An incomplete collection of memorable Spinoff articles.
In 10 years (and one day) The Spinoff has published 28,691 stories. Features, opinion, satire, profiles, experiential stunts and anything else you can think of. There really is no way to define our work but here is a futile attempt to track The Spinoff’s path through stories that were uniquely our own and made a splash.
2014
Alex Casey meets the ‘corporate dads’
Many of her first bylines for The Spinoff were recaps of My Kitchen Rules. This was one of Alex’s first features and already her voice was clear as a bell.
2015
Natalia Kills and Willy Moon flee the country
Young Don Rowe caught haunting footage of Natalia Kills and Willy Moon sneaking out of the country, and turned it into a taut, reflective sketch.
In defence of Chrystal Chenery
Alex’s brilliant, scathing response to some routine sexism of radio host Dom Harvey exploded onto the 2015 New Zealand internet, and was viewed 80,000 times before our servers collapsed under the torrent of traffic.
2016
A story which took accusations that surfaced on social media and painstakingly reported the underlying substance, I Will Come Forward was a landmark for The Spinoff.
Advocacy journalism focused on a multi-thousand-page document.
One of a pair of kinetic early Hera Lindsay Bird poems that went ultra-viral, seemingly discovered by a different part of the buzzy writing internet every day for weeks.
The unauthorised history of What Now Gunge
Calum Henderson’s lovingly-crafted multi-chapter epic, took a narrow subject which would never have been commissioned anywhere else, and made it an instant classic.
You say Kai-kura, I say Kaikōura
Another massive post which pre-figured and predicted The Spinoff Ātea, and helped many Pākehā understand how much was in a name, and in its pronunciation.
The incredibly weird tale behind Bashford Antiques
A story, which became a compulsively-read saga, which became a hit documentary for David Farrier.
2017
Hayden Donnell’s magnum opus combined kiwi(onion)ana with bloodyminded investigative grit and magical payoff in an instant classic of pop history.
The most expensive road in NZ history is coming. Why?
Simon Wilson’s story of an unbuilt road was enormous for us, but not great for the road – the uproar was so pronounced that it fell into development hell, where it (currently) remains.
A comprehensive rebuttal of a man’s opinion piece on periods
Enough said.
The food critic and the rookie
Mad Chapman took Simon Wilson to KFC, and he took her to The Grove. The people adored these meals.
2018
Alex Braae begins a big Spinoff tradition: early morning pillow talk with readers of the Spinoff.
Madeleine Chapman heads from Auckland to Huntly on a rental bike with no gears and airless tyres.
T-Shirts from Bangladesh. Sequin patches from China. Sold by WORLD as ‘Made in New Zealand’
When a label attached to a T-shirt says “Fabriquée en Nouvelle Zélande”, that just means the label was made here, apparently. Hm.
2019
Christchurch mosque shooting livestreamed on Facebook
An ineffably tragic day for New Zealand, and a moment of truth for the social media behemoth.
Toby Morris on terrorism in Christchurch.
A soaring, hilarious and strangely moving potato chip odyssey.
A Roast Busters survivor’s story.
Shave Her, Weigh Her, Brush Her Teeth
An Emily Writes classic.
2020
The debut collaboration between Siouxsie Wiles and Toby Morris – a partnership that would go on to, no exaggeration, travel the pandemic-stricken world. The full boxset remains a thing of awe.
Nothing captures the strangeness of the time quite like Josie Adams’ crisp and entertaining explainer on the conspiracy-riddled substance – it remains the most-read Spinoff piece of all time.
Bob Jones is not just a racist. He’s also a coward
Leonie Hayden heads to the Wellington High Court and shares her honestly held opinion.
2021
Did everyone spontaneously applaud Amanda Palmer?
A Spinoff investigation.
An interactive map of locations of interest
A data visualisation that did what it said on the tin – and people flocked to it.
2022
Scratched: Finding Heath Davis
A lot of Spinoff stories come together in hours, sometimes even minutes. This one took three years and was worth the wait.
The day the grounds of parliament burned
Toby Manhire examines the forces that led to March 2, 2022.
An enthralling, upsetting account of trust betrayed.
An Auckland ED doctor responds to calls to ditch Covid restrictions
As more and more New Zealanders looked to put Covid behind them, one doctor begged for consideration.
2023
Thank you for doing the shopping, Sam Uffindell
A stunning foray into political writing from OG TV writer Tara Ward.
The cost of being: A thrifty rural nana living with mokopuna
One of the first and most popular instalments in a series highlighting regular New Zealanders’ relationships with money.
Help Me Hera: Is my famous boyfriend too good for me?
A hit right out the gate for a brand new advice column. The answer? No one in New Zealand is too famous to date.
2024
Juggernaut: The Story of the Fourth Labour Government
The Spinoff does prestige (podcast) drama. A deep dive into 1984.
The first recommendations for the future of Wellington’s housing are in, and they’re shit
The first report analysis from Joel MacManus that really got the War for Wellington going.