In-house psychotherapist Ms. X has some good advice for couples stuck in the fight/make up/fight rut. Hey Ms. X, This is such a cool idea first of all! I tried to start an advice column at my uni mag but it didn’t work. I guess I’m the one who should be getting advice, not giving … Read more
Today we launch The Spinoff Parents, our new parenting blog made possible by Flick Electric Co. Our first post is by editor Emily Writes, and it’s a celebration – of her son Eddie’s birthday, and the amazing things people (even four year olds) can do. A wee while ago my three year old son told … Read more
It’s a struggle to like either of the creeps who locked horns in the High Court, but the measure of the winner’s character will be in how he spends the damages, writes Toby Manhire The Hollow Men was turned into a stage play. Secret Power was adapted into a visual art spectacular. And now another … Read more
Alex Casey previews episode one of Funny Girls, and we debut an exclusive clip ahead of the show’s return tonight on Tv3. No pressure on Funny Girls season two but, as the hapless but impeccably-dressed producer Pauline says, all they have to do with their late night 22-minute comedy sketch series is “further all women and … Read more
In association with our mates Bigpipe we’re livestreaming a different video game every Wednesday at 7pm on Facebook Live. Join José Barbosa and a cast of roped in innocents for a journey into utter mayhem. This week José Barbosa is joined by Spinoff staff writer Calum Henderson. The two grown men tackle the most grown … Read more
We recently received this open letter from Her Warship Penny Bright. It details her thoughts about Auckland Council, Phil Goff, the Property Council, Chlöe Swarbrick, Generation Zero, Spinoff hack Hayden Donnell, and The Spinoff dot co, dot, NZ. Subject: Time to quit the SPIN Hayden and try some SUBSTANCE? Open Letter When are you going to do an article of substance instead of spin … Read more
The best-seller chart at Unity Books for the week just ended: September 30 AUCKLAND STORE 1 The Pigeon Tunnel: Stories from My Life (Viking, $38) by John le Carré By all means take note of a curious tale in the Guardian by Le Carre’s biographer, who was greatly puzzled at his subject bringing out a … Read more
This week’s quickfire quiz: how much do you know about New Zealand’s relationship with the United States? Wednesday’s car-crash of a presidential debate meant a big day for excellent Kiwi Twitter account @MovingToEnZed. I reckon @MovingToEnZed is going to get a good workout during the debates eh — Somon (@simonpnz) September 27, 2016 With polls … Read more
Rapid divestment decisions by funds with money in nuclear weapons, landmines and cluster bombs is a credit to people power. But the battle is far from over, writes Grant Bayldon If you like a good David and Goliath story, you’re in luck. News broke in August that millions of New Zealanders had unwittingly invested in … Read more
Hordes of shoppers will descend on an Auckland shopping mall tomorrow for the opening of fast-fashion retailer H&M’s first New Zealand store. Anny Ma explains why she’s staying home instead. High fashion and fast fashion represent two opposing poles of the garment industry. One is aspirational, inspirational and dreamily sartorial; the other is a rogue … Read more
New verse by Wellington writer Chris Tse. Selfie with landscape Let’s unpick what you think you know about me—what I’ve revealed, what I’ve left at the door of my favourite wolf, just for him to make eye contact the next time we pass in the street. Those stories all had emergency exits, just like … Read more
Hayden Donnell and Mark Hanna dive deep in the mysterious depths of local democracy to weed out the potential wackos. They’re mostly normal on the front pages of the ballots. Phil Goff. Vic Crone. These people. All sober and level-headed. If these top candidates say something strange, people call them out. Look at Vic Crone. … Read more
The Donbox is a regular series where killing machine Don Rowe watches a movie based on, inspired by, or just damn ripped from a video game. This week: Doom’s 2016 iteration has been celebrated the world over for it’s faithful honoring of the franchise’s roots. How does the 2005 film adaptation compare? Two minutes into … Read more
Don Brash is the public face of Hobson’s Pledge, a new identity for his longstanding campaign against ‘special privileges’ for Māori. Deborah Mahuta-Coyle explains why for her, it feels personal. Kia ora Don, When I was 11 years old I took part in my school’s yearly speech competition. The topic was a famous Māori leader … 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. Fashion is a notoriously hard business, especially fashion made in New Zealand. … Read more
A rare experimental edition of On the Rag featuring Laura Daniel and Madeleine Sami, two key players in TV3’s female-driven sketch comedy Funny Girls. In this special edition of On the Rag, Alex Casey chats to Madeleine Sami (director) and Laura Daniel (writer and star) of Funny Girls ahead of the second season. What does it take … Read more
Before the new season of Funny Girls premieres with director Madeleine Sami at the helm, Pete Douglas revisits the characters from her brilliant local comedy Super City. Local comedies don’t come much more ambitious than Super City. Over two glorious seasons, local legend Madeleine Sami created and played a bunch of diverse, strange and hilarious characters living … Read more
Christchurch art writer Andrew Paul Wood and Auckland art writer Anthony Byrt shoot the shit about Byrt’s brilliant new book on contemporary art, This Model World. Who makes good art in New Zealand? Who doesn’t? Where do they stand on the wretched Billy Apple, who once nearly killed Duncan Greive’s dog? And much, much more. … Read more
Wait, stop the party – the Unitary Plan isn’t actually in the clear yet. Hayden Donnell reports on how a cluster of anti-change campaigners is holding the whole thing up. It was meant to be over. The Unitary Plan was through. After five years of deliberation, the council had concluded that the people who live … Read more
A new ‘one nation’ New Zealand movement has sprung up, albeit from the usual suspects. Toby Manhire is captivated by the unique face of modern, anti-separatist New Zealand. Like sands through the hour glass, so are the anguished screams of “Māori special treatment fnarrrrrr!” The latest caterwaul comes in the form of Hobson’s Pledge. You … Read more
Everyone appreciates public toilets, but for anxiety disorder sufferers they’re truly indispensable. Lucy Gable explains how toilets help her deal with her agoraphobia, then counts down her five best and worst in Auckland. It’s mid-morning and I am sitting beside a stone-walled harbour on the southern coast of Croatia. The landscape is heartstoppingly beautiful, a … Read more
The new breakdown laws currently being trialled in the Mitre 10 Cup have found little favour with World Rugby’s law committee, according to sources close to the latest meeting. Scotty Stevenson assesses their impact on the numbers after six weeks of competition. First trialled in club rugby competitions earlier this year, new breakdown law interpretations … Read more
In this week’s episode of #realpod, Jane, Duncan and Alex discuss the return to normalcy for The Housewives, the Parnell pussies and Norrie. The team assembled this week to discuss the return of Real Housewives in the post-racial slur world to spit out the big questions faster than a clay pigeon flying into Anne’s open arms. … Read more
To mark the publication of a stunning collection of black and white photographs taken of a West Coast ghost town, Steve Braunias posts a Sunday Star-Times column he wrote about the place in June 2006. The old always seem to be up and about early, so I phoned Bill Gidley, 88, at his home in … Read more
Community worker Ngaiterangi Smallman argues that the Moana movie is an opportunity Pacific communities should be grasping with both hands. This column was submitted as a letter to the editor (info@thespinoff.co.nz); we decided it deserved its own post. For more letters and reader comment, on this and other topics, click here. Two years ago I … Read more
Readers’ responses on Māui and Moana, millennials and Mike Lee – and one powerful first-person essay. Madeleine Chapman’s defence of Disney’s full-body Maui costume for kids – since withdrawn from sale – attracted outrage and applause in equal measure. “Takes all the context & comes up with a sensible conclusion. Refreshing to read in an … Read more
This is Auckland, where new money meets old. Alex Casey is going to try and laugh at The Real Housewives of Auckland through her weekly power rankings – because if we can’t laugh then all we have is the void. Click here for previous instalments. We return to the power rankings this week after the horrific racist shitshow wherein … Read more
The big debate might have been broadcast, streamed and live-blogged by pretty much every person alive, but only the Spinoff (probably not only the Spinoff) has digested it into a five-minute read. NBC Moderator Lester Holt: I’m Lester. That’s Donald. That’s Hillary. That’s the audience. They’re going to stay quiet. Let’s talk about income. Democrat … Read more
Yesterday morning five leading mayoral candidates headed to Mangere’s Ngā Whare Waatea to debate the issues facing South Auckland. Mana magazine editor Leonie Hayden was there. Throughout the debate, a pop quiz was held to test the candidates’ general knowledge of South Auckland. The only rules were: No referring the matter back to central government. No … Read more