New Zealand Listener

NEW ZEALAND LISTENER Te Kaiwhakarongo Aotearoa Editor Kirsty Cameron Chief Subeditor Geoff Cumming Managing Editor Ruth Brown Art Director Derek Ward Books Editor Mark Broatch Entertainment & Arts Editor Russell Baillie Digital Editor Dionne Christian Content Producer Sam Clark Subeditors Richard Betts, Patrice Gaffaney, Bevan Rapson Assistant Art Director Shane Kelly Senior Designer Richard Kingsford Editorial contact listener@aremedia.co.nz Contributors this issue: David Barber, Richard Betts, Jennifer Bowden, Steve Braunias, Roger Brooking, Russell Brown, Sarah Catherall, Jane Clifton, Hamish Coney, Michael Cooper, Anthony Ellison, Peter Griffin, Charlotte Grimshaw, Linda Herrick, Michele Hewitson, Stephanie Johnson, Jonathan Kronstadt, Danyl McLauchlan, Nicky Pellegrino, Max Rashbrooke, Graham Reid, Alex Scott, Craig Sisterson, Chris Slane, Rebecca Styles, Andy Tristram, Sarah Watt, Marc Wilson Chief Executive Officer Jane Huxley General Manager Stuart Dick Editorial Director Sarah Henry…

Green MP Tamatha Paul has been criticised over comments she made about prison food, the presence of police officers on the streets and why people are in prison. As a criminologist, I am more concerned about the latter. Here’s what she said in a TikTok video on March 6: “The vast majority of people who are in prisons are there for non-violent offences – things that they have had to do as a response to poverty, such as stealing food or being dishonest, or they don’t have an address to get community sentencing or bail …” She added: “Most of the people that are in prison are there because they suffer from traumatic brain injuries, disabilities, foetal alcohol spectrum disorder, undiagnosed autism, undiagnosed ADHD. They’re being punished for being disabled,…

I’m writing on behalf of Long Covid Support Aotearoa in response to your article featuring neurologist Suzanne O’Sullivan’s views on long Covid (“Chasing a label”, March 29). We are deeply concerned by the platforming of her personal opinion on a condition she has no clinical or research background in, especially when it questions the legitimacy of long Covid. The article presents her speculation as credible commentary – without input from experts in long Covid or those living with it – and that’s a serious disservice to the thousands of people across Aotearoa who are already fighting to be heard and taken seriously. Long Covid is not a theoretical debate. It is a debilitating condition recognised by the World Health Organisation and backed by an increasing body of research showing immune…

For our new Limerick Competition, we asked you to write a limerick on April Fool’s Day. FINALISTS: Growth targets of unspecified size Means our economy is now on the rise, More business in town, Unemployment comes down, An April Fool’s curtain covers our eyes. ‒ Paul Kelly, Palmerston North Sent for a Mars bar on April One Elon fell prey to a prankster’s fun, Coming back in his rocket Had meltdown in his pocket From flying too close to the sun. ‒ Susan Hall, Ōamaru On the first day of April this year a new Deputy PM will appear, taking over the yoke from that anti-woke bloke – an April Fool’s joke we should all fear. ‒ Max Reid, Dunedin I’m an expert at April Fool pranks. Not one of…

“The new ferries would be neither cheap Toyotas nor fancy Ferraris, but a Porsche that can do the job.” “Political confrontation and polarisation is destructive of the cohesive nature of New Zealand society.”  “They’re burning Teslas and shooting up dealerships and calling for the death of the president and me. I’m like, guys, you know this is insane. That’s somebody else’s car. Leave it alone.”  “Who cares what he won’t rule out? I won’t rule out lying down on the Krispy Kreme conveyor belt and letting the glaze just take me, but that doesn’t mean it’s going to happen.”  “I’m not a celebrity. Being a celebrity is actually a serious job. I don’t have a publicist. I don’t do any of those things that you need to be a celebrity.…

1. Kiwi teen Sam Ruthe is making headlines in which sport? ❑ Swimming ❑ Middle-distance running ❑ Rugby ❑ Golf 2. Which fashion brand’s logo features a crocodile? ❑ Lacoste ❑ Burberry ❑ Adidas ❑ Ralph Lauren 3. Who sings the song What Was I Made For? ❑ Lana Del Rey ❑ Billie Eilish ❑ Lorde ❑ Olivia Rodrigo 4. The mnemonic “Oh Be A Fine Guy, Kiss Me” is a way of remembering what? ❑ Chemical elements ❑ Musical notation ❑ Stellar classification ❑ Biological taxonomy 5. The city of Trujillo lies in which South American country? ❑ Chile ❑ Peru ❑ Argentina ❑ Bolivia 6. With what would you associate Alcock and Brown? ❑ Music ❑ TV sitcoms ❑ Footwear ❑ Aviation 7. What might typically be classed…