The end of regional flights is a symptom of flailing business confidence, argues the National frontbencher. The decision by Jetstar to pull out of regional New Zealand tells a story that’s much bigger than just an airline deciding not to fly certain routes. It’s a story of rising costs on business and middle New Zealand, … Read more
The political status quo is unfit to confront the climate crisis. We need more of those who will take to the street for what they believe in, rather than sniffing out snide put-downs from air-conditioned television studios, writes New Zealand’s youngest parliamentarian. A large contingent of Pasifika South Auckland students led tens of thousands of … Read more
The High Court rejection of the Free Speech Coalition’s challenge to the cancellation of an Auckland event by Lauren Southern and Stefan Molyneux carries a cruel irony for the zealous right. If the current madness of modern life permits, cast your mind back to the middle of last year. Two “right-wing provocateurs” from Canada (ship … Read more
The groundswell of protesters across NZ on Friday is cause for optimism. But if results don’t follow, the calls for more direct action that confronts the status quo will grow, writes Peter McKenzie. Half an hour after the #SchoolStrike4Climate marchers began arriving at parliament, organisers got worried. Two young student coordinators, in pink high-vis vests, … Read more
Organisers estimate that 170,000 New Zealanders have joined the strike for the climate around the country. Here’s what went down. More than 40 #climatestrike events took place this afternoon around New Zealand, as part of a global movement calling for urgent action on the climate crisis. The core of the strike was school students, but … Read more
Speaker Trevor Mallard has announced a crackdown on parties using footage of their opponents in parliament for attack ads. What’s this all about? Electoral law expert Andrew Geddis explains. As the House was kicking off its business yesterday, Speaker Trevor Mallard opened things up by announcing a ruling on Standing Orders. A Labour Party MP … Read more
OPINION: In the fourth part of the series with our partners at Flick Electric Co to help you make better energy choices, Flick’s Nikki Cockburn explains how the national grid works. Roughly 80% of the electricity generated in New Zealand is renewable, so it’s easy to get complacent about reducing our carbon impact. But the … Read more
Tech companies are stepping up their efforts around the Christchurch Call to action against online extremism. Ross Young, head of Public Policy and Government Affairs for Google New Zealand, outlines what his organisation plans to do. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern rallied the world after the atrocity of the Christchurch terror attack using compassion, ambition and … Read more
Next year former National MP Chester Borrows will be voting “yes” on the referendum to legalise personal cannabis. He spoke to Teuila Fuatai about his ideological journey. Chester Borrows tells a good yarn. Tales from his cop days and salt-of-the-earth banter are part of his appeal. He even uses phrases like “just nuts”, “bonkers” and … Read more
Britain’s supreme court has unanimously slapped down Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s suspension of parliament. It’s just the latest in the disaster zone that is UK politics, and Tony Burton reckons New Zealanders have good cause to feel smug. Just when you thought Brexit could not get more weird, it did. It is hard to exaggerate … Read more
After years of calls to do so, Democrats in the US Congress are finally having a go at impeaching Donald Trump. But why now? What’s all this then? US Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, one of the most powerful Democrats, has announced the launch of a formal inquiry of impeachment into one Donald J. … Read more
The Christchurch Call initially seemed more like vague platitudes than a plan. Might the government’s diplomatic efforts actually result in something concrete emerging? Alex Braae assesses the latest developments. The Christchurch Call was born out of tragedy. Footage of the March 15 attacks on worshippers at two Christchurch mosques was beamed around the world instantly … Read more
Yesterday Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern delivered two speeches on climate change to the United Nations in New York. This is what she said. Keynote Address to UN Secretary-General’s Climate Action Summit Private Sector Forum Mr Secretary-General, leaders, ladies and gentlemen. Recently in New Zealand our journalists, like many around the world, took part in the … Read more
16 year old climate activist Greta Thunberg has given world leaders at the United Nations a harsh and furious dressing down, over their inaction on climate change. Here’s what she had to say, in full. This is all wrong. I shouldn’t be up here. I should be back in school on the other side of … Read more
Nerds, rejoice. The day of reckoning is finally upon us, with the release of the data from the 2018 census. So what are some of the interesting facts and figures? Forget about how badly this Census was botched. Forget about how there are concerns over how accurate the response data is, or that the results … Read more
Broadcaster Mark Sainsbury is calling for a “champion for the elderly”. But the truth is, every single politician in parliament already fits that bill. Just look at the enduring nature of NZ Super, writes TOP leader Geoff Simmons. No doubt Mark Sainsbury’s call for an elderly commissioner to be created will appeal to his listeners … Read more
Covering Climate Now: From CFCs to nuclear weapons, history has shown that the first step to eliminating a threat is to ban it, argues Thomas Nash. The Spinoff’s participation in Covering Climate Now is made possible thanks to the contributions of Spinoff Members. Join The Spinoff Members to help us do more important journalism. Nuclear … Read more
The prime minister has admitted mistakes, and outlined measures to change the party culture. Jacinda Ardern, the prime minister and leader of the Labour Party, yesterday addressed at length the situation around allegations of sexual assault by a Labour volunteer and an investigation into a Labour staffer. “We have a duty of care, and we … Read more
Differing accounts of what was said in an inquiry into the alleged conduct of a now former Labour staffer have been issued today to media via lawyers. In spite of PM Jacinda Ardern’s exhortation that ‘it would be preferable if this case were not in the public domain’, that is where it is currently being … Read more
The New Zealand Drug Foundation has just released a proposed model for the legalisation and regulation of cannabis in Aotearoa. With the 2020 referendum fast approaching, what should the government be considering in their approach to this legislation? As the days tick down towards 2020 and the referendum on cannabis legalisation the NZ Drug Foundation … Read more
Today marks the start of Covering Climate Now. To launch the week, the New Zealand climate change minister, James Shaw, writes an open letter to participants in the School Strike 4 Climate ahead of their day of action later this month. The Spinoff’s participation in Covering Climate Now is thanks to Spinoff Members. Join us … Read more
National’s new agriculture spokesperson finds himself in one of the party’s most important portfolios, at a time of dramatically increasing tensions in the sector. Will Todd Muller, a man regularly mentioned as a future leader contender, find common ground? Todd Muller’s obsession with politics began with an American encyclopaedia, which his parents bought from a … Read more
The Spinoff editor writes on the story that has engulfed NZ politics this week. One of the very few positive things to come out of a hideous week in New Zealand politics has been the sieving-out of the blinkered, partisan zealots. On one side, those who are ready to conjure up the wildest of potions … Read more
Revelations around alleged sexual assault by a Labour staffer and the party inquiry into his behaviour have dominated the week. Alex Casey and Mihi Forbes join Gone By Lunchtime to survey the damage. Alex Casey, author of the Spinoff feature published on Monday, “A Labour volunteer alleged a violent sexual assault by a Labour staffer. … Read more
Former MP Keith Locke on the legacy of Akilisi Pohiva, who died yesterday. Tongan prime minister ’Akilisi Pohiva will be mainly remembered as the country’s leading democrat. For four decades he campaigned to reduce the powers of the Tongan King and institute a democratically elected parliament. The monarchy didn’t take kindly to his efforts. In … Read more
The crisis surrounding Labour’s response to alleged sexual assault by a staffer lays bare the inadequacy of our current system, writes Danyl Mclauchlan I’ve worked at, or been involved with progressive organisations where someone gets accused of – well, something: no one is quite sure what. The details are disputed. Lawyers are involved. If the … Read more
The president of the Labour Party, Nigel Haworth, has resigned following serious allegations relating to a Labour staff member and an inquiry he oversaw which has been angrily criticised by the complainants who took part. “In the last 48 hours I have read incredibly distressing reports of an alleged sexual assault involving members of the … Read more
The Young Labour volunteer who says she was sexually assaulted by a Labour staffer has told The Spinoff she is deeply disappointed in the Labour president’s response, as another email emerges showing documents were sent to Labour investigators. The woman who alleges sexual assault by a man currently employed by the Labour Leader’s office has … Read more
All the key dates and critical communications between Sarah* and the Labour Party – including unambiguous references to ‘sexual assault’ from the complainant. Jacinda Ardern has declared herself “deeply concerned and incredibly frustrated” over the allegations levelled at a Labour staffer as well as the party investigation into the man, who remains employed by the … Read more