The effort to defeat the coronavirus relies on many layers of defence. Or, let’s call them, slices of cheese. One thing that has really irked me during Covid-19 has been the labelling of any mistake in our systems or any unexpected transmission of the virus as a failure. Yes, I understand that the media and … Read more
Welcome to The Spinoff’s live updates for October 21. All the latest New Zealand news, updated throughout the day. Reach me on stewart@thespinoff.co.nz 8.15pm: Covid case visited Auckland pub, patrons asked to self-isolate People who were at The Malt pub in Greenhithe on the North Shore of Auckland on Friday night are being asked to … Read more
New Zealanders love Taskmaster UK. But will they warm to the homegrown version? Guy Williams is doing his best to amp up the crowd, while Angella Dravid sits quietly alongside with her usual look of both discomfort and amusement. Leigh Hart has that wry smirk on his face that viewers of Moon TV and the … Read more
An extract from Witi Ihimaera’s new book Navigating the Stars: Māori creation myths. This is an abridged passage of a deeply empathetic section analysing the life story of Hine-nui-te-pō, who crushed Māui to death with her vulva. At the end of the book, Ihimaera argues that Hine-nui-te-pō should be instated to her “rightful place among … Read more
Covid-19 has shoved New Zealand’s economy into recession, prompting a whole lot of businesses to downsize and slash their workforce. That’s why a support club has been formed to help the newly unemployed to get back on their feet. Redundancy can hit like a ton of bricks. The shock, uncertainty, the loss of income, that … Read more
Don Rowe meets the post-graduate students putting tikanga and kaupapa Māori at the centre of learning how to lead. The planet is in trouble. Since the time of the industrial revolution, the Western world has become increasingly enthralled and enchanted by the pursuit of economic and individualistic success. Power, prestige, and the perks and trappings … Read more
Just a few years ago, few people had heard of the self-help group/cult of personality known as NXIVM. Now the dark story has gone global, thanks to an eight-part docuseries that debuts on Neon today. This review contains mild spoilers for The Vow. What is it that people love so much that they’d join a … Read more
A definitive answer to a burning question: what is the best gluten-free bread of them all? Outside of coeliac circles, not many people know that gluten-free bread is actually better than regular bread. It’s true.* After years of fastidious experimentation and perfecting, gluten-free bakers have now produced a product vastly superior to its wheat-filled counterpart. … Read more
What is vote volatility and how will it affect the Labour Party over the next three years? Jack Vowles, professor of political science, explains. As the dust begins to settle after the 2020 election, a new electoral landscape becomes visible. It is remarkably different from the one before. One way to put this in perspective … Read more
After a lockdown spent creating stop motion in their laundry, Sports Team is now nominated for an Aotearoa Music Artisan award. The duo talk to The Spinoff about making music videos. The first music video Annabel Kean and Callum Devlin made was accidental. It happened on a date, wandering around Auckland city, Kean wearing a … Read more
OPINION: It is time to integrate tikanga Māori into law schools to create a truly bicultural legal system, writes University of Otago law professor Jacinta Ruru. I see, hear, feel racism. Every day. Each morning, I begin my trek from carpark to office, walking across the campus lawns, alongside the Ōwheo river (that everyone calls … Read more
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: New report shows climate change already affecting New Zealand, new crop of managed isolation Covid cases, and National leader and ousted electorate MPs all staying on. As promised, today’s Bulletin will cover the government’s new climate change report, called Our Atmosphere and Climate. It was released … Read more
It was the campaign we could have all got behind: strong tea, more jam, better scones. How the heck did that sign end up on Nick Smith’s wall? When One News interviewed National Party candidate Nick Smith at his Nelson party headquarters during Saturday night’s election coverage, it seemed like just another chat with an … Read more
The election is over and three of parliament’s parties have retreated behind closed doors, reports Justin Giovannetti. Parliament has entered, on the surface at least, a post-election hibernation. The government is in caretaker mode, barred from making major decisions, while party leaders eager for attention just days ago now have nothing to say. The coming … Read more
After years of specialising in low-carbon footwear, Allbirds has introduced a new line of sustainable apparel made from an unconventional yet innovative source. In April, when Allbirds announced it would be the first fashion label to introduce a sticker that measured the carbon footprint of each one of its products, it was seen as a … Read more
Tofiga Fepulea’i is back on stage with some comedic relief in a truly dismal year. Tofiga Fepulea’i cracks up as we discuss some of the trends he’s clicked onto. First, there’s the fitness buzz. Anyone who follows the Laughing Sāmoans comedian online will have seen the videos he posts of he and wife Bessie after … Read more
Some of the smartest people in the country examine the effects of the pandemic on Aotearoa’s future in 400 words or fewer. There are few corners of society that Covid-19 has not touched. From healthcare to the economy, education to professional sport, the pandemic has changed the way we interact with each other and the … Read more
Welcome to The Spinoff’s live updates for October 20. All the latest New Zealand news, updated throughout the day. Reach me on stewart@thespinoff.co.nz 7.45pm: The day in sum The official Ministry of Health 1pm media release announced one new case of Covid-19 at the border. A few hours later, media reported that at least 11 … Read more
The Marae TV journalist tells the origin story of her debut novel, a young adult book releasing this week. Patricia Grace wrote a story called “It used to be green once” and every year my Pākehā teacher would pull it out in English class and everyone would laugh at the poor Mowri family with 10 … Read more
A long election campaign finally ended in one five-hour period on Saturday, October 17. José Barbosa was there. This is what he saw. I forgot how covering an election is a lot of fun. My last working election was well over a decade ago, and there’s always this breathlessness that accompanies the proceedings. It’s perfect … Read more
National’s Pacific MPs are gone, the Greens have their first, and Labour’s Pasifika caucus is now its biggest ever. But will any of this make any real difference to our communities? Do you reckon Moses could have parted the red sea on Saturday night? Because even the bluest, most conservative seats in Aotearoa had no might … Read more
Join Michèle A’Court, Alex Casey, Leonie Hayden and a lineup of incredibly successful New Zealand women as they confront their imposter syndrome once and for all. For some it appears as a constant whisper, for others it’s a screeching megaphone in the face at the most inopportune of moments. Many of you will be familiar … Read more
The health of our soil is intrinsically linked to the health of our people, and a new book aims to centre matauranga Māori in the quest to stop treating our soil like, well, dirt. We hardly ever think about it, even though it’s literally under our feet. But in the coming years soil will become … Read more
Too much news? Here’s the only political round-up you need. I spent Saturday evening reporting from the Act Party election event and witnessed a crowd of Act supporters mumble halfheartedly through Sweet Caroline despite the DJ’s increasingly desperate words of encouragement. I tell you this only to give an indication of the headspace I’m currently … Read more
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: System springs into action on Port Covid case, Labour opens up initial talks with Greens, and New Zealand travellers creating headaches for Aussie states. A clarification on the new case of Covid-19 announced on Sunday – it was not in fact a case of community … Read more
With the government set to take shape in the next few weeks, Labour and the Greens will have to decide on the nature of their relationship for the next three years. Andrew Geddis takes us through the options at hand. Without even knowing the final election result (there are about 500,000 special votes still to … Read more
The self-proclaimed governors of transformation have not so far infused the ‘wellbeing’ idea they trumpeted into everyday speech. Do they dare do so now, asks Colin James. Jacinda Ardern claimed a “mandate” on election night to “accelerate our response [to Covid] and our recovery”. Does that portend the “government of transformation” she proclaimed three years … Read more
A small but vocal movement calling for the end of lockdown restrictions is gaining steam globally. Dr Siouxsie Wiles explains why such an approach would be a bad idea. As life in Aotearoa gets back to some kind of normal after our latest Covid-19 outbreak, cases in the northern hemisphere are on the rise again … Read more
The common theme in international media is the Labour leader as antithesis to Donald Trump – but not everyone is bowled over. A landslide win for the New Zealand Labour Party saw the acclamation flow abroad for Jacinda Ardern. Similar plaudits were forthcoming for Jacinta Ardern, Jacinda Adern and Jacinta Adern. I didn’t get past … Read more