Kind-of vegetarian Alex Casey brings you the only meat-free fast food burger ranking you’ll ever need. At the start of the year, several centuries ago, I went vegetarian. Kind of. As a coward with commitment issues, I decided to enter into a dietary Yes Man situation, where I would always say “yes” to eating vegetarian … Read more
Labour is presenting the preliminary results in the referendum on legalisation as an endorsement of the status quo. It is no such thing, writes Madeleine Holden. Unless about two-thirds of special voters ticked “yes” in the cannabis referendum, the Cannabis Legalisation and Control Bill will not be introduced as legislation. Basically, at this point, it … Read more
If New Zealand has any moral fibre it should oppose Chris Liddell’s nomination for the top job at the OECD, argues Natasha Lampard. He is one the most trusted and longest-serving lieutenants in the Trump administration. As assistant to the president and deputy chief of staff for policy coordination, he has played an influential part … Read more
The Big Little Lies showrunner and one of its stars are back with an addictive new limited series – and they’ve brought Hugh Grant along for the ride. Nicole Kidman does a lot of walking in The Undoing. The new HBO murder-mystery miniseries features seemingly endless shots of her character, Grace Fraser, crossing busy Manhattan … Read more
The story of how a leisurely bike ride around Hawke’s Bay turned into a one-man rampage against perceived corporate privilege. In the early hours of October 10, in a motel in Napier South, Ian Swney, 62, was struggling to sleep. A semi-retired kindergarten teacher, he’d travelled to Napier from his home in Morrinsville to join … Read more
Super-low interest rates are a blessing to those already on the housing ladder. For those still renting and without a deposit, it is yet another nail in the long-sealed coffin of potential home ownership. Last week, when Heartland Bank became the first lender in New Zealand history to offer a home loan interest rate below … Read more
We know Jacinda Ardern will be the PM, but what else needs to get sorted out in the coming weeks? Alex Braae runs down the questions we’ll get answers to soon, along with a few that you might be wondering about. The voters deliver the mandate, but then it’s up to the politicians to figure … Read more
Last night Jacinda Ardern and the Labour Party won a historic victory, changing the shape of NZ politics. Danyl Mclauchlan writes on what took place, and what comes next. A few days before the end of the campaign Jacinda came to my university. The crowd filled the central hub, spilling out into the courtyard. Wellington … Read more
Several parties are promoting policies that aim to develop New Zealand’s regenerative agriculture and organics sectors. Michael Andrew asks the experts what it could mean for the environment, the economy and New Zealand’s participation in a burgeoning global market. Under the tangled canopy of green schools, fiscal holes, party leaks and other pre-election controversies, it … 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.
In 1967 I changed my mind on another referendum, about six o’clock closing, writes Roderick Aldridge. I am an 80-year-old Pākehā male who has never smoked or used cannabis in my life. And I will be voting to legalise cannabis in the coming referendum. This might seem absurd. My instinctive reaction, I expect like most people’s, … Read more
Few hobbies have captured the mainstream imagination in 2020 quite like roller skating. Jihee Junn explores the many reasons why. Just down the road from Auckland’s Glenfield mall is the ActivZone Indoor Sports Arena, an inconspicuous-looking building which, many years ago, used to be a Chipmunks play centre. These days though, it’s the self-proclaimed “home … Read more
David Riddell says he has been ‘thrown under the bus’ by the well-known parenting organisation, which listed him as an approved counsellor despite his therapeutic practice with children whom he believes have been ‘sent in a same-sex direction’ by their parents. Emily Writes reports. Parenting Place, one of New Zealand’s largest support networks for parents … Read more
Labour’s winning strategy is built on rhetoric that seems to promise real change but never quite delivers, writes Danyl Mclauchlan. Perhaps soon it can give itself permission to do something truly transformational. There is a pit of doom major parties in New Zealand can fall into, when their soft centre supporters abandon them for their … Read more
After a hard fought debate last night, Judith Collins returned to Auckland for a Ponsonby walkabout with local candidate Emma Mellow. Things didn’t quite go to plan, writes Stewart Sowman-Lund. Since her performance in the first leader debate of election 2020, Judith Collins has been an energised figure, visibly relishing the final campaign stretch. But … Read more
With Judith Collins foregrounding her religious faith in recent days, Justin Latif talks to candidates of faith in the most Christian electorate in the country, attends an event for first-time Christian voters and hears from experts on the intersection of religion and New Zealand politics. On a bright Sunday morning in central Auckland, before casting … Read more
Sarah Catherall’s mother has suffered from Alzheimer’s for 14 years; it’s been four years since she last recognised her family. Would she want to keep living this way? Mum sleeps with her eyes wide open, snoring. Lying back in her floral patterned bed in the rest home, her grey-blue eyes stare blankly upwards. Her bed … Read more
Four members of a Northland household opened their official election information packs to find promotional material from a group opposing the End of Life Choice Act, they have told The Spinoff. Alex Braae reports. EasyVote packs have been sent out around the country ahead of the October 17 general election and referendums. But some of … Read more
The path might be steep and unsteady, but there is a path to victory that could see Judith Collins sworn in as prime minister after October 17. Toby Manhire crunches the numbers. To be clear: with 12 days to go the National Party remains very much the underdog. Several polls in recent months have put … Read more
More than 40 years after he first arrived in parliament, Winston Peters is facing, barring a miracle, the end of the line, with his New Zealand First Party polling under 2%. But what a political career it has been. Danyl Mclauchlan traces the life and times of one of the most compelling and enduring characters … Read more
With the international borders closed New Zealanders have been rediscovering the delights of their own country. For Aucklanders, it’s the perfect opportunity to explore the many volcanoes scattered around Tāmaki Makaurau, writes Gareth Shute. There are a plethora of volcanoes across Auckland, though just a handful get the vast majority of visitors. You no doubt … Read more
Accusations of cultural appropriation in the restaurant world have made headlines in recent months, but why aren’t we talking about the white-owned ‘Asian fusion’ eateries that continue to trade off casual racism? One day, I walked past Auckland restaurant Monsoon Poon. I’ve ambled past the area plenty of times, but never with any real interest; … Read more
The Rawiri Community House, nestled between the Auckland suburbs of Manukau and Manurewa, helps hundreds of families with food and other essential services each week. It’s kept going thanks to an unlikely friendship forged in the struggle to help those doing it toughest. My interview at the Rawiri Community House in Rata Vine, with Liz … Read more
Jacinda Ardern and Judith Collins showed their true colours in the first leaders’ debate, and they were pretty pale. Last night I settled in on the couch with a beer and takeaways, and watched an engaging, rambunctious and focused political debate. It was entertaining but also challenging and informative, and covered the critical issues facing … Read more
The National Party leader tells Duncan Greive what conviction means to her, and why she thinks she gets treated differently to Jacinda Ardern. The first time I saw Judith Collins at close quarters, she was moving through what was inelegantly billed as the “National stakeholder party” held at parliament last year. It was a fun … Read more
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. I don’t know if it’s nostalgia working, but my husband and I had an overwhelming urge to go back to Rainbow’s … Read more
On Saturday four parties that believe Covid-19 is being used by the government to impose social control put their differences aside to share a stage. Alex Braae went to Nelson to see where they were coming from. “If you question the government, you get called a conspiracy theorist. Why? And what’s so wrong with questioning … Read more
Over the last few months, Linda Burgess has cheered herself up by watching food television. And saying fuck. For fuck’s SAKE! I say as my husband grates the broccoli. And I think, when did fuck become tame like – well, like for god’s, or even for goodness, sake? I listen to so many podcasts, ours, … Read more
Esther Ng is the most successful New Zealand designer you’ve never heard of. Her label, Prix, has been seen on celebrities like Ariana Grande and Kylie Jenner, she has over 150,000 Instagram followers and she’s currently working from her bedroom. On any regular weekday you’d likely find Esther Ng playing games on her PC. Streaming … Read more