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Virus, vaccinations and housing dominate start of the year
Analysis: Politics has started the year in a way that's almost certainly going to continue throughout 2021, dominated by Covid-19, vaccinations to save us from it, and the housing crisis, writes Peter Wilson.
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John Banks' on-air comments: 'Why do we keep giving these people a platform?'
Opinion - Apparently we live in a post-racial world. I don't know when it happened, I clearly missed the memo, writes Saziah Bashir.
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Biden inauguration: A rich tapestry of marvels and the mundane
22 Jan 2021Opinion: In a day recalling history and a ceremony featuring pop stars, prayers, and poetry, Joseph Robinette Biden Jr was inaugurated as the 46th American…
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Opinion: There's more to a presidency than unifying a country
21 Jan 2021Opinion - Joe Biden may think his presidency is about unifying the United States, but growing inequality, the health of his citizens and racism need to be fixed…
Comment & Analysis headlines with summaries.
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Joe Biden inauguration: The pendulum has swung, but how far?
21 Jan 2021Analysis - Biden's inauguration doesn't have a lot in common with that of Donald Trump just four destructive years ago, writes Tim Watkin, but both inaugurations ask: How far?
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Trump's legacy: How the outgoing president will be remembered
21 Jan 2021Donald Trump leaves Washington with the lowest post-war approval rating of any president, and with the shame of having provoked the startling Capitol riots of two weeks ago. Video
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America's Cup: Behind the scenes of the biggest show in town
15 Jan 2021The Prada Cup challenger series starts today, Suzanne McFadden goes behind the scenes of the world's only live yachting regatta to see what's in store for the next five weeks.
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Opinion: Trump loses control of his own deluded narrative
Opinion - Two conflicting statements: 'I can't believe this is happening' and 'I knew this would happen' are being repeated as Washington DC collapses into violence and anarchy, Nik Dirga writes.
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Waikeria: a symptom of a much larger problem
6 Jan 2021Analysis - The riot at Waikeria prison is only a symptom of a much larger problem, which is that parts of the incarceration system are failing at multiple points, Alexander Gillespie writes.
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'We need social media systems built to enhance our shared humanity'
Opinion - After leaving Twitter, Jessica Berentson-Shaw makes a plea for social media systems that minimise harm and help shape disagreement into something more nuanced.
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End of feud between Arab countries and Qatar may restore NZ's hopes for trade deal
6 Jan 2021Opinion - A breakthrough in a feud between Qatar and its Gulf neighbours could revive New Zealand's hopes for a free trade deal but may also prompt a strategic dilemma, Geoffrey Miller writes.
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Statutory Holidays: What you are entitled to
5 Jan 2021If you have worked over public holidays and wondered whether you've been paid correctly - Ashleigh Fechney breaks it down for anyone who's got questions.
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Transforming Waikeria - Hōkai Rangi or Hōkai Nuku?
4 Jan 2021Opinion - There are some lessons from a former prison reform strategy that apply to the Waikeria situation. First, avoid taking a simplistic 'us vs them' approach, writes Sir Kim Workman.
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The Year in Politics: 'Be strong but be kind'
30 Dec 2020Analysis - The year 2020 was the most challenging year any New Zealand government has faced, Peter Wilson writes.
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2020: The year of missing joy
24 Dec 2020While I watched friends take on new fitness challenges, creative endeavours, or professional triumphs, I decided on my own mantra - that I was not going to do anything to better myself, Lamia Imam wri…
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Limited abuse data paints illuminating, inexcusable picture
16 Dec 2020Opinion - "Show me the money!" became popular from 1996's Jerry Maguire but the Royal Commission into abuse has been more about "show me the data!", David Cohen writes.
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Bidwell: The good, the bad and the ugly of sport in 2020
16 Dec 2020Hamish Bidwell takes a trip down memory lane to unpack what was a bumper year in the sport world.
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Black Ferns Sevens need game time - Bidwell
13 Jan 2021Opinion - Since Covid-19 hit New Zealand, next to nothing has been done to prepare the Black Ferns Sevens team for Olympic success, writes Hamish Bidwell.
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Black Caps need away series win to achieve greatness - Bidwell
8 Jan 2021Opinion - Despite the Black Caps home win over Pakistan, elite status will continue to elude them until they can topple one of the Big Three in a series away from home, Hamish Bidwell writes.
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Week in Politics: Government ends the year on a high
11 Dec 2020Analysis - A poll shows the government's popularity is up since the election, Collins promises a new National Party and gaining support for hate speech law reform could be a problem for the PM, writes…
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US elections: What could be next for Donald Trump?
10 Dec 2020Analysis - As US president-elect Joe Biden's inauguration date crawls closer, Max Towle asks what next for Donald Trump - the man who styles himself as the ultimate winner.
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Bidwell: Rugby needs its head screwed on right
9 Dec 2020Opinion - Rugby's governing bodies need to put an end to the concussion risk players are putting themselves through, Hamish Bidwell writes.
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Australia-China spat a tricky one for NZ
Opinion - Staying out of the unfolding Australian-China diplomatic clash is not going to be an easy political option for our government, Robert Patman writes.
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Māoriland: New Zealand's forgotten name
13 Dec 2020Analysis - Everybody once knew that Māoriland meant New Zealand, thanks to years of dodgy debate and bad poetry, but the name has faded over the decades, writes William Ray.
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Mediawatch: Please, no more stories about young home buyers
12 Dec 2020Analysis - As the housing crisis continues to spiral out of control, Hayden Donnell calls for a moratorium on stories about young first home buyers. Audio
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Opinion: China 'playing cat-and-mouse game' with Australia
4 Dec 2020In the moment, Scott Morrison's angry denunciation of the offensive Chinese tweet about alleged Australian war crimes seemed a reasonable response. In retrospect, it was probably ill-judged, writes…
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Enabling diversity: Media needs to reframe disability too
3 Dec 2020Opinion - Simplistic, stereotyped, voyeuristic and ableist media representations of disabled people can be replaced by complex, nuanced, thought-provoking stories instead, writes Áine Kelly-Costello.
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Bidwell: Why aren't our national sports on free-to-air TV?
2 Dec 2020The start of New Zealand summer of cricket has got Hamish Bidwell thinking about why live Black Caps matches aren't on free-to-air television.