Joel MacManus | The Spinoff

Joel MacManus

Politics

Business

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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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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

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

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

National Party MPs holding up a sign while diving near some rocks.

Why fisheries policy is such a hot issue this election

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Election 2026: Here's how the multi-party leaders’ debate unfolded

Why does National keep reannouncing the same road?

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Chlöe Swarbrick with former Auckland mayors Phil Goff and Len Brown at the opening of the City Rail Link (Photo: Phil Walter/Getty)

Chlöe Swarbrick and the weight of expectations

two middle aged white men in running gear, with their faces photoshopped to be the prime ministers of NZ and Australia. A tech-looking board is in the background

New Zealand is falling behind on tech regulations

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Field notes from National and Labour’s campaign launches

A collage of a hand holding a green key, overlapping a small storefront with yellow trim, set against a hallway with closed metal shutters.

New Zealand city centres have an empty shop problem. Do the Greens have the answer?

A yellow PAK’nSAVE supermarket building with several parked cars in front, taken during early evening with streetlights on.

Everyone wants to break up the supermarkets. How would it actually work?