COVID was a ‘gendered pandemic’, with women carrying very different burdens to men. A three-year New Zealand research project aimed to overcome the urge to forget, and provide lessons for the future.
AI will not become sentient and decide to kill us all. But our own conscious or unconscious beliefs about AI can potentially increase the likelihood of any outcome, including catastrophic ones.
Rowan Light, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau
A national day for commemoration of the New Zealand Wars has struggled for attention and public engagement. So did Anzac Day once, and its survival can provide useful lessons.
The author of a major new essay collection reflects on the shifting cultural and political realities in the Pacific, and why it remains an ‘unequal ocean’.
New research shows being a woman or part of a minority as a journalist can increase the likelihood of being targeted with online abuse. The waves of abuse can influence who and what gets covered.
New Zealand was mostly stable in key international rankings and domestic socio-economic measures. But there are signs of slippage in some areas and not enough progress in others.
Older workers can struggle as much with work-life balance as their younger counterparts. But employers need to avoid treating them as a single group – their needs are surprisingly diverse.
Jane Kelsey, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau
The ACT Party’s Regulatory Standards Bill will likely meet the same opposition it has in the past. And it will be a test of the new government’s commitment to genuine regulatory standards.
Nickola Overall, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau
A study has found parents with high levels of ‘hostile sexism’ showed less warmth and were less engaged with their child, were less sensitive to their child’s needs, and were more controlling.
Who does what chore can be a major source of tension in many households. Our survey of same-sex couples and their routines revealed four key strategies that can help lighten the load for everyone.
Pine grows faster and sequesters more carbon. But native forest is better for biodiversity in the long run. Transitioning between the two offers a win-win solution.
Paula Lorgelly, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau
The government says funding for COVID vaccines and antivirals are up for consideration next year. With so much unknown about the long-term impact of COVID, will cost become a barrier to access?
The new government needs to tread carefully as it looks to reintroduce standardised testing. A one size fits all approach to testing students can have negative consequences for everyone involved.
Airlines and airports face increased scrutiny – and possibly legal action – over the contradictions between their sustainability claims and the reality of their high-emissions businesses.
Barbara Allen, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington; Karl Lofgren, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington, and Michael Macaulay, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington
History suggests the new NZ government’s pledge to cut budgets and jobs in the public sector will cost more in the long run – and damage morale in the process.
Alison Pavlovich, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington
Labour’s 2021 property tax changes were meant to lower the cost of housing. But without a proper capital gains tax it only hurt investors and renters, and made the tax system overall less coherent.
New Zealand’s new government has vowed to explore ‘blue carbon’ options for removing atmospheric CO₂ to meet net zero goals. But first we need a national strategy for this developing field of science.
Why do gay men generally earn less than heterosexual men, and lesbian women more than heterosexual women? New research aims to find out why, and how LGBTQ+ inclusivity can be improved.
Adjunct Professor, Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences, Auckland University of Technology, and Professor of Political Science, Charles Sturt University