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.
Changing work habits and shifting environmental priorities demand new models of urban redevelopment. Architectural ‘exaptation’ uses the past to reimagine the future.
Shaun Eaves, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington; Jamey Stutz, The Ohio State University; Kevin Norton, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington, and Pedro Doll, University of Canterbury
When landslides or glaciers bring rocks to the surface, cosmic rays bombard them, smashing common atoms into rarer forms and acting as a chronometer of the changing Earth.
Poor personal and party polling early in the government’s term puts the spotlight on Christopher Luxon’s leadership. He has the power bases, but can he mobilise them effectively – and in time?
Smartphones are undoubtedly a distraction to learning. We should keep an open mind about the school ban and give teachers and students time to see what works.
Wasay Majid, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau
Many people who rent or have a mortgage rely on the accommodation supplement to afford their homes. So how could the government make the scheme fairer and more effective than it is now?
We now know official New Zealand meetings to discuss ‘AUKUS Tier 2’ took place much earlier than previously disclosed – raising questions about the security pact’s underlying purpose.
New Zealand’s history of inflation, recessions and unemployment offer clues to what might happen next. Coupled with global events, the outlook is not promising.
The rights-of-nature movement emerged as a response to economic pressures on ecosystems. But the success of projects depends on how well legal liability is defined.
Vernon Rive, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau
The recent climate case win in the European Court of Human Rights by a group of older Swiss women has real implications for a number of current cases before New Zealand courts.
The roots of today’s Israel-Palestine crisis can be traced back to colonial power dealings during World War I – of which the Gallipoli campaign and Anzac legend are an integral part.
Some 7,000 years ago, West Antarctica’s ice sheet retreated, most likely driven by warmer ocean currents slipping under the ice. This could happen again – unless we cut emissions fast.
Pollution on land inevitably ends up in the sea. Policy makers must stop working in silos and instead consider the indirect consequences human impacts on land have for marine environments.
The Rotorua woman wrongly identified by a supermarket facial recognition system says ethnicity was a ‘huge factor’. Her case shows why human-centered design is needed to avoid misuse, bias and harm.
Adjunct Professor, Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences, Auckland University of Technology, and Professor of Political Science, Charles Sturt University
Faculty Member, Asian Studies Program, Georgetown University; Visiting Fellow, Department of Pacific Affairs, Australian National University., Georgetown University