The Spinoff

Politics

Winston Peters still wants to be the prime minister

Toby Manhire meets the great survivor of New Zealand politics.

Toby Manhire

16 Oct 2026

Chris Parker, Poi Eruera & Emma Gleason enjoying Auckland by night

Kai

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

Henry Oliver

16 Oct 2026

Society

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

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

Joel MacManus

15 Oct 2026

Andy Foster speaking at a graduation ceremony in 2019 when he was mayor of Wellington.

Politics

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

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

Hera Lindsay Bird

15 Oct 2026

Society

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

New and approved: Zaitoon, Auckland

Sophie Albornett

15 Oct 2026

A dip covered in various garnishes against a stylised plate and knife background in orange and yellow shades.

Kai

New and approved: Zaitoon, Auckland

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

Liam Rātana

15 Oct 2026

A stylised graphic of New Zealand Kiwis captain Nathan Cayless smiling and lifting the silver Rugby League World Cup trophy, set against a background of an Air New Zealand boarding pass issued to passenger "T. ROPHY".

Sport

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

Liam Rātana

15 Oct 2026

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Winston Peters still wants to be the prime minister

Toby Manhire

16 Oct 2026

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

Joel MacManus

15 Oct 2026

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

Henry Oliver

15 Oct 2026

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

Chris Schulz

15 Oct 2026

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

Veronica Schmidt

15 Oct 2026

Politics

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

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

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

How a near-death NZ experience inspired US writer Ann Patchett’s novel Whistler

Election 2026: How the second leaders' debate unfolded

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

Love actually

14 Oct 2026

Read article

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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

Gone By Lunchtime: Were we watching the same debate?

To the windows, to the wall – our hosts debrief after the first televised debate between the two Chrises.

Gone By Lunchtime07 Oct 2026

The minor party leaders proved they're not just along for the ride, they're in the driver's seat

Breaking: Wayne Brown finally had a beer with Chris Bishop

Minor parties take centre stage

The five minor party leaders debated on TVNZ last night, and with a combined support above 40%, it mattered more than usual.

Henry Oliver

14 Oct 2026

The minor party leaders proved they're not just along for the ride, they're in the driver's seat

Lyric Waiwiri-Smith

14 Oct 2026

Breaking: Wayne Brown finally had a beer with Chris Bishop

Hayden Donnell

14 Oct 2026

Latest video

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

An abstract orange background with cut-out black-and-white images of Chris Hipkins and Christopher Luxon in front, and then Robbie Nicol in front of that.

Chris v Christopher: Round one

Now You Know

07 Oct 2026

Our writers

Tara Ward

TV & Film

Politics

Society

Articles by author

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

Tara Ward

14 Oct 2026

East of Dunedin: The NZ locations behind Netflix's new hit series

Tara Ward

12 Oct 2026

More articles by author

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Chris Schulz

Society

Music

Business

Articles by author

Where I went wrong buying my secondhand car

Chris Schulz

15 Oct 2026

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

Chris Schulz

15 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

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

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

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

Joel MacManus

Politics

Business

Kai

Articles by author

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

Joel MacManus

15 Oct 2026

Why fisheries policy is such a hot issue this election

Joel MacManus

14 Oct 2026

More articles by author

Claire Mabey

Books

Culture

Articles by author

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

Claire Mabey

03 Oct 2026

It’s the year of the horse book

Claire Mabey

12 Sep 2026

More articles by author

Winston Peters still wants to be the prime minister

What does an ideal night out in Auckland look like?

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

What does an ideal night out in Auckland look like?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

New and approved: Zaitoon, Auckland

New and approved: Zaitoon, Auckland

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

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

Popular

Winston Peters still wants to be the prime minister

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

How a near-death NZ experience inspired US writer Ann Patchett’s novel Whistler

Election 2026: How the second leaders' debate unfolded

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

Latest podcasts

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?

Gone By Lunchtime: Were we watching the same debate?

Minor parties take centre stage

The minor party leaders proved they're not just along for the ride, they're in the driver's seat

Breaking: Wayne Brown finally had a beer with Chris Bishop

‘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

The ‘soundtrack of Aotearoa’: Che Fu’s Navigator, 25 years on

The cost of being: A night shift worker on a 'brutal' roster

Love, actually, at 29: 'Her parents absolutely hate me'

'This one's yours': On being raised by a nanny

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

Where to eat in New Plymouth – an insider's guide

Why is New Zealand going loco for froyo?

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

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

Warriors fans, you know how this goes

Latest video

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

Chris v Christopher: Round one

Our writers

Tara Ward

Articles by author

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

East of Dunedin: The NZ locations behind Netflix's new hit series

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

Hayden Donnell

Articles by author

Breaking: Wayne Brown finally had a beer with Chris Bishop

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

Alice Neville

Articles by author

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

Government officials think scrapping the BSA is a really bad idea

Alex Casey