spinofflive

Shanti Mathias

Contributing writer

Shanti is a contributing writer at The Spinoff with a focus on Christchurch and the South Island. Email her at shanti@thespinoff.co.nz

Image: Shanti Mathias/The Spinoff

What has Christchurch done right to get so many people on bikes?

Yes, it's flat, but there's another crucial reason why so many Christchurch residents ride.

By Shanti Mathias | 26th March, 2025

Contributing writer

From dried sage to coveted olive oil and ceramics, Bayyāra supplies a range of Palestinian specialities. (Images: supplied, additional design by The Spinoff)

How (and why) to start a Palestinian boutique

Step one: find suppliers. Step two: get your shipment out of the West Bank.

By Shanti Mathias | 17th March, 2025

Contributing writer

Tonight (Friday March 14), approx 7.30-8pm (NZT): if you miss it, you’ll be filled with regret. (Image: The Spinoff)

Urgent PSA: there is a lunar eclipse tonight

Where, when and how to admire this evening’s celestial event.

By Shanti Mathias | 14th March, 2025

Contributing writer

The most energetic choir performance these reviewers had ever seen (Image: Leonardo Hiraga)

With the Soweto Gospel Choir, the dancing just keeps going

Notes from a sweaty, ecstatic night at the Auckland Arts Festival.

By Shanti Mathias

Contributing writer

& Gabi Lardies | 14th March, 2025

Professional trappers do gruelling work, and find great views. (Image: supplied/Tina Tiller)

Getting rid of predators is one thing. Keeping them gone is another

On the frontlines of invasive species control, serious questions about funding and scalability linger.

By Shanti Mathias | 11th March, 2025

Contributing writer

Dancing and music are a strength of the play, just like the title promises (Image: Andi Crown)

A Mixtape for Maladies review: Dancing, love, and the Sri Lankan civil war

Can the songs we listen to tell us stories about our lives?

By Shanti Mathias | 10th March, 2025

Contributing writer

For further investment in the national grid, everyone will have to pay more (Image: The Spinoff)

Why power prices are rising – and what power companies could do to help

Power bills will increase an average of $10 per household per month from April 1. What do these changes mean for people who are already struggling?

By Shanti Mathias | 10th March, 2025

Contributing writer

New Zealand has sent over $100m. The US has sent over $100bn. (Image: The Spinoff)

New Zealand’s contribution to Ukraine – by the numbers

Three years after Russia invaded, what has New Zealand done to help?

By Shanti Mathias | 4th March, 2025

Contributing writer

When someone purporting to be IRD calls, would you pick up the phone?

IRD is learning the hard way what scams have done to trust

Would you be suspicious if you received an unexpected call from the taxman?

By Shanti Mathias | 3rd March, 2025

Contributing writer

Winston Peters’ China trip coincides with China being in the New Zealand news for other reasons. (Image: Australian Defence Force, Getty Images)

The tense backdrop to Winston Peters’ trip to Beijing, explained

As China flexes its muscles in the Tasman Sea, New Zealand's foreign minister is set to sit down with his counterpart in the Chinese capital.

By Shanti Mathias | 26th February, 2025

Contributing writer