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John Black

The BSA Is Coming For You

The BSA Is Coming For You

The BSA’s reasoning, such as it is, takes a very broad definition of ‘broadcasting’. So broad in fact it could be used to restrict what New Zealanders say in many commonplace situations…

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The Diary of Chloe Swarbrick

The Diary of Chloe Swarbrick

Returned to parliament still in the grips of PGCD. Everything seemed to remind me of it. The huge Palestinian flag on the wall in my office. The ‘From the River to the Sea’ I’d scratched into the wall of the ladies’ loos.

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The Diary of Tākuta Ferris

The Diary of Tākuta Ferris

An elderly Pākehā man with a walker had the temerity to ask, “Is there a post office near here?” as if a proud Māori man such as myself only exists to give him street directions! This is the kind of micro-aggression us Māori have to put up with on a daily basis.

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A Guide to Lefty Slurs

A Guide to Lefty Slurs

In a desperate attempt to wring comedy from tragedy, I’ve examined the type of slurs used to put a target on the back of conservatives and then I’ve translated them into something approaching plain English.

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Luxon’s Advice for World Leaders

Luxon’s Advice for World Leaders

Using a devilishly clever method (lemon-juice invisible ink), Luxon has been sending his advice in letter form without detection by the world’s press. Luckily, I too was once a boy scout.

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New Zealand Children’s Books I’d Like to See

New Zealand Children’s Books I’d Like to See

I concede Jepsen’s point that New Zealand children should be reading something that reflects their culture and is relevant to their daily lives. So, I have come up with some scenarios for children’s books that might be recognisable for Kiwi kids in 2025.

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The Death of NZ Culture

The Death of NZ Culture

When the majority Pākehā culture is spurned and a focus placed on ‘indigenous’ Māori culture and recently imported minorities, the assimilation of immigrants to a national identity becomes impossible.

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Are We Living in a Castrated Culture?

Are We Living in a Castrated Culture?

It’s not just popular music that has lost its rebellious male mojo. Film and TV are in almost total obeisance to the ‘message’ stifling creativity. The multiplexes are now home to retreads and rethinks and often swap out male energy for the feminine version.

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