Don Rowe

Contributing writer

Don Rowe (Ngāi Tahu) is a former staff writer at The Spinoff. He was the 2015 Canon Media Awards student journalist of the year and the 2017 junior long form feature writer of the year.

Sports
Mar 18, 2021

'Take me to the ramp': The story of skateboarding legend Lee Ralph

More than 30 years after he tore through the global skating world, people still remember the barefoot New Zealander with the wild red beard.

Read on.

Society
Mar 12, 2021

Tasman deathtrap: the brutal toll of Australia's deportation policy

As the number of New Zealand citizens deported from Australia grows, so too does the death toll. Don Rowe reports on the rising human costs of Australia's immigration reforms. 

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Sports
Mar 4, 2021

The legend of Precious McKenzie

From being rejected by his birth country to winning gold for his adopted home, this is the story of a New Zealand sporting icon.

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Food
Nov 8, 2020

Inside the secretive world of weird flavoured chips

What Big Chip doesn't want you to know.

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The Mind Lab
Oct 21, 2020

How indigenous leadership offers a new way of looking at a changed world

Don Rowe meets the post-graduate students putting tikanga and kaupapa Māori at the centre of learning how to lead. 

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Sports
Sep 27, 2020

Fighting in the age of Covid, Israel Adesanya represents a new New Zealand

Israel Adesanya has fought his way to the top of his sport, and into the hearts and minds of New Zealanders – whether they want him there or not. What’s at stake when he fights this weekend in Abu Dhabi?

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Society
Dec 29, 2019

Ambergris, the whale poo worth more than your car

Dragon tears, meteorites, or just plain shit – ambergris is an olfactory miracle of the deep. Sought after for thousands of years, and worth upwards of $10,000/kg today, ambergris washes up on our beaches all year long.

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Society
Sep 27, 2019

General strike for climate: everything you need to know

The School Strike 4 Climate has been widened to a general nationwide strike. Thousands of New Zealanders are expected to skip work and classes tomorrow. What’s going on, and where?

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Food
Sep 26, 2019

The Spinoff Reviews New Zealand #98: Fergburger

We review the entire country and culture of New Zealand, one thing at a time. Today, Don Rowe eats a Fergburger.

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Society
Sep 25, 2019

Corrections apologises after epileptic inmate left in faeces overnight

An investigation has been launched after an epileptic inmate was left in a soiled cell following a seizure over the weekend.

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Local Elections
Sep 23, 2019

Race briefing: Queenstown, jewel of New Zealand Incorporated

In our latest local elections 2019 race briefing (read the rest here), Don Rowe looks at the two horse race to control the tourism capital of New Zealand.

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Local Elections
Sep 20, 2019

Queenstown’s benevolent dictator prepares for battle

Freedom camping, public transport and affordable housing are challenges Queenstown's Mayor Jim Boult says he’s uniquely poised to solve – if only people would do what they’re told. 

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Society
Sep 12, 2019

Cheat Sheet: New Zealand history to be compulsory in schools

Finally, New Zealand history will become a compulsory school subject. So what's so good about that?

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Ātea
Sep 12, 2019

Comedian Jim Gaffigan peddles Moriori myth in US television special

The myth that Māori wiped out the Moriori people is the punchline of a new Jim Gaffigan joke. 

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Television
Sep 10, 2019

What I learned about love and masculinity from Kath and Kim

In these days of alienation, singletons need all the help they can get. But who is doing love right? Only the hottest couple in Fountain Lakes.

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Health Not Handcuffs
Sep 7, 2019

Rebuilding from the rubble of the failed war on drugs

After more than 40 years the war on drugs has had brutal consequences for justice in New Zealand. The movement to end the war is gathering momentum. 

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Society
Sep 3, 2019

Helen Clark: New Zealand needs legal weed

Former prime minister Helen Clark has called for New Zealanders to vote yes when they hit the booth in next year’s cannabis referendum.  

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Volvo
Sep 3, 2019

The invention that’s saved one million lives

Sixty years ago Volvo invented the modern seatbelt then gave it away free to the world. Now, to celebrate that anniversary, they’re doing it again – this time with millions of dollars of hardwon safety research.  

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Ātea
Aug 31, 2019

Inside the bitter feud dividing rugby league in Northland

TaiTokerau Rugby League is a breakaway competition aiming to bring power back to the people in the Far North. But under the lead of CEO Hone Harawira, it's not without its critics. Don Rowe reports.

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Science
Aug 30, 2019

Cheat sheet: NZ might have just lost herd immunity to measles. Now what?

New Zealand has lost herd immunity to the measles disease. What is it, and why does that matter?

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Ātea
Aug 28, 2019

1000 words: Pania Newton at Ihumātao

1000 Words is a Spinoff series talking to the photographers behind our most iconic political images. In this instalment, photographer Chris McKeen describes shooting Pania Newton at Ihumātao. 

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Science
Aug 16, 2019

Weed is going out of fashion and Māori kids are leading the way

Research shows young New Zealanders are stubbing out cannabis – and Māori more than most.

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Politics
Aug 7, 2019

The ‘most significant drug reform in 40 years’ is about to become law

A 'health based' approach to drug enforcement has been written into law after the passage of the Misuse of Drugs Act Amendment Bill.

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Media
Aug 5, 2019

How Christchurch became a ‘high score’ for the El Paso shooter to aspire to

The terrorist who killed 20 people in El Paso over the weekend claimed direct inspiration from the Christchurch mosque shootings. Don Rowe explores how our darkest day became an aspirational target for the far right.  

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Media
Aug 1, 2019

Cheat Sheet: Peter Ellis case heads to Supreme Court

Peter Ellis will finally have his appeal against decades-old child sex abuse convictions heard in the Supreme Court.

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Science
Jul 26, 2019

Family First rebuked for ‘non-fact based activity’ over cannabis psychosis claims

Otago scientists say the lobby group has misrepresented the research.

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