Joel MacManus | The Spinoff

Joel MacManus

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Joel MacManus is a senior writer for The Spinoff. He previously worked at RNZ and Stuff, and began his career at Critic Te Ārohi. His writing explores the political, economic and cultural systems that underpin modern New Zealand. He won the 2025 Voyager Media Award for Best Columnist, Opinion or Critique.

Joel MacManus

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

Nicola Willis and Qiulae Wong face off at the Q + A People's Debate.

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

Qiulae Wong at the finish line of the 11km Traverse Auckland Marathon. (Photo by Dean Purcell/Getty Images/The Spinoff)

Qiulae Wong’s fun run bib and other enormous scandals from Election 2026

Qiulae Wong and Winston Peters could be the kingmakers after the November 7 election.

How long will coalition negotiations take?

Hūhana Lyndon and Chris Bishop with popcorn boxes in front of a map of New Zealand electorates.

Every electorate race in Election 2026, ranked from least interesting to most interesting

David Seymour and Paul Goldsmith against a yellow and pink background.

Paul Goldsmith says he wants to win Epsom, but he doesn’t seem to be trying very hard

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A black and white image of a smiling man wearing a suit against a background of calendar dates, a geometric green shape and yellow starbursts. In the top right corner is a black sticker with the words Election 2026.

What is Winston Peters' dream date?

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The Stuff leaders' debate had two losers: Christopher Luxon and Ryan Bridge

High angle view of coastal industrial area with a tall chimney, storage tanks, and a harbor at sunset,New Plymouth,New Zealand

The government’s controversial plan to build an LNG terminal in Taranaki, explained

Economic charts superimposed over a view of Queenstown

The business and innovation policies of Election 2026, explained

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