I have a simple rule of thumb when it comes to news reports. The real story is always in the penultimate paragraph. Let's look at this inflammatory headline: Woman’s 'spree' after $158k banking error, refuses to return pensioner’s life savings An Auckland beneficiary is under investigation for an alleged “spending spree” after $158,000 was mistakenly transferred to her account. […] pensioner lo…
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This is a sequel to Shouting Zeros and Ones - Digital Technology, Ethics and Policy in New Zealand and follows a familiar pattern. It's a series of essays looking at digital issues from a uniquely NZ perspective. There is a fair bit of Te reo Māori (Māori language) in the book. It's great that the language is enjoying a resurgence. Most concepts are explained in context - although you may need t…
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I couldn't find this movie on any streaming service - but I took a flight to New Zealand an it was on the in-flight entertainment. Not the cheapest way to watch a film! Whina tells the true story of Josephina Cooper, a Maori woman fighting for her rights, and the rights of her people. The film doesn't sugar-coat the story. Whina was headstrong and, it would appear, sometimes a bit difficult…
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Nat Spiller, an admired climate change activist, has accidentally drowned. That’s the police verdict. But was it an accident? His partner Ellie thinks otherwise. Pam, Ellie’s aunt, draws a reluctant Lauren Fraser into the mystery. It's a bit weird to describe a murder mystery as "cosy" - but that's the vibe of this book. It's a sequel to The One That Got Away and follows a similar template. Th…
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In 1961, a boy from Somerset embarked with his family on a six-week voyage to New Zealand. He left behind an English village where generations of his family had lived, to make a new home in a remote country that was still closely tied to the one he'd left. Despite challenges adapting as new immigrants, these were good times to be growing up in rural New Zealand. But the country was about to…
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‘Understanding how the zeros and ones increasingly influence and control our lives is critical to understanding how we can reciprocate influence and control back onto those zeros and ones.’ This vital book is a call to action: to reduce online harm, to protect the integrity of our digital lives and to uphold democratic participation and inclusion. A diverse group of contributors reveal the hid…
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Lauren Fraser is easing into a comfortable retirement when her historian friend Ro reveals a shocking secret. Ro’s research has uncovered the attempted poisoning of a New Zealand prime minister. Despite herself, Lauren is drawn into the mystery. Who was the would-be murderer and can they be brought to justice after thirty years? Who has been involved in covering up the plot and why? As they get …
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