A personal essay by author Helen McNeil about one of New Zealand’s most put-down towns – Kawerau. Kawerau is my hometown. My family arrived there as “ten pound Poms” in 1956 when I was four years old. My dad worked shift at the Mill and kept saying how lucky we were to be living in … Read more
Many people think only mums can get post-natal depression and anxiety. In a post to mark Perinatal Awareness Week, Alan Law sets the record straight and explains how to recognise the signs – in yourself, or the new dad in your life. We don’t talk about the fact that dads get post-natal depression too. We … Read more
Last week we invited you to lob your Auckland housing crisis questions at AUT professor John Tookey, an expert on the subject. Today he responds to a selection of the many questions he received, and explains why – spoiler alert – there are no easy answers. John Tookey is a Professor of Construction Management at … Read more
As the polarising former Labour leader announces his parliamentary retirement, Toby Manhire recounts the most vivid Cunliffe memories – from poetry to beach pics to cats So farewell then, David Cunliffe. The New Lynn MP and former leader of the Labour Party announced this morning he won’t be standing in next year’s election. What memories … Read more
To celebrate the start of Movember, Pete Douglas gives a run-down of his favourite TV moustaches through the ages. It’s hard to believe it’s been 11 years since Outrageous Fortune hit our screens and set the tone for the next decade of local TV drama. People loved the show for a range of reasons, but … Read more
David Cunliffe has announced he is leaving politics. He was once the Rising Man; in October 2007, in the age before Key, Helen Clark promoted him as health minister. Steve Braunias profiled him for the Sunday Star-Times. You could tell at once what was going to happen when an old couple approached newly promoted cabinet … Read more
The Nobel Committee’s recognition of Bob Dylan shines a light on the transformative power of songwriting – a craft that very much belongs in New Zealand schools, writes Mike Chunn. Listening to a song is like taking a journey. The mechanics of that trip depend on the song, in the main. That is, words and … Read more
Madeleine Chapman strikes a pose and mixes up a storm on Spark’s All Access Pass experience at the Volume exhibition in Auckland. “I think you should retake that one.” Laughing hysterically while trying not to cry, I looked at myself superimposed on to a Rip It Up magazine cover. There I was, eyelids half-closed, as … Read more
‘Best Songs Ever’ features various contributors to The Spinoff Music assessing recent songs and singles. BEST SONG EVER FOR THIS WEEK: Austra – ‘Utopia’ Sometimes it feels like the loneliest place in music is the hinterland between chart aspirant pop and austere electronic music. Those who who exist in that space lack for all kinds of … Read more
By Numbers is a new regular feature examining a musical artist and their work as a business through a series of numbers. First up: The Naked and Famous. “We feel like an American band now,” says Thom Powers, the songwriter, guitarist and most reliably aggro interviewee in The Naked and Famous. They’re so American that they won’t … Read more
Queenstown writer Jane Bloomfield has spent the year writing the second novel in her Lily Max series for kids aged 8-12 – the first book was a finalist in this year’s NZ Post Children’s Book Awards, and the sequel is even better. But what else does she get up to in that part of the world? … Read more
Men, it’s time to call a meeting. The agenda? Actually choosing not to mouth off about titties and pussies and riding women, writes Michele A’Court. I’d like to think there’s a men’s meeting going on somewhere with someone in charge making an important speech. “Fellers, look, you can have your fun and, sure, we all … Read more
Yes, I’m lazy, and yes, I was motivated by the spectre of Trump, but it’s still surprising that I found it easier to vote for the US presidency this month than in the Auckland council elections, writes Madeleine Chapman. I’ve done a lot of voting in my 22 years of life. When you grow up … Read more
For a moment it looked like the government might be seeing sense on Auckland’s transport demands. But the volcanic response to a Mt Roskill light rail proposal suggests the road obsession remains, writes Hayden Donnell. On the weekend, Labour proposed fast-tracking a $1.4 billion light rail route to Mt Roskill as part of its by-election … Read more
Who are the most powerful figures in the new generation of New Zealand literature? The most innovative, the most awarded, the most industrious? A panel of young experts exchanged their views over Snapchat and things like that until they agreed on the top 10. 1 Hera Lindsay Bird But not just for the 46,000+ views … Read more
Tara Ward brings you her rankings for Shortland Street last week, including rashes, a ghost, and conceiving babies in hospital corridors. 1) Curtis takes one for the team Life was grand for old mate Curtis, but no amount of pashing Esther in the hospital café could stop him becoming tangled in Cam’s web of lies. Somebody needs … Read more
Halloween isn’t just for your kids. Emily Writes shares her list of costumes that would be great for you – an exhausted parent who doesn’t give two shits about Halloween. Want to be scary? But also sexy? But also you honestly don’t give a fuck at all because it’s just another night of no sleep? … Read more
Dismal turnout in the local elections this month prompted various calls to push ahead with online voting trials. We asked two smart cookies on either side of the argument, enthusiast Ben Lynch and sceptic Nigel McNie, to elucidate the issue in an exchange of emails. Hi Nigel, I didn’t vote. In the past three years … Read more
Everybody loves a good ghost story. And the only thing better than a ghost story is a Celebrity Ghost Story. We asked some of New Zealand / the world’s hottest celebrities (who we had contact information for) for their spooky tales. Wallace Chapman Once when I was 18, we were sitting around listening to heavy … Read more
Ben Thomas studies and salutes the newly minted coat of arms for the mighty former governor-general. Of New Zealand’s 21 governors-general, the recently departed Lieutenant General Sir Jeremiah “Jerry” Mateparae, GNZM, QSO, KStJ was the most assuredly One of Us. What highlights can we remember of the governor-general who retired in August this year? Alas, … Read more
Compiling the best reading of the week from your friendly local website. Ally McCrow-Young: What’s the deal with denial? A NZ Chinese woman on ‘Kiwi-ness’ and casual racism “When I’ve told anecdotes about casual racism – like when people put on a fake broken English accent when speaking to me – I can almost guarantee … Read more
In an essay first published in the non-fiction anthology Don’t Dream It’s Over: Reimagining Journalism in Aotearoa New Zealand, former SST editor Cate Brett looks at the relationship between newspapers and their readers in the age of digital disruption. Editors were once sufficiently important to sack. I survived five years as editor of the Sunday … Read more
Online dating brings with it a whole heap of questions about expectations and etiquette, not least the vexed issue of sexting. Should I? Must I? Ms X has some advice. Dear Ms X, My six year relationship has just ended. This is obviously very difficult and I need counselling on a number of levels including … Read more
It’s Saturday and all of a sudden people have realised that Halloween falls on a Monday this year. Nobody throws a party on a Monday, so now you need a kick-ass costume for tonight. Luckily, Madeleine Chapman is here to help. It’s hard to tell what’s worse: being the only one at the party with … 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. We’re in Melbourne for a international edition of Business Is Boring where … Read more
New verse by poet Michael Hall. Tip Top Bread The sound that a loaf of bread makes when it hits the supermarket floor – is the sound of a heart breaking. No one really hears it, though a few nearby in the aisle might see the person picking, to stoop it up. Then trying to … Read more
Reports of cutbacks at Auckland libraries have prompted the council to issue librarians with a question-and-answer script, so that they might deal appropriately with public inquiries. The script, obtained and published by RNZ, beneficently enables librarians to recite bureaucratically approved, leaden sentences. Lucky things – it’s almost as if they’re call centre operators or, even … Read more
Next week The Spinoff Music launches, thanks to the support of Spark. Duncan Greive explains what it will be, who will edit it and why it’s such a big deal to him. Last night I watched with a slightly queasy feeling as a group of eight or so musicians stood on a stage off to … Read more
They’re some of our biggest industries but how much do you really know about New Zealand growers and farmers? Test your knowledge below. Having trouble viewing the quiz? Take it here.