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Opinion

The government can’t sell any carbon credits and the environment could pay the price. (Image: Tina Tiller/The Spinoff)
Opinion

The emissions trading scheme is broken. Can anyone fix it?

New Zealand's most important climate change policy depends on the carbon price increasing. Cheap forestry credits have pushed it the other way.
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By Joel MacManus | 16th September, 2026
Senior writer
Photo: Abbas Nazari
Opinion

Abbas Nazari: What 9/11 means to me

While the world recoiled, we watched from an Australian frigate, having just been rescued by the Tampa.
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By Abbas Nazari | 11th September, 2026
Guest writer
Green MP Tamatha Paul has thrown around some accusations about rental housing. (Image: The Spinoff)
Opinion

Tamatha Paul got her property facts wrong – and I’m in the middle of it

I think I can explain what’s going on.
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By Joel MacManus | 2nd September, 2026
Senior writer
Labour leader Chris Hipkins is desperately trying to keep his wicket. (Image: Mark Cosgrove/Getty Images/The Spinoff)
Opinion

Chris Hipkins is batting for a draw

Hipkins has been so focused on negating the case against Labour that he never built a cohesive argument for Labour. 
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By Joel MacManus | 31st August, 2026
Senior writer
National party campaign chair Simeon Brown, with some of the party’s recent online posts. (Photos: The Spinoff/National)
Opinion

National’s tax claims tripped up Labour, but misleading marketing comes with risks

Simeon Brown got the better of Chris Hipkins yesterday, but he’s walking a high wire claiming Labour wants to introduce 11 new taxes.
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By Joel MacManus | 19th August, 2026
Senior writer
Chris Bishop and Wayne Brown laughing about the mistimed CRL announcement. (Photo: The Spinoff)
Opinion

Why the City Rail Link opening date gaffe matters

A mistimed billboard and a flub from the transport minister made for a funny morning, but both spoke to the pressure people feel to get this right.
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By Joel MacManus | 6th August, 2026
Senior writer
UK PM Andy Burnham at the Hare Inn in Harlow, Essex. Photo: Richard Pohle/Getty Images
Opinion

The new UK prime minister just cut taxes on pubs. New Zealand should do the same

Burnham's 20% cut on business rates for pubs, clubs and live music venues will be a tempting policy to copy for NZ parties seeking to support a struggling hospitality industry.
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By Joel MacManus | 3rd August, 2026
Senior writer
Christopher Luxon in 2012 at the press conference announcing his appointment as CEO of Air NZ. Photo: Simon Watts/Getty Images
Opinion

Sometimes it’s worse when our prime minister does actually make himself clear

Christopher Luxon scolding a business audience for being like children is unlikely to land well, especially given his previous employer.
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By Duncan Greive | 1st August, 2026
Founder
Mercury chief executive Stew Hamilton, Contact Energy chief executive Mike Fuge, tech industry leader Helen Robinson, and BCG’s Kelly Newton. Photo: Joel MacManus
Opinion

NZ Inc is going all in on AI data centres

The government wants $25-35 billion in data centre investment, and it just gathered 100 of the country's most powerful business leaders to make the case.
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By Joel MacManus | 6th July, 2026
Senior writer
Former Wellington mayor Tory Whanau at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Cambridge Terrace improvements. Image: The Spinoff
Opinion

Why Wellington can’t build

The Golden Mile, the housing crisis, and the problem with progressive cities.
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By Joel MacManus | 24th June, 2026
Senior writer
RIP. Image: The Spinoff.
Opinion

The Golden Mile project deserves to die. But it must rise again

Wellington's decade-long failure to upgrade a street is a damning indictment on the council and the city itself. What Andrew Little does next could define his mayoralty.
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By Joel MacManus | 15th June, 2026
Senior writer
The planned Datagrid data centre in Southland. Image: S
Opinion

Why this AI data centre might be New Zealand’s most important climate project

The annual carbon emissions saving from running Datagrid in New Zealand rather than China could be equivalent to taking almost half a million cars off the road.
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By Joel MacManus | 15th May, 2026
Senior writer
Ministers Chris Bishop and Simon Watts are trying to reform regional councils. Image: Joel MacManus
Opinion

The case for Super Rugby-based regional councils

The perfect map for regional government was drawn by a rugby administrator in 1995.
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By Joel MacManus | 11th May, 2026
Senior writer
Nicola Willis and Christopher Luxon at a press conference about the fuel crisis last week. (Photo: Marty MELVILLE / AFP via Getty Images)
Opinion

Willis unveils $50-a-week fuel crisis package with three Ts and zero Covid

The in-work tax credit boost will help 143,000 families, but only until 91 petrol hits a trigger point.
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By Toby Manhire | 24th March, 2026
Editor-at-large
Christopher Luxon in happier times, relaxing in the Mike Hosking studio at Newstalk ZB (Photo: Michael Craig/New Zealand Herald via Getty Images)
Opinion

If National MPs want to roll Luxon, there is one big hurdle in the way

1997 has entered the chat.
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By Toby Manhire | 7th March, 2026
Editor-at-large
Nigel Farage, Pauline Hanson, Winston Peters and Donald Trump. Images: Getty. Design: Tina Tiller
Opinion

What the surge in populist nationalism means for Winston Peters and NZ First

The serial kingmakers of MMP politics are riding a wave. And they want more.
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By Toby Manhire | 26th February, 2026
Editor-at-large
Who’s responsible for spending all our money on roads that suck?
Opinion

The government’s infrastructure plan points the blame at the government

The National Infrastructure Plan, released today, sets out a vision for a more efficient, affordable future. But is infrastructure minister Chris Bishop willing to accept that he is part of the problem? 
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By Joel MacManus | 17th February, 2026
Senior writer
Tell me lies, tell me sweet little lies. (Image: The Spinoff).
Opinion

Waitangi remembers. Politics moves on

From Treaty talk to funding threats, how Waitangi politics actually plays out over time.
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By Liam Rātana | 5th February, 2026
Ātea editor
Photo: Getty Images
Opinion

Marilyn Waring: Librarians’ work is essential – and still treated as expendable

After hearing their testimony to the People's Select Committee, I'm outraged at how brutally librarians' right to equal pay was legislated away.
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By Marilyn Waring | 4th February, 2026
Guest writer
Judith Collins speaks at the National Party conference in 2014. Photo: Hagen Hopkins / Getty
Opinion

Judith Collins’ stellar career (and the bit best not mentioned)

A CV few can dream of – apart from the Sauron ring in a blue rosette.
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By Toby Manhire | 29th January, 2026
Editor-at-large

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