The page was deleted this afternoon in the midst of a live stream by co-leader Billy Te Kahika. Stewart Sowman-Lund reports. Facebook has confirmed it removed the page for Advance New Zealand for “repeatedly” spreading misinformation about Covid-19. The Facebook page for the party disappeared from Facebook about 3pm this afternoon, cutting off a live … Read more
The Bulletin’s Alex Braae, fresh from his tour of Aotearoa, joins Toby Manhire to reveal what he witnessed on the road in this special pre-election bonus episode of Gone By Lunchtime. For 40 days and 40 nights (roughly, who’s counting) Alex Braae packed up his Bulletin in his old kit bag, threw it in the … Read more
Voting is under way in the New Zealand general election. Explore the main parties’ pledges at Policy.nz, but here’s a whistlestop tour of what’s on offer for the arts, culture and heritage sector. Read more two-minute policy wraps here. When it comes to arts policies, only a few parties have robust policies this election, which … Read more
Voting is under way in the New Zealand general election. Explore the main parties’ pledges at Policy.nz; in the meantime here’s a whistlestop tour of what’s on offer when it comes to the Covid-19 response and the border. Read more two-minute policy wraps here This is the “Covid election” according to Labour leader Jacinda Ardern. Most … Read more
With just days to go before voting closes, political discourse has taken a bizarre turn, writes Ben Thomas. If this year’s election campaign trail could be likened to a breezy summer getaway with your best friends (and in my judgment as a political expert, I believe it can be) then this week we reached the … Read more
As a small country, New Zealand relies heavily on a well-functioning international rules-based system. But as the system weakens, where are our political leaders on the issue? International relations expert Robert Patman writes. It’s extraordinary that New Zealand’s political leaders haven’t been asked a single question during the 2020 election about the near breakdown of … Read more
The marginals, the bellwethers and the other places we’ll be gawking at come the close of polling in election 2020. By Alex Braae and Toby Manhire. Northland Currently held by Matt King for National, who won by a slim 1,389 votes over NZ First leader Winston Peters in 2017. Labour’s Willow-Jean Prime was a further … Read more
Welcome to The Spinoff’s Election Live for October 14, bringing you the latest on election 2020 and other NZ news. The essential campaign dates are here. For all you need to know about the cannabis referendum click here. For the assisted dying referendum click here. Explore the parties’ pledges at Policy. I’m on stewart@thespinoff.co.nz 7.00pm: The day in sum … Read more
Does it sounds like a Key-English slogan, or something from Ardern-Robertson? Labour is ahead in the polls with a few days to go until decision day, and as incumbents you’d expect some of their messages to echo those from governing parties of days gone by. Grant Robertson and Jacinda Ardern have both, repeatedly, admiringly invoked … Read more
Labour has committed to 100% renewable energy in a decade. But is that the right goal? The path to real sustainability and for New Zealand to live up to its clean, green brand has received renewed attention during the 2020 election campaign. There is a key divergence in the main political parties ideas for the … Read more
An internal Green Party poll suggests that advance voters are more likely to oppose cannabis legalisation. Alex Braae reports. Internal Green Party polling provided to The Spinoff suggests that the massive number of advance votes are running against legalising cannabis, but it’s likely to be close. The poll, conducted between October 9-12, asked people if … Read more
Annabelle Lee-Mather, Ben Thomas and Toby Manhire gather around the giant orb of truth for the last time before polls close to assess the parties’ campaigns, select the seats they’ll be drooling over, and put their pundit reputations on the line by predicting the final election outcome. We’re leaving together. But still it’s … Read more
On Monday night four of our six beloved Youth Wingers went head-to-head once again, this time at a Baby Back Benches event at the University of Auckland. Josie Adams was there. Why does someone join a youth wing? This was the central thesis of the Spinoff’s Youth Wings series. We never got a universal answer. … Read more
National leader Judith Collins’ newly prominent display of faith is a risky strategy, but, as Marion Maddox writes, that hasn’t stopped her overseas counterparts from giving it a go. “As a Christian, I do believe in miracles.” Looking at Labour’s recent polling, some might take Judith Collins’ leaders’ debate comment as referring to her own … Read more
We all know who’s going to come in 1st and 2nd place in the election. But what about 11th or 12th? Minor party correspondent Alex Braae predicts where every party will finish. Elections are fought on close margins, and sometimes the difference between winning and losing can be just a few hundred votes. That’s true … Read more
The parties are diverging as the campaign grinds into its final days. Labour hosted a massive rally in Wellington today while National told a small room about a big new road and blamed the obese for being obese, Justin Giovannetti reports. Hundreds of students packed Victoria University’s hub today and cheered on Jacinda Ardern as … Read more
As the election draws closer, Daniel Vernon aka @yeehawtheboys goes home to Paeroa to talk about the issues with his grandmother – and learns a bit about himself in the process.
Covid has highlighted South Auckland’s potential vulnerability to a health crisis, so what are our politicians promising to do about the region’s ongoing problems? Updated with statistics minister James Shaw’s comments. Mary* is a GP in South Auckland. She’s on the frontline, helping those with often complex health issues in one of New Zealand’s most … Read more
She is rebuilding National’s support and is determined her political career as leader will not end on October 18, writes Jennifer Curtin I first met Judith Collins in a media green room somewhere in Auckland midway through 2015. She is renowned for her ambition and dogged determination. But meeting her in person, I found her … Read more
Welcome to The Spinoff’s Election Live for October 13, bringing you the latest on election 2020 and other NZ news. The essential campaign dates are here. For all you need to know about the cannabis referendum click here. For the assisted dying referendum click here. Explore the parties’ pledges at Policy. I’m on stewart@thespinoff.co.nz 7.20pm: The day in sum … Read more
Labour has its eyes set on taking the Auckland Central seat from National, but Green supporters are anxious their party won’t make parliament without the safety of an electorate win. Justin Giovannetti investigates the division. Auckland Central is an electorate of contrasts. The central neighbourhoods of Auckland represent one of the most expensive collections of … Read more
Too much news? Welcome to the only round-up you need. We’re so close. We’re so close that I voted on Saturday thinking I’d be smart and check out early but forgetting that I still have this column. If you haven’t voted yet, what are you doing? You could be free! If you haven’t voted because … Read more
It is not too late for Jacinda Ardern to show real leadership on cannabis law reform, writes criminologist Liam Martin. Jacinda Ardern won’t reveal how she voted on the cannabis referendum or take a public position on the issue either way. She leads a party that came to office promising sweeping changes in criminal justice, … Read more
The Act Party’s number four candidate is being criticised for promoting climate change denial at a Nelson high school. Stewart Sowman-Lund reports. A Nelson-based candidate for the Act Party, who’s all but certain to be in parliament after the election, rallied against the local council for its position on “so-called ‘climate change’”, convened “Climate Hysteria … Read more
Welcome to The Spinoff’s Election Live for October 12, bringing you the latest on election 2020 and other NZ news. The essential campaign dates are here. For all you need to know about the cannabis referendum click here. For the assisted dying referendum click here. Explore the parties’ pledges at Policy. I’m on stewart@thespinoff.co.nz 7pm: The day in sum … Read more
Hirini Kaa, an Anglican minister and historian who’s worked in the health and social services sectors, explains why he’ll be voting no on the End of Life Choice referendum. I’m voting no on the End of Life Choice (EOLC) referendum. I have many concerns about this legislation, including around the technical aspects and operation of … Read more
The peerless Policy tool returns for its third edition, and it’s better than ever – fully geared to easily compare both parties and candidates across all the important issues. “The stand-out success of the 2017 election is the Policy tool published on the Spinoff website,” said political commentator Bryce Edwards three years ago. Now it’s … Read more
In her final election 2020 column, Laura O’Connell Rapira argues that progressive voters hold more power than they may think. In the recent TVNZ young voters debate, Kiritapu Allan defended Labour’s decision not to implement a capital gains tax by saying that “what New Zealanders want is stability”. In a recent op-ed Labour Party candidate … Read more
Hayden Donnell continues his campaign to lose friends and alienate people with a calumnious review of New Zealand’s great capital city. On my last night in Wellington, I went to see Hollie Fullbrook and Nadia Reid play a show at The Opera House. As the encore wound up, Fullbrook announced they were going to finish … Read more