There are plenty of drawbacks to living in the back of beyond, but for expectant mothers, at least, there’s one big plus: rural maternity units. Southlander Victoria Crockford explains why giving birth in one is a ‘privilege and a pleasure’ – and why their continued existence is under threat. I’m going to have my second … Read more
The triumphant return of Jane Yee, Duncan Greive and Alex Casey to wrap up New Zealand telly in 2016. As 2016 starts to slip away like sand through the hour glass, our in-house television experts* reflect upon 2016 on the small screen in our fair country. What has Jordy Pordy been up to? What does … Read more
Pete Douglas looks on in slack-jawed bemusement at the latest song from dad-pop band Train, and wonders whether the band are serious or a brilliant troll. While casually perusing the Billboard Hot 100 recently, a thought occurred to me: what the hell is up with the continued popularity of Train? Of all the legions of … Read more
Chris Kelly, the Chancellor of Massey University, has been quoted saying that women are less valuable veterinarians because they tend to leave the profession once they get married and have a family. That’s precisely the sort of outdated thinking that is hampering women in STEM subjects of all kinds, says Kate Hannah. Back in June, … Read more
From broadcasters to philosophers to the Spinoff, economic illiteracy has abounded in response to the Opportunities Party’s tax policy, argues Gareth Morgan. Thanks to Paul Henry and Jamie Whyte we have a live discussion about where the burden should fall in making New Zealand fair again. At the Opportunities Party our view is that prosperity … Read more
After attending the National Digital Forum in Wellington, Madeleine Chapman returned to her work desk with the key to a whole new world of knowledge. Last month, the National Digital Forum (NDF) was held across two days at Te Papa museum in Wellington. A gathering of GLAM (Galleries, Libraries, Archives, Museums) personnel to share ideas … Read more
You’ve seen all the other best-of books lists and as the saying goes: they’re shit! Yeah nah this is the only one you need, as the Spinoff’s team of democratic experts bring together literary fiction, New Zealand stuff, and total fucking awesomely readable junk. Commonwealth (Bloomsbury, $33) by Ann Patchett The Spinoff’s choice as the best novel … Read more
Property expert and housing strategist Leonie Freeman sets out why – despite the housing crisis – there are still so few new homes being built. We all know that house prices are at an all-time high and demand far exceeds supply. Economics 101 says that when demand is greater than supply, it’s opportunity time for … Read more
With Christmas looming, we’ve assembled some of the best (cheapest) gifts you can buy for your TV-obsessed friends and family. It’s that joyous time of year when you realise you need to buy presents for a million people, except you don’t have the money or time to even wash your hair or eat a vegetable. … Read more
The effortlessly stylish Spinoff Parents editor walks us through the decorating ideas that transformed a suburban Wellington family home into a magical Christmas wonderland. How does she do it? Welcome to this week’s issue of Parents Who Are Very Tired Monthly. It’s the very special Christmas issue! It’s jam packed with wonderful Christmas WHAT ARE … Read more
‘Best Songs Ever’ features various contributors to The Spinoff Music assessing recent songs and singles. ZAYN & Taylor Swift – ‘I Don’t Wanna Live Forever’ ???? One of the most underappreciated aspects of what makes Taylor Swift such a great popstar is her impeccable sense of timing. Traversing the country-pop of Fearless and Speak Now … Read more
Resident death artist and rampager Morbid Slang Angel 69 gets his blackened fingers on Dead Rising 4. The zombie murder-thon series has many fans and one of those is The Spinoff’s own Morbid Slang Angel 69. Here he outlines his favourite kills after a week with the game. It’s pretty safe to say there’s plenty … Read more
Last week an economist-turned-politician and a broadcaster exchanged verbal salvoes over the idea of taxing certain assets as income. Jamie Whyte explains why he’s siding with the broadcaster. Gareth Morgan has a PhD in economics. Paul Henry does not. On Thursday, Henry interviewed Morgan about his new political party’s tax policy. An argument about economics … Read more
In his first speech after getting the formal tick from his caucus, and ahead of a trip to Government House to be sworn in as prime minister, Bill English has proved his literary credentials by reading a line from a poem. Go poetry. Go English Lit Bill. Here we publish the poem in full. Prime … Read more
Dave Baxter, the man behind ‘Love Love Love‘, recently won a large payout from his former manager Matt Coleman. Hayden Donnell gleans some key findings from the judgment – and explains why Baxter may still never receive what he’s owed. About a month ago, Matthew Coleman, one of New Zealand’s leading music managers (and 2010 … Read more
Linda Burgess reviews the Spinoff’s choice as the best book of 2016 – Anne Sebba’s extraordinary portrait of women in occupied France, Les Parisiennes. You’d like to think that if the barbarians did come through the gate, you’d at the very least make it clear you didn’t welcome them. You’d even hope, that given the usual … Read more
Tara Ward assembles her power rankings for Shortland Street, including Chris’ mane, Magic Mo and whatever good thing Damo has decided to do this week. 1) Chris is a harbinger of doom with amazing hair Not only did Chris return to Ferndale without Rachel, but he bought himself a new phone that he couldn’t operate. … Read more
What do you do when someone you’re close to on Facebook – or someone you hardly know at all – is talking about suicide or exhibiting signs of acute emotional distress? Kyle MacDonald talks to the head of Facebook’s ‘Compassion Team’ to find out how you can help. We Kiwis love Facebook. As a nation … Read more
It’s a place with low wages, stratospheric property prices and housing stock that’s often near-uninhabitable. Sound familiar? But this isn’t Auckland – it’s Queenstown, where the worst aspects of our growing economic inequality are writ large, as Peter Newport explains. It’s possible you can tell almost everything about a town or city by its job … Read more
The real value of assessments such as TIMSS and PISA lies not so much in the crude comparisons as the painstaking analysis of particular strengths and weaknesses that revealed in our students’ performance in particular areas of the curriculum, writes John O’Neill. The last fortnight has seen the release of results in the 2015 Trends … Read more
Compiling the best reading from your friendly local website. Toby Manhire: Bloody hell, John Key just quit as prime minister. This is not how things happen! “The National Party under Key has been lauded, rightly, for its ability to renew, with underperforming MPs finding themselves nudged out, or shouldered towards retirement. But now the prime … Read more
When does heavy social media use become a problem? In-house therapist Ms X discusses good and bad Facebook usage, and strategies for breaking the network’s vice-like hold on your day-to-day life. This week I talk to a reader who asked for advice on escaping the sticky grip of social media. Our caller reported that he … 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: Kate Robertson and Duncan Greive join host Henry Oliver to talk about music business and culture in the year 2016. Spinoff Music editor Henry Oliver talks to contributing critic Kate Robertson and The … Read more
Tara Ward does the unthinkable, and binge-watches 22 episodes of guinea pig dates on TVNZ Ondemand. It’s not often you enjoy a guinea pig’s quest for true love. Hardly ever, in fact. So when the televisual universe vomits up a tiny nugget of unexpected joy like Holly and Luke’s First Dates, we must grab it … Read more
What’s everyone reading – and buying – at Xmas? Fucking Apostrophes and other gift ideas, going by the latest Unity Books best-seller chart at their stores in Auckland and Wellington. WELLINGTON STORE 1 Fucking Apostrophes (Icon Books, $19) by Simon Griffin Your cool Simon! 2 Wish Child (Victoria University Press, $30) by Catherine Chidgey “This is … Read more
With summer upon us, there is no better time to shut all the sunlight out of your room, pull a blanket over your head and watch TV until your eyes hurt. We assemble the best shows on Lightbox that you can binge from pilot to finale. Wolf Hall Binge time: 6 hours, like a perfectly … Read more
Superstar of breakfast radio, All Black captain and owner of a world-class duck face, John Key is one hell of a hard act to follow. But is the PM-designate really that boring? Toby Manhire crushes forever the Dull Bill English myth. Guyon Espiner: Are you excited? Rt Hon Bill English (most unexcited voice in history … Read more
New verse by Dunedin writer Emma Neale. Tag From the tangle of trees by the Warrender Street steps near where city council crews have been deleting the fuck-cunts and dick pics sprayed on the path, sharper than the doof-doof of the stereo from a student party in the valley’s dank trench, comes the … 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. This week is a special Business is Boring, our first live event, … Read more