The government sprung a surprise today by announcing an end to offshore oil and gas exploration permits. The response was mixed, with criticism from industry and acclaim from environmental groups. The prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, formally revealed the move in this speech to students at Victoria University of Wellington. I want you for a moment to think … Read more
Jacinda Ardern sprung a surprise this morning in announcing an end to offshore oil exploration. So what’s the catch? What’s this all about then? A few weeks after PM Jacinda Ardern stepped onto the parliament forecourt to accept a petition from Greenpeace, speculation has been swirling that a ban on offshore oil exploration was imminent. … Read more
Housing and Transport Minister Phil Twyford responds to Wayne Mapp’s Spinoff column accusing Twyford and Jacinda Ardern of ‘sounding like zealots’ over public transport and affordable housing. In one of the more baffling attacks on KiwiBuild, former National MP Wayne Mapp this week claimed the government is “telling people how they should live” by building … Read more
A slew of commentary and cartoons around the Green Party co-leader contest suggests we have to ‘choose’ between policy priorities, and it couldn’t be a bigger stack of nonsense, says Green MP Chloe Swarbrick. If your modus operandi is purchasing organic food and carting it out the supermarket in a reusable bag, sipping fair-trade coffee … Read more
The Budget Responsibility Rules are arbitrary and unhelpful, argues Branko Marcetic. When your house is in decay, a refusal to spend money to fix it is the opposite of prudent Just over a year ago, Labour and the Greens unveiled a set of Budget Responsibility Rules that committed them to keep delivering budget surpluses, paring down debt … Read more
The Greens are often condemned for being too radical, and the claims have been flying thick and fast since the election of new co-leader Marama Davidson. But, she tells Alex Braae, she wears the term with pride. Marama Davidson doesn’t often raise her voice, or thump the table to make her point. But despite her … Read more
The stakes of the next election can be found in the recently announced housing plan for Unitec and a transport blueprint that prioritises trains and bikes over cars. Labour is moving into the dangerous territory of telling people how they should live, writes National minister Wayne Mapp Getting a fix on the ideological bent of … Read more
Eight snackable facts about the new co-leader of the NZ Green Party and the challenges she faces The Green membership has overwhelmingly backed Marama Davidson to be the party’s co-leader, delivering her a delegate victory of 110-34 over the only other contender, Julie Anne Genter. Addressing an audience in Auckland late on Sunday morning, Davidson … Read more
The former deputy prime minister and chair of Labour’s tax working group talks to Duncan Greive about housing, tax, Bill English and Labour’s big 2017 campaign mistake. Whatever room he’s in, Sir Michael Cullen gravitates toward the centre. This is less about his gravitas, which remains strong nearly a decade after he left parliament, but … Read more
There’s nothing quite like the drama of a good ministerial sacking. So who in this government will be the first to be shown the door, or walk through it all on their own? Alex Braae assesses the candidates. Ministers come and ministers go, but the first of a new government is always a major occasion. … Read more
Last week The Spinoff’s managing editor published an op-ed celebrating the nation-building value of taxation. Act leader David Seymour was unimpressed. Very, very unimpressed The Spinoff is hosting Tax Heroes – a series covering tax, who pays it and what it means. Click here to read more. Duncan Greive’s article Tax Heroes: Forget the rich … Read more
Welcome to the Cheat Sheet, a clickable, shareable, bite-sized FAQ on the news of the moment. Today, it’s the Green Party co-leadership race. Doesn’t the Green Party already have a leader? They do, a guy called James Shaw. But if you remember back to the ancient times, before Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, before the senior ranks … Read more
The new government yesterday announced its blueprint for an overhaul of transport funding in New Zealand. Matt Lowrie of Greater Auckland delivers his verdict. I couldn’t help but think of Joe Biden’s phrase “Don’t tell me what you value, show me your budget, and I’ll tell you what you value” following the release yesterday of … Read more
New Zealand’s workers are underpaid and, increasingly, they aren’t willing to put up with it. Alex Braae looks at the recent surge in industrial disputes and strikes in New Zealand. Nurses. Train and bus drivers. Port workers. Silver Fern Farms workers. Supermarket distribution workers. Fast food workers. Disability support workers. Fletcher Building workers. In the … Read more
Coffee with an acquaintance can still be an attempt to influence. Cabinet members simply should not be approaching public servants the way the broadcasting minister did Carol Hirschfeld, writes the PSA’s Glenn Barclay The circumstances around Carol Hirschfeld’s meeting with broadcasting minister Clare Curran – and what both sides sought to gain from it – are … Read more
In this edition of Gone By Lunchtime Plus, a phalanx of heavy hitters from the The Hui and Ben and Toby order soy mocha-lattés and size up a challenging month for Jacinda Ardern and her government. Bookended by revelations of sexual assault at a Young Labour summer camp and calls for broadcasting minister Clare Curran’s resignation … Read more
Here we come and we are analysing fiscal data, cheers Eric Crampton, as he lays out a compelling argument for an international economists’ regatta that will pump cash into the NZ economy. I know you’re going to be sceptical about this but hear me out. The 2021 Economist’s Cup should be held in Wellington. This … Read more
Earlier this month the government cancelled the New Zealand passport of a woman living in Australia, citing classified security concerns. Stripping a NZ citizen of their passport might seem unprecedented – but it’s happened before, writes David Belgrave. Most of us in New Zealand believe that we have a basic right to travel outside the … Read more
At the end of a week in which the New Zealand media swooned at the presence of a former president completing a few private rounds of golf and a few private speeches, what, asks Finlay Macdonald, did it really amount to? He came, he saw, he … putted. No, former US president Barack Obama’s visit to New Zealand will … Read more
An exclusive glimpse into the steel trap psyche of the former health minister and political colossus as he makes for the exit. Thanks to the miracle of modern medicine, SpinoffAnalytica Labs has accessed the internal monologue direct from Jonathan Coleman’s brain. After sending the neuro-data to a Super Computer AI in Christchurch via email, we … Read more
News that Pharmac is to fund the HIV drug Truvada for an estimated 4000 at-risk New Zealanders has been widely welcomed by the LGBTQi community. But with the plan set to cost the taxpayer millions in subsidies, there’s got to be a better way, argues Act’s Stephen Berry. As a gay man, HIV Aids has … Read more
Another one bites the dust, with Northcote MP Jonathan Coleman deciding to retire from politics. He follows Bill English and Steven Joyce out the door, as the party’s cleanout continues. So, who’s next? The trickle is fast becoming a flood. In the space of about six weeks, the National Party has lost three of their … Read more
The NZ First minister is calling on Air NZ to reinstate regional routes that have been closed for commercial reasons – thereby demonstrating a fundamental misunderstanding of the national airline’s legal duties, writes law professor Andrew Geddis. Yesterday morning, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones went on RNZ’s Morning Report to double down on his … Read more
Facebook’s shares have taken a nosedive after something to do with data used by Cambridge Analytica. Confused? Here’s what it means, and what could come next. This piece was originally published on Radio NZ. Cambridge Analytica is a London-based consulting firm. It is under pressure over allegations it uses illegally obtained data and social media manipulation to … Read more
The Champion of the Regions versus the Corporate Taniwha. The CEO versus the Minister. Susie Ferguson versus a Straight Answer. Who will come out on top? Early this month, national flight carrier Air New Zealand announced it would be suspending its service between Auckland and Paraparaumu. Mayor K Gurunathan, given less than 24 hours notice, … Read more
Matamata-born Chris Liddell has been given a top job by US President Donald Trump. But how does he fit into the long list of Trump’s hires, fires, triers and liars? Chris Liddell was already doing pretty nicely for himself when the call up came. White House chief of staff John Kelly had picked him out … Read more
World champion para-swimmer, post-grad student and activist Mary Fisher doesn’t ever seem to stop moving. Alex Braae rang her up to find out why. I interviewed Mary Fisher during the last election campaign. It was a winter night in Wellington, and a few dozen people had turned up to one of the Central Library’s meeting … Read more
With scandals, obfuscation and increasing pressure from both opposition and party faithful, this has been Jacinda Ardern’s worst week yet. On Monday it was revealed four young Labour supporters were sexually assaulted at a boozy party at their annual youth camp. Labour General Secretary Andrew Kirton proceeded to stuff both feet into his mouth, claiming … Read more
Political parties are salivating over the prospect of getting Lance O’Sullivan to join them. So which party should the good doctor choose? Alex Braae assesses the options. Famously handsome former New Zealander of the Year Dr Lance O’Sullivan is a man with options. He could continue to be a doctor, bringing affordable healthcare to the … Read more