The Big Q
Questions - Ideas - Scholarship - DebatesProject for Public Interest Media
Politics & Society
The ethics of assisted dying: What could a law change mean for New Zealanders?
A new bill intends for terminally ill New Zealanders who have less than six months left of life, the option of requesting and receiving an assisted death from a qualified medical practitioner if they fulfil certain eligibility criteria.
Is corruption to blame for the Amazon forest fires?
Amazonia Is Burning and corruption Is one of the reasons says Rodrigo Telles de Souza.
What would a merger between TVNZ and RNZ mean for New Zealand’s media landscape? 🔊
The New Zealand Government is considering significant changes to the configuration of public service media in New Zealand. Although there have been no announcements as to what these changes might be, one option is that TVNZ and RNZ might be disestablished in favour of an entirely new public service media entity.
Q+A: Could working with gangs help reduce crime?
New Zealand National party leader Simon Bridges wants to stop gang members from gaining access to welfare if they cannot prove their income is from legitimate sources. This comes at a time when some gangs are wanting changes in their community.
How bad is food poverty in New Zealand? 🔊
A new report has been released by the Child Poverty Action Group detailing food poverty and how it affects children in New Zealand.
Are armed police patrols the solution to gun violence? 🔊
The debate around the trial of armed police patrols in New Zealand continues since it was announced three weeks ago. The patrols will be rolled out in Manukau, Waikato, and Canterbury and involve heavily armed, specially trained, units roaming the streets in vehicles.
Science & Technology
The ethics of assisted dying: What could a law change mean for New Zealanders?
A new bill intends for terminally ill New Zealanders who have less than six months left of life, the option of requesting and receiving an assisted death from a qualified medical practitioner if they fulfil certain eligibility criteria.
Q+A: What are the best ways to mitigate climate change?
As California burns, oceans rise, storms intensify, and Greenland’s glaciers melt, the world continues to try to identify solutions to the ongoing climate crisis.
What are the public health and environmental impacts of wildfires?
Deadly fires across California over the past several years have shown how wildfire has become a serious public health and safety issue.
Is there freshwater under our oceans? 🔊
A group of researchers has found that there are definite and viable sources of freshwater under our oceans. Adrian Werner of Flinders University has been leading a team studying groundwater and offshore aquifers and their findings suggest there is freshwater.
How bad is food poverty in New Zealand? 🔊
A new report has been released by the Child Poverty Action Group detailing food poverty and how it affects children in New Zealand.
Can New Zealand transition to a plant-based future?
Grant Galbreath looks at whether New Zealand can transition to a plant-based future?
Business & Economics
What would a merger between TVNZ and RNZ mean for New Zealand’s media landscape? 🔊
The New Zealand Government is considering significant changes to the configuration of public service media in New Zealand. Although there have been no announcements as to what these changes might be, one option is that TVNZ and RNZ might be disestablished in favour of an entirely new public service media entity.
Are trackless trams the answer to our rail problems?
Trackless trams v light rail? It’s not a contest as both can improve our cities says Peter Newman.
Q+A: What are the best ways to mitigate climate change?
As California burns, oceans rise, storms intensify, and Greenland’s glaciers melt, the world continues to try to identify solutions to the ongoing climate crisis.
Can New Zealand transition to a plant-based future?
Grant Galbreath looks at whether New Zealand can transition to a plant-based future?
Turning off the lights: Is the government to blame if Mediaworks’ TV3 shuts down?
Is the government to blame if Mediaworks’ TV3 shuts down? Peter Thompson looks into the crisis at the struggling network.
The future of work in Aotearoa New Zealand: What future for the young? ▶
As new technologies such as robotics and Artificial intelligence continue to grow in influence the very nature of what work means and how it is organised in the future will be radically reconfigured. In this panel discussion, four experts discuss what these changes might mean for the young.
Arts & Culture
What would a merger between TVNZ and RNZ mean for New Zealand’s media landscape? 🔊
The New Zealand Government is considering significant changes to the configuration of public service media in New Zealand. Although there have been no announcements as to what these changes might be, one option is that TVNZ and RNZ might be disestablished in favour of an entirely new public service media entity.
Q+A: Scars of the past: What is historical memory and how does it change?
How important is historical memory in politics? What can we learn about how our memories of the past are manipulated to change current and future politics? What can we learn from memory entrepreneurs in places like the former Yugoslavia? How did they try to change understandings about the past to influence the future?
Turning off the lights: Is the government to blame if Mediaworks’ TV3 shuts down?
Is the government to blame if Mediaworks’ TV3 shuts down? Peter Thompson looks into the crisis at the struggling network.
Why do we need journalism?
Journalism is facing a profound financial crisis. Around the world, news outlets are closing, and journalists are losing their jobs. Should we be worried?
What impact will Twitter’s political ad ban have on democracy? 🔊
Last week, Twitter announced it would ban all political advertising from the 22nd of November. Founder Jack Dorsey says that political reach should be earned not bought.
History Masterclass: Does Australia have a history of populism? 🔊
In this episode of history masterclass, Malcolm Campbell looks at the history of populism in Australia and poses the question of whether Australia has a history of populism.