Too much news? Welcome to the only round-up you need. Have you voted yet? Voting opened nationwide on Saturday. Jacinda Ardern and Judith Collins both voted early with Ardern posting very casually on Instagram about her voting experience and Collins voting at a church complete with prayer beforehand. That about sums up both of their … Read more
The Greens’ statement on RMA reform is the first clear, leadership-endorsed sign of what it will and won’t support in a second Labour-Green government, writes Pattrick Smellie for BusinessDesk. Throughout the current parliamentary term, the Greens have been very well-behaved. Co-leader James Shaw’s brief and unhappy attempt to hold ministers to ransom over government funding … Read more
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Residents vow to rebuild after fire destroys dozens of Ohau homes, Christchurch stadium funding signed off, and complaint laid after EasyVote packs include campaign flyer. The fire that ripped through the Lake Ohau village has destroyed 46 houses, and burnt out more than 5000ha of … Read more
A poll commissioned by pro-legalisation campaigners suggests that the referendum could yet go their way. For many observers, the chances of cannabis being legalised after the election were already being written off. But a new poll has gone against the trend of recent surveying, showing the Cannabis Legalisation and Control Bill remains on track to … Read more
The Greens aren’t shying away from their role in a future government. Jacinda Ardern will be the leader, but they’ll be the conscience for Labour, Marama Davidson and James Shaw tell Justin Giovannetti. The promises from Green Party co-leaders James Shaw and Marama Davidson this election can be boiled down to something simple: they’ll give … Read more
A brisk tour of the 2020 campaign via the time-honoured caboose of the alphabet. A is for Aotearoa, the name by which this country would formally be known under Māori Party policy, providing a timely stimulus to the economy by putting us much higher on the drop-down menu for online shopping, just beneath Angola. A … Read more
Welcome to The Spinoff’s Election Live for October 5, bringing you the latest on election 2020 and other NZ news. The essential campaign dates are here. For all you need to know about the cannabis referendum click here. For the assisted dying referendum click here. Explore the parties’ pledges at Policy. I’m on stewart@thespinoff.co.nz The day in … Read more
Voting is under way in the New Zealand general election. Explore the main parties’ pledges at Policy.nz, but here’s a whistlestop tour of what’s on offer in the world of education. Read more two-minute policy wraps here Education accounts for the third-biggest portion of government spending, so it’s crucial parties have clear directives for this … Read more
In her new book examining the link between nature and wellbeing, environmental historian Dr Catherine Knight explores the benefits of nature experienced by everyday New Zealanders, and argues for more nature in the places where most New Zealanders live – our towns and cities. In New Zealand, we think of ourselves as a country rich … Read more
As we emerged, blinking, from the first lockdown, essa may ranapiri said they might write a response to the wonderful poetry published by Māori writers over that strange time. They did not want the work “dumped in the world and forgotten” – they wanted it seen, held high, lit up. Here is that piece. He … Read more
From Te Rerenga Wairua at the top of the country, right down to Rakiura, we’re taking a look at our seven Māori electorates and the candidates contesting the seats. In this edition: the ‘super city’ electorate of Tāmaki Makaurau. Tāmaki Makaurau is a completely urban electorate, centred on greater Auckland south of the Harbour Bridge. … Read more
Voting is under way in the New Zealand general election. Explore the main parties’ pledges at Policy.nz, but here’s a whistlestop tour of what’s on offer when it comes to crime, justice and policing. Read more two-minute policy wraps here There are few policy areas where the gap between the parties is more stark than … Read more
Four members of a Northland household opened their official election information packs to find promotional material from a group opposing the End of Life Choice Act, they have told The Spinoff. Alex Braae reports. EasyVote packs have been sent out around the country ahead of the October 17 general election and referendums. But some of … Read more
Less than 30 days out from the US election, what happens if Trump’s condition worsens – or he dies? A former member of the office of the White House chief of staff explains how the line of succession works. Since Donald Trump was admitted to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for Covid-19 treatment on … Read more
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Confusion surrounds Trump’s Covid-19 status, horror fire and bad flooding for lower South Island, and announcement coming on Auckland’s alert level status. It will be impossible to have missed the news that US President Donald Trump, and many in his inner circle, have now tested … Read more
A conversation with waka hourua captain and Treaty educator Tāwhana Chadwick on what rāhui is, and who has the right to enact it. Rāhui is an indigenous science that has been gaining recognition in Aotearoa. More recently, political parties and people in government have taken to using the term to describe their policies. This has … Read more
The path might be steep and unsteady, but there is a path to victory that could see Judith Collins sworn in as prime minister after October 17. Toby Manhire crunches the numbers. To be clear: with 12 days to go the National Party remains very much the underdog. Several polls in recent months have put … Read more
Simon Grigg writes on the phenomenon of the New Zealand records which now fetch thousands online – and details a few of the more interesting examples. Long before New Zealand had record fairs and online auction houses, we had hundreds of cluttered, dark and dusty opportunity shops, affectionately known by all as “opshops”. There’s even … Read more
There are pros, and there are cons, writes US politics expert Timothy J Lynch. With just a month left until the November 3 US presidential election, contracting the virus could have politically positive or negative consequences for President Donald Trump. These will, of course, be contingent on how severe the president’s illness becomes. But we should … Read more
Welcome to The Spinoff’s Election Live for October 4, bringing you the latest on election 2020 and other NZ news. The essential campaign dates are here. For all you need to know about the cannabis referendum click here. For the assisted dying referendum click here. Explore the parties’ pledges at Policy. 7.00pm: The day in sum Judith … Read more
Voting is under way in the New Zealand general election. Explore the main parties’ pledges at Policy.nz, but here’s a whistle-stop tour of what’s on offer in the world of the economy, tax and debt. Read more two-minute policy wraps here Under the government’s economic response to Covid-19, crown debt is forecasted to reach 55% … Read more
Voting is under way in the New Zealand general election. Explore the main parties’ pledges at Policy.nz, but here’s a whistle-stop tour of what’s on offer in the world of transport. Read more two-minute policy wraps here Public transport While there are a range of policy ideas for different areas of transport, only two parties … Read more
More than 40 years after he first arrived in parliament, Winston Peters is facing, barring a miracle, the end of the line, with his New Zealand First Party polling under 2%. But what a political career it has been. Danyl Mclauchlan traces the life and times of one of the most compelling and enduring characters … Read more
With the international borders closed New Zealanders have been rediscovering the delights of their own country. For Aucklanders, it’s the perfect opportunity to explore the many volcanoes scattered around Tāmaki Makaurau, writes Gareth Shute. There are a plethora of volcanoes across Auckland, though just a handful get the vast majority of visitors. You no doubt … Read more
We asked the people vying for our votes how they’re keeping their minds sharp and bodies fuelled for the final stretch of the campaign marathon. What New Zealand’s political party leaders eat isn’t usually something many of us give much thought to, but come election time, when they’re out and about winning votes, politicians’ kai … Read more
Welcome to The Spinoff’s Election Live for October 3, bringing you the latest on election 2020 and other NZ news. The essential campaign dates are here. For all you need to know about the cannabis referendum click here. For the assisted dying referendum click here. Explore the parties’ pledges at Policy. I’m on aliceneville@thespinoff.co.nz 7.00pm: The day … Read more
Achieving an effortless “no makeup makeup” look is far more stressful than the old beauty standards ever were, writes Litia Tuiburelevu for Ensemble magazine. My relationship with beauty is complicated. I can look in a mirror and oscillate between utter self-loathing and a delusional God complex all within 10 minutes. Deep down I know that … Read more
Voting is under way in the New Zealand general election. Explore the main parties’ pledges at Policy.nz, but here’s a whistle-stop tour of what’s on offer in the world of health. Read more two-minute policy wraps here Over 2020, the New Zealand public has learned what “PPE” means; the director general of health became a revered … Read more
Accusations of cultural appropriation in the restaurant world have made headlines in recent months, but why aren’t we talking about the white-owned ‘Asian fusion’ eateries that continue to trade off casual racism? One day, I walked past Auckland restaurant Monsoon Poon. I’ve ambled past the area plenty of times, but never with any real interest; … Read more