You’re born either a cheery soul or a gloomy one, reckons Linda Burgess – but what happens when gene pools from opposite ends of the spectrum collide? In our shoeboxes of photos that we have to sort out before we die or get demented – because who IS that kid on the plane, or that … Read more
Hardly anyone is using their Covid Tracer app. Something needs to change. As the mercury approaches 30°C in Aotearoa, there is a good deal of slipping and slopping, but, let’s face it, piss-all scanning. As few as around 500,000 QR codes are being scanned by users of the NZ Covid Tracer app daily in January, … Read more
The lack of Māori language or symbolism on the SuperGold Card isn’t just a design issue – it’s emblematic of the overwhelming whiteness of Aotearoa’s superannuant population, writes former race relations commissioner Joris de Bres. I’ve enjoyed the SuperGold Card since I retired eight years ago. I appreciate the free public transport, the odd discount … Read more
The tattoos on the chest of a prominent participant in last week’s Capitol invasion and riot are Norse symbols now used to indicate adherence to far-right politics, writes an expert in Old Norse mythology. The defining image of the storming of the US Capitol on January 6 was undoubtedly that of a bare-chested man posing … Read more
When Pete Bethune was bitten by a venomous snake in the Costa Rican jungle a couple of weeks ago, it was far from his first brush with death. Here the Kiwi conservationist’s daughter, Danielle Bethune, reflects on what she’s learnt from her unconventional father. “You haven’t lived until you have found a cause worth … Read more
From aggressive squirrels to the return of SATC, the start of the year has presented clear evidence that the end is nigh, says Emily Writes. Happy New Year! I think we’re all going to die! The first days of 2021 have shown that those who said “2021 will be better” in a fit of desperate … Read more
It’s a common path to employment for young graduates, but being paid in experience doesn’t cover the rent. Sherry Zhang delves into the shady world of unpaid internships. The intern! Eager, earnest, nervous bright young thing. Are we doomed to grab endless cups of coffee, the boss’s lunch and photocopy till our fingertips turn to … Read more
It’s time for New Zealand to face up to the hard truths of how our health system is leaving people behind, writes paediatrician Jin Russell. In an almost apocryphal account, my mother often tells the story of how once in the 1970s, after great rains, parts of Christchurch flooded. Their home, although mercifully elevated above … Read more
The latest Covid-19 data in New Zealand, and how it compares with the world. If you’re like me, you’ll be back in the office today slowly recovering from three weeks of sun, sea, sand and a distinct lack of thinking about Covid-19. But as the pandemic continues to rage around the world (and with our … Read more
Summer reissue: 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’? First published January 23, 2020. New Zealand’s breakfast TV shows returned to our screens on Monday, with their jubilant hosts throwing out “Happy New Year” wishes like an … Read more
Summer reissue: Being in the midst of a global pandemic does funny things to you, finds Michelle Langstone as she gives in to an overwhelming urge to return to the Auckland amusement park of her youth. First published September 22, 2020. I don’t know if it’s nostalgia working, but my husband and I had an … Read more
Summer reissue: Crowd entertainment at sports games is a hard task, but please let’s stick to T-shirt cannons and on-field japes instead of watching strangers smooch, eh? First published July 13, 2020. Funny kiss cam footage is a key element of any viral fail video compilation. A “she’s my sister” sign pulled out of a … Read more
Summer reissue: This is yet another tab clogging up your browser, and that’s fine, writes Sam Brooks. First published March 13, 2020. Welcome to this article! Chances are you didn’t read it immediately after it was published. It’s one of however many tabs filling up whatever browser you happen to be using on whatever device … Read more
Summer reissue: By the end it was was best known for the drunken brawls that marked its conclusion each year, but for a time the Undie 500 was a (relatively) innocent Christchurch-to-Dunedin lark. Chelle Fitzgerald met up with Undie 500 founding member Matt McCloy for a nostalgic look back. This is an edited version of … Read more
Summer reissue: In an effort to bring The Spinoff’s favourite format – the ranking – to its knees, Alice Webb-Liddall ranks the most boring thing she can think of: borers. First published October 29, 2020. If something is to be named after me when I have passed away after a lifetime of goodwill and national … Read more
Summer reissue: Turns out that a lot of people are very mad at a lot of our iconic tourist attractions. First published on January 9, 2020. 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 – … Read more
Summer reissue: After last weekend’s Bledisloe Cup match, Justin Latif asks why we’ve fallen out of love with drop kicking. First published October 17, 2020. October 6, 2007 was truly one of the darkest days of my life. To many New Zealand sports fans, just hearing the words “two thousand and seven” elicits cold sweats … Read more
Summer reissue: From the highs (Ralph Hotere’s turtleneck), to the lows (Bain), the jersey is as much a part of this place as the jandal or the Swanndri, but it resists such easy nostalgia, writes John Summers. First published May 31, 2020. Whenever it comes time to lure tourists back to our shores again, we … Read more
Summer reissue: Last December, Side Eye cartoonist Toby Morris joined The Beths in the studio while they recorded ‘Just Shy of Sure’ off their 2020 album Jump Rope Gazers. First published July 10, 2020. Independent journalism depends on you. Help us stay curious in 2021. The Spinoff’s journalism is funded by its members – click … Read more
Summer reissue: Buying secondhand clothing is one of the best ways to refresh a wardrobe without spending wads of money or contributing to the wasteful fast fashion industry. But there’s a fine art to finding pieces that are worth your time. First published August 2, 2020 I’ve never been hunting but I imagine, in a … Read more
Summer reissue: Spinoff cartoonist Toby Morris travels to Waitomo to see first hand the impact of Covid-19 on one of New Zealand’s oldest tourist destinations. First published 8 June, 2020. Independent journalism depends on you. Help us stay curious in 2021. The Spinoff’s journalism is funded by its members – click here to learn more … Read more
Summer reissue: 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. First published January 29, 2020. Independent journalism depends on you. Help us stay curious in 2021. The Spinoff’s journalism is funded by its members … Read more
Summer reissue: Squaaawk! Toby Morris meets the community trapping groups changing Wellington’s sky. First published 27 November, 2019. Independent journalism depends on you. Help us stay curious in 2021. The Spinoff’s journalism is funded by its members – click here to learn more about how you can support us from as little as $1. … Read more
Summer reisssue: An anonymous Department of Conservation staff member, who wishes to be known only as the Carefree Vigilante, provides a handy guide to dealing with menstruation, and menstrual products, in the wild. First published 28 February 2020. Independent journalism depends on you. Help us stay curious in 2021. The Spinoff’s journalism is funded by … Read more
Summer reissue: Alie Benge signed up to a dating app with a sense of dread. What she found restored her faith in people – and in love itself, she writes, in the first instalment of a new series following her dating journey. First published August 29, 2020. I went into the first lockdown a hardcore … Read more
We did it, folks. This hell year is finally over. Emily Writes has some suggestions for celebrating 2020’s departure the way it deserves. It has been a year of highs and lows, but mostly lows. A lot of lows. Fire, pandemic, enforced family team – it’s been dramatic. So this New Year I am exorcising … Read more
Summer reissue: This time 21 years ago, New Zealand was preparing for apocalypse. The Side Eye looks back at the Y2K bug phenomenon 20 years later and asks if it was all a scam. First published December 19, 2019. Independent journalism depends on you. Help us stay curious in 2021. The Spinoff’s journalism is funded … Read more
Summer reissue: History warns that we should be wary of the misuse of power in the name of public health, writes Scott Hamilton. First published on April 2, 2020. Content warning: This feature contains distressing descriptions of racism against Māori. In the winter of 1913 a group of Māori appeared in the office of Arthur … Read more
Anecdotally, it’s difficult to access MDMA in New Zealand at the moment. Statistically, that’s probably because a lot of you are buying it. It’s almost New Year’s, which means it’s almost festival season. Despite Covid-19 creating the absolute year from hell, thousands of holidaymakers will soon be converging on muddy fields from the far north … Read more