Religious instruction at New Zealand state schools is about to change. Parents will be required to give explicit permission in writing for their children to receive religious instruction at state schools under a planned law change. It may be the beginning of the end of primary schools offering religious instruction. Education Minister Chris Hikpkins told Read more
New Zealand
Senior Otago Daily Times journalist quits over buried story
Thursday, February 13th, 2020A senior Otago Daily Times journalist who spent months trying to get what he believes is a “worthy story” published has quit in protest. Late on Friday Chris Morris wrote an email to all staff at Allied Press, which publishes the Otago Daily Times. That email confirmed he was quitting over the non-publication of a Read more
Auckland housing surplus revealed in Salvation Army report
Thursday, February 13th, 2020Auckland’s shock “housing surplus” has been revealed, as a population correction means the city is now on track to meet demand. But the Salvation Army warns the 7168 house surplus won’t fix the housing crisis but instead shows that the shortage is caused by unaffordable housing and low income levels. The u-turn on the housing Read more
Church leader uses ploys from Trump’s bag of tricks
Monday, February 10th, 2020
Bishop Brian Tamaki seems to have taken a couple of popularist planks from President Trump’s platform. At Waitangi, last Thursday he railed against immigrants and also suggested: “We should drain the Wellington bureaucratic swamp”. The Destiny Church leader was described in the Waitangi Day service schedule booklet as an ‘Apostle Bishop’. Tamaki had arrived with Read more
Metuamate appointed CEO of new Catholic tertiary body
Monday, February 10th, 2020
Feilding-raised Dr Areti Metuamate of Ngati Kauwhata, Ngati Raukawa ki te Tonga, Ngati Haua and Cook Islands descent has been appointed the first Chief Executive of Te Kupenga-Catholic Leadership Institute. Te Kupenga was formed on January 1 by the merger of Good Shepherd College and The Catholic Institute. Metuamate attended Hato Pāora College. He graduated Read more
At Waitangi Cardinal Dew calls for tolerance and inclusion
Monday, February 10th, 2020
Cardinal John Dew preached a message of religious tolerance, inclusion and acceptance when giving the homily on Waitangi Day. Dew, the Archbishop of Wellington, urged New Zealanders to recommit to protecting the beliefs of followers of all religions and of non-religious people. Preaching at the interdenominational church service at Waitangi on Thursday, Dew recalled the Read more
Interfaith Council starting courses on language and diversity
Monday, February 10th, 2020Waikato based community organisation Earth Diverse and Waikato Interfaith Council are starting language and diversity classes in the city from the second week of February. The schedule of Term 1 of the classes was announced earlier in January that offers several regional, and national language classes along with sessions on different world religions and their Read more
Church backed programme celebrates new drivers
Monday, February 10th, 2020More than 100 people from Auckland’s Pacific community have achieved their goal of gaining a driver’s licence – free of charge. Their success came through a new programme supported by government agencies and business leaders in the city. Pacific community churches helped to identify people who needed to learn how to drive, and those who Read more
Basilica closed after wind damaged dome
Monday, February 10th, 2020One of Invercargill’s oldest churches will remain closed for at least another week after high winds damaged its dome. Invercargill South. Pastoral Area parish priest Fr Pat McGettigan said gale-force wind of 150kmh damaged the dome of St Mary’s Basilica. “Fortunately, nobody has been hurt because it probably happened in the middle of the night.’ Read more
His dad’s a Mongrel Mob member, he is a doctor
Thursday, December 12th, 2019
Growing-up around the gang – his father and several uncles were members – was a “normal” part of his childhood says Jordan Tewhaiti-Smith (Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāi Tahu, Ngā Puhi). He was one of 39 Māori medical graduands who took part in a pre-graduation ceremony last Friday at the University of Otago. He is about to Read more