Could not agree with this more! Critic Te Arohi was crucial to my Dunedin experience and has been a springboard for NZ culture.

AN OPEN LETTER ABOUT THE FUTURE OF CRITIC TE ĀROHI.

@joelmacmanus.bsky.social looking like a prophet already (simply by paying attention) with the 'National will do the bits that suit them but ignore pretty much everything else' take on the infrastructure report. #nzpol

Today, this apartment building in Wellington was approved for construction. Two years ago, it was illegal to build. What changed? A group of 20-something YIMBYs campaigned for the council to change its zoning. Soon this site will have 32 homes where previously there was one.

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? thespinoff.co.nz/politics/17-...

A controversial billionaire, an esteemed professor, and two property managers are among the New Zealanders with links to notorious sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. thespinoff.co.nz/society/05-0...

Wellington has two genres of local news story: 1. Beloved local business closes 2. Outrage over the threat of a new business opening

Luxon opens election year without a spark

In which I present an in-depth study of New Zealanders named Chris. thespinoff.co.nz/society/14-0...

Bad year to be a retired mayor from the South

Inside the weirdest trial of the year: Jim Grenon, Julian Batchelor and TVNZ thespinoff.co.nz/media/19-12-...

I spent three days in the Auckland District Court watching the weirdest trial of the year. Billionaires, secrets, conspiracy theories, denials of racism, contempt of court and twists at every turn. This case had it all. thespinoff.co.nz/media/19-12-...

After two years of major housing, infrastructure and planning reforms, Chris Bishop may have done more for the Abundance Agenda than any other politician on Earth. thespinoff.co.nz/politics/10-...

Today was the day New Zealand truly became a 40% off deck furniture piss country

The butter chicken pie has risen from a niche fusion food to New Zealand’s third-best-selling pie flavour. Who gave the nation this unique culinary taonga? thespinoff.co.nz/kai/01-12-20...

There's a stark contrast between Living Streets Aotearoa in Auckland, a useful advocacy group for pedestrian infrastructure, and Living Streets Aotearoa in Wellington which seems to exist only to complain about e-scooters and has never found a project they actually like.

If Little takes nothing else away from Joel’s piece, let it at least be “cars are not people”

Reposting this, apropros of nothing thespinoff.co.nz/politics/18-...

A quote from the man who just gave Ray Chung a promotion.

In his first council meeting as Wellington mayor, Andrew Little gave a big promotion to controversial rival Ray Chung and opened a political rift between Labour and the Greens. thespinoff.co.nz/politics/25-...

Christopher Luxon wants ‘a more mature conversation’ about selling public assets. Big daddy Spinoff is here to explain the birds and the bees of privatisation. thespinoff.co.nz/politics/21-...

To save the CBD, stop calling it the CBD. To succeed in a post-Covid world, city centres need to be more than ‘central business districts’. thespinoff.co.nz/business/18-...

"Make bold plans, small plans have no power to fire the imagination" - Sir Dove-Myer Robinson.

Some cities are actively pursuing growth. Others are stuck in a state of managed decline, merely cutting costs for loud existing homeowners while doing nothing to build for the future. I'm increasingly worried that Wellington is irrevocably stuck in the second category.

The conservative minority on Wellington City Council never had the votes to kill the Golden Mile, so instead they played for time, demanding more reviews and consultation to delay it until a conservative won the mayoralty. Andrew Little has played right into their hands.

Wellington's failure to build an obviously needed upgrade to its dilapidated main streets is a damning and demonstrative example of a capital city self-immolating through incompetence and political cowardice.

I've written extensively about homelessness policy on New Zealand and have repeatedly used the metaphor of disease and cure. I think it's accurate: homelessness can affect anyone, it takes a toll on mental and physical health, and it gets worse the longer it is left untreated.

The government’s homelessness ‘ban’ may not be as ridiculous as it sounds. The only cure for homelessness is homes, but responsible policing plays an important role in managing the symptoms. thespinoff.co.nz/politics/12-...

A long but interesting and engaging read, with a focus on solutions.

Long read from Joel MacManus visiting Vancouver, Inside the Canadian apartments redefining indigenous housing - 6,000 apartment complex built on First Nations land, without needing city council permission - Further in the article, Joel writes of the parallel in #NZ

I went to Vancouver to visit Sen̓áḵw, one of the most impressive housing developments in the world. Squamish Nation is building 6000 apartments on its reserve land with no city council permission required. Could this be the future of iwi-led housing in Aotearoa? thespinoff.co.nz/atea/03-11-2...

Canadian apartments redefining indigenous housing Joel MacManus in Vancouver, where a First Nation is building a massive complex of apartment towers on its reserve land, no city council permission required. Could this be the future of iwi-led housing in Aotearoa? thespinoff.co.nz/atea/03-11-2...

NZ First MPs keep proposing laws they have no intention of passing, and the media falls for it every time. thespinoff.co.nz/politics/06-...

Detailed data analysis by The Spinoff reveals an incredible true fact: people live in houses. thespinoff.co.nz/society/05-1...

Great piece from @joelmacmanus.bsky.social .

*Grammar

43 years ago today, readers the world over opened their newspapers and gazed upon cow tools for the first time. happy birthday cow tools. you look great.

Labour’s flagship policy exposes Chris Hipkins’ cautious streak. thespinoff.co.nz/politics/29-...

At this point, the New Zealand government is just a road-building authority with bits tacked on. And not even a very good one. thespinoff.co.nz/politics/28-...

‼️Emergency Auckland YIMBY drinks ⏰ 5.30pm tonight 📍Glass Goose See you there.

Another WCC election tidbit: Only 20.7% of Diane Calvert's first-choice voters in Onslow-Western gave their second choice to Ray Chung

Some personal news from today's Windbag newsletter.

Windbag: Key takeaways from Wellington’s red wave local election

The new Wellington City Council will include 5 Labour councillors and 4 Green councillors, plus Andrew Little, giving the two party "coalition" an increased governing majority - 10 out of 16 votes, compared to 8 under the previous council.

Andrew Little has been elected as the new mayor of Wellington.

Peri Zee has declared victory in the Upper Hutt mayoral election, defeating Wayne Guppy after eight terms.

An outstanding debate happening in the Spinoff comment section today

They say hindsight is 2020, but that was five years ago. thespinoff.co.nz/politics/03-...

The government’s new earthquake-prone building rules aren’t without risks, but they might finally give Wellington the confidence to grow. thespinoff.co.nz/politics/01-...

Political super-group Vision for Wellington presented its final ‘vision’ for the city, but is anyone still listening? thespinoff.co.nz/politics/30-...