Equity, equality and why access to education matters

The first episode of our new podcast series tackles equality and equity and the role of our education system as a solution. Subscribe now to Conversations that Count – Ngā Kōrero Whai Take, for essential insight into the future of Aotearoa.  The idea that all New Zealanders should have access to equal opportunities is one … Read more

Everything you need to know about the 2020 cannabis referendum

Alongside the general election of 2020, New Zealanders will be asked to vote on the Cannabis Legalisation and Control Bill, which legalises restricted access to cannabis. Here’s our bumper question-and-answer special on what it involves. Click here for everything you need to know about the assisted dying referendum. Read more from the Spinoff on Election 2020 … Read more

Everything you need to know about the 2020 assisted dying referendum

Alongside the general election of 2020, New Zealanders will be asked to vote on the End of Life Choice bill, which allows voluntary euthanasia for those suffering terminal illnesses. Here’s our bumper question-and-answer special on what it involves. Click here for everything you need to know about the cannabis referendum. Read more from the Spinoff … Read more

‘Writing as Edward stressed me out’: Stephenie Meyer on returning to Twilight

A new Twilight book launches today. Its author told Catherine Woulfe about gender politics, anxiety, and the challenges of writing the Twilight story from Edward Cullen’s perspective. Midnight Sun is the original Twilight story, except instead of Bella Swan narrating it’s her vampire love, Edward Cullen. It’s a book that I and the rest of … Read more

Minor parties hit out at exclusion from TVNZ multi-party debate

With the election campaign about to get under way, minor party leaders are furious at being shut out of one of the biggest possible stages for their policy platforms. Alex Braae reports. TVNZ’s multi-party election debate is once again the subject of controversy, not because of who will be on the stage, but who won’t. … Read more

Siouxsie Wiles: Victoria’s lockdown ‘an endless game of Covid-19 whack-a-mole’

Putting the entire state under stage four restrictions, rather than just Melbourne, would give Victoria the best chance of success, writes Siouxsie Wiles. The restrictions in place for metropolitan Melbourne now are in some ways stricter than those that were in force during New Zealand’s Covid-19 lockdown. A curfew is in place and most people … Read more

Oranga Tamariki, the Waitangi Tribunal and the importance of stories

The Waitangi Tribunal inquiry into Oranga Tamariki kicked off in Wellington last week, while at the same time the agency released new data showing that perhaps it is doing better for Māori than many perceive. But do the numbers tell the full story? The first two days of the Waitangi Tribunal urgent inquiry into Oranga … Read more

Live updates, August 4: First TV debates announced; Lees-Galloway sorry for ‘hurt and humiliation’

Welcome to The Spinoff’s live updates for August 4, bringing you the latest on New Zealand news, politics and the Covid-19 crisis, updated throughout the day. Get in touch at stewart@thespinoff.co.nz 7.00pm: The day in sum New rental regulations are set to pass under urgency today, as parliament enters its final sitting week. Owlcatraz shut … Read more

Gangs of London and the dark joys of antiheroes

You probably shouldn’t expect any happy endings from buzzed-about new Neon show Gangs of London, but maybe that’s not such a bad thing. The Hero’s Journey, a 17-stage literary structure popularised by the 20th century work of literature professor Joseph Campbell but present through centuries of storytelling, lays out for creators and consumers a well-trodden … Read more

On the Rag: The need for weed

Join Michèle A’Court, Alex Casey and Leonie Hayden as they find out exactly what we’re voting on in next month’s cannabis referendum, and discover how legalising weed is a women’s issue. Do you support the proposed cannabis legislation and control bill? We’ve got around 50 days to make up our minds before answering this very … Read more

Waste not, want not: The collective turning surplus food into bread and beer

Everyday huge volumes of unsold supermarket food go to waste. That’s why a baker, a brewer, a chef and an innovator are collaborating to rescue as much as possible and turn it into something new and tasty. Beer is a simple product – there isn’t a whole lot you can do to improve its core … Read more

The Bulletin: Tauranga’s ‘combative’ mayor on ropes after texts revealed

Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Tauranga’s “combative” mayor on ropes after texts revealed, former firefighters reveal multiple sexual assault and harassment complaints, and new report details serious climate risks to NZ. Tauranga’s mayor is embroiled in some chaotic infighting around the Council table, and it could get uglier now that … Read more

Disabled people like me need more than lip service. We need politicians to show up

The disability community should stop making excuses for candidates who don’t take the opportunity to hear from us directly – and that includes the prime minister herself, writes disabled journalist Michael Pulman. This time four years ago, forums promoting the disability vote gave the politicians who showed up a chance to hear directly about what … Read more

Memebers of parliament: Who knew it would cost so much to come home?

Welcome to memebers of parliament, a politics column for people who just want the memes. This column began because for one fortnight last month there seemed to be daily breaking news involving the actions of MPs. There was so much to digest and the only solution was for me to condense it while also adding … Read more

Game of hats: The shambling, strange mess of George RR Martin, event MC

On Saturday the man behind Game of Thrones hosted the ceremony for the prestigious Hugo Awards. Sam Brooks recaps.  In a blog post just over a year ago, American writer George RR Martin said that New Zealand had “formal written permission” to jail him if he didn’t have The Winds of Winter (the latest entry … Read more

So you want to be a K-popstar? Kiwi kids get a shot at stardom in K-Pop Academy

What happens when New Zealand’s queen of K-Pop rallies a room full of kids to become homegrown popstars? You get TVNZ On Demand’s K-Pop Academy. Korean pop music – or “K-pop” – is, arguably, the biggest musical genre on the planet. BTS is its most famous name, but South Korea is home to plenty of … Read more

More than heatwaves: New report details biggest climate change risks to NZ

A major new report has outlined the biggest and most pressing risks New Zealand faces from climate change, and they go well beyond the science of changing weather patterns. What’s all this then? One of the most dangerous and concerning aspects of climate change is the unpredictability of it all. Some activists even joke about … Read more

Live updates, August 3: ‘Say yes to the test’ – PM reiterates plea

Welcome to The Spinoff’s live updates for August 3, bringing you the latest on New Zealand news, politics and the Covid-19 crisis, updated throughout the day. Get in touch at stewart@thespinoff.co.nz 7.00pm: The day in sum National won’t have selected its new Auckland central candidate in time for the electorate’s first debate. Hopeful candidate Nuwanthie … Read more

Good news: Alice Snedden’s Bad News is back for a second season

Announcing eight new episodes coming soon to The Spinoff and RNZ. Good news for people who love Bad News – Alice Snedden’s docu-comedy series tackling some of Aotearoa’s most contentious social and political issues is back for a second season. Like the first, which saw Alice go head-to-head with Don Brash in an episode about … Read more

Review: In Sex and Vanity, Kevin Kwan writes wealth like a fantasy novel

The Crazy Rich Asians author creates froth that may in fact be genius, says Sam Brooks. Kevin Kwan’s first novel Crazy Rich Asians had the kind of success every populist author dreams of. It became a beloved bestseller, which turned into a slightly less beloved trilogy, which then turned into a blockbuster movie that was … Read more

Attention politicians: stop treating mental health as any other health issue

Truly making a difference to New Zealanders’ mental health means addressing factors that go far beyond the health system’s remit. There’s a plan ready to go, writes Shaun Robinson of the Mental Health Foundation, and the next government must put it into action.  “I need help.” That’s how many of the emails, Facebook messages and … Read more

The Bulletin: The rapid rise to prominence of Billy Te Kahika Jr

Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Exploring the rapid rise of Billy TK’s NZ Public Party, report finds senior military officers misled ministers over Operation Burnham, and Lake Taupō water monitoring to be led by iwi. Within the space of a few months, Billy Te Kahika Jr has gone from being … Read more

A simple request from those of us shut out by managed isolation fees: Be kind

People like me already don’t know when we will see ‘home’ again, thanks to the forthcoming border fees, writes Jai Breitnauer. We don’t need to be judged for it too. About eight weeks ago we got a message we had been dreading – my father-in-law was in hospital having been in a motorbike crash. Of … Read more

‘State of disaster’ declared in Melbourne. What will the new lockdown look like – and how did it come to this?

As the state of Victoria continues to record shocking new Covid-19 numbers – 671 cases today – a strict new stage 4 lockdown is being imposed. Adrian Esterman, an epidemiologist at the University of South Australia, explains what that means. Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has announced that metropolitan Melbourne will move to “stage 4” restrictions … Read more

Live updates, August 2: ‘State of disaster’ declared in Victoria; Curfew implemented in Melbourne

Welcome to The Spinoff’s live updates for August 2 where we bring you the latest on New Zealand news, politics and the Covid-19 crisis, updated throughout the day. 6.10pm: The day in sum Melbourne entered a strict NZ-style level four lockdown, including a curfew, while regional Victoria will begin level three restrictions from midnight Wednesday. … Read more

How to op shop – the beginner’s guide to finding a bargain gem

Buying secondhand clothing is one of the best ways to refresh a wardrobe without spending wads of money or contributing to the wasteful fast fashion industry. But there’s a fine art to finding pieces that are worth your time. I’ve never been hunting but I imagine, in a lot of ways, it’s similar to shopping … Read more

Confessions of a jaded NZ bookseller

We can’t tell you who wrote this piece, or where they work. What we can tell you is it’s not Unity. A little while ago, I said to a friend that working at a bookshop kind of sucks. He was clearly bamboozled. “I thought working at a bookshop would be lovely and magical. Being surrounded … Read more

Recipe: Quick and easy vege stir-fry

A whole heap of vegetables covered in a delicious peanutty, gingery sauce – what’s not to like? This has become one of my go-to weeknight meals. It’s quick and easy to prepare and I feel really virtuous when I serve it up as there’s a good 10 cups of vegetables packed into it, which when … Read more