Newly announced PPTA guidelines about gender neutral toilet and uniform options generated an inevitable round of dismissive opinions from the likes of Barry Soper and Mike Hosking. Sam Orchard, a queer trans man who went to high school, attempts to educate them. This week the Post Primary Teacher’s Association (PPTA) published their new guidelines urging schools to … Read more
Eamonn Marra infiltrates the ‘Men’s Summit’ in Wellington, and finds a group of damaged men. They seem like sympathetic characters. Then the presentations start… Update, May 30 2017: Hans Laven, the clinical psychologist who appears in this story, has contacted The Spinoff contesting the account of his speech. Please scroll to the foot of the article … Read more
The author of the acclaimed book Things That Matter talks to Gareth Shute about health policy in the lead-up to the election – about the obesity crisis, the social investment approach and the kind of place New Zealand wants to be. Dr David Galler has worked at the intensive care unit of Middlemore Hospital for 25 … Read more
Do you need a guide to reading your teenager? Do you need help to see red flags or warning signs that they might be in trouble? Louisa Woods, a high school teacher, counsellor, and mother of three, shares her advice on supporting your young person through their teenage years. So, let me tell you something … Read more
In a world of excess and greed, Madeleine Chapman just wants everyone to get the most out of their food. When I was in my final year at university, I had my heart broken. Not by a young man, but by Hilary Barry. The spear she used to pierce my heart was this tweet. For years … Read more
Welcome to Top of the Pile, a gaming series in which the participants are forced to play a game at the top of the ‘just released’ list. In this the inaugural episode José Barbosa and Joseph Harper find themselves playing the Japanese visual novel game, Gakuen Club. Video edited by Joseph Harper Made with the … Read more
Our regular round-up of new songs and singles, this week featuring Carly Rae Jepsen, Future & Kendrick Lamar, Teeks and Drax Project. SONG OF THE WEEK Carly Rae Jepsen – ‘Cut to the Feeling’ Is Carly Rae Jepsen the new Robyn? This is the best straight-up pop song of the year so far. Combining Robyn-esque electro with Belinda … Read more
The government’s budget announcement trumpeted a new $224 million spend on mental health – but is the plan really as impressive as it sounds? Kyle MacDonald digs into the numbers. If you’ve ever shopped around trying to compare mobile phone plans or power company rates, you know how hard it can be to figure out … Read more
Long-time political insider Tony Simpson has written his 17th book – this time about himself, and the times he lived through. Writing a memoir is almost the only human activity I can think of which is literally and by definition a once in a lifetime experience. Of course you get the occasional smart-arsed maverick. Cyril … Read more
Democracy around the world is under threat, and New Zealand is not immune. Here, government attitudes to official information are hampering democratic debate and accountability, writes Sir Geoffrey Palmer. Throughout the western world, democracy is facing challenging times. People are trusting politicians and political processes less than they used to. Brexit and Donald Trump are … Read more
Superfan Joseph Harper tackles the fourth week of Survivor NZ, including Jak the joker and Avi’s gladeyes. Click here for last week. Week four on the Survivor NZ island/Nicaraguan peninsula (I don’t know geography), produced a mixed bag. Shay’s ousting at the hands of the Boytown alliance was all too predictable. At least she can … Read more
Just over three years ago, Susie Ferguson began as co-host of NZ’s most important news programme, Morning Report. She joins Toby Manhire to discuss the show, her rapport with Guyon Espiner, sexist abuse from listeners, how she ended up in NZ, and a dramatic head knock at the hands of her toddler Even before an … Read more
Following Shortland Street’s 25th anniversary week, we’re reissuing David Farrier’s phenomenal 2014 ‘Real Talk’ interview series with two of the soaps’s biggest stars and thinkers – Ben Mitchell and Cam Jones. In the final episode, we present… the outtakes. “If you love someone, get amongst it” Click here to watch all of the episodes of … Read more
We review the entire country and culture of New Zealand, one thing at a time. Today: José Barbosa reviews the ubiquitous one sheet publication, the Coffee News. Print is dead, they say. Publishing models are falling out of the sky while adverting spend exsanguinates like a gushing toilet cistern. That’s what they say, but I don’t believe … Read more
In our video series Kiwis of Snapchat, comedian Tom Sainsbury sources exclusive Snapchat footage of extraordinary Kiwi citizens. In this episode, the Nick Harrison Fan Club meets after watching the 25th anniversary episode of New Zealand’s favourite soap opera, Shortland Street. Click here for all our Kiwis of Snapchat videos.
Jessie Moss on Aldous Harding’s disruption of gender norms and her (mostly male) backlash. This week, on the release of her sophomore album Party and during her skyrocketing ascent to a greater public consciousness, Aldous Harding’s hard graft has been highly lauded. The craft and skill that weaved Party‘s nine songs together have been carefully … Read more
Now that The Bachelor NZ roses have wilted, Ghazaleh Golbakhsh rounds up some of the best dating shows to fill the aching void in your heart. The idea of institutionalized marriage first started off in the West as a way to gain property and to procreate. It was seen as something serious and respectful (well … Read more
Of all of the parenting topics that turn into all-out war online – breast vs bottle, dummy-gate, circumcision or uncut grapes – the worst of all is surely vaccination. Here the Spinoff Parents’ science writer Dr Jess Berentson-Shaw discusses the importance of talking calmly about vaccination. In part one and part two of this series … Read more
The speakers assembled to mark The Royal Society Te Apārangi’s 150th anniversary sends a dismal message about the reality of the organisation’s stated commitment to diversity, writes Kate Hannah With great fanfare, the Royal Society of New Zealand rebranded itself earlier this year, as The Royal Society Te Apārangi. The bilingual name symbolises the work … Read more
To mark a new edition (new preface and everything!) of the 2014 best-seller The Scene of the Crime by Steve Braunias, we present an extract from the chapter which entwines Rolf Harris and Julian Assange. Unable to think of anywhere I’d rather be during a few days to kill in London, I got the last vacant seat in … Read more
Yes folks, hold on to your rates, it’s time for the other budget! This week’s council budget is set to get a lot of people’s backs up, writes Simon Wilson – and some of it might not even be legal. NB: An earlier version of this story attributed the distribution of white feathers to The … Read more
For the Shortland Street 25th anniversary week, we’re reissuing David Farrier’s phenomenal 2014 ‘Real Talk’ interview series with two of the soaps’ biggest stars and thinkers – Ben Mitchell and Cam Jones. Today, the trio discuss the objectification of men. “Know your niche. It’s a market. It’s a business. You give the market what they … Read more
The Spinoff Music team review new albums from Paramore, Harry Styles and Low Cut Connie, and a not-new album from The Beatles. Paramore – After Laughter The best pop-rock front person of the 2000s is back! I’ve been a casual fan of Paramore for a decade now (gosh, that caught up with me quickly!), spanning as … Read more
In which an accountant, his nurse wife, and their lawyer daughter lovingly squabble through letters to the editor, on the subject of the 5-minute quiz. Something like the lost epistolary novel of PG Wodehouse has surfaced in the pages of Wellington’s daily paper over the last couple of weeks. Below, the letters. We look forward to further contributions … Read more
Compiling the best reading from your friendly local website. Nichole Brown: I’m sorry I white-washed your world: A letter to my Māori daughter “I am so sorry that it took me until we decided to leave this beautiful country to realise just how important our culture is to our future. I never considered that the Māori … Read more
Tara Ward recounts the surreal experience of being invited to Chris Warner’s intimate 50th birthday shindig – eruptions and all. Last year Chris Warner celebrated his birthday by having sex on his couch. To everything there is a season, for one year later I found myself perched on the same sofa, drinking gallons of pink … Read more
The Spinoff and Spark proudly present Pod On The Couch, a weekly podcast exploring music and the people that make it. This episode: Henry Oliver talks to Johnny Barker. Spinoff Music editor Henry Oliver talks to Johnny Barker a musician, actor (the Ferndale Strangler!), screenwriter and director, who under the moniker Barker, has a new album hot off … Read more
For the Shortland Street 25th anniversary week, we’re reissuing David Farrier’s phenomenal 2014 ‘Real Talk’ interview series with two of the soaps’ biggest stars and thinkers – Ben Mitchell and Cam Jones. Today, the trio discuss cyclists. “Get on the side, mate. You’re a bike.” Click here to watch the entire Real Talk series This … Read more
These days ambitious NZ politicians are more likely to be crafting a Facebook post than a memoir. Danyl Mclauchlan gets absorbed in the towering 1974 book by the man who would become the most powerful PM in modern NZ history. “When I was five I tore a cheek muscle in a fall and acquired a facial … Read more