The Church of England says no to sex outside of heterosexual marriage. The Church of New Zealand says ¯\_(ツ)_/¯. God has looked favourably upon New Zealand Anglicans this week with confirmation that sex outside of marriage, while not actively encouraged, is not cause for condemnation. This comes days after the Church of England (the mother … Read more
Summer holidays got you dreaming of a happier, easier, gentler life in the provinces? Amanda Thompson actually made the move, and has some real talk on what to expect. God I love Auckland. Sorry Wellington, hope we can stay friends – but my heart is a Jaffa flavoured Jaffa cake filled with Jaffas and topped … Read more
An upcoming three-day conference in Auckland aims to ‘envision our future’, but the Ed Hillary-branded event appears to feature some odd guests, including one who thinks astrology can explain important historic events, and a self-help guru who’s been labelled a fraud. David Farrier reports. A new year, a new pricey three-day conference, this time courtesy … Read more
Last week the discovery of Nazi symbols sprayed outside a Wellington synagogue brought shock and condemnation. But New Zealand is no stranger to antisemitism. In light of increasing ignorance about the Holocaust, we need to revisit and acknowledge our history, writes Scott Hamilton. Today is Holocaust Remembrance Day. Around the world, candles will be lit … Read more
At a recent wedding I was asked how Christchurch is doing now. It turns out that question is more difficult to answer than I thought. On a warm autumn night in Melbourne, a nice man wearing a nice suit has two questions. The first is easy: Where do you live? “Christchurch,” I tell him. As … Read more
And in the effort to decolonise, each can learn from the other, writes Gaurav Sharma, editor of the Multicultural Times. For nation-states that emerged from centuries of brutal colonial rule, decolonisation is needed, in all its forms. The coloniser left India in 1947, and still the country is struggling. In Aotearoa, the coloniser coexists with … Read more
One million people from Myanmar live in 34 camps in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. They are considered some of the largest and most densely populated camps in the world. New Zealand Red Cross’ international delegate Elodie Berthe shares some of their stories. After what seemed like an never-ending car journey on windy roads full of potholes, … Read more
Tara Ward wades bravely into one of the thorniest January questions: how late is too late to greet someone with a cheery ‘Happy New Year’? New Zealand’s breakfast TV shows returned to our screens last Monday, with their jubilant hosts throwing out “Happy New Year” wishes like an early morning lolly scramble of festive tidings. … Read more
Ioane Teitiota may not have won this round, but the UN Human Rights Committee issued a firm warning: governments could be violating human rights if they continue to ignore the risks and consequences of climate change, writes Kate Schuetze of Amnesty International Imagine the sea was rising day after day, inexorably eating away your land … Read more
It can be near impossible for many New Zealanders to afford the most meagre of holidays. But there is an answer, and that answer turns out to be: go foraging berries. Emily Writes explains. Stuff published a fantastic article by Josephine Franks the other day. The rise of ‘holiday hunger’: The Kiwis who can’t afford … Read more
It’ll improve your life a tiny, tiny bit. What more do you want? This shower trick won’t change your life. If you do it correctly and consistently, it won’t even improve your life enough to mention it at a barbecue. In fact, if you don’t do this trick, your life will simply stay exactly as … Read more
Later this year New Zealand will vote on whether to legalise cannabis, but it’s far from a new idea, as a 1975 study reminds us. Alice Webb-Liddall looks at the views of two Otago University academics, 45 years apart. In 2013 Uruguay became the first country to fully legalise cannabis for recreational and medicinal use. … Read more
While New Zealand may continue to prosper from the tourist dollar for a decade or two yet, there is the very real prospect that the climate crisis will drive international tourism down, writes James Renwick. The headline read “Tourism industry working to ensure a sustainable future” but there was scant evidence of true sustainability thinking … Read more
Those looking for an alternative to smoking are increasing going for the small pouches of leaves known as Snus. But what on earth are they, and are they really as safe as is claimed? No but really, what is a Snus? A snus is a small pouch, filled with tobacco or some other leaf, which … Read more
The NZ Defence Force has become an active participant in US military-space war games, together with other Five Eyes partners. As the extent of involvement continues to grow, questions arise around the trade-offs, and the absence of any public debate. Ollie Neas reports. This investigation is made possible by Spinoff Members. To support independent, homegrown … Read more
The father-and-son team behind Zach, the medical AI that seemed too good to be true, have been found by Internal Affairs to have engaged in ‘serious wrongdoing’, with the trust providing ‘inconsistent, misleading and untruthful answers’. David Farrier looks at what went wrong, and tries to make sense of a very, very perplexing story. Read … Read more
Summer journeys: In the final of a special travel writing series, playwright and novelist Renée reflects on the past and ponders her future on an evocative drive up the East Coast. The Spinoff Summer Journey series is entirely funded by The Spinoff Members. For more about becoming a member and supporting The Spinoff’s journalism, click here. I know … Read more
From ads showing actual *gasp* blood to the mainstreaming of sustainable period products and commitments to addressing period inequity, it was a big 12 months for menstruation. When I first got my period at 13, I was petrified. I was scared to tell anyone and used a wad of toilet paper until I mustered the … Read more
The Spinoff’s royal correspondents report live from the thick of the Megxit fallout. The shock announcement by Prince Harry of Sussex Windsor Buckingham and Meghan Markle Sussex Windsor Buckingham Hull to step down from parades and waving from carriages has shocked the world. We are providing 24-hour news coverage of this fascinating event from our … Read more
Some people are just untidy. Madeleine Chapman is one of them, and this year she’s decided to embrace the mess. “I was going to clean that up,” I said, feeling a distinct shame I’d never felt before. The cleaner just shrugged. “It’s not that messy, we get this all the time.” I was panicking. I … Read more
Turns out that a lot of people are very mad at a lot of our iconic tourist attractions. This summer will go down in history as the first time that I stood in the shadow of the mighty L&P bottle in Paeroa. The rumours are true – I have never seen a botty so big. … Read more
The horrors in Australia have had left many of us feeling complacent about New Zealand’s own response to climate change. But are we doing enough, asks Adam Currie. Aotearoa New Zealand is a leader in talking about climate change. We passed the Zero Carbon Act unanimously, have a prime minister deemed the “Anti-Trump”, and shamelessly … Read more
We’ve got a burning issue in New Zealand. Kiwis are being short-changed when it comes to preventing skin cancer – by supermarkets and the government, argues Julian Light. We’ve all learnt the hard way when we don’t use sunscreen. Burnt, blistering skin can be embarrassing and painful. But it’s also downright dangerous. Around 80,000 Kiwis … Read more
Summer journeys: In the fourth of a special travel writing series, Anjum Rahman recounts a return to her place of birth at the age of 12, and reflects on how the history of Muslims in India is being rewritten. The Spinoff Summer Journey series is entirely funded by The Spinoff Members. For more about becoming … Read more
Summer reissue: In the week that a woman was told her bikini was “inappropriate” to wear at an Auckland pool, Alex Casey provided some much-needed reminders for women wearing clothes everywhere. First published on 9 April 2019 Women, you probably already know this but… you’re wrong. Your clothes are wrong, your togs are wrong, whatever … Read more
Writer and actress Michelle Langstone reflects on loneliness on a trip to Singapore. The Spinoff Summer Journey series is entirely funded by The Spinoff Members. For more about becoming a member and supporting The Spinoff’s journalism, click here. Three days in Singapore as a step-down converter from the bougainvillea-stained Greek holiday that has left my … Read more
Summer reissue: A column this year pondered why anyone would work in fencing, but it applies to much of manual labour. With her husband’s permission, Emily Writes shares his story of what an honest living really is. First published on 1 February 2019 “Fencing sounds like a great way to make an honest living, but you … Read more
Summer reissue: Your house might be tidy but now you’re surrounded by garbage bags full of all of your KonMari’d shit. What do you do? Emily Writes looks for answers. First published on 10 January, 2019. My house was as messy as my life is – which is to say very messy. But then I … Read more
The drug-testing organisation KnowYourStuffNZ has issued an advisory around potent MDMA pills in circulation this summer. High-dose ecstasy is in circulation ahead of New Year’s Eve, according to KnowYourStuffNZ. Their testing operations have identified the MDMA pills already this season, and says they’re “likely to be found around the country over the holiday period”. According … Read more