Timothy Welch, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau
A report released next week argues the real problem with New Zealand’s inadequate infrastructure is not money – it’s the three-year political cycle. We need a 30-year, cross-party national plan.
The global trade in data means minor drug dealing by 16-year-olds on social media could hurt their ability to get a job, house or insurance in their 30s.
One in five underage adolescents vape occasionally, and nearly 28% of Māori youth vape regularly. Most get their product by sharing and asking older friends to buy vapes for them.
Alan Renwick, Lincoln University, New Zealand and David Dean, Lincoln University, New Zealand
Fonterra’s plan to sell its consumer brands came as a surprise. But there is logic to the dairy giant focusing on selling to the food industry rather than directly to consumers.
Even New Caledonia’s independence leaders have been unable to stop this latest spontaneous eruption of popular rage. France will have to compromise if there is to be a lasting solution.
Influenza accounts for more than half of all potentially vaccine-preventable hospitalisations of children under 14. But those living in poverty are three times more likely to require hospital care.
New Zealand is far from a tyranny. But there are signs its democratic institutions are not as robust as they might be – with the proposed ‘fast-track’ legislation bringing concerns to a head.
Many people may assume New Zealand’s native birds arrived via Australia. But our new research on the Auckland Island merganser shows they originated from much further away.
The majority of 25 surveyed developments around New Zealand lacked healthy, ecologically meaningful vegetation. Applying biodiversity targets for medium-density housing could turn this around.
New research highlights common threads in cancer survivors’ stories, including the effort it takes to navigate the health system, even for a diagnosis, and the struggle to fund unsubsidised treatments.
New research has mapped public submissions to the National Adaptation Plan. With a cross-party inquiry getting under way, four imagined futures are emerging that present a way forward.
Modern interpretations of Te Tiriti o Waitangi cause sometimes bitter political debate. But new research shows New Zealanders – especially younger ones – see the Treaty largely as a positive symbol.
New mothers can experience anxiety and depression. But rushed appointments and impersonal checklists leave many fearful of being judged inadequate or unfit if they admit to struggling.
Jodi Gardner, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau
Thousands of New Zealanders live with so-called ‘fuel poverty’ because they can’t afford their electricity bill. A government ‘social tariff’ would be one way to keep homes warm.
The protracted deliberations over joining AUKUS pillar two suggest New Zealand is hoping questions of security, trade and domestic opinion will be solved in time. That’s unlikely.
Tom Baker, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau; Cristina Temenos, University of Manchester, and Kevin Ward, University of Manchester
City deals are being touted as the answer to NZ’s local infrastructure problems. Lessons from the UK and Australia suggest greater transparency and more coherent planning should be on the table too.
AI chatbots offer unconditional support, but this could lead users to develop an inflated self image – and impede their chances of positive social interactions with real people.
Jane Kelsey, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau
If a future government wanted to block fast-tracked projects, it could trigger investor-state dispute settlement clauses built into existing trade agreements, with billions potentially at stake.
Adjunct Professor, Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences, Auckland University of Technology, and Professor of Political Science, Charles Sturt University