The tenure of Geoff Simmons as leader of The Opportunities Party has come to an end. Alex Braae reports from TOP’s annual general meeting. The first party leader resignation following the 2020 election has taken place, with Geoff Simmons stepping down from the leadership of The Opportunities Party. He made the announcement at the party’s … Read more
Welcome to The Spinoff’s live updates for November 3. All the latest New Zealand news, updated throughout the day. Reach me on stewart@thespinoff.co.nz 7.45pm: The day in sum There were five new cases of Covid-19 in managed isolation, and another case in the Christchurch community linked to the Sudima managed isolation facility. In response to … Read more
Toby Manhire, Annabelle Lee Mather and Ben Thomas return, electrolytes replenished after the election marathon, to assess the newly announced Labour cabinet and more. It’s been 17 days since the election, about 24 hours since Labour announced the composition of its new cabinet, and now Gone By Lunchtime is back, fully revitalised, ready to discuss … Read more
Decisions around associate health delegations are critical, writes Shane Te Pou. If yesterday offered a moment to celebrate a historic series of cabinet appointments for Māori, today the euphoria needs to be put aside. It’s time to get on with the mahi. Nowhere is this more pressing than health. The new Labour government’s health team … Read more
Most New Zealanders have a view on whether Donald Trump or Joe Biden should win the election this week. But why should we care, exactly? Former United States ambassador to New Zealand David Huebner has a few ideas. While talking with attendees after a Marine Band concert in Porirua in 2012, I was approached by … Read more
Welcome to The Spinoff’s live updates for November 2. All the latest New Zealand news, updated throughout the day. Reach me on stewart@thespinoff.co.nz 8pm: New Covid-19 case in Christchurch community announced The Ministry of Health has confirmed one new case of Covid-19 in the community. The case is a staff member working in a managed … Read more
Jacinda Ardern has unveiled a cabinet line-up with plenty of surprises, and a fair bit of history-making. Justin Giovannetti reports from parliament. Following what she deemed the Covid election, Jacinda Ardern has appointed her Covid cabinet. The group contains a number of firsts, including what could be the world’s first cabinet minister dedicated to beating … Read more
Jacinda Ardern today announced an executive line-up without Kelvin Davis as deputy prime minister, but with five Māori in cabinet and another three Māori MPs in the wider executive. Shane Te Pou on what it means – and what must come next. Labour’s new cabinet gives more power to more Māori ministers across a whole … Read more
If the Democrat challenger were to overcome Donald Trump this week, it would have important implications for the world and Aotearoa, writes Nina Hall. Positive international views of the United States have declined dramatically under President Trump. In a recently released Pew survey, Trump was found to be the least trusted leader to “do the … Read more
With the Green deal done, attention moves to the top table. Here are some of the problems the PM will be hoping to solve. The deal with the Greens signed and sealed, the next order of business for Jacinda Ardern is to announce her cabinet. That’s expected to happen today, with the ceremonial business starring … Read more
Welcome to The Spinoff’s live updates for October 31-November 1. All the latest New Zealand news, updated throughout the day. Reach me on aliceneville@thespinoff.co.nz 1.00pm: Two new Covid-19 cases in managed isolation There are two new cases of Covid-19 today, both detected in managed isolation during routine testing, says the Ministry of Health. On arrived … Read more
The cooperation agreement signed this morning represents a longer-term strategy for both Labour and the Greens – they could be useful to each other in three years’ time, writes Andrew Geddis. A few days after polling day, I wrote a thing reviewing the previous governing arrangements that parties have adopted under MMP and speculating on … Read more
It’s not a confidence and supply deal, and it’s certainly not a coalition. So what are the implications of today’s agreement for each party, and for their constituents? Labour and the Greens have struck a cooperation agreement that provides Jacinda Ardern with stability in parliament over the next three years, while giving Marama Davidson and … Read more
By a narrow margin, the cannabis legalisation and control bill has been voted down based on preliminary referendum results. There remains, however, a slim chance it could still win on special votes. On preliminary results, the cannabis legalisation and control bill will not become law, after falling short at the referendum. The Electoral Commision announced … Read more
The End of Life Choice Act will be enforced in 12 months’ time, with 65.2% voting yes in the referendum. Assisted dying will be legal in 12 months’ time, according to the preliminary results of the End of Life Choice referendum, which showed 65.2% voted yes and 33.8% no. The yes votes numbered 1,574,645 and … Read more
With the Greens or without them, Labour is expected to form a new government next week. As negotiations between the two parties reach their conclusion, Justin Giovannetti walks us through how the next government will be formed. Labour and the Greens have held their final meeting negotiating the shape of New Zealand’s next government. Nearly … Read more
Welcome to The Spinoff’s live updates for October 30. All the latest New Zealand news, updated throughout the day. Reach me on stewart@thespinoff.co.nz 2.00pm: Euthanasia to be legalised, cannabis set to stay illegal Updated Preliminary results from the two referendums have just been released, showing New Zealanders voted overwhelmingly in support of legalising euthanasia – … Read more
Think you know an energy provider who delivers 100% renewable power to its customers? Think again. From the clothes we wear to the food we eat, much of what we consume we take for granted. Part of that is because, as consumers, we only ever see the final product, and electricity – the thing that … Read more
It could be days or even weeks before we know the full outcome of the US presidential election between Donald Trump and Joe Biden, and it’s likely to be complicated. Here’s when we might start getting answers. When is the US presidential election? Officially, the election date is November 3, which is a Tuesday in … Read more
And what do the results in the general election tell us about how they might go? Toby Manhire weighs it all up. When do the results come through? The latest instalment in the time-transcending New Zealand election campaign comes this Friday, October 30 at 2pm when the Electoral Commission will reveal the preliminary results in … Read more
Welcome to The Spinoff’s live updates for October 29. All the latest New Zealand news, updated throughout the day. Reach me on stewart@thespinoff.co.nz 7.30pm: The day in sum There were six new imported Covid-19 cases. A group of top epidemiologists suggested New Zealand’s MIQ system could become more flexible, with arrivals from lower-risk countries allowed … Read more
Not everything Labour plans to do over the next three years was announced during the campaign. Two promises that didn’t get any public announcement: reopening the door to refugees and a review of how political parties can raise money. Labour just won its most resounding victory in a half-century with a manifesto offering little of … Read more
Welcome to The Spinoff’s live updates for October 28. All the latest New Zealand news, updated throughout the day. Reach me on stewart@thespinoff.co.nz 6.45pm: The day in sum The Electoral Commission confirmed preliminary results of the two referendums will be released at 2pm on October 30. Labour and the Greens spent another 90 minutes negotiating … Read more
Our back-patting about electing the most inclusive parliament in history has one glaring omission, writes Henrietta Bollinger. In a sea of red votes, Aotearoa New Zealand looks to have elected the most rainbow parliament in the world. As a queer constituent, I have to believe this means something. It also has me reflecting on the … Read more
While our newest migrant MPs are inspiring people across the world, their first week in parliament has not passed without controversy here in New Zealand. Not since the early 1900s, when recent immigrants flooded the colonial parliament’s benches, has the Beehive seen such an influx of foreign-born MPs – albeit on a much smaller scale. … Read more
Welcome to The Spinoff’s live updates for October 27. All the latest New Zealand news, updated throughout the day. Reach us at stewart@thespinoff.co.nz 7.20pm: The day in sum There was one new case of Covid-19, and again no cases in the community Police reminded people not to spread unverified information on social media about an … Read more
As it picks itself up from a drubbing, National needs to consider some new ways of doing things, such as reinventing the way we do social welfare, argues Liam Hehir. Yesterday was Labour Day. It has been Labour Month, in a way, with Jacinda Ardern’s party drubbing National in the general election 10 days ago. … Read more
Welcome to The Spinoff’s live updates for October 24-26. All the latest New Zealand news, updated throughout the day. Reach us at info@thespinoff.co.nz 1.00pm: No new community cases; five cases in managed isolation The Ministry of Health has just emailed through today’s Covid-19 case number update. This is how it reads: There are again no … Read more
Ensemble’s Lofa Totua explores the evolving nature of her understanding of activism, and asks those fighting against injustice about what being an ‘activist’ means to them. The other week I released a fear. The angsty knots of worry and imposter syndrome, untied, finally allowing me to breathe. “Sometimes, activism is as simple as breathing Lofa. … Read more