Nov 19, 2020 | Politics & Society, Referee
By Ling Yee Wong Improving access to civil justice The Rules Committee of the New Zealand Judiciary recently sought feedback from the legal profession and wider community on proposals to change some procedural rules for civil court cases. These proposals include...
Nov 18, 2020 | Politics & Society
On September 27, 2020, fighting along the so-called line of control between Azerbaijan and the region of Nagorno-Karabakh broke out. Azerbaijani forces advanced throughout the month, and Armenian resistance struggled to hold territory. On November 10, the two sides...
Nov 17, 2020 | Politics & Society
Last week’s US presidential election once again revealed fractures in the democratic principles of the Electoral College. President-elect Joe Biden has consistently led in the counting of the popular vote in this election and has over five million more votes than...
Nov 17, 2020 | Politics & Society
By Stephen Hoadley Will President Joe Biden do things differently in the Indo-Pacific region from the policies of President Donald Trump? The simple answer is: not much in substance, but more in style. This should be reassuring. Let me illustrate with some historical...
Nov 16, 2020 | Science & Technology
By Mark Thomas “High levels of vaccination may be expected to provide our communities with the best possible protection against COVID-19.” Preventing catastrophic community transmission of SARS-CoV-2 is the goal of many nations. Those, such as New Zealand,...
Nov 16, 2020 | Science & Technology
Recent news from pharmaceutical powerhouse Pfizer that a promising vaccine for the COVID-19 virus may soon be made available worldwide, including in New Zealand, has provided optimism in a time of significant anxiety, as infection rates soar internationally. We spoke...
Nov 12, 2020 | Politics & Society
By Joseph Boden “We will begin to make real progress when we realise that the War on Drugs has been a complete failure and damaging to our society, and that significant changes in our attitudes and laws are needed to begin to deal with drugs as a health issue,...
Nov 12, 2020 | Politics & Society
By Richard Messick President-elect Biden has rightly made bringing Americans together his highest priority. His greatest challenge will be whether he can lead the nation into a reckoning with the Trump years without further inflaming passions. President Trump and...
Nov 12, 2020 | Arts & Culture, Politics & Society
By Peter Ellerton Why do humans instinctively reject evidence contrary to their beliefs? Do we understand why and how people change their mind about climate change? Is there anything we can do to engage people? These are three very significant questions. They could be...
Nov 11, 2020 | Politics & Society
By Ian Hughes “The last four years provide a roadmap that shows how the personal and the political can combine to disastrous effect.” Politicians who live in an angry narcissistic fog pose a clear threat to democracy and peace, and Donald Trump is a...