Latest from Social Issues

Lucy Lawless: Face to face with society's dark side

"I only do boys - so what's the problem?", asked the sex offender denied the chance to meet his daughter. Lucy Lawless came face to face with him.

Commission's rebrand really Gauls

The Families Commission is rebranding today taking a name which almost identical to that of a French supermarket chain.

Editorial: Obama's plan deserves sensible reply

President Obama's executive order would spare from deportation five million immigrants who have lived illegally in the US for at least five years and have children who are citizens.

Call for religious tolerance lessons in schools

The danger of growing up black

Black America has again been reminded that its children are not seen as worthy of being alive - in part because they are not seen as children at all, but as threats to white lives.

Patricia Greig: Ferguson just latest incident in vicious circle of violence

Glenn report - judges need to be inquisitors on family violence cases

Sir Owen Glenn's report also recommends tough new alcohol laws, including higher taxes and raising the legal drinking age to 20, plus a new dedicated family violence agency.

Couple grit it out for study - and kids

Next month Sio Talakai-Alatini is due to give birth to her fourth daughter - and thanks to a brave decision she will also graduate with a masters degree.

State rejects sex ed changes

New guidelines for sex education will be released in a few weeks, but the Govt will shy away from ordering schools to teach more than basic biology.

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.

State houses sitting on goldmine

Escape from the world's biggest cage

Imagine growing up not knowing your father because he has been declared an enemy of the people and has to live in another country you are forbidden to visit.

Dita De Boni: The yawning rich-poor Oz divide

Certainly New Zealand offers a lot less than Australia in many ways, but at least we can still have the conversation about inequality, writes Dita De Boni.

Russell Wills and Phil O'Reilly: Help families and we all win

The Prime Minister recently made two announcements which appear worlds away but are intrinsically linked: making child poverty his priority this term, and attracting skilled people to New Zealand to enable continued economic growth.

How did domestic violence inquiry get $7 billion figure wrong?

Sir Owen Glenn's ill-fated family violence inquiry has stumbled again, producing a $7 billion estimated cost of family violence based on misreading of key research paper.

Timing of euthanasia bill worries Little

Leadership contender Andrew Little says he does not want the highly divisive debate on legalising euthanasia restarted when the party is trying to restore confidence with voters.