Jacinda Ardern and Grant Robertson’s Dunedin lovefest, reviewedThe event was part therapy session, part motivational speech, 100% lovefest. By Tara Ward | 17th April, 2026Staff writer
It was another bad week for… Christopher Luxon’s leadershipThe prime minister insists that National's internal polling is way better than the public numbers, but no you can't see it, because it goes to another school. And it lives in Canada.By Joel MacManus | 17th April, 2026Senior writer
Tracy Grant Lord on Auckland’s best theatres – and where to debrief after a show'I never thought I’d be embracing city life. It’s great.'By Emma Gleason | 15th April, 2026Contributing writer
The Unity Books bestseller chart for the week ending April 17New local books top the charts this week.By The Spinoff Review of Books | 17th April, 2026⚖️
Review: Flight of The Conchords’ comeback show was a mess in the best possible wayJemaine Clement and Bret Mckenzie promised they'd put more practice in for the rest of their tour. Let's hope they don't.By Lyric Waiwiri-Smith | 17th April, 2026Politics reporter
Could a ball hit the roof of Christchurch’s new stadium?In photos, the steel beams above the pitch look tantalisingly kickable. We asked Dan Carter and a physics professor if they think it’s possible.By Calum Henderson | 17th April, 2026Production editor
OpinionLuxon's 100-hour gauntlet to save his jobSeven potential hazards across the coming days.By Toby Manhire | 17th April, 2026Editor-at-large
From merino to machine learning: Allbirds’ wild AI pivotThe NZ-founded company that once sold Silicon Valley its favourite sneaker is now trying to sell it computing power.By Catherine McGregor | 17th April, 2026Contributing writer
Taine Randell and three other rabbits pulled from hats for the 2026 electionFour parties, four good gets. By Toby Manhire | 17th April, 2026Editor-at-large
OpinionMoana Pasifika: ‘We don’t just lose a team, we lose a village’When the team goes, the relationship between Pacific communities and New Zealand Rugby will be strained.By James Nokise | 17th April, 2026Guest writer
Global Book Crawl, A View from the Bridge, Queer Quarterly Reads: The Spinoff event guideReasons to leave the house this week.By Claire Mabey | 16th April, 2026
‘Undemocratic’ and ‘racist’? Here’s what’s going on with Far North District CouncilA local committee has become a national battleground over co-governance, democracy and te Tiriti.By Liam Rātana | 16th April, 2026
Alternative career prospects for the Crusaders horses, rankedA devastating blow for rugby fans across Christchurch could be a huge opportunity for six local horses to follow their dreams.By Alex Casey | 16th April, 2026
The cost of being: A ‘dual income, no kids’ government worker'Leave my coffees alone!'By The Cost of Being | 16th April, 2026
Help Me Hera: My perfect relationship turned out to be a fantasyHe moved on in the blink of an eye, and I'm still picking up the pieces.By Hera Lindsay Bird | 16th April, 2026
Why isn’t NZ copying Australia’s approach to the fuel crisis?Australia has halved its fuel tax, moved to level two of its response plan, and sent its prime minister on a fuel-security tour of Asia. New Zealand has done none of these things. Does that matter?By Catherine McGregor | 16th April, 2026
Fuel crisis: We are so screwed vs it's going to be fineThe government keeps telling us not to panic. On the other hand, maybe we should panic.By Hayden Donnell | 16th April, 2026
NZ teachers can legally have sex with students over 16. Is it time for change? 'There is quite a bad loophole here, and everybody else has fixed it.'By Alex Casey | 16th April, 2026
Big inclines, little screens: Christchurch’s new One New Zealand Stadium, reviewed We were there for a day of historic firsts inside Ōtautahi’s long-awaited $683 million stadium.By Alex Casey | 10th April, 2026Senior writer
OpinionDriving has never been worse. Driving has never been betterMore people are getting on buses and bikes and the roads are clearer for cars. Who would have thought?By Hayden Donnell | 10th April, 2026Senior writer
Why does fertility treatment cost so much in New Zealand?Birth rates are at a record low and there's a chronic donor sperm shortage. Should fertility treatments in New Zealand be subsidised like they are in Australia?By Madeleine Chapman | 9th April, 2026Special correspondent
It could get properly cold this winterIt's too early to say for sure, but if an expected El Nino develops by June, more cold southwest airstreams could blow across the country than in recent winters.By Paul Gorman | 8th April, 2026Guest writer
Revealed: The New Zealand city most likely to say thank you to the bus driverOver the past week, The Spinoff has been stealthily logging thanks yous uttered on buses across the motu.By The Spinoff | 7th April, 2026Staff writers
OpinionEvery political party is in opposition nowIn a rare show of unity, every party in parliament agrees they aren't the ones in charge.By Joel MacManus | 6th April, 2026Senior writer
Range anxiety: the reality of owning an EVCommuting? Amazing. Maintenance? A breeze. Road trips? Hmmmm.By Henry Oliver | 4th April, 2026Guest writer
Jacinda Ardern and Grant Robertson’s Dunedin lovefest, reviewedThe event was part therapy session, part motivational speech, 100% lovefest. By Tara Ward | 17th April, 2026Staff writer
Alternative career prospects for the Crusaders horses, rankedA devastating blow for rugby fans across Christchurch could be a huge opportunity for six local horses to follow their dreams.By Alex Casey | 16th April, 2026
The cost of being: A ‘dual income, no kids’ government worker'Leave my coffees alone!'By The Cost of Being | 16th April, 2026
Help Me Hera: My perfect relationship turned out to be a fantasyHe moved on in the blink of an eye, and I'm still picking up the pieces.By Hera Lindsay Bird | 16th April, 2026
NZ teachers can legally have sex with students over 16. Is it time for change? 'There is quite a bad loophole here, and everybody else has fixed it.'By Alex Casey | 16th April, 2026
The City Rail Link at rush hour, reviewedWe’ve waited a decade for this railway. Here’s what it will actually be like.By Hayden Donnell | 15th April, 2026Senior writer
The arguments for and against making NZ public transport free during the fuel crisisAcross the ditch they're making public transport free. Should we join them?By Emma Gleason | 15th April, 2026Contributing writer
‘It’s a no-brainer’: Inside the St James Theatre’s surprise second venuePlot twist: the renovated Auckland theatre is becoming TWO separate venues.By Chris Schulz | 14th April, 2026Guest writer
The cost of being: A ‘recluse’ in response to the economy'The only child I am responsible for is myself.'By The Cost of Being | 14th April, 2026Guest writer
It was another bad week for… Christopher Luxon’s leadershipThe prime minister insists that National's internal polling is way better than the public numbers, but no you can't see it, because it goes to another school. And it lives in Canada.By Joel MacManus | 17th April, 2026Senior writer
Jacinda Ardern and Grant Robertson’s Dunedin lovefest, reviewedThe event was part therapy session, part motivational speech, 100% lovefest. By Tara Ward | 17th April, 2026
OpinionLuxon's 100-hour gauntlet to save his jobSeven potential hazards across the coming days.By Toby Manhire | 17th April, 2026
Taine Randell and three other rabbits pulled from hats for the 2026 electionFour parties, four good gets. By Toby Manhire | 17th April, 2026
‘Undemocratic’ and ‘racist’? Here’s what’s going on with Far North District CouncilA local committee has become a national battleground over co-governance, democracy and te Tiriti.By Liam Rātana | 16th April, 2026
Fuel crisis: We are so screwed vs it's going to be fineThe government keeps telling us not to panic. On the other hand, maybe we should panic.By Hayden Donnell | 16th April, 2026Senior writer
OpinionNZ is about to have its third Covid electionRemember the pandemic? Well you’re going to – if Simeon Brown and Christopher Luxon have anything to do with it.By Joel MacManus | 15th April, 2026Senior writer
Who’s funding who in election year?In the first few months of 2026, parties received more than $1.5m worth of $20,000-plus donations.By Alice Neville | 14th April, 2026Deputy editor
Is this National’s least diverse cabinet of the 21st century?The last time National had only one Māori cabinet minister was 1999. By Lyric Waiwiri-Smith | 13th April, 2026Politics reporter
Review: Flight of The Conchords’ comeback show was a mess in the best possible wayJemaine Clement and Bret Mckenzie promised they'd put more practice in for the rest of their tour. Let's hope they don't.By Lyric Waiwiri-Smith | 17th April, 2026Politics reporter
Global Book Crawl, A View from the Bridge, Queer Quarterly Reads: The Spinoff event guideReasons to leave the house this week.By Claire Mabey | 16th April, 2026
Meet the cast of Celebrity Treasure Island for 2026At an undisclosed Northland location, we talked to every cast member of the brand new season. By Alex Casey | 13th April, 2026
Review: Helen Clark in Six Outfits is a sweary, glorious joyIf you squinted a little, it was Helen Clark, and Helen Clark was saying, 'I’ll show you backbone, motherf***er.' By Veronica Schmidt | 11th April, 2026
The Weed Eaters, Georgia Knight and the Auckland Art Fair Sculpture Trail: The Spinoff event guideThe Weed Eaters hits Gisborne this week.By Claire Mabey | 9th April, 2026
The Worm reviewed by the target audience – an eight-year-oldTheatre criticism about characters and costumes, but also Pringles and stuff the reviewer yelled at the cast.By Veronica SchmidtEditor & Emma | 9th April, 2026Guest writer
The rebooted My House My Castle doesn’t quite hit the sameIn an era where it’s harder than ever for New Zealanders to own a home, the reboot of this local television classic feels like it’s missing a trick.By Tara Ward | 9th April, 2026Staff writer
New To Streaming: What to watch on Netflix NZ, Neon and more this weekIncluding the reboot of yet another beloved 2000s sitcom and the final season of The Boys.By Thomas Giblin | 6th April, 2026Guest writer
This season of MAFS AU is ugly, unruly and joyless – much like 2026 itselfThe storylines are incoherent, the people in charge can barely keep it together, and everyone is furious and scared. Sound familiar? By Alex Casey | 4th April, 2026Senior writer
Has Trump ruined NZ’s economy again?Even if the US-Iran ceasefire holds, we're not out of the woods.By Dan Brunskill | 10th April, 2026Guest writer
OpinionAn organisational chart to help CEO Christopher Luxon understand the governmentThe prime minister still thinks he’s running a company. But we can work with that.By Hayden Donnell | 2nd April, 2026
Allbirds loses its wings: how the $6 billion footwear dream fell apartThe company that created a wool-sneaker phenomenon is being wound down. What happened?By Emma Gleason | 1st April, 2026
Iran War: Is the New Zealand economy cooked?Early indications suggest it could be really bad for house prices.By Joel MacManus | 25th March, 2026
New Zealand’s petrol supply is terrifyingly fragileHow can New Zealand protect its energy independence in an era of war?By Joel MacManus | 18th March, 2026
Why the war in Iran could test the Reserve Bank’s mandateIs our central bank equipped to handle a wave of inflation from the conflict in the Middle East? By Joel MacManus | 12th March, 2026Senior writer
How AS Colour filled a blank spaceIt started in an Auckland garage. Now, 21 years later, the company turns over $500m a year. What's the secret?By Emma Gleason | 10th March, 2026Contributing writer
Why we don’t have a 24-hour commerce culture in New ZealandIt’s only partly because of our hobbit-esque love of a cup of tea and an early bedtime.By Hayden Donnell | 9th March, 2026Senior writer
New Zealand’s economy is set to outpace Australia’s. Will it convince Kiwis to come home?The Reserve Bank thinks the New Zealand economy will grow faster than Australia's over the next two years. But don't start celebrating too soon.By Joel MacManus | 4th March, 2026Senior writer
‘Undemocratic’ and ‘racist’? Here’s what’s going on with Far North District CouncilA local committee has become a national battleground over co-governance, democracy and te Tiriti.By Liam Rātana | 16th April, 2026Ātea editor
Opinion‘We refused to be weaponised’: The rise of Asians backing tino rangatiratangaA decade after a single Waitangi banner, Asians Supporting Tino Rangatiratanga has become a national movement – and a challenge to how te Tiriti is framed in Aotearoa.By Mengzhu Fu, Serena Lal, and Kirsty Fong | 13th April, 2026
Why Kerrin Leoni thinks she can win back Tāmaki Makaurau for LabourThe race for one of the country’s key Māori seats is on.By Liam Rātana | 7th April, 2026
Culture wars or mission creep? Free Speech Union goes after NZ regulatorsThe union is worried people are being told what to think and say, and has zeroed in on the medical council, architects board and nurses council. By Liam Rātana | 30th March, 2026
OpinionThe Treaty isn’t broken – we just can’t agree what it isThe debate over the Treaty is not merely a disagreement on translation or words.By Alistair Reese | 28th March, 2026
OpinionGovernment moves to strip Māori land court oversight of Treaty settlement trustsA quiet law change with big stakes.By Carwyn Jones | 24th March, 2026Guest writer
How tā moko is redefining gender for takatāpui MāoriWhy the future of takatāpui affirmation might already exist within te ao Māori.By Jordan Walker | 21st March, 2026Guest writer
OpinionThe fight for Te Pāti Māori voters has begunThe Greens may win the kaupapa. Labour may win the numbers. The real question is who wins enough.By Liam Rātana | 19th March, 2026Ātea editor
OpinionKapa-Kingi reinstated: Where to now for Te Pāti Māori?The ruling raises a bigger question: can the party survive the fallout?By Liam Rātana | 11th March, 2026Ātea editor
Jacinda Ardern and Grant Robertson’s Dunedin lovefest, reviewedThe event was part therapy session, part motivational speech, 100% lovefest. By Tara Ward | 17th April, 2026Staff writer
The Unity Books bestseller chart for the week ending April 17New local books top the charts this week.By The Spinoff Review of Books | 17th April, 2026
‘Why do we do this to ourselves?’ A conversation between two freshly published authorsCounting Down with Theodore Brown and The Raven's Eye Rebellion were both released this week. So how does it feel to have a new book out in the world?By Claire Mabey & Daniel Devenney | 11th April, 2026
The Unity Books bestseller chart for the week ending April 10Amaze, amaze, amaze!By The Spinoff Review of Books | 10th April, 2026
When I finally spoke to money, I realised we’d never been properly introducedA bestselling new book full of exercises and tools for examining your relationship with money, put to the test.By Megan Dunn | 8th April, 2026
The Unity Books children’s book review roundup for autumnReading recs for the school holidays.By The Spinoff Review of Books | 8th April, 2026⚖️
The ‘lifesaving’ creative writing programme transforming prisoners into poetsInside the creative writing course offering incarcerated women choice, a voice, and hope.By Claire Mabey | 4th April, 2026Books editor
The Unity Books bestseller chart for the week ending April 3Happy Easter, eggs.By The Spinoff Review of Books | 3rd April, 2026⚖️
‘Exiled to the op shop’: Mat Tait on the book he lied about reading'I got a fair way into before realising it was a grim and confusing slog I was only enduring because I thought I should.'By The Spinoff Review of Books | 1st April, 2026⚖️
