Even Elton couldn’t save us

Posted 7:08pm Sunday 13th May 2012

The Forsyth Barr stadium is running at a loss of nearly $2 million with the Dunedin City Council considering whether to step in and help foot the bill. Dunedin Venues Management Ltd (DVML), the company running the stadium, revealed a loss of $1.9 million for the first six months of the Read more...

Media get information right second time around

Posted 7:08pm Sunday 13th May 2012

Criticism has continued in response to the changes to the student loan and allowance schemes announced by Tertiary Education Minister Steven Joyce earlier this month. On May 3, Joyce revealed that student loan and allowances systems would be overhauled in the national budget, to be released on Read more...

House damaged: Fire involved

Posted 7:08pm Sunday 13th May 2012

A student flat on Pitt Street was engulfed by flames on the evening of Tuesday May 9, sparking rumours of malicious arsonists and resident ghosts. Emergency vehicles, including four fire engines and one ambulance, arrived at the property at around 10.45pm, by which time the blaze was well Read more...

National: Putting the “n” in “cuts”

Posted 12:51am Monday 7th May 2012

Tertiary Education Minister Steven Joyce revealed major changes to the student loan and allowance schemes in a pre-budget announcement on May 3. The changes will come as part of the national Budget, to be released on May 24. From next year graduates will have to pay off their loans at 12%, Read more...

A Failing System

Posted 4:56pm Sunday 29th April 2012

WARNING: The following article contains graphic discussion of rape and sexual violence.It’s the legal system’s worst-kept secret: When it comes to prosecuting rape and sexual offending, justice is eluding us. Research and statistics – a lot of them – prove this. For example, it is estimated that Read more...

Craccum to remain shit

Posted 4:56pm Sunday 29th April 2012

Craccum editor Thomas Dykes is here to stay after a vote to remove from his position at the Auckland students’ magazine failed on Thursday April 26. The vote was held at an Auckland University Students’ Association (AUSA) Special General Meeting (SGM) to consider a motion of no confidence Read more...

Battle of the Bollards

Posted 5:04pm Sunday 22nd April 2012

A kerfuffle took place last week in the election campaign for the student seats on the University Council, with confusion over whether candidates were, or were not allowed to use the bollards around campus for publicity purposes. After student council candidate Margi MacMurdo-Reading Read more...

Nine-year courtship ends in tears and late night drunken txt messages

Posted 5:04pm Sunday 22nd April 2012

The Employment Relations Authority (ERA) has recently ruled against the University of Otago following a complaint over the University’s failure to confirm Dr Jane Millichamp as a lecturer, after nearly ten years on a fixed-term employment agreement. Dr Millichamp began working as a lecturer Read more...

OUSA sells Unipol shares for cash monies

Posted 5:04pm Sunday 22nd April 2012

OUSA no longer has a stake in Unipol, after selling the last of its shares to the University last week. OUSA will be paid $296,000 for its shares, and receive a settlement return of $370,000 from a loan dating back to the 1980s, putting the total amount that OUSA will receive at $666k. When Critic Read more...

New Zealand Wastes Bucketloads on “Justice”

Posted 3:53pm Sunday 15th April 2012

It was revealed this week that the legal bill of everyone’s least-favourite tutor Clayton Weatherston has surpassed $440,000 and is expected to rise, with more invoices still to be filed. Because Weatherston relies on legal aid, the taxpayer will pick up this expense. The former University Read more...