Jacinda Ardern has unveiled a cabinet line-up with plenty of surprises, and a fair bit of history-making. Justin Giovannetti reports from parliament. Following what she deemed the Covid election, Jacinda Ardern has appointed her Covid cabinet. The group contains a number of firsts, including what could be the world’s first cabinet minister dedicated to beating … Read more
Jacinda Ardern today announced an executive line-up without Kelvin Davis as deputy prime minister, but with five Māori in cabinet and another three Māori MPs in the wider executive. Shane Te Pou on what it means – and what must come next. Labour’s new cabinet gives more power to more Māori ministers across a whole … Read more
The Oranga Tamariki Waitangi Tribunal inquiry rests on one underlying issue: who should retain power? Claimant evidence in the Waitangi Tribunal inquiry in to Oranga Tamariki concluded last week. It is the final chapter, but perhaps the most important one, in a series of reviews following widespread protests against the organisation in 2019. In an … Read more
As the amount of time we spend online continues to increase, so too does the possibility we’ll be exposed to scams, hacks and data leaks. But do we really understand the risks, or how we can avoid them? You probably have a mental image of who falls victim to cyber-crime. And it’s probably wrong. In … Read more
Stewart Sowman-Lund and Tara Ward take a walk down memory lane to look at some of the best (and worst) UK to New Zealand television remakes. The good Grand Designs There can only be one Kevin McCloud, but we’ve proved there can be two excellent versions of Grand Designs. Hosted by our own amiable architect … Read more
After receiving a damning screen-time report, Alice Webb-Liddall gave up on social media for two weeks and discovered more than just a few more hours in her day. I was home sick from work two weeks ago when I encountered a shameful problem I didn’t realise I had. Swiping right on my home screen, I … Read more
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Greens sign cooperation agreement with Labour, Ardern to make cabinet announcements today, and where to now for drug reform after referendum falls? Green party delegates have ratified a deal with Labour that will give them ministerial portfolios, but mostly outside of cabinet where the big … Read more
If the Democrat challenger were to overcome Donald Trump this week, it would have important implications for the world and Aotearoa, writes Nina Hall. Positive international views of the United States have declined dramatically under President Trump. In a recently released Pew survey, Trump was found to be the least trusted leader to “do the … Read more
With the Green deal done, attention moves to the top table. Here are some of the problems the PM will be hoping to solve. The deal with the Greens signed and sealed, the next order of business for Jacinda Ardern is to announce her cabinet. That’s expected to happen today, with the ceremonial business starring … Read more
Welcome to The Spinoff’s live updates for October 31-November 1. All the latest New Zealand news, updated throughout the day. Reach me on aliceneville@thespinoff.co.nz 1.00pm: Two new Covid-19 cases in managed isolation There are two new cases of Covid-19 today, both detected in managed isolation during routine testing, says the Ministry of Health. On arrived … Read more
What are you going to be watching in November? The Spinoff rounds up everything that’s coming to streaming services this month, including Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, Apple TV+, Neon and TVNZ OnDemand. The biggies The Crown (binge season 4 on Netflix from November 15) Something good was bound to happen in 2020, and the new … Read more
The cooperation agreement signed this morning represents a longer-term strategy for both Labour and the Greens – they could be useful to each other in three years’ time, writes Andrew Geddis. A few days after polling day, I wrote a thing reviewing the previous governing arrangements that parties have adopted under MMP and speculating on … Read more
Black Hands, adapted from the podcast of the same name, doesn’t do the Bain family justice, writes Sam Brooks. “Dunedin 20th June, 1994 5 members of the Bain family were shot dead in their home.” That blunt piece of text precedes the opening credits of every episode of TVNZ’s Black Hands, adapted from the hugely … Read more
Kim Stanley Robinson is a master of science fiction, and specialises in the climate crisis. His latest novel The Ministry for the Future explores a particularly grim metric. A “wet bulb” is exactly what it sounds like: a thermometer wrapped in a wet towel. It’s a measure of both heat and humidity, and it’s also … Read more
Having started the pandemic storyline, God, or perhaps the scriptwriters working on the world’s stories, have lost the plot. By Linda Burgess. Even my internal monologue is boring. Even reliving old fights with my sister, old crushes, old ideas for stories, is like trudging along a street where all the houses are meanly built and … Read more
One of the world’s foremost experts on mass psychogenic illness teaches high school in Auckland. Josie Adams spent an afternoon learning what a psychogenic illness is. Robert E. Bartholomew lives in an old hotel in Flat Bush in south-east Auckland. He has a swimming pool used principally by frogs, and a shelf full of UFO … Read more
It’s not a confidence and supply deal, and it’s certainly not a coalition. So what are the implications of today’s agreement for each party, and for their constituents? Labour and the Greens have struck a cooperation agreement that provides Jacinda Ardern with stability in parliament over the next three years, while giving Marama Davidson and … Read more
In the age of #gifted, what are people spending their own money on? Seven editors show Ensemble the receipts and share a recent, and genuine, style-related purchase. Leonie Hayden, editor of The Spinoff Ātea “I’m obsessed with discovering Māori and indigenous makers; my Instagram feed is mostly individuals and small businesses that make beautiful things inspired … Read more
Catherine Chidgey’s new novel functions, disturbingly, as a mirror, writes Elizabeth Heritage. Every time I read a pukapuka set in Nazi times I become obsessed with the question: what would I have done if I had been there? I remember studying Nazi Germany in high school and perseverating on the idea that the ordinary … Read more
Kind-of vegetarian Alex Casey brings you the only meat-free fast food burger ranking you’ll ever need. At the start of the year, several centuries ago, I went vegetarian. Kind of. As a coward with commitment issues, I decided to enter into a dietary Yes Man situation, where I would always say “yes” to eating vegetarian … Read more
Crowd-hater Michelle Langstone discovers a new appreciation for the maelstrom of humanity. I’ve always found crowds panic-inducing, sweaty, noisy and lacking in manners. My attitude to crowds is akin to an 80-year-old woman who’s cross about the neighbour’s dog getting into her garden — no time for it, inclined to give people a real dressing … Read more
Labour is presenting the preliminary results in the referendum on legalisation as an endorsement of the status quo. It is no such thing, writes Madeleine Holden. Unless about two-thirds of special voters ticked “yes” in the cannabis referendum, the Cannabis Legalisation and Control Bill will not be introduced as legislation. Basically, at this point, it … Read more
What’s the best way to get adults reading? Get them reading when they’re children – and there’s no better place to start than the Unity Children’s Bestseller Chart. AUCKLAND 1 Neands by Dan Salmon (OneTree House, $24, 12+) A note on the font: we found it almost impossible to read. Those who’ve persevered seem to … Read more
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington. AUCKLAND 1 Into the Magic Shop: A Neurosurgeon’s True Story of the Life-changing Magic of Compassion & Mindfulness by James Doty (Hodder … Read more
A new trailer for season four of The Crown dropped overnight, and big news, Aotearoa: we’re in it. London-based Māori group Ngāti Rānana has confirmed they were involved in filming a haka scene. The fourth season of Netflix’s award-winning drama about the life and reign of Queen Elizabeth II premieres next month, and a new … Read more
A new poem from Auckland poet Lily Holloway. Sentries I’m frantically chasing my mother who weaves in and out of the aisles throwing down craft supplies. I trip over scissors and quick unpicks not seeing her face, only clean ponytail and collar poking out over plum cardigan. We run between shelves of antique vases but … Read more
By a narrow margin, the cannabis legalisation and control bill has been voted down based on preliminary referendum results. There remains, however, a slim chance it could still win on special votes. On preliminary results, the cannabis legalisation and control bill will not become law, after falling short at the referendum. The Electoral Commision announced … Read more
The End of Life Choice Act will be enforced in 12 months’ time, with 65.2% voting yes in the referendum. Assisted dying will be legal in 12 months’ time, according to the preliminary results of the End of Life Choice referendum, which showed 65.2% voted yes and 33.8% no. The yes votes numbered 1,574,645 and … Read more
With the Greens or without them, Labour is expected to form a new government next week. As negotiations between the two parties reach their conclusion, Justin Giovannetti walks us through how the next government will be formed. Labour and the Greens have held their final meeting negotiating the shape of New Zealand’s next government. Nearly … Read more