Politics

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The Spinoff Members

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A look at the state of the last government’s affordable housing scheme, and what could come next.

Is KiwiBuild finally on its last legs?

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Labour in opposition will be shocked to learn which party had six years in power but squandered any chance to make real change.

Labour has forgotten it was in government

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Rising membership has been cited as rationale for a crackdown, but this is what we actually know about gang numbers.

Have gang numbers really ‘skyrocketed’ in recent years?

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Crown lawyers will try to convince a judge today that Karen Chhour shouldn't have to answer the tribunal's questions.

Why the Waitangi Tribunal has summonsed a minister – and why the Crown is fighting it

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The study holds a treasure trove of information about the problems affecting young New Zealanders – and the potential solutions.

Government risks own goal in cutting funding for Growing up in New Zealand

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Buses will replace trains on weekends in Wellington for the next 10-15 years. But there are a few things to look forward to while we wait. 

A list of transport projects Wellington could actually deliver in the next 10-15 years

trans rights

The Ministry of Health has delayed the release of its evidence brief on puberty blockers. While we wait, Julia de Bres speaks to those with firsthand experience.

What access to puberty blockers means for trans young people and their whānau

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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?<br />


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.<br />


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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Never mind the scoreboard – in the 2000 Bledisloe Cup decider, the real trans-Tasman battle was won before kickoff.

Remembering the great TrueBliss vs Bardot national anthem sing-off

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I'm on the wrong side of 40, I never pursued creative work and now my job is killing my soul. Help!

Help Me Hera: Do I even want the public sector job I might be about to lose?

Sunday Essay Hope McConnell Feature Image

For all its virtues, Anzac Day – unlike its cousin Armistice Day – is a commemoration of war, not peace.

Seize the day

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Australian and New Zealand volunteers fought together in the Waikato War, yet still its place in the Anzac tradition is unacknowledged by our defence forces or RSA.

The first, forgotten Anzacs, more than 50 years before Gallipoli

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Poem for Anzac Day: ‘Hoki Mai’ by Tayi Tibble

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A poem from Bill Manhire's 2017 book of verse Some Things to Place in a Coffin.

Poem for Anzac Day: ‘My World War I Poem’ by Bill Manhire

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The best-selling American writer on the ideal conditions for reading, the true meaning of utopia and more.

‘Emily Dickinson made me into a writer’: Lauren Groff on the power of reading

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An early and strong contender for book of the year. 

Page-turning rural gothic: Ash by Louise Wallace, reviewed

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'I just remember seeing them live for the first time and thinking to myself: This is it. This is the reason. This is what life is all about.'

‘It was my Eras tour’: Meet the world’s biggest TrueBliss fans

In our video series Kiwis of Snapchat, comedian Tom Sainsbury sources exclusive Snapchat footage of Kiwi citizens making the news. Today: Bill English and Paula Bennett have a plan to target the youth vote.

The Spinoff

PoliticsJuly 27, 2017

Kiwis of Snapchat: Bill and Paula have a message for the youth of NZ (WATCH)

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PoliticsJuly 27, 2017

Kiwis of Snapchat: Bill and Paula have a message for the youth of NZ (WATCH)

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