After meeting yesterday to address its unpopular policy that called for immigration to be halted, the Māori Party has made some concessions. It still isn’t good enough, writes former candidate Carrie Stoddart-Smith. Like most people who become a core base supporter of a political party, we each have our story of why. Sometimes our story … Read more
David Seymour’s meteoric rise over the past six months is well documented. But what caused it? Stewart Sowman-Lund sat down with the Act Party leader. Back in February, the Act Party was polling below 2%. Last year, below 1%. Now, it’s sitting at around 8%, with David Seymour on track to bring eight or nine … 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 housing. Read more two-minute policy wraps here American abolitionist Henry David Thoreau once wrote that the sign of an advanced society was that “it has produced … Read more
A new study published in the journal BMJ Global Health says that men make up more than 85% of Covid-19 decision-making and advisory boards. Authors of an observational study into the gender gap on Covid-19 advisory boards have called the male dominance they found the result of a “disturbingly accepted pattern”. Men make up 85% … Read more
Welcome to The Spinoff’s Election Live for October 2, 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 7.00pm: The day … Read more
What’s the best way to get adults reading? Get them reading when they’re children – and there’s no better place to start than the Unity Children’s Bestseller Chart. AUCKLAND 1 Dog Man #9: Grime & Punishment by Dav Pilkey (Graphix/Scholastic, $19, 6-9) “You’ll howl with laughter!” 2 Lizard’s Tale by Weng Wai Chan (Text Publishing … Read more
Leaders of the Greens, Act, Māori Party and NZ First joined in a rambunctious exchange in Auckland last night. Toby Manhire was there. Had I disappeared off-grid to live in a cave 10 weeks ago – and don’t think I wasn’t tempted – then returned last night to the Newshub “powerbrokers” debate, I’d have confidently … Read more
Emily in Paris wants to be a homemade pain au chocolat but can barely reach the level of a store-bought croissant. For over two decades, Darren Star has had his very specific genre locked down: he makes shows about professional women trying to have it all, where all the stakes are emotional and all the … Read more
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington. AUCKLAND 1 Ottolenghi: Flavour by Yotam Ottolenghi and Ixta Belfrage (Ebury, $60) Charred peppers and fresh corn polenta with soy-cured yolk. Potato salad … Read more
A new poem by Cadence Chung. Girls just wanna have fun Girls just wanna have fun girls just wanna be fatal eyeliner like slits in their skin lipstick like bloodstains nails like claws Girls just wanna escape but there is no escape when the past rattles from all directions in time so they find escape … Read more
Watch all five episodes of 100 Year Forecast on our special interactive website HERE. Climate change is big and it can feel overwhelming. It may seem like New Zealand does not have a big part to play in any solutions to the global problem. Yet despite our low total emissions, our emissions per person are … Read more
In this episode of The Spinoff’s food podcast, Sophie Gilmour, Alice Neville and Simon Day are joined by chef Yutak Son for a crash course in festive Korean cuisine. This week is Chuseok 추석, or Korean thanksgiving. To celebrate, chef Yutak Son has teamed up with Satellites and the Korean consulate to put together a … Read more
She’s been using cannabis for 35 years and has no intention of stopping any time soon – but she’d rather do it legally. I’ll tell you exactly who first got me into smoking dope. It was my friend’s brother’s uncle. Let’s call him Paul. He was a big-time dope grower in the north-east corner of … Read more
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: For and against a four year term, Labour planning market studies on groceries and building supplies, and NIMBYs fighting youth hub in Christchurch. One of the major newslines out of Wednesday’s leaders’ debate was on a point of agreement between Ardern and Collins. During the quickfire … Read more
Businesses in an iconic central Auckland food court continue to face threats of closure from their landlord. Now they’ve turned to the public for help. Several besieged businesses at Elliot Stables have failed to come to a resolution with their landlord, the Icon Group, which last month issued Property Law Act (PLA) notices giving the … Read more
If you read articles in the Spinoff and elsewhere you might imagine and thought that the Property Investors’ Federation are heartless landlords only thinking of themselves – let me offer you a different perspective, writes Andrew King. In recent weeks I’ve had the misfortune of seeing my name in headlines suggesting that I have “urged” … Read more
Mooncakes are a traditional rich pastry eaten for the Mid-Autumn festival in East-Asian communities. Sherry Zhang shares a few recipes for mooncakes from her friends and family. October 1st is the Mid-Autumn festival for the East-Asian community and, like many harvest festivals around the world, it’s about having a big ol’ feast with your family. … 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. This week he’s joined by Simon Farrell-Green, founder of Here magazine. This podcast has always had a special interest in the ways people … Read more
Director Bruno du Bois talks about Zealandia, a short film depicting a futuristic New Zealand in the midst of a global pandemic which was written long before Covid-19. New Zealand’s biggest annual short film festival Show Me Shorts kicks off on October 2, bringing over 75 films from around the world to 30 cinemas throughout … Read more
The 2020 Arts Foundation laureates have been selected, awarding seven outstanding artists who represent the diversity of New Zealand and the arts in Aotearoa right now. The past nine months have not been easy for artists all around the world. In New Zealand, lockdowns and financial disruption caused by Covid-19 have put a lot of … Read more
Covid-19 taught businesses that one workplace doesn’t fit all employees. Ben Fahy learned about what flexibility really means in a modern office. Vaughan Fergusson, the founder and director of retail software company Vend, lifts up his laptop and gives me a glimpse of Vend HQ a few days after the second lockdown was eased in … Read more
A very special guest joins Toby Manhire, Annabelle Lee Mather and Ben Thomas to go over what we learned from last night’s Newshub leaders’ debate between Jacinda Ardern and Judith Collins. It’s a four-person episode of Gone By Lunchtime this week as special guest Mihingarangi Forbes (The Hui, RNZ’s political podcast Party People) joins Toby … Read more
Welcome to The Spinoff’s Election Live for October 1, 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 9.30pm: The second … Read more
What are you going to be watching in October? The Spinoff rounds up everything that’s coming to streaming services this month, including Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, Apple TV+, Neon and TVNZ OnDemand. The biggies The Mandalorian (season two weekly on Disney+ from October 30) The Mandalorian was the surprise hit of 2019 for reasons nobody … Read more
Watch all five episodes of 100 Year Forecast on our special interactive website HERE. Aotearoa’s ecosystems are already under strain from habitat loss and introduced pest species. A warmer climate, more extreme weather and rising sea levels will intensify these stresses. This episode explores which plants and animals are under threat and how New Zealand … Read more
What happens when you put a bunch of farming students in a deeply National electorate in a room with their local candidates? Alex Braae went to the Lincoln University election debate to see the political equivalent of an abattoir. Despite the protestations of most of the candidates, there’s only going to be one winner in … Read more
After surviving breast cancer, Sarah Gandy has made it her mission to make sure New Zealand women know the signs of the disease so they can too. Sarah Gandy is so delightful you can’t help but smile when you speak to her. She speaks in a flurry and giggles often. It feels as if you’re … Read more
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Poll puts spotlight on tight East Coast race, Ardern and Collins go toe to toe in very different debate, and solo mother speaks out over denied benefit. The East Coast is going to be a fascinating electorate to watch on the night, and could get … Read more
New Zealand’s main party leaders are women and yet women can’t really get onto the agenda this election. The parties are offering little to help the half of the population most likely to suffer the worst of what Covid-19 is throwing at us, Justin Giovannetti reports. The burdens of Covid-19 will be borne disproportionately by … Read more