Archive

The 2026 Re:Ori Lineup

Posted 4:25pm Saturday 11th July 2026 by Gryffin Blockley

Critic Te Ārohi hopes you have mentally recovered from the first semester. Godspeed if you have any special exams this week – we do not envy you. Before the lock-in starts (we know you’re planning one after those results), there’s a whole week of good stuff to get up to. Read more...

Post-It Note “Warfare” Over AI-Generated Poster

Posted 4:23pm Saturday 11th July 2026 by Stella Weston

Late last semester, a mailing list of Zoology Postgraduate students received a “not-positive email message” from their Head of Department. Critic Te Ārohi understands that the email was sent following some students putting critical post-it notes on an AI-generated poster made by Read more...

Explore Your Artistic Streak With Andrew McCulloch

Posted 4:16pm Saturday 11th July 2026 by Jesse Valpy

Local Artist Andrew McCulloch is running five Life Drawing Classes from the 29th July through to 26th August, on Wednesdays from 6 to 8pm. Taking place in the Evison Lounge at Clubs and Socs, you don’t need to trek far from your flat to pick up a new winter hobby. These sessions are entirely Read more...

EXPLAINER: University Publishes Ethical Investment Policy

Posted 4:15pm Saturday 11th July 2026 by Gryffin Blockley

On Friday July 3rd, the University published their new Ethical Investment Policy. This followed the acceptance of the findings of the Working Group on Institutional Neutrality. Those findings included a recommendation to develop and adopt an ethical investment policy.  Why did the University Read more...

Critical Tribune: University Confirms Plans to Construct Campus Ice Rink

Posted 4:11pm Saturday 11th July 2026 by Grey-Finn Cockley

According to a statement from the University to Critical Tribune, the ice rink (included in fees from Semester Two onwards) will “reduce seasonal depression, boost morale and give physio students something to do other than keg stands.” Critical Tribune speculates that this foray into Read more...

The Man Behind Craig Daniels: Will Murphy

Posted 12:23pm Saturday 23rd May 2026 by Hanna Varrs

Second-year Will Murphy (@willmurphycomedy) has “always been into theatre”, which makes it no surprise that when he enrolled in Otago he chose to major in Theatre Studies. With a “soft spot” for comedians, he grew up watching the likes of Rowan Atkinson (better known as his Read more...

Government to Tweak Climate Change Law

Posted 12:20pm Saturday 23rd May 2026 by Jack Evans

Amid a flurry of news from the Government, such as the cutting of fees free, and Judith Collins leaving Parliament (tofā soifua Judith), Minister of Justice Paul Goldsmith has dropped a bombshell for the future of Aotearoa’s climate change response. Here is a quick explainer from Critic Read more...

Diversify The Library: Books That Reflect Our Experience

Posted 12:18pm Saturday 23rd May 2026 by Gryffin Blockley

With over twenty thousand students, Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka tauira boast a massive range of backgrounds and lived experiences. In order to reflect this range, the team behind the library has a new project: Diversify the Library (DTL). They’re working hard to have their (already Read more...

Capping Show Review: Unleashed, Hilarious and Over Too Soon

Posted 12:17pm Saturday 23rd May 2026 by Harry Almey, Bella Bates, & Jonathan McCabe

Critic Te Ārohi, risking life and limb after publishing a not-so-positive review last year, returned to this year's Capping Show. Thankfully, we didn't have to worry. We only needed to get about 10 minutes in before realising that we weren't going to regret putting them on the front Read more...

Critic Te Ārohi’s (Theatrical) Guide to Mid-Year Break

Posted 12:07pm Saturday 23rd May 2026 by Saraia Allais

If you’re stuck down in Dunners for the upcoming break, don’t fall to the temptation of a three-week long bed rot. If you fancy doing something other than drinking the cold away, or finding hot new ways to procrastinate exam study, Critic Te Ārohi’s got you. Happy end of Read more...

Local Produce: U-No Juno

Posted 12:06pm Sunday 17th May 2026 by Ethan Montañer

U-No Juno are undoubtedly one of the most enthralling bands in the current Ōtepoti music scene, pulling from a colourful array of influences to craft their own self-described brand of “post-post-post-post-post-post-post hardcore”. Since 2024, the band have been carving out a name Read more...

International Students Report Insurance Delays

Posted 11:54am Sunday 17th May 2026 by Georgia Hejduková

International exchange students are a staple of the University of Otago’s community. However, it’s easy to forget to question some of the barriers they may face in getting here. One such barrier is health and travel insurance, which is a prerequisite for international students. While the Read more...

Runway Revival a Runaway Success

Posted 11:51am Sunday 17th May 2026 by Te Awhirēinga Heperi

Runway Revival 2026 had Errick’s packed with Ōtepoti’s most fashionable residents (believe it or not, they do exist down here). The fashion show featured a wraparound runway, twinkling lights, and the skilled Dunedin quartet, all put together by Presbyterian Support to showcase Read more...

A Peep Behind The Capping Show Curtains

Posted 11:49am Sunday 17th May 2026 by Harry Almey

'Twas the week before Capping opening night, and the walls of Central were plastered with missing posters of the cast. As worried as the next guy, Critic Te Ārohi put on a brave face and big-boy pants and went undercover to investigate. Critic understands that the cast of SQUEAL: A Read more...

“Misunderstanding” Results In University Removing OSJP Posters

Posted 10:37am Sunday 10th May 2026 by Hanna Varrs

Critic Te Ārohi recently received a tip from a café worker at St David Café, who was allegedly asked to remove posters put up by Otago Students for Justice In Palestine (OSJP) on the 22nd of April. The employee told Critic that café workers were asked to remove the Read more...

Unions Rally For May Day

Posted 10:31am Sunday 10th May 2026 by Molly Smith-Soppet

Union flags filled Union Hall last Friday (lol), as around 150 workers, students, and organisers gathered to mark May Day (also known as International Workers’ Day). The hui brought together a wide cross-section of unions — from nurses and firefighters to supermarket workers and Read more...

Palo Alto Partnership Under “Review”

Posted 10:28am Sunday 10th May 2026 by Hanna Varrs

What Happened? As previously reported, the University of Otago has confirmed a partnership with Palo Alto Networks (PANW), a cybersecurity company that has been accused of having “deep links to the Israeli government” by Otago Staff for Palestine (OSP). The partnership is intended to Read more...

Local Produce: Emily Esplin

Posted 10:24am Sunday 10th May 2026 by Maea Wikohika

Emily Esplin (she/they) is an emerging Ōtepoti artist carving out a sound that feels raw, honest, and distinctly their own. Her music sits somewhere between vulnerability and distortion, a space where soft introspection collides with an ever-growing rock influence. She’s also Read more...

Leary’s Theory for Better Mental Health Services

Posted 10:19am Sunday 10th May 2026 by Harry Almey

Ingrid Leary, Labour MP of Taieri since 2020, and Labour Spokesperson for Mental Health, recently sat down for her first-ever interview with Critic Te Ārohi. Young people consistently have ranked the mental health crisis and climate change as their top concerns for the future, so Ingrid wants Read more...

North D in Thirty Years: What Will Our Flats Look Like?

Posted 10:18am Sunday 10th May 2026 by Stella Weston

The North Dunedin Spatial Plan Project aims to ensure that there is enough housing for students in North D for the next thirty years. But that’s not just any housing – it’s housing that encapsulates what students want. Novel! Organised by the City Development Team of the Dunedin Read more...