spin
Categories under spin
- taxpayers union (26)
- you couldn't make this shit up (828)
National’s varied response to the Thompson and Clark report
Written By: - Date published: 7:33 am, December 20th, 2018 - 26 comments
Simon Bridges and Gerry Brownlee have offered diametrically opposed versions of how to respond to the crisis presented by the report into Thompson and Clark’s activities.
Trump’s smocking gun
Written By: - Date published: 9:09 am, December 14th, 2018 - 82 comments
This week in America former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen admitted electoral finance violations by using campaign money to pay off two hookers to stop them going public during the last election campaign with news about Trump’s infidelity. And Russian national Maria Butina was convicted of conspiring to infiltrate the NRA.
National’s Sroubek fizzle
Written By: - Date published: 7:40 am, December 13th, 2018 - 159 comments
National are trying to manufacture a conspiracy out of revelations that someone who knows Karel Sroubek and has met Jacinda Ardern sent her a text.
You’ve got to lively up yourself …
Written By: - Date published: 7:18 am, December 12th, 2018 - 44 comments
National have responded to the Government’s medicinal cannabis law by suggesting hordes of cancer sufferers will hang around schools smoking joints.
On the first day of leakmas …
Written By: - Date published: 8:30 am, December 10th, 2018 - 46 comments
Overheard at a Press Gallery BBQ …
Nutjobs and the UN Global Migration Pact
Written By: - Date published: 8:35 am, December 7th, 2018 - 137 comments
National and ACT have alleged that a United Nations Pact supported by New Zealand in 2016 will take away sovereign rights even though the pact itself says that it is not legally binding.
National’s dead cat strategy
Written By: - Date published: 7:41 am, December 6th, 2018 - 56 comments
National has attempted to drown out news of further leaks, bad poll results and a reference of Maggie Barry’s behaviour to the Auditor General by staging a big stink in Parliament.
Memo from Crosby Textor – National’s leak problem
Written By: - Date published: 7:34 am, December 5th, 2018 - 23 comments
The Standard has been leaked an internal memo from Crosby Textor to the National Party concerning its current situation.
National; Leaking Like a Sieve
Written By: - Date published: 1:02 pm, December 4th, 2018 - 60 comments
Another day, another leak from the National Party. If it’s not JLR, just who is poking the borax inside the Tory caucus?
“For the good of all, the poor come first.”
Written By: - Date published: 1:24 pm, December 3rd, 2018 - 23 comments
Those were the words spoken by Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) during yesterday’s Presidential inauguration where he promised to end Mexico’s disastrous neo-liberalism.
We’re dreaming of a White Christmas
Written By: - Date published: 8:30 am, December 3rd, 2018 - 116 comments
Social media has erupted because a Santa Claus was not a fat old white guy with false facial hair.
Another National MP accused of bullying
Written By: - Date published: 9:27 am, December 1st, 2018 - 135 comments
The Herald has reported this morning on allegations of bullying being made by staff against Nati0nal MP Maggie Barry.
National wants there to be no unions
Written By: - Date published: 9:06 am, November 30th, 2018 - 76 comments
Dan Bidois this week in Parliament confirmed what we have always known, that National want there to be no unions around.
TERFed Out: UPDATED
Written By: - Date published: 10:56 pm, November 29th, 2018 - 327 comments
Labour MP Louisa Wall has written an opinion piece in response to Herald columnist Rachel Stewart’s attack earlier in the week on the trans community and their LGBTIQ+ allies. It’s very good.
UPDATE: Rachel Stewart, as predicted, has blocked me on twitter. But not before going full on racist.
The strange case of the missing text from Bridges’ speech
Written By: - Date published: 5:04 pm, November 27th, 2018 - 25 comments
National’s social media team have sent out a tweet with a quote from Simon Bridges that does not appear in the speech that he gave.
Bridges believes fictional character is definitely a male
Written By: - Date published: 7:22 am, November 27th, 2018 - 91 comments
Simon Bridges is going for the under 10 misogynist vote by claiming that Santa Claus is definitely a man.
Bridges Billion dollar bungle
Written By: - Date published: 8:42 am, November 23rd, 2018 - 126 comments
Simon Bridges has claimed that Labour’s Kiwisaver fund is $18 billion short of the amount needed to meet the Government’s goals of constructing ten thousand Kiwibuild houses a year. The claim has as much credibility as National’s claim that Labour’s budget figures had an $11.5 billion hole in them.
Another day and more Simon Bridges f*&k ups
Written By: - Date published: 2:30 pm, November 19th, 2018 - 54 comments
Simon Bridges has in the last 24 hours blamed Labour law changes for increasing rentals but has forgotten which ones, and has disagreed that an apology is owed to the families of the Pike River miners on the 8th anniversary of the disaster.
Go Bus Lockout; Hypocrites Ngai Tahu and Tainui Screw Workers
Written By: - Date published: 1:31 pm, November 19th, 2018 - 70 comments
Ngai Tahu and Tainui remind us that they like exploiting working people as much as the next capitalist. They’ve locked out their Waikato bus drivers for asking to be paid the Living Wage.
Will Andrew Little be responsible if the Pike River mine gets hit by a meteor?
Written By: - Date published: 10:10 am, November 18th, 2018 - 102 comments
Stacy Kirk has made the outlandish claim that Andrew Little is prepared to risk someone’s life in his desire to have the Pike River mine properly investigated.
All that is wrong with America’s democracy
Written By: - Date published: 10:46 am, November 10th, 2018 - 40 comments
In Georgia, despite the Repbublican candidate who oversaw the election process engaging in the mass disenfranchisement of Democrat voters, the removal of voting machines to make voting in Democrat areas more difficult and baseless smearing of the Democrat candidate, the result is on a knife edge and a second vote is a possibility.
Rude ‘n Terrible?
Written By: - Date published: 6:55 pm, November 8th, 2018 - 38 comments
Trump’s…I don’t actually have words for this little escapade.
Proxy Music
Written By: - Date published: 5:37 pm, November 7th, 2018 - 39 comments
Jami-Lee Ross has passed his proxy vote to NZ First, elevating waka jumping to an Olympic sport. How bad does it have to get before the Tory caucus puts Simon Bridges out of his misery?
Simon’s sure fire way to deal with difficult questions
Written By: - Date published: 2:37 pm, November 6th, 2018 - 45 comments
Simon’s strategy is that cunning you could be tempted to pin a tail on it and call it a weasel.
The Jami-Lee tapes
Written By: - Date published: 8:22 am, November 5th, 2018 - 141 comments
Newshub has released a further Jami-Lee Ross tape which contains a promise by Simon Bridges that if Ross stood down for health reasons he could come back in the new year and be promoted.
Bryce Edwards: Just another political simpleton
Written By: - Date published: 1:33 am, November 5th, 2018 - 68 comments
I can only describe Bryce Edwards spin about what a “The Standard” post means is that it is complete bullshit. This site is not the editorial and political monolith. But what else do you expect from a political simpleton with a limited understanding of actual debate. Like Mike Hosking, he is far more suited to a broadcast medium where he doesn’t get robust debate on their inane explanations of real world politics.
Morongate
Written By: - Date published: 11:29 am, November 4th, 2018 - 13 comments
In America a young 20 year old Trump supporter has been branded with the hashtag morongate for the most inept dark op smear you could ever imagine happening.
Media Thriving on its Own Shit.
Written By: - Date published: 1:25 pm, October 29th, 2018 - 24 comments
When purveyors of propaganda come to believe their own spin and start entertaining really quite idiotic conspiracy theories and abandoning any pretense of being in possession of rational thought, then we’ve got a problem.
An Ineffectual Opposition Is Bad News
Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, October 28th, 2018 - 42 comments
An ineffectual Opposition creates a vacuum that will be filled by the Mainstream and Social Media as they will assume the role of unelected and non-representative opposition in effectuo.
Eye of the storm
Written By: - Date published: 10:31 am, October 27th, 2018 - 106 comments
Simon Bridges thinks that he is past trouble caused by the Jami-Lee Ross incident. But the way things are developing he may be in the middle of things.
Nothing to worry about
Written By: - Date published: 7:36 am, October 25th, 2018 - 48 comments
National thinks that it has weathered the storm caused by the Jami-Lee Ross revelations and it has nothing to worry about even though the Police have gone to the Electoral Commission. And Simon Bridges has been in touch with Cameron Slater. What could go wrong?
- The march on Wellington
A redoubt was built on Mr Clifford’s property on Thorndon Flat in anticipation of war in 1846. It was simply a square earthwork with a surrounding trench. All round the parapet were wood-framed loopholes for musket-fire. A more extensive work was constructed at the Te Aro end of the town as a ...6 days ago - Daily crossword, Monday 18 November
.wp-block-newspack-blocks-homepage-articles article .entry-title { font-size: 1.2em; } .wp-block-newspack-blocks-homepage-articles .entry-meta { display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; align-items: center; margin-top: 0.5em; } .wp-block-newspack-blocks-homepage-articles article .entry-meta { font-size: 0.8em; } .wp-block-newspack-blocks-homepage-articles article .avatar { height: 25px; width: 25px; } .wp-block-newspack-blocks-homepage-articles .post-thumbnail{ margin: 0; margin-bottom: 0.25em; } .wp-block-newspack-blocks-homepage-articles .post-thumbnail img { height: auto; width: 100%; ...6 days ago
- Businesses will have to accept cash for essentials under government plan
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The Albanese government, anxious to prevent a dash from cash by businesses, says it will mandate that they must accept it for essential items. Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Assistant Treasurer Stephen Jones outlined the ...6 days ago - NFP president slams Labour leader for ‘hallucinating’ about Fiji governance
By Anish Chand in Nadi, Fiji National Federation Party president Parmod Chand has described Fiji Labour Party leader Mahendra Chaudhry as a “self-professed champion of the poor” and criticised him over “hallucinating” about the country. Chand made the comment when responding to remarks made by Chaudhry during FLP’s Annual Delegates ...6 days ago
- Hīkoi day 8: Significant disruption expected when thousands converge on capital
RNZ News New Zealand’s hīkoi against the Treaty Principles Bill could be one of the largest rallies that the capital has seen for years, Wellington City Council says. The Hīkoi mō te Tiriti will arrive in Wellington tomorrow, and locals are being warned to expect disruption and plan ahead. Yesterday, ...6 days ago
- Hīkoi mō te Tiriti: Significant disruption expected when thousands converge on capital
Wellingtonians are being asked to plan ahead, while the PM says he'll "wait and see" as to whether he meets hīkoi participants. ...6 days ago - South Australian Labor gains Black at byelection with big swing
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne Twitter A byelection occurred on Saturday in the South Australian Liberal-held state seat of Black. With all election day votes counted, ...6 days ago
- Luxon to ‘push on’ with Trump amid tariff concerns
New Zealand must work with politicians like Donald Trump regardless of any polarising policies, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has said at the conclusion of an international summit where the incoming ruler’s plans loomed large.Luxon took part in the annual leaders’ retreat at the Apec summit, held this year in Peru’s ...6 days ago
- Trump win, 1.5C warming breach weigh on UN climate ‘finance COP’
By Sera Sefeti of BenarNews Pacific delegates fear the implications of a Trump presidency and breach of the 1.5 degree Celsius warming target will overshadow negotiations on climate finance at the UN’s annual COP talks that have started in Azerbaijan this week. At the COP29 summit — dubbed the “finance ...6 days ago
- Survey warning on Papua ‘box ticking’ mega estates project goes unheeded
By Stephen Wright for Radio Free Asia Indonesia’s plan to convert over 2 million ha of conservation and indigenous lands into agriculture will cause long-term damage to the environment, create conflict and add to greenhouse gas emissions, according to a feasibility study document for the Papua region mega-project. The 96-page ...6 days ago
- Xi Jinping tells Luxon face-to-face that New Zealand should see China as a partner not a threat
Analysis - Consider China an 'opportunity and partner rather than a challenge or threat' - that was the message Xi Jinping delivered to Christopher Luxon at their face-to-face meeting, according to Chinese state-run media. ...6 days ago
- Countries clash over emissions cuts at COP29
A week of late nights, tense exchanges and dozens of pages of draft negotiating texts have failed to make significant progress on the big issues up for discussion at COP29.On key agenda items – finance, carbon trading and how to implement last year’s commitment to transition away from fossil fuels, ...6 days ago
- An Ode to .. Hana
Home alone“OK,” says Chris Luxon, CEO of Bottom Feed Enterprises.“I’m going out now to an important work event.Can I trust you to behave?”“Sure, Dad,” says Seymour. “I’m thirteen now.”“All right,” says Dad.“Call me if you need to – and remember,Whatever you do, don’t hit the Box with the Stick.”“Sure, Dad,” ...6 days ago
- Western media ‘parrots Israeli propaganda’ over Gaza, says analyst
Pacific Media Watch A media studies professor at Qatar’s Doha Institute for Graduate Studies has completed empirical studies examining Western media coverage of Israel’s war on Gaza — and his findings have been highly critical. Professor Mohamad Elmasry found that Western media have failed to do much more than “parrot ...7 days ago
- China plays for power as Luxon manages differences
China is not generally known for its understated approach to diplomacy, but even by its usual standards, the country’s presence at this year’s Apec summit has been unavoidable.Large groups of supporters bearing miniature flags and banners of support have taken up residence outside the hotel accommodating Chinese president Xi Jinping ...7 days ago
- Toitū te Tiriti hīkoi fits: Savage style for seasoned steezers
Māori don’t just hīkoi for change – we dress for it, too. One thing we don’t get enough credit for as Māori (aside a very long list of many other things) is our ability to dress for an occasion, be it a reunion, hui, tangi or hīkoi. You can trust ...1 week ago - Dog of the month: Georgie, who would like The Spinoff to rank peanut butters
Get to know Georgie, our latest Dog of the Month. This feature was offered as a reward during our What’s Eating Aotearoa PledgeMe campaign. Thank you to Georgie’s human, Peter, for his support. Dog name: Georgie Age: 2 years, 10 months Breed: An absolute mutt. We think some Staffy, some ...1 week ago
- Crown apology: Three voices from NZ’s shameful recent past
Abuse survivor: It is time to deliver, Prime MinisterKeith Wiffin says the Government needs to commit to concrete timelines for redressWe’ve heard those words from the state before, and they are meaningless because they have not resulted in change or progress.We are called survivors, but firstly I would like to ...1 week ago
- Of Treaties, Cabbages and Kings
During his speech to introduce the Treaty Principles Bill, David Seymour made a number of statements that are either disingenuous or ignorant. Early in his speech, he asked: ‘Where in the world is it a good idea to give different rights based on ancestry? Where in the world has that approach ...1 week ago
- The great lunch debate
Would you call fried chicken and chips at 10am ‘lunch’?“I try and keep as regular a schedule as I can, but that will translate a bit weirdly when I’m on shift work,” says reporter Finn Blackwell, who’s often found in RNZ’s breakroom well before noon, feasting on anything from a ...1 week ago
- The Secret Diary of .. Sheriff Seymour
Monday Sheriff Seymour rode his white horse through the beautiful tree-lined streets of the wealthiest suburb in Dodge, and arrived at the mansion of one of the richest men in the whole state.He rang the doorbell. A servant led him to an oak-panelled room, and gestured for him to sit.He ...1 week ago
- The case for COPs (even this one)
Every day this week, COP29 has managed to spark international headlines for all the wrong reasons.First, the eight hour agenda fight over what, actually, diplomats will spend time negotiating this year.Then on Tuesday the President of Azerbaijan, which is hosting COP29 in the capital Baku, called oil and gas a ...1 week ago
- The Weekend: In defence of Auckland’s ‘incredibly’ expensive Christmas tree
Anna Rawhiti-Connell reflects on the week that was. This week I hosted The Spinoff’s Year In Review live event In Wellington. Everything went remarkably well, and you can attend the same (but maybe more refined) event in Auckland on December 11. The welcoming crowd in Wellington even wanted more of ...1 week ago
- ‘Really worried’: What Now’s Chris Kirk on smuggling gunge out of New Zealand
The What Now and Brain Busters presenter takes us on a trip down TV memory lane. Growing up, Chris Kirk was a huge fan of What Now. Every Sunday morning, he would wake up early to watch Carolyn Taylor and Jason Fa’afoi entertain the nation, delighting in every chaotic, gunge-filled ...1 week ago
- The case of the cursed bread: An excerpt from Una Cruickshank’s The Chthonic Cycle
The Chthonic Cycle by Una Cruickshank is a compelling series of essays that explore a wide range of fascinating and unexpected subjects. This excerpt, from an essay called ‘Les Tigres’, tells the story of a massed hallucination event in 1951, France. On a hot August day in 1951, 280 people ...1 week ago
- The slowest city in the world is on the brink of change
New Zealander Tasha Black relays what it’s like in post-revolution Bangladesh from an eight-hour traffic jam in Dhaka. It’s Friday night on the outskirts of Dhaka, Bangladesh, and the traffic is stuck. Trucks, auto-rickshaws, private cars, buses, all stuck. A stationary ambulance futilely spins its red and blue lights. It’s ...1 week ago
- The Nobel Prize in Not Beating Up Your Kids
On the most extraordinary human achievements you’ll never, ever notice, and possibly shouldn’t celebrate. The Spinoff Essay showcases the best essayists in Aotearoa, on topics big and small. Made possible by the generous support of our members. We’re all in therapy these days, everyone in the Veja-heeled milieu I find myself ...1 week ago
- ‘Theatrical, chaotic and romantic’: Heidi Simpson’s perfect weekend playlist
Indie-pop darling Heidi Simpson shares her perfect weekend playlist. Heidi Simpson is a singer, tune maker, pop music believer and certified cool girl. The Tāmaki Makaurau native typically muses on Saturday nights and the emptiness between waiting for something to happen, but her recently released single ‘Best Kept Secret’ is ...1 week ago
- The Kiwi world champions you’ve heard too little about
The Paddle Ferns are back on top of the world after winning the Canoe Polo World Championships for the second time in eight years.It’s a growing sport that combines kayaking and ball-handling skills in a contact team game, played either indoors or out, with five players a sideSeventeen countries competed ...1 week ago
- Short story: I’ll ask my sister, by Marilyn Duckworth
A chatter of small brown birds rose up from the crippled tree at the street’s end. Muttering. She was reminded of the local Council who were still grumpily debating problems, including those of street verges. Some home owners had been taking it upon themselves to make cheeky personal use of ...1 week ago
- Apec’s ‘elephant in the room’
As business leaders and politicians discussed the major economic issues facing the world at Apec’s annual CEO Summit, there was an unignorable “elephant in the room”, as one moderator put it.Donald Trump’s name was rarely mentioned by the speakers, yet the potential impact of his second term in power was ...1 week ago
- Censorship Is Alive And Well In New Zealand
“What this looks like to us is censorship of anyone who tries to disagree with this Government, which causes a chilling effect” says Cooper Legal Senior Associate, Lydia Oosterhoff. ...1 week ago - Raw Politics: MPs face-off over the Great Divide
Parliament saw two historic days this week, one of great solemnity and unity, the other a raucous and high-stakes stand-off between political foes over the Treaty of Waitangi.Raw Politics looks first at the volatile reception for Act’s Treaty Principles Bill at its first reading, how parties performed to their voting ...1 week ago
- In Cold Water is a must-see for true crime fans
A new documentary series tells the story of a former Napier councillor accused of murder in Canada. This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. In 2010, New Zealander Peter Beckett was on holiday in Canada’s Rocky Mountains, enjoying a relaxing afternoon fishing on ...1 week ago
- The Friday Poem: ‘FREE TRAMPOLINE’ by Sophie van Waardenberg
A new poem by by Sophie van Waardenberg. FREE TRAMPOLINE If I could, I’d praise the world— how this, how that, how the darling other— but all I do is sit down, hang on, come home. It has to be enough. On the walk from the station all the sidewalk ...1 week ago
- The Unity Books bestseller chart for the week ending November 15
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington. AUCKLAND 1 Zest: Climbing From Depression to Philosophy by Daniel Kalderimis (Ugly Hill Press, $40) Kalderimis ...1 week ago
- The rebuilding of Fazerdaze
Following the release of her sophomore album Soft Power, Amelia Murray (Fazerdaze) tells Alex Casey about heading south and rediscovering herself. Fazerdaze is back in Morningside, but everything has changed. “It’s so strange to be back, ” she says softly, gesturing out of The Spinoff’s office window at the drizzly ...1 week ago
- Where does kai come from? Learning in the māra
Lucinda Bennet reflects on appreciating vegetables and learning through doing. This is an excerpt from our food newsletter, The Boil Up. When you pull a carrot from the ground, there’s a certain sound it makes, a kind of “pop” as the tip detaches from the root cap. It’s something you can ...1 week ago
- The cost of being: A lawyer with two kids, a mortgage and a love of good meat
As part of our series exploring how New Zealanders live and our relationship with money, a 42-year-old lawyer shares how he and his family approach their finances. Want to be part of The Cost of Being? Fill out the questionnaire here. Gender: Male. Age: 42. Ethnicity: Pākehā. Role: Lawyer with two ...1 week ago
- Watch live: New Zealand vs Australia in the Trans-Tasman Scrabble Challenge
In an Antipodean first, the Bledisloe Cup of Scrabble is streaming live on YouTube all weekend. Here’s how to watch and everything else you need to know. What’s all this then? It’s Scrabble as you’ve never seen it before! Unless you already watch Scrabble online, in which case it’s Scrabble ...1 week ago
The server will be getting hardware changes this evening starting at 10pm NZDT.
The site will be off line for some hours.
Recent Comments