Category: Opinion

Jun 05
Corporate Pride: Where Have All the Rainbows Gone?

Jessie Lewthwaite reflects on her first corporate Pride and questions why major brands are scaling back in 2025. Is this the end of rainbow capitalism or a wake-up call for authentic allyship? When I was a fresh-faced queer in Melbourne, I attended my first corporate-sponsored Pride event. I won’t name the brand—legal dramas aren’t something […]

May 30
YouTube Content Leads to Further Action Against Former TVNZ Host

New Zealand’s Health Tribunal has fined former doctor Samantha Bailey over YouTube videos disputing the existence and transmission of HIV, citing public health risks and misinformation. A former New Zealand doctor and television presenter, Dr Samantha Bailey, has come under renewed scrutiny for online content that disputes established medical science on HIV. As reported in […]

May 28
Opinion: Family First’s 2025 Forum Reignites Debate Over Anti-LGBTQI+ Speakers

Craig Young shares his views on public concern over the Family First event featuring controversial activists. Family First has re-emerged with its annual Forum on the Family, a platform traditionally used to connect overseas and New Zealand-based Christian Right activists. This year’s event again includes speakers with a history of promoting anti-LGBTQI+, anti-abortion, and socially […]

May 22
Global Attacks on Trans Rights: A Wake-Up Call for Aotearoa

As trans communities in the US and UK face a surge in anti-rights legislation, Jennifer Shields urges Aotearoa to take heed—these global trends carry urgent warnings for our future.  A lot has unfolded internationally over the past year—especially since the beginning of 2025—that directly impacts trans communities. The pace of change can be overwhelming, but […]

May 22
The Reason Lesbians Were Put First 

Jessie Lewthwaite notes how far our communities have come by standing together, united as one.  When I was living in rural Australia, there wasn’t a whole lot to do, so my girlfriend and I found ourselves wandering the local Kmart on a Friday night. Browsing without purpose, I suddenly heard the sound every teacher dreads […]

May 14
Defining A Woman: Transsexual Isn’t a Dirty Word – It Might Save Us

Jacquie Grant ONZM revisits 1974 and NZ’s progressive legacy for trans rights as Aotearoa’s legal precedent faces political challenge from Winston Peters. Could such a thing happen in Aotearoa? It already has in the United Kingdom—trans women are no longer classified as female under the law. Authorities maintain that protections against discrimination remain, but to […]

May 10
Opinion: Wiri Exit Signals Trouble for Destiny Church

Destiny Church is leaving its South Auckland base in Wiri amid branch closures, declining attendance, and financial strain. Craig Young explores whether the church’s radicalism has backfired. According to recent reports from 1 News and the New Zealand Herald, Destiny Church is set to vacate its expansive South Auckland base in Wiri, heading “elsewhere.” To […]

May 08
Opinion: Could This Be a One-Term Government?

Is New Zealand’s coalition heading toward a one-term collapse? With National’s faltering leadership, ACT’s unpopular populism, and NZ First’s shifting base, Craig Young believes the 2026 election could bring major change. Two years ago, I speculated on whether the current coalition government might be headed for a single term. Now, midway through its tenure, it’s […]