Politics

NZUSA in the Toilet

Posted 3:48pm Sunday 1st September 2013 by Sam McChesney

Student presidents around the country are calling for sweeping reforms to the New Zealand Union of Students’ Associations (NZUSA), after the Waikato Students’ Union (WSU) notified its withdrawal from the organisation. In a press release circulated on 22 August, the Presidents of OUSA, VUWSA Read more...

The GCSB Bill

Posted 2:29pm Sunday 11th August 2013 by Bella Macdonald

What is the GCSB?The Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) is, amongst other things, New Zealand’s external spy service. The intelligence agency was set up by then-Prime Minister Robert Muldoon in 1977. It was tasked with keeping government communications and computers secure, and spying Read more...

Provincials Reach For Their Pitchforks

Posted 2:29pm Sunday 11th August 2013 by Thomas Raethel

A former presenter of New Zealand’s Funniest Home Videos has called for the formation of a political party devoted to the South of New Zealand. Dunedin businessman Ian Taylor formulated the idea in conjunction with the Otago Daily Times’ “Stand Up, Otago” front-page editorial of 3 August. The Read more...

Protestors Fight The Pows

Posted 3:50pm Sunday 4th August 2013 by Jack Montgomerie

Hundreds of protestors gathered in the Octagon on Saturday 27 July to demonstrate against proposed new legislation that would allow the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) to collect private data from New Zealanders. The demonstration was held in conjunction with other protests Read more...

Foreign Workers Flock to Christchurch Rebuild

Posted 4:45pm Sunday 28th July 2013 by Jack Montgomerie

As the Christchurch rebuild draws workers from around the world, the city’s demographics as well as its buildings look set to change. Since the February 2011 earthquake brought destruction to Christchurch and subsequent demolitions further denuded the city of buildings, construction companies Read more...

Political Cocks in Democratic Balls-Up

Posted 3:59pm Sunday 21st July 2013 by Michaela Corlet

The government is currently trying to pass the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) and Related Legislation Amendment Bill under urgency. The Bill will allow the GCSB to spy on New Zealanders for other governments or private groups. In 2011-12 the GCSB carried out surveillance on Read more...

Trans-Pacific Partnership

Posted 8:23pm Sunday 14th July 2013 by Jack Montgomerie

The 18th round of negotiations for a 12-country trade agreement in the Pacific Rim has just begun in Malaysia, but potential provisions relating to copyright laws have caused concern among Internet groups. In 2005, the P4 trade agreement was signed and ratified by New Zealand, Brunei, Chile Read more...

Pakehahaha Are They Serious?

Posted 8:23pm Sunday 14th July 2013 by Claudia Herron

What started out as a “tongue-in-cheek” response to the Mana Party’s Maori-only housing proposal now has tens of thousands of “likes” on Facebook and has surpassed every mainstream political party – including the Maori Party, National and Labour – in the social media popularity stakes. The Read more...

Weeding Out the Poor Performers

Posted 8:23pm Sunday 14th July 2013 by Jamie Breen

In a sign of growing intolerance against drugs and alcohol in the workplace, wider testing mechanisms are being introduced for workers and beneficiaries. The New Zealand Government is set to introduce new requirements on 15 July whereby a beneficiary will need to test for various forms of drugs and Read more...

Peter Dunne: An Obituary

Posted 6:05pm Sunday 7th July 2013 by Zane Pocock

It is with great sadness that Critic farewells an old friend – a rooster of epic proportions who once crowed the loudest stories of incompetence and befuddlement. Although not yet dead, the career of MP Peter Dunne has been given only a year to live. Long holding a cherished position in the Read more...