New Zealand has exited the Beyond Oil and Gas Alliance (BOGA), repealed its offshore exploration ban, and exposed itself to legal, financial, and environmental risks. This blog unpacks the motivations behind the move, the international backlash, and the long-term consequences for our climate reputation and economy.

In a street theatre of hate and hypocrisy, Brian Tamaki’s firebrand fundamentalism met David Seymour’s cold, spreadsheet morality. Both claim to fight for freedom, but their visions exclude the vulnerable, marginalised and different. This satirical essay, featuring a divine letter from God Himself, examines how these two men, far from being opponents, are co-authors in a national narrative of division.

A 29-year-old electrician, once the go-to guy in his firm, is suddenly made redundant. His story isn’t unique, it’s the silent toll being paid by SME owners and workers across Aotearoa every day. This heartfelt article explores the emotional cost of tough business decisions and calls for a more human approach to SME support in New Zealand.

In a major policy reversal, the New Zealand Government has embraced ecological stewardship and indigenous co-governance with the passing of the Kaitiaki First Fisheries Reform Act. With annual data-driven catch limits, protected rāhui zones, and cameras on boats reframed as tools of accountability, the reform puts marine health and intergenerational responsibility at the forefront of fisheries management. It's a bold new era where science and mātauranga Māori work together to restore the balance of Tangaroa’s domain.

In a move equal parts baffling and bold, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has declared ecological science largely unnecessary when managing Aotearoa’s marine environment. As he loosens protections on marine reserves and dismisses expert advice, critics warn that our ocean's health — and our future — is being sacrificed at the altar of ideology. This satirical article dives deep into the absurdity.

In a silent reversal, the New Zealand Government has shelved the Bilingual Road Sign Programme, despite prior investment and public support. Framed as a cost-saving move, the decision sends a louder message: te reo Māori belongs in the background. This article explores the political dodge, public reaction, and cultural cost of choosing silence over inclusion.

In a bold and inclusive move, the New Zealand Government surprised many in 2025 by fully committing to the rollout of bilingual road signs. Rather than retreating in the face of criticism, Ministers leaned into the initiative — transforming te reo Māori visibility on roads from symbolism into everyday normality. With widespread support and a boost to cultural pride, the initiative showed that when we embrace our shared story, we move forward - together.

The Government’s decision to slash $80 million from EECA risks driving up power bills, worsening emissions, and leaving Kiwi homes and businesses out in the cold. But what if they had done the opposite? This article explores the opportunity lost—and the smarter path we could still pursue to make New Zealand a global leader in clean energy and energy efficiency.

Imagine if Oranga Tamariki didn’t slash services, but strengthened them. Imagine a year where kindness was policy, not a punchline. In 2024, that’s exactly what happened. Hui replaced hubris, partnerships replaced cuts, and real change happened where it matters most — in the lives of our tamariki.
Yes, it’s fiction. But it didn’t have to be.
A hopeful satire for anyone who still believes governance can be guided by humanity.

Oranga Tamariki's recent cuts to community care contracts have left vulnerable children exposed and frontline providers reeling. The Auditor-General calls it an “unacceptable situation.” We call it what it is: a system in collapse, wrapped in spin. Read the full breakdown and hear directly from those affected — including a brave 17-year-old who now sleeps rough.
This isn't fiscal discipline. It's social harm dressed as reform.

On 1 July, New Zealand’s ECE sector enters a new era – not of progress, but of precarity. Associate Minister David Seymour’s latest policy move removes baseline pay protections for new teachers under the pay parity scheme, allowing centres to offer wages at their discretion.

This darkly satirical article dissects the policy’s implications for educators, children, and parents alike – with commentary, fictional press releases, and voices from the frontline.

What if the Government didn’t just retain pay parity in early childhood education – but made it permanent, funded, and meaningful?

This alternate reality article imagines just that: a sweeping reform package that invests in teachers, restores sector dignity, and gives hope to tamariki, parents, and educators.

With fictional press releases and emotional letters from a CEO and a teacher, this piece offers more than satire – it offers a future worth fighting for.

Many New Zealand SME owners want to pay their staff fairly, but the Living Wage debate often overlooks the practical challenges they face.

In this thought-provoking article, we join a conversation between two experienced business minds as they unpack tight margins, ethical pressures, and real strategies for sustainable change.

With examples from the UK, Canada, and the US, this piece offers not just values, but a viable path forward for Kiwi businesses ready to start small and think smart.

What would it look like if New Zealand designed its Budget around real people, not just projections? This compelling alternate-reality article imagines a system where youth voices shape policy, health is redefined through hauora, and education and climate action reflect community needs. It's satire with soul—and a blueprint for better.

In a room full of spreadsheets and spin, a young man’s story about his mum laid bare the human cost of a Budget designed without empathy. This satirical article dives into the absurdity of measuring “outputs” while families struggle to afford the basics. Featuring fictional ministries, real pain, and a rallying cry for compassion in public policy.

A Story of Healing, Memory, and Quiet Regeneration

In a small East Cape town, 24-year-old Ariana Te Rangi is quietly reawakening rongoā Māori - traditional Māori healing rooted in whenua, wairua, and whakapapa. What started as a personal path through grief is now shaping future community wellbeing initiatives.

Her story is not about rejecting modernity, but about remembering the wisdom that never left.

What if not everything we don’t yet understand is wrong?

Climate science may never reach 100% certainty, but that’s not a reason to wait. From the fossil-fuel-funded denial machine to the economic inevitability of renewables, this article explores why the logic of risk demands action now. Clean energy is already cheaper. Delay only benefits those with something to lose. Uncertainty isn't a shield. It’s a signal.

We don’t demand perfect certainty before acting in other areas of risk, why should climate change be any different?

 I'm at odds with one of my brothers about climate change. If I’m wrong, we get a cleaner, healthier planet. If denial is wrong, we risk everything.

 This isn't about ideology - it’s about odds, logic, and responsibility.

After years of shameful statistics and systemic inaction, New Zealand has launched Te Mana Tamariki—a transformative, tamariki-led national strategy to eliminate bullying in schools by 2030. Backed by $500 million in funding, the plan includes full-time wellbeing coordinators in every school, mandatory incident tracking, and restorative student leadership. The results are already showing: reduced violence, higher attendance, improved academic outcomes. This is what happens when a government truly puts children first.

New Zealand now leads the OECD in school bullying rates, a sobering statistic that reflects deep systemic failure. Despite years of reviews, working groups, and well-meaning slogans, the situation has only worsened. In this biting satirical piece, we expose the real cost of inaction: traumatised children, overwhelmed teachers, and a government more interested in optics than outcomes. From the Far North to Dunedin, the voices of those living with the consequences are clear—New Zealand’s bullying crisis is no longer just a schoolyard issue. It’s a national emergency.

Since the 1980s, New Zealand has followed a neoliberal economic path marked by privatisation, deregulation and the erosion of public services. While some gained, many were left behind. This article explores the lived realities of those impacted, from freezing workers to young Māori parents, from migrant nurses to children raised in cold rentals. Backed by compelling data and international comparisons, it lays bare the social cost—and makes the case for an Aotearoa built on fairness, care, and collective wellbeing.