"Dilworth Karaka, the quiet Herbs giant who gave Aotearoa its protest soundtrack" by Liam Rātana
"Those who knew him describe a storyteller, listener, league tragic, family man, and someone more interested in the kaupapa than in pretentiousness. Karaka mattered, because Herbs mattered. Herbs mattered because they gave shape to truths this country often preferred to avoid. "
"The road to Te Matatini 2027: Your ultimate guide to the regional competitions"
N.B. Te Whanganui a Tara senior regional kapa haka competition is last in June 13, 2026.
Imported possums like imported cookies. Who would have guessed?
https://thespinoff.co.nz/society/12-02-2026/our-possums-are-a-problem-is-selena-gomez-the-solution
#TheSpinoff covering the important news!
i love this i love this i love this
'What’s inside a drag queen’s closet?' / Alex Casey #TheSpinoff
"Edward Cowley, aka legendary drag performer Buckwheat, takes Alex Casey through his evolving style."
https://thespinoff.co.nz/society/02-02-2026/whats-inside-a-drag-queens-closet
New Zealand Fashion Museum exhibition Inside the Closet, now running at Britomart in Tāmaki Makaurau https://nzfashionmuseum.org.nz/inside-the-closet-fashion-through-the-drag-lens/
Fascinating Cost of Being on #TheSpinoff today
'The cost of being: A ‘formerly reckless, currently penny-pinching’ music writer'
I learn such a lot from these and am grateful for every person who writes in.
(Has anyone done a little diagram mapping these out? It's The Spinoff so I feel there's definitely 'a demographic'. Would be interesting to see that visually.)
I hope someone has brought up the Hill of Hysteria concept to Wayne Brown.
https://wbrassociation.org.uk/why-changing-our-environment-is-so-hard/
#TheSpinoff has this revealing highlight reel of a politician who has announced their retirement. It's funny but also very kiwi.
"it's her alright" is still comedy gold after all these years.
https://thespinoff.co.nz/politics/28-01-2026/the-highs-lows-and-wtfs-of-judith-collins
I’m listening to the excellent #juggernaut2 podcast series from #TheSpinoff about the 4th National Government.
The thing that has struck me the most so far is the absolute callous disregard that #RuthRichardson appears to have toward the vast numbers of Kiwis hurt in the welfare cuts she undertook.
#JimBolger has always been an empathetic figure given the way that he talks about his government’s cuts. He did what he believed was necessary and yet seems genuinely concerned about the wellbeing of New Zealanders.
Richardson on the other hand comes across as gleeful when talking about the enormous cuts to the welfare state. An absolute zealot who seems to not care about the human cost of pursuing “balanced books”.
And rather than being consigned to an unfortunate and socially damaging part of our history, she’s unfortunately now the chair of the astroturf “Tax Payers Union”.
https://thespinoff.co.nz/podcasts/juggernaut#6348 https://thespinoff.co.nz/podcasts/juggernaut#6348
Started reading the article thinking "I have no idea what song they're talking about"
Played video, started singing along. Of course I know this song.
https://thespinoff.co.nz/atea/26-01-2026/how-an-old-maori-song-became-the-anthem-of-the-pacific
I'm inclined to believe this is a genuine error, but it also sounds a lot like someone satirising whoever the Minister for Hurting Poor People is.
exlibrarykris
Moz
Josh
