Students are missing out and their learning is suffering in New Zealand schools; Covid and its after-effects are taking their toll. Students are leaving school without qualifications, says Kevin Shore, Catholic Education Office CEO. Catholic school principals tell him of former pupils working instead of coming to school. They’re helping with stressed family finances. Others Read more
University of Otago professor James Higham, a sustainable tourism expert is calling out New Zealand’s extreme aviation emitters. Air New Zealand revealed its most frequent flyer took 230 flights in 2021. That person flew 96,121km last year alone. Frequent flyers are the cause of the problem says Massey University applied mathematics professor Robert McLachlan. He Read more
One of the most critically acclaimed bodies of work in the history of New Zealand photography is coming to Northland. The photography exhibition of Northland churches will open at Whangārei Art Museum on Friday. The collection of work, “Whare Tapu Taonga”, is by celebrated photographer Laurence Aberhar who has been a practising photographer since the Read more
Last week’s labour market data showed the Māori unemployment rate at the lowest it has been since modern records began in 1986. That’s got to be a good thing. Economic commentators – myself included – can sound a bit clinical when we talk about the risk a tight labour market poses to the economy. It Read more
Child immunisation rates are going down. It is not really known why – or even if official figures are reliable. Some say more parents are choosing not to have their children vaccinated. The vaccinations parents are declining are the series of freebies on offer. They protect babies and children from illnesses like measles, chickenpox and Read more
“The Sheriff of Nottingham would be proud of how much tax we take from the poor to support the lifestyles of the rich,” John Minto told EcuAction, a Christchurch-based interfaith justice group. EcuAction is lobbying for a fairer tax system. “The rules are seriously unfair and need to change,” said Minto (pictured). He says the Read more
A nursing academic says it’s unethical to rely on migrant workers to fix staff shortages. Health New Zealand will run an international recruitment service to ease immigration for health workers. But New Zealand College of Nurses Executive Director, Jenny Carryer, told Heather du Plessis Allan “there’s a 12 million-strong global shortage of nurses, and other Read more
A former Celebration member believes deliverance – the Pentecostal equivalent of exorcism – has been used to replace counselling, medical care and even law enforcement at the controversial church. Others say the experience of having a demon ‘cast out’ made them physically ill or left them psychologically damaged. Read more
Te Kupenga-Catholic Leadership Institute has a new Chief Executive. Robert Blucher is currently the Northern Regional Manager of Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu – also known as Te Kura, the former Correspondence School. Before joining Te Kura (which is the country’s biggest school, with over 20,000 students) Blucher had leadership and principal roles at Read more
A chief’s gift of an eagle feather headdress to the pope during his penitential tour of Canada is shocking many commentators. They include indigenous peoples from across the world. One, Hemopereki Simon, is a research expert in indigenous politics and Te Tiriti. “I have survived the settler colonial education system and have come out on Read more