The Spinoff

A clip of the parliament visualisation by Chris McDowall and Tim Denee

A visual history of the NZ parliament – 2026 edition

The pattern of our political mix has changed dramatically.

Chris Luxon and Chris Hipkins on election night

The entrances of election night, ranked

A steak sandwich on baguette.

New and approved: Cafe Saints, Auckland

Chris Luxon and Chris Hipkins on election night

The entrances of election night, ranked

A steak sandwich on baguette.

New and approved: Cafe Saints, Auckland

RNZ’s $11.8m deficit: ‘Error after error after error’

cal pix (2250 x 1350 px) - 2

RNZ’s $11.8m deficit: ‘Error after error after error’

Meet the nine new Māori MPs entering parliament

Black-and-white portraits of nine incoming Māori MPs arranged in an overlapping collage against a textured red background with a bold yellow geometric shape.

Meet the nine new Māori MPs entering parliament

How the different parties are positioning themselves for coalition negotiations

Lyric Waiwiri-Smith

imageT - Politics

How the different parties are positioning themselves for coalition negotiations

Lyric Waiwiri-Smith

‘She would have been, like, are you insane?’ Qiulae Wong on her new job

Qiulae Wong and her caucus on the steps of parliament.

‘She would have been, like, are you insane?’ Qiulae Wong on her new job

RNZ’s Lisa Owen takes to RNZ’s chair over $12m budget blowout

Veronica Schmidt

cal pix (2250 x 1350 px) - 1

RNZ’s Lisa Owen takes to RNZ’s chair over $12m budget blowout

Veronica Schmidt

Seven burning questions about the election and negotiations, answered

Lyric Waiwiri-Smith

Uploaded Image

Seven burning questions about the election and negotiations, answered

Lyric Waiwiri-Smith

Popular

The winners, losers, big losers and gigantic losers from the 2026 NZ election

A better visual breakdown of the 2026 election results

Stephen Beban & Peter Scriven

Election 2026: All the most statesmanlike and skux fashion wins last night

2026 NZ election results: Interactive maps

Stephen Beban & Peter Scriven

Who won the 2026 election?

The cost of being_2250x1350 - 1

The cost of being: A screen industry worker who 'refuses to pay for crap'

The Cost of Being

New to streaming 2250x1350 - 1

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

Uploaded Image

If a tapa cloth lives in a museum is it a ghost in a drawer?

Doron Riki-Semu

A man standing in the House of Parliament

Seriously, 131 MPs? There literally aren't enough seats for them in parliament

Henry (2250 x 1350 px) - 9

What just happened? What will happen?

a montage of black and white images of various politicians, members of the public and a sheep

The winners, losers, big losers and gigantic losers from the 2026 NZ election

Mad's new images - what we know and don't know election

What we know and don't know as we wait for the final election results

Winston Peters, an older man with grey hair and a dark suit, stands at a wooden podium underneath blue, yellow and white balloons.

Winston Peters, the kingmaker dethroned

Subscribe to The Spinoff to stay updated on all things

View our newsletters

Latest podcasts

AL - Cover images - 17

‘She would have been: are you insane?’ Qiulae Wong on her new job

Toby Manhire speaks to the Opportunity Party leader about making political history, what she was doing during the last election and whether or not she’s heard from Christopher Luxon.

At Large with Toby Manhire09 Nov 2026

GONE BY LUNCHTIME - Youtube 16:9

Gone By Lunchtime: Making sense of the 2026 election

It's the morning after the night before. Toby, Ben and Annabelle return, bleary-eyed, to the studio to digest what just happened.

Gone By Lunchtime08 Nov 2026

GONE BY LUNCHTIME - Youtube 16:9

Gone By Lunchtime: Final polls, pervy trolls, and our predictions

Annabelle, Ben and Toby gather one last time before the polls close on election 2026 to assess the final flurry of campaign action and deliver their 100% correct predictions about the results on Saturday night.

Gone By Lunchtime06 Nov 2026

AL - Cover images - 16

Election 2026! The last-gasp hot-take shootout

Toby Manhire is joined by the Spinoff’s best and brightest for a special pre-election roundtable to recap the good, the bad and the ugly of the campaign so far.

At Large with Toby Manhire04 Nov 2026

Can we really trust the polls?

Can we really trust the polls?

Toby Manhire speaks to Murray Campbell of Research Association NZ about the methods behind political polls in Aotearoa, how fairly the media represents those polls and why Curia withdrew from the pollsters’ association.

At Large with Toby Manhire03 Nov 2026

Where did our team spend the 2026 election night?

The hangover: Key takeaways and reactions from Election 2026

Ten things to read about the election

Where did our team spend the 2026 election night?

The Spinoff's journalists were at the party's parties, watching the results come in... and stealing crayfish.

The hangover: Key takeaways and reactions from Election 2026

Madeleine Chapman

Ten things to read about the election

Partner stories

Collage of photos showing Mr Morris restaurant, Helen Emett and Tracy Grant Lord

Where to go for cheap eats in Auckland central – and where to splurge

Uploaded Image

Find a way to make it work: Why Aotearoa needs engineering consultants

Shane Liu at Chom Na Thai Food.

Nocturnalists: Shane Liu on finding balance and doing business after dark

Uploaded Image

An overworked freelancer asks: Could the right tech setup increase my income?

Jack Young at his Auckland bar No. 7

Nocturnalists: Jack Young knows how to have a good time in Auckland

Digital exclusion concept image showing a smartphone and a padlock

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

A cut-out illustration of an older car on the road

Where I went wrong buying my secondhand car

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

What does an ideal night out in Auckland look like?

Uploaded Image

A frazzled dad asks: Could a smart home save my sanity?

Sophie Gilmour

Nocturnalists: Sophie Gilmour has a genius tip for a great night out

Latest video

Black-and-white cut-out image of Christopher Luxon, Winston Peters and David Seymour on an abstract orange background.

The election’s over; what will happen next?

On an abstract orange background. Cut-out black-and-white images of Christopher Luxon, Qiulae Wong and Chris Hipkins.

Who won the NZ election?

A cut-out black-and-white image of Robbie Nicol on an abstract orange background. He is holding a graph of an average of the last four published polls.

How accurate are NZ's polls?

A black-and-white cut-out image of Lyric Waiwiri-Smith and Robbie Nicol shaking hands on an abstract orange and blue background.

How do parties form a government?

A black-and-white cut-out image of Robbie Nicol, next to a diagram of New Zealand parliament with extra some blue seats added.

What is the overhang, and why is it so important this election?

Our writers

Alice Neville

Alice Neville

Politics

Kai

Articles by author

The most popular names among political wannabes

Conflicting official advice on ‘time off to vote’ raises concerns

More articles by author

Joel MacManus

Joel MacManus

Politics

Business

Kai

Articles by author

'Shit, we did it!': Inside Opportunity's history-making night

Willis vs Wong: The moment the Q+A People’s Debate came alive

More articles by author

Madeleine Chapman

Madeleine Chapman

Politics

Culture

Sport

Articles by author

The hangover: Key takeaways and reactions from Election 2026

Madeleine Chapman

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

Madeleine Chapman

More articles by author

Chris Schulz

Chris Schulz

Society

Music

Business

Articles by author

Why do 0% beer fans keep getting asked for ID?

Teeks has made an album so hot it hurts

More articles by author

Claire Mabey

Claire Mabey

Books

Culture

Articles by author

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

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

More articles by author

Henry Oliver

Henry Oliver

Politics

Business

Music

Articles by author

RNZ’s $11.8m deficit: ‘Error after error after error’

What just happened? What will happen?

More articles by author

Liam Rātana

Liam Rātana

Ātea

Politics

Sport

Articles by author

Meet the nine new Māori MPs entering parliament

Te Pāti Māori holds five seats despite turmoil, as Greens surge

More articles by author

Alex Casey

Alex Casey

TV & Film

Culture

Society

Articles by author

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

Buyer beware: New pineapple Fruju found cosplaying as grapefruit

More articles by author

Emma Gleason

Emma Gleason

Culture

Business

Kai

Articles by author

New and approved: Cafe Saints, Auckland

Election 2026: All the most statesmanlike and skux fashion wins last night

More articles by author

Lyric Waiwiri-Smith

Lyric Waiwiri-Smith

Politics

Ātea

Culture

Articles by author

How the different parties are positioning themselves for coalition negotiations

Lyric Waiwiri-Smith

Seven burning questions about the election and negotiations, answered

Lyric Waiwiri-Smith

More articles by author

Toby Manhire

Toby Manhire

Politics

Culture

Sport

Articles by author

A visual history of the NZ parliament – 2026 edition

‘She would have been, like, are you insane?’ Qiulae Wong on her new job

More articles by author

Uploaded Image

Veronica Schmidt

Politics

Culture

Articles by author

RNZ’s Lisa Owen takes to RNZ’s chair over $12m budget blowout

Veronica Schmidt

Tomorrow is election day. We'll have rolling coverage, yes, but also dogs

Veronica Schmidt

More articles by author

Tara Ward

Tara Ward

TV & Film

Politics

Society

Articles by author

The entrances of election night, ranked

All the weird and wonderful things from election night coverage

More articles by author

Hayden Donnell

Hayden Donnell

Politics

Society

Articles by author

The winners, losers, big losers and gigantic losers from the 2026 NZ election

Winston Peters, the kingmaker dethroned

More articles by author