The Best Of

The pedestal is not included in any of the prizes. And neither is the jandal. (Image: Tina Tiller)

The 2025 Golden Jandals for conspicuous contributions to NZ politics

The most coveted and glamorous footwear-themed political prizes in the southern hemisphere are back.

By Toby Manhire

Editor-at-large

& Ben McKay | 17th December, 2025

Julian Batchelor, left, is suing TVNZ with the financial backing of Jim Grenon, right

Billionaire NZME director funding defamation lawsuit against TVNZ, court told

Jim Grenon suggested to controversial evangelist Julian Batchelor that he should sue TVNZ, according to evidence given in court.

By Joel MacManus | 16th December, 2025

From left to right: road cone, Wayne Brown, more road cones, Chris Bishop, more road cones.

No one had a bigger year than New Zealand’s road cones

We made art about cones and snitched on people who used too many of them, but there was a twist coming.

By Greg Bruce | 15th December, 2025

Ruth Richardson and Nicola Willis in budget mode. (Images: Getty; Parliament TV. Design: Tina Tiller)

Ruth Richardson v Nicola Willis: the mother of all epochal debates

Two National finance ministers, three decades apart, are locking horns. But just how different is the political environment of today to the time of the juggernaut?

By Toby Manhire | 10th December, 2025

Editor-at-large

Christopher Luxon at the opening of Ikea on Thursday, December 4 (Photo: Phil Walter/Getty Images)

Why Christopher Luxon thinks Ikea could win him the election

National’s strategy in 2026 will be all about grand openings and major events.

By Joel MacManus | 9th December, 2025

(Screengrab)

What Christopher Luxon did last week while saying no to Q+A

Look, prime minister, we get it. Nobody wants to get up early on a Sunday morning.

By Tara Ward | 8th December, 2025

Pōneke’s dating pool feels more like a paddling pool (Image: The Spinoff)

‘Wait, you hooked up with them too?’ Tales from Wellington’s scarily tiny dating pool

Welcome to the cursed reality of looking for love in the capital.

By Jessie Davidson | 8th December, 2025

Scotty Stevenson has apologised – and it was a good apology.

Scotty Stevenson, ‘syrup suckers’ and the teen bombs hidden within us all

A whole arsenal of offensive stuff we rarely think of or examine sits in our brains, and sometimes it goes kaboom.

By Greg Bruce | 8th December, 2025

Chemist Warehouse growth over time. Image: Alex Casey

Prediction: New Zealand will eventually be one big Chemist Warehouse

How much discounted Nicki Minaj Pink Friday Body Mist can a small island nation possibly need?

By Alex Casey | 8th December, 2025

Hayden and the meatball (Image: The Spinoff)

Ikea’s opening was a deeply embarrassing time for us as a nation

Yesterday was the capstone to a multi-year symphony of simping.

By Hayden Donnell | 5th December, 2025

David Seymour, Chris Bishop and Nicola Willis.

Echo Chamber: Under more scrutiny? Act more stupidly

Ah, scrutiny week, where the order of the day is dramatic sighs, insults muttered under the breath and the occasional all-out shit fight.

By Lyric Waiwiri-Smith | 5th December, 2025

Politics reporter

Image: The Spinoff

From jerks to dicks to tables, the political debate is really on one

Losing our shit till '26.

By Toby Manhire | 4th December, 2025

Editor-at-large

Help Me Hera: I can’t stand my mum’s insufferable boyfriend

Help Me Hera: I can’t stand my mum’s insufferable boyfriend

The thought of spending another Christmas with him is bringing me out in anticipatory hives.

By Hera Lindsay Bird | 4th December, 2025

Contributing writer

The school lunch ready to be assessed (Image: The Spinoff)

Not achieved: A home economics teacher’s school lunch assessment

Does it meet the NCEA Level 1 standard? We have some possibly unsurprising news.

By Sue Parkes | 3rd December, 2025