Archive

All Aboard the Contiki School Bus

Posted 8:30pm Saturday 13th July 2024 by Gryffin Powell

If seeing one more TikTok of Euro summer will send you over the edge, travel company Contiki has revealed they’re now offering ‘Contiki University’ branded trips, offering eight ‘courses’, each fit with a major and minor subject. Pretty sure this isn’t why Read more...

SPCA Investigates Claims of Expo Animal Abuse

Posted 6:59pm Saturday 13th July 2024 by Hanna Varrs

A recent ‘Exotic Pet Expo’ in the North East Valley has caused community uproar as allegations of false advertising and animal abuse pour in from community members. Organiser Amelia Seales, who has run the event twice before, has firmly denied any wrong-doing.  The expo, held on Read more...

OUSA Criticises Residential Tenancies Amendment Act

Posted 6:56pm Saturday 13th July 2024 by Hugh Askerud

The OUSA Student Exec recently submitted on the Residential Tenancies Amendment Bill in opposition to its proposed introduction of no-cause evictions. It’s exactly what it sounds like: the bill would allow landlords to evict tenants without needing to give a reason. Critic Te Ārohi spoke Read more...

Student Exec Turn In Second Quarterly Reports

Posted 6:53pm Saturday 13th July 2024 by Hugh Askerud

Is it that time already? OUSA second quarterly reports are in (most of them), and we’re here to give you an insight into what our student dictators have been doing/not doing in the time you’ve been pilfering snacks from your parents' pantry. Buckle up for a rootin’ Read more...

Otago Uni Releases Statement on Free Speech

Posted 6:47pm Saturday 13th July 2024 by Hugh Askerud

In a flying start at his first Uni Council meeting last Tuesday, new Vice-Chancellor Grant Robertson (GRob for short) approved the ‘University of Otago Statement on Free Speech’. Free speech advocates have since come out calling it the “gold standard” of policies. The Read more...

Grant Robertson Begins Appointment as New VC

Posted 3:20pm Monday 1st July 2024 by Nina Brown

Today marks Grant Robertson’s official first day as the incoming Vice Chancellor for Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka.  Mana whenua hosted a pōwhiri for Grant at Ōtākou Marae this morning on Otago Peninsula, an event that OUSA President Keegan Wells noted saw some Read more...

Streaker Carnage Causes Nose Break

Posted 8:20pm Sunday 26th May 2024 by Gryffin Powell

Sources are keeping quiet in the wake of an ongoing legal proceeding involving an alleged broken nose at the hands of a streaker during the Highlanders vs Crusaders game on May 11th. Cracker of a Zoo turn-out, by the way.  At the game in question, 11 streakers took to the field, two of whom Read more...

Gone Rogue! Host Flat of Ball Wrecked

Posted 8:18pm Sunday 26th May 2024 by Harriette Boucher

A renowned Castle Street flat (let’s call them ‘The Elephant’*) were in shock after finding 14 smashed windows, pieces of their walls, heaters, and their fire alarm ripped out, in the wake of their annual ball.  The annual ball that has reportedly been running since 2015 Read more...

Otago Joins Nationwide Tertiary Palestine Protest

Posted 7:35pm Sunday 26th May 2024 by Hanna Varrs

Muslim Student Associations across Aotearoa New Zealand banded together last Thursday, May 23rd, to rally for Palestine. The rally is the brain-child of a meeting that took place in Wellington on the 12th of May, in which the presidents of Muslim Student Associations collectively decided on a Read more...

Night at the Museum: Hoedown After Dark

Posted 7:34pm Sunday 26th May 2024 by Hanna Varrs

On a cold, breezy night, Critic Te Ārohi strapped on RM Williams boots and Harry Styles-esque cowgirl hats and wandered on over to the biggest event the country folk of Dunedin have ever seen: the Hoedown After Dark, held by the Tūhura Otago Museum and OUSA.  Hosted from 7-10pm on Read more...

EXCLUSIVE! Salacious OUSA Exec Quotes

Posted 7:32pm Sunday 26th May 2024 by Hugh Askerud

It’s difficult to know what else lies behind the big green door of our OUSA overlords (exec). Love? Gossip? Rivalry? Sex? Murder? Armed with a pen, a notepad, and explicit orders from the editor to source a tabloid-worthy insider scoop, Critic Te Ārohi’s News Editor went to find out Read more...

Eggspiracy Afoot!

Posted 7:28pm Sunday 26th May 2024 by Jonathan McCabe

Students are concerned an eggspiracy is afoot after Farmer Brown launched a campaign selling eight packs of eggs in LEGO block shaped cartons. Concerns have also been raised about the environmental impact of the cartons, with student murmurs protesting the lack of environmental impetus the egg Read more...

Junior Doc Strikes Have Med Students “Concerned”

Posted 7:27pm Sunday 26th May 2024 by Hugh Askerud

Junior doctors across the country have been protesting harsh working conditions and pay cuts, much to the concern of med students about to enter the health sector. Lamenting government changes and the already brutally challenging circumstances, one student Emily* said she was “not sure how Read more...

Pending: Closed Captioned Lecture Recordings Policy

Posted 7:24pm Sunday 26th May 2024 by Nina Brown

Academic Rep Stella Lynch is rolling up her sleeves to advocate for a University of Otago policy that would make recordings with closed captions mandatory for all lectures, with exceptions in cases of privacy concerns. Her plan includes an impending consultation process for staff and students, and Read more...

Pint Night Cancelled to Student Uproar!

Posted 10:34pm Sunday 19th May 2024 by Gryffin Powell

The fiercely loyal Pint Night community were in shock last week after U-Bar staff announced that Pint Night would be cancelled. The announcement comes after U-Bar was closed on Wednesday the 8th of May, for “maintenance work and improvements.” U-Bar management have reported that they Read more...

Criminology Society Publish Petition Protesting Youth Bootcamps

Posted 10:32pm Sunday 19th May 2024 by Angus Rees

The Criminological Society of Otago (CSOO) has published a petition to the House of Representatives against the impending reintroduction of youth offender boot camps. CSOO is asking the government not to implement them, and “instead address the issues of inequality and deprivation that create Read more...

Ex-Critic Food Columnist Releases Cookbook

Posted 10:26pm Sunday 19th May 2024 by Harriette Boucher

Fuck, Alice Taylor can cook. The former Otago Uni student and Critic Te Ārohi food columnist turned chef released a baking book ‘Alice in Cakeland’ last month. This has come after Alice took a whirlwind journey from University, to Masterchef stardom, to cooking in some of the Read more...

Rip Scares Prompt Water Safety Advice

Posted 10:06pm Sunday 19th May 2024 by Sam Smith-Soppet

Dunedin is host to a swathe of beautiful swimming and surfing beaches. However, two recent stories of beach-going students’ near misses with rips have prompted local surf clubs to warn students to stay safe when swimming in the ocean.  Cam, a second-year Physio student, told Critic of Read more...

OUSA Referendum Incoming

Posted 10:03pm Sunday 19th May 2024 by Nina Brown

On May 27th, the OUSA Referendum will be up and running. Students will be sent the link to an online survey, giving you the ability to vote on matters close to home like accessibility, cost of living, academia, and recreation. It’s a bit like the Critic Census, but with lawyers and tangible Read more...

Cosy Dell Creeper Lurks Over to Queen

Posted 10:01pm Sunday 19th May 2024 by Hugh Askerud

The Cosy Dell Creepers are reportedly extending their range, with multiple sources confirming that the figure has been snooping around flats on Queen St. The figure has been reportedly sighted in locations near Prospect Park, a pitch-black field located on the end of Queen St, allegedly prompting a Read more...

North D Speed Cam Catches 207 in 30 Minutes

Posted 9:59pm Sunday 19th May 2024 by Gabrielle Scott

207 motorists were caught speeding in the span of 30 minutes in the North Dunedin area thanks to Transport Minister Simeon Brown’s targeted speed restriction plan. It was reported that almost seven speedsters were caught every minute to the dismay of Senior Sergeant Karl Read more...

Knox Spree of Lightbulb Thievery

Posted 3:07pm Sunday 19th May 2024 by Hugh Askerud

In Issue 11, Critic Te Ārohi received a heated letter to the editor from Knox students who were “pissed the fuck off” after a wave of lightbulb thieving had swept through the college. “If we keep running out of lightbulbs in our double a’s, who will host pres?” Too Read more...

Uni Denies Accusations of Artificial Bird Noises on Campus

Posted 3:04pm Sunday 19th May 2024 by Hanna Varrs

An Official Information Act request has revealed that the University does not, in fact, use artificial bird noises in its trees, putting an end to a long debate in the student community. Or has it. For context if you’re wondering what the fuck we’re talking about, you only need to Read more...

‘Let’s Get Accessible’ Reports Tertiary Ableism

Posted 3:01pm Sunday 19th May 2024 by Hugh Askerud

The ‘Let’s Get Accessible’ project mapping disabled students’ experiences has found that a whopping 60% had experienced exclusion or discrimination in the tertiary environment. The project was released in February before being updated this month to include new data from a Read more...

Business School Exam Errors Called Out

Posted 5:38pm Saturday 11th May 2024 by Gryffin Powell

Successive errors in finance paper mid-term exams in 2023 and 2024 have prompted the Business School to take “further action” to ensure they’re mistake-free in the future. While most students may experience one or two exam errors in their degree (hey, mistakes happen), for Commerce Read more...

Play for Palestine Charity Event Held By Te Rōpū Māori

Posted 5:34pm Saturday 11th May 2024 by Sophie Hursthouse

On Sunday the 5th of May, Te Rōpu Māori held the charity event ‘Play for Palestine’ in support of indigenous people in Pirihitia (Palestine) and the Middle East. Tauira (students) signed up in teams of ten to play touch rugby, volleyball, and kī-o-Rahi for the Read more...

Breaking: K-Hole Affects the P-Hole

Posted 5:28pm Saturday 11th May 2024 by Phoebe Lea

A clinical correspondence in the New Zealand Medical Journal has revealed that recreational ketamine use can lead to irreversible bladder damage. In other words, too many keys of ket can lead to pee problems in the future.  Ketamine Bladder Syndrome (KBS) includes a range of conditions such Read more...

‘Cosy Dell Creepers’ Still at Large

Posted 5:23pm Saturday 11th May 2024 by Harriette Boucher

A spate of incidents in Cosy Dell is making students feel unsafe in their own flats, as speculation suggests there could be more than one ‘Cosy Dell Creeper’ on the street. Despite the installation of security cameras and police activity, students have still reported feeling unsafe, with Read more...

Midnight Marathoners for Charity

Posted 5:05pm Saturday 11th May 2024 by Hugh Askerud

In a joint venture between the ski club (OUSSC) and canoe club (OUCC), and one lonely member of the bike club (OUBC), on Sunday May 5th a group of 30 students competed in the Red Bull event Wings for Life, a global charity run.  The group’s run was part of the global 2024 Wings for Read more...

Open Letter Penned in Solidarity with Palestine

Posted 5:02pm Saturday 11th May 2024 by Hugh Askerud

Lecturers are calling on their students to stand up in protest against the brutal suppression of anti-Israeli protests in the USA. The call comes in the form of an open letter addressed to the University of Otago, which aims to secure a pledge of solidarity with students and faculty from multiple Read more...

‘Wellness Hub’ Set to Drop in Place of Campus Shop

Posted 4:58pm Saturday 11th May 2024 by Hugh Askerud

The University of Otago is stepping up its mental health game, announcing that the area which was once Campus Shop South will be turned into a ‘Wellness hub’ for student use. Currently under development by contractors, once open the hub will both supplement and unify the range of Read more...

Spenny Flights Affect Homesick Students

Posted 4:54pm Saturday 11th May 2024 by Molly Smith-Soppet

Unaffordable domestic flights are keeping some homesick Otago students firmly in Dunedin in the upcoming break. A combination of increased domestic fares across the board and already steep peak ticket prices may mean the North Dunedin boomers are stuck with us over the winter break. On April Read more...

OUSA Exec Times Gives Critic Te Ārohi the Boot

Posted 4:48pm Saturday 11th May 2024 by Hugh Askerud

Feuds are unwinding in the student community after the OUSA executive released ‘The Exec Times’, an Instagram news bulletin literally doing the job Critic Te Ārohi is designed to. The first edition dropped on May 2nd – on a Thursday, no less! – introduced to students Read more...

The Haast Eagle’s Back, And Her Name is Gloria

Posted 4:45pm Saturday 11th May 2024 by Hanna Varrs

If you think you’re good at paper mache: no you’re not. That’s unless your name is Maleah and you’re a third-year Gender Studies student. Critic Te Ārohi interviewed this paper mache whizz following a news tip in the form of a photograph depicting Maleah and her Read more...

Man Breaks into Flat to Rap

Posted 4:43pm Saturday 11th May 2024 by Adam Stitely

A Great King Street complex flat’s Thursday evening was abruptly interrupted on April 25th when an unwanted (rather intoxicated) visitor by the name ‘Strike’ knocked on their door. Under the assumption he was known to one of his flatmates, one of the residents let him in. What Read more...

Reduced Grad Programmes a Cause for Concern

Posted 8:27pm Sunday 5th May 2024 by Gryffin Powell

Recent cuts by the National-led coalition government to public service graduate programmes have left some students fearful over job prospects after uni.  The National-led coalition has been trying to reduce government debt since coming to power last year, and while this reduction is being Read more...

Salmond Fresher Catches Leith Fish With Bare Hands

Posted 8:25pm Sunday 5th May 2024 by Angus Rees

A Salmond College fresher successfully caught (and released) a massie trout in the Leith River a couple weeks ago. Johan Lokman, the resident who made the catch, reported the joys of his new-found hall clout in an interview with Critic Te Ārohi. Johan had been walking back to Salmond from Read more...

Locals HQ Encourages Second-Years to Leave the Nest

Posted 8:23pm Sunday 5th May 2024 by Sam Smith-Soppet

Locals, the hall for the hall-less, has issued a notice stating that “HQ is open to first-years only” after being inundated by a swathe of older students in recent years.  For those who don’t know, Locals is a collegiate community at Otago Uni for first-year students who Read more...

Cap Quietly Removed on Sea Lion Trawling Deaths

Posted 8:00pm Sunday 5th May 2024 by Kaia Kahurangi Jamieson

On the 8th of April, the decision to completely remove the country’s Fishing-Related Mortality Limit (FRML) for rāpoke (sea lions) was quietly released on the Ministry for Primary Industries’ website with a 16-page consultation document. The FRML sets the maximum number of Read more...

Mud Wrestling Warms Queen St Flat

Posted 7:57pm Sunday 5th May 2024 by Nina Brown

A Queen Street flat has elevated the flat warming game after holding a WWE-esque mud wrestling match to a cheering crowd of about 40 on Saturday, April 27. A couple days later, Critic Te Ārohi sat down with the brains and brawn of the event, fourth-years Ben and Robbie, for the inside Read more...

University Targets Students in Push for ‘Net Carbon Zero’ Goal

Posted 7:55pm Sunday 5th May 2024 by Hugh Askerud

Otago University’s Sustainability Office is extending an invite to students for support and feedback as it drives towards ‘Net Carbon Zero’ by 2030. The office is looking to expand its efforts through several engagement sessions with students that aim to reflexively inform and Read more...

Foreign Object Found in $4 Lunch

Posted 7:51pm Sunday 5th May 2024 by Hugh Askerud

OUSA CEO Debbie Downs reported to the Exec at their meeting last Tuesday that a “small sharp foreign object” had been found in a student’s $4 lunch on April 18th. OUSA Prez Keegan was distraught – soup day is her favourite day. The Exec also expressed their concerns for the Read more...

Otago Uni Launches New Brand

Posted 11:27am Wednesday 1st May 2024 by Nina Brown

Otago University officially launched its new brand at a dawn ceremony last Wednesday morning on May 1st, unveiling the new tohu (symbol) and reo Māori name Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka on the St Dave’s plinth to a crowd of around 300. The event had a number of speakers from the Uni and Read more...

Students Not Convinced By Government’s ‘Pet-Bond’ Policy

Posted 10:28pm Friday 26th April 2024 by Gryffin Powell

In a spate of new changes to renting legislation, the National coalition Government announced a new pet bond policy which claims that it will make rentals easier to find for pet owners. The pet bond of two weeks of rent aims to make landlords more accepting of the risk of letting a pet live at their Read more...

Trojan Cafe Locks Their Toilet to Students

Posted 9:56pm Friday 26th April 2024 by Angus Rees

Everyone’s favourite post-town one-stop-kebab-shop Trojan Cafe has broken hearts (and bladders) after students noticed a questionable policy preventing customers from using its bathrooms. It’s almost like they want us to piss in public.  The problem was outlined in a UoO Read more...

Changes to DCC Waste Management Loading

Posted 9:54pm Friday 26th April 2024 by Abbie Williams

A Critic Te Ārohi investigation into waste management has uncovered that unlicensed rubbish bags are being taken by collectors. This comes after we sniffed around allegations that students have been storing piles of rubbish in wait of July 1st when DCC will be rolling out their new rubbish Read more...

Re-O Comes to Queen St

Posted 9:48pm Friday 26th April 2024 by Hugh Askerud

Re-O could see a Queen St spin-off after an announcement on the QUEEN/GEORGE 24 Facebook group was met with fierce support from the University’s third-year community. The admin of the page stated that it would be “an awesome opportunity for us…to send off those leaving this year! Read more...

Massive Organisational Effort Keeps Hyde Out of the Headlines

Posted 9:46pm Friday 26th April 2024 by Hanna Varrs

A combination of food and security supply created a Hyde St Party on Saturday April 20th (4/20 leshgo) that went “relatively smooth” according to residents. Critic Te Ārohi takes their word for it, having opted for the gonzo journalistic approach that landed us in the thick of the Read more...

Theology Students Miffed at "Rigged" Exam Timetable

Posted 9:32pm Friday 26th April 2024 by Hugh Askerud

The recently released first semester exam timetable has sparked controversy after Religious Studies students noticed that none of their papers would escape a 6:30pm start time, constituting 72% of the exams in that time slot overall. To say they’re “miffed” would be an Read more...

Disabled Community Protests Against ‘Minister’s Biases’

Posted 9:27pm Friday 26th April 2024 by Hugh Askerud

Dunedin’s disabled community hosted a 100-strong protest on Friday, March 19, against the government’s changes to the structure of Whaikaha, the Ministry of Disabled People, announcing new limits on support services and what disabled individuals can purchase with Read more...

There’s a St Dave’s Insta Hate Account

Posted 9:24pm Friday 26th April 2024 by Hanna Varrs

St David Lecture Theatre has been suffering under the tirade of an Instagram account dedicated purely to chatting shit about the building. Boasting a current total of 19 followers and 9 posts, @stdavidsbuildinghate is true to their handle. The page’s bio states that they “HATE st Read more...

Students “So Fucking Excited” for Dunedin Mecca

Posted 8:30pm Sunday 21st April 2024 by Gryffin Powell

Hold your Frank Green drink bottle tight because cosmetics giant Mecca is opening a store in Dunedin later this year. The chain confirmed the rumours to the Otago Daily Times after job positions were posted online. The store is set to open at an unspecified location on George Street – likely Read more...

Bot Takeover Prompts Private Castle24

Posted 8:14pm Sunday 21st April 2024 by Gryffin Powell

The Castle24 Facebook group has been invaded – not by freshers, but by hundreds of bot accounts claiming to sell tickets to the Hyde St Party. What started as a trickle of scammers has turned into a shit storm of hundreds of bots in the lead-up to Hyde, leaving students confused about who to Read more...

Dusty Laps for Life

Posted 8:05pm Sunday 21st April 2024 by Nina Brown

Suicide prevention trust ‘Life Matters’ hosted Laps for Life at North Grounds on Sunday, April 14. Fuelled by the sausage sizzle, the crowd of 200 yellow-dressed attendees cumulatively ran 1,954 km (over the length of Aotearoa) eclipsing the original goal of 365 km before lunchtime. Read more...

Daddy Grant’s Home!

Posted 5:22pm Sunday 21st April 2024 by Molly Smith-Soppet

Grant Robertson was spotted on campus recently, spending a week acquainting himself with the University and the people within. A select few were lucky enough to meet the soon-to-be-VC for a lunch date, telling Critic Te Ārohi they felt privileged to be fit into a schedule that was allegedly Read more...

71.6% Increase in Region’s MDMA Consumption During Flo-Week

Posted 5:19pm Sunday 21st April 2024 by Hanna Varrs

Wastewater testing has revealed a 71.6% increase in MDMA consumption during Flo-Week, meaning the cops know you got geary. Cocaine consumption also had a marginal rise (in this economy?) but it was 35 times less prevalent than MDMA.  The information has come to light after Critic Te Read more...

Breaking Sound’s Policies Still Under Fire

Posted 5:17pm Sunday 21st April 2024 by Jordan Irvine

Breaking Sound’s policies continue to be questioned by local musos. It’s been revealed to Critic Te Ārohi that multiple Dunedin bands, including IVY and The Beatniks, have had issues of underpayment with the company owing to their odd policies. Discussions centred around their Read more...

Crossword Trauma Leads to Plea for Hyde Tickets

Posted 5:14pm Sunday 21st April 2024 by Hugh Askerud

The Hyde hustle has been strong this year, with some twisting the “trauma” of repeated Critic crossword errors (soz) into a bid for tickets. A flat of four sent an email last Monday after spotting the latest typo to Critic Editor Nina and OUSA President Keegan, claiming it had Read more...

Castle Street Clean-up Turnout Disappoints

Posted 5:09pm Sunday 21st April 2024 by Hugh Askerud

The fifth annual Sophie Crestani Castle Street Clean-up took place last Friday, attracting a disappointingly small turnout. Few members of the Castle St fraternity showed up, with the majority of initial attendees being either Caroline Freeman College residents or Hold On To Your Friends (HOTYF) Read more...

Letter from KnowYourStuffNZ: What is Harm Reduction?

Posted 2:20pm Sunday 14th April 2024 by Max Phillips

My name is Max Phillips, and I am a drug user. “User” is a bit of a loaded word, but it shouldn’t be, since everyone reading this is also a drug user. Over 80% of New Zealanders drink alcohol (one of the most harmful drugs), and we can tend to forget that things like panadol are Read more...

Unicol Fresher Wins Big from Online Gambling (Twice)

Posted 2:17pm Sunday 14th April 2024 by Iris Hehir

A Unicol fresher has won big money from online gambling. Known around campus as Elvis*, he won $27k in total; taking his gambling virginity in a weekend that can only be described as one for the books. Elvis tells Critic that it all began the summer before Uni, when he was drinking with some Read more...

South D Warehouse Starts to Sell Frozen Meals

Posted 2:15pm Sunday 14th April 2024 by Gryffin Powell

There’s a new player in the budget culinary scene in Dunedin: South D Warehouse. The store is the second Warehouse location in Aotearoa to start selling frozen meals after they successfully popped off in Manukau.  The meals are “family-sized” (or a single serve for a drunk Read more...

Te Rōpū Māori Names Te Kaihāpai and Tumuaki Takirua at Bi-Election

Posted 2:12pm Sunday 14th April 2024 by Harriette Boucher

Te Rōpū Māori held their SGM/bi-election last Wednesday, April 10 – the third and final time you’ll be seeing that date in the news section this week, promise. The election was called to fill the positions of Tumuaki Takirua (Co-President) and Te Kaihāpai Read more...

White Claw’s Coming to Town

Posted 1:46pm Sunday 14th April 2024 by Nina Brown

Don your frat boy caps, White Claw is coming to Aotearoa. In a statement to Newshub, DB Breweries, official partner of the American RTD, confirmed that “the rumours are true” – they’ll be hitting shelves nationwide from April 19. For those not in the know, White Claw is Read more...

TiB Seeks Feedback on Uni Sexual Misconduct Policy

Posted 1:44pm Sunday 14th April 2024 by Hanna Varrs

TW: Mention of sexual harm. Thursdays in Black kicked off their year with a sexual harm prevention hui last Wednesday in the Union common room. The hui was organised in collaboration with OUSA Student Support, Te Whare Tāwharau, and the Uni’s Sexual Misconduct Action Response Team Read more...

Landlord Leases Queen St Parking for $35 a Week

Posted 1:41pm Sunday 14th April 2024 by Hugh Askerud

A landlord has been leasing out car parks to a Queen St population battling to find a park. Eight to ten car parks have been made available for lease by the landlord after he realised his tenants only “had about three cars.” What’s shocked students is the price, with one student, Read more...

OUSA Exec Hyde Giveaway Increases Insta Following By 500%

Posted 1:39pm Sunday 14th April 2024 by Hugh Askerud

The OUSA Exec’s Instagram page has popped the fuck off after announcing a Hyde St Party ticket giveaway. All students had to do to enter was follow their Instagram page. OUSA’s President/Overlord Keegan reported to Critic Te Ārohi that, at the time of publishing, the giveaway had Read more...

Feedback Section Skipped at Clubs Meeting to Gather Feedback

Posted 1:34pm Sunday 14th April 2024 by Hugh Askerud

Last Wednesday was the first OUSA-affiliated Clubs meeting of the year, held at the Clubs and Socs building. Critic was told, by Clubs and Socs Rep Emma Jackson, it would be “very informal,” as she also told people to get their fill of chips which she had “bought too many” Read more...

Aquinas Room Security Still An Issue

Posted 1:28pm Sunday 14th April 2024 by Hugh Askerud

Allegations of break-ins at Aquinas have proven to be true, despite the college stating that “locks are up to date.” Critic Te Ārohi has received evidence of residents accessing specific locked rooms with the use of only a student ID. A series of differing lock mechanisms has meant Read more...

The Baaa Karaoke Threatens Thirsty Thursday Supremacy

Posted 11:04am Monday 8th April 2024 by Hugh Askerud

Word on the street is that The Baaa karaoke has ostensibly filled the Thursday night social calendar gap after reporting “lines out the door” since the start of 2024. Supporting the piss-fuelled antics of over 200 breathas a night, The Baaa’s karaoke has allegedly trumped all other Read more...

Bar Behemoths Combine to Support LGBTQIA+ Community

Posted 9:47pm Friday 5th April 2024 by Hugh Askerud

Woof! have teamed up with Emerson’s Brewery to create a t-shirt encouraging people to “be proud of the rainbow thirst trap that you are!” Not only will the t-shirts be drippy as fuck, but they’re also helping fund an initiative to provides stores with printed materials in Read more...

Non-Student Kicked Out of OUSA Sauna

Posted 9:45pm Friday 5th April 2024 by Hanna Varrs

A non-student has been permanently banned from the OUSA Clubs and Socs building following a sauna incident where the patron caused “discomfort for other users within that session,” according to OUSA’s Clubs and Societies Operations Manager Jamie Leckie.  Leckie told Critic Read more...

Salmond Lashes Out Following Food Review

Posted 9:42pm Friday 5th April 2024 by Sam Smith-Soppet

Critic Te Ārohi has once again come to blows with a hall after a full kitchen staff meeting was organised to address the magazine’s now infamous food review. The meeting allegedly saw Critic staff being called out by name and staff shed tears after reading the review in the company of Read more...

New Queen St. Facebook Group Claims to Have No Freshers

Posted 9:40pm Friday 5th April 2024 by Molly Smith-Soppet

The smell of a fresh Dunedin street Facebook group is in the air again with the creation of ‘QUEEN/GEORGE 24’. And wow, it's not got the one thing all of Dunedin claims to despise: fucking freshers (or so they reckon). If you're wondering why you need another platform to buy fake Read more...

Opinion: Nitro Goes Woke?

Posted 9:20pm Friday 5th April 2024 by Nicholas McDermott

In the ever-evolving landscape of alcoholic beverages, one name has stood out for its unapologetic embrace of the wild side: Nitro. Known for having partygoers buzzing with energy, Nitro has carved a niche for itself as the go-to drink for those looking to elevate their night from the mundane to the Read more...

University “Highly Likely” to Cut Some Journal Subscriptions

Posted 9:12pm Friday 5th April 2024 by Monty O’Rielly

Academic journals have been added to the University’s list of casualties after Critic Te Ārohi was told that it was “highly likely” that resources, including some academic journals, would be cut.  A University spokesperson told Critic Te Ārohi that they could be Read more...

Capping Show Reveals ‘Beezie’ Theme

Posted 9:08pm Friday 5th April 2024 by Molly Smith-Soppet

The Capping Show is back for the 130th time (never gets old), brandishing a new theme and a bucket load of sure-to-be-explicit skits – we counted “49 assorted sex, dick and tit jokes” last year. Critic Te Ārohi met up with co-Stage Director Jack Archibald to flesh out the Read more...

Aquinas Has a Bra Thief

Posted 8:58pm Friday 5th April 2024 by Sam Smith-Soppet

News of a bra thief on the loose in Aquinas has students in a panic. Sources say that the thief has been on the loose since the beginning of March.  In the space of a few weeks, several pairs of women’s brassiere and underwear have been reportedly stolen, leading residents to suspect Read more...

Pint Night Glasses Going Extinct

Posted 8:20pm Friday 5th April 2024 by Hugh Askerud

U-Bar’s pint glasses are in short supply, dropping to a stock of only 500 out of the 3000-4000 that were bought for the bar just a few years ago. Weird, I wonder why? Hospitality Services Manager Adrian Lowrey told Critic Te Ārohi that he is “trying to buy some new ones at the Read more...

Uni Football Rising Out of the Pits

Posted 4:28pm Saturday 23rd March 2024 by Hugh Askerud

University football has pulled itself out of a hole after slashing through both men’s and women’s University of Canterbury teams in a pre-season derby. Now the club is talking a big game, with men’s captain Ben Campbell telling Critic Te Ārohi, “Anything short of the top Read more...

Citizens Advice Bureau Launch Youth-Focused Website

Posted 4:25pm Saturday 23rd March 2024 by Gryffin Powell

Nobody ever seems to be truly prepared for the shit show that is moving out of home, which is why the Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) have created a tool to help. Launched with the knowledge that there’s no 100-level paper on bullshitting through life, the Bureau announced the ‘Youth Tool Read more...

“Nut Free” Carrington College Serves Nuts

Posted 4:19pm Saturday 23rd March 2024 by Angus Rees

Carrington College found themselves in a tricky situation last week, after a resident allergic to peanuts unknowingly consumed a biscuit containing nuts. The student ate said sweet treat with faith in the fact that Carrington kitchen had become nut free. Yikes.  A student associated with Read more...

Pint Night Pox Strikes!

Posted 3:58pm Saturday 23rd March 2024 by Jodie Evans

Chickenpox’s ‘patient zero’ has come forth after students received an email on Thursday March 14 alerting them to an outbreak of chickenpox (or varicella-zoster) within the student community. The email warned that the virus is “highly infectious” and the “risk of Read more...

OUSA First Quarter Reports

Posted 3:30pm Saturday 23rd March 2024 by Hugh Askerud

Every quarter, each OUSA exec member submits a report to prove they’ve actually been doing the job they were elected to do. The exec then meets to vote on whether each member should be paid their honorarium (like a salary for elected positions, paid only on the basis that members are actually Read more...

A Fond Farewell to L.Hotel

Posted 3:25pm Saturday 23rd March 2024 by Jordan Irvine

On Thursday, March 14th, we all received a gutting post notification (we have ours on at least) from L. Hotel announcing a ‘CYA L8TER NZ Tour’. The tour marks the last chance for fans and haters (kidding, everyone loves them) to say goodbye to the “tax-evading, gluten-free Read more...

‘Let’s talk about Drugs’ Turns To ‘Let’s Talk Shit’

Posted 3:23pm Saturday 23rd March 2024 by Hugh Askerud

Sparks flew at an otherwise underwhelming ‘Let’s talk about Drugs’ event where panellists and the handful of attendees squabbled over who can prevent drug harm the best. At its peak, 15 people were at the event, including its four panellists: Max Phillips (president of Students for Read more...

Otago Regional Councillor Calls Student “Entitled” Over Bus Fares

Posted 3:17pm Saturday 23rd March 2024 by Nina Brown

Last week, the Otago Regional Council (ORC) voted 5-7 not to extend the half price bus fares. In what would normally be a one-liner headline in the TL;DR, Critic sniffed a story when we were forwarded an email chain between law student Grace and Councillor Michael Laws, who attacked her character Read more...

Transfer Station Dumped from North D

Posted 6:04pm Sunday 17th March 2024 by Harriette Boucher

Brace yourself for some trashy news, the local dump is gone. The Dunedin Wickliffe Street Transfer Station (the tip near the Uni) has permanently closed. A shame, since it was both conveniently close to the student area and free for all students to use. Green Island is now the closest dump, setting Read more...

Staunch University Presence for St Patty’s

Posted 5:59pm Sunday 17th March 2024 by Hugh Askerud

The University is set to take a stand on St Patrick’s Day, utilising subbies and a host of others to take an organised security approach during the event.  Subwarden Rachel* told Critic Te Ārohi about the Uni’s planned presence on the day: “They were trying to get the Read more...

New Post-Grad Club Emerges Under Mysterious Circumstances

Posted 5:56pm Sunday 17th March 2024 by Hugh Askerud

The Society for Postgraduate Students (SPS) has mysteriously emerged after the old post-grad club (the Otago Postgraduate Association) was left abandoned late last year. The club was sworn into being by the OUSA exec at a meeting on the 5th of March, passing with all Read more...

Harm Reduction Hui ‘Bout to Drop

Posted 5:52pm Sunday 17th March 2024 by Hugh Askerud

Harm reduction is about to take centre stage with the Deep South Alcohol and Drug Harm Reduction Hui happening Monday and Tuesday this week at the Dunedin Art Gallery. According to the invite, the key aim is to “provide an opportunity to network to build relationships with others who are Read more...

Dunedin Debuts New Fringe

Posted 5:48pm Sunday 17th March 2024 by Jordan Irvine

On Wednesday, March 13th, the Dunedin Fringe Festival officially kicked off at Te Whare o Rukutia, ushering in 11 days of comedy, theatre, art, and the kind of general sophistication which you just need every once in a while.  The night began with MC/comedian/Fringe act Nicola Brown, who Read more...

Free Breakfast is Back to Five Days a Week

Posted 5:46pm Sunday 17th March 2024 by Gryffin Powell

For those of you bold enough to wake up before 9:30 (we get it, you’re better than us), OUSA Clubs and Socs have recently announced the extension of their renowned free breakfast programme to five days a week. The breakfast is open from 8:30-9:30am. Located in the Evision lounge, all Read more...

Music Company’s Policies Questioned

Posted 5:44pm Sunday 17th March 2024 by Jordan Irvine

Musos and performers alike have rallied together in defiance of ‘Breaking Sound’ after only one of five acts made revenue on a Wednesday night gig at Errick’s due to a questionable policy.  Breaking Sound is an LA-based company that gets promoters to find 4-5 bands to Read more...

“Weird” St Patty’s Escorted Walk Raises Eyebrows

Posted 5:22pm Sunday 17th March 2024 by Nina Brown

Last week, Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP) had planned to host an escorted walking tour of North Dunedin on St Paddy’s Day for attendees of an alcohol and drug harm hui they’re co-hosting. On Thursday, SSDP’s executive announced its cancellation, stating they’d Read more...

Rainbow Story Time Attracts Boomer Hate

Posted 5:19pm Sunday 17th March 2024 by Nina Brown

A Dunedin Pride event went ahead smoothly, despite the presence of several protesters both online and in person. ‘Rainbow Stories with Miss Annie’ was held at the Dunedin Public Library on Saturday, March 9, attracting a significant amount of publicity due to online protests prior to the Read more...

Knife-wielding Vampire Robs Flat

Posted 3:07pm Sunday 10th March 2024 by Sam Smith-Soppet

On March 1st, someone posted photos to the Castle24 Facebook page of a guy sitting on the ground with a bleeding nose, surrounded by police. The post warned others that he’d been on a thieving spree in the neighbourhood before “the cops took him”.  The burglar — who Read more...

Rob Roy Dairy For Sale

Posted 2:35pm Sunday 10th March 2024 by Gryffin Powell

Rob Roy is for sale. Harcourts listed the historic building on their website on Feb 21, calling it “an icon of the local dairy and ice cream scene.”  Critic Te Ārohi swung by Rob Roy and had a yarn to owner Liz Watson, who was forced awake before 6:30am (after a big night at Read more...

U-Bar Takes the sword to Pint Night line…inequality

Posted 2:22pm Sunday 10th March 2024 by Hugh Askerud

Management at U-Bar is taking a stand against inequality in the Pint Night line. The call for action comes after reports that wait times could be over an hour long late last year. In their battle against lines that haunt students’ nightmares, U-Bar will extend its opening hours on Wednesday Read more...

Opinion: Shit’s Really Going Downhill for Student Journalism

Posted 2:20pm Sunday 10th March 2024 by Monty O’Rielly

The sentiment that journalism is dying is thrown around so often that it seems a tired subject at this point. It’s treated as an inevitable. Last week’s report that Newshub, one of our major media sources in Aotearoa, is being forced to close was surprising but banal. It was merely Read more...