The Facebook group set up by a former Act MP for political think tank New Zealand Centre for Political Research has several threads taking aim at Muslim candidates standing in the local government elections. Muriel Newman says she was unaware of derogatory and xenophobic remarks towards Muslims on a Facebook group. Read more
New Zealand
School broke law when declining to enrol autistic boy
Monday, September 9th, 2019Sacred Heart College declined a place for an autistic boy. Initially, it cited “high numbers of applicants”. Later it changed its explanation and said the boy wasn’t offered a place because he was not Catholic enough. Read more
Don’t just sit there – do something
Thursday, September 5th, 2019
Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand is using this year’s Social Justice Week theme of fairness to ask hard questions of everyone. The call is for everyone to consider what they can do to make workplaces, schools and communities fair places for all. People are challenged to see, hear, and experience the lived reality of people, naming Read more
Manuele living life to the full
Thursday, September 5th, 2019
Manuele Teofilo was recently awarded the Chairperson Award at the Oceania Young Writers Conference in Melbourne. The 27-year-old belongs to the Christian Fellowship For Disabled in Auckland. Manuele has been involved in many national camps. Last year he was a volunteer at the Centre and is now a member of the Christian Disability Trust. Manuele Read more
Teens’ coffee chat over religious beliefs too much for nearby customer
Thursday, September 5th, 2019Two teenagers having a religious discussion in a Picton cafe were shocked after they were scolded by a member of the public. The woman, who was also dining in the cafe, told them their discussion wasn’t appropriate and they should consider other people’s “comfort zones”. Anna Amos, 17, who is homeschooled in Waikawa, said she Read more
Nelson Santa Parade Trust steps down after Māori Santa controversy
Thursday, September 5th, 2019A new organiser is being sought for the Nelson Santa parade after organisers quit following the Māori Santa backlash. Nelson councillor Gaile Noonan said a new organiser for the parade would be announced this week. Read more
Christchurch Cathedral restoration work to begin early next year
Thursday, September 5th, 2019Work to stabilise the earthquake-damaged Christ Church Cathedral will begin in the first three months of next year and could take 18 months. Christchurch Cathedral reinstatement Project senior project manager Tim Anthon said the work would prop up the walls of the historic Christchurch building to make it safe for restoration workers to go inside. Read Read more
NZ resident questioned about death of five people in Fiji
Monday, September 2nd, 2019
A New Zealand man was taken into police custody in Fiji and questioned about the deaths of a family of five. Police made an unsuccessful court application to hold Muhammad Raheesh Isoof, also known as Kamal, for longer than 48 hours. Authorities are currently obtaining a “stop departure order” to prevent Isoof and his wife Read more
Ombudsman critical of the way college handled bullying complaint
Monday, September 2nd, 2019
The Chief Ombudsman has criticised Sacred Heart College in Auckland over the way it dealt with a bullying complaint. Peter Boshier said the school had “failed to ensure the student was safe.” He called the Board of Trustees’ response to the complaint Siobhan Harvey made about the bullying of her son “unreasonable”. Boshier recommended the Read more
Hawking, Churchill, Queen and now The Two Popes
Monday, September 2nd, 2019
Jonathan Pryce and Anthony Hopkins take a lighthearted look at papal authority in a “buddy” movie. Critics say their performance is a “masterclass” in acting. The Two Popes is a Netflix movie written by novelist and screenwriter Anthony McCarten. Born and raised in New Plymouth, McCarten attended Francis Douglas Memorial College and went on to Read more