The Bulletin: Peters pushes his way back into the spotlight

Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Peters captures political initiative with pair of speeches, future shape of unemployment in the spotlight, and second set of anti-semitic tagging at Auckland maunga. Over each of the last two years, PM Jacinda Ardern has been at the centre of coverage of an epoch-defining news … Read more

The Bulletin: Bleak scenarios released on day of job losses

Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Bleak Treasury scenarios show massive unemployment looming, rest home cluster claims more lives, and students disappointed at support package. The scenarios are in for how Treasury expects Covid-19 to affect GDP and unemployment rates, and they’re pretty bleak. You can read a report on them here, but … Read more

Ch-ch-change range: Finding the best bang for your buck in New Zealand

A Madeleine Chapman guide to the best and worst of the change range. I once fell asleep at LAX while waiting for a flight and somebody stole my wallet. I made a sad face at check-in and was able to check my bag for free then had to survive a day in Boston and an … Read more

The Spinoff Reviews New Zealand #103: The Burger King chip butty

We review the entire country and culture of New Zealand, one thing at a time. Today, a bunch of us have a hoon on Burger King’s new chip butty. The United Kingdom’s contributions to world cuisine, like its contributions to the world in general (Morris dancing, Piers Morgan, colonialism etc), are for the most part … Read more

Revealed: the shocking volume of an intoxicating drug you can legally buy

There have been concerns raised about the limit of cannabis that would be purchasable daily under a legalised regime. But what about the other drugs? Yesterday in the House of Representatives, Paula Bennett took to her feet and held aloft a bag (aka “baggie”) of herbs. It was oregano, reportedly, but the impeccable stagecraft had … Read more

The Bulletin: Waitaha River saved, but many Coasters furious

Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Environment minister blocks Waitaha River power scheme, Britain shaken by parliament suspension plan, and measles outbreak spikes in South Auckland. The government has made an important decision to not allow a West Coast hydro power scheme to go ahead. Stuff reports environment minister David Parker declined the … Read more

Everything wrong with Burger King’s ‘Vietnamese’ burger ad

Burger King’s ad for its Vietnamese-inspired burger shows customers trying to eat with a pair of giant novelty chopsticks, to which Asian-New Zealanders ask ‘why’? It’s a crime against food Food crimes come in many forms: putting pineapple on pizza, pouring milk before cereal, and cutting bagels into slices like a loaf of bread. But … Read more

The Spinoff’s unofficial ‘bad tourist’ eating tour of New Zealand

With this detailed guided tour, it’s easy to follow in the footsteps of the unruly visitors whose shocking antics have gripped the nation. Mere weeks into 2019, we already have a strong contender for the year’s most compelling news story. From the farthest reaches of the North Shore to the light-industrial outskirts of the Tron, … Read more

The Bulletin: Burger King hit with whopper hiring ban

Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Regulator flame grills fast food company over minimum wage breaches, swampy rental property exposed, and dodgy door to door sales tactics revealed. Burger King has been banned from hiring migrant workers for a year after being found to have breached minimum wage laws. Newshub reports that a salaried … Read more

Who’d win in a fight: Burger King, Liquor King, Salmon King or Storage King?

Writer and illustrator Toby Morris finally answers a question that’s been keeping him up at night. There are a lot of things wrong with this world, but if there’s one thing I can’t stand it’s false claims of glory. Like wearing fake war medals, it’s delusional and disgraceful. Case in point: There are several businesses … Read more