From malls to gods, woke foods to putrid stenches, the year’s greatest hits had a bit of everything.
A tip: to create a perfect summer reading list (albeit with a crowded browser), click the headline of every story you missed to open it in a fresh tab.
The 10 most read
The stories read by more of you than any others this year
1. A definitive list of woke and non-woke foods
By far the most clicked-on Spinoff story in 2024 and, coincidentally, also one of the shortest.
2. How was Maddi Wesche’s final shot put throw not over 20m? A Spinoff investigation
Mad Chapman finding an answer to the question we were all asking.
3. All 33 malls in Auckland ranked from worst to best
People love a ranking and love to hate malls.
4. The King and his god complex
Mad Chapman’s fiery op-ed after Mike King gave a(nother) strange media interview.
5. The mystery of the killer bike lane
There was a lot of coverage about Wellington businesses closing down this year. Wellington editor Joel MacManus found the culprit.
6. All 14 malls in Christchurch ranked from worst to best
The mall ranking that started it all, from Joseph Harper.
7. ‘I need to make you suffer’: My near decade of violent harassment by a man I barely know
A harrowing must-read from Zeni Gibson and Madeleine Holden, detailing Zeni’s nine years of suffering and her fight to have her case taken seriously by police.
8. ‘We’d never move back’: Nadia Lim and Carlos Bagrie on swapping the hustle for the harvest
New Zealanders love Nadia Lim.
9. Meet the cast of Married at First Sight NZ for 2024
Just helpful information, really.
10. RNZ played ‘motherfucker’ and ‘bussy’ on air yesterday. What the fuck is going on?
Mad Chapman once again pondering life’s big questions.
The stories you lingered over
Stories our readers spent the most minutes on this year
1. All 33 malls in Auckland ranked from worst to best
Malls.
2. ‘I need to make you suffer’: My near decade of violent harassment by a man I barely know
If you were one of many thousands who read this feature, we suggest you check out Madeleine Holden’s accompanying op-ed.
3. All 14 malls in Christchurch ranked from worst to best
Malls.
4. The King and his god complex
The Spinoff allowed comments on site this year, and this story had readers commenting more than any other.
5. How was Maddi Wesche’s final shot put throw not over 20m? A Spinoff investigation
Investigative journalism with a phone camera.
6. A definitive list of woke and non-woke foods
Chickpeas = woke.
7. Who killed the Johnsonville mall?
A Spinoff Cover Story from Joel MacManus, digging into the endless despair that surrounds a suburban Wellington mall.
8. The New Zealand allegations at the centre of a Neil Gaiman podcast investigation
Books editor Claire Mabey summarises the key elements in the podcast investigation into author Neil Gaiman, specifically the fact that his alleged misconduct occurred in New Zealand.
9. Inside the fast rise and faster collapse of the acclaimed K Road restaurant Cotto
An investigation from way back at the start of the year into the sudden closure of Auckland restaurant Cotto, by Stewart Sowman-Lund.
10. The Anika Moa and Kiri Allan interview RNZ didn’t want you to hear
Lyric Waiwiri-Smith listened to the unreleased RNZ podcast interview and found what everyone missed.
Big political bites
1. What happened last time we had a beneficiary crackdown?
A look back from Max Rashbrooke to contextualise the present.
2. Luxon and Mitchell weren’t mixed up, they were using girl maths
Turns out a bit of internet culture can help encourage civic engagement.
3. What it’s like to be made redundant by the Ministry of Education
More than 10% of jobs in Wellington were made redundant this year. This first person essay from one of the early cuts at the Ministry of Education was evidently all too relatable reading for many.
4. When will we know the US election results in New Zealand?
News you can use from Toby Manhire.
5. Here’s exactly what students are required to learn in sex ed
After much discussion and outcry about sex ed, Gabi Lardies laid it all out.
Pop culture bangers
1. ‘We’d never move back’: Nadia Lim and Carlos Bagrie on swapping the hustle for the harvest
New Zealanders really, really love Nadia Lim.
2. Meet the cast of Married at First Sight NZ for 2024
It was big.
3. RNZ played ‘motherfucker’ and ‘bussy’ on air yesterday. What the fuck is going on?
It was shocking.
4. ‘One hell of a shock’: Why not everyone wants flowers from David Lomas
New Zealanders really, really love David Lomas.
5. Tragedy hung in the air at the Auckland Foo Fighters show
A concert review from Chris Schulz to prove that music journalism lives on.
What’s Eating Aotearoa
The most popular stories from our reader-funded kai reporting.
1. Inside the fast rise and faster collapse of the acclaimed K Road restaurant Cotto
Classic reporting.
2. How Wellington became a cornucopia of Malaysian food
Part of a series of deep dives into cultural food hubs across the country, this one from Preyanka Gothanayagi.
3. Who gets free school lunches, what are they eating, and what’s the cost?
Gabi Lardies once again laid out the basics for those lost in the debate.
4. Chinese, but not a Chinatown: The rise and rise of Dominion Road
A stunning profile of one road by Eda Tang.
5. Where do Wellington’s top chefs eat on their day off?
Nick Iles asked the makers of your favourite food who makes their favourite food.
10 great reads that just missed out on the top 10
1. I watched Christopher Luxon watch the World of Wearable Art
Alex Casey pioneered a new way to review live art.
2. The Dilworth/Auckland Grammar saga proves we take rugby way too seriously
Liam Rātana revealed the drama behind an underdog victory.
3. Breaking: Ferry crosses the Cook Strait without crashing into anything
Hayden Donnell chose to focus on a positive ferry story for once.
4. Briscoes’ new ‘retro’ collection looks awfully familiar
Stewart Sowman-Lund’s suspicions about a new Briscoes dinnerware range proved to be shared by many.
5. Why so many nurses move to New Zealand – but don’t plan to stick around
Shanti Mathias with a deep dive into the nursing shortage.
6. I lived in a shoebox apartment. I’m glad they’re coming back
Duncan Greive in defence of tiny apartments.
7. The Spinoff Power List: 50 New Zealanders you need to know
All the big publications do power lists, including The Spinoff.
8. Fear, hate and a putrid stench: Inside the Unsilenced anti-trans event
Joel MacManus attended a controversial conference and wrote about what he saw (and smelled).
9. Email signoffs, ranked from worst to best
New year, new email signoff?
10. Returning to a different New Zealand after 32 years away
A personal essay from Loveni Enari that provided a snapshot of Aotearoa in 2024.