Category: New Zealand

Mar 19
Positivity & Pride: Two Fat ‘Fine’s Mission to Celebrate “Fat, Queer, Moana Voices” 

With their Two Fat ‘Fine podcast, Alex and MahMah present bold body positivity, staunch self-love, and Pasifika pride. They talk to Oliver Hall about leaving the safety of the studio and stepping up on stage at The Court’s Rainbow Theatre Weekend.  For Alex and MahMah, the vibrant hosts of Two Fat ‘Fine, the journey from […]

Mar 17
‘Egregious Breach of Trust’ Destiny Church Volunteer Jailed for Abusing Six Boys

Warning: This article contains details of sexual abuse. Destiny Church, a group notorious for protesting Pride events and LGBTQ+ rights under the guise of ‘protecting children’, has distanced itself from a convicted child predator who was heavily involved in youth mentoring within its circles. Kiwa Hami Tamati Edward Hamiora-Te Hira, 29, has been sentenced to […]

Mar 12
From Drag to Drama: Unpacking The Court Theatre’s Rainbow Theatre Weekend Lineup

With four days of queer stage shows, big international names, local heroes, and tickets from just $5 – The Court Theatre’s Rainbow Theatre Weekend is giving drama, mama! Ōtautahi Christchurch is set to come alive with colour and celebration as The Court Theatre proudly presents its second annual Rainbow Theatre Weekend. Running from Thursday 20 […]

Mar 12
Four Arrested Over Destiny Church-Linked Pride Protest

Four individuals have been arrested and charged with assault-related offences following an investigation into a protest linked to Destiny Church. The arrests stem from an incident on 15 February at the Te Atatū Community Centre, where complaints were made about the behaviour of protesters. Superintendent Naila Hassan confirmed that police carried out operations in South […]

Mar 11
Winston Peters Moves to Scrap Public Service Diversity Mandates

New Zealand First, a coalition partner in the government, is seeking to roll back diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies in the public sector—policies the party previously helped introduce five years ago. On Friday, party leader Winston Peters announced a member’s bill aiming to strip DEI mandates from the Public Service Act 2020. The bill, […]

Mar 08
Wellington Pride Parade Overcomes Protest, Celebrates Diversity

Dozens of protesters from Brian Tamaki’s Man Up group briefly disrupted the Wellington Pride Parade, performing a haka at the event’s start. The demonstration, involving 30 to 40 members, was met with chants from the crowd and a swift police response, ensuring the parade continued without further interference. Mayor Tory Whanau, present at the event […]

Mar 07
Police Cease Referrals to Destiny Church Programmes Following Pride Protests

Police have ceased referring offenders to Destiny Church’s Man Up and Legacy programmes after a review was conducted in response to their involvement in disruptive protests at Pride events in February. On Thursday, it was revealed that 20 offenders had been referred to Man Up in the past year, sparking concerns from Labour MP Phil […]

Mar 07
From the Sea to the Stove: Sam Crowe’s Unlikely Path

When Sam Crowe moved to Christchurch from the UK in 2010, his focus wasn’t on food—it was on marine biology. But life, and a global pandemic, had other plans. Now, as Senior Chef at Earl, one of Christchurch’s most acclaimed restaurants, Oliver Hall discovers that Crowe is an exciting example of how career pivots, perseverance, […]