Michael Andrew 
With more New Zealanders feeling isolated, anxious and stressed from the Covid-19 effect, the need to take a moment and establish a sense of calm has never been more important. That’s where a new free app can help. In late 2018, when mental health advocate and All Black legend Sir John Kirwan launched his company … Read more
With many of us forced to adapt to get through Covid-19 and the lockdown, the constant juggling act of freelancers should be a source of inspiration. Waiting for pay, waiting for work. Taking what you can get in between. For many people, such an austere scenario sounds like a scene from a grey and dusty … Read more
For those keen to avoid the long and awkward queues at supermarkets, there may be a new technological solution. Long supermarket lines have become the bane of the lockdown era, with many people worried that the overcrowding and long wait times may burst their bubbles. Those concerns have prompted a Dunedin-based software engineer to create … Read more
In times of economic uncertainty, good information can be an invaluable commodity. So we’ve been working on a way to channel it to you. For many people, knowing what to do in our radically changing economy is like trying to figure out what to do when the power in your house stops working. You’re at … Read more
Since the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment relaxed the rules around the supply of essential non-food items last week, more businesses are announcing that their online stores are up and running. Some things, however, are not what leaps to mind as ‘essential’. Under the new policy allowing essential non-food items to be supplied, MBIE … Read more
The loss of a loved one can be difficult in the best of times. But it’s even more painful when the planes are grounded. Late on Saturday night, three days into New Zealand’s level four lockdown, Harish got a call from his sister in India telling him that his father had died. In bed and … Read more
Whether to connect with friends and colleagues, catch up on news, or stave off the boredom with bingeable TV, we’ve all been on our devices a lot more than normal. Vodafone has released a summary of its traffic stats for the past six days, which compares phone calls, broadband, and mobile data use against the … Read more
Scammers have been making the most of Covid-19 by preying on people’s fear and doubt. Here are some calling cards of the con artists. With most New Zealanders tucked up at home, digital devices are proving to be critical tools for staying connected with each other. However, this dependence is providing an avenue for those … Read more
Already over $2.7bn has been paid out to New Zealand businesses and their employees under the government’s wage subsidy scheme. We take a look at how it works and how to know if you’re eligible. This article has been updated to reflect changes to the wage subsidy scheme announced on March 27 and March 28. … Read more
With a mandatory four-week shutdown about to come into force to prevent the spread Covid-19, New Zealand’s economy faces one of the most uncertain periods in its history. We ask two leading economists to help us find meaning in the madness. There may come a time in the next few days or weeks when you … Read more
While the government’s massive financial assistance package will provide some relief, experts say NZ business owners still need to be proactive and calm – and make hard decisions sooner rather than later. Called “the most significant peace-time economic plan in modern New Zealand history” the government’s $12bn financial package announced this week will provide much-needed … Read more
Tourism and hospitality industries are buckling under the weight of the Covid-19 response. With the government set to announce a relief package, small businesses on Auckland’s Dominion Road describe just how needed it is. At a small travel brokerage on Dominion Road, five or six staff members sit at their desks taking calls. The phone … Read more
Financial markets around the world have been jumpy this week, with fears around the coronavirus putting them on edge. What does it mean for New Zealand? US Stocks Plummet Amid Oil Fears. Wall Street Plunges in Worst Drop Since 2008. Sharemarket Recovers From Sharp Losses. Bold headlines have dominated the business news over the past … Read more
While it sounds like something a movie bad guy might hatch, Auckland Council’s updated ‘Masterplan’ to make the city centre liveable isn’t too villainous, unless you think road cones are evil. What’s the plan? It’s not so much a plan as a vision of how Auckland might look in 20 years. Under the City Centre … Read more
The proposed merger of RNZ and TVNZ has one clear international precedent – Irish national broadcaster RTÉ. Michael Andrew asks what New Zealand can learn from the Irish model. There’s a touch of comedy in the idea of a merger between RNZ and TNVZ, almost as if the two organisations were unfamiliar step siblings forced … Read more
The Covid-19 coronavirus continues to tax New Zealand’s economy with crippled exports and stagnant manufactures choking supply chains. But what’s the reality at the front line of New Zealand retail – the malls? Take a stroll through any Westfield mall and you’re not likely to find grim scenes of desolate stores with bare shelves. Despite … Read more
His idea to reprocess used medical devices is already helping reduce waste in the New Zealand healthcare sector. Now Oliver Hunt of Medsalv discusses plans for the future and what’s needed for a small business to hum. In healthcare, the need for sanitation and sterility has dictated a throwaway culture, where millions of single-use devices … Read more
NZME, New Zealand’s largest media company, released its 2019 financial report yesterday. Michael Andrew checks in on the health of huge brands like the NZ Herald and Newstalk ZB. It was apparently a good year for NZME, which yesterday reported a strong financial performance with $19.7m operating profit and the growth in its digital subscriptions … Read more
From video games to face masks to seafood, coronavirus is shaking up global supply chains in unpredictable ways, writes Michael Andrew. “When America sneezes, the world catches cold,” goes the old adage – a metaphor to explain the global consequences of any disturbance in the United States’ economy. Certainly the same can be said of … Read more
Far from home, the Latin American football fanatics of Waiheke Island are fighting to regain their place on the New Zealand football league. It’s a tale of passion, pride and love for the beautiful game, writes Michael Andrew. This story was made possible by Spinoff Members. To support independent, homegrown journalism, join today. For the … Read more
Between the city and the coast lies an insurmountable gulf, or so they say. Fresh from university, Michael Andrew decided to test that by interning at a local paper in the West Coast and found himself beguiled by the strangeness and the beauty. I had never smelled fresh newsprint coming straight off the press before. … Read more
Where do mattresses go to die? The dump, of course. But Michael Andrew has other ideas. In the furniture world, there’s no sadder life than that of the mattress. I’ve slept on mine almost every night for 10 years. I’ve eaten on it, read on it, watched TV on it, dreamt on it, cried myself … Read more