A new birthing unit is easy to celebrate. It is also easy to misunderstand. The opening of a primary birthing unit in central Auckland should not be treate
Category: English
New Zealand Review’s English channel publishes reporting, explainers, reviews and practical guides about New Zealand society, culture, health and everyday life.
Hormuz shows why reopening a chokepoint is not the same as restoring trust
A maritime chokepoint does not reopen the moment a deal is signed. It reopens when shipowners, insurers, crews, port operators and energy buyers believe th
Venezuela’s earthquakes are now a test of rescue capacity and trust
The first hours after a major earthquake are measured in sound: voices under rubble, concrete being cut, family members calling names, phones ringing unans
China’s private high-speed rail milestone is an infrastructure finance story
A high-speed railway milestone can look like a simple passenger number. In China, it is often more revealing than that. The Hangzhou-Taizhou railway, descr
New Zealand’s baby question is becoming a cost-of-living question
When a couple says they cannot afford children, they are not only making a private family decision. They are giving the country a quiet economic signal. 1N
Emergency housing numbers can fall while homelessness becomes harder to see
Public policy can fail quietly when the wrong number starts looking like success. That is the risk in New Zealand’s emergency housing debate: the headline
The Waitangi Tribunal Cost Debate Is Really A Test Of Constitutional Patience
Opinion: The latest reporting on government spending linked to urgent Waitangi Tribunal inquiries will understandably provoke a sharp reaction. Millions of
Sudan’s War Is Becoming A Test Of Humanitarian Access, Not Only Aid Money
Sudan’s humanitarian crisis is difficult to absorb because the scale has become almost too large for ordinary language. Millions of people have been displa
Australia’s Under-16 Social Media Ban Is Becoming A Global Enforcement Test
Australia’s under-16 social media ban has always been bigger than one country. Governments around the world are under pressure from parents, schools, clini
China’s Clean-Power Boom Is Turning Into A Grid Governance Test
China’s power system has crossed a symbolic threshold. Xinhua reported that total installed power generation capacity reached 4.01 billion kilowatts by the