The Spinoff

Culture

Olivia Dean's big night did not go to plan

Up to 45,000 fans were enjoying a flawless performance from a major star in a revamped venue. Then came the glitch.

Chris Schulz

18 Oct 2026

Sport

Not so much fun now: Home loan company warned over billboards posing as election ads

Joel MacManus

16 Oct 2026

The mysterious launch of NZ-made Dr Pepper

Dylan Reeve

17 Oct 2026

We did yoga with New Lynn’s 93-year-old instructor

Chris Schulz

17 Oct 2026

30,000 people in Wellington region fail to pay first Tiaki Wai water bill

Ellen O'Dwyer of RNZ

16 Oct 2026

A can of Dr Pepper and a can of Dr Pepper Zerooo on top of New Zealand

Kai

The mysterious launch of NZ-made Dr Pepper

How one man's passion for rugby league is getting kids into reading

Where to eat in Morningside and Kingsland – an insider's guide

Charlotte Muru-Lanning

17 Oct 2026

Read article

Business

Not so much fun now: Home loan company warned over billboards posing as election ads

The Unity Books bestseller chart for the week ending October 16

The Spinoff Review of Books

16 Oct 2026

Read article

Culture

Who deserves a seat at the Celebrity Traitors NZ round table?

Tara Ward

16 Oct 2026

Read article

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Latest podcasts

Gone By Lunchtime: We are all covered in ash and yearning for the ocean

There are somehow still three weeks to go but fear not: we're here to give you the energy and optimism you need to make it to election night.

Gone By Lunchtime16 Oct 2026

Winston Peters on a life in politics – and the moment that ‘cost me psychologically’

Toby Manhire speaks to the New Zealand First leader about what's driving him on his 18th general election campaign.

At Large with Toby Manhire15 Oct 2026

Jacinda Ardern's media man on five seismic years

Toby Manhire speaks to Andrew Campbell, former media man for Jacinda Ardern, about steering the former PM’s communications strategy through a laundry list of national crises, and to Emma Gleason about a classic local album that turns 25 this year.

At Large with Toby Manhire13 Oct 2026

‘Looming disaster’: Andrew Geddis answers your questions on enrolment and voting

Toby Manhire asks electoral law expert Andrew Geddis all the pressing questions voters want answered ahead of the general election.

At Large with Toby Manhire12 Oct 2026

How do you make this election funny?

Toby Manhire speaks to comedian James Nokise about politics, comedy and travelling the length of the country to perform a show about both.

At Large with Toby Manhire08 Oct 2026

Winston Peters still wants to be the prime minister

When gangs are in the picture, all you get are pot shots

MP who claimed $36k housing top-up for non-Wellingtonians running in a Wellington electorate

Winston Peters still wants to be the prime minister

Toby Manhire meets the great survivor of New Zealand politics.

Toby Manhire

16 Oct 2026

When gangs are in the picture, all you get are pot shots

Lyric Waiwiri-Smith

16 Oct 2026

MP who claimed $36k housing top-up for non-Wellingtonians running in a Wellington electorate

Joel MacManus

15 Oct 2026

Latest video

A black-and-white cut-out image of Robbie Nicol holding a book titled "The Book of History".

What is the Waitangi Tribunal?

Now You Know

16 Oct 2026

A black-and-white cut-out image of Robbie Nicol, appearing to emerge from a black hole.

National wants us all to stop fighting about fiscal holes

Now You Know

14 Oct 2026

A brown background with a big blue star. In front of both is a black-and-white cut-out of Robbie Nicol next to a television on a stand. On the TV are three headlines.

NZ one of nine OECD countries with 0% lobbyist regulation

Now You Know

14 Oct 2026

A cut-out black-and-white image of Lyric Waiwiri-Smith holding the Electoral Amendment Act 2025, with Robbie Nicol in the background pointing at us.

How is this election different from last time?

Now You Know

12 Oct 2026

A cut-out black-and-white image of Robbie Nicol and a small plastic bag of cocaine.

NZ's cocaine use has nearly tripled since 2017

Now You Know

08 Oct 2026

Our writers

Toby Manhire

Politics

Culture

Sport

Articles by author

Winston Peters still wants to be the prime minister

Toby Manhire

16 Oct 2026

Andrew Campbell on Jacinda Ardern, the media and the snap election that wasn’t

Toby Manhire

13 Oct 2026

More articles by author

Liam Rātana

Ātea

Politics

Sport

Articles by author

Rugby League World Cup 2026: Why I’ll be watching every Kiwis game for my dad

Liam Rātana

15 Oct 2026

The battle for Te Tai Tonga: Four candidates, one enormous electorate

Liam Rātana

08 Oct 2026

More articles by author

Lyric Waiwiri-Smith

Politics

Ātea

Culture

Articles by author

When gangs are in the picture, all you get are pot shots

Lyric Waiwiri-Smith

16 Oct 2026

Election 2026: How the second leaders' debate unfolded

Lyric Waiwiri-Smith

14 Oct 2026

More articles by author

Alex Casey

TV & Film

Culture

Society

Articles by author

Review: Big Girls Don’t Cry captures the endless ache of adolescence

Alex Casey

09 Oct 2026

Buyer beware: New pineapple Fruju found cosplaying as grapefruit

Alex Casey

21 Sep 2026

More articles by author

Tara Ward

TV & Film

Politics

Society

Articles by author

Who deserves a seat at the Celebrity Traitors NZ round table?

Tara Ward

16 Oct 2026

‘What’s the MAFS guy doing here?’ John Aiken on following in Nigel Latta’s footsteps

Tara Ward

14 Oct 2026

More articles by author

Hayden Donnell

Politics

Society

Articles by author

Breaking: Wayne Brown finally had a beer with Chris Bishop

Hayden Donnell

14 Oct 2026

Walking with Winston: The NZ First leader takes his campaign to the streets (and malls) of the North Shore

Hayden Donnell

07 Oct 2026

More articles by author

Henry Oliver

Politics

Business

Music

Articles by author

A 'ghost' train and a failed safety system: How the Wellington train crash happened

Henry Oliver

16 Oct 2026

The second leaders’ debate: ‘No fresh ideas and very little fresh information’

Henry Oliver

15 Oct 2026

More articles by author

Madeleine Chapman

Politics

Culture

Sport

Articles by author

Opinion

Rage against the machine: I refuse to join any supermarket rewards programmes

Madeleine Chapman

11 Aug 2026

NZ’s retirement village population is almost entirely white. Where is everyone else?

Madeleine Chapman

10 Aug 2026

More articles by author

Claire Mabey

Books

Culture

Articles by author

How one man's passion for rugby league is getting kids into reading

Claire Mabey

17 Oct 2026

Meet the tiny indie publisher behind the New Zealand novel of the year

Claire Mabey

03 Oct 2026

More articles by author

Alice Neville

Politics

Kai

Articles by author

Election 2026: Here's how the first leaders' debate unfolded

Alice Neville

06 Oct 2026

Government officials think scrapping the BSA is a really bad idea

Alice Neville

24 Sep 2026

More articles by author

Calum Henderson

Culture

Sport

Articles by author

Sky Sport’s Betcha ad shocker – what actually happened?

Calum Henderson

10 Sep 2026

How to keep watching football now the World Cup is over

Calum Henderson

21 Jul 2026

More articles by author

Veronica Schmidt

Politics

Culture

Articles by author

Opinion

Luxon flubs minimum wage fact and other depressing takeaways from the leaders' debate

Veronica Schmidt

15 Oct 2026

The reason Jack Tame kept saying 'to the waaaall' during the TVNZ leaders' debate

Veronica Schmidt

07 Oct 2026

More articles by author

Chris Schulz

Society

Music

Business

Articles by author

Olivia Dean's big night did not go to plan

Chris Schulz

18 Oct 2026

We did yoga with New Lynn’s 93-year-old instructor

Chris Schulz

17 Oct 2026

More articles by author

Joel MacManus

Politics

Business

Kai

Articles by author

Not so much fun now: Home loan company warned over billboards posing as election ads

Joel MacManus

16 Oct 2026

MP who claimed $36k housing top-up for non-Wellingtonians running in a Wellington electorate

Joel MacManus

15 Oct 2026

More articles by author

Emma Gleason

Culture

Business

Kai

Articles by author

The plain hummus of New Zealand supermarkets, ranked from worst to best

Emma Gleason

16 Oct 2026

What does an ideal night out in Auckland look like?

Emma Gleason

14 Oct 2026

More articles by author

Olivia Dean's big night did not go to plan

Bledisloe Cup: Unpacking Australia's tumble from rugby greatness

Bledisloe Cup: Unpacking Australia's tumble from rugby greatness

Chewed up and spat out: The tainted afterlife of a buzzword

Chewed up and spat out: The tainted afterlife of a buzzword

Love, actually, at 46: 'Our difference in earnings makes me pretty frustrated'

Love, actually, at 46: 'Our difference in earnings makes me pretty frustrated'

What does an ideal night out in Auckland look like?

What does an ideal night out in Auckland look like?

We did yoga with New Lynn’s 93-year-old instructor

We did yoga with New Lynn’s 93-year-old instructor

Popular

Love, actually, at 46: 'Our difference in earnings makes me pretty frustrated'

Not so much fun now: Home loan company warned over billboards posing as election ads

The mysterious launch of NZ-made Dr Pepper

We did yoga with New Lynn’s 93-year-old instructor

30,000 people in Wellington region fail to pay first Tiaki Wai water bill

The mysterious launch of NZ-made Dr Pepper

How one man's passion for rugby league is getting kids into reading

Where to eat in Morningside and Kingsland – an insider's guide

Not so much fun now: Home loan company warned over billboards posing as election ads

The Unity Books bestseller chart for the week ending October 16

Who deserves a seat at the Celebrity Traitors NZ round table?

Latest podcasts

Gone By Lunchtime: We are all covered in ash and yearning for the ocean

Winston Peters on a life in politics – and the moment that ‘cost me psychologically’

Jacinda Ardern's media man on five seismic years

‘Looming disaster’: Andrew Geddis answers your questions on enrolment and voting

How do you make this election funny?

Winston Peters still wants to be the prime minister

When gangs are in the picture, all you get are pot shots

MP who claimed $36k housing top-up for non-Wellingtonians running in a Wellington electorate

Silver Scrolls: Why does Paul Goldsmith keep turning up to these things?

‘What’s the MAFS guy doing here?’ John Aiken on following in Nigel Latta’s footsteps

Andrew Campbell on Jacinda Ardern, the media and the snap election that wasn’t

A 'ghost' train and a failed safety system: How the Wellington train crash happened

Help Me Hera: What do I do with all this political rage?

Love, actually, at 34: A long distance queer relationship with 'horny but patient' sex

The plain hummus of New Zealand supermarkets, ranked from worst to best

New and approved: Zaitoon, Auckland

Pak’nSave admits its AI-generated KFC recipe was wrong

Labour loyalty runs deep in Ikaroa-Rāwhiti, new poll shows

Winston Peters, charisma and the Māori test of character

The battle for Te Tai Tonga: Four candidates, one enormous electorate

We asked disrupted businesses if the City Rail Link has been worth the wait

Welcome to The Spinoff’s brand spanking new website

Kiwibank is desperately trying to stop people saying they want to fuck its sheep mascot

Rugby League World Cup 2026: Why I’ll be watching every Kiwis game for my dad

The Warriors just had their greatest Dally M night ever. So can they finally win the NRL?

Warriors fans, we lost fair and square. Stop blaming the refs

Latest video

What is the Waitangi Tribunal?

National wants us all to stop fighting about fiscal holes

NZ one of nine OECD countries with 0% lobbyist regulation

How is this election different from last time?

NZ's cocaine use has nearly tripled since 2017

Our writers

Toby Manhire

Articles by author

Winston Peters still wants to be the prime minister

Andrew Campbell on Jacinda Ardern, the media and the snap election that wasn’t

Liam Rātana

Articles by author

Rugby League World Cup 2026: Why I’ll be watching every Kiwis game for my dad

The battle for Te Tai Tonga: Four candidates, one enormous electorate

Lyric Waiwiri-Smith

Articles by author

When gangs are in the picture, all you get are pot shots

Election 2026: How the second leaders' debate unfolded

Alex Casey

Articles by author

Review: Big Girls Don’t Cry captures the endless ache of adolescence

Buyer beware: New pineapple Fruju found cosplaying as grapefruit

Tara Ward

Articles by author

Who deserves a seat at the Celebrity Traitors NZ round table?

‘What’s the MAFS guy doing here?’ John Aiken on following in Nigel Latta’s footsteps

Hayden Donnell

Articles by author

Breaking: Wayne Brown finally had a beer with Chris Bishop