I thought I could wean myself off my smartphone by using another piece of technology. Turns out I was fighting a losing battle. I look left and right. There’s one guy stacking shelves to my right but otherwise the coast is clear. I raise my left wrist quickly to my face and say, “Show me … Read more
Tara Ward wades bravely into one of the thorniest January questions: how late is too late to greet someone with a cheery ‘Happy New Year’? New Zealand’s breakfast TV shows returned to our screens last Monday, with their jubilant hosts throwing out “Happy New Year” wishes like an early morning lolly scramble of festive tidings. … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Two disturbing stories around extremism, a significant milestone reached at Ihumātao, and gang tensions flare in the Hawke’s Bay. In the space of a day, two disturbing stories emerged about the presence of extremists within the community. The first was around charges against a soldier who … Read more
It’s a huge call for the National leader: should he rule out working with NZ First after the 2020 election? Alex Braae speculates on the options. Updated February 2: Simon Bridges has made the call, ruling out working with not just Winston Peters, but NZ First as a party. He says he doesn’t trust them, or … Read more
Ioane Teitiota may not have won this round, but the UN Human Rights Committee issued a firm warning: governments could be violating human rights if they continue to ignore the risks and consequences of climate change, writes Kate Schuetze of Amnesty International Imagine the sea was rising day after day, inexorably eating away your land … Read more
Petra Molloy was born in the Netherlands and moved to Aotearoa with her family in 1952; she lives in Auckland. Her novel Chosen Boys is about child abuse in the Catholic Church. It’s set in dawn-raids South Auckland – and is written largely from the point of view of a Samoan mother. We asked Molloy … Read more
Welcome back to Papercuts, our monthly books podcast hosted by Louisa Kasza, Jenna Todd and Kiran Dass. To listen use the player below or download this episode (right click and save). Feel free to subscribe via iTunes, RSS or via your favourite podcast client. Follow our twitter @papercutspod BOOKS AND OTHER TOPICS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE BOOKS NEWS: Romance Writers of America … Read more
The case for the meeting that everyone loves to hate, by someone who used to go. This week sees 3,000 of the “global elite” gather on the top of a Swiss mountain to opine on the state of the world and people could not be more outraged. Again. The stereotype of the “Davos man” (only … Read more
Bushfire conditions will become more severe. We call on Australians, particularly our leaders, to heed the science, writes Will Steffen of the Australian National University Those who say “I told you so” are rarely welcomed, yet I am going to say it here. Australian scientists warned the country could face a climate change-driven bushfire crisis by … Read more
It can be near impossible for many New Zealanders to afford the most meagre of holidays. But there is an answer, and that answer turns out to be: go foraging berries. Emily Writes explains. Stuff published a fantastic article by Josephine Franks the other day. The rise of ‘holiday hunger’: The Kiwis who can’t afford … Read more
On day 1,173 of the occupation at Ihumātao, it was announced that a resolution is imminent, and expected before Waitangi Day. Leonie Hayden reports from Māngere. This morning Kiingi Tuheitia travelled to Ihumātao and lowered the flag of the Kiingitanga. Six years after ancestral land at Ihumātao in Manukau was earmarked for a future housing … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: What the UN climate refugee ruling means, Whānau Ora funding battle escalates, and what’s going on with Ihumātao? A United Nations ruling on an i-Kiribati man who sought asylum as a climate refugee in New Zealand could have global implications. Ioane Teitiota was denied asylum and deported in … Read more
New research encourages ‘interventions’ – things like programmes aimed at helping poorer families to ‘be better parents’ – without addressing substantially issues of poverty, and it’s a bit like trying to prop up a crumbling brick wall with a piece of four-by-two, writes Max Rashbrooke. Imagine a team of explorers who, searching for the source … Read more
We’re recruiting a political journalist to join the press gallery in Wellington – a brand new position, made possible by our members programme. Politics has been a bedrock of The Spinoff’s coverage for a number of years, and we’re excited to announce its expansion through our recruitment of a new staff journalist to work from … Read more
A group of Māori leaders have made an urgent Waitangi Tribunal claim on behalf of the Whānau Ora Commissioning Agency, and issued a biting rebuke to Jacinda Ardern and Peeni Henare. What’s this ‘no confidence’ about, then? Some of Aotearoa’s most powerful wāhine have had enough. A statement from the Whānau Ora Commissioning Agency (WOCA) … Read more
Alex Casey counts down more of The Mad Butcher’s maddest Insta-breakfasts, with bonus commentary from The Butch himself. We live in very uncertain times. We don’t know what the future of our planet looks like, we don’t know if Minou and Jay-Jay will ever see each other again and we can’t even be sure that … Read more
A new programme replacing woodwork at two Hamilton intermediate schools is helping young Māori connect through the art of whakairo. Outside the wharenui bearing his carvings, Matua Rei Mihaere drives his closed fist through the air. Thirteen pairs of eyes look up at him as he asks, “If you see this at home or anywhere, … Read more
Want to watch Friends but not sure how much time you’ll have to commit? Never fear, Sam Brooks has you covered with how long it’ll take to watch some of the most bingeable shows (and what you’ll need to do to prepare for your binge). Want to know a fun fact? If your full-time job … Read more
On the 20th day of 2020, New Zealand’s current affairs shows finally came back to work. Or did they? Tara Ward tuned in to the first episodes of Breakfast, The AM Show, The Project NZ and Seven Sharp to find out just what the New Year would bring. Breakfast The Breakfast team were bloody stoked to be back. The … Read more
A strange pneumonia-causing virus has broken out in China, and the number of cases is rising rapidly. How worried should we be? What’s all this then? Like Sars, swine flu and ebola before it, a new virus is hitting the headlines. The outbreak of a new type of coronavirus is centred around Wuhan in China, … Read more
It’ll improve your life a tiny, tiny bit. What more do you want? This shower trick won’t change your life. If you do it correctly and consistently, it won’t even improve your life enough to mention it at a barbecue. In fact, if you don’t do this trick, your life will simply stay exactly as … Read more
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: False alarm sparks tsunami alert concerns, new development in story haunting NZ First, and unaffordable housing problem getting worse. A false alarm tsunami alert has resulted in changes to fix mistakes in the warning systems. Radio NZ reports a siren sounded on the Bay of Plenty coast, … Read more
Later this year New Zealand will vote on whether to legalise cannabis, but it’s far from a new idea, as a 1975 study reminds us. Alice Webb-Liddall looks at the views of two Otago University academics, 45 years apart. In 2013 Uruguay became the first country to fully legalise cannabis for recreational and medicinal use. … Read more
It’s estimated that as many as half a million Papuans have been killed at the hands of Indonesian security forces over the past 50 years. Not holidaying in Indonesia is an easy way to say you’re not OK with that, writes Morgan Godfery. Would you have gone on holiday in apartheid South Africa? I suspect … Read more
The National Library says it is ‘making room for more New Zealand and Pacific stories’ and hopes the books it’s purging might ‘spark joy’ for other people. David Larsen considers it a whacking great clear-cutting. It would be irresponsible for me to tell you the National Library is about to burn six hundred thousand of … Read more
Pool toys are cool for the summer, but don’t do so well in landfill. Alex Casey meets a woman trying to prolong the life of New Zealand’s novelty inflatables. If Instagram is any indication of real life, you’d be forgiven for thinking that the human race is currently being ruled by giant inflatable swans, blow-up … Read more
To see someone like us – a band geek, a joyful dancer, a plus size beauty – being unapologetically who she is, is powerful. Applying that to your own life for the better is precious. And then she gives you a shout-out on the radio? Beautiful. Last week something really weird and exciting happened to … Read more
Good morning, and welcome back to The Bulletin for 2020. In today’s edition: A collection of news stories you probably wisely ignored over the last month. The Bulletin is The Spinoff’s free daily newsletter of the most important news and analysis from across New Zealand. To get it in your inbox every morning, sign up … Read more
While New Zealand may continue to prosper from the tourist dollar for a decade or two yet, there is the very real prospect that the climate crisis will drive international tourism down, writes James Renwick. The headline read “Tourism industry working to ensure a sustainable future” but there was scant evidence of true sustainability thinking … Read more