The Spinoff

2026 election candidates

What’s your local? Where (and what) election candidates like to eat in their electorate

From boat clubs and beef phở to turmeric lattes and meatballs, nine candidates from six parties shout out their favourites, from Whangārei to Invercargill.

Tony Abbott eating an onion

Democracy idea: An independent unit for enforcing breaches of bottom lines

Digital exclusion concept image showing a smartphone and a padlock

‘Constantly seeking access': The young people locked out of a connected world

Tony Abbott eating an onion

Democracy idea: An independent unit for enforcing breaches of bottom lines

Digital exclusion concept image showing a smartphone and a padlock

‘Constantly seeking access': The young people locked out of a connected world

The cost of being: A 70-year-old who can't afford to retire yet

The Cost of Being

The cost of being_2250x1350 - 1

The cost of being: A 70-year-old who can't afford to retire yet

The Cost of Being

Hūhana Lyndon leads tight contest for Te Tai Tokerau

Te Ao Māori News

Portrait of Huhana Lyndon wearing glasses and a floral top, set against an orange polygon on a light blue dotted background with "Election 2026" graphics.

Hūhana Lyndon leads tight contest for Te Tai Tokerau

Te Ao Māori News

Kiwibank's response to the fuck Buck movement may have made things worse

Buck, Kiwibank's green-haired sheep mascot, looks worried in a video about the recent attention she has got online.

Kiwibank's response to the fuck Buck movement may have made things worse

‘Overwhelming’: Ali Mau on the Tika story, so far

Ali May speaking on the At Large podcast.

‘Overwhelming’: Ali Mau on the Tika story, so far

A social media video widens the fallout from the Greens and Te Pāti Māori visit to the Mongrel Mob

Henry (2250 x 1350 px) - 3

A social media video widens the fallout from the Greens and Te Pāti Māori visit to the Mongrel Mob

Qiulae Wong, the radical moderate

Quilae Wong, a 38-year-old woman with long brown hair is smiling at Iain Lees-Galloway, a man with white hair and a white beard.

Qiulae Wong, the radical moderate

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‘Overwhelming’: Ali Mau on the Tika story, so far

Kiwibank's response to the fuck Buck movement may have made things worse

‘I loved this story’: Alice Oseman on saying goodbye to Heartstopper

New to Streaming: What to watch on Netflix NZ, Neon and more this week

Olivia Dean's big night did not go to plan

Alice Oseman author of Heartstopper

‘I loved this story’: Alice Oseman on saying goodbye to Heartstopper

New to streaming 2250x1350 - 1

New to Streaming: What to watch on Netflix NZ, Neon and more this week

One MP, One Pint? (2250 x 1350 px) - One Candidate_Paul

One Candidate, One Pint: Kayla Kingdon-Bebb on Opportunity as a 'lightning rod' for conspiracies

Lyric Waiwiri-Smith

Black and white portrait of Tainui Stephens smiling, set against a turquoise geometric shape and a swirling teal and blue background.

Why we should all experience sleeping in a marae

Tainui Stephens

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The last week before voting starts: Act on GPs, Labour on screens, NZ First on rail, National on the right to silence

Economic charts superimposed over a view of Queenstown

The business and innovation policies of Election 2026, explained

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Latest podcasts

Ali Mau on Tika, and the experiences that built it

Ali Mau on Tika, and the experiences that built it

Toby Manhire speaks to Ali Mau about Tika, a pioneering new online service for survivors of sexual harm, and the experiences that lead her to this point.

At Large with Toby Manhire19 Oct 2026

GONE BY LUNCHTIME - Youtube 16:9

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

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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

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

‘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

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.

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

Lyric Waiwiri-Smith

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

Latest video

An abstract background. On top is a black-and-white cut-out image of Lyric Waiwiri-Smith holding a finger up to Robbie Nicol.

What is a party list?

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

What is the Waitangi Tribunal?

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

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

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?

Our writers

Claire Mabey

Claire Mabey

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A social media video widens the fallout from the Greens and Te Pāti Māori visit to the Mongrel Mob

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Hayden Donnell

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Kiwibank's response to the fuck Buck movement may have made things worse

Qiulae Wong, the radical moderate

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Alice Neville

Alice Neville

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Chris Schulz

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Olivia Dean's big night did not go to plan

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Lyric Waiwiri-Smith

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One Candidate, One Pint: Kayla Kingdon-Bebb on Opportunity as a 'lightning rod' for conspiracies

Lyric Waiwiri-Smith

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

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Liam Rātana

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Joel MacManus

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The business and innovation policies of Election 2026, explained

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

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

Veronica Schmidt

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Toby Manhire

Toby Manhire

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Democracy idea: An independent unit for enforcing breaches of bottom lines

‘Overwhelming’: Ali Mau on the Tika story, so far

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Emma Gleason

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What’s your local? Where (and what) election candidates like to eat in their electorate

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Tara Ward

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Madeleine Chapman

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

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

Madeleine Chapman

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Alex Casey

Alex Casey

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

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