The power balance of the incoming Auckland Council could be decided by two overheated local debates about a golf course and a carpark. Hayden Donnell reports. The Spinoff local election coverage is entirely funded by The Spinoff Members. For more about becoming a member and supporting The Spinoff’s journalism click here. Albert-Eden local board member Graeme … Read more
Hayden Donnell identified the people who did well, and the ones who got massively owned, in the Auckland local elections. Originally published October 8, 2016 Winners Chlöe “22” Swarbrick Chlöe Swarbrick, whose campaign cost roughly the same as the Goff campaign’s cheese budget, came third with nearly 27,000 votes. Despite being a complete political novice, Swarbrick … Read more
The most upbeat runner in the Auckland mayoral race enacted a weird half-withdrawal late in the contest. And it wasn’t for the first time, wrote a weeping Toby Manhire Originally published September 13, 2016 Nudges and winks to the electorate have become a familiar part of MMP politics in New Zealand, with messages beamed to … 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
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
Phil Goff just completed the first important act of his mayoralty: picking his leadership team. Did he screw it up? And how long must Penny Hulse pay for Len Brown’s doodle? Hayden Donnell investigates. Forget Donald Trump. He’s already sliding down the sewer drain to Loserville. It’s time to refocus your attention on the only … Read more
This can either read as a huge list of thank you notes to those who joined the fight for Auckland’s soul, or if you’re Richard Burton or Mike Lee, a list of enemy collaborators. The War For Auckland began as a dark kernel of Duncan Greive’s rage. Our Spinoff Net Tsar spent most of 2016 … Read more
Once again, low voter turnout in local body elections has sparked a round of hand-wringing about the public’s lack of political engagement. But is political apathy really the problem, asks Marianne Elliott. Despite some promising efforts to get people excited about exercising their democratic rights, this year’s local body elections again failed to attract a … Read more
Auckland councillors Penny Webster (Rodney) and Calum Penrose (Manurewa-Papakura) both crashed to shock defeats on Saturday. Their campaign manager Hamish Coleman-Ross says it wasn’t his fault – that his opponents stooped to a place his candidates refused to venture. Losing sucks. But when you do, I believe it pays not to disappear into the night, nor … Read more
It’s a good time to become mayor of Auckland, but there’s a huge challenge ahead. Matt Lowrie of Transport Blog offers some constructive advice for Phil Goff’s early mayoralty. Dear Phil, Congratulations on becoming Mayor. While the margin was a bit closer than some had expected, that’s what happens when you get such a low … Read more
Mayor Phil Goff joins Millennial wastrel Hayden Donnell and Metro editor-at-large Simon Wilson to talk about the housing crisis, council culture, *that* headline about sleeping with the same woman for 45 years, and whether we should jail all Boomers. It’s Warcast #9 and Toby Manhire is still in Whanganui, hanging out with New Zealand’s answer to Donald … Read more
Hayden Donnell identifies the people who did well, and the ones who got massively owned, in the Auckland local elections. Winners Chlöe “22” Swarbrick Chlöe Swarbrick, whose campaign cost roughly the same as the Goff campaign’s cheese budget, came third with nearly 27,000 votes. Despite being a complete political novice, Swarbrick beat out John Palino, who … Read more
You won’t believe who’s won the Auckland mayoralty race (you will), and all the other outcomes of interest. And the new Mayor of Auckland is … They tried, oh how they tried, to sex up the contest. Guyon Espiner called the leadup to Phil Goff’s candidacy announcement “the longest striptease in history”; Hayden Donnell made … Read more
This is not a tabloid story, taking things out of context and boasting a headline like: “Sex Scandal Made Me a Better Mayor” – Len Brown But you could see how it could appear under that title. For, in a more nuanced, reflective and brutally self-aware way, that is what Len Brown said, when we … Read more
Local government is crucial and too often ignored. Our proposed constitution starts by recognising they need greater autonomy, explain Geoffrey Palmer and Andrew Butler. The local government elections for New Zealand conclude this week. We hope the voter turnout is high, although we worry it will not be. Local government is very important. But because … Read more
Two of the best young election candidates in Auckland join Hayden Donnell to talk cycle helmets, our terrible voting system, and election intrigue on the North Shore. Argh! Crap! Oh no! The election voting deadline is nearly upon us and pretty much no-one in Auckland has voted. Chlöe Swarbrick and Richard Hills join Hayden Donnell … Read more
We recently received this open letter from Her Warship Penny Bright. It details her thoughts about Auckland Council, Phil Goff, the Property Council, Chlöe Swarbrick, Generation Zero, Spinoff hack Hayden Donnell, and The Spinoff dot co, dot, NZ. Subject: Time to quit the SPIN Hayden and try some SUBSTANCE? Open Letter When are you going to do an article of substance instead of spin … Read more
Hayden Donnell and Mark Hanna dive deep in the mysterious depths of local democracy to weed out the potential wackos. They’re mostly normal on the front pages of the ballots. Phil Goff. Vic Crone. These people. All sober and level-headed. If these top candidates say something strange, people call them out. Look at Vic Crone. … Read more
Forget transport and housing policy. Hayden Donnell dons his sorting hat to uncover the only info on the Auckland mayoral candidates that truly matters. We’ve found out a lot of personal stuff about the Auckland mayoral candidates during this heart-stopping election campaign. Her Warship Penny Bright cleans her hoardings with senior nappies. John Palino knows … Read more
Why did we endorse Not Mike Lee? We explain our controversial decision and talk housing, elections and potential mayors with a pair of all-star guests. With Auckland in the throes of voting, Mana editor Leonie Hayden joins the Warcast to recap the most recent mayoral debate at Ngā Whare Waatea Marae, where one candidate emerged as a clear crowd favourite. Hayden … Read more
Why is there a Swarbrick-shaped hole in the Herald’s 23-page election guide? Hayden Donnell has a whinge. The Herald’s recent local body election guide is mostly unremarkable. There are interviews with the main mayoral contenders. An obligatory trudge through the wards. An even more obligatory trudge through the regions. One piece blaming uncool political candidates … Read more
While council politics are in the spotlight in much of the country, Christchurch has barely even registered there’s an election coming up. James Dann goes in search of some political passion in the Garden City. On a dark and stormy night, I find shelter in an upmarket European car showroom. Assembled are three councillors and … Read more
The Spinoff War for Auckland PsyOps Division is giddily excited to launch our turbo-charged endorsement tool – click here! We say: give these people your vote for mayor and council. The tool – click here! – is a core part of our outlandish and belligerent campaign for a better Auckland. Drawing on field research conducted by … Read more
Phil Goff remains well out in front in the contest for the big job in Auckland but young pretender Chloe Swarbrick has built support against the odds. A new poll published today by the Spinoff shows Phil Goff on course to succeed Len Brown as mayor of Auckland, maintaining a comfortable lead over his closest … Read more
Under pressure over its Auckland fixation, the Spinoff tasked Wellington man of letters Danyl Mclauchlan with investigating the mayoral race in the capital. He headed immediately for the key battleground: the La Scala lounge at the Malvina Major Retirement Home. It is the first of September, the first day of spring after an ominously warm, … Read more
Activist, iconoclast and serial mayoral candidate Penny Bright is an indefatigable, unmistakable fixture in Auckland politics. River Lin joins her for a day on the campaign trail The “heartbeat of the revolution”, says Penny Bright, begins in a ramshackle home in Kingsland. My body sinks into a worn-out couch in a corner of Bright’s house, accompanied … Read more
Four of the would-be mayors gathered with RNZ’s Guyon Espiner for a breakfast barney at AUT this morning. The Spinoff’s Toby Manhire was there, too. Assembled in the television studio at AUT for an 8am start were mayoral hopefuls Mark Thomas, John Palino, Vic Crone and Phil Goff, with Guyon Espiner chairing and Todd Niall … Read more
She’s bright, she’s bold, she’s running for mayor. And yes, she’s 22. Katie Parker talks to Chloe Swarbrick about age, experience, and why she wants to be the big kahuna. Chloe Swarbrick, in person, is professional, earnest and engaging. She talks quickly and persuasively, holds your gaze confidently with her clear pale green eyes and … Read more
Trains! Expressways! Parking! The Greens’ transport spokesperson Julie Anne Genter and Transport Blog super-genius Matt Lowrie join us in the pod. Plus: we get David Farrier on the phone to apologise for last week’s debacle Unless they stay in their new-build medium density housing and never venture out, the rapidly growing Auckland population is going … Read more