Politics Archive
The Brexit deal is dead, but Theresa May survives. So what happens now?
With the PM's withdrawal agreement shot down, but Britain still set to leave the EU on March 29, a new course of action is needed – and fast.
Keith Locke: Spy chief’s apology to me reveals scandalous truth about the SIS
Former MP Keith Locke reveals that has received an official apology from the SIS after an internal document labelled him 'a threat'.
Fight the power! The technology giving consumers control of their electricity
For a very long time the electricity market has been dominated by providers. The Spinoff spoke to a company shifting the balance towards the consumer.
What you see when it’s your job to open a woman MP’s Facebook messages
I’ve worked at parliament for three different MPs over five years. For the first time, I'm now working for a woman MP, and the kind of messages sent to her online are shocking.
‘I’m completely squeaky clean’: an interview with Matthew Hooton
Toby Manhire meets one of the most fascinating – and polarising – characters in NZ politics
Where politicians victimise their own citizens: a dispatch from the US shutdown
The US federal government shutdown is a case of political and economic vandalism, committed by politicians against the people who elected them, writes Alex Braae from the USA.
Summer reissue: Why Jacinda Ardern’s five days at Waitangi are such a big deal
The PM's approach to Waitangi commemorations offered the chance to break from the bad old days under PMs of both parties
Summer reissue: Festival season, where dodgy drugs thrive thanks to a dumb law
Why drug laws need to change to help people find out what is in the substances they plan to consume, and avoid causing themselves enormous harm.
Summer reissue: Nicky Hager on the Jami-Lee Ross saga and Dirty Politics 2.0
The Jami-Lee Ross saga offered a stark reminder that our politics remain at risk from the poison of dirty politics.
2019 in politics: 16 wild political predictions
Our experts think outside the proverbial box and serve up one leftfield prediction for the year to come in politics
Summer reissue: The Winston enigma – the story of NZ’s most enduring politician
This year Winston Peters finally took the reins of power, albeit only for six weeks of maternity cover. We survey a truly extraordinary career
2019 in politics: What will the big issues be?
Our experts cast their minds ahead to the sweeping politiscapes of 2019.
Summer reissue: Join me in the exorcism of would-be-Key Simon Bridges
The National leader faced criticisms for trying and failing to parrot John Key. Hayden Donnell had a solution
Grading the government’s first year for children in poverty
The Child Poverty Action Group assesses the government's impact on the lives of the most deprived children after its first full year.
Summer reissue: The wildest takes on those incredible Clarke Gayford rumours
The bombshell story about a story that wasn’t a story sent shockwaves through the New Zealand reckons machine.
Summer reissue: Kindness & kaitiakitanga – watch/read Jacinda Ardern’s US address
The PM's speech called for kindness over fear, accountability, and collectivism on inequality and climate change.
Summer reissue: Jami-Lee Ross and an unprecedented political betrayal
The Jami-Lee Ross saga was unique in New Zealand's political history. Danyl Mclauchlan explains why.
Summer reissue: Relive Spinoff rolling coverage of Jacinda Ardern having a baby
There was only one way to follow the leadup, and that was our liveblog, which became a minor global sensation.
Summer reissue: ‘No room for doubt I can do this’. The Spinoff meets Jacinda Ardern
In the first days of 2018, as she embarked on a critical year for her newly formed government, Jacinda Ardern hosted Spinoff editor Toby Manhire at her Auckland home.
2018 in politics: The year in a sentence
Continuing our review of the year in politics, our firmament of experts offer the definitive summary of 2018 in just one sentence. For more of the political year in review –and …
2018 in politics: who were the champs and the flops?
To kick off our review of the year in politics, we asked our experts to pick the best and worst performers.
How the NZ state enabled oppressive and systematic Stasi-like surveillance
It seems no one was safe from being spied on if they disagreed with government policy, and this should be a Watergate moment, writes Greenpeace's Russel Norman
Rottweiler Guyon Espiner turns into a cuddly puppy, praises politicians
Espiner reviews the year, and lays out the challenges for the parties in 2019
Andrew Little gives Google a serve over Grace Millane suppression breach
The justice minister says he’s cautiously satisfied by assurances from the internet giant after they sent representatives to his parliamentary office yesterday in the wake of Spinoff revelations
