Women need to change the conversation from one about rights to one about strategy and economic benefits if they want to improve diversity on boards, according to one top American executive.

As a conference this weekend looks at how racism affects Auckland, Susan Edmunds examines the progress we have made and the work left to do.

Kiwis are more polite about their racism than people in other parts of the world, says university lecturer Camille Nakhid.

The pay divide between men and women has widened by another 80c an hour since the turn of the millennium.

Caregiver Kristine Bartlett believes her hourly wage of $14.46 is less than what would be paid to male employees with the same or similar skills.

Migrant groups aren't convinced New Zealand is a racist country, despite a new poll indicating overwhelmingly that it is.

Reinstating the "Pig Patrol" may be the only way of fixing discrepancies in prosecution rates between Pakeha and Maori and Pacific peoples, a former member says.

The renowned poet Hone Tuwhare wrote a poem entitled, A Pakeha Friend Tells a Maori Joke.

Opponents of same-sex marriage are being slammed for distributing leaflets saying legalising the move will result in more incidences of AIDS and syphilis, and see the end of titles such as "husband and wife".

Church leaders are making a last-minute appeal to MPs to protect teachers who believe marriage should only be between opposite sexes even if Louisa Wall's gay marriage bill is passed tomorrow.

If we've learned anything from recent history, it's that people whose own sex lives are unedifying don't necessarily let that stop them damning others' proclivities.

A campaign by the YWCA in Wellington highlighted the gender pay gap by selling coffee to men for $4.40 and to women for $4. But regarding gender gaps, it's not just coffee that should concern us.

A UN body's list of concerns shows how much women are being disadvantaged in NZ, writes Debbie Hager.

The challenge for those in this discussion is to acknowledge and respect the values of others and to be courageous and generous in love, writes Russell Hoban.

There is a lot of hype surrounding the push for gay marriage in NZ, writes Douglas Pratt. Expectations of a momentous change are high.

NZ First MP Richard Prosser has shared a "lovely" meal and "humbling" evening with the young Muslim couple who wrote to the Herald to challenge his comments.

This week in America, one of the contenders most likely to be the 2016 Republican presidential candidate defiantly ate a doughnut on late night television; it was a glazed and jelly-filled two-fingered salute to his critics.

Auckland Muslim Jason Kennedy penned this open letter to New Zealand First MP Richard Prosser after his controversial column about Muslims made headlines.

NZ First MP Richard Prosser's bid to make a personal statement in Parliament this afternoon about his inflammatory comments about Muslims has been blocked.

Richard Prosser's "stupid" comments that young Muslim men from "Wogistan" should be banned from air travel have created headlines overseas.

New Zealand First MP Richard Prosser has spoken out in defence of his "Wogistan" rant which has been slammed as racist by Muslim leaders and politicians.

Pensioners are holding out in a dwindling minority opposing gay marriage - as 2013 looks possibly to be the year for it to become reality.