The Defiant

New Zealand 

March 1, 2019March 2, 2019

Having a “Well-Being Budget” should mean standing up for those who look after our well-being

Posted By: Louie Encabo 1514 Views darroch ball, featured, new zealand first, st johns ambulance service, well-being budget

The 2019 national budget is widely anticipated due to it being the inaugural “Well-Being Budget”, a world first funding model which seeks to prioritise

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New Zealand 

February 26, 2019

Auckland Council should save this transport option of the future

Posted By: Louie Encabo 1773 Views 2019 auckland local body elections, auckland council, featured, lime scooters

The Lime scooters are as controversial as they are innovative, and now Auckland Council has acted on the criticisms the highly-popular app-based ride receives

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The Philippines 

February 25, 2019February 26, 2019

Why the People Power Revolution is bigger than the Aquino Legacy

Posted By: Louie Encabo 2163 Views edsa people power, featured, ferdinand marcos, ninoy aquino, noynoy aquino

While many Filipinos will be thrilled to take a day off from work or school on Monday for the commemoration of the EDSA People

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The Philippines 

February 22, 2019

The hypocrisy of National Youth Commissioner Ronald Cardema

Posted By: Louie Encabo 2937 Views duterte youth, featured, national youth commission, red tagging, ronald cardema, student activism

Previously unknown, the National Youth Commission (NYC) head Ronald Cardema has landed himself on news headlines this week for the wrong reasons. He earned

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New Zealand 

February 20, 2019

Why NZ First is the strongest voice in Parliament against the use of 1080

Posted By: Louie Encabo 1728 Views 1080 poison, featured, jenny marcroft, new zealand first, shane jones

Chances are you know about the use of 1080 pellets by the Department of Conservation (DOC) due to the very loud and very active

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New Zealand 

February 18, 2019February 20, 2019

A law change could tackle the problem of fatal police chases

Posted By: Louie Encabo 1654 Views darroch ball, featured, new zealand police, police car chase

Early in the year, a police pursuit ended in a fatal crash that took the lives of two teenage boys in Christchurch. The vehicle

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The Philippines 

February 15, 2019

Maria Ressa’s arrest is not Duterte’s first attack on press freedom…and it won’t be his last

Posted By: Louie Encabo 1927 Views featured, maria ressa, philippine daily inquirer, rappler.com, rodrigo duterte

The arrest of TIME Magazine Person of the Year and Rappler.com CEO Maria Ressa sent shockwaves not just in Philippine media, but internationally also. 

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The Philippines 

February 12, 2019

Does Sarah Duterte’s “Hugpong ng Pagbabago” really represent “change”?

Posted By: Louie Encabo 2562 Views 2019 philippine senatorial elections, featured, hugpong ng pagbabago, rodrigo duterte, sara duterte

As the campaign period for the 2019 Senatorial Elections commence today, it will be common to see the different “senatorial slates” hit various cities

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New Zealand 

February 10, 2019

Yes, Government regulation to ban smoking in cars with children is necessary

Posted By: Louie Encabo 1493 Views featured, jenny marcroft, new zealand first, new zealand labour party, Smokefree2025

There tends to be backlash when paternalistic policies become enacted: be it increasing excise taxes on tobacco, banning single-use plastic bags, or plans to

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New Zealand 

February 5, 2019

The #ProvincialGrowthFund is doing better than what Newshub wants you to think

Posted By: Louie Encabo 1788 Views featured, National Party, newshub, provincial growth fund, shane jones

This week, mainstream news outlet Newshub released an exclusive story reporting that the Coalition Government’s Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) program only created 54 jobs during

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