As we say goodbye to 2019 and welcome in 2020, it's a good time to catch up on the very best of the Herald columnists we enjoyed reading over the last 12 months. From politics to sport, from business to entertainment and lifestyle, these are the voices and views our
Top five columns of 2019: John Roughan
A visit to Ihumātao - and a change of heart
Sometimes it takes a personal visit to a site of controversy to find out what it's all about - which is what happened to John Roughan when he drove to Ihumātao "without much sympathy for the protest against a housing development near the Ōtuataua Stonefields". What he discovered there changed his view on the situation.
NZ saddled with outdated attitudes
Following the Christchurch mosque terror attack, calls were made to change the name of Canterbury's champion Super Rugby team, the Crusaders. According to Roughan, the name should be dropped not only out of consideration for the Muslim community, but because it's "naff" - and always has been.
We've had the bag pulled over our heads
This year saw a new ban on plastic bags introduced - with shoppers encouraged to carry reusable bags when visiting the grocery shop. But for some, remembering to bring a bag along can be a challenge - resulting in new stocks of a "better class of plastic bag".