In our video series Kiwis of Snapchat, comedian Tom Sainsbury sources exclusive Snapchat footage of Kiwi citizens and luminaries making the news. Today, Bill English and Paula Bennett are getting just a little nervous…. Click here for all our Kiwis of Snapchat videos This section is made possible by Simplicity, the online nonprofit Kiwisaver plan that … Read more
The jungle drums are beating for a change at the top of the National Party. But, predicts Ben Thomas, a former advisor to a National minister, it’s not Bill English who should be worried. It’s probably fair to say most readers of plucky Auckland-based internet start-up The Spinoff have no idea how conservative the National … Read more
In our video series Kiwis of Snapchat, comedian Tom Sainsbury sources exclusive Snapchat footage of Kiwi citizens and luminaries making the news. Today, Paula Bennett recalls a momentous night at the New Zealand Music Awards with Lorde and so-called prime minister Jacinda Ardern. Click here for all our Kiwis of Snapchat videos
The 52nd New Zealand Parliament was sworn in this week. Many things were on display but it would have taken an eagle eye to spot everything that was happening and all that was said. We’ve taken pity on the novices out here and compiled this annotated video guide to the proceedings.
The High Court has dismissed law student Sarah Thomson’s audacious bid for a judicial review of the last government’s emission-reduction goals. But the ruling delivers some remarkable victories, Thomson writes. Read Sarah Thomson’s explanation of why she took the government to court here I received the judgment at the same time as the rest of … Read more
In our video series Kiwis of Snapchat, comedian Tom Sainsbury sources exclusive Snapchat footage of Kiwi citizens and luminaries making the news. Today: a look back at some of the faces and sounds of the election campaign.
In a very special edition of On the Rag, Alex, Leonie and Michele are joined by author and columnist Clementine Ford. This month’s episode of On the Rag is blessed with the presence of Clementine Ford, Fight Like a Girl author, proud feminist and dedicated “life-ruiner”. Over orange juice and avocado on toast, the team … Read more
In our video series Kiwis of Snapchat, comedian Tom Sainsbury sources exclusive Snapchat footage of Kiwi citizens and luminaries making the news. Today: Paula Bennett responds to the fresh Newshub poll that has National out in front by 10 percent. Click here for all our Kiwis of Snapchat videos
The good news is that The Real Pod team are back to talk some guff about reality TV and real life in New Zealand. The better news is that Mayor Phil Goff is listening (?). This week on The Real Pod, we continue our hot streak as The Spinoff’s most hard-hitting political podcast by doing … Read more
Watching the New Zealand election from London, Jono Hutchison is getting a bit of déjà vu. What follows is a cautionary tale of two conservative governments picking fights with human rights. Bill English and Paula Bennett yesterday announced a big crackdown on methamphetamine and gangs. The plan came with a big price tag – $82 million … Read more
In our video series Kiwis of Snapchat, comedian Tom Sainsbury sources exclusive Snapchat footage of Kiwi citizens and luminaries making the news. Today: Bill and Paula may have finally hit on a way to show they’re as cool as Jacinda. Click here for all our Kiwis of Snapchat videos.
National’s new policy giving police powers to search gang members’ houses at any time to check for weapons shows them returning to their base with a vengeance, writes Duncan Greive. For weeks now we have watched National struggle to know how to respond to the “Jacinda Effect”. It has floated dismissing a lack of substance … Read more
The good news is that The Real Pod team are back to talk some guff about reality TV and real life in New Zealand. The bad news is that there’s still a pile of rubbish outside Jane’s house. Another week of literal and metaphorical rubbish on The Real Pod this week, as Jane continues to … Read more
The Winston Peters superannuation affair has put National’s ‘no surprises’ rules for government ministries and departments in the spotlight. Good, says Ben Thomas: everyone should know just how rotten the policy has become. We can only imagine how the National Party would have reacted if it was Helen Clark’s office. A crisis meeting would be held … Read more
Boot camps, parental fines… how on earth do these policies fit the social policy framework of the National government in 2017? Simon Wilson takes a look at what the prime minister and his cabinet colleagues have been saying this year. On 14 May, prime minister Bill English told a conference of the National Party faithful … Read more
Labour has jettisoned its leader and overhauled its campaign – but National, too, is having to rethink its approach, writes Toby Manhire Look, it’s not as though it was Obama 2008. Labour’s new mantra, “Let’s do this”, sounded less stadium and more working bee. But there was no mistaking the buoyant mood at the launch … Read more
In our video series Kiwis of Snapchat, comedian Tom Sainsbury sources exclusive Snapchat footage of Kiwi citizens making the news. Today: Bill English and Paula Bennett have a plan to target the youth vote. Click here for all our Kiwis of Snapchat videos. Want more politics? Check out the Spinoff’s Gone By Lunchtime political podcast, … Read more
I realised that politicians can’t always be trusted to act in the best interests of the people or the planet, and felt compelled by an irresistible force to do something, writes Sarah Thomson, ahead of a date at the High Court in Wellington this month The day it really hit home was when I listened to James Hansen … Read more
With secretary of state Rex Tillerson in New Zealand on Tuesday, Bill English and Paula Bennett have a chance to strongly condemn the dereliction of international leadership in quitting the Paris deal – and to use the occasion to galvanise action here, writes climate scientist James Renwick This morning we heard President Donald Trump formally state … Read more
Paula Bennett is reportedly keen to see tipping introduced to New Zealand. Henry Oliver explains why this is a terrible, terrible, terrible idea. There’s a lot to love about eating out in the US. The food is usually fatty, salty, sweet and delicious. And the portions are fucking huge. But there’s a downside too. When you … Read more
Sure, Alfred Ngaro screwed up royally – but there was a lot more to the National party conference this weekend. Steven Joyce let a budget secret slip, Paula Bennett stole the show, and the party revealed its 10 point plan to shut down Labour, writes Simon Wilson. “I can’t tell you how proud I am,” … Read more
A National Party chair has called for the return of corporal punishment, which seems sure to return the issue, including the smacking debate, to the agenda under NZ’s new social conservative PM. You’d be forgiven for thinking that New Zealand had by and large concluded the debate about whether beating up children is a good … Read more
New Zealand’s new minister for women has explained why she described herself as a feminist ‘most days’, prompting fresh criticism. But one thing is sure: she is an upgrade on the last effort. Paula Bennett, deputy PM and minister for women, this week spoke out robustly and laudably on pay equality and domestic violence. She … Read more
Politician and proud Westie Paula Bennett was at Saturday night’s Guns N’ Roses concert at Western Springs in Auckland. So we invited her to file a review. If my inner bogan had an outing on Saturday night at the Guns N’ Roses concert then my bloke’s outer bogan was in heaven. As we joined half … Read more
There’s one thing we know for sure about climate in 2016: it was the hottest year on record – both globally, and here in New Zealand. But what else was big news in climate change? Carys Goodwin takes stock. In November last year, I had the happy privilege of attending the 2016 climate conference in … Read more
This time next week John Key will be jetting to Hawaii, while a replacement measures the drapes on the Beehive ninth floor. But who are the likely contenders to succeed him? A thumbnail introduction, by Toby Manhire Amy Adams: Selwyn, 45 Pros: Unblemished by scandal, First on the alphabetical roll. New generation, signalling renewal. Cons: … Read more
Annabelle Lee and Ben Thomas brave the Spinoff stairwell of doom to join Toby Manhire for another Gone By Lunchtime, the hi-energy Zumba workout of political podcasting. The Spinoff political podcast trio abandon all good sense and attempt to analyse the auditor-general’s report into the Saudi sheep farrago and what it means for Murray McCully … Read more
By Jove, it’s only the hotly anticipated return of Gone By Lunchtime, the Spinoff’s epoch-defining politics pod with Annabelle Lee, Ben Thomas and Toby Manhire The Gone By Lunchtime podcast team has been roused from its slumber to fearlessly tackle the big political topics of the day/week/month/etc. Equipped with nothing but Lemsip, ginger beer, some … Read more
Compiling the best reading of the week from your friendly local website. Gareth Morgan: Why is a Right-to-Life campaigner leading the inquiry in the right to assisted death? “To have the Chair of our Health Select Committee not open to evidence and reasoning is a travesty of natural justice, indefensible anywhere apart from a theological state … Read more