No platform has caused as much career havoc as twitter.com. Madeleine Chapman looks back (but not that far back) on New Zealand politics’ best worst tweets. This story was published in September 2018. There’s no greater marketing tool than the words “This tweet has been deleted”. The thrill of imagining what once was and is … Read more
There has been a growing effort in NZ to silence those who feed racial division. So where’s the clamour from the Greens and the rest on the deputy prime minister, asks Liam Hehir Under the show, the struggle. Deep down, deeper than honour, deeper than pride, deeper than lust, and deeper than love, lies the … Read more
The prime minister sought to rally the troops and assert unity among the three parties of government today, but there wasn’t much substance to get your teeth into, writes Toby Manhire The question hanging in the air after Jacinda Ardern’s big speech this afternoon: what even was that? It had been trailed as “Next steps … Read more
ACT struggled thanks to the two-horse race, the approach taken by some media, and the behaviour of our coalition partner. But we are ultimately the author of our own result, writes the Epsom MP and ACT leader This is the second in a series of extracts from the new VUP collection Stardust and Substance. Read Jacinda … Read more
The Green co-leader on fearing he might be the party’s last leader, why Jacinda Ardern was a boost to their electability, and the nine-dimensional chess of coalition negotiations This is the fourth in a series of extracts from the new VUP collection Stardust and Substance. Read Jacinda Ardern’s review of ‘the most extraordinary year of my … Read more
He wiki kino, mo Winston Peters, because he really really hates it when people suggest he holds too much power, reports Spinoff editor Tom Manfriend/Toby Manhire. The Spinoff TV airs 10.45pm on Three, click here to catch up on ThreeNow
The former prime minister looks back on an enjoyable election that prompted massive public interest – an election which produced a unique result, and unique challenges for both the government and the new opposition This is the second in a series of extracts from the new VUP collection Stardust and Substance. Read Jacinda Ardern’s review … Read more
Not for the first time, NZ First has scuppered government plans – and the party’s leader keeps proving he has all the leverage, writes Danyl Mclauchlan Well, it happened again. Back in June the justice minister, Andrew Little, announced plans to repeal the Three Strikes legislation, only to have Winston Peters publically humiliate him by … Read more
It’s being called the most pure MMP government in history. Does that just mean Winston Peters’ party gets to pull swifties on Jacinda Ardern whenever they feel like it? Coalition governments, by their very nature, require compromises and negotiations. But over 2018, it has seemed like NZ First have been doing a lot more negotiation, … Read more
The NZ First leader defends his party’s approach to coalition negotiations, explains why they went with Labour and, of course, upbraids the media. This is the second in a series of extracts from the new VUP collection Stardust and Substance, which is published today. Read Jacinda Ardern’s review of ‘the most extraordinary year of my … Read more
In this first of a series of extracts from the new VUP collection Stardust and Substance, which is published tomorrow, the now prime minister recounts her unexpected elevation to the leadership and the remarkable events that followed. There is no doubt that 2017 will remain the most extraordinary year of my life. But a statement … Read more
Following the New York Times‘ hard-hitting exposé on Jacinda Ardern, Danyl Mclauchlan reports that life isn’t all trips down the road or chasing ducks in the park with her ragtag bunch of mischievous friends. New Zealand – or, as the locals good-naturedly call it, HairyMaclaryLand – is a small, adorable little nation state all tucked up and snuggly … Read more
Winston Peters says the Orion is to implement UN sanctions, but that’s only half the story, writes former Green MP Keith Locke We all know the erratic nature of Donald Trump’s policy towards North Korea. One moment he’s threatening a military assault. The next moment he’s all buddy-buddy with Kim Jong-un. So why on earth … Read more
I work for the prime minister but like-minded colleagues and I have vowed to thwart parts of her agenda and her worst inclinations. The Spinoff is taking the rare step of publishing an anonymous Op-Ed essay. We have done so at the request of the author, a senior member of the Ardern administration whose identity … Read more
Toby Manhire is back to review the last seven days of New Zealand news, and with the prime minister in Naura for the Pacific Islands Forum, it was a very bad week for both Mike Hosking and Leighton Smith.
Our privacy law is the operating system for how organisations handle our information, and it affects each of us every day, writes James Ting-Edwards of InternetNZ New Zealand’s privacy law is finally, finally going to get an update. In a year that’s seen a range of big stories on big privacy threats, that’s good news. There … Read more
The prime minister faces a cluster of challenges from her coalition partner and from within her own party. As she heads for Nauru, Ardern needs to figure out what’s gone missing, writes Guyon Espiner of RNZ. Momentum, clarity and cohesion are essential check-in items for a happy travelling government but right now they are three items … Read more
A dialogue would ensure the faults involved are honestly acknowledged, the harms caused are recognised and understood, the needs of all parties are identified and addressed, writes Chris Marshall, an expert in restorative justice at Victoria University. National Party leader Simon Bridges’ decision to carry on with the process of trying to “out” the person … Read more
The first of a promised 100,000 Kiwibuild homes was unveiled today. Madeleine Chapman donned her safety glasses and gave the Auckland property a definitive review. Kiwibuild homes are on the market. Housing minister Phil Twyford stood in front of one today to say that the first 18 had been completed and would be sold through … Read more
Spinoff editor Toby Manhire is back to hand out the bouquets and brickbats from the week in New Zealand news.
Entrepreneur Derek Handley looks set to be appointed as New Zealand’s first chief technology officer. Whoever gets the job, the mission needs to be clear, and the T in CTO can’t stand for talk, writes Nat Torkington Looks like NZ will get a CTO real soon now. It’s hard to avoid the word “debacle” in … Read more
Team Gone By Lunchtime gathers to discuss the important political issues of the day, from Clare Curran getting the boot to Party of Five. A relatively forgettable leak has transmogrified into a long-running story around the leak of the National leader’s expense details. Annabelle Lee of The Hui and Ben Thomas of Exceltium chew over the … Read more
Whether you’re on the left or right, it’s obvious that Manning should be allowed to speak in New Zealand, argues Act leader David Seymour. And the same goes for Molyneux, Southern and Brash. Here we go again. Another polarising person who will infuriate at least half the population is having their right to speak challenged. … Read more
With business confidence having plunged, the prime minister’s goal this morning was to get the big beasts back onside. Did her speech, and her announcement of a new advisory council, do the trick? Toby Manhire went along to the breakfast to find out. Jacinda Ardern has talked a lot about elephants and rooms lately. In … Read more
The upcoming visit of the US intelligence whistleblower appears to have some on the right reassessing their commitment to free speech and open debate. How quickly they forget, writes Danyl McLauchlan. Back in the very distant past of two weeks ago, amidst the clash and clamour of the Great Debate about freedom of speech provoked … Read more
All Blacks coach Steve Hansen has suggested the government should help the All Blacks retain key players. Here’s why that would be such a terrible idea. Now, in fairness, he may have been joking – it’s never particularly easy to tell with Steve Hansen. After meeting PM Jacinda Ardern and minister of finance and sport … Read more
The roulette wheel of Australian politics has spun again, with the marble landing on the conservative MP Scott Morrison. The Sydney MP and treasurer has come through the middle of the Malcolm Turnbull vs Peter Dutton hellfire clash to become Liberal leader and prime minister designate, beating Dutton in the final round 45-40. But: who … Read more
The Bridges expense leak inquiry will have to balance the wellbeing of someone who might have mental health issues with the integrity of the parliamentary system. One way or another, it’s all rather sad, writes Tim Watkin for RNZ. Well, that’s as clear as mud. And, one way or another, rather sad. We now know … Read more
It was a very good week to feel quietly smug about living on this side of the ditch, says editor Toby Manhire. The Spinoff TV, 10.45pm Fridays on THREE