Rotorua Daily Post
  • Rotorua Daily Post home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Sport
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Residential property listings
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Rural
  • Sport

Locations

  • Tauranga
  • Te Puke
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Tokoroa
  • Taupō & Tūrangi

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales

Weather

  • Rotorua
  • Tauranga
  • Whakatāne
  • Tokoroa
  • Taupō

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Dawn Picken
Weekend and opinion writer
Tauranga

Dawn is a weekend and opinion writer for the Bay of Plenty Times

We are your advocate, Aotearoa. Uncovering stories that matter, asking hard-hitting questions of those in power, live-blogging sport events, monitoring the highs and lows of the NZX and providing Premium expert opinion and analysis. Bringing you distinctive, quality journalism and breaking news from across New Zealand and around the world. With specialists working together to create indepth reads, engaging video, and unmissable podcasts.

Check out Dawn’s latest content
Premium
Comment: Healthcare staffing crisis putting lives on the line
Opinion

Comment: Healthcare staffing crisis putting lives on the line

04 Nov 10:00 PM
Premium
Mourning and writing: Columnist shares her grief story in a new memoir that benefits a local charity
Rotorua Daily Post

Mourning and writing: Columnist shares her grief story in a new memoir that benefits a local charity

14 Oct 08:30 PM

Columnist's memoir provides hope for people who grieve while raising money for charity.

Premium
Dawn Picken: Would you be happier living somewhere else?
Opinion

Dawn Picken: Would you be happier living somewhere else?

07 Oct 10:00 PM

Would you be happier living somewhere else?

Premium
Dawn Picken: Hard choices on and off the court
Opinion

Dawn Picken: Hard choices on and off the court

19 Aug 10:00 PM

OPINION: If tennis legend Serena Williams can reimagine parenting, maybe we can, too.

Premium
Comment: Learning to evolve when nestlings take off
Opinion

Comment: Learning to evolve when nestlings take off

18 Jun 12:00 AM

OPINION: When you think you have a plan, the people you love most change the game

Premium
Dawn Picken: Is working from home working for us?
Opinion

Dawn Picken: Is working from home working for us?

22 May 02:00 AM

Opinion: Despite calls for workers to return to the office, remote work is here to stay.

Premium
Opinion: Consent education important for students
Rotorua Daily Post

Opinion: Consent education important for students

23 Apr 12:00 AM

OPINION: Consent education in schools is one vital tool to help keep our children safe.

Premium
'I'm smitten': An affair to remember in dark times
Opinion

'I'm smitten': An affair to remember in dark times

18 Mar 10:00 PM

Sunrise is a reminder of beauty in our broken world.

Premium
Dawn Picken: Conversion therapy ban 'about time'
Rotorua Daily Post

Dawn Picken: Conversion therapy ban 'about time'

20 Feb 01:00 AM

Opinion: Accepting different gender identities and sexual orientations is a win for all.

Premium
Dawn Picken: A message for singles before V-day
Rotorua Daily Post

Dawn Picken: A message for singles before V-day

11 Feb 11:00 PM

OPINION: Some of us are giving Cupid a break this Valentine's Day.

Premium
Dawn Picken: Let's get together again - reconnection at last?
Rotorua Daily Post

Dawn Picken: Let's get together again - reconnection at last?

04 Feb 09:00 PM

The hope of mass reunion is here at last.

Premium
Dawn Picken: The long road of parenting
Rotorua Daily Post

Dawn Picken: The long road of parenting

29 Jan 09:00 PM

My eldest turned 18 this week, but the parenting trip continues.

Premium
Dawn Picken: Thoughts from a Quaran-queen in MIQ
Rotorua Daily Post

Dawn Picken: Thoughts from a Quaran-queen in MIQ

21 Jan 07:30 PM

Thoughts for surviving isolation - let's try this at home.

Premium
Dawn Picken: Free-dumb isn't free - living with liberty in the US
Rotorua Daily Post

Dawn Picken: Free-dumb isn't free - living with liberty in the US

14 Jan 09:28 PM

OPINION: If you hate Covid restrictions, you'll love America.

Premium
Dawn Picken: Rethinking what it means to turn the page on another year
Rotorua Daily Post

Dawn Picken: Rethinking what it means to turn the page on another year

31 Dec 10:00 PM

Opinion: Let's take the pressure off 2022 and ourselves to make the next year wonderful.

Premium
Dawn Picken: Celebrate the season while acknowledging loss
Rotorua Daily Post

Dawn Picken: Celebrate the season while acknowledging loss

23 Dec 09:00 PM

Opinion: Covid and life's usual calamities have forced us to make sacrifices.

Premium
Dawn Picken: 'I see each meal as a memory'
Rotorua Daily Post

Dawn Picken: 'I see each meal as a memory'

18 Dec 12:00 AM

OPINION: Who we are eating with matters more than what we're eating this holiday season.

Premium
Dawn Picken: This is weird - leaving NZ in the Covid age
Rotorua Daily Post

Dawn Picken: This is weird - leaving NZ in the Covid age

10 Dec 10:00 PM

I flip out before any trip, but pandemic travel has multiplied my freak factor.

Premium
Dawn Picken: Keep your friends close and conspiracy theory fans closer
Rotorua Daily Post

Dawn Picken: Keep your friends close and conspiracy theory fans closer

03 Dec 10:00 PM

OPINION: Talking to science deniers requires technique and patience.

Premium
Dawn Picken: We're missing the mark in debate about sexual harassment
Rotorua Daily Post

Dawn Picken: We're missing the mark in debate about sexual harassment

28 Nov 02:00 AM

Opinion: Sexual harassment - and the way we've failed to curb it- transcends politics.

Premium
Dawn Picken: Thanks to the silent majority
Rotorua Daily Post

Dawn Picken: Thanks to the silent majority

19 Nov 10:00 PM

We need to recognise people who are trying to do the right thing each day.

Premium
Dawn Picken: Reflection, deflection and the best cheese toastie ever
Rotorua Daily Post

Dawn Picken: Reflection, deflection and the best cheese toastie ever

12 Nov 09:00 PM

OPINION: Hard conversations are especially wrenching for the conflict-averse.

Premium
Dawn Picken: Tell me a story
Rotorua Daily Post

Dawn Picken: Tell me a story

05 Nov 11:00 PM

Listeners in Tauranga recently gave storytellers a rare gift: undivided attention.

Premium
Dawn Picken: An insider's guide to the ICU for the vaccine hesitant
Rotorua Daily Post

Dawn Picken: An insider's guide to the ICU for the vaccine hesitant

22 Oct 10:49 PM

ICU a reality for more people amid Covid-19. You don't want to go there, says Dawn Picken.

Premium
Dawn Picken: It's a crazy time to turn 16 - advice for my teenaged son
Rotorua Daily Post

Dawn Picken: It's a crazy time to turn 16 - advice for my teenaged son

16 Oct 09:00 PM

Opinion: What a crazy time to turn 16 - or any age.

Premium
Dawn Picken: The uphill slog of convincing young people to get vaccinated for Covid-19
Rotorua Daily Post

Dawn Picken: The uphill slog of convincing young people to get vaccinated for Covid-19

08 Oct 10:00 PM

OPINION: No jab, no fun? Parents of teenagers are navigating vaccine hesitancy.

Premium
Dawn Picken: And now for the good news
Rotorua Daily Post

Dawn Picken: And now for the good news

01 Oct 11:00 PM

We sure could use a little good news.

Premium
Dawn Picken: Running legend backs vaccinations
Rotorua Daily Post

Dawn Picken: Running legend backs vaccinations

24 Sep 09:00 PM

Opinion: Running legend Anne Audain urges Kiwis to get vaccinated against Covid-19.

Premium
Dawn Picken: Getting vaccinated is our best shot
Rotorua Daily Post

Dawn Picken: Getting vaccinated is our best shot

17 Sep 10:00 PM

We've seen what happens when Covid-19 vaccination rates are low. Aotearoa can do better.

Premium
Dawn Picken: 20 years after 9/11: How do we honour the victims?
Rotorua Daily Post

Dawn Picken: 20 years after 9/11: How do we honour the victims?

11 Sep 03:00 AM

OPINION: Twenty years on, what do we owe the victims of 9/11?

Premium
Dawn Picken: Lockdown 2.0 parenting - carpe diem can wait
Rotorua Daily Post

Dawn Picken: Lockdown 2.0 parenting - carpe diem can wait

03 Sep 11:00 PM

Lockdown parenting is no piece of cake - especially when you can't find flour.

Premium
Dawn Picken: Embrace science fact over science fiction when it comes to Covid-19 vaccines
Rotorua Daily Post

Dawn Picken: Embrace science fact over science fiction when it comes to Covid-19 vaccines

27 Aug 09:00 PM

Opinion: Getting vaccinated is more than a personal choice - it affects everyone.

Premium
Dawn Picken: Apologies are the first step, not the last word
Rotorua Daily Post

Dawn Picken: Apologies are the first step, not the last word

08 Aug 12:00 AM

Saying sorry is just a first step.

Premium
Dawn Picken: Owners need to pick up after their dogs
Opinion

Dawn Picken: Owners need to pick up after their dogs

30 Jul 10:00 PM

Opinion: Picking up poo is a lot like justice - when it's delayed, it's denied.

Premium
Dawn Picken: Once upon a time, I could venture with my kids
Opinion

Dawn Picken: Once upon a time, I could venture with my kids

23 Jul 11:00 PM

Opinion: The anti-staycation: where you wish you had left home but stayed to work instead.

Premium
Dawn Picken: Where will we house the next wave of Kiwis?
Rotorua Daily Post

Dawn Picken: Where will we house the next wave of Kiwis?

17 Jul 12:00 AM

There's no easy answer for housing the next wave of Kiwi returnees and migrants.

Premium
Dawn Picken: Saddened but not surprised by sexual assault report
Rotorua Daily Post

Dawn Picken: Saddened but not surprised by sexual assault report

03 Jul 12:00 AM

Opinion: It's hard to deal with despicable behaviour happening under our noses.

Premium
Dawn Picken: Airport, racecourse should be on the table for housing
Rotorua Daily Post

Dawn Picken: Airport, racecourse should be on the table for housing

25 Jun 09:00 PM

OPINION: All options should be considered for shifting people out of emergency housing

Premium
Dawn Picken: Bracing myself for an empty nest
Rotorua Daily Post

Dawn Picken: Bracing myself for an empty nest

11 Jun 11:00 PM

OPINION: You know you've raised an independent soul if they flee the nest.

Premium
Dawn Picken: Listen up, I've got something to say
Rotorua Daily Post

Dawn Picken: Listen up, I've got something to say

04 Jun 09:00 PM

OPINION: We know when someone's focusing on our words and when they're not.

Premium
Dawn Picken: Support the Aotearoa renaissance when it comes to buying local
Rotorua Daily Post

Dawn Picken: Support the Aotearoa renaissance when it comes to buying local

30 May 09:00 PM

Opinion: We need to support Aotearoa artists if we want to keep enjoying their gifts.

Premium
Dawn Picken: Refuse the jab, lose the job
Rotorua Daily Post

Dawn Picken: Refuse the jab, lose the job

22 May 08:00 PM

Opinion: Some employees need to be vaccinated against Covid-19 to protect public health.

Premium
Dawn Picken: Good fences, good neighbours? I don't think so
Opinion

Dawn Picken: Good fences, good neighbours? I don't think so

14 May 10:00 PM

Opinion: Fences can be useful, but are we building too many?

Premium
Dawn Picken: Mother's Day in the Zone
Rotorua Daily Post

Dawn Picken: Mother's Day in the Zone

08 May 10:00 PM

OPINION: Plenty of parents are flying solo this Mother's Day.

Premium
Dawn Picken: Justice for George - a sad, small victory
Rotorua Daily Post

Dawn Picken: Justice for George - a sad, small victory

24 Apr 12:00 AM

OPINION: Are we inching closer to a world where Black Lives Matter?

Premium
Dawn Picken: Why we should think about the environment when we think about death
Rotorua Daily Post

Dawn Picken: Why we should think about the environment when we think about death

16 Apr 10:00 PM

We need a death plan as much, or more than we need a life plan.

Premium
The upside of social media
Rotorua Daily Post

The upside of social media

10 Apr 09:00 PM

OPINION: Social media is a cesspool. It's also a repository for good memories.

Premium
Dawn Picken: Is time running out for daylight saving?
Rotorua Daily Post

Dawn Picken: Is time running out for daylight saving?

03 Apr 10:00 PM

Opinion: We can add joy to our country by making daylight saving time permanent.

Premium
Dawn Picken: Government's fluoridation decision the right call
Rotorua Daily Post

Dawn Picken: Government's fluoridation decision the right call

26 Mar 08:00 PM

OPINION: Too many people choose to do nothing when it comes to public health

Premium
Dawn Picken: Better campaign needed against vaccine disinformation
Rotorua Daily Post

Dawn Picken: Better campaign needed against vaccine disinformation

19 Mar 07:00 PM

Opinion: We can't afford to let the lords of lies win the battle for arms and minds.

Premium
Dawn Picken: It's time to think about reopening the border
Rotorua Daily Post

Dawn Picken: It's time to think about reopening the border

12 Mar 09:00 PM

OPINION: Why should only godwits get to fly?

Premium
Dawn Picken: It's not cancel culture, it's progress
Rotorua Daily Post

Dawn Picken: It's not cancel culture, it's progress

05 Mar 10:00 PM

OPINION: It's only cancel culture when you don't like the change, Dawn Picken writes.

Premium
Dawn Picken: More needed for experienced drivers
Rotorua Daily Post

Dawn Picken: More needed for experienced drivers

27 Feb 07:00 PM

Opinion:

Premium
Paging Dr Google - what happened to expertise?
Rotorua Daily Post

Paging Dr Google - what happened to expertise?

19 Feb 09:00 PM

OPINION: Dr Google will not have the last word.

Premium
Dawn Picken: Will you be my Galentine?
Rotorua Daily Post

Dawn Picken: Will you be my Galentine?

12 Feb 10:30 PM

Opinion: It's a time to celebrate all female friends, whether they're single, or not.

Premium
Dawn Picken: Inequity hurts everyone - it's time to fix the whare
Opinion

Dawn Picken: Inequity hurts everyone - it's time to fix the whare

07 Feb 01:00 AM

Opinion: We are still living in the house colonialism built and it's time to fix it.

Premium
Dawn Picken: Advice for a 17-year-old in a new world
Rotorua Daily Post

Dawn Picken: Advice for a 17-year-old in a new world

29 Jan 07:00 PM

Opinion: For a teenager, postponement looks permanent. But this pause is not forever.

Premium
Dawn Picken: Relief the word of the day as Biden takes reins
Rotorua Daily Post

Dawn Picken: Relief the word of the day as Biden takes reins

22 Jan 09:00 PM

OPINION: America is on the path to rejoining the world.

Premium
Dawn Picken: A new chapter opens for America
Opinion

Dawn Picken: A new chapter opens for America

20 Jan 05:00 PM

"You don't have to be American to have felt the pain and betrayal."

Premium
Dawn Picken: Is Martin Luther King jnr's dream still alive?
Rotorua Daily Post

Dawn Picken: Is Martin Luther King jnr's dream still alive?

19 Jan 11:00 PM

OPINION: King's dream is not dead, but it does appear to be on life support.

Premium
Dawn Picken: Trump's legacy a shameful one
Rotorua Daily Post

Dawn Picken: Trump's legacy a shameful one

15 Jan 11:00 PM

OPINION: Can America once again govern on reason and facts rather than fear and lies?

Premium
Dawn Picken: Celebrating the small stuff
Rotorua Daily Post

Dawn Picken: Celebrating the small stuff

01 Jan 06:00 PM

OPINION: It's important to celebrate the small victories we had in 2020.

Premium
Dawn Picken: The wisdom of the Stoics - give yourself a break this Christmas
Rotorua Daily Post

Dawn Picken: The wisdom of the Stoics - give yourself a break this Christmas

19 Dec 05:00 AM

Opinion: Realising what we could lose can help us appreciate what we have.

Premium
Many Kiwis scrambling for keys to the castle
Rotorua Daily Post

Many Kiwis scrambling for keys to the castle

12 Dec 02:00 AM

OPINION: Investment in shares may be the way to grow a deposit for a home.

Premium
Dawn Picken: Big Brother is watching
Rotorua Daily Post

Dawn Picken: Big Brother is watching

04 Dec 09:00 PM

OPINION: Facial images may be collected at a distance, without consent or knowledge.

Premium
Dawn Picken: A lot to be thankful for in this weird year
Rotorua Daily Post

Dawn Picken: A lot to be thankful for in this weird year

27 Nov 09:00 PM

OPINION: For all its weirdness and sadness, 2020 has produced moments of gratitude.

Premium
Dawn Picken: He'll be right:  non-conformity is the new norm
Rotorua Daily Post

Dawn Picken: He'll be right: non-conformity is the new norm

20 Nov 10:00 PM

OPINION: Why would we say hurtful things about people who don't conform to gender norms?

Premium
Opinion: How Kamala Harris has singularly defied conventions
Rotorua Daily Post

Opinion: How Kamala Harris has singularly defied conventions

13 Nov 10:00 PM

OPINION: The vice-president-elect can be a role model to many.

Premium
Dawn Picken: Sad reflection of a fearful country
Rotorua Daily Post

Dawn Picken: Sad reflection of a fearful country

06 Nov 09:00 PM

OPINION: The mood in our house was grim on Wednesday night.

Premium
Thirteen things that terrify me this Halloween
Rotorua Daily Post

Thirteen things that terrify me this Halloween

30 Oct 09:00 PM

Halloween is just a temporary bubble where being scared is fun.

Premium
Dawn Picken: Our elections are more grown-up
Rotorua Daily Post

Dawn Picken: Our elections are more grown-up

23 Oct 09:00 PM

OPINION

Premium
Dawn Picken: Happy birthday, I voted for you
Rotorua Daily Post

Dawn Picken: Happy birthday, I voted for you

14 Oct 07:51 PM

OPINION: I voted for candidates who've demonstrated they're smart, strategic and sane.

Premium
Opinion: Politicians talk 'family values' but what about the singletons
Rotorua Daily Post

Opinion: Politicians talk 'family values' but what about the singletons

09 Oct 07:30 PM

OPINION: Politicians would be wise to speak in a way that makes all voters feel valued.

Premium
Dawn Picken: Decluttering can improve mental health
Rotorua Daily Post

Dawn Picken: Decluttering can improve mental health

26 Sep 11:00 PM

COMMENT: The case for decluttering: disposing of junk can improve your mental health.

Premium
Dawn Picken: How the pandemic is worsening the wealth divide
Opinion

Dawn Picken: How the pandemic is worsening the wealth divide

18 Sep 03:00 AM

Covid-19 is shining a spotlight on wealth inequality

Premium
Dawn Picken: Is New Zealand a fascist state?
Rotorua Daily Post

Dawn Picken: Is New Zealand a fascist state?

12 Sep 12:00 AM

COMMENT: People troubled by government policies during the pandemic have options.

Premium
Dawn Picken: Don't let the virus deniers damage us
Rotorua Daily Post

Dawn Picken: Don't let the virus deniers damage us

15 Aug 05:00 AM

COMMENT: Outliers are busy poking holes in the fabric of our five-million strong team.

Premium
Dawn Picken: Why we should support voluntary euthanasia
Opinion

Dawn Picken: Why we should support voluntary euthanasia

07 Aug 11:00 PM

Knowing we could exit on our terms would be like a hidden escape hatch.

Premium
Dawn Picken: My advice for young people trying to plan their future
Rotorua Daily Post

Dawn Picken: My advice for young people trying to plan their future

31 Jul 11:03 PM

Comment: It can be tough working out a path amid the all the planet's chaos.

Premium
Dawn Picken: The deadliest choices are extreme choices
Rotorua Daily Post

Dawn Picken: The deadliest choices are extreme choices

17 Jul 10:00 PM

COMMENT: The pandemic shows how a leader's choices can affect whether we live or die.

Premium
Dawn Picken: Want to keep customers happy? Don't make us wait
Rotorua Daily Post

Dawn Picken: Want to keep customers happy? Don't make us wait

04 Jul 12:00 AM

Businesses will continue nudging us to pay and stay away.

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Rotorua Daily Post e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Rotorua Daily Post
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP