The Spinoff

Fringe festivals, Fur Patrol, and Fonotī Pati Umaga: The Spinoff event guide This week's reasons to leave the house, including a ground-breaking new theatre show....

Fringe festivals, Fur Patrol, and Fonotī Pati Umaga: The Spinoff event guide

One MP, One Pint: Joseph Mooney’s journey from ‘traumatic’ teen years to parliament The National backbencher and Southland MP on tragedy, triumph and whether he wants to be the new space minister....

One MP, One Pint: Joseph Mooney’s journey from ‘traumatic’ teen years to parliament

‘Radical, funny, compassionate’: Speed is Emotional, reviewed How a show about one person's experience of ADHD feels like it's for all of us....

‘Radical, funny, compassionate’: Speed is Emotional, reviewed

‘I had hair… and fewer knives in my back’: A short history of Peeni Henare, politician As Labour’s most senior Māori MP bows out of parliament, we look back at his life so far – and get a glimpse of what could come next....

‘I had hair… and fewer knives in my back’: A short history of Peeni Henare, politician

Help me Hera: My best friend is trying to sabotage my relationship Is it 'man-centred' to choose my boyfriend over her?...

Help me Hera: My best friend is trying to sabotage my relationship

The second Covid report is out – now Winston Peters wants another one As politicians relitigate Labour's pandemic response, NZ First is seizing the chance to remind the freedom movement which party is on their side....

The second Covid report is out – now Winston Peters wants another one

The poll numbers that could spell death for National Is the country on the right track, or the wrong track? How New Zealanders answer this question has long been a reliable election omen....

The poll numbers that could spell death for National

Louis Theroux’s Inside the Manosphere is the horror film of the year – pity it’s all real The veteran documentarian’s journey into the heart of the online manosphere is enraging, terrifying and essential viewing....

Louis Theroux’s Inside the Manosphere is the horror film of the year – pity it’s all real

Why the war in Iran could test the Reserve Bank’s mandate Is our central bank equipped to handle a wave of inflation from the conflict in the Middle East?...

Why the war in Iran could test the Reserve Bank’s mandate

‘I was hungry for stories’: Isaac du Toit on growing up as a dyslexic reader 'I feel like people with dyslexia are often labeled reluctant readers. I struggled to learn to read, but I wasn't reluctant at all.'...

‘I was hungry for stories’: Isaac du Toit on growing up as a dyslexic reader

Is it too late now to say sorry? A new theatre show says ‘no’ Part theatrical ritual, part social experiment, Sincere Apologies dives into the power of apologising....

Is it too late now to say sorry? A new theatre show says ‘no’

Gone By Lunchtime doesn’t know how to be any clearer, guys After a horror week, what next for Luxon? Plus: the new Covid report and the Te Pāti Māori latest....

Gone By Lunchtime doesn’t know how to be any clearer, guys

Garner, Pilkey, Radden Keefe: Auckland Writers Festival brings out the big names Five days, dozens of writers, 170+ events – here are the ones you really don't want to miss....

Garner, Pilkey, Radden Keefe: Auckland Writers Festival brings out the big names

Another Auckland Council meeting, another long, loud howl over housing in Parnell After the marathon meeting finally ended, the mayor accused one councillor of using it as 'one long filibuster to keep poor people out of her area'....

Another Auckland Council meeting, another long, loud howl over housing in Parnell

The ninth wave of Covid: What you need to know There are new sub-variants circulating, and hospital admissions are up....

The ninth wave of Covid: What you need to know

The real lesson of the second Covid-19 inquiry? We live in a post-truth world Government ministers’ creative interpretations of the royal commission’s report took spin to scary new levels....

The real lesson of the second Covid-19 inquiry? We live in a post-truth world

In, out and staying put: MPs play musical chairs as Luxon’s fortunes lift – for now A court orders a party to reinstate its expelled MP, a veteran minister announces his departure, and the prime minister lives to fight another day....

In, out and staying put: MPs play musical chairs as Luxon’s fortunes lift – for now

Burtfield’s & Co’s salted butter is cheap, but is it any good? The Spinoff team puts the new American butter through its paces against old Kiwi favourite Anchor....

Burtfield’s & Co’s salted butter is cheap, but is it any good?

Kapa-Kingi reinstated: Where to now for Te Pāti Māori? The ruling raises a bigger question: can the party survive the fallout?...

Kapa-Kingi reinstated: Where to now for Te Pāti Māori?

Doctor Who? How Shane Reti went from National’s deputy to Ciga-reti The coalition government seemed to have only one prescription for the former GP: swallow one dead rat and call me in the morning....

Doctor Who? How Shane Reti went from National’s deputy to Ciga-reti

The economic shockwaves of war in Iran – in numbers The state of play, as energy prices surge....

The economic shockwaves of war in Iran – in numbers

How New Zealand’s AS Colour built a billion-dollar business out of blank T-shirts It started in an Auckland garage. Now, 21 years later, the company turns over $500m a year. What's the secret?...

How New Zealand’s AS Colour built a billion-dollar business out of blank T-shirts

Attention New Zealand: No one else calls it a ‘peaknuckle war’ The rest of the world rightly calls it a 'thumb war'. What is going on here?...

Attention New Zealand: No one else calls it a ‘peaknuckle war’

Covid-19 inquiry makes final findings on spending, mandates and lockdowns Phase two of the royal commission of inquiry, with new commissioners and broader terms of reference, has just released its report. Here’s what it says....

Covid-19 inquiry makes final findings on spending, mandates and lockdowns

The cost of being: an early retiree who ‘goes budget’ wherever possible 'I watch lots of travel YouTubes and do envy those staying in five-star hotels .... I don't think I'd ever want that to be my lifestyle, but wouldn't mind trying it out.'...

The cost of being: an early retiree who ‘goes budget’ wherever possible

No fuel tax cuts as petrol prices set to surge After Friday's horror poll, the prime minister enters the week with his leadership hanging by a thread....

No fuel tax cuts as petrol prices set to surge

Christopher Luxon’s big Monday media grillings – rated After a flurry of speculation about the PM’s job security, the stakes were high. How did he do?...

Christopher Luxon’s big Monday media grillings – rated

Dilworth Karaka, the quiet Herbs giant who gave Aotearoa its protest soundtrack The enduring face of Herbs helped shape one of the most important sounds in modern Aotearoa....

Dilworth Karaka, the quiet Herbs giant who gave Aotearoa its protest soundtrack

New To Streaming: What to watch on Netflix NZ, Neon and more this week Louis Theroux goes deep into the manosphere in a must-see Netflix documentary this week....

New To Streaming: What to watch on Netflix NZ, Neon and more this week

Bicycle face: the terrifying medical condition that threatened 1890s cyclists Call all your friends and warn them – but careful you don't get a case of telephone ear....

Bicycle face: the terrifying medical condition that threatened 1890s cyclists