Zak Rudin

CW: genocide, ethnic cleansing On Saturday May 7, the Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa (PSNA) held a rally from the Museum Reserve to the Octagon. Around 60 people took to the streets with placards, chanting the Palestinian independence slogan: “From the river to the sea, Palestine Read more...

Vegan Bake Sale Raises Money for Animals and Vegans in Ukraine

Posted 9:26am Sunday 15th May 2022 by Zak Rudin

On Saturday 7th May, the Dunedin Ōtepoti Vegan Society (DŌVeS) held a bake sale for Ukraine on the Museum Reserve. What link does veganism have with Ukraine and what does buying baked vegan treats achieve? Critic Te Arohi went along to find out. DŌVeS originally hatched the idea of Read more...

J Day Lights up in the Octagon

Posted 1:37pm Saturday 14th May 2022 by Zak Rudin

J Day hit the heart of the Octagon last Saturday from noon till 4:20 (blaze it, nice). J Day is an event 20 years in the running, calling for weed to be legalised and more generally a celebration of cannabis culture. Critic Te Arohi reported from amidst the smog and bravely conducted interviews over Read more...

Record-Breaking Turnout for UniQ’s Inaugural MS Paint Competition

Posted 1:34pm Saturday 14th May 2022 by Lotto Ramsay

For Art Week, UniQ teamed up with Art Club to host a painting competition. Well, a Microsoft Paint competition anyway. In a beautiful and rather wholesome twist, all four people who entered came out winners. UniQ, Otago’s resident club for members of the LGBTQ+ community, decided that 2022 Read more...

Agnew Street Party Re-Cancelled

Posted 1:18pm Saturday 14th May 2022 by Keegan Wells and Fox Meyer

Students’ attempts to run the Agnew Street party themselves this year have been abandoned. Even though sponsors had been found, security had been considered and morale was high, security concerns raised during a meeting on 9 May resulted in the plan being cancelled. The meeting was attended Read more...

Uni Spent $3 Million on Travel in 2020

Posted 2:44am Sunday 8th May 2022 by Denzel Chung

Otago Uni spent almost $3 million on travel expenses in 2020, including airfares, accommodation, taxis and car rentals. While these numbers were significantly impacted by Covid-19, the Uni is hoping to keep air travel to a minimum even as borders reopen.  University data received by Critic Read more...

Clash of Clubs

Posted 2:43am Sunday 8th May 2022 by Keegan Wells

The first annual Clash of Clubs happened on April 29, with several Otago Uni clubs duking it out in a variety of sports. At stake: honour, glory, and the ability to rub sweet victory into the faces of inferior clubs for a whole year.  Six clubs participated in football, volleyball and Read more...

Protest Demands Immediate End To Live Animal Export

Posted 2:42am Sunday 8th May 2022 by Zak Rudin

On Saturday April 30, around 30 people gathered in the Octagon as part of a nationwide protest to call for an immediate ban on all live animal exports. People held signs with images of animal abuse amidst a number of speeches and chanting. Despite high-profile announcements that the practice would Read more...

Vigil Held For Ukraine

Posted 2:40am Sunday 8th May 2022 by Zak Rudin

CW: War crimes, assault A candle-lit vigil was held in the lower Octagon to commemorate the innocent victims killed in Ukraine by the Russian military. Around 60 people were present at the event, with attendees expressing a mixture of sadness, anger and fatigue over the ongoing, violent Read more...

Mysterious Castle Street Shitter(s) Strike Again

Posted 2:34am Sunday 8th May 2022 by Anon

Castle Street residents have been confronted with the emergence of human shits on their cars and driveways. Little is known about the identity of the culprit(s), or their motive.  The first incident occurred on Saturday 10 April, on what had been a seemingly normal night of debauchery on Read more...

Mysterious Naked Tree Not So Mysterious Now

Posted 2:33am Sunday 8th May 2022 by Keegan Wells

A little over a month ago we reported on a mysterious tree that showed up in a student’s bed on a Saturday night. Our crack detective team turned up no leads until the case was blown wide open by an anonymous online confession. Seth reported finding a large tree branch in his bed after a Read more...

University’s Art Club Overcomes Challenges, Brings Artistic Minds Together

Posted 2:31am Sunday 8th May 2022 by Anna Robertshawe

The Covid-19 pandemic, the fast pace of uni life and a lack of a Fine Arts programme at Otago Uni are all challenges for Arts students here. Despite these barriers, the Otago University Art Club continues to make space for creative expression and facilitate connection through art.  The club Read more...

Outcry Forces Vape Shop to Remove TikToks

Posted 2:02pm Sunday 1st May 2022 by Sean Gourley

A new vape shop has taken down all of its TikToks after a Stuff investigation found kids under 18 were interacting with their posts, potentially breaching the law as a result. The owners have said they’ll be changing their ways from now on, with a removal of most of their posts in a social Read more...

Muslim and Atheists Students’ Associations Assigned to Share a Table

Posted 2:01pm Sunday 1st May 2022 by Denzel Chung

The Muslim Students’ Association (MUSA) and the Society of Atheists, Rationalists and Skeptics (SARS) were assigned to sit together during OUSA’s clubs week. Despite the potential for awkwardness, both sides seemed to brush it off easily.  In issue 7, Critic Te Arohi reported on Read more...

Student Visa Backlog due to “Capacity Issues”

Posted 1:59pm Sunday 1st May 2022 by Zak Rudin

Despite borders reopening and Aotearoa once again officially ‘open’ to international students, eager student travellers have hit one critical snag: Immigration New Zealand (INZ). Processing struggles have left many overseas students in limbo as a result.  Since April 12, Aotearoa Read more...

Ditch the Indomie and Cook Like A Granny

Posted 1:55pm Sunday 1st May 2022 by Denzel Chung

A South Dunedin charity is aiming to teach life skills using the most potent source of wisdom known to humankind: grannies.They’re hoping their cooking workshops, focusing on cheap, sustainable recipes, will be a hit with eco-conscious, cash-strapped students.  The adorably-named Read more...

Toilet Prices Behind Hyde Ticket Price Increase

Posted 1:53pm Sunday 1st May 2022 by Keegan Wells

Last week Critic Te Arohi reported that Hyde Street ticket prices have jumped this year by 10% ($5) for students and a whopping 35% ($7) for street residents. To get to the bottom of this, we spoke to Jason Schroeder, Events and Venues Operations Manager for OUSA. Just like any good conspiracy, Read more...

Local Councillor Apparently Editing his Own Wikipedia Page

Posted 1:43pm Sunday 1st May 2022 by Fox Meyer

A Wikipedia user by the name of “Leevandervis” has been making edits to the Wikipedia page of Lee Vandervis, a Dunedin city councillor with a history of making controversial headlines.  Critic received a tip about edits made to Vandervis’ Wikipedia page on April 26, listed Read more...

Study Hopes to Pave Way for Blood Donation Equity

Posted 1:41pm Sunday 1st May 2022 by Denzel Chung

A new study involving the University of Otago is hoping to collect data on HIV prevention among men who have sex with men (MSM). A key aim of this study is to change policies which have, until now, prevented many MSM from donating blood.  The Sex and Prevention of Treatment Study (SPOTS) is Read more...

Vape Juice has More Nicotine than You Think

Posted 1:38pm Sunday 1st May 2022 by Fox Meyer

If you’ve always wondered why vapes are such a tough habit to kick, here’s a possible reason why: it contains a fuckton of nicotine. To be precise, you’d get as much nicotine from a bottle of 30mg vape juice as you would smoking almost ten pouches of rolling tobacco, or over 700 Read more...

Ukraine War Casts Spectre Over OUSA ANZAC Service

Posted 1:34pm Sunday 1st May 2022 by Denzel Chung

Around 200 people of all ages, from students, to staff, to elderly servicepeople, attended OUSA’s 2022 annual ANZAC Day service. Held by the Memorial Walk outside the Staff Club building, this service was the first to be held outdoors since 2019. The weather was mostly sunny, although the Read more...

Drink Spiking Incident Correction

Posted 1:31pm Sunday 1st May 2022 by Fox Meyer

Last issue, Critic published a story about an OUSA club-organised BYO in which two people suspected their drinks had been spiked. The girl who suffered the worst of the two experiences got in touch with Critic to correct some major details of the story. Jamie* did not make it home ok, as Read more...

Ayo New Hyde St Just Dropped

Posted 2:21pm Sunday 24th April 2022 by Keegan Wells

OUSA has confirmed that the Hyde St party is back for another year. After some uncertainty over dates, it’s finally been locked in to happen just a week before semester one exams.  OUSA confirmed on April 12 that the Hyde St Party will go ahead this year. After previously postponing Read more...

Uni Spent Almost $750k On Dairy in 2021

Posted 2:19pm Sunday 24th April 2022 by Denzel Chung

Figures obtained by Critic Te Arohi show the Uni spent almost $750k on milk and dairy products in 2021.  Peer into almost any fridge in Uni and you’ll see it: bottle after bottle of Meadow Fresh milk. From hall breakfasts and morning coffees to office tearooms, the white stuff seems to Read more...

Food Sci 4th Years Fight Food Waste

Posted 2:16pm Sunday 24th April 2022 by Fox Meyer

A group of Food Science 4th year students have designed a food box - like Hello Fresh - based entirely around NZ’s most commonly-tossed consumables. They plan to use local foodie social media accounts to promote their sustainable selection of goodies. “One of our main messages is that Read more...

New “Pop-Up” Youth Space Pops Up

Posted 2:14pm Sunday 24th April 2022 by Zak Rudin

An after-school creative space, the Ōtepoti Youth Space, is being launched in Dunedin. Focused on high-school aged rangatahi, the aim is to make this a supportive and constructive space to engage with rangatahi and “celebrate… their creative talents”.  Hailey Xavier, Read more...

Ship Carrying ‘Blood Phosphate’ Arrives in Port Chalmers

Posted 2:12pm Sunday 24th April 2022 by Zak Rudin

The ship Stony Stream has just landed in Port Chalmers, carrying 25,000 tonnes of phosphate from Moroccan-occupied Western Sahara. This phosphate, which critics call “blood phosphate,” has been linked for decades to serious human rights abuses. Aotearoa is one of the last countries in Read more...

Suspected Drink-Spiking at BYO Leaves Club Baffled

Posted 2:10pm Sunday 24th April 2022 by Fox Meyer

Two people suspect that their drinks were spiked at a BYO at the start of the year. According to Dunedin Hospital, rates of alcohol-related admissions spike around student party weekends like O-Week and St Paddy’s. The Otago University Snow Sports Club (OUSSC) hosted a public BYO at the Read more...

Stag Totals Students’ Car on West Coast

Posted 2:08pm Sunday 24th April 2022 by Keegan Wells

A group of students survived a harrowing car crash with a stag on the West Coast over the mid-sem break. The crash claimed most of their car’s front end, but amazingly left it intact enough to drive a further 50km to the nearest town. On April 14, Ali was heading up the West Coast with her Read more...

Student Reports “Outrageous” Abortion Experience

Posted 12:49am Saturday 23rd April 2022 by Keegan Wells and Fox Meyer

A student trying to get an abortion has criticised Dunedin Hospital for a “disgusting” and “disrespectful” experience. She is currently undergoing her third procedure for the same pregnancy, which she believed could’ve been avoided if information was presented Read more...

University Emissions Report: Behind the Pretty Numbers

Posted 12:47am Saturday 23rd April 2022 by Zak Rudin

In our last issue, Critic Te Arohi reported that the Uni’s carbon emissions dropped 40% in 2020 compared to 2019. We spoke with Craig Cliff, the Uni’s Net Carbon Zero Programme Manager, to help us understand what is going on. The report showed that most of the 40% actually came from a Read more...

Woof! has “Busiest Week of Year” after Hit with Anti-Vax Negativity

Posted 12:37am Saturday 23rd April 2022 by Annabelle Vaughan

Local Dunedin bar Woof has faced some backlash for continuing to use vaccine passes, despite the government dropping vaccine mandates on April 4. Owner Dudley Benson spoke to Critic Te Arohi about what it’s been like, and how vital the community’s support has been in this Read more...

Greens, Student Assocs Launch Student Wellbeing Inquiry

Posted 12:35am Saturday 23rd April 2022 by Fox Meyer

A group of 33 student unions have rallied together to launch a People's Inquiry into student wellbeing, alongside the Green Party. They said that students have been “betrayed” by a government that promised to provide support, that incremental increases in student loans were Read more...

Castle Residents Pitch In To Clean Up Their Street

Posted 12:32am Saturday 23rd April 2022 by Ruby Werry

At noon on a Friday, most breathas would have still been sprawled in bed, wincing at the sunlight streaming through their ratty curtains. But on April 8, several hundred students instead had brushes and rubbish bags in hand, cleaning up the streets of North D.  The group of students, mostly Read more...

Otago Uni Shifts Back to In-Person Learning, Drops Vaccine and Mask Mandates

Posted 5:34pm Wednesday 13th April 2022 by Denzel Chung

The Government’s shift to Orange has paved the way for sweeping changes to life at Otago Uni, including a transition back to “mostly on-campus teaching,” as well as dropping vaccine and mask requirements for most students.    Covid-19 Minister Chris Hipkins Read more...

Otago Uni Shifts Back to In-Person Learning, Drops Vaccine and Mask Mandates

Posted 5:33pm Wednesday 13th April 2022 by Denzel Chung

The Government’s shift to Orange has paved the way for sweeping changes to life at Otago Uni, including a transition back to “mostly on-campus teaching,” as well as dropping vaccine and mask requirements for most students.    Covid-19 Minister Chris Hipkins Read more...

Arise Church Responds To Critic After Ghosting Other Journalists, Begins Independent Review

Posted 10:15am Tuesday 12th April 2022 by Denzel Chung

Arise Church has sent a lengthy statement, written by a PR company, responding to allegations of abuse. The detailed statement came to us after enquiries sent by a high-profile journalist were initially ignored. Pastor John Cameron has since stated that he is “broken and devastated by these Read more...

“House DJ” Grateful that Red Settings are Still in Place

Posted 1:24pm Sunday 10th April 2022 by The Critical Tribune

Local breatha Thomas Bangerson has been using his somewhat upcoming, mostly failing career as a house DJ as his prime drawcard on Tinder. The only reason he isn’t playing the big stage, he claimed, “was because we’re in red, so I’m at the same level as Subsonic, Read more...

Parking Wardens Suspected as Cause for Pedestrianisation

Posted 1:22pm Sunday 10th April 2022 by The Critical Tribune

Sources close to the Mayor claim that the attempt to make George Street pedestrianised occurred after a run-in with DCC parking wardens. Mayor Hawkins’s close confidants reported that the recent attempts to remove cars from George Street is an attempt to put parking wardens out of a job. Read more...

Plot to Overthrow the New Zealand Government Discovered at MenuDeliverEats Offices.

Posted 1:21pm Sunday 10th April 2022 by The Critical Tribune

Agents of the Crown have recently unearthed plans for MenuDeliverEats employees to institute a coup in the highest levels of the New Zealand government. This has confirmed the suspicions of local residents, who said “They don’t fear anything. I’ve seen one park on double yellow Read more...

ABBA Awards Richardson Building Highest Architectural Honours

Posted 1:19pm Sunday 10th April 2022 by The Critical Tribune

The Richardson building has just received an award from the Appreciation of the Blind for Building and Architecture, or ABBA for short. This came as a shock to most people who have ever seen the building, but the Richardson building defended its title. “Most people don’t see me in my Read more...

Clubs Week Helps Weakened Clubs

Posted 1:40am Saturday 9th April 2022 by Hugh Askerud

Last week, OUSA Clubs and Socs held a ‘Clubs Week’ celebrating the various oddities and misfits who call Otago home. Housed on the edge of the Link, each club was given 90 minutes to win over the hearts of passers-by heading through campus.  As Critic Te Arohi has reported Read more...

SHOCKER: Study Finds “Students Shivering inside Cold, Damp Homes”

Posted 1:38am Saturday 9th April 2022 by Zak Rudin

A recent study conducted by Otago Uni has found that many students live in miserably cold, damp and mouldy homes. Most students also don’t know that StudyLink can help with massive power bills.  The nationwide study, led by Dr. Kimberley O’Sullivan, was conducted by He Read more...

Multi-Million Dollar Church Reportedly Tells Students to Donate their Course-Related Costs

Posted 1:36am Saturday 9th April 2022 by Elliot Weir

Journalist and documentary filmmaker David Farrier has published an exposé of Arise Church. The piece alleges exploitation of their interns and attendees, including an account from an Otago Uni student who attended their Dunedin branch. Arise Church is one of the largest churches in Read more...

Uni’s Carbon Emissions Dropped In 2020

Posted 1:35am Saturday 9th April 2022 by Denzel Chung

A new report has found the Uni’s carbon emissions dipped by 40% in 2020, to 30,661 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2e). Reasons for the decrease include a lockdown, fewer jet-setting employees and a coal phaseout. The Uni’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory was released in Read more...

PRANK101: Chewbacca Impressions Chew Student’s Ear Off

Posted 1:33am Saturday 9th April 2022 by Keegan Wells

Chewbacca, affectionately known as Chewie, is known for his big heart and unwavering loyalty to his friends. Critic Te Arohi hopes Tom still feels the same way about his mates, after his flatmate put his phone number all over campus advertising a Chewbacca impression contest. A box of Major Majors Read more...

Easing Covid Restrictions: What Does it Mean for Disabled Students?

Posted 1:31am Saturday 9th April 2022 by Zak Rudin

For many, the Government lifting most Covid restrictions has been a welcome relief. But for those who are disabled and immunocompromised, it represents a scary step into a world now fraught with risk.  Sean Prenter, co-president of the Otago University Disabled Students Association (OUDSA), Read more...

Night ‘n Day Sauce Stories Continue to Spill

Posted 1:29am Saturday 9th April 2022 by Zak Rudin

After reading about Flynn’s misadventure at Night ‘n Day, Ruby and Angus reached out to Critic Te Arohi to share their suspiciously similar stories. Turns out, there are quite a few people who have faced a saucy fine from the 24hr store. Ruby described going to the Night ‘n Day Read more...

Muslim Students Ring in the Month of Ramadan

Posted 1:28am Saturday 9th April 2022 by Denzel Chung

This year, April 1 marked the beginning of the month of Ramadan, a sacred month for Muslims across the globe. Critic Te Arohi checked in with the Muslim Students’ Association (MUSA) to see how students are spending this time.  MUSA, alongside the Otago Muslim Association, are hosting Read more...

Uni Giving out Free Shots

Posted 1:26am Saturday 9th April 2022 by Denzel Chung

Some nasty viruses are heading our way once again - and no, their names don’t start with C. As things get cold and flu season approaches, Critic Te Arohi spoke to Otago Uni expert Dr. Lucy Telfar-Barnard about why students should be ready to roll up their sleeves one more time.  Dr. Read more...

Taj Mahal Gutted by Early-Morning Fire

Posted 1:24am Saturday 9th April 2022 by Denzel Chung

An early-morning fire engulfed Dunedin’s Taj Mahal, bringing a tragic (but hopefully temporary) end to a BYO institution beloved by students. No one was hurt in the incident. The fire is not believed to be suspicious.  Senior Station Officer Mark Leonard, from Fire and Emergency New Read more...

The Great Exec Quarterly Report Round Up

Posted 5:59pm Friday 1st April 2022 by Keegan Wells, Denzel Chung, Zak Rudin and Fox Meyer

Thrice a year, the OUSA exec team submit reports on what they’ve been up to. We’ve summarised those here for your convenience.   President: Melissa Lama Melissa has been absolutely killing it. She’s done 44 interviews with various media outlets and attended to her Read more...

Death Star once more a Fully Operational Battle Station

Posted 5:52pm Friday 1st April 2022 by Lotto Ramsay

Like its namesake, the post-mandate rager at Castle Street’s Death Star was structurally questionable but fully operational. It was also full of massive fucking weapons.  With the Government lifting most Covid gathering limits last Friday, party-starved breathas jumped at their chance. Read more...

Otago Towns Come First, Last in Map of NZ’s “Sexiest Cities”

Posted 5:50pm Friday 1st April 2022 by Lotto Ramsay

Lovehoney, an online sex toy shop, recently revealed their list of New Zealand’s “sexiest cities”. Using a combination of search and sales data, they compiled an interactive ‘Sex Map’ power-ranking 42 of Aotearoa’s towns and cities on their kinks, favourite toys, Read more...

Rugby Crowd Appeared to Behave Well

Posted 5:48pm Friday 1st April 2022 by Hugh Askerud

The deafening screams of thousands signalled the start of something wonderful last Saturday. At 4:35 pm, with Covid-19 restrictions loosened just the day before, Forsyth Barr Stadium opened its various gates to the rugby-starved masses. This gave students their first taste of life in the Zoo this Read more...

Church Works With Student Groups To Host Pride Service

Posted 5:46pm Friday 1st April 2022 by Denzel Chung

Last Sunday, St. Paul’s Cathedral hosted a “queer-affirming reflective service” alongside Dunedin Pride, the Student Christian Movement and representatives from St. Hilda’s Collegiate School. This is believed to be the first service of its kind in Dunedin. Richie, from the Read more...

New Club Wants To “Make Composting Sexy Again”

Posted 5:45pm Friday 1st April 2022 by Denzel Chung

A new club at Otago Uni wants to raise awareness about how food choices can make a big difference to our planet and our pockets. Their priorities include encouraging students to forage, compost, and stop throwing out so much food.  According to their blurb, Slow Food Youth Otago (SFYO) is a Read more...

$9,000 from Dead Clubs to be Reappropriated by OUSA

Posted 5:43pm Friday 1st April 2022 by Denzel Chung

$9,000 from inactive clubs has been sitting in an OUSA bank account untouched for at least six years. This money will get redistributed, with $7,200 probably going back to Clubs & Socs. At an OUSA Exec Meeting on 24 March, Clubs & Socs Rep Tulsi Raman said the original idea behind the Read more...

Busted Breatha Budgets Boosted

Posted 5:41pm Friday 1st April 2022 by Zak Rudin

With the cost of rent, fuel and food skyrocketing (looking at you, tomatoes), the Government’s plans to increase Student Allowance and Loan payments have been cautiously welcomed by cash-strapped students. From April 1, Student Allowance rates will rise by $25/week, and people receiving Read more...

Saucy Debacle: Resolved

Posted 5:39pm Friday 1st April 2022 by Zak Rudin

Two days after publishing the Night ‘n Day sauce debacle, Flynn told Critic Te Arohi that his $300 fine had been revoked. “Obviously it’s great the manager [Matt Lane] revoked the fine,” but “it’s a shame the police and media had to be involved before this could Read more...

New Fizzliss Drink is the Shit, not the Shits

Posted 5:32pm Sunday 27th March 2022 by Sean Gourley

Fizzliss, an RTD company run by Otago grads, has renewed their lineup, improving their original flavour and introducing a brand new one. They hope that this will make a fresh start for the company, after their first RTD release last year produced some rather hilarious controversy. When Fizzliss Read more...

New Club Aims to “Unite Students of Colour”

Posted 5:31pm Sunday 27th March 2022 by Denzel Chung

A new club has been established for Otago students who identify as people of colour (PoC). They’re aiming to “build a community” for people to bond over, and are ultimately hoping to become a “strong advocate and voice for the PoC community” here.  Emika, the Read more...

Victoria Uni’s Student Association Votes to Begin Leaving NZUSA

Posted 5:28pm Sunday 27th March 2022 by Denzel Chung

Victoria Uni’s Student Association (VUWSA) has narrowly voted to leave the New Zealand Union of Student Associations (NZUSA) in a referendum. However, only 3% of students voted on the measure, raising questions on whether VUWSA will actually follow through. Results from the referendum, on Read more...

Report Highlights Shortfalls For Under-20s Mental Health Care

Posted 5:27pm Sunday 27th March 2022 by Denzel Chung

Demand for mental health care among under-20s has spiked in the last two years, according to a new Government report. They were hopeful, though, that increased Government funding would soon make a bigger impact.  The report, titled ‘Te Huringa: Change and Transformation’, was Read more...

Study Finds Covid Experts Loved Masks, Hated Cost of Vaccinations

Posted 5:24pm Sunday 27th March 2022 by Annabelle Vaughan

An Otago Uni study has highlighted what experts found to be the worst part of Covid-19 lockdowns. Travel restrictions ranked highly on their list, as well as the cost of providing Covid-19 vaccines. The study, published in the Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand, was conducted by Dr Read more...

The One (Flavour of Cruisers) That Got Away

Posted 5:22pm Sunday 27th March 2022 by Ruby Werry

On St Paddy’s, Dunedin’s most iconic booze-slinging establishment was running notably low on green piss. Critic tried to get to the bottom of this. A Leith Liquor employee told Critic Te Arohi that while the day itself brings plenty of Paddy’s pep and outrageous outfits, Read more...

Soft Plastic Recycling Back in Town

Posted 5:20pm Sunday 27th March 2022 by Zak Rudin

Serial recyclers and plastic bag stockpilers, rejoice: soft plastics can now be recycled in Dunedin again. They’ll be collected from New World, Countdown and The Warehouse stores, and trucked up north to be turned into fence posts.  Up until 2017, our soft plastic was shipped overseas Read more...

Mysterious Tree Shows Up Naked in Student’s Bedroom

Posted 5:11pm Sunday 27th March 2022 by Keegan Wells

It’s not often a Saturday night ends with you finding a stranger in your bed. It’s even rarer when that stranger is a tree branch. Returning to his Cumberland St flat at 1:30am, Seth was getting ready for a good night’s rest when he noticed a “weird, dark bushy figure on Read more...

Night ‘n Day Cracks Down on Sauce Thievery

Posted 5:08pm Sunday 27th March 2022 by Zak Rudin

An Otago student is facing a $300 fine for what he claims was an accidental theft of a 90c packet of sauce from Night ‘n Day. They offered to pay for the sauce, claiming it was an honest mistake, and have complained of an abuse of power. Even the cops seemed to think the matter was Read more...

Covid Rule Changes: What do they mean for Students?

Posted 5:07pm Sunday 27th March 2022 by Annabelle Vaughan

Big changes were made to the Covid-19 rules last Wednesday, from the end of QR codes and vaccine passes to outdoor gathering limits being waved goodbye as soon as this week. But how will this affect students? Critic Te Arohi decided to dive into the new rules to find out.  At a press Read more...

New American Football Club in Dunedin

Posted 1:44pm Sunday 20th March 2022 by Keegan Wells

Fans of American football, rejoice! A club has just been set up in Dunedin. They’re open to pretty much anyone who’s keen to play a bit of hand-egg , or chuck the ol’ pig-skin around, or whatever those Yanks say.  American Football Otago was established just a few weeks ago Read more...

Otago Distillery Makes World’s Best Vodka

Posted 1:43pm Sunday 20th March 2022 by Fox Meyer

Joerg, creator of Broken Heart Gin & Spirits in Arrowtown, makes a vodka that has just been rated the best in the world. In the World Drinks Awards, his vodka beat out entries from 18 other countries for the title in the “pure neutral” category. Coincidentally, and completely Read more...

Dunedin’s Gin Distillery Moves out of its Parent’s Basement

Posted 1:40pm Sunday 20th March 2022 by Denzel Chung

Barely two years after opening, Dunedin’s No8 Distillery has moved into a swish new location on Hanover Street - right on the edge of Studentville. Founder Julien Delavoie’s selection of spirits, distilled locally with foraged botanicals, have been sweeping awards Read more...

Government Plans Cash for Containers Scheme

Posted 1:38pm Sunday 20th March 2022 by Denzel Chung

The Government has introduced plans for a “Container Return Scheme”. In simple terms, this means taking your bottles, cans and cartons in for recycling could soon earn you sweet, sweet cash.  Last week, the Ministry for the Environment dropped a consultation document titled Read more...

Why Your “5 Plus a Day” is Looking Like “$50 Plus a Day”

Posted 1:36pm Sunday 20th March 2022 by Rutene Rickard

A year ago, a kg of tomatoes from Centre City New World cost $2.99. Today, those same juicy round bois have almost doubled in price, costing $5.49. In a quest to find out why hurling rotten tomatoes isn’t the affordable pastime it used to be, Critic Te Arohi consulted Professor of Sociology Read more...

OUSA and Albany St Pharmacy Deliver Drugs to Doorsteps

Posted 1:33pm Sunday 20th March 2022 by Sean Gourley

Thanks to OUSA and Albany Street Pharmacy, isolating students can now get over-the-counter meds and other pharmacy goodies delivered for free. The service can be accessed via the OUSA Support Hub Website. With Covid absolutely ripping through North D, many people who would’ve helped their Read more...

How Much Do Students Know About Saint Patrick, Primary Patron Saint of Ireland?

Posted 1:25pm Sunday 20th March 2022 by Keegan Wells

St Patrick is such a well-known name in North D that thousands wake up as early as 5am every year to celebrate him. But do students actually know that much about who he was, where he came from, and what he did? Critic Te Arohi hit the green-filled streets to find out.  First off, did he Read more...

Used Sharps Bins not Spotted on Campus

Posted 1:24pm Sunday 20th March 2022 by Zak Rudin

Students For Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP) have raised the question: where are all the sharps bins at? People who rely on insulin injections have allegedly been forced to carry “dirty sharps home after use” or “dispose of them in an inadequate fashion in bathroom/campus Read more...

Bandana Burglar Behind Bars

Posted 1:19pm Sunday 20th March 2022 by Zak Rudin

Nicholas Scott Kerr, aged 33, has been unmasked as the notorious bandana burglar. Kerr was at large between 2018 and 2020, during which time he broke into student flats, stole 51 items worth over $22,000, and cut holes in the curtains of seven female students. Kerr used the alias “Samantha Read more...

Some Stuff not Known About KnowYourStuffNZ

Posted 1:17pm Sunday 20th March 2022 by Ruby Werry

KnowYourStuffNZ does not test for purity. They test for presence of a substance, and that’s what they report. The misconception that KYSNZ tests for purity is apparently rife amongst both students and our own Critic staff members. It may seem like a small difference (presence vs. purity), Read more...

The Curious Case of the Crook’s Consistent Covid Cancellation Curse Continues

Posted 12:47pm Sunday 13th March 2022 by Fox Meyer

Rezzy Crooks, Covid’s least favourite band, has had another gig cancelled. After at least four Pint Night cancellations over the past two years, the band was excited to play a gig with Hot Sauce Club at the Crown Hotel. And then it was cancelled.  “It’s hard to put a number Read more...

World Music Assignment Ridiculed for “Unholy” Font Choice

Posted 12:45pm Sunday 13th March 2022 by Elliot Weir

First-year music students studying MUSI104 (World Music) were given an assignment designed to help students in the class get to know one another better for an upcoming group project on the first of March. The assignment was pretty straightforward, but students were taken aback when the eight page Read more...

Data Mining Dunedin Noise Complaints

Posted 12:36pm Sunday 13th March 2022 by Keegan Wells

Data seen by Critic Te Arohi has shed light on where, when and why noise complaints were lodged around Dunedin. One Otago student managed to rack up nine in a single semester.  According to Dunedin City Council data seen and painstakingly analysed by Critic Te Arohi, 3,613 noise complaints Read more...