Latest from Kerre McIvor on New Zealand

Kerre McIvor: Trial of being a tearaway's parent

The deputy mayor of Invercargill laid into the parents of young teenage oiks this week after six 13 and 14-year-olds went on a tyre-slashing spree in the city.

Kerre McIvor: Zero tolerance far from confusing

I don't know what Michael Woodhouse found confusing about the zero tolerance on speeding campaign. The message was pretty clear, writes Kerre McIvor.

Kerre McIvor: Violence the resort of weak-minded

Free speech is in the spotlight in the wake of the terrorist attack on the Charlie Hebdo magazine in Paris that left 12 people dead and eight others injured.

Kerre McIvor: Fifty balloons for half a century on the planet

I turned 50 two days after Christmas and although it was a brilliant day, 50 is a funny age to be, writes Kerre McIvor.

Kerre McIvor: Change of pace but magical as ever

By the time you read this, Christmas will be done and dusted. The last of the ham sandwiches will have been made.

Kerre McIvor: A child's life has no price

Pakistan's Defence Minister, Khwaja Asif, summed up the dreadful toll that the war between the country's military and the Pakistan Taliban is taking on his people this week.

Kerre McIvor: The perils of online dating

Any new singleton, wary of dipping their toe into the murky water of online dating, must surely be even more cautious after two news stories this week highlighting the perils of such behaviour.

Kerre McIvor: Exit Sutton and we're still no wiser

Kerre McIvor writes: Creepiness is subjective. One woman's laid-back, approachable boss is another's sleazy lech and one man's caring boss is another's predatory old cougar.

Kerre McIvor: At the beck and call of the boss

I was horrified to read zero-hour contracts are common among many multinational fast-food companies and are increasingly being used by supermarkets and retailers.

Kerre McIvor: One to Cunliffe, but watch out ...

When the Wallabies drew with the All Blacks in the first Bledisloe Cup match in Sydney, it was widely considered almost as good as a win.

Kerre McIvor: Harsh view out of line

The evolutionary biologist and philosopher Richard Dawkins created a Twitterstorm this week when he posted about a young woman in Ireland who was forced to give birth to a baby conceived through rape.

Kerre McIvor: Vote Compass party picker offers weird choices

If you're wondering in this political maelstrom who the hell you'll vote for on September 20, you may like to try a couple of the internet's election tools.

Kerre McIvor: Shame on the predators

A couple of years ago, I was out in the early hours of the morning after I'd MCed a conference.

Kerre McIvor: Hager 'dirty' bombshell is old news

The revelation from Nicky Hager that politics is a dirty business comes tens of thousands of years late.

Kerre McIvor: Rude-word history repeating

Invercargill Mayor Tim Shadbolt must be wondering whether New Zealand society has changed at all in 50 years.

Kerre McIvor: Where's natural justice?

It seems incredible two young men can walk away scot-free, without a blemish to their name, after assaulting a schoolboy who later died.

Kerre McIvor: Failures at all levels killed 11

Kerre Mcivor: Surely a Games to remember