By using our national day to engage with iwi from all over the country, we send a message that we’re serious about the spirit of the Treaty instead of being where there will be the most cameras, writes Nuk Korako, National’s spokesperson for Māori Development Waitangi Day is a day for discussion; a day for remembering; and … Read more
‘The world is divided into two principles: order and chaos. Order is male and chaos is female.’ Danyl Mclauchlan investigates the strange philosophy of number one best-selling author and thinker Jordan B Peterson, author of 12 Rules for Life. Professor Jordan B Peterson is having a moment. I’d never heard of him – such is the … Read more
Business is Boring is a weekly podcast series presented by The Spinoff in association with Vodafone Xone. 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 he talks to Steve Rickerby and Gemma Spring, owners of a … Read more
A Pride Week campaign by telecoms company Spark brought out the worst in some internet commentators. Spark social media manager Frith Wilson-Hughes explains why she decided to respond. I spent much of last weekend battling folks on the internet. To be honest, it’s not how I generally like to spend my weekends, but this was … Read more
The Real Pod assembles to dissect the week in New Zealand pop culture and real life, with special thanks to Nando’s. It must be getting close to Valentine’s Day, because romance is in the air on The Real Pod. We welcome back one of our favourite reality shows in Married at First Sight Australia, swoon over … Read more
A bill designed to prevent MPs from switching parties, one of Labour’s concessions to NZ First in the coalition talks, has passed its first reading. Graham Cameron has strong feelings on what the ‘waka-jumping bill’ means for democracy and whakawhanaungatanga. Labour’s Electoral (Integrity) Bill has passed its first reading. It’s likely to pass despite … Read more
From small beginnings, with fewer than a thousand punters at the first event in 2014, Nostalgia Festival has grown slowly but steadily to become one of the most unique on the New Zealand summer circuit. James Dann talks to festival director Johnny Gibson ahead of the fifth iteration this weekend. The Ferrymead Heritage Park is … Read more
Auckland artist and influencer Andrew Steel recently debuted a major work about consent. The post blew up then, just as quickly, disappeared. On January 22 Auckland artist Andrew Steel announced his latest work “Safe From Harm”. It debuted as a series of photos on his Instagram account, with accompanying text which encouraged women to talk … Read more
With its bright pineapples and “kiwifruit brown”, Sharesies has changed the visual game for investing. Can the startup teach banks some new tricks? Charles Anderson finds the future of personal finance is visual, interactive and customer-focused. Ben Crotty’s “key moment of truth” came in the form of a particular shade of brown. He had spent … Read more
We review the entire country and culture of New Zealand, one thing at a time. Today, Ātea editor Leonie Hayden taste tests the new Heartland hāngi flavoured chips. Heartland potato chips are my favourite potato chips, hands down. They’re often on sale, not too oily and are a sturdy, low-breakage chip which makes them great … Read more
A review of CCTV use across inpatient units has returned alarming results. Now the case for change is overwhelming, writes patient advocate Karyn Black. Last year I became aware that closed circuit television was being used in adult mental health inpatient units in New Zealand. The reasons for this video surveillance ranged from property damage … Read more
‘I shan’t bother writing any more for NBR,’ says Sir Bob Jones after his piece calling for Māori gratitude is deleted from the paper’s website. Toby Manhire and Duncan Greive report. Bob Jones will be filing no more for the National Business Review after the deletion of his most recent contribution, which included a call … Read more
A lot has been made of a ‘less disruptive’ and ‘protest-free’ Waitangi Day this year. It’s misguided praise, writes Miriama Kamo. I find praise of a peaceful Waitangi Day jarring. The absence of protest is not the indicator of a successful Waitangi Day. Whether protest occurs or does not occur is not the measure of … Read more
Author Paula Morris, who hosts Nigella Lawson live onstage at the Aotea Centre tonight, shares her own cooking journey. When I moved to England in 1985, to study at the University of York, I couldn’t cook. Not a single thing. I hadn’t learned much at home because my mother disliked cooking and couldn’t stand anyone … Read more
With the advent of trophies – and online gaming – we’ve also seen the decline of cheats. Sam Brooks remembers a time in gaming when cheats were seen as nothing more than a bit of fun, and why that’s changed. Up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, B, A. Even if you’ve never played … Read more
Emmaline Matagi talks to Akashi Fisi’inaua (aka Queen Kapussi), Vogue Ballroom chanter and member of FAFSWAG, whose Xhrome Xhrysalis project is part of this year’s Pride Festival. Auckland Pride Festival is on now until 18 February and as part of the celebration, the talented and majestic Akashi Fisi’inaua is curating a one-off project at Basement Theatre on 10 February. … Read more
Welcome to the Cheat Sheet, a clickable, shareable, bite-sized FAQ on the news of the moment. Today, we take a wild ride with global share markets. There’s carnage on Wall Street! Well, not exactly. Carnage means of the flesh, and while it’s nice to imagine corporate fat-cats sliced and diced 70 ways, no-one has actually … Read more
Television saddo Alex Casey watched both Seven Sharp AND The Project on Monday night to bring you this harrowing report. Following the return of Seven Sharp this week, surely tens of people across the country are now tearing their hair out trying to choose their ideal 7pm current affairs team. Do you settle into the comfortable … Read more
Every week we ask a local business or product to introduce themselves in eight simple takes. This week we talk to Alex Vaz and Nik Ellis, founders of an app that links up builders, plumbers and other tradespeople with jobs that need doing around the house. ONE: How did Tradee start and what was the inspiration … Read more
Rachel Stewart reviews the bovine love letter, The Secret Life of Cows. Even though I’m likely New Zealand’s harshest critic of modern dairy farming, I’ve always enjoyed the company of cows. I’ve worked with them for years. And played with them. And frolicked in the grass with them. And slept with them. As a kid … Read more
A Facebook post by the Auckland Council’s tourism arm encouraging people to hike in the Waitākere Ranges is another example of the council’s mixed messaging on the kauri dieback. Waitangi Day: the annual acknowledgement of the partnership Māori and the Crown entered in 1840. On the same day, the Auckland Council did its best to … Read more
Sell up and move to Tauranga for a better, more affordable lifestyle? Keri Welham finds Tauranga is still desirable, but housing and wages mean it may now be out of reach. The mass migration has ended. Gone are the convoys of removal vans thundering down the Southern Motorway, and the scenes of Aucklander vs Aucklander … Read more
Tara Ward watches The Good Doctor on Lightbox and tells you why you should be tuning in to the medical show smashing records in the US. What’s it all about? The Good Doctor centres on Shaun Murphy, a young doctor with autism and savant syndrome who moves from a small town to work in a … Read more
Before opening for the inimitable Foo Fighters on Saturday night, Rivers Cuomo and Scott Shriner of Weezer sat down with Jihee Junn to talk about what’s changed (and what hasn’t) during the band’s 20+ years of making some of the most infectious and iconic music. Drenched. Doused. Soaked to the bone. However you describe it, the Foo … Read more
Forget bottled water – the new ‘health’ craze for those who reject tap water is raw, untreated water from rivers and springs. New Zealanders shouldn’t need to be told what a terrible idea that is, writes biological scientist Dr Alison Campbell. ‘Raw water’ is the latest foolish fad to hit people’s screens, pockets – and, … Read more
With his death going viral, Nigel the Mana Island gannet joins a proud tradition of New Zealand celebrity animals. Calum Henderson pays tribute to the creatures we’ve loved and lost. This article was first published in February 2018. A dead gannet is the latest New Zealand animal to attain celebrity status. Nigel, of Mana Island, … Read more
Tara Ward will probably never be a Chaser on The Chase, but by gum will she power rank them in order of supreme dominance and knowledge prowess. Take your barbeques and beaches and stick them in your happy little quiz-hole, because the only place you should be this summer is in front of your screens … Read more
For many Waitangi Day is an opportunity to talk about tino rangatiratanga – Māori sovereignty and self-determination. But does sovereignty mean the same thing to all of us? Waitangi Day means many different things to many different people. To some it is a time of reflection on where we are as a country; for others … Read more
Alex Casey and Duncan Greive share ten observations from the premiere episode of an all-new Seven Sharp. 1) Is Jeremy Wells… okay? “It’s lovely to be with you tonight,” said Hilary. I believed her. I believed her all the way to the back of her craft beer fridge, and all the way to the bottom … Read more