Plus, how we feel about housing affordability and the state of the NZ economy compared to the world, in results from a new Stickybeak poll for The Spinoff. This week marks a year since New Zealand’s first confirmed case of Covid-19, and the support for the measures imposed at the border to throttle the inward … Read more
Statistics NZ yesterday released the annual child poverty statistics. The reveal small achievements and big shortcomings, writes Janet McAllister from Child Poverty Action Group. Successive governments have neglected families with disabilities – with appalling results Here’s a fact to change the conversation: more than half of the New Zealand children in material hardship, 53%, live … Read more
Statistics NZ yesterday released the annual child poverty statistics. The reveal small achievements and big shortcomings, writes Janet McAllister from Child Poverty Action Group. Successive governments have neglected families with disabilities – with appalling results Here’s a fact to change the conversation: more than half of the New Zealand children in material hardship, 53%, live … Read more
Plus, how we feel about housing affordability and the state of the NZ economy compared to the world, in results from a new Stickybeak poll for The Spinoff. This week marks a year since New Zealand’s first confirmed case of Covid-19, and the support for the measures imposed at the border to throttle the inward … Read more
The national vaccination roll-out begins today. Might the reluctant have a change of mind? Here’s what new Stickybeak polling for The Spinoff tells us. Vaccination is under way in New Zealand, with the first doses going to the small group that will be conducting the vaccinations yesterday and the showpiece launch of the roll-out taking … Read more
The eighth in a series of polls by Stickybeak for The Spinoff shows popular sentiment remains strongly in favour of the NZ approach to the pandemic. Ten days out from the anniversary of the day New Zealand reported its first positive case of Covid-19, with the first batch of vaccines set to be administered on … Read more
In spite of the seeming intractability of the trans-Tasman row over the woman linked to Isis that was detained in Turkey, the situation facing her children needs resolving, writes Claire Breen. By unilaterally revoking the citizenship of the 26-year-old woman detained in Turkey this week, Australia has potentially left her two children in diplomatic limbo. … Read more
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Morrison responds to Ardern serve over accused terrorist, we’ll find out later today if lockdown will be lifted, and Sallies report shows those with least are going backwards. A diplomatic rift has opened up over the case of the accused terrorist captured on the border … Read more
Australia’s decision to revoke the citizenship of a dual citizen, who has lived in Australia since the age of six, has prompted a furious response from the New Zealand prime minister. ‘They did not act in good faith,’ she said. In blunt and dramatic contrast to the typically cordial tone of trans-Tasman relations, Jacinda Ardern … Read more
While lines for a Covid-19 test grow around South Auckland, as Justin Latif reports, those living at ground-zero of this latest outbreak remain determined not to let it overwhelm them. “Gutted.” That’s the reaction of fellow students of the Papatoetoe High pupil who tested positive for Covid-19 over the weekend. “I was gutted when I … Read more
New research reveals dramatic increases in the assessment of government trustworthiness. Shaun Goldfinch of Curtin Universty, Robin Gauld of the University of Otago, and Ross Taplin of Curtin University explain the findings, and why they matter. It has become accepted wisdom that the Covid-19 pandemic has seen trust in government rise across countries. But by … Read more
With an extra $4 billion a year in revenue and backed by plenty of support from voters, the government has the opportunity to tackle some of the country’s most urgent problems. But first, Labour must abandon its cautious approach, writes Clint Smith. At Labour’s first caucus of the new year, Jacinda Ardern – reflecting on … Read more
Can you figure out which of the above is the real Jacinda Ardern? Probably! But one day, that might not be true. There are many reasons to believe the internet shouldn’t exist. Social media empires exerting, intentionally or not, their control over sovereign governments. Baby Shark. Your aunt on Facebook. It pains me to give … Read more
Despite a popular and unifying leader of the governing party, divisions both in policy and culture will test the progressive movement, writes Peter McKenzie. ‘I think we’re confused.” Marlon Drake is an organiser for the Living Wage Movement. His job takes him all over Wellington, trying to convince businesses to increase their minimum wages to … Read more
Summer reissue: Merv Lee-Mather, Merv Thomas and Merv Manhire gather to discuss the most pressing issues of election 2020. First published August 11, 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 about how you can support us from as … Read more
Summer reissue: Some observers are questioning whether there are sufficient Facebook livestreams to support the goal, writes chief caring correspondent Danyl Mclauchlan. First published November 24, 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 about how you … Read more
When Justin Latif received The Spinoff book for Christmas, he never guessed that six months later he’d be working here. He looks back at his time so far as The Spinoff’s South Auckland editor. Buying Christmas gifts for one’s partner is always tricky. But last year my wife thought she really cracked it when she … Read more
Coffee habits. Waiheke ferries. Hair straighteners. The scoops were served up faster than a midsummer beachside dairy when Jacinda Ardern spoke to Gone By Lunchtime’s Toby Manhire to recap the year. The prime minister phoned in to the Spinoff Gone By Lunchtime studio for an end-of-year interview last week that spanned all the essential subjects: … Read more
The year 2020 is about to burn itself out and we can all put it behind us. Despite its terribleness, José Barbosa argues 2020 will be remembered as the ultimate fork in the road. In the last 12 months we’ve all been witness to some remarkable things. I needn’t go over them all here, but … Read more
Last year, there was a lot of swearing deployed to sum up the year. And then came 2020. As it reaches its close, how to describe the world this year in one sentence? Read more from our political year in review here. Is there anything we can do to help? Alex Braae 2020 is … … Read more
Despite the numerous setbacks and unexpected hurdles this tumultuous year brought with it, four pupils at South Auckland’s Māngere College say they’ve developed a resilience they didn’t realise they had. They sat down with Justin Latif. “A year of blessings.” That’s how Liona Vailea, 17, describes 2020. The Māngere College student isn’t deluded or ensconced … Read more
Five years ago a group of local cousins began a campaign to stop a proposed Fletcher Building housing development and restore the whenua into iwi ownership. Yesterday a deal was signed paving the way for its return. Justin Latif speaks to the woman who started it all about how they defied the odds and the … Read more
Every year since the distant past (2016) the Spinoff has assembled a pantheon of politics watchers to appraise the 12 months past and cast a gaze ahead at those to come. To kick us off in a year of Covid and voting, the champs and the flops of 2020. Alex Braae Champs Mark Ball Easily … Read more
Nobody loves collecting up things and trying to put them in another thing like Hayden Donnell, who gloriously failed in his life mission to get a bunch of items of national significance into Te Papa Tongarewa. Who better to unleash on our new project: The Spinoff Aotearoa 2020 Time Capsule. Most time capsules are infused … Read more
On October 17, voters called time on the Labour NZ First coalition government, sending the self-proclaimed “handbrake” of NZ First into the wilderness and returning Labour with enough support to govern alone. In this Herald Premium article, the NZ Herald’s Claire Trevett spoke to politicians and staff about the three years the two parties and … Read more
Move over Simone Anderson, Clarke Gayford has put away his fishing rod and replaced it with his phone… and a sheep? Stewart Sowman-Lund explains. The world of sponsored content is murky at the best of times and downright insane at the worst, with smiling influencers selling everything from teeth whitening kits to Covid-19 conspiracies. Thankfully, … Read more
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Response to Royal Commission report into March 15 terrorist attack, slow progress on climate change criticised internationally, and ‘digital handshake’ to be added to Covid app. The security services have come in for criticism in a Royal Commission report into the March 15 terrorist attacks, … Read more
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: First poll after election shows Labour surging, Treasury officials sounded alarm about uncapped film rebates, and full scale of Napier flood damage becoming clear Labour has taken a significant winners bonus in the first poll run after the election. The One News Colmar Brunton survey had them on … Read more
Bronwyn Hayward has her reservations about climate emergency declarations. Can today’s win her over? Today New Zealand became the 33rd country to declare a Climate Emergency. Around the world, more than 1,800 cities and local governments have already declared climate emergencies, including 16 New Zealand city and district councils. “Climate Emergency” was the Oxford Word … Read more