Feminist icon, daytime TV judge, baloney-screamer: Judge Judith Scheindlin is the true queen of reality TV. The book of Judith is about a woman who ingratiates herself into the favour of a stupid and powerful man, and then cuts his head off to save her people and her country. Is it cut throat and bloodthirsty? … Read more
You never realise how good you have it until it’s too late. In the first part of a series on Wellington’s flourishing food scene, former resident Samuel Flynn Scott yearns for the capital’s $7 menu. So long and thanks for all the roti, I don’t miss you at all. When I think of Wellington, until … Read more
Martyn Pepperell talks to Girlboss about the transition from Christchurch to Wellington – and from music’s blog-era to its playlist-era. It’s a warm Tuesday evening. Inside a warehouse practice space in Newtown, Wellington, Lucy Botting, the lead songwriter of breezy guitar-pop band Girlboss and her bandmates – Darian Woods, Douglas Kelly, and Olivia Campion – … Read more
Ian Tarei has spent over a decade protecting kiwi in the forested hills behind the Eastern Bay of Plenty settlement of Awakeri. Late last month Jason Renes joined him on a kiwi call count to learn how the Omataroa Kiwi Project made its way out of some hard times to become a kiwi conservation success. … Read more
Auckland Council has announced it is to waive fees for the cremation of babies under one year of age. Spinoff Parents editor Emily Writes looks at the push for better community support for grieving whānau. As of July 1 this year, Auckland Council will no longer charge cremation fees for babies under a year old. … Read more
The Law Society has professed shock after discovering the extent of harassment and discrimination in legal offices. But if you look at the barriers to reporting abuse, it’s little wonder juniors refuse to come forward, writes Madeleine Holden. For the second time this year, the legal profession has been rocked by reports that it’s a … Read more
If a review of our public housing agency is to be taken seriously, it will need to look beyond just the immediate scandal and seek to understand how its priorities mutated into those of a callous busybody, writes Joseph Nunweek If you’ve been reading this site and its familiars in the past fortnight, you’ll be … Read more
Two years ago, we declared ‘Good news: TV is dead’. It turns out we were perhaps premature in that assessment. In less than three weeks The Spinoff TV will hit all of your screens at once, arriving at 9.45pm into Three’s hallowed Friday night lineup, straight after 7 Days. We’ll do our best to approximate … Read more
An ESPN writer caused an uproar when he suggested America would be the best at rugby if they tried. Madeleine Chapman agrees. He may have been ambitious in his timeline, but ESPN writer Kevin Van Valkerburg was right on the money when he tweeted earlier this week that football players would dominate if they played … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Jim Bolger is back, Housing NZ CEO set to front up, and logging debris causes havoc after Tologa Bay flooding. Sector wide collective agreements, and minimum pay and conditions across industries, will be investigated by a government working group. The working group will look at ways to … Read more
Education policy should be evidence-based, informed by experts with real experience in the sector. Instead the never-ending drive to modernise every aspect of children’s lives at school is replacing genuine education with social engineering, argues former Auckland Grammar headmaster John Morris Having spent Queen’s Birthday Saturday at the ResearchED Conference in Auckland along with 300 … Read more
The S***off panel of experts present their learned assessments of what was said on the nation’s favourite soap. The Broadcasting Standards Authority has ruled on a complaint about the perceived use of a very naughty word on the beloved TVNZ soap opera Shortland Street. The complainant reckoned that “despite the subtitles provided by TVNZ, the actor’s … Read more
Gone are the days of wholesome messages on cakes, we are now living in a rude cake world. Alex Casey visits Tomboy to sample some delicious truths. Baker Kate Marinkovich from Tomboy cakery doesn’t want to tell me the rudest thing she has ever had to ice onto a cake. “It’s just so rude” she winced. … Read more
The Real Pod assembles to dissect the week in New Zealand pop culture and real life, with special thanks to Nando’s. This week on The Real Pod, our trio is outshone by the amazing thruples on Dancing With the Stars NZ. Why are Jess Quinn’s angels shirtless? What do you call Chris Harris’ leg cape? And … Read more
Kate Robertson talks to Snail Mail, the 19-year-old at the forefront of indie rock’s female-led renaissance. There’s something special about Lindsey Jordan. ‘Special’ could be embellished to the point of it sounding unbelievable – or played down in a ‘low-key’ or ‘understated’ way – but both would be a lie. With lyrics that sting more … Read more
The Spinoff and Spark proudly present Pod On The Couch, a weekly podcast exploring music and the people that make it. This episode: Henry Oliver talks to Katchafire about their world travels and new album Legacy. Spinoff Music editor Henry Oliver talks to members of Katchafire, who, after nearly 21 years as a band, have just … Read more
What if, on a short-running sitcom in the early 2010s, Christina Applegate was playing our very own Jacinda Ardern? It’s unlikely, but possible! Hear us out. From 2011 to 2012, sitcom princess (I would posit she’s third or fourth in line for the throne, somewhere behind Julia Louis-Dreyfus) Christina Applegate starred in the messy, hilarious, short-lived … Read more
It’s an unfurling scandal which saw tenants evicted and millions spent on cleaning homes. Now it appears a tenant was kicked out after seeking help for his addictions, writes Russell Brown. In June 2015, Jesse B became one of the hundreds of Housing New Zealand tenants to have an order made against them at the Tenancy Tribunal … Read more
Apply now for the 2018 writers residency award at the Surrey Hotel in Grey Lynn, Auckland. Applications are open RIGHT NOW BRO for the 2018 Surrey Hotel Steve Braunias Memorial Writers Residency In Association With The Spinoff Award. New Zealand literature’s coolest writing residency offers cash, accommodation, and pizza. The singularly appealing Surrey Hotel in Grey Lynn … Read more
From meth-test evictions to mental health treatment, the impact of the last government is being felt across NZ. It is only a matter of time, suggests Danyl Mclauchlan until the National opposition launches a fund-raising campaign In the wake of shocking revelations about Housing New Zealand’s meth testing evictions, a crumbling health service, surging numbers … Read more
For a brief moment, New Zealand was home to Big Foot, a mythically potent RTD served in a giant bottle and apparently aimed squarely at teens. Don Rowe talks to the brain behind it. Gather round children, I’m going to speak to you of the days before the voluntary RTD code. A time when Billy … Read more
Is it Normal is the Spinoff Parents advice column. Today we have the amazing Pinky McKay talking to a mum who asked: does it get easier? Welcome to the third instalment of The Spinoff Parents advice column Is it Normal? If you don’t know what this column is all about – here’s a good primer. … Read more
Good morning, welcome back from the long weekend, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Climate change impacts on meat industry in focus, international student industry likened to pyramid scheme, and South Auckland playgrounds are underfunded. When long weekends come along, there doesn’t tend to be a defining issue to follow in the news. So … Read more
In building a qualifications system fit for the 21st century, we can’t afford to expend excessive energy on ideological battles, and we’re looking to the minister to introduce a properly collaborative process, writes National Party education spokesperson Nikki Kaye In 2013 changes were made to the New Zealand Qualifications Framework to require a review of our … Read more
Marama Fox is gone, god is dead, but Dancing with the Stars is still here – with TRIO dances? Sam Brooks power ranks whoever is left on this show. ELIMINATED: Robert Rakete (and Nicole AND Fabio) – Cha cha The big problem with these trio dances is the celebrity ends up being their very own … Read more
Last month, David Farrier discovered a mysterious film festival that was confusing the hell out of people. In part 2, Farrier slowly went crazy trying to find out who was actually behind the festival. Now, the mysterious AIFF has finally come to pass. OK, so where were we? That’s right. A man called Mitesh Patel, … Read more
Black Sheep is a RNZ series about the shady, controversial and sometimes downright villainous characters of New Zealand history, presented by William Ray. Here he introduces Joseph Burns and Margaret Reardon, partners in murder. October 10th, 1847. The brutal murder of a Devonport family leaves Auckland fearing an invasion of vengeful Māori. But when that threat fails … Read more
Today, even large corporations are trying to be agile, experimental and collaborative — an approach that could be termed ‘hacking’. Simon Day talks to the author of a new book about what business can learn from hackers. This story originally ran in Barker’s 1972 magazine. When I think of hacking, I think of the The Net, … Read more
With Jacinda Ardern’s due date just days away, Winston Peters is preparing for the most powerful period of his long, long political life. Toby Manhire surveys an extraordinary, enigmatic career This story originally ran in Barker’s 1972 magazine. For someone who styles himself as a straight-shooter, Winston Peters is one hell of a puzzle. To mangle the words of … Read more