Corporal punishment, say some, is clear, quick, ‘effective’. It’s also abusive and grotesque, writes former high school teacher David Hill, who knows from experience. Two narratives to begin. The first: a whole lot of years back, when I was a teachers’ college student observing for three weeks at a boys’ high, a teacher ordered me … Read more
You’ve seen the ads, but you’re still unsure what on earth Holey Moley actually is. Here’s what you need o know about Three’s new ‘extreme mini golf’ reality show. So what’s the show? The elevator pitch is that it’s Wipeout meets mini golf. The longer pitch is that it’s much stranger than even that sounds. … Read more
in 1996, as he completed his journey from Labour to Act, the polarising politician Richard Prebble wrote his bestseller: I’ve Been Thinking. Today he looks back on its genesis and impact. It is a quarter of a century since I wrote “I’ve been thinking”, an account of how my experience in government made me rethink … Read more
New Zealand is facing a collapse of legal medicinal cannabis supply after March 31, when a deadline to meet stiff new government rules is expected to keep the products of three of the country’s five main importers out of the market, reports NZ Herald’s Kate MacNamara in this Herald Premium article. Last April, the government … Read more
On Wednesday, Stuff wrote a glowing tribute to aspiring property magnate Ana Meredith. We commissioned a special Spinoff data project to look into some of Meredith’s ambitions, and unearthed some disturbing implications. Stuff’s profile of the Christchurch serial landlord Ana Meredith is pitched as an inspirational riches-to-riches tale. It starts in 2016, with Meredith nervously … Read more
For most of us, the commute to and from work is an unavoidably tedious part of our daily routine. But for a lucky few, it’s an opportunity to experience some of Aotearoa’s most stunning landscapes. There are few things in life more polarising than the daily commute. From gridlocked nudges along motorways listening to talk … Read more
Three decades ago one of the giants of New Zealand thinking and writing, Ranginui Walker, published Ka Whawhai Tonu Mātou, Struggle Without End. The book, originally released in 1990 and revised in 2004, is a history of Aotearoa from a Māori perspective had a profound influence and today remains as piercing and illuminating as ever. … Read more
Less than a decade ago, Māni Dunlop was censured by RNZ for using Auckland’s Māori name on air. Today, she’s leading the public broadcaster’s coverage of Waitangi Day as its Māori news director. She talks to Michelle Langstone about how she got there. Māni Dunlop sweeps round the corner of the recording studios in Radio … Read more
This week, the National MP said the proposed compulsory history curriculum for New Zealand schools lacked ‘balance’. Historian Lydia Whiting believes his concerns hint at a deeper anxiety. On Wednesday, speaking from the site of the battle of Ruapekapeka, prime minister Jacinda Ardern announced the rollout of the Aotearoa New Zealand histories curriculum. The curriculum … Read more
A lush take on porridge that just so happens to be vegan and gluten free. Sometimes I get stuck in breakfast-making rut and inspiration is slow to come. To combat this and make myself feel more prepared for the return to school, I made a big batch of muesli and have started to make the … Read more
The Otago Central Rail Trail is one of our most famous and beloved cycle trails, and for good reason – but is it doable with young kids? Absolutely, writes Maria Grace. Thought about a multi-day cycling trip with your primary-aged kids, but worried about how it would pan out? A month ago, we were too. … 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 Aroha: Māori Wisdom for a Contented Life Lived in Harmony with our Planet by Hinemoa Elder (Penguin Random House, $30) “He hono … Read more
Click here to see interactive data visualisations and watch all five episodes of 100 Year Forecast on our special interactive website. 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 … Read more
A new poem by recent IIML graduate Joanna Cho. Send to Robyn Immediately On Thursdays I clean for a woman who looks like Robyn. I love Robyn! She’s so sexy, in a way that I’m working on, you know, like she is in tune with her body… Robyn’s dance moves are as smooth as eye … Read more
Two friends are broadening ice block lovers’ expectations of the classic summer treat with their unique fruity combinations, all handmade on the Kāpiti Coast. Amy Delahunty and Chrissy Vize have been friends since they were 13 years old and their lives have constantly intersected with each other. They went through high school and university together, … Read more
The recent GameStop frenzy showed how much US retail investors are prepared to lose to make Wall St burn. But are New Zealand investors motivated by the same activist zeal? Michael Andrew asked the founders of Hatch and Sharesies. There are many things in life that are very easy to dislike. For some people in … Read more
Ben Fahy talks to The Mind Lab’s Saskia Verraes about teaching humans how to use technological disruption to do good – and how to evaluate what ‘doing good’ really means. If there was a statement that summed up humanity, you could do worse than “just because you can, doesn’t mean you should”. Religion, colonisation, guns, … Read more
A surprisingly large number of people could be getting a Covid jab within the next few weeks – but don’t go marking it in your diary just yet. There’s light at the end of the tunnel as New Zealand’s medical regulator gave the thumbs up to a Covid-19 vaccine yesterday. With the jab from Pfizer … Read more
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Australia has tough week with lockdowns and bushfires, controlled Covid case detected in community, and lead levels in Otago towns much higher than previously thought. Our cousins over the ditch are having a tough time of it at the moment, with Covid-19 lockdowns coinciding with … Read more
Our understanding of the way Covid-19 is transmitted from person to person has changed a lot since the pandemic began. A year in, here’s what we now know. It’s just over a year since the World Health Organisation (WHO) raised its highest alarm over Covid-19, declaring it a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC). … Read more
Alcoholic seltzers are all the rage this summer, but are any of them any good? The dedicated beverage enthusiasts of The Spinoff took it upon themselves to find out. We saw the first glimpse of the hard seltzer craze in Aotearoa last summer, when an array of supposedly better-for-you fizzy alcoholic beverages that tasted of, … 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 Christine Langdon, CEO of The Good Registry. Giving gifts can be hard. And when you think about all … Read more
When it works, wifi feels like magic; when it doesn’t, it feels like the world has stalled. The Spinoff spoke to Vodafone wifi expert Mark Beaton about how its rapid evolution is changing the way we live and creating better connections. In the early years of the internet, it was all about plugging in. Surfing … Read more
Click here to see interactive data visualisations and watch all five episodes of 100 Year Forecast on our special interactive website. 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 … Read more
Got a friend who’s got it wrong about vaccination? Here’s how to set them right. Yesterday New Zealand provisionally approved use of the Pfizer vaccine, sparking a fresh burst of argument about Covid-19 vaccinations online. Many people have concerns about the vaccines and how they will impact people. I worked with Jo Kirman, associate professor … Read more
The podcast all about books is back to discuss the best new titles to add to your 2021 reading pile. It’s the most exciting time of the year in the New Zealand book world as the Ockham New Zealand Book Award longlist has just been announced. We also have a line up of three New … Read more
Nanaia Mahuta has confirmed the Labour government’s commitment to urgently change the law so that councils may establish Māori wards in the same way as general wards. Those in opposition have a lot to say about it – but what are they actually saying? The release from local government minister Nanaia Mahuta this week states: … Read more
With an extra $4 billion a year in revenue and backed by plenty of support from voters, the government has the opportunity to tackle some of the country’s most urgent problems. But first, Labour must abandon its cautious approach, writes Clint Smith. At Labour’s first caucus of the new year, Jacinda Ardern – reflecting on … Read more
New Zealand’s favourite architectural series is undergoing a transformation of its own. On Tuesday, Chris Moller, architect and affable host of building series Grand Designs New Zealand, made the shock announcement that he was leaving the show. In a statement on the show’s Facebook page, Moller said that after six years it was time to … Read more