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Featured

There is a moral conundrum in being both the coloniser and the colonised. (Design: The Spinoff).

Both coloniser and colonised: reckoning with my family history

Tracing my Pākehā whakapapa uncovered soldiers, settlers and uncomfortable truths.
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By Liam Rātana | 17th January, 2026
Ātea editor
Really, really, ridiculously good looking glasses.

Petrol station sunglasses, ranked

Forget luxury logos and ultra-niche archival frames, the biggest flex this summer is swaggering around in a pair of sunnies from the servo.
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By Emma Gleason | 17th January, 2026
Contributing writer
Scott Robertson, Christopher Luxon and Chris Penk.

The winners and losers from the first week back after the summer shutdown

Chris Penk and Christopher Luxon's Spotify playlist are struggling through the opening of 2026, while horny kākāpo are winning.
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By Joel MacManus | 16th January, 2026
Senior writer
How to actually stay off your phone in 2026

How to actually stay off your phone in 2026

What works and what doesn’t, according to one recovering phone addict.
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By Alex Casey | 16th January, 2026
Senior writer
Reserve Bank governor Anna Breman (left) and foreign minister Winston Peters (right)

Winston Peters vs the Reserve Bank

How a Trumpian beef about interest rates spilled over to New Zealand.
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By Joel MacManus | 16th January, 2026
Senior writer
Plan Change 120 will allow taller buildings across Auckland.

The housing reform that will reshape Auckland: Plan Change 120, explained

Auckland is making a major change to its planning rules which could enable millions of new homes.
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By Joel MacManus | 15th January, 2026
Senior writer
Ralph Hogan was looking for a way to resurrect his back into the advertising career and Weet-Bix was it

He’s the man behind the Weet-Bix kids ad – this is his take on the Aussie vs Kiwi versions

The ad man behind the iconic 80s commercial reveals how he came up with the campaign, and why he was surprised when it jumped the ditch.
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By Dylan Reeve | 14th January, 2026
Contributing writer
Hackers hit Manage My Health over the holidays.

Everything you need to know about the Manage My Health hack attack

The massive data breach has affected hundreds of thousands of New Zealanders – here are the key details.
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By Emma Gleason | 14th January, 2026
Contributing writer
Christopher Luxon, Hipkins, Bishop, Penk and Parker (winner of Celebrity Treasure Island and therefore one of New Zealand’s most powerful public figures).

Why Chrises run the country

An in-depth study of New Zealanders with the name Chris.
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By Joel MacManus | 14th January, 2026
Senior writer
New To Streaming: What to watch on Netflix NZ, Neon and more this week

New To Streaming: What to watch on Netflix NZ, Neon and more this week

Your chance to sink your teeth into one of the movies of 2025 ahead of awards season.
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By Thomas Giblin | 12th January, 2026
Guest writer
Image: The Spinoff

NZ politics in 2026: The big issues on which the year will hinge

It's election year and the stakes couldn't be higher, but what three issues will loom largest?
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By Group Think | 12th January, 2026
A bunch of people
With changes in moderation policies and more bad news, social media can feel like a shit show.

Scared to scroll: Can you control your feed?

We’re witnessing the worst things in the world while sitting on the toilet.
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By Emma Gleason | 11th January, 2026
Contributing writer
A counsellor reviews ChatGPT’s counselling advice

A counsellor reviews ChatGPT’s counselling advice

Face-to-face therapy is prohibitively expensive for most New Zealanders. Could ChatGPT fill the void?
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By Anna Sophia | 11th January, 2026
Guest writer
I spent 18 months training generative AI – here’s what I learned

I spent 18 months training generative AI – here’s what I learned

What it's like to teach AI.
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By Johanna Knox | 10th January, 2026
Guest writer
New Zealand’s first ever vinyl chart is here. What story does it tell?

New Zealand’s first ever vinyl chart is here. What story does it tell?

No surprise who's number one – but the rest of the chart makes for fascinating reading.
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By Duncan Greive | 10th January, 2026
Founder
The Spinoff Essay: Skinny

The Spinoff Essay: Skinny

'You can’t run or even walk and everything hurts and everyone is prodding your body and criticising it. 'At least you’re not fat,' laughs a doctor.'
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By Gemma Bowker-Wright | 10th January, 2026
Guest writer
The actual photo of the actual house from the actual real estate listing. Not the actual buyers.

My crummy old flat, with my crummy old furniture, just sold for $1,980,000

No insulation, flaking paint, questionable pipes and all my old furniture and artwork. At the auction, bidding was competitive. 
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By Gabi Lardies | 9th January, 2026
Contributing writer
Why was I so riled by Don’t Worry About the Robots?

Why was I so riled by Don’t Worry About the Robots?

'Generative AI seems a bit like one of those chimpanzees that rich people would adopt – all fun and games, until it rips your face off.'
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By Erin Harrington | 9th January, 2026
Guest writer
The film poster for Tinā

An argument with myself about Tinā, the movie of the moment

A conflicted review of the biggest local film of the year.
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By Madeleine Chapman | 8th January, 2026
Special correspondent
Nobody is cutting through government spin like the Act Party

Nobody is cutting through government spin like the Act Party

Eat your heart out, investigative journalists. Nobody is picking holes in government PR like government minister David Seymour.
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By Hayden Donnell | 8th January, 2026
Senior writer

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The Spinoff is subject to NZ Media Council procedures. A complaint must be first directed in writing, within one month of publication, to info@thespinoff.co.nz. If not satisfied with the response, the complaint may be referred to the online complaint form at www.presscouncil.org.nz along with a link to the relevant story and all correspondence with the publication.

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