.
Shame, Survival, and Stepping Away: Golriz Ghahraman and Wellington Mayor, Tory Whanau on Life After Politics
In an extraordinary interview, ex-Green MP Golriz Ghahraman and Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau have detailed the shame they have experienced, especially in recent months.
Men are in crisis, but is it toxic or just masculinity?
Canadian podcaster and “brofluencer” Richard Cooper claims men are “softer, weaker” and should be taking the lead in relationships, because “there’s only one driver’s seat in a car”.
It’s only four letters long – but for centuries, the C-word has been the most taboo word in the English language. But should it be?
In this episode The Elephant asks whether it’s still the dirtiest curse in 2025 – or just another swear word losing its sting.
A growing international movement is calling for New Zealand to ban children under 14 from playing contact sports, amid mounting evidence of long-term brain damage.
The push comes as scientists warn of a clear link between contact sports and Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) — a degenerative brain disease associated with depression, suicidality and dementia. Critics say exposing children to the risk amounts to “endorsed child abuse.”
It seems like adult ADHD is everywhere right now – but is it really? Is ADHD being wildly overdiagnosed, transforming medical condition into a cultural trend, or is it finally getting the recognition it deserves?
From Paris Hilton to your best mate, it seems like adult ADHD is everywhere right now. International health experts say up to 5 percent of adults live with it – that’s one in every 20 adult New Zealanders, according to ADHD New Zealand.
Is it time to legalise recreational drugs? NZ’s Misuse of Drugs Act is 50 years old and out of date. The Drug Foundation want drug use decriminalised and the law rewritten to focus on health.
New Zealand’s drug laws are coming under heavy fire, with record methamphetamine use, increasingly dangerous street drugs and rising overdose deaths fueling calls to dismantle the 50-year-old Misuse of Drugs Act.
To former refugees, it is still “the land of opportunity,” but not so for the 70,000 New Zealanders who have left the country in the past year searching for a better life.
it’s clear something is shifting in the national mood. Recent polls show a clear majority of New Zealanders believe the country is heading in the wrong direction and the latest cost-of-living data suggests the pessimism may be justified.
New Zealanders are thinking twice about travelling to the United States, as concerns escalate that political views and online activity could mean trouble at the border.
Travel to the US from New Zealand has dropped by about 10 percent this year. In this episode The Elephant hears from travellers and academics who say the Trump administration’s hard-line approach to immigration and national security is creating real anxiety for Kiwis.
The question “What is a woman?” has shifted from a simple definition to one of the most polarising social debates of our time. It’s a question that’s tied politicians up in knots, caused near riots when British activist Posie Parker came to Auckland in 2023 and led to a New Zealand First bill defining a woman as “an adult human biological female”. But who decides?
When does free-speech become hate speech?
New Zealand’s long-running fight over where free speech ends and hate speech begins has reignited, after the Law Commission recommended stronger legal protections to transgender, non-binary and intersex people.
The Ia Tangata report, which means “each and every person” calls for gender identity and expression written into the Human Rights Act.
What does it mean to be Pākehā in 2025?
A new national poll has found most New Zealanders of European descent are reluctant to identify as Pākehā, despite growing public debate about identity, belonging and the country’s colonial legacy.
Indigenous scholar Dr Ella Henry argued the word itself is a gift from te ao Māori. “The very use of the word implies that you are accepting the gift from Māori people,” she said.
Is hiring for diversity at odds with merit, or a pathway to broader excellence? There is growing global backlash against diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programmes, while a rising counter-movement – Merit, Excellence and Intelligence (MEI) – is gaining momentum overseas.
Some political leaders here and overseas have framed DEI as “woke” or lowering standards, while a rising counter-movement MEI – is gaining momentum overseas, led by tech figures such as Elon Musk who argue that performance, not identity, should guide recruitment and promotion.
We’d love to hear from you! If you have a story idea, a topic you think would spark a great discussion, or something you’d like us to explore, don’t hesitate to reach out. The easiest and most effective way to get in touch is through our social channels just click the icons below and drop us a message. Your ideas help shape The Elephant, so don’t be shy!
