New Zealand and Australia have no prisoner transfer agreement. By negotiating one, we could deport the Christchurch terrorist and help resolve the trans-Tasman prisoner problem in the process.
Dougal Sutherland, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington
During uncertain times, feelings of anxiety and even anger are normal responses. If left unchecked, these emotions can affect how we behave, but acknowledging them can ease their intensity.
Worried about being accused of virtue signalling or getting funny looks for wearing a mask? Here’s how to test your ethics and come to the right decision.
Jennifer Curtin, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau and Lara Greaves, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau
Politicians argue conventional campaigning is still important ahead of NZ’s rescheduled 17 October election. But voter behaviour has moved on since the days of door-knocking and kissing babies.
David Welch, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau
Genomic sequencing of positive COVID-19 samples could help New Zealand pinpoint the source of its new community outbreak. But it only works if all samples are sequenced – and right now, they’re not.
We believe New Zealand can eliminate COVID-19 again. But it could do more to speed up that process with mandatory masks and tighter controls on high-risk venues, including bars, gyms and churches.
Michael Plank, University of Canterbury; Alex James, University of Canterbury, and Shaun Hendy, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau
New Zealand has confirmed a new community outbreak of COVID-19 and the country returns to pandemic restrictions, with Auckland under alert level 3 conditions.
Michael Plank, University of Canterbury; Alex James, University of Canterbury; Audrey Lustig, Manaaki Whenua - Landcare Research; Nicholas Steyn, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau; Rachelle Binny, Manaaki Whenua - Landcare Research, and Shaun Hendy, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau
Border restrictions and quarantine have kept COVID-19 out of New Zealand, but new modelling shows contact tracing and quick isolation would control an outbreak, without the need for another lockdown.
New Zealand is one of a small number of countries that have managed to eliminate community transmission of COVID-19. It’s now reached a 100-day milestone with no new cases in the community.
Western science often focuses on specific parts of complex ecosystems, but Indigenous knowledge systems consider all parts as interconnected and inseparable. This achieves better conservation results.
Siouxsie Wiles, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau
Putting all of Victoria under stage 4 restrictions would give the state its best chance of stopping community transmission, rather than setting it up to play an endless game of COVID-19 whack-a-mole.
Lauren Vargo, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington
For the first time, scientists have been able to quantify how much climate change contributed to glacial melt, using more than 40 years of data from New Zealand’s retreating glaciers.
Adjunct Professor, Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences, Auckland University of Technology, and Professor of Political Science, Charles Sturt University