Arms traders have gathered this week in Auckland for a weapons expo. Kiwis should be standing up to the global arms trade, not embracing it, writes Thomas Gregory. This week Auckland is playing host to the New Zealand Defence Industry Association Forum at the ANZ Viaduct Centre, bringing together arms dealers from around the world … Read more
The Green Party recently announced a new immigration policy with a net migration target of 1 percent of the population, including returning New Zealanders. In an essay published earlier this week, writer Thomas Coughlan criticised the policy, drawing a line between it and the rise of anti-immigrant rhetoric in the USA, UK and Europe. Here, … Read more
During last week’s election madness, many of us comforted ourselves with the belief that it couldn’t happen here. But how true is that? Thomas Coughlan sees ominous signs in the New Zealand left’s embrace of anti-immigrant rhetoric. The youngest voters to participate in last week’s US election would have been only ten years old when … Read more
Chlöe Swarbrick’s entry into the Auckland mayoral race captured the imagination of tens of thousands of voters – including, but not limited to, scores of politically disillusioned millennials. Now she wants to channel that passion into a run for the Green Party at next year’s general election. What is the right age to enter politics? … Read more
Government by lottery? Why not, says Nicholas Ross Smith – the lesson of Trump is that combating the rise of post-truth politics requires not better politicians, but systemic change. The unbelievable happened: the United States of America elected Donald Trump to be its 45th president despite his many character flaws and obscene ideas. Much like … Read more
Tax cuts and big state spending on infrastructure in pursuit of growth? Donald Trump’s economic promises make him sound a lot like the famed British economist – and Keynesians won’t know whether to laugh or cry, writes Ryan Greenaway-McGrevy. There is a theory in political economy which states that necessary changes must come from the least … Read more
We asked a range of clever and interesting people: What just happened? And what now? Jacinda Ardern What happened? The horror. And I feel like explaining it almost excuses it. I understand the idea of ‘sending a message’ and people telling institutions that they feel like they’ve been let down or ignored. But I do … Read more
All day we’re publishing responses from interesting and informed New Zealanders to two questions: What just happened? And what now? In this installment, the second today from a former prime minister, Jim Bolger gives his predictions. I was not surprised by Donald Trump’s victory as this was a somewhat typical pocket book and identity election. … Read more
All day we’re publishing responses from interesting and informed New Zealanders to last night’s seismic elections. In this installment, American-born journalist Tracey Barnett tries to find light amongst the despair. So, let me put it this way: today was not a particularly good day for any human endowed with a vagina in America. You need … Read more
All day we’re publishing responses from interesting and informed New Zealanders to two questions: What just happened? And what now? In this installment, comedians and podcast hosts Tim Batt and Guy Montgomery. Tim Batt I’m somehow both drunk and hungover. Exhausted and in a state of utter disbelief. What just happened? We witnessed a very … Read more
Earlier this year I wrote that a Donald Trump presidency wouldn’t be that bad. Today I’m a whole lot less cheerful, writes Eric Crampton. I expect a lot of kiwis will be tempted to see the Trump phenomenon through an income inequality lens. While rising income inequality is a myth in New Zealand, it isn’t in America. But … Read more
The presidential election reveals a nation frightened, angry and lacking in confidence. The shockwaves will be felt far and wide, writes former NZ prime minister Geoffrey Palmer. First Brexit. Now Trump. The fault lines in the politics of western countries are becoming deep and profound. People are thinking the political institutions and methods are not … Read more
9.00pm (NZ time): Donald Trump has just appeared on stage in New York, saying he has received a call from Hillary Clinton conceding the contest. The Spinoff’s unrivalled team of experts have gobbled up all the available data and pooped them out like coffee beans from an Asian palm civet, to produce a live hazard … Read more
Every month host Alex Casey is joined by comedian/writer Michele A’Court and Mana magazine editor Leonie Hayden to discuss what happened in the world of women over the preceding four weeks. Better late than never, they return with help from brand spanking new sponsor BON tampons and dressed by the costume wizards at First Scene. This month, our three raggers reflect … Read more
Well, not literally. But a 1976 NZ judgment involving PM Muldoon and a public servant has played a cameo role in the English High Court ruling that the prime minister, Theresa May, cannot bypass parliament in triggering the UK exit from the EU. Asher Emanuel explains. New Zealand, late 1975. A television ad warns that … Read more
The Labour Party conference concluded with a fire-in-belly speech from Andrew Little. Toby Manhire went along to watch. While one nation in the continent of North America sucks up all the political oxygen on Earth, feeding a giant ball of pulsating fire, there is something reassuring about New Zealand Labour Party delegates gathering together on … Read more
The decriminalisation of abortion in New Zealand is long overdue – so why is nothing being done about it? Sarah Batkin attempts to contact all 120 of our MPs to find out who is sweeping this issue under the rug. On the New Zealand Parliament website, under the “Get Involved” tab, I’m informed that “our democracy works … Read more
Ahead of New Zealand’s 2014 ‘Moment of Truth’ election, millionaire Kim Dotcom launched the Internet Party, in an attempt to disrupt the political orthodoxy. Today, millionaire Gareth Morgan launched the Opportunities Party, in an attempt to disrupt the political orthodoxy. We asked Dotcom if he’d indulge our ‘slightly silly idea’ and offer some advice to … Read more
Millionaire investor and political agitator Gareth Morgan’s launch of The Opportunities Party has been welcomed with Donald Trump comparisons and terrible cat puns. Toby Manhire asks him what he’s up to. Iconoclastic economist, motorcyclist, political agitator and cat predator Gareth Morgan this morning announced a new political party, promising “the opportunity to get a fair … Read more
Just a few thoughts, writes Toby Manhire, that’s all. And so the cat is out of the bag. Gareth Morgan has long been an influence on politics, but there is more than one way to skin a cat, and today he bared his Cheshire grin to announce the formation of The Opportunity Party. While no … Read more
The row over Jacqueline Rowarth’s strange suggestion that the Waikato River is one of the world’s five cleanest reveals a need for more scientists to be heard in public, not fewer, writes Shaun Hendy. In post-Brexit Britain, failure to heed the warnings of economists on the risks of leaving the EU has spawned many a … Read more
The government is trumpeting the fact that the Auditor-General’s report into the Saudi sheep fiasco did not find its mastermind guilty of criminal corruption. Good for McCully, says Ben Thomas – now let’s look at what the report did say about New Zealand’s most bizarre ovine scheme. “A government can do anything they want”, said … Read more
The unemployment numbers came out today, showing a job market in its best state since the GFC hit eight years ago. While this is undeniably good for the National government, Duncan Greive argues they shouldn’t expect the good times to last – but suggests one weird trick which might help them do so. In The Rise … Read more
Annabelle Lee and Ben Thomas brave the Spinoff stairwell of doom to join Toby Manhire for another Gone By Lunchtime, the hi-energy Zumba workout of political podcasting. The Spinoff political podcast trio abandon all good sense and attempt to analyse the auditor-general’s report into the Saudi sheep farrago and what it means for Murray McCully … Read more
As the polarising former Labour leader announces his parliamentary retirement, Toby Manhire recounts the most vivid Cunliffe memories – from poetry to beach pics to cats So farewell then, David Cunliffe. The New Lynn MP and former leader of the Labour Party announced this morning he won’t be standing in next year’s election. What memories … Read more
David Cunliffe has announced he is leaving politics. He was once the Rising Man; in October 2007, in the age before Key, Helen Clark promoted him as health minister. Steve Braunias profiled him for the Sunday Star-Times. You could tell at once what was going to happen when an old couple approached newly promoted cabinet … Read more
Yes, I’m lazy, and yes, I was motivated by the spectre of Trump, but it’s still surprising that I found it easier to vote for the US presidency this month than in the Auckland council elections, writes Madeleine Chapman. I’ve done a lot of voting in my 22 years of life. When you grow up … Read more
Donald Trump may be enveloping the US in his godforsaken embrace, but is he also ruining New Zealand? Hayden Donnell talks to Tayyaba Khan about being a Muslim in the age of Trump. Most of us are living in fear of a Donald Trump presidency. If you don’t inhabit one of the Republican states imprisoned … Read more
Targeting people who attended a euthanasia advocacy group meeting under the guise of a road safety operation is deeply disturbing. The police minister needs to condemn it immediately, writes Toby Manhire Breath-testing checkpoints have these days become a staple of the New Zealand driving experience, as reliably familiar and cheering/infuriating as flocks of sheep being … Read more