The world famous cat and companion to prime minister Jacinda Ardern and Clarke Gayford has died, after being hit by a car. Here’s our tribute, from Toby Morris. Jacinda Ardern wrote today: “To anyone who has ever lost a pet, you’ll know how sad we feel. Paddles was much loved, and not just by us. … Read more
From fending off the GFC and Canterbury earthquake recovery to social investment and addressing child poverty, the last government has a lot to be proud of, writes National MP Chris Bishop. As the dust settles on the election and the new super-sized Labour/NZ First/Greens ministry gets to work, it’s worth looking back on nine years … Read more
With Kiwi hero Anna Paquin gracing Philip K Dick’s Electric Dreams this week, some of The Spinoff’s greatest minds* attempt to dissect her reality-bending episode. If you haven’t heard of Philip K Dick’s Electric Dreams by now, it’s basically a buzzy anthology series from the dude who dreamed up Blade Runner that burrows deep into your … Read more
They’re helping Mexican farmers grow sustainable coffee, but The Lucy Foundation’s next step is to give disabled Kiwis employment chances. Maria Slade caught up with founder Robbie Francis to find out how she is building a business model with inclusiveness at its core. Heaven knows how New Zealand would keep functioning if its citizens didn’t … Read more
Give me a transport crisis and I’ll give you a thousand ways to solve it, said no mayor ever. But the ideas are out there. Carpool campaigner Paul Minett explains why he thinks we should pay people to ride. This is about an innovative idea for reducing the traffic. The idea, simply put, is to … Read more
If you have Paramore confined to a folder in your memory marked ‘mid-2000s – DO NOT OPEN’, Elle Hunt is here to deliver some startling news – they’re still going, they’re still writing perfect soundtracks to personal crises, and they’re coming to New Zealand. There was a period early this year that I listened to … Read more
Before she became prime minister, Jacinda Ardern went on a valiant journey to trace her ancestry on TVNZ’s DNA Detectives. How’s this for a sign of Jacinda Ardern’s rapid rise: in the year or so between filming her episode of DNA Detectives and it screening on TV last night, she has become deputy leader of the Labour … Read more
Teresa Soper, the Christchurch mother dubbed ‘Momma Doof’, has been charged in connection with underage parties she organised at her semi-rural property. She tells Luke Oldfield why she did it. This is an edited version of an article that first appeared on cradletogravy.co.nz. Carefree teenagers vs censorious adults is a battle as old as time, … Read more
An essay about being a daughter, being a parent, and protecting your future self from the past. By Laurel Hilton. We were driving round the bend in a 100 km/h zone. It was roughly in the vicinity where I did my driving test as a very pregnant 32 year-old, graduating from a Texan to New … Read more
Back by lukewarm demand On The ‘Reg is The Spinoff’s regular gaming session streamed live every Wednesday at 7pm on Facebook and Twitch. This highlights package sees José Barbosa and Madeleine Chapman playing Crash Bandicoot: the N.sane trilogy. Now the new 2017 cleaned up version of the Crash Bandicoot trilogy is out, On the ‘Reg decided to give … Read more
Thirty years of economic reform and the gap between Māori and Pākehā employment rates is wider than ever, says business columnist Joshua Hitchcock. I have never experienced unemployment. Since graduating in 2007 I have always found a job when I wanted one. That is not to say I have always worked these past 10 years. … Read more
Imagine having money or assets and not having to pay tax on them! Sounds like a dream right? But for the super wealthy, it can be very real. Rebecca Stevenson takes a dive into the muddy waters of offshore trusts. How is it that a Russian bank which collapsed owing billions was registered to a … Read more
It’s one thing for Winston Peters to snarl and threaten the press as an opposition MP, but taking legal action to force media to reveal their sources as deputy PM is quite another, writes Toby Manhire. Towards the end of the morning, a serious man in a polo shirt appeared at Spinoff headquarters, sweating a … Read more
Blackbird Ensemble musical director Claire Cowan talks to James Manning about adapting Björk’s eclectic back catalogue for the orchestra ahead of this week’s run of concerts in Auckland. New Zealand chamber orchestra Blackbird Ensemble are celebrating experimental Icelandic artist Björk this Wednesday 8th to Saturday 11th November at Auckland’s Q Theatre. Titled Björk: All is … Read more
The giant dairy co-op says it wants to play a positive role in cleaning up waterways. To test that pledge, the government must urgently change the rules so Fonterra is no longer obliged to pick up milk from new dairy conversions, argues Russel Norman of Greenpeace NZ This year, amidst all the raucous noise about … Read more
Tara Ward counts down the top ten moments from ‘First Wife’, the eighth episode of Outlander season three. Contains major spoilers, obviously. You know you’re in for a treat when Outlander begins with a close-up of a pie. Feast your eyes, my pretties, because that pie was a beautiful piece of symbolism about the endless pleasures bursting … Read more
It’s out of the instant restaurant frying pan and into the sudden death cook-off fire – and half the Shortland Street cast has come for tea. “You’ll need to get over being starstruck very quickly,” celebrity chef judge Pete Evans warns the two pairs of chefs before they disappear into the kitchen to cook for … Read more
The #metoo campaign to publicise the extent of sexual assault and harassment has taken social media by storm. But it’s not anything new, writes Lucy Kelly. For most girls, sharing stories of sexual abuse is part of growing up. So what are the stories that boys tell themselves? Content warning: this article contains discussion of … Read more
Luxury brand Lonely is launching its first-ever maternity range, so co-founder Helene Morris talked to Jihee Junn about how and why it’s catering to mothers (as well as busting a couple of bra-based myths in the process). Last year, Auckland-based lingerie brand Lonely went viral for a simple ad campaign featuring two women in their … Read more
While TOP only managed 2.5% of the vote in the recent election, Gareth Morgan’s political ambitions are far from over. He’s just dropped $430,000 more into TOP while putting his think tank on long-term hiatus, writes Duncan Greive. The Morgan Foundation, the charitable trust set up by economist Gareth Morgan and his partner Jo, is … Read more
Despite media reports concentrating on sporadic violence in the leadup, the Tonga-Samoa RLWC international on Saturday was one of the best live sporting atmospheres in recent New Zealand history, writes Jamie Wall. And one that could have happened nowhere else on earth. I was excited to see the most stacked Tongan and Samoan rugby league … Read more
How is Married at First Sight NZ getting better and worse at the same time? Jane Yee, Duncan Greive and Alex Casey hit the therapist’s couch to find out. The reality TV “experts” at The Real Pod’s eyes were bulging like the biceps on a genetic pitbull at the explosive MAFSNZ dinner party this week. … Read more
Alex Casey power ranks the sixth week of Married at First Sight NZ, including an explosive dinner party, wank confessions and an exciting makeover. The reunion was supposed to be a chance for growth, the experts told us while barely stifling their own laughter, a time for the couples to come back together to share … Read more
Messages leaked to The Spinoff reveal Married at First Sight NZ‘s Andrew Jury sent a series of abusive and racist DMs to another user of the service in 2015. Andrew Jury, a participant on Married at First Sight NZ, sent abusive messages to a woman on Tinder, calling her a “whore” after she refused his request … Read more
Mike Hosking has made another big mistake, this time on the UN’s refugee convention. Amnesty International New Zealand’s Grant Bayldon gives him a lesson in international law. In alarming misrepresentation of international law in today’s Mike’s Minute, Mike Hosking has applauded the Australian prime minister’s rejection of New Zealand’s offer to help resettle refugees from offshore … Read more
Yes, Emma Wiggle broke the Wiggly glass ceiling – but did she have to be wearing a frilly tutu and bows to do it? Angela Cuming looks at the weird gender politics on The Wiggles. During a recent bout of toddler illness I caught up with The Wiggles and noticed some important messages the popular … Read more
Henry Oliver reviews Drake’s show at Spark Arena on Friday 3 November 2017. Drake and I have always had an ambivalent (one-way) relationship. When he appeared, seemingly out of nowhere but actually with a few years worth of unremarkable mixtapes, the Canadian actor-turned-rapper was part of a wave of post-808s and Heartbreak rappers making sing-songy, … Read more
When you watch your cat attempt to derail your partner’s phone call with Donald Trump, it’s hard to avoid the word ‘surreal’, writes Clarke Gayford. Write us a diary, the Spinoff asked. What do I call it? Diary of a plus one? Hello from the other side? First-man musings? Prince Philip or bust? I’m sitting … Read more
Over the weekend PM Jacinda Ardern reiterated the government’s offer to take 150 asylum seekers imprisoned on Manus Island. But we can’t stop there, writes Jessie Dennis. Now it’s time to swap compassionate words for life-saving action. The situation for refugees on Manus Island is a humanitarian crisis. The New Zealand government’s response to this … Read more