Catherine McGregor

Wellington

Freelance Travel Writer and Editor at Freelance

Freelance travel writer & editor. Other stuff: contributing writer @ The Spinoff & The Bulletin, columnist and TV reviewer. Formerly: @thespinofftv, @metromagnz

Articles

Act takes a victory lap as Waitangi Tribunal faces government review

2 days ago | thespinoff.co.nz | Catherine McGregor

The government says its review will help the tribunal navigate the coming decades. Critics say it’s an ideological attack in disguise, writes Catherine McGregor in today’s extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. A half-century check-up…The Waitangi Tribunal is undergoing its first-ever formal review, nearly 50 years after the body was established.
Government’s political gamble backfires as backlash to pay equity reform grows

3 days ago | thespinoff.co.nz | Catherine McGregor

Nationwide protests and a wave of critical commentary have followed the government’s sudden overhaul of pay equity legislation, writes Catherine McGregor in today’s extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. Anger spills into the streetsHundreds of people turned out across the country on Friday, and again on Saturday, to protest the government’s fast-tracked changes to pay equity laws.
Why AI is forcing universities to rethink the way they run exams

6 days ago | thespinoff.co.nz | Catherine McGregor

A last-minute decision to return to pen and paper has put a spotlight on higher education’s struggle to ensure academic integrity in the age of AI, writes Catherine McGregor in today’s extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here.
Steady jobless rate masks deeper cracks in NZ economy

1 week ago | thespinoff.co.nz | Catherine McGregor

New figures show a softening labour market, rising hardship for Māori and Pacific workers, and warning signs from the Reserve Bank, writes Catherine McGregor in today’s extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. Jobless rate holds steady, surprising economistsNew Zealand’s unemployment rate remained unchanged at 5.1% in the March 2025 quarter – a headline figure that isn’t quite as reassuring as it seems.
‘Dark day for NZ women’ as pay equity regime gutted under urgency

1 week ago | thespinoff.co.nz | Catherine McGregor

The government has wiped 33 current pay equity claims and tightened future access – and they did it in lightning-quick time, writes Catherine McGregor in today’s extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. Sweeping pay equity change rushed through parliamentWith virtually no warning, the government has pushed through sweeping changes to New Zealand’s pay equity regime.
Does Dutton’s downfall offer a warning to NZ’s right?

1 week ago | thespinoff.co.nz | Catherine McGregor

Australia’s election result shows the limits of culture-war campaigning and the power of the political centre – with lessons for both National and Labour, writes Catherine McGregor in today’s extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. The Trump effect – and its limitsIf New Zealand’s right-wing parties are tempted to borrow too heavily from the Trump playbook, the result of Australia’s election this weekend offers a cautionary tale.
A curriculum divided

1 week ago | thespinoff.co.nz | Catherine McGregor

The draft English curriculum has sparked fierce debate among teachers over equity, achievement and Shakespeare’s place in the classroom. But not every teacher is opposed, writes Catherine McGregor in today’s extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. Draft curriculum sets off nationwide conversationFew education debates in recent years have ignited as much heat as the draft replacement English curriculum for secondary schools.
Wild weather wreaks havoc as Wellington and Canterbury hit hard

1 week ago | thespinoff.co.nz | Catherine McGregor

A rare red wind warning, states of emergency and multiple evacuations marked the year’s most severe weather event so far, writes Catherine McGregor in today’s extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. Wellington hit by record windsLarge parts of the country are in recovery mode today after 36 hours of wild weather brought floods, evacuations, and widespread disruption.
Prisoner-voting roll-back prompts outcry from legal experts

2 weeks ago | thespinoff.co.nz | Catherine McGregor

The announcement that some inmates are to lose the right to vote has reignited a fierce debate over human rights and Treaty breaches, writes Catherine McGregor in today’s extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here.
Seymour’s truancy call to mayors met with confusion and exasperation

2 weeks ago | thespinoff.co.nz | Catherine McGregor

The associate education minister has appealed for mayors’ support on improving school attendance. But should it really be part of their job, asks Catherine McGregor in today’s extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. Mayors unimpressed by Seymour’s call to armsAssociate education minister David Seymour’s latest truancy push has landed awkwardly with local government leaders.