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
When do we get a prime minister who looks like New Zealand, asks Laura O’Connell Rapira. I want a Māori prime minister. I want a trans Samoan deputy prime minister and I want a former refugee as speaker of the house. I want a Muslim mayor. I want a disabled deputy mayor and a late-life … Read more
Jacinda Ardern is one of many who invoke the venerated former Labour prime minister’s words ‘someone to love, somewhere to live, somewhere to work, and something to hope for’. The only trouble is, it’s unlikely that’s quite what he said. George Andrews, who interviewed Kirk at length, explains. I was glad to see Jacinda Adern … Read more
Her public profile has exploded thanks to her new role as the minister in charge of border isolation and quarantine, but Megan Woods has long been known as the most reliable pair of hands in government. She talks to Michelle Langstone about her slew of portfolios, chairing Labour’s 2020 election run, and the secret to … Read more
The Operation Burnham inquiry found serious failings in how the defence force operated, but none of this ‘transparency’ would have come to light if it hadn’t been for two journalists fighting tooth and nail to hold those in power to account, writes Amnesty International’s Meg de Ronde. When attorney-general David Parker stood up yesterday morning … Read more
The SAS soldiers involved in a raid where civilians died did nothing wrong, a government inquiry into Operation Burnham found. Instead, it concluded the worrying failures weren’t in Afghanistan but at defence headquarters in Wellington. A decade ago New Zealand’s elite SAS raided villages in Afghanistan’s Tirgiran Valley as part of Operation Burnham. A number … Read more
South Auckland’s five local boards all face similar challenges when it comes to supporting its local residents with jobs, transport and providing places to have fun. So what are their draft plans proposing? Justin Latif finds out – and hands out some awards. Is there anything more soporific than an Auckland Council consultation document? They … Read more
Just over two months ago, Simon Bridges was rolled as the leader of the opposition. This week he opened up about his tenure, the state of politics in New Zealand and, of course, the baby yaks. Simon Bridges did not hide his disappointment when the National Party caucus turfed him from the leadership. He was … Read more
The social media page of New Conservative candidate Rudi du Plooy erupted last night with claims his sign had been vandalised before social media users pointed out it was an obvious Photoshop. So what really happened? Alex Braae gave him a call. When Rudi du Plooy was sent a photo of his Hamilton West election … Read more
As the global pandemic drags on, an already precarious situation for New Zealand migrants is becoming increasingly fraught, reports Maria Hoyle. Romi Aggarwal speaks softly and calmly, choosing her words with care. Still, her emotion is tangible when she talks about being separated from her family. “Jacinda Ardern recently celebrated her daughter’s second birthday. She … Read more
The government has finally announced plans to begin charging some New Zealanders returning to Aotearoa, but the list of exemptions will be long and the money raised won’t come close to covering the cost of managed-isolation. What’s all this then? As New Zealand settled into the freedoms of alert level one over the past two … Read more
Last week it looked like fees for managed isolation were going to cover nearly all returnees. Now it looks as though the formula is very different. Political editor Justin Giovannetti explains After over a week of debate in the parties of government and in public, the prime minister has said she’s expecting an imminent announcement … Read more
In contrast with last year’s often terrifying local election offerings, 2020’s election signage is big on bold colours and simple messaging. Spinoff creative director Toby Morris delivers his analysis of the best and worst designs. All along suburban fences and major intersections around New Zealand a virus is spreading. Desperate faces splayed out across corflute … Read more
Judith Collins today unlocked the secret of her political comedic code. ‘When my eyebrow goes up, it’s a joke,’ she told reporters. Enlightened, we’ve gone back through her first speech as National leader, to excavate the punchlines. On a trip to the comedy capital of Palmerston North yesterday, Judith Collins announced that no one had … Read more
Toby Manhire, Annabelle Lee-Mather and Ben Thomas dust off the bazookas scattered around New Zealand politics in this week’s Gone By Lunchtime. A new Newshub poll has put Judith Collins’ National Party on 25.1%, Jacinda Ardern’s Labour on 60.9%, and many jaws on the floor. Gerry Brownlee has dismissed it as a “rogue poll”. Annabelle, … Read more
This is easy and you will get them all right. The billboards are up and the campaigns are under way. The party slogans are right there, up in your face. There are some you could name off the bat. But can you get them all? Here are the slogans for the top eight most popular … Read more
Welcome to memebers of parliament, a political column for people who just want the memes. In 53 days there will be an election and already there’s too much news. Too many politicians doing too many things. Who’s bothering to keep up with politics? Well, technically we all should because we live in a democracy and … Read more
Everyone in politics is talking about rogue polls, after a Newshub Reid Research survey put the National Party on just 25%. Statistician and University of Auckland professor Thomas Lumley explains whether we can see this as one of them. “Even with the most rigorous methodology, one in 20 polls will always be a rogue and … Read more
In a week marred by parliamentarians and their neverending raru, the Alternative Aotearoa hui was a timely reminder that politics is more than what happens in the Beehive and that it is social movements that create real change, writes Laura O’Connell Rapira. On a sunny winter day in Te-Whanganui-a-Tara, 150 or so researchers, advocates, union … Read more
Tonight’s Newshub-Reid Research poll has Labour on 60.9%, with National tumbling to a new low of 25.5%. But a giant Labour Party, governing alone, could be a nightmare of its own, argues Ben Thomas A poll is not an ironclad predictor of the future, but a snapshot in time. Newshub’s Reid Research snapshot was taken … Read more
Welcome to The Spinoff’s live updates for July 26. The latest on New Zealand news, politics and the Covid-19 crisis, updated throughout the day. 7.30pm: The day in sum National recorded a terrible result in a new Reid poll for Newshub, with Labour passing 60%. Judith Collins rejected it as a rogue poll. A new, … Read more
Can the conspiracy theories of social media be coalesced into a party that makes parliament under MMP? We’re about to find out. Alex Braae attends the conscious conspiracy-theory-replete coupling ceremony. A covers band was smashing out a blistering version of ‘Higher and Higher’, on a stage packed with candidates. The flags were waving proudly over … Read more
The crowd’s attention wasn’t primarily on the ball when political editor Justin Giovannetti went to see his first rugby game. As the parliamentary team faced off against the local Centurions all eyes were on the director general of health, Ashley Bloomfield, starting at openside flanker. People like Ashley Bloomfield just aren’t supposed to exist. To … Read more
Welcome to The Spinoff’s live updates for July 25. The latest on New Zealand news, politics and the Covid-19 crisis, updated throughout the day. 6.30pm: The day in sum After a major police search, a 17-year-old boy who absconded from a managed isolation facility in Hamilton was apprehended by police in Auckland this morning. He … Read more
The government has just done away with one of the worst planning regulations in New Zealand. Why did National’s presumably free market-loving urban development spokesperson come out in favour of more council red tape? National has billed itself as the party of the free market and limited government. That’s reflected in its language on town … Read more
The election is in 56 days, so expect party leaders to pop up in your neighbourhood any day now. Political editor Justin Giovannetti followed National’s Judith Collins as voters asked about cheaper cheese, pine trees and everything, really, but the scandals rocking parliament. “Hi Judith.” The National Party’s leader is on a first-name basis with … Read more
Welcome to The Spinoff’s live updates for July 24. The latest on New Zealand news, politics and the Covid-19 crisis, updated throughout the day. Get in touch at stewart@thespinoff.co.nz 10.50pm: ‘Incredibly irresponsible’ – Woods on latest absconders Megan Woods, the minister in charge of the border facilities, condemned the escapees in a statement tonight. “This … Read more
The government has announced its latest set of moves to get people into homeownership. So what’s it about and how will it work? What’s all this then? At a standup this morning, housing minister Megan Woods announced $400 million would be put towards the government’s new progressive home ownership scheme, which aims to give people … Read more
Welcome to The Spinoff’s live updates for July 23. The latest on New Zealand news, politics and the Covid-19 crisis, updated throughout the day. Get in touch at stewart@thespinoff.co.nz 7.10pm: The day in sum Police confirmed a new investigation has been launched into disgraced former MP Andrew Falloon. David Seymour labelled Winston Peters ‘nasty’ and … Read more