Business is Boring is a weekly podcast series presented by The Spinoff in association with Callaghan Innovation. Host Simon Pound speaks with innovators and commentators focused on the future of New Zealand, with the interview available as both audio and a transcribed excerpt. This week he talks to Andrew Childs, founder of Behemoth Brewing. You’ll … Read more
A play teaching teens about consent and sexual harassment opens in Wellington this week, followed by Auckland next month. Co-creator Karin McCracken talks about why the show was necessary, and the generationally unique struggles kids face today. The current model of health education in New Zealand allows parents to opt their kids out of sex … Read more
Most labels for bigger people aren’t plus-size enough and the larger price tags that go them are “bullshit”, a new Wellington business owner says. A Wellington fashion entrepreneur says the “fat tax” charged on larger sizes is one of the drivers propelling her to build her own plus-size clothing line. House of Boom is Joanna … Read more
Alice Neville drank a lot of cocktails at New Zealand’s first dedicated cocktail festival in Wellington last weekend… here are a few standouts. Wellington’s always been a good booze town. These days it’s all about the craft beer and natural wine, of course, but years before hazy IPAs and pét-nats were de rigueur, there were … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Major transport plans announced for Wellington, fears some forests will be unprotected from mega mast, and complexities of drug driver testing outlined. A major, decades long investment has been announced for Wellington’s transport network. It’s a mix of incremental short term upgrades focused largely on those not … Read more
It’s one of the most tight-knit, well-established and supportive music environments in New Zealand. Ben Lynch pays tribute to the capital’s hard rock and metal scene. When discussing or researching heavy music in New Zealand, one thing quickly becomes apparent: it’s a fairly fruitless task to try and compare scenes from city to city. While … Read more
The first recipient of the Spinoff Review of Books Writer-in-Residence Award, held in association with the Rise Pop-up Apartments in Wellington, was poet Aimee-Jane Anderson-O’Connor. How did she get on in ? Here’s her report. I say that Wellington is my favourite city in the world. I say this with a nod of my head, … Read more
With the increased security threat after the Christchurch attacks, Wellington’s CubaDupa street festival has had to move off the street and into venues around the city. The Spinoff spoke to the festival’s artistic director about why this was necessary for safety, and why the changes are not about letting fear win. The presence of armed … Read more
The sudden closure of Wellington’s Central Library was a shock to residents in the capital. Gem Wilder reflects on her love for the library and her hopes for its future. I received the news via the Wellington City Council twitter account, posted at 2:50pm on Tuesday afternoon: Wellington’s Central Library building will be closed from 8.30pm … Read more
Wellingtonians gathered at the Basin Reserve last night to mourn the loss of 50 lives, grieve together, and stand against terrorism, Islamophobia and white supremacy, reports Emily Writes. Many wore white. Many cried. There were many tamariki there, in the sunshine, sitting quietly on the laps of their parents. A young girl stood at one of the entrances … Read more
CubaDupa festival hosts nearly 200 artists across two days in the heart of Wellington to mark the end of summer. Trip glitch, Indian jazz fusion, 80s glam, alt dream-pop, contemporary jazz Afrofuturism, German electronic jazz, postpunk dream pop, and psychedelic kraut space rock. These are just a few of the nearly 100 different genres of … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Measles cases surge in Canterbury, Vodafone reportedly outsourcing jobs to India, and Shane Jones says Kupe facility funding story is a beat up. Measles cases are surging in Canterbury, and there are warnings that the highly infectious disease is now “circulating widely in our community.” The local DHB said late … Read more
The Newtown Festival, one of the capital’s biggest festivals, celebrated its 22nd birthday over the weekend. Ben Lynch was there. Since its inception back in 1997 as a celebration of council tree planting and street improvements in the centre of Wellington’s most bohemian suburb, Newtown Festival has evolved to signify a great many things. The … Read more
Business is Boring is a weekly podcast series presented by The Spinoff in association with Callaghan Innovation. Host Simon Pound speaks with innovators and commentators focused on the future of New Zealand, with the interview available as both audio and a transcribed excerpt. This week Simon talks to Elisha Watson of underwear company Nisa. When … Read more
The news that Reading Cinema’s wonderful cinema staff are being made redundant was a shock given Reading Cinemas had just said the complex would reopen. Emily Writes salutes the workers. This piece began as a tribute to my favourite cinema complex, and then the news broke that all staff there would be made redundant. Like … Read more
Christchurch’s massive hand sculpture Quasi is moving to Wellington. Refusing to be palmed off, Emily Writes set out to learn his story. I heard him before I saw him. He was awkwardly trying to get into the Mojo (you know the one on Courtenay next to the one on Dixon that’s next to the one … Read more
Felix Marwick recalls near misses, close calls, sweary moments and other daily adventures in cycling in Wellington. It’s entirely possible there’s no worse city for safe and easy biking in New Zealand than Wellington. The roads are narrow, the hills are steep, and the local drivers just seem to have this habit of absolutely, positively, … Read more
As thousands of spectators arrive in Wellington for Te Matatini this week, many may be wondering how to prepare for the country’s biggest kapa haka festival. Te Manu Korihi reporter Te Aniwa Hurihanganui talked to some of Te Matatini’s biggest fans to find out. Get there early Most die-hard Te Matatini fans will tell you … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Wild rental inflation hits Wellington, an end to tenure review system has been announced, and confirmation comes of Chinese squeeze on tourism. Wellington is experiencing a wild spell of rent inflation at the moment, reports One News. Average rents in the city are now $45 a week more … Read more
Councillor Chris Calvi-Freeman has called for an end to tooting in Wellington’s Mt Vic Tunnel. Over the coming days many will discuss this important issue. But what does the Tunnel think? Emily Writes sat down with them to find out. I’ll say it right now, at this point in my life, I’m a huge fan … Read more
Young and emerging writers, rejoice! The dear old Spinoff Review of Books unveils a new writer-in-residence award – open only to those tender of age and prodigious of talent. Young and emerging writers in New Zealand get a pat on the head now and then, a little bit of praise, limited exposure, sod-all money, and not a … Read more
In the latest Frame documentary for the Spinoff, produced by Wrestler and funded by NZ on Air, we meet the people who have made drag such a big part of Wellington’s popular culture. Wellington is one of the most accepting parts of the country to do drag, according to 21-year-old Monique Walford. “I feel like … Read more
Every day in the lead-up to Christmas, open the door to reveal a Spinoff writer’s short, sizzling commentary on a weighty subject. Our arbitrary and strictly enforced word limit: 365. Today: Simon Day on the scourge of the scone. I’ve spent the last six months trying to like scones. After seeking advice on where the … Read more
Emily Writes decides to take a trip on the Interislander to Picton for a night away with her good friend and three kids under six. What could go wrong? To say it had been a bad week would have been an understatement. First my husband broke his foot. Then my six-year-old got chicken pox. And … Read more
While police in uniform have been banned from the Auckland Pride Parade, organisers of the Wellington Pride Parade have said that uniformed police officers will still be welcome. Below, a statement from members of the Wellington LGBTQi community denouncing that decision. We are a collective of queer people who live around Te-Whanganui-a-Tara. We are disappointed … Read more
A tale of a Wellington City Councillor, a plaque celebrating a famously compassionate Wellingtonian, and 32 people living in cars in the councillor’s ward. “Apparently there are now 32 people living in cars in the unrestricted parking area directly below X Road*” the flyer from Wellington City Councillor Nicola Young said. Shockingly, what followed next … Read more
Spinoff Review of Books literary editor Steve Braunias does his best to remember a drunken weekend in Wellington at 2018 LitCrawl. Crazy to feel the need to rush to a literary event – there’s always plenty of room, it doesn’t matter if you’re a tad late – so I leisurely ironed my shirt in my … Read more
A Wellington sexual abuse support group invited a survivor and scientist, who is transgender, to speak at their AGM this week. Almost immediately came a barrage of attacks from all around the world. Wellington Sexual Abuse HELP does exactly what our name suggests. We exist to support survivors of sexual abuse, their families and whānau, … Read more
Wellington woke to the delightful news that Iapa, beloved wine barrel with legs currently being adorable at Wellington Zoo, has popped out seven precious little capybara pups. Noted capybara fan Emily Writes got the exclusive. Capybaras are a wonderful animal, universally loved and adored – they are friends to all. They are like rat pig … Read more