The Conversation - Latest News [Page 3]
Mothers Have Long Been Absent From Dystopian Stories. ‘Maternal Cli-Fi’ Is Changing The Narrative
Saturday, 22 June 2024, 5:23 pm | The Conversation
The End We Start From is an ecological disaster story set in a near-future London besieged by floods – as seen through the eyes of a new mother. More >>
Pay Transparency Would Help Close NZ’s Gender Gap – Why Is Progress So Slow?
Thursday, 20 June 2024, 4:46 pm | The Conversation
Requiring employers to be open about who gets paid what is just one tool for closing the gender pay gap. But the government is showing little sign of seriously tackling the issue. More >>
Budget Cuts To Climate Funding Mean NZ May Now Struggle To Meet Its International Obligations
Wednesday, 19 June 2024, 6:34 pm | The Conversation
The government’s priorities are shifting towards adaptation to protect communities, jobs and industries. But the longer we wait to cut emissions, the more the costs of climate change will compound. More >>
NZ Needs A 300% Increase In Qualified Midwives – And Those Working Need More Support And Recognition
Tuesday, 18 June 2024, 5:54 pm | The Conversation
With a 40% staffing shortfall, midwifery needs better funding. But as new research shows, midwives also need recognition and support for the important work they do in the New Zealand health sector. More >>
Solar Farms Can Eat Up Farmland – But ‘Agrivoltaics’ Could Mean The Best Of Both Worlds For NZ Farmers
Sunday, 16 June 2024, 7:09 pm | The Conversation
The major benefit of agrivoltaics is that solar panels shelter crops and animals from the heat, while providing more warmth at night. Soils also retain more moisture and some crops grow better. More >>
Weakening Or Collapse Of A Major Atlantic Current Has Disrupted NZ’s Climate In The Past – And Could Do So Again
Saturday, 15 June 2024, 2:12 pm | The Conversation
Earth’s climate system is connected across hemispheres. When the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation weakens and Europe cools, warming in New Zealand and southern mid-latitudes accelerates. More >>
Welcome To NZ – Now Pay Up: The Risks And Rewards Of Raising The Foreign Tourist Tax
Friday, 14 June 2024, 7:58 pm | The Conversation
The government has proposed raising the international visitor levy to $100. But first New Zealand needs a clear strategy about who it’s trying to attract, and in what numbers. More >>
Patently Insufficient: A New Intellectual Property Treaty Does Little To Protect Māori Traditional Knowledge
Wednesday, 12 June 2024, 2:05 pm | The Conversation
The newly signed global Treaty on Intellectual Property, Genetic Resources and Traditional Knowledge might improve the patent system, but is unlikely to improve protection of Indigenous knowledge itself. More >>
Cryptocurrencies Use Massive Amounts Of Power – But Eco-friendly Alternatives Come With Their Own Risks
Monday, 10 June 2024, 5:45 pm | The Conversation
Cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin can use more power than countries such as Finland. The emergence of eco-friendly alternatives provides hope, and a few concerns, for crypto users. More >>
As Israel Pushes Into Rafah, It Exposes An Uncomfortable Truth: No Court Alone Can Protect Civilians In War
Sunday, 2 June 2024, 7:07 pm | The Conversation
No court alone has the power to adequately protect civilians during times of war. More >>
Is Collapse Of The Atlantic Ocean Circulation Really Imminent? Icebergs’ History Reveals Some Clues
Saturday, 1 June 2024, 6:23 pm | The Conversation
If the ocean circulation, known as AMOC, shuts down, it would be a climate disaster, particularly for Europe and North America. New research shows why that might not happen as soon as some fear. More >>
NZ Budget 2024: ‘Tax Relief’ For The ‘Squeezed Middle’ – But Who’s Paying? 7 Experts Follow The Money
Saturday, 1 June 2024, 6:19 pm | The Conversation
Finance minister Nicola Willis made good on two promises with her first budget – tax cuts and no surprises. But the belt tightening required to do that will have longer-term consequences. More >>
How Long Should Everyday Appliances Last? Why NZ Needs A Minimum Product Lifespan Law
Thursday, 30 May 2024, 6:17 pm | The Conversation
A ‘right to repair’ bill before parliament aims to reduce the cost and difficulty of fixing consumer items. Setting minimum acceptable lifespans for common products should be the first step. More >>
Dawn Raids Never Died: Why Formal Apologies And Restoring NZ Citizenship Are Still Not Enough
Thursday, 30 May 2024, 4:38 pm | The Conversation
Public submissions close this week on a bill restoring citizenship to some Samoan immigrants. But despite prime ministerial apologies over the 1970s dawn raids, immigration law is largely unchanged. More >>
Norway, Spain And Ireland Have Recognised A Palestinian State – What’s Stopping NZ?
Wednesday, 29 May 2024, 7:20 pm | The Conversation
Recognition of Palestinian statehood was previously held out as an incentive to completing peace negotiations. But that’s changed now, and New Zealand should consider changing its position too. More >>
NZ Budget 2024: Tax Cuts And Borrowing Don’t Always Fuel Inflation – But Nicola Willis Has To Get The Balance Right
Wednesday, 29 May 2024, 7:14 pm | The Conversation
Spikes in inflation are often blamed on government borrowing to deliver cash handouts. But it’s more complicated than that. The real issue lies in borrowing without a plan to balance the books. More >>
NZ Is Changing Faster Than The Census Can Keep Up – The 4 Big Trends To Watch
Monday, 27 May 2024, 7:06 pm | The Conversation
The latest census figures are released this week, but the long-term trends are already clear: we will soon be more Māori and more Asian, fertility rates are dropping, and more citizens are leaving. More >>
‘Facebook Probably Knows I Sell Drugs’ – How Young People’s Digital Footprints Can Threaten Their Future Prospects
Saturday, 25 May 2024, 2:47 pm | The Conversation
The global trade in data means minor drug dealing by 16-year-olds on social media could hurt their ability to get a job, house or insurance in their 30s. More >>
Flu Vaccines No Longer Free For All Under-12s In NZ – Children Living In Poverty & At Higher Risk Will Bear The Brunt
Friday, 24 May 2024, 4:58 pm | The Conversation
Influenza accounts for more than half of all potentially vaccine-preventable hospitalisations of children under 14. But those living in poverty are three times more likely to require hospital care. More >>
Farewell Anchor, Fresh'n Fruity And Mainland: What’s Behind Fonterra’s Decision To Sell Its Consumer Brands?
Thursday, 23 May 2024, 8:57 am | The Conversation
Fonterra’s plan to sell its consumer brands came as a surprise. But there is logic to the dairy giant focusing on selling to the food industry rather than directly to consumers. More >>