The Handmaid’s Tale is already the most talked-about new shows of 2017, and it’s coming to our shores exclusively on Lightbox from June 8. Alex Casey tells you why you should be psyched. Adapted from Margaret Atwood’s terrifying dystopia first imagined in her 1985 novel, The Handmaid’s Tale is a too-real vision of the future. … Read more
Just over three years ago, Susie Ferguson began as co-host of NZ’s most important news programme, Morning Report. She joins Toby Manhire to discuss the show, her rapport with Guyon Espiner, sexist abuse from listeners, how she ended up in NZ, and a dramatic head knock at the hands of her toddler Even before an … Read more
Ethan Sills talks to Matt Letscher, star of The Flash and Legends of Tomorrow, about playing the villain and what it’s really like to wear a superhero costume all day. Superhero shows are unavoidable these days. With basically every American network and streaming service trying to launch their own brand, and comic book adaptations continuing … Read more
Angela Cuming remembers watching Twin Peaks as a child, and the power cut that kept Laura Palmer’s killer a mystery. I was only 10 years old when Twin Peaks – and the real world – found me. Once a week, in the dark, I would sit on the sofa bed in Dad’s home office and, … 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. Much of what we talk about in entrepreneurship in NZ comes to … Read more
Future is coming to New Zealand! Futurehive member Miriama Aoake breaks down why you should be as excited as she is. A few weeks ago, my aging but reliable MacBook Pro crashed and burned in spectacular, day-before-assignment-is-due fashion; taking a vast majority of my music collection with it. Work and uni required an immediate replacement … Read more
Anne-Marie made her name singing on other people’s hits, but now she’s making them on her own. Kate Robertson caught up with her while she was in Auckland this week to promote her forthcoming debut album. If you don’t yet recognise Anne-Marie’s face, chances are you’ll recognise her voice. Lead vocalist on Clean Bandit’s super … Read more
Alex Casey explains why you should make Top of the Lake your gloomy weekend binge-watch. Here’s the truth: we should all be screaming about Jane Campion’s masterpiece Top of the Lake all day everyday, because it’s some of the best television to come out of New Zealand ever (apart from this and maybe also this). Filmed … Read more
As TechWeek’17 comes to an end, Henry Oliver spoke to national director Jennifer Clamp about what she’s learned from the newer and bigger 2017 event. TechWeek’17 has wrapped up after 173 events in 24 towns across the country. Branching out from an Auckland-focused week last year, TechWeek’17 went national, with events even being held in Mahia, … Read more
Kate Robertson talks to Rebecca Nelson, New Zealand’s newest classical crossover star. Classical crossover singer Rebecca Nelson is kind of a big deal right now. Her debut album, Poppies & Pohutukawa, has been sitting around the top of the album charts since its release in early April, and is currently ahead of The Chainsmokers, David … Read more
With Dance Moms supervillian Abby Lee Miller heading to the slammer for income fraud, Tara Ward puts her on trial for a few more crimes. Abby Lee Miller reckons “when a parent opens their mouth, they are ruining their child”. It’s advice to live by, and the reason why all parents should be locked in a … Read more
With Christchurch’s first Techweek over and done, Jonathan Cotton takes a moment to look back and ask the question seemingly on every tech-conscious Cantabrian’s lips: Could Christchurch become the centre of New Zealand’s burgeoning tech boom? ‘The Next Silicon Valley’ seems to be a term that describes everywhere and nowhere at the same time. The … Read more
Jonathan Cotton goes to Techweek’17’s Future of Food event in Christchurch to find out how New Zealand can innovate our way to a bigger slice of the $1 trillion global food market. It’s the brutal hour of 7:30 in the morning and I’m at the Canterbury Employers’ Chamber of Commerce on Kilmore Street for The … Read more
Alex Casey reports back from the Techweek’17 ‘Breaking Stereotypes’ panel with a bevy of useful life advice. The room for the Breaking Stereotypes panel was built to inspire, from the shaggy aqua rug to the bespoke mismatched seats, to the wall art that literally said “inspire”. ‘Twas the middle of Techweek’17, the coffee was steaming, … Read more
Jonathan Cotton hears how technology can help literally save the world at Techweek’17’s Disrupting Climate Change event in Christchurch. Big-brained idealistic-types made up the crowd at Wednesday night’s Disrupting Climate Change event at the EPIC (Enterprise Precinct and Innovation Campus), part of Christchurch’s Techweek’17 offering. There’s was lots to hear and lots to learn. The … Read more
In the midst of Techweek’17, Alex Casey talks to The Next Billion’s Priti Ambani about shining a light on the women in tech. We had only been talking for five minutes, but engineer and company co-founder Priti Ambani had already taken me on a journey into exponential technologies, big data and the future of work. … Read more
There’s a perfect playlist out there for every scenario. Chances are the Spinoff staff playlists won’t be among them but we gave it a go anyway. Today: Calum Henderson details his very specific playlist for a rain delay at the cricket. Top 10 Rainy Day Songs I’ve always dreamed of being a DJ at the cricket. My … Read more
At Techweek’17, over breakfast baps and muesli cups, Henry Oliver looked into the future. Of money. In the ASB cube in Wynyard Quarter, upstairs from an enormous version of Michael Parekowhai’s Six60 cover art (jokes – it’s called ‘Achy Breaky Heart’ and it’s cool), a room full of young bankers in smart casual, ex-bankers in … Read more
The evidence is overwhelming: our current drug laws aren’t working. As governments worldwide admit defeat in the war on drugs, it’s past time for New Zealand to make drug law reform a priority, writes former MP Laila Harre. To my shame I voted for the Misuse of Drugs (Drug Paraphernalia) Amendment Bill in 1997. In … Read more
Since opening in October last year, the AR/VR Garage in Uptown has become home to more than 20 companies working across virtual and augmented reality. Don Rowe visits ahead of their ten day programme at Techweek’17. There are few things in pop culture more futuristic than the idea of virtual reality. Slipping on a headset … Read more
The best-selling books at the two best bookstores in the Western world. AUCKLAND UNITY 1 The Man Who Ate Lincoln Road by Steve Braunias (Luncheon Sausage Books, $25) Book of the year, obv! The editor of the Spinoff Review of Books eats a street and ponders matters of life and death. 2 The New Zealand Project … Read more
Contrary to what many people in the city of sails might assume, there is in fact an entire country outside of Auckland. Here our Christchurch correspondent curates the best of Techweek’17 in the south. Let’s all say it together: New Zealand should become a digital economy. We get it already. Cow poo is poisoning the rivers … Read more
Next week is Techweek’17! So if you’re planning on attending one of the 100+ events across the country, but don’t know your pivots from your MVPs because you’re not in scrum sprints and hackathons in your everyday life, we’ve got you covered. Here are the 13 words and phrases you’re most likely to hear, explained! … Read more
Gareth Shute asks for your help in creating a map of all the venues that have existed in Auckland, from the early 20th century through to the present. With less than a month before the Volume exhibition closes, Auckland Museum has posted a series of extended reads on their website on subjects including fashion in … 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. One week ago, on the second week of this podcast, we had … Read more
Kate Robertson talks to Nakita about making music with some of New Zealand’s best pop songwriters. The name Nakita might not ring any bells just yet, but chances are you’ve heard at least one of her upbeat and youthful electronic pop songs blasting from the sound system of a hip clothing store or on the … Read more
Techweek’17 is almost here. Don Rowe previews the event and curates a few selections for the discerning event-goer. After a hugely successful debut in 2016, Techweek is back – and now it’s gone national! Last year’s event, TechweekAKL, saw more than 10,000 people – including investors, business leaders, entrepreneurs and even Joe Public – gawking at … Read more
The UN has declared internet access a basic human right, but at-home internet remains out of reach for many struggling New Zealand families. Madeleine Chapman learns how the Spark Jump programme is attempting to bridge the digital divide. For most of last year, a Belmont family took regular visits to their nearest McDonalds. Not for … Read more
Model and activist Andreja Pejić, in Auckland for Four Days of Fashion in the City, talks fashion, politics and trans issues with Brian Ng. My first glimpse of Andreja Pejić was a flash of blonde hair and the back of an ecru Surrealism Trench by Karen Walker. She was off almost instantly, clopping away in … Read more