Today, the Sunday before Mother’s Day, is recognised by some as ‘Birth Mother’s Day’. Here a mother writes in celebration of the woman who gave birth to her son. Dear mother of our son, I am sorry that we forget you, that we overlook you in our rush. We prepare lunches, pack bags, get to … Read more
It’s a new Dungeons and Dragons podcast set in the most fantastical setting of all…a crappy high school. Welcome to Waterdeep Mountain High, a below average school in the mystical land of Faerun. In this first episode, plucky teens Forrest Rivers and Kate Shepperd, their plucky teacher Hillardo Morrison, and plucky (psychotic) exchange student-goblin Peng, … Read more
Year in, year out, the controversy over the possible health effects of electro magnetic frequencies from cellphones and cellular antennas rumbles on. Telecoms writer Paul Brislen takes a deep dive into the evidence. We’ve been aware of the electro magnetic spectrum since the first cave dweller peeked out and saw a blazing orb in the … Read more
Former Green MP Catherine Delahunty makes the case for a new ministry. The new government needs to face facts: Pākehā need help to assimilate into Aotearoa. We have had more than 160 years but some of us are still struggling to cope. Reluctant as I am to throw more money at Pākehā, the failures are … 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
The “Auckland International Film Festival” is Definitely Not the “New Zealand International Film Festival”, mmmkay? David Farrier attempts to work out what’s going on. Another year, another film festival or film awards. But it all gets a bit confusing when you live in Auckland, New Zealand. Last year, it was the “New Zealand Film Awards” that … Read more
Almost 20 more people have been in touch with The Spinoff to relay their experiences with Dommy Topia, whose actions were first brought to light via Instagram this week. And it’s clear Topia’s been pulling the same tricks for years. Dozens of people have come forward accusing Dominic (Dommy) Topia of scamming them out of … Read more
It’s a monopoly that brings in more than $100 million a year revenue, intended to benefit the community. So why are West Auckland residents agitating to get rid of it? We’ve been hearing a lot about The Trusts lately. They’re a big business operating in West Auckland; between them the Portage Licensing Trust and the … Read more
New verse by Dunedin writer Victor Billot. The Hierarchy Invisible homeless The dead Care worker Solo mother (bad suburb) Loan shark Bottom feeder Dolt Poet Casual employee PhD in Fine Arts Intern Experimental rodent Minion Serf Serf (creative industries) Mid-career journalist Ten years to go and holding on desperately “Between jobs” Climate scientist Aspirational … Read more
The best-selling books this week at the Unity Books stores in Willis St, Wellington and High St, Auckland. WELLINGTON UNITY 1 No One Home: A Boyhood Memoir in Letters & Poems by Keith Westwater (Makaro Press, $25) Publisher’s blurbology: “No One Home tells the story of Keith Westwater growing up in 1950s New Zealand. At … Read more
Earlier this week, a concerned parent shared photos of an NZ Drug Foundation pamphlet that was being used in a high school health class. Controversy, of course, ensued. But what exactly was the pamphlet? And what were the kids doing with it? So, I’ve been hearing about this drug pamphlet telling kids how to do … Read more
Should you delete your Facebook page? In many important ways it doesn’t matter what you decide, writes Sophie Bateman for Newshub. In 2004, when college student Mark Zuckerberg launched thefacebook.com, he could hardly have known the global juggernaut his website would become. Fast-forward to 2018 and Facebook is in the middle of its biggest ever … Read more
Welcome to the Cheat Sheet, a clickable, shareable, bite-sized FAQ on the news of the moment. Today, who is the New Zealand billionaire at the centre of a bubbling Brexit scandal? There aren’t many billionaires who have called New Zealand home. Of course there’s Graeme Hart (dubbed by Forbes New Zealand’s perennial richest person) with … Read more
Alex Casey dissects episode three of The Handmaid’s Tale, including cereal gags, serious twists and a Gwen Stefani cameo, of all things. First of all: I’m sorry. I tricked you with a delicious sugary cereal snack and a pun headline, just like episode three of The Handmaid’s Tale tricked me into relaxing a bit before … Read more
How to explain the way the story around the prime minister’s partner exploded? Danyl Mclauchlan counts the ways As a National Party smear campaign As far as the Labour Party is concerned: they’ve been here before. Last time Labour were in government a group of National Party activists and their fellow travellers on the right … Read more
Every week on The Primer we ask a local business or product to introduce themselves in eight simple takes. This week we talk to Kristy Lorson, the founder of popular Facebook group Zero Waste in NZ! about her latest business venture, EarthSavvy. ONE: How did EarthSavvy start and what was the inspiration behind it? We all like to think … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Greens urged to bail out of waka–jumping bill, midwives go marching, and governance weirdness at Canterbury DHB comes to light. Submissions have continued on the controversial waka-jumping bill, with huge opposition to the proposal. The bill would mean a party would have the right to remove and … Read more
Alex Casey sits down for a yarn with Madeleine Sami and Jackie van Beek, as their film The Breaker Upperers opens in New Zealand cinemas. Madeleine Sami is hooning a beer and Jackie van Beek is sipping a kombucha, or “bin juice” as Sami prefers to call it. We are a few hours out from … Read more
Yesterday’s bombshell story about a story that wasn’t a story has sent shockwaves through the reckons machine. At least four news organisations have over recent months been following up on the malevolent bullshit being peddled about Jacinda Ardern’s boyfriend Clarke Gayford by anonymous cretins on the internet – but no one was publishing them because … Read more
Louisa Kasza reviews a bright, expansive novel that follows a cast of gay and transgender club kids navigating the New York drag queen scene of the 1980s. Joseph Cassara’s novel The House of Impossible Beauties charts the highs and deadly lows of gay life in 1980s New York City. Angel, Venus, Juanito and Daniel are all members of … Read more
Business is Boring is a weekly podcast series presented by The Spinoff in association with Callaghan Innovation. Host Simon Pound speaks with innovators and commentators focused on the future of New Zealand, with the interview available as both audio and a transcribed excerpt. This week Simon talks to Shaveer Mirpuri about creating commercial ventures using artificial intelligence. … Read more
What was the best ’90s pop compilation: Kickin’ or The Rhythm? And which volume? Craig Major think it’s time to settle this debate once and for all. For me, and an entire generation of New Zealanders coming of age in the mid-90s, the music of my youth only came in the following forms: the radio, … Read more
Midwives around New Zealand marched today, protesting pay rates and working conditions across the industry. Don Rowe joined the march up Auckland’s main street. New Zealand midwives and their supporters marched in cities around the country today, calling for urgent adjustments to what they say is an outrageously low pay scale, which can in some … Read more
The emphasis placed on formal written grammar in schools obscures the fact that English has many kinds of grammar – and they’re all equally valid, writes Waikato University senior lecturer in linguistics, Andreea Calude. “But don’t you want your kids to get a job one day?” There are almost 200 people in this room. It’s … Read more
After a cinema in Hawera banned patrons wearing pyjamas last week, ex-cinema attendant Alex Casey shines a light on much grosser stories from the back row of theatres around the country. First published May 2018. Something extremely weird happens to people inside a cinema. Maybe it’s the enveloping womb-like darkness that reverts grown adults to … Read more
Legislation that would stop MPs from retaining their seat if they part ways with their party is currently before a select committee, having been supported by Labour, NZ First and the Greens at its first reading. Here Jeanette Fitzsimons, former leader of the Green Party, urges parliamentarians to chuck it on the fire It breaches … Read more
Māori voters overwhelmingly put their trust in Labour at the 2017 general election, so why are they missing from their policies? RNZ‘s Guyon Espiner investigates. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern spent five days at Waitangi and was photographed tending the BBQ after the dawn service. Social media swooned when she wore a kahu huruhuru to meet the Monarch – … Read more
There are no physical branches and no paper statements, but UK banking app Monzo has managed to capture a loyal and growing following among New Zealanders living in Britain and struggling to open a traditional bank account. Nicola Kean caught up with Monzo’s Kiwi ‘squad captain’ Fred Morgan to find out what the future of … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Meth pamphlet at high school sparks furious debate, historical police inaction on sexual assault revealed, and NZ misses out on steel tariff exemption. Massey High School in Auckland has come under fire, for distributing a meth education pamphlet that some parents believe condones drug use. The NZ Herald reports … Read more