Politics

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The Spinoff Members

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The government has made it well known it expects departments to cut roles. We break down the numbers as they currently stand.

An updated tally of the public sector job cuts

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I was one of hundreds of people who lost my government job this week. Here's exactly how it played out.

What it’s like to be made redundant by the Ministry of Education

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Mild headache? School. Severe headache? Home. Don't know how to read your kid's mind? That's your problem.

How to tell if your child is well enough to go to school or is in fact sick

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When the Crown is the self-appointed ultimate authority over a process to deal with Crown misconduct, we run into big issues.

We’re asking the wrong questions about treaty settlements

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Is New Zealand's trumpeted independent foreign policy in peril?

Gone By Lunchtime: Aukus ruckus reveals division on foreign policy direction

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The pet bonds policy is just one proposal in a suite of many that overwhelmingly favour landlords’ rights.

Will pet bonds really be a win-win? I’m not holding my breath

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You want to build a giant underground tunnel? Dream a little bigger.

A series of alternative, equally ambitious, transport options for Wellington

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Cost: Would be extremely complex and expensive. Benefit: Would provide a vital boost for the consulting industry. 

Revealed: A cost-benefit analysis for Wellington’s long tunnel

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Local councils think city and regional deals could be the solution to New Zealand's broken infrastructure. 

Councils funding is a disaster. Are city deals the answer?

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We're more likely to see Judith Collins waving at us from space than 12 years of data on child poverty.

All the things we won’t know in 10 years

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The five most baffling moments from Melissa Lee’s post-Newshub interviews

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Critics say it paves the way for Australian-style detention policies. Supporters say it's merely procedural. Who's right? 

Explainer: The controversial refugee bill that Luxon flip-flopped over

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Wellington's streets are littered with stories, mostly about corruption, incompetence, or other stupid/illegal things politicians have done to ruin their own careers.

An interactive map of political scandals in Wellington

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David Seymour called Ardern’s anti-extremism initiative 'ineffectual grandstanding'. Will the government he’s part of continue to fund her role?

What’s going on with Jacinda Ardern and the Christchurch Call?

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As the government slashes wildlife protections in service of short-term economic growth, MPs are being asked today to stand up for our right to a sustainable future. 

We all deserve a healthy environment – now let’s make it a human right

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Some practical tips from a public servant who's recently been made redundant.

Step up to the redundancy rollercoaster

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Calculating the true cost of public transport with half-price fares ending this month.

Will tax cuts make up for the end of cheap public transport?

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An operationalised, strategically aligned, actionable guide to the phraseology of prime minister Christopher Luxon.

The Christopher Luxon dictionary of corporate speak

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Tax battles lost, the lure of Dunedin, and which White Fern he most identifies with. 

At the cricket with Grant Robertson

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The government has announced plans to encourage international products into the New Zealand construction industry. An optimistically cautious approach is recommended.

We can’t afford another leaky homes crisis

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A new novel set in Wellington is a narrative of grief, and an ode to beautiful food writing. 

A love letter to Wellington: when i open the shop by romesh dissanayake, reviewed

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Of course I wind down my window at the lights to profess my love to the strangers in the black De Tomaso Pantera. And of course they accommodate me with amused grins.

Confessions of an unlikely petrolhead

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They pressured me to have children, and I had two. Now they won't lift a finger. 

Help Me Hera: My parents won’t help out with my kids

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Job cut proposals from the Ministry of Education and Oranga Tamariki added another 1000 roles to the public service job loss tally.

Over 3,000 public service jobs now proposed to go

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The bookseller confessional uncovers the best bookshop in Ireland, what it's like having a panic attack in front of Sally Rooney and more.

‘Coffee table books or Dune’: Secrets from the bookshop floor

Jacinda Ardern has had a busy debut as New Zealand prime minister on the international stage. And so has Jacinta Ardern.

Also making a big impact have been Jacinda Arden and Jacinda Adern.

Although, come on now, to be fair these are easy mistakes to make.

And it’s just the latest in a fine tradition.

It’s all harmless enough in the scheme of things.

The Spinoff

PoliticsNovember 14, 2017

Move over Jeff Key, it’s Jacinta Arden’s time to shine

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PoliticsNovember 14, 2017

Move over Jeff Key, it’s Jacinta Arden’s time to shine

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