Latest Top Scoops Headlines
Treasury relaxed over potential Tiwai smelter closure
Sunday, 15 December 2019, 1:27 pm | NZ Energy and Environment Business Week
Treasury’s advice to ministers on the potential closure of the Tiwai aluminium smelter is relatively upbeat about the benefits and says closure will have a relatively low economic impact with no significant policy response necessary. More >>
Dramatic Messiah
Saturday, 14 December 2019, 11:32 am | Max Rashbrooke
The NZSO’s annual Messiah performance is now a tradition. But a good tradition isn’t simply the repetition of something over and over; all traditions adapt and flex to fit changing conditions. More >>
A Mined History: The Bougainville Referendum
Saturday, 14 December 2019, 11:30 am | Binoy Kampmark
It would be an understatement to claim that Bougainville, that blighted piece of autonomous territory in Papua New Guinea, had been through a lot. Companies have preyed upon its environment with extractive hunger. Wars and civil strife have beset ... More >>
Warnings about danger of White Island eruption were ignored
Saturday, 14 December 2019, 11:29 am | Tom Peters
A total of 17 people are now believed to have died in Monday’s volcanic eruption on White Island/Whakaari in New Zealand. Police have recovered six bodies from the uninhabited island, leaving two still missing. More >>
Live: Whakaari / White Island eruption - day 5
Friday, 13 December 2019, 9:56 am | RNZ
A high-risk mission to recover the bodies left behind after Monday's deadly eruption on Whakaari/ White Island is under way. More >>
Keith Rankin: Another Option for Auckland's Port
Thursday, 12 December 2019, 2:21 pm | Keith Rankin
The case for a complete relocation of Auckland's Waitematā Harbour freight port is far from established. Nevertheless, Auckland will grow over the long term, and the freight operations need to move away from the area close to the downtown Ferry ... More >>
Gordon Campbell on welfare vs infrastructure spending
Thursday, 12 December 2019, 11:27 am | Gordon Campbell
If New Zealand has a pressing need to stimulate its flagging economy, it seems very weird that the government is choosing to meet this need with a $12 billion package of infrastructure spending – mainly on road and rail projects – that by definition, ... More >>
Authoritarianism, Money and US Presidential Politics
Thursday, 12 December 2019, 11:22 am | Binoy Kampmark
Political rottenness may be bottomless. Consider the following description of a political aspirant for the White House, this person being from the Democratic Party. His “liabilities as a political candidate are so glaringly obvious that it’s ... More >>
The University of Cape Town Fails Palestine
Thursday, 12 December 2019, 10:23 am | Ramzy Baroud
It was a scandal of the highest caliber. On November 23, the Senate of the University of Cape Town (UCT) in South Africa was practically bullied to reverse an earlier decision that called for the academic boycott of Israel. While the story may seem ... More >>
Live: Whakaari / White Island eruption - Day 4
Thursday, 12 December 2019, 9:41 am | RNZ
Two more people have died following the Whakaari /White Island eruption bringing the official toll to eight, with eight others on the island presumed dead. More >>
Growing poverty and inequality in New Zealand
Thursday, 12 December 2019, 9:31 am | Socialist Equality Group
Numerous reports point to worsening poverty and social inequality in New Zealand, more than two years after the formation of the Labour Party-led government, which pledged to end the former National Party government’s austerity regime, imposed ... More >>
COP25: Climate change action going 'backwards' - Fiji's PM
Wednesday, 11 December 2019, 5:26 pm | RNZ
Fiji's prime minister has hit out at several developed countries during a speech at the UN climate summit in Madrid. More >>
Samoa measles death toll rises to 71
Wednesday, 11 December 2019, 5:16 pm | RNZ
Another person has died from measles in Samoa, taking the death toll from the outbreak to 71. More >>
Compulsory Pay Rise for West Coast Regional Councillors
Wednesday, 11 December 2019, 4:53 pm | Lois Williams - Local Democracy Reporter
West Coast Regional Councillors are getting a hefty pay rise this term — whether they like it or not. More >>
Catastrophically Awful Military Bill
Wednesday, 11 December 2019, 4:47 pm | David Swanson
If one of the worst pieces of legislation ever drafted becomes law, there is one small measure in it that we can be pleased with. RootsAction.org and World BEYOND War and many other organizations and activists from Puerto Rico and the rest of the ... More >>
Inangahua Board sworn in
Wednesday, 11 December 2019, 4:39 pm | Lois Williams - Local Democracy Reporter
If you have got a gripe about your footpaths or rubbish bins, do not bail up your local board member in the street — ring the council. More >>
The Most Significant Afghanistan Papers Revelation
Wednesday, 11 December 2019, 4:25 pm | Caitlin Johnstone
The Washington Post has published clear , undeniable evidence that US government officials have been lying to the public about the war in Afghanistan, a shocking revelation for anyone who has done no research whatsoever into the history of US ... More >>
COP25: Calls for indigenous voices to be heard
Wednesday, 11 December 2019, 12:23 pm | RNZ
This year's climate talks in Spain come amidst the global wave of protests by young people that have swept the world. More >>
Report on combatting foreign election interference delivered
Wednesday, 11 December 2019, 12:11 pm | RNZ
MPs have finally delivered their recommendations to combat foreign interference in elections in a long awaited and much delayed report. More >>
Tairawhiti problem gambling service stalled
Wednesday, 11 December 2019, 11:55 am | Aaron van Delden - Local Democracy Reporter
Problem gamblers in Tairawhiti continue to be without government-funded face-to-face support services as the district health board struggles to recruit staff to provide them. More >>
Plea for exceptions for West Coast in new wetland rules
Wednesday, 11 December 2019, 11:39 am | Lois Williams - Local Democracy Reporter
It has taken 15 years and cost ratepayers millions, but the West Coast Regional Council has just about completed the herculean task of mapping the region's wetlands. More >>
Logging trucks pass school to Masterton station
Wednesday, 11 December 2019, 11:22 am | Pam Graham - Local Democracy Reporter
Logging trucks will travel past Solway Primary School on Ngaumutawa Rd when Wairarapa's inland log handling hub moves temporarily in the new year. More >>
Live: Whakaari / White Island eruption - day 3
Wednesday, 11 December 2019, 9:23 am | RNZ
GNS Science says the tremor activity on Whakaari / White Island has been steadily increasing since about 4am this morning. More >>
Global IT outage delays flights from Auckland Airport
Tuesday, 10 December 2019, 5:22 pm | RNZ
International flights from Auckland Airport have been delayed and four flights from Australia cancelled. More >>
Lethal Visits: Volcano Tourism and the White Island Eruption
Tuesday, 10 December 2019, 3:13 pm | Binoy Kampmark
It might have come across as written by a killjoy, but geographer Amy Donovan’s observations on “volcano tourism” in Geo , published by the Royal Geographical Society in 2018, remain timely. Be wary, her study suggests, of this particular brand ... More >>
Gordon Campbell on the Whakaari/White Island eruption
Tuesday, 10 December 2019, 11:04 am | Gordon Campbell
A dventure tourism is a central theme in New Zealand tourism, and by definition, adventure always includes a certain level of risk. That said, New Zealand itself is also at risk of being seen as a tourism destination where commercial factors – ... More >>
Winning the Middle East Media War at Any Cost
Tuesday, 10 December 2019, 9:54 am | Ramzy Baroud
It is hardly surprising to see Middle Eastern countries at the bottom of the World Press Freedom Index , as the worst violators of freedom of the press. But equally alarming is the complete polarization of public opinion as a result of self-serving ... More >>
Live: Whakaari / White Island eruption - day 2
Tuesday, 10 December 2019, 9:41 am | RNZ
Police do not believe there are any survivors on Whakaari / White Island, as eight people are confirmed missing after yesterday's eruption. More >>
PM's Post-Cab 9/12/19: And Then A Volcano
Monday, 9 December 2019, 5:29 pm | The Scoop Team
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern began her regular post-cabinet press conference with an update on the response to this afternoon's eruption at Whakaari/White Island. She said a rescue operation was being undertaken with up to 100 people on the island ... More >>
Eruption at Whakaari / White Island
Monday, 9 December 2019, 3:09 pm | RNZ
An eruption has occured on Whakaari / White Island in the Eastern Bay of Plenty, sending a huge plume of smoke and ash into the sky. More >>
Ratepayers campaigning to leave Kaikōura consider next move
Monday, 9 December 2019, 12:07 pm | Chloe Ranford - Local Democracy Reporter
Kaikōura residents hoping to become part of Marlborough's council area are considering taking their case to the Local Government Commission. More >>
Marlborough: Kids campaign sees 40km school speed limit plan
Monday, 9 December 2019, 12:00 pm | Chloe Ranford - Local Democracy Reporter
Children have helped convince a regional council to lower speed limits outside their school and cut the chances of being "squished". More >>
Northland – Environmentalists’ ‘No’ to Auckland port shift
Monday, 9 December 2019, 11:48 am | Susan Botting - Local Democracy Reporter
Northland environmentalists are speaking out against the proposed $10 billion Auckland port shift to Marsden Point in what one labels a ‘think big’ project - about 650 metres from a marine reserve. More >>
Auckland bus disruption: What you need to know
Monday, 9 December 2019, 9:53 am | RNZ
Thousands of bus commuters in Auckland have their ride to work and school disrupted this morning as the stalemate between bus drivers and their employer continues. More >>
Weather chaos: tourists stranded on West Coast for days
Monday, 9 December 2019, 9:28 am | RNZ
Nearly 1000 tourists are stranded in Franz Josef and they could remain there until Friday, while in Timaru District the council says it could take weeks to recover from flood damage. More >>
Live: Weather mayhem strands tourists; major roads closed
Monday, 9 December 2019, 9:16 am | RNZ
Hundreds of tourists are stranded on the West Coast, and on the other side of the South Island a flood-damaged bridge has closed State Highway 1, after a weekend of torrential rain. More >>
Increasing vegetative cover across all land
Sunday, 8 December 2019, 2:13 pm | NZ Energy and Environment Business Week
The proposed National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity will require councils to have targets for increased vegetative cover in their regions. More >>
Support for RMA Bill, but concerns about workload
Sunday, 8 December 2019, 2:11 pm | NZ Energy and Environment Business Week
Submissions on the Resources Management Amendment Bill are generally supportive, though many express concerns about the time frame and resourcing of the accelerated freshwater proposals. More >>
A Troubled Family: NATO turns 70
Sunday, 8 December 2019, 10:52 am | Binoy Kampmark
Summit anniversaries are not usually this abysmally interesting. While those paying visits to Watford, England on the occasion of the seventieth anniversary of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation are supposedly signatories to the same agreement, a ... More >>
Animal rights and the torturous suffocation of chickens
Saturday, 7 December 2019, 11:21 am | Lynley Tulloch
Animal rights and the torturous suffocation of chickens at Helensville poultry farm The recent deaths on 4th December of between 180,000 and 190,000 chickens in a west Auckland poultry farm was devastating. These birds, housed in a large indoor shed, ... More >>
Taskforce feeding: Call it what you want, it doesn’t work.
Thursday, 5 December 2019, 7:51 pm | Richard Major
Having lived in Brisbane, Australia, since 1987 until my recent deportation back to New Zealand, I am beginning to witness some disturbing law and order parallels. More >>
Claims of gynaecology patients' consent breaches
Thursday, 5 December 2019, 4:56 pm | RNZ
Health board says it's made improvements since claims of gynaecology patients' rights breaches Phil Pennington , Reporter More >>
Electoral Commission chair calls for greater powers
Thursday, 5 December 2019, 4:37 pm | RNZ
The new chair of the Electoral Commission would like greater investigative powers for the watchdog. More >>
New details around NZ First conflicts of interest timeline
Thursday, 5 December 2019, 4:25 pm | RNZ
New information has emerged showing it was the New Zealand First chief of staff who identified potential conflicts of interest between a forestry company and two senior government ministers, sparking a series of declarations. More >>
We love you Sāmoa
Thursday, 5 December 2019, 3:07 pm | Le ausalilo Sadat Muaiava
To date, the outbreak of misela (measles) in Sāmoa has killed 60 people, mostly infants and children, over the course of the last two weeks. Ongoing updates suggest that an increase in the number of fatalities is inevitable. As a result, the Samoan ... More >>
Gordon Campbell on the recent upheavals inside Iran
Thursday, 5 December 2019, 3:03 pm | Gordon Campbell
I n the fortnight since the Internet got switched back on in Iran, the ferocity of the crackdown on the recent demonstrations has become evident. Reportedly, hundreds of people have been killed, thousands wounded and thousands more have been arrested. ... More >>
The Tree of Life
Thursday, 5 December 2019, 12:38 pm | Marco Fantham
“...On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.” More >>
West Coast Iwi Call For Conservation Board Review
Thursday, 5 December 2019, 11:55 am | Lois Williams - Local Democracy Reporter
West Coast iwi are backing a call by the Mayor of Westland Bruce Smith to disband the West Coast Conservation Board, because it is stacked with conservationists. More >>
Controversial Otago Daily Times cartoon: 'We got it wrong'
Thursday, 5 December 2019, 10:27 am | RNZ
Garrick Tremain's cartoon making light of the measles epidemic was labelled racist and insensitive and the paper is to cease publishing his work until a review of his future with the publication is completed. More >>
DIA criticises public 'beating up' of Hepatitis Foundation
Thursday, 5 December 2019, 10:23 am | RNZ
The Department of Internal Affairs is defending the Hepatitis Foundation and says publicly shaming it does nothing to help the charity sector. More >>
Government funds to continue investing in fossil fuels
Thursday, 5 December 2019, 10:18 am | RNZ
Two multi-billion dollar government guaranteed investment funds say they will continue investing in fossil fuel companies, despite the government's efforts to fight climate change. More >>
Jones Declared Conflict of Interest Same Day Questions Asked
Thursday, 5 December 2019, 10:10 am | RNZ
Shane Jones' office received official documents about a forestry company's bid for public money five times over four months, but the New Zealand First minister only declared a conflict of interest on the day RNZ began asking questions. More >>
Kawerau: Reserve may become residential development
Wednesday, 4 December 2019, 5:31 pm | Charlotte Jones - Local Democracy Reporter
Kawerau District Council will soon be consulting the public on whether Stoneham Park reserve should become a residential development. More >>
Whakatane: Rural areas holding highest rate debt
Wednesday, 4 December 2019, 5:07 pm | Charlotte Jones - Local Democracy Reporter
Murupara, Ruatoki and other rural areas are responsible for over 70 percent of Whakatane District Council’s outstanding rates. More >>
DOC reviewing decision to blast rocks on Truman Track
Wednesday, 4 December 2019, 4:40 pm | Lois Williams - Local Democracy Reporter
The Conservation Department is reviewing the way it decides when to destroy nature to protect the public. More >>
Thousands of quake-prone buildings yet to be identified
Wednesday, 4 December 2019, 4:16 pm | RNZ
Councils estimate they have yet to identify 10,000 buildings nationwide that are earthquake-prone and need upgrading or demolition. More >>
Green's Swarbrick says cannabis prohibition has failed
Wednesday, 4 December 2019, 4:06 pm | RNZ
Green Party's drug reform spokesperson Chlöe Swarbrick says the prohibition-based model for cannabis is not working and has induced inequity for Māori who are disproportionately convicted over the substance. More >>
Binoy Kampmark: Myanmar, Genocide and Aung San Suu Kyi
Wednesday, 4 December 2019, 2:03 pm | Binoy Kampmark
Leaders currently in office rarely make an appearance before either the International Court of Justice or the International Criminal Court. International law remains affixed to the notion that heads-of-state are, at least for the duration of their time in ... More >>
Extending New Zealand's fibre network
Wednesday, 4 December 2019, 1:26 pm | Digitl
Last week engineers completed the first UFB stage. The so-called UFB1 fibre network reaches three quarters of the country. More >>
Spark dips toe as Vodafone plunges into 5G
Wednesday, 4 December 2019, 1:11 pm | Digitl
Vodafone's 5G network will launch any day now. Spark wants you to know it already has New Zealand's first commercial 5G service . More >>
