Incremental and pragmatic, New Zealand’s fifth Wellbeing Budget tries to balance cost-of-living support with huge long-term investment challenges – all without frightening the inflation horses.
Belief in climate change seems to be linked to willingness to cooperate for the common good. This suggests there may be ways to bridge ideological divides to combat complex problems.
After a successful trial, an on-demand public transport service in Auckland has been optimised to increase patronage – without the cost of buying new vehicles.
Kate C. Prickett, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington
Making further dents in child poverty will mean implementing bold support for those families being left behind. This week’s budget already feels like a lost opportunity.
Thursday’s ‘orthodox no-frills budget’ sounds like Labour is switching from Ecostore to Kmart: never mind your wellbeing, this is about Labour’s political survival.
The 2023 budget is unlikely to do the one thing our health system needs: provide the funding for a new medical school to meet our growing need for locally trained doctors.
The introduction of ‘care apps’ has been sold as improving efficiency and even pay rates for homecare providers. But a new study suggests it may only be exacerbating existing problems in the industry.
While there is more than a decade of research into the negative effects of social media, a new study shows how women are taking control of their own online spaces to create more positive experiences.
The story some histories tell about the 1840 agreement between Māori and the British Crown may be popular and even comforting. But they are also incomplete – and even unhelpful.
Has greater awareness of mental health issues also caused more people to interpret milder forms of distress as something worse? Better understanding of mental health disorder in general might help.
Amanda Thomas, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington; Gradon Diprose, Manaaki Whenua - Landcare Research, and Sophie Bond, University of Otago
Over a decade of protest led to the banning of fuel exploration in New Zealand waters. As this extract from a new book explains, that ‘win’ is still precarious and may depend on the election result.
Craig Stevens, National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research
The world’s oceans regulate our climate, but they are entering uncharted territory, with record surface warming and changes to Antarctica’s deep meltwater which drives global currents.
AI algorithms reinforce existing biases. Before they are introduced as routine tools in clinical care, we must establish ethical guidelines to reduce the risk of harm.
Tobacco companies claim denicotinisation and lower availability of tobacco could lead to illicit trade, but several studies show problems with the way the industry uses data to support such claims.
The 2022 parliament protests were unprecedented, but something similar could still happen again. What lessons can be drawn from the recent report into police handling of the event?
Far from expanding its jurisdiction or having a veto over parliament, the powers of New Zealand’s Waitangi Tribunal have been steadily reduced in recent decades.
Adjunct Professor, Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences, Auckland University of Technology, and Professor of Political Science, Charles Sturt University