The Spinoff concludes Commute Week by sharing commute images from you, our lovely readers. *We received exactly one (1) photo from the South Island. The Spinoff hosted Commute Week last week, seven days committed to discussing all things transport. Throughout the week we asked for pictures of your commute and you all delivered. The main … Read more
Bringing you the best weekly reading from your friendly local website. Emily Writes: An open letter to Mike Hosking “Now, any parent who actually parents will know that early childhood education is no walk in the park and the question is absurd. And “painting pictures with a three-year-old” is not only not easy, but also it’s nowhere near all that … Read more
As expected, every single award last night was won by the Spinoff, to universal acclaim. In a glittering ceremony at the Auckland hotel which used to be glamorously known as the Langham but was recently renamed Cordis so that it sounds more like a provincial motor inn, the cream of New Zealand media gathered last … Read more
With the return of Three’s women-led sketch show Funny Girls tonight at 9.45pm, we bless ye with an exclusive clip from tonight’s episode. Funny Girls returns to Three tonight at 9.45pm This content, like all television coverage we do at The Spinoff, is brought to you thanks to the excellent folk at Lightbox. Do us … Read more
Ahead of the premiere of a new documentary on the life and work of Sir Paul Callaghan, a few of his friends and colleagues – including Anne Salmond, Bill Manhire, Nicola Gaston and Shaun Hendy – share their memories of the great man. New Zealander of the Year, founding director of the MacDiarmid Institute, coiner … Read more
Bringing you the best weekly reading from your friendly local website. Toby Manhire: What the shit is going on with those Clarke Gayford rumours? “Everyone in media and political circles, Steve Braunias notwithstanding, has been gasbagging like mad over the last month about rumours related to Clarke Gayford, the partner of the prime minister, Jacinda Ardern. Most … Read more
With the budget just weeks away we’ve created a helpful (mostly) alphabetic introduction to the mysteries of the annual government Budget. A Ambitious What every budget always is. B Books In budget-speak, this exclusively refers to accounts, often in relation to the balancing thereof, and disappointingly never to potboiler novels. C Chewing gum Michael Cullen’s … Read more
British miniseries galore, Joanna Lumley travelogues, plucky teens putting on a musical about 19th Germany – May on Lightbox has got it all. Sam Brooks and Alex Casey run down what’s coming to Lightbox this month. Love, Nina (May 2) Who doesn’t love a delicious Nick Hornby adaptation to soothe the weary soul? Based on the … Read more
Light up your bleak office life with our cut-out-and-circulate Dancing with the Stars NZ Sweepstake kit. Please feel free to repurpose as bingo or a drinking game or whatever. To print, click here for PDF. Brought to you by Toby Morris, Tina Tiller, Mad Chapman & Alex Casey This content, like all television coverage … Read more
The Spinoff recently launched a free daily digest of the most important news from around New Zealand called The Bulletin, and it’s proving to be a big hit. Here’s why you should sign up. Nobody has an abundance of time any more. The idea of sitting down for a leisurely read of the paper every … Read more
Bringing you the best weekly reading from your friendly local website. Danyl Mclauchlan: Breaking news: Clarke Gayford reputation rocked by Herald allegations “This is not to deny that the Herald’s investigation raises some valid issues which Ardern and her government must urgently move to address. Why were we not told that Gayford came second in the … Read more
In an email to the Spinoff, Barney McDonald says In Plain Sight investigation misrepresents the magazine, the men at its helm, and amounts to ‘sensationalist click-bait’. Barney McDonald, the former editor of Auckland culture magazine Pavement, has written to the Spinoff renewing and expanding upon his earlier response to In plain sight: behind the pages … Read more
Breakfast carnage continues on Newshub as Mark Richardson and Duncan Garner tear chunks out of Mark Richardson and Duncan Garner Last week New Zealand had barely begun recovering from the sight of broadcaster Duncan Garner’s blistering attack on broadcaster Duncan Garner over free speech when broadcaster Mark Richardson stole his fellow broadcaster’s thunder with a … Read more
Bringing you the best weekly reading from your friendly local website. Alex Casey: ‘Would you like me to also be a different skin colour and male?’ – Anika Moa claps back at tattoo criticism on Seven Sharp “I’ll just cover up a little bit” Moa whispered, frantically pulling her sleeves over her hands and attempting … Read more
Yet another blistering AM Show attack as cricketer-turned-broadcaster condemns cricketer-turned-broadcaster Earlier this week high-profile broadcaster and host of the AM Show Duncan Garner launched a blistering attack on high-profile broadcaster and host of the AM Show Duncan Garner over his role as Chief Constable in the Speech Police. Not to be outdone, his co-host, Mark … Read more
Paris, Berlin, London. The New Zealand prime minister has been shuttling the major European capitals this week, and the snappers have been out in force to document the appearances of New Zealand’s ‘pregnant leftie PM’ (© Sun newspaper). Here, a selection of those photographs, and Sam Brooks’ scientific analysis reveals precisely what Jacinda Ardern was … Read more
After ruthlessly exploiting their monopoly power by imposing payment terms of up to 90 days on thousands of small suppliers, dairy giant Fonterra has bowed to morality with a new invoicing policy. Dairy giant Fonterra is responsible for around 30% of the world’s milk products, has revenue exceeding $17bn and was famous for paying its … Read more
Bringing you the best weekly reading from your friendly local website. Emily Writes: Hey Mojo, if you can’t pay your staff properly maybe you shouldn’t be in business “I’m thoroughly confused by employers who insist that no business model can ever support paying living wages – especially since many, many, many businesses do pay their employees living … Read more
Rampage hits cinemas this week, and you might be surprised to learn it’s based on a popular video game. Gaming novice Alex Casey saw the film without playing the game, gaming expert Sam Brooks played the game and refuses to see the movie. Alex Casey I’m no expert on gaming, giant monkeys or crisis management, but … Read more
We asked, you delivered: shocking photos of the destruction and trauma visited upon the cats, dogs and trampolines of Auckland overnight. A largely unheralded storm tore through Auckland last night, downing trees, power lines and much of the city’s electricity grid. Cats were scared, dogs were terrified, and many a trampoline was found up a … Read more
NZ filmmaker Taika Waititi has raised hackles by diagnosing racism in New Zealand in a sweary simile. But good news! Turns out he’s totally incorrect, and all you need to do is scroll down the pages of NZ news sites and social media to find out. Late last week Dazed published an interview with Taika Waititi and … Read more
The department has confirmed it will look into the charity status of Terrible Foundation, following revelations in the Spinoff around the strange story of a purported supercomputer-powered artificial intelligence revolution in Christchurch The Department of Internal Affairs has launched an investigation into the Terrible Foundation, the registered charity linked to Zach, a supposed pioneering artificial … Read more
Alex Casey and Sam Brooks round up the new content coming to Lightbox this month, including the highly anticipated return of The Handmaid’s Tale, Russian spies in wigs and Helen Mirren’s career-defining role! The Handmaid’s Tale S2 (April 26) The last we saw of Offred and the gals, a cute way of characterising a group of women … Read more
Prime minister promises inquiry after so-called #clockup sees New Zealand time today unexpectedly remain exactly 24 hours after it was yesterday Daylight saving was first introduced in New Zealand in 1927, and while the innovation has faced its detractors over the years, its implementation has gone without a hitch. That all changed in the early … Read more
Back by lukewarm demand, On The Reg is The Spinoff’s regular gaming session streamed live! This highlights package sees Sam Brooks and Rhys Mathewson play Sea of Thieves, the highly anticipated game from Rare Studios, make the ill-advised decision to play it solo, and somehow manage to have fun anyway? This post, like all our gaming … Read more
In this podcast companion to the Spinoff investigation into the NZ magazine Pavement, two of the women at the centre of the story speak with Noelle McCarthy about their experiences. Today the Spinoff published a story, five months in the making, which details multiple claims of predatory behaviour by men who owned and worked for Pavement, … Read more
Bringing you the best weekly reading from your friendly local website. David Farrier: The clamps fall silent: a eulogy for Bashford Antiques “The reign of Bashford Antiques is over. Part of Auckland’s antique scene for decades, it will perhaps be more fondly remembered as a key player in Auckland’s car clamping scene. Countless New Zealanders fell … Read more
Alex Casey and Sam Brooks round up the new content coming to Lightbox this month, including some sunny Philadelphians, Harvey Specter’s return and Lightbox’s first original content ever! It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (Seasons 9-12 arrive March 15) They’re the worst people on TV – and some of the funniest. If you’ve missed the show for the … Read more
The migratory patterns of New Zealand media content grow even more elaborate as RNZ and the Spinoff reveal their groundbreaking new deal. The juggernaut of quality New Zealand journalism is teaming up with friendly local website The Spinoff, it was announced today to nil fanfare. According to a media release from RNZ, both parties are delighted … Read more