Small Screen Gives Jane Campion New Space to Shine
In a review of Jane Campion’s Top of the Lake: China Girl, which is currently screening on BBC2 in the UK, the Guardian’s Sam Wollaston says that not only is lead Elisabeth Moss “mesmerising,…
News of New Zealanders via Global Media
Katherine Mansfield’s Garden Party Puffs Puffed
Katherine Mansfield’s 1922 short story The Garden Party, set around the wealthy Sheridan family’s shindig, inspires Guardian columnist Kate Young to make a dessert from their elegant spread. That meant the cream puffs had come….
The Future Of New Zealand Wine Is Strong
“The future of New Zealand wine is strong – both through local sales and, increasingly, export,” writes Master Sommelier Cameron Douglas in an article for Snooth. “There’s no question that…
Newsman Peter Bale Hired by Wikipedia Founder
New Zealand-born former Reuters reporter Peter Bale, 52, has been hired by Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales as the founding editor of WikiTribune, which will bring together professional journalists and a community of volunteers to…
Start Getting Excited About Taika Waititi’s Thor
The Taika Waititi-directed Thor: Ragnarok might just be “one of the greatest Marvel movies ever,” according to Forbes contributor Dani Di Placido. It’s shorter, a lot was improvised, and it’s embracing the insanity of…
Soccer Great Wynton Rufer on the Asian Game
Former soccer star New Zealander Wynton Rufer, 54, now works, among other things, as a FIFA ambassador. Sports trade fair organisation, Internationale Fachmesse für Sportartikel und Sportmode (ISPO) talked with Rufer at ISPO Shanghai…
Harita Davies Finishes World’s Longest Foot Race
Aucklander Harita Davies, 42, has become the first New Zealand woman to attempt and finish the world’s longest foot race – the gruelling Self-Transcendence 3100 Mile Race, a course which spans nearly 5000km around…
Patricia Grace on Telling the Stories of Maori
Born in Wellington, 80 years ago, Patricia Grace is one of New Zealand’s most important writers, CBC Radio Canada writes. Her stories are inspired by her experiences growing up as the daughter of a…
Forest Trump Plant Trees in Opposition to Policies
New Zealand-based green group, Forest Trump, is mounting an effort to protest President Trump’s environmental policies by planting trees. The group was founded in March by British climate scientist and glaciologist Dan Price, American Ph.D….
Wainui Chemist Selected as Finalist for PhD Prize
Victoria University PhD candidate Ryan Schwamm, 26, has become the first New Zealander to be nominated for the prestigious Reaxys PhD Prize in chemistry, which recognises the best work being…
Giving NZ Sauvignon Blanc a Second Chance
“The last few weeks of Wine School have been as much of an education for me as they may have been for anybody else,” writes Eric Asimov in The New York Times’ column
How Christchurch Is Bouncing Back After the Quake
“The devastating 2011 earthquake in Christchurch took hundreds of lives, felled dozens of buildings and wrecked countless homes. In the years since, the city has been slowly getting back on its feet—and coming out…
Mark Wilson Revives Ailing UK Insurer
Aviva’s boss New Zealander Mark Wilson has batted off the suggestion that he might relinquish the chief executive job anytime soon as the insurer he once compared to a “couch potato” continues to spring…
Everything Old is New for Producer Lance Ferguson
Best known as the guitarist and leader of soul-funk band the Bamboos, New Zealand-born Lance Ferguson is a workaholic and one of Australia’s most prolific musicians. Ferguson also has a spread…
Danielle Cormack Sees Kenya’s Drought Firsthand
Danielle Cormack, the New Zealand-born actress well known for her on-screen roles in Australian television shows Wentworth, Rake and Deep Water, has spoken of her first-hand experience of the devastating impact of climate change…
Record McLaren Road Car Gathering Held On Bruce’s 80th
“Last weekend during the annual Silverstone Classic, a special parade took place to commemorate Kiwi motorsport legend Bruce McLaren on what would have been his 80th birthday,” writes David Kavermann for
Karaka Kitchen Makes Prestigious London Awards
A Karaka kitchen designed by Shane George is one of just two international entries to make the finals of the SBID International Design Awards in the KBB Design category. Winners…
Jacinda Ardern Shames TV Dinosaurs
Hours after taking office, Labour leader Jacinda Ardern, 37, faced down pundits asking if she planned on starting a family, a question rarely asked of men in politics. The Guardian takes a look at…
Darren Hughes UK’s New Electoral Reform Society CE
New Zealander Darren Hughes, who has just been named chief executive of the Electoral Reform Society (ERS), the UK’s leading democratic reform group, discusses his new role in a piece for the Huffington Post. “I…
Shearer Rowland Smith Beats World Record
Thirty-year-old New Zealander Rowland Smith has beaten the world record for the number of sheep sheared in an eight-hour period. Smith, who is from the Hawke’s Bay, sheared 644 sheep from four farms in Devon…
New Zealand’s Lauren Boyle Announces Retirement
Freestyle swimming champion, Auckland-born Lauren Boyle, 29, has announced her retirement from competition. The announcement on Boyle’s Facebook page read: “And, that’s a wrap. I feel lucky to love the sport after…
Tom Walsh Wins Gold at World Championships
“Having watched compatriot Valerie Adams dominate women’s shot for a decade Tomas Walsh struck a blow for New Zealand’s men on Sunday when he took gold in the world championships with a superb series…
Politician Jacinda Ardern Enjoys Rapid Rise
Jacinda Ardern took over as New Zealand’s opposition leader just last week, but already she has prompted a flood of donations, taken a stance for women in the workplace and transformed what had been…
Phil Keoghan Captures Essence of NZ in New Show
Phil Keoghan’s 16-year tenure as host of The Amazing Race means he never spends too much time in any given place. But in his off-time from jet setting around the world filming the show’s…
Phillis Meti Sets World Record for Longest Drive
Long-drive competitor and defending world champion New Zealander Phillis Meti, 30, has broken the world record for women’s long drives in Denver with a figure of 371m. It did appear Meti’s ball made contact with…
New Zealand Mourns Death of Sir John Graham
Sir John Graham, widely known as DJ, has died at the age of 82. Graham was a former All Blacks captain, a respected educator and staunch opponent of apartheid. Graham represented New Zealand 53 times,…
Hotels to Cross Off Your Bucket List
Annandale and Eichardt’s Private Hotel have been featured in an article in the Toronto Star, which showcases “five dreamy suites, villas and penthouses to cross off your travel bucket list.”
Lorde – “I Never Get To Take Off The Hat.”
New Zealand singer Lorde “became a household name after the release of her single Royals in 2013. Four years later, she is on the cover of Fashion Magazine’s September issue, where she talked about…
Weta Digital Underway on Avatar Sequels
“Weta Digital has announced that it has gotten underway on the four Avatar sequels that James Cameron will direct for Fox,” writes Mike Fleming Jr in an article for Deadline…
Electro-Pop Singer Theia Poised For Stardom
“Her name might not be that familiar around this part of the world just yet but things seem to be looking up for New Zealand singer Theia,” writes Suky Gill in an article for…
One-of-a-Kind NZ Accommodations
“New Zealand is a unique destination that’s home to epic alpine scenery, glacial lakes, lush forests, beaches and fiords, not to mention home to the set of Middle Earth,” writes Chelsea Davis for
Power of Nature at Wai-O-Tapu Geothermal Park
“A visit to the sacred hot springs of the Wai-O-Tapu Geothermal Park will make you feel like you are in an entirely different world,” writes Anoop Menon in an article…
Queenstown One of the Best Places to See Southern Lights
The southern lights or aurora australis are the southern cousin to the aurora borealis and can best be seen from the most southern of landmasses, such as Tasmania, New Zealand and Antarctica, writes Jennifer…
Mad Mike – the Drift King of New Zealand
“Mad Mike Whiddett has been pushing the limits of speed since boyhood. If you’ve followed this guy’s career, you really shouldn’t be shocked by his outstanding success,” reports an article in
Four Ways to Discover the Wild Side of Middle Earth
“Long before director Peter Jackson selected his home country as the filming location for The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogy, New Zealand was known for its raw wild beauty,” writes Debbie…
Norwegian-Kiwi Duo Anna of the North
The Norwegian-Kiwi duo “Anna of the North is a product of heartbreak, and the recovery that comes after,” writes Roisin O’Connor in an article for The Independent. “Anna Lotterud was working…
Joshua Wood Shortlisted for Astronomy Photography Award
New Zealander Joshua Wood has been shortlisted for the Insight Astronomy Photographer of the Year award – the world’s biggest international astrophotography competition. The Guardian introduces the shortlisted photographers. His shot…
The Life Of A Zombie: Rose McIver Says It’s Great
In iZombie Kiwi actress Rose McIver’s world as a zombie is ever-changing, which often makes preparation difficult. “In the series, McIver’s character, a zombified medical examiner, has to snack on others’ brains in order…
My Fashion Life: Anjhe Mules
“New Zealand-born designer Anjhe Mules, “founder of cult activewear label Lucas Hugh, talks to Drapers about blending performance and fashion, working on The Hunger Games, and building her business.” Mules’ “high-performance, high-fashion activewear…
Lorde’s Pure Heroine Album One of the Best Albums Made by Teenagers
“The 21st century has spawned a whole host of stars who achieved global success before they were even legally allowed to toast it in America,” writes Jon O’Brien for Paste…
Finding renewal in New Zealand’s Birthplace
“The cultural history distinctive and beautiful region at the far northern edge of the North Island – from the kauri forests to the Waitangi Treaty Grounds, from the colonial buildings and whaling…
Where the Locals Go in Wellington
From boutique shopping to cable car rides and all the best food in between, the National Geographic finds out how Wellingtonians take advantage of the capital city. “Wellingtonians go where the wind takes them,” Carrie…
Peter Gordon Likes Shelves Stocked With Memories
New Zealand chef Peter Gordon tells the Guardian’s Anna Wilkins about the characteristics of his home kitchen for the newspaper’s regular column, A Cook’s Kitchen. “I used to come to Broadway Market on Saturdays and…
Wellington – The High-Tech Capital Of Asia Pacific
“Wellington is emerging as a rival to Sydney and Melbourne as the start-up hub of the Asia-Pacific region, with the New Zealand city positioning itself as a powerhouse for high-tech start-ups in fields such…
Para-Athlete Liam Malone Vows to Out Do Usain Bolt
Nelson-born double para-athelete champion, Liam Malone, 23, says he will use technology to run faster than Olympic legend Usain Bolt within the next three years. Double-leg amputee Malone won gold in the T44 200m and…
Producer Noah Slee’s Music Superbly Infectious
A New Zealander with Tongan heritage, soul singer and producer Noah Slee threw himself into underground music, using it as a means for him to piece together how he truly felt about himself, Robin…
Kiwi Designer Wins Place On Dulux Design Tour
Rufus Knight of Knight Associates has won a place on this year’s Dulux DIAlogue on Tour scholarship. He is the only Kiwi among the winners. ArchitectureNow reports. “We are excited to have interior architect Rufus…
Amber Sainsbury Teams With Danny Boyle
New Zealand-born Amber Sainsbury is founder and CEO of UK-based creative arts charity Dramatic Need, for which Oscar-winning film director Danny Boyle has served as a trustee since 2007. The charity’s South African flagship,…
Alaskan Rugby Grounds Impress Mangatainoka Team
Hamish Clentworth, the chairman of the visiting Mangatainoka Barbarians Rugby Club of New Zealand, was almost at a loss for words when he came upon the Alaska Mountain Rugby Grounds. Overlooking Anchorage is a rugby…
Charlotte Brynn Swims from Quebec to Vermont
New Zealander Charlotte Brynn recently swam the 40.2km distance between Lake Memphremagog Magog, Quebec and Newport, Vermont in 13 hours and 28 minutes, the second time she has completed the swim. Brynn lives in Stowe,…
Jane Campion is a Clever Person Doing TV
From Sweetie to The Piano, New Zealander Jane Campion has made some of cinema’s strangest, strongest films. So why has she switched to the small screen? The Guardian investigates. It is eight years since Campion,…
Duchess Of Cambridge Wears Wickstead on Europe Tour
On the final day of her recent European tour, the Duchess of Cambridge took the chance to fly the flag for British-based fashion as she headed to Hamburg, wearing a dress designed by one…
Lost Gustav Holst Scores Turn Up in Tauranga
No one is sure how the handwritten scores of English composer Gustav Holst ended up in the archives of Tauranga’s Bay of Plenty Symphonia, Jason Daley writes for the Smithsonian magazine. A couple of years…
Amber Doig Appointed Head Chef at The Butler
New Zealand-born chef Amber Doig has taken the reins of Sydney’s Potts Point venue, The Butler. According to Australia’s Hospitality magazine, “Doig began her career under the watch of Sydney chefs James Viles and Vanessa…
Hoseah Partsch to Tour With Boy George
Eighteen-year-old New Zealand-born Hoseah Partsch, who made it to The Voice Australia grand finale earlier this month, is preparing to tour with his mentor Boy George in Australia later this year. Partsch, who said he’s…
8 Ways to Find Auckland’s Pulse
There’s plenty to do in Auckland, New Zealand, which is situated “between two harbours, Waitemata to the north and Manukau to the south.” An article on Women’s Magazine Femina’s website recommends…
