Before launching into a week-long series exploring all that Wellington has to offer her, Alex Casey reflects on a childhood spent travelling ‘over the hill’. I have a confession: Wellington used to make me sick. Like, literally. Growing up over the ranges in the sleepy, sometimes scary, sometimes fancy cheese shop town of Featherston in … Read more
Alex Casey spends the afternoon watching a master at work: the one and only Dan Corbett, TVNZ 1’s enigmatic metereologist. The good thing about Dan Corbett is that you don’t know if he’s talking about the weather, or if he’s tracing the movements of a Cockney gangster on the run. “Here comes the mean geezer,” … Read more
We review the entire country and culture of New Zealand, one thing at a time. Today: Duncan Greive discovers Whoa! Studios, a magical place where parents and their children can co-exist in equal happiness via playgrounds, beer and food. Taking your kids to restaurants basically sucks. They cry, throw food around, run off when you’re trying … Read more
You’ve heard about how foreign trusts are exploiting legal loopholes to park money in New Zealand and avoid paying tax. But there’s another NZ financial body causing ripples around the world, for all the wrong reasons, as Gareth Vaughan explains. This story was first published on interest.co.nz Here are two numbers for you: 83 and … Read more
Elle Hunt reviews Lorde’s new album, Melodrama. Every sophomore album of a breakout young star is hotly anticipated as a test of their artistry and staying power, and Lorde did precisely nothing to ease the pressure on herself. Melodrama comes very nearly four full years after her debut album, Pure Heroine, and, in that time, … Read more
Jacqui Smith is a New Zealand mama making it in the Big Apple. Here she shares a day in the life of raising her child in New York City. Three lunches packed, four sips of coffee down, ten minutes till I hand over to the sitter, then shimmy into my work clothes, kiss everyone goodbye … Read more
I once attempted suicide, writes Shaun Robinson of the Mental Health Foundation. And I got help. While all of us call for something to be done about our shocking suicide stats, here are three things you can do if you or people you know are going down that path. Yesterday was not a proud day … Read more
There are only five days until 2017’s shortest day, and we’re celebrating the oncoming slide towards summer with a quiz about all things short and small. It’s not a big thing, but we think you should take it. Having trouble viewing the quiz? Take it here.
The best-selling books at the two best bookstores in the Commonwealth. WELLINGTON UNITY 1 Ministry Of Utmost Happiness by Arundhati Roy (Hamish Hamilton, $38) We look forward to the forthcoming review by Marion McLeod. 2 Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls by Elena Favilli & Francesca Cavallo (Particular Books, $40) Portraits of 100 inspirational women … Read more
Like the rest of the internet-having world, Sam Brooks has been listening to Lorde’s new album today. Unlike most of the world, he writes plays for a living. Here’s his interpretation of his favourite song from the album. The following is what happens when you sit in The Spinoff, rushing through your first listen of … Read more
I realised that politicians can’t always be trusted to act in the best interests of the people or the planet, and felt compelled by an irresistible force to do something, writes Sarah Thomson, ahead of a date at the High Court in Wellington this month The day it really hit home was when I listened to James Hansen … Read more
We review the entire country and culture of New Zealand, one thing at a time. Today: Calum Henderson tries the New Zealand sweetie fusion to (hopefully) end all New Zealand sweetie fusions. “Oh they haven’t, have they?” – Toby Manhire, Spinoff Politics editor, 9:15am Oh yes they have. Pascall – the confectionery company owned by … Read more
Like books and vinyl records, DVD box sets are holding firm against the streaming tide, writes Aaron Yap. It used to be bloody hard to watch TV, didn’t it? These days it’s as easy as turning on the tap. Just sacrifice a smashed avo toast a month, and you can afford to zone out to … Read more
New verse, taken from the recently published collection of New Zealand political poems, by Dunedin writer Peter Olds. Boxing Day Young people shouldn’t have to work in supermarkets on Boxing Day. No young person under the age of 35 should have to work during summer holidays. The owners of supermarkets, lounging on … Read more
Not everyone will tell you this, but the Green Party is doing a lot of things right – which is more than you can say about most of the others. So why aren’t they polling better? Kermit will always be right: it is never easy being Green. Even when the world needs you more than … Read more
Pollwatch: Reid Research survey suggests a fourth National term remains easily the likeliest scenario, though NZ First is climbing, and their likely recruit is planning an announcement – after the rugby. Grim viewing for Labour on Three tonight. The 100-days-to-go Neswshub/Reid Research poll puts the party down 4.2% on 26.4%, within sniffing distance of their dismal 2014 … Read more
The hype train has left the station and E3 is over for another year. Eugenia Woo watched the whole bloody thing and now lets rip on which games she can’t wait to play – and which should be consigned to the dustbin of history. It’s been an insane few days for the games industry. In … 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. Alas, Simon is sick this week so we’ve decided to republish one … Read more
Ella Davis has a confession to make. It’s something she thinks a fair few parents can relate to – and we think she’s probably very right. It’s every parent’s nightmare isn’t it – a tearaway kid – but if I’m honest, I can’t control my child. I often find myself worrying what others think about my … Read more
New Zealand has a long storied history of pop music, from ‘Blue Smoke’ to ‘Poi E’ to ‘Royals’. Chelsea Jade and Sam Brooks did their best to cover some of the forgotten and not-so-forgotten gems in between. When the Cat’s Away: ‘Melting Pot’ Chelsea Jade: Let’s dive into the melting pot. It’s a palate cleanser. … Read more
A dark advertisement for a dairy assistant in South Canterbury promised accommodation sharing with rodents, minimum wage, and drug tests. Josh Drummond applied for the role, and investigated what the classified says about the New Zealand dairy industry today. It may not be what you’d think. It started, as so many things do in New Zealand, … Read more
After last month’s Equalise My Vocals events on gender equality in music, Coco Solid reflects on the project and shares video and audio of the panel discussions. Equalise My Vocals was a project about everyone being treated fairly within all factions of New Zealand music. That’s it. Over a year in the making, the project – … Read more
We conclude our week-long series on the new memoir by former Green MP Holly Walker with a review by another ex-MP – Deborah Coddington. Who would have thought Holly Walker, mother and Green MP from 2011 to 2014, was a victim of violent abuse while she was in Parliament? Her face was so badly bruised … Read more
The Pacific Dance Festival, opening in Auckland tonight, brings rich and challenging expression to the stage. Leonie Hayden talks to dancer and choreographer Tia Sagapolutele. Artists are compelled to dismantle. The best of their generation are revered, reviled and remembered for being the most disruptive. But ambitious Māori and Pacific artists are eventually faced with the … Read more
As the debate around the value of private tertiary education providers sharpens with Labour’s immigration policy release, a new bill proposes substantial changes to the wider sector. Nicola Gaston has some serious reservations. “Increase funding flexibility in the tertiary education system, strengthen the accountability, and monitoring of tertiary education organisations, and ensure consistent treatment of … Read more
In a little over three months, New Zealand goes to the polls. Recent months have seen shock and volatility in elections around the world. Will we see something similar? Here we assess the contenders’ status as the clock counts down to September 23. A big day for lovers of democracy and arbitrary round numbers: there are one hundred sunsets … Read more
In our video series Kiwis of Snapchat, comedian Tom Sainsbury sources exclusive Snapchat footage of Kiwi citizens making the news. Today, Auckland Transport parking warden Mark Chisholm walks us through his job and hints at the dark desires that lurk beneath. The Auckland section is sponsored by Heart of the City, the business association dedicated … Read more
A financial adviser has recommended young Kiwis give up their dreams and pursue something economically realistic. Derek Handley, part of the panel of futurists on TVNZ’s What Next, says we should all ignore her advice. The adventure of creating a life worth living is a visceral and human rite of passage. It shouldn’t be driven … Read more
Yet another Spinoff Review of Books exclusive: the longlist for the 2017 Ngaio Marsh award for best New Zealand crime fiction. The dear old Spinoff Review of Books can exclusively reveal the longlist for the 2017 Ngaio Marsh Award for Best Crime Novel. Now in its seventh year, the award recognises the best in New Zealand … Read more