We're talking a lot about journalism lately – and we're doing it because journalism is facing something approaching an existential crisis. But that's also the upside of the threat. We're talking about what journalism is for in a way we tended…
The Education Minister, Hekia Parata has form on having stupid ideas in public. Up to now, the most famous one was her idea that the public would love larger class sizes in schools. Turns out they didn’t, because they prefer…
If the Drug Foundation's investment in polling on the matter of cannabis law reform was intended to start a conversation, then it has certainly achieved its aim. If not all the talk has been of high quality, well, that's not…
Hilary Clinton has joined Donald Trump in vowing to oppose TPP. US House Speaker Paul Ryan has also conceded he wouldn’t have the votes to pass TPP in a Lame Duck congressional session, effectively sinking Obama’s last chance to pass…
The phenomenon of dancefloor-friendly edits that beef up and emphasise the rhythmic qualities of classic older tunes has rarely, if ever, touched on New Zealand's own musical heritage. And that's a shame. But – hey! – maybe it's changing. ¶ Last weekend I…
We all like to make our mark. But who would dare put a mark on a gallery wall?This Winter, Dunedin people were invited to make marks all over an installation by Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama. Kusama specialises in dots of…
National MP Nuk Korako has the luck of the draw earlier this week, when his ‘lost luggage’ member’s bill was drawn from the biscuit tin of democracy that the Office of the Clerk keeps to conduct the member’s bill ballot.…
In the newspaper on the weekend, Herald columnist and editor of The Spinoff Duncan Greive asked whether TV is dead. Actually the only question was found in the headline – “Is this the death of TV?” as the subheading answered “television…
On Morning Report today, Prime Minister John Key was interviewed about a new poll indicating that nearly two thirds of New Zealanders want the law reformed to legalise or decriminalise use and possession of small quantities of cannabis. ¶ Mr Key…
I read a poignant article yesterday. It’s about doctoral degrees and mental illness: ¶ The days I spent pursuing my PhD in physics were some of my darkest. It wasn’t the intellectual challenges or the workload that brought me down; it…
Auckland's Lil Chief Records has released a notable body of curious pop over the years – think the Brunettes, Voom, Princess Chelsea, Sheep, Dog & Wolf and and Jonathan Bree – but it seems to go through quite long quiet spells, punctuated by…
The Wellington High Court is at the bottom of Molesworth Street, directly across from Parliament and the Beehive. Sometimes there are bored reporters and camera people waiting outside for some "infamous" person (or someone on their behalf) to emerge so…
It is the best of times, it is the worst of times … it sometimes looks like the end of times. ¶ ORCON IRL AT THE GOLDEN DAWN is back on Tuesday, August 23 to ask the hard questions about MEDIA AND…
I’ve written about consent a time or two (or eleven, as it turns out) here at Public Address. I’ve been thoughtful, constructive, and considered. I’ve done that. It’s done. Please bear that in mind, while I have a word with…
The first time I half-heard a news report about Housing New Zealand tenants "contaminating" homes by smoking methamphetamine in them, I assumed it was a mistake. Clandestine labs, sure: they can leave behind some some hazardous chemicals, depending on the…
It's been a while since I approached an Olympic Games with less anticipation than the current one. And that was before someone I know had to escape from Rio because her boyfriend got kidnapped and extorted by police and their…
Campaigning in this year’s local body elections is well under way. Voting papers will be mailed to you in mid-September (if you enrol by Friday 12 August these will be sent to you automatically; you can still enrol after that…
The week began for this blog with a close look at Radio New Zealand's boffo new survey results. And then on Tuesday evening, at the launch of Murray Cammick's Flash Cars exhibition – back in a gallery for the first time…
Karangahape Road's First Thursdays events have never quite happened every month – there are probably too many moving parts for that. But every time they do, they underline what makes K Road different from anywhere else in Auckland. ¶ Last night's event…
The hand-coloured photos of Whites Aviation have become celebrated icons of New Zealand’s mid-century culture – but the story of how each photograph was individually coloured by hand has been almost lost. That's the story Greg Wood and I sought to…
Just me, or did yesterday's confirmation by the Māori Party that it will not endorse Helen Clark in her bid to be the next UN Secretary general flick some kind of switch? The not-unexpected announcement provoked a furious political response…
In Part 1 of this post, I used the example of iceblocks to explain how well-intentioned efforts to reduce New Zealand’s ‘official’ dirty energy* emissions can actually increase the global total of greenhouse gases emitted to the atmosphere. I concluded…
The Radio New Zealand press release announcing its new survey results arrived last Thursday under a very restrained billing: the headline was 'RNZ Radio Research Results'. At the time of writing, the release doesn't even appear on the broadcaster's media…
The electricity gods have been angry today, so I'll get straight to the point: Lawrence Arabia is playing at Mt Eden's Crystal Palace theatre this evening, with a string section – and a (solo) SJD in support. There's no way this…
The data for the 2014 New Zealand Election Survey was recently released for the general public to make of it what they will, which in the modern world of home data analysis is like parachuting a gazelle into a pride…