Tag Archives: New Zealand

The New Zealand Herald reports: Graduating from police college will be a day Hawke’s Bay-born Constable Erik Meechan never forgets – but not for the obvious reason. It was the day he got down on one knee and proposed to his partner of five years, Matty Judd, in front of fellow graduating recruits, their families and Commissioner Mike Bush and …

The New Zealand Herald reports: The All Blacks and the Black Ferns have made a very public statement on where they stand on diversity and inclusiveness as they launched their “diversity is strength” campaign. Pairing up with AIG, the two teams released a two-minute video outlining their values. The next “battle” and “enemy” was devious and truly formidable, the video …

The Sydney Morning Herald reports: Finding the same-sex marriage debate heavy going? Well, it may surprise you to find out New Zealand’s been through all this already. Which is why, on the eve of the November 7 postal survey vote deadline, our friends over the “ditch” have decided to give us some sage advice. This tongue-in-cheek “Open Letter to Australia” …

Gay Star News reports: A video by a New Zealand youth LGBTI organization has gone viral for its quaint approach using farmers to teach people it’s not ok to say ‘that’s gay’. Rainbow Youth was established in 1989 and is run entirely by young LGBTI people. It just released its first ever national ad campaign with a funny video to …

The New Zealand Herald reports: Green MP Marama Davidson used a harrowing example of the impact on her family of homophobia, remembering a young gay man who was killed by Davidson’s uncle in the 1980s. Her voice breaking, Marama spoke of the man during Parliament’s formal apology to the men convicted for consensual acts at a time homosexuality was illegal. …

New Zealand’s Fairfax Media reports: The weather was awful and the mood of the locals wasn’t much better when US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson​ arrived in Wellington. US media travelling with Tillerson were surprised by the number of people flipping the bird at Tillerson as his motorcade sped through town. New York Times correspondent Gardiner Harris said he had …

ABC News reports: We’re taught in elementary school that there are seven continents on Earth — Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America and South America. But geography textbooks across the world might have to add one more to that list — Zealandia. Zealandia is a continent that is 94 percent submerged underwater, which is why it took so long …

Gizmodo reports: The New Yorker has published a fascinating article about Silicon Valley tech titans who are buying up property in New Zealand as they prepare for the apocalypse. The super rich are worried about the poor grabbing “pitchforks” to overthrow the wealthy, and it turns out these elites aren’t just buying homes. Some, like Peter Thiel, are even getting …

The celebrations have begun! “Auckland, New Zealand is the first major city to welcome the new year. The city’s celebrations include a fireworks display, launched from the Sky Tower.” Are you working today? Where will you be tonight?

From the Sydney Morning Herald: On an occasion such as this, with the All Blacks becoming the first team to win back-to-back World Cups, one Haka was never going to be enough. After going with their ‘Kapa O Panga’ Haka before their 34-17 win over the Wallabies at Twickenham, New Zealand celebrated in style with a traditional ‘Ka Mate’ Haka …

This is probably the highest production-value air safety clip you’ve ever seen. Over 2.5M views in one week. From the clip recap: “At Air New Zealand, we’re #CrazyAboutRugby. So for our latest inflight safety video, we called upon some very special Men In Black to brief our passengers.”

Via Mashable: It is the deepest show of respect. A large group of school children in New Zealand have honoured their beloved teacher by performing the traditional dance, the haka, as his hearse rolled into the school for the funeral. At least 1,700 boys at Palmerston North Boys’ High School on New Zealand’s North Island participated in the epic performance …

Via Stuff New Zealand: Three ANZ bank branches and a police station are the latest targets of “pinkwashing” overnight. Pink paint has been thrown over the front of the bank’s Ponsonby and Mt Eden branches and the Ponsonby police station, accompanied by letters outlining the reasons behind the attacks. The “pinkwashing” comes days after a glittering ANZ ATM money machine …

Via Gay Star News: What is thought to be a homophobic attack on an ‘GAYTM’ which was installed on Ponsonby Road by ANZ Bank to celebrate Auckland Pride Festival this month may not be homophobic after all. The GAYTM was reportedly vandalized on Thursday night. A group calling itself  “Queers Against Injustice” posted a statement on Saturday saying they targeted …

As I reported last week, a New Zealand bank has decorated its Auckland ATMs in celebration of this week’s pride events. Today one of the machines was damaged by an as yet unidentified vandal. The bank took to Twitter this after to vow that the machine will be “glittering again in no time.” Let’s hope we get to see the …

Via Stuff New Zealand: Sedate inner-city banking has been transformed with ANZ unveiling four fabulous “GAYTMs” in Auckland and Wellington to celebrate diversity and inclusion for New Zealand’s rainbow community. Dripping with rhinestones, the customised cash machines were accompanied today by ANZ staff dressed as their drag queen alter-egos, a colourful scene that stopped passersby in their tracks. “I think …

“We are not interested in your filthy lifestyle or book. Romans 1 clearly says god has rejected homos and they are worthy of death. You cannot be saved. Leviticus 20:13 reads ‘If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood …

AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd has been charged with attempted murder for hire. The 60-year-old appeared in a New Zealand court Thursday afternoon facing a count of attempting to procure the murder of two men, said Bay of Plenty Police District representative Kim Perks. He was also charged with threatening to kill, possession of methamphetamine and possession of cannabis, Perks said. …

We now BROnounce you husband and husband – http://t.co/vd7lO9hLkX — The Edge (@TheEdgeNZ) September 12, 2014 Details.