Justin Giovannetti

Political editor

Justin Giovannetti is The Spinoff's political editor. He's Canadian, speaks some French and is writing a book about poutine. He'd love your news tips. Email him at justin@thespinoff.co.nz

Politics
Jan 15, 2021

Pressure mounts on government to accelerate Covid vaccine roll-out

Covid-19 minister Chris Hipkins says when we finish vaccinating the country is more important than when we start. Health experts don't agree.

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Politics
Oct 18, 2020

Labour goes to town on a record breaking night

There was delight to be found at Labour's election night function, but not too much. As in the campaign as a whole, caution trumped exuberance.

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Politics
Oct 18, 2020

Jacinda Ardern and Labour secure historic landslide win in NZ election

Ardern has led her party to a resounding, unprecedented victory in what she dubbed the 'Covid election', leaving Judith Collins and National facing crisis.

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Politics
Oct 17, 2020

Election 2020: Where the parties are going to party tonight

The focus is Auckland as the party faithful gather to celebrate or drown their sorrows.

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Politics
Oct 15, 2020

Election 2020: The Covid-19 responses in two minutes

Our very quick guide to what's on offer to battle Covid-19.

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Politics
Oct 13, 2020

With four days to go, Labour taps Jacindamania while National stumbles again

The parties are diverging as the campaign grinds into its final days. Labour hosted a massive rally in Wellington today while National told a small room about a big new road and blamed the obese for being obese.

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Politics
Oct 13, 2020

The battle for central Auckland is splitting the left

As the race tightens in this key seat, neither of the rival candidates on the left are backing down.

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Politics
Oct 6, 2020

A raucous night in Christchurch as Collins takes on Ardern – and the hecklers

In a chaotic 90-minute contest, the crowd made itself heard, writes Justin Giovannetti from Christchurch.

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Politics
Oct 6, 2020

A pitch for Jacinda-plus: The Spinoff meets the Green co-leaders

Justin Giovannetti sits down with the party's co-leaders to talk campaigning, 'bottom lines' and Winston Peters.

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Politics
Oct 1, 2020

The election’s message to women losing their jobs to Covid-19: pick up a hammer

The parties are offering little to help the half of the population most likely to suffer the worst of what Covid-19 is throwing at us.

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Politics
Sep 30, 2020

Fuming Labour pushes back after Brownlee makes ‘dodgy push poll’ claims

The country's two main parties are trading shots after a poll was leaked showing Labour ahead in the East Coast. National's deputy leader called it a push poll only for …

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Politics
Sep 20, 2020

The launch that fell down a four-billion-dollar fiscal hole

Judith Collins had nine tries at the question of the $4bn error. At one point she said Jacinda Ardern should apologise.

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Politics
Sep 19, 2020

The gaping hole at the heart of the 2020 election campaign

Labour says this will be the Covid election. National says it's about the economy. There's something big being missed in the middle.

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Money
Sep 16, 2020
Politics
Sep 12, 2020

New Zealand edging the door open for workers and immigrants

It's the first significant relaxation of border restrictions since Covid-19 struck.

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Politics
Sep 9, 2020

Bloomfield warns of ‘flashing orange’ alert as Auckland church cluster grows

The sub-cluster is linked it to a church meeting held in lockdown and members who 'don't accept the science'.

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Politics
Sep 5, 2020

What does NZ look like in five years? An interview with Jacinda Ardern

The Labour leader on the world and NZ of the post-Covid future – and whether or not she wants to be in office to see it in.

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Politics
Sep 2, 2020

Do no harm: Dr Shane Reti on leading National’s changed Covid-19 response

Shane Reti has emerged in recent weeks as the opposition's most capable communicator in the age of Covid-19. Justin Giovannetti speaks with 'Dr Shane' about the changes he's brought to …

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Society
Aug 26, 2020

So you’ve tested positive for Covid. Here’s what happens next

If you're worried about getting a Covid-19 test because of fears of going into quarantine we're here to tackle your angst.

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Politics
Aug 26, 2020

Covid-19 isn’t going anywhere but still the clock keeps ticking on election 2020

Politicians are figuring out how to get your vote when they can't knock on your door. So far they've decided to just be helpful.

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Politics
Aug 25, 2020

The ‘yellow flag’ case that shows why Covid-19 remains such a worry in Auckland

A man in his 30s turned up at hospital on Friday with symptoms. He’s now in ICU. Nobody knows how he contracted the virus.

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Politics
Aug 21, 2020

New frontiers: border control becomes election battleground

The battle has moved to the border, with the rival parties insisting they have the strategy to keep the virus out.

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Politics
Aug 19, 2020

The border and the sniff test

A worker at a managed-isolation facility has tested positive for Covid-19 after working for days despite showing symptoms

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Politics
Aug 17, 2020

Jacinda Ardern delays New Zealand ‘Covid election’ by four weeks

The prime minister insists she wasn't cornered into making the call to postpone by four weeks to October 17.

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Politics
Aug 15, 2020

Back to the waiting room

The next week will be critical in determining whether the right choice was made.

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Politics
Aug 12, 2020

The day it came back: how 26 hours of Covid resurgence derailed a campaign

Just as campaigning was getting properly under way, news from Auckland turned Ardern's plans, and an entire election campaign, on its head.

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Politics
Aug 7, 2020

Parliament went out with a bang

Before the 52nd parliament bowed out, it left New Zealand with 19 new laws, all passed in a single day.

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