Partners

A little better every day: Inside a South Auckland bee garden

A little better every day: Inside a South Auckland bee garden

In Ōtara, primary school students are tending their own hives – and learning why bees are an essential part of Aotearoa’s ecosystem.

By The Spinoff | 14th September, 2026

Ockham’s Kubrick apartment building in Freemans Bay. (Image: Auckland Council / The Spinoff)

PC gone mad? Everything you need to know about Auckland Council’s controversial housing plan

Plan Change 120 is getting stick from both sides of the housing debate – but what will it actually mean for Auckland?

By Russell Brown | 10th September, 2026

Contributing writer

‘My favourite way to move in the city’. The author and her beloved bike. (Image: Tina Tiller/Supplied)

The intimacy and joy of biking in traffic

A bike is a way to experience the best part of the city, to notice things I’d never have seen from a car or a bus.

By Shanti Mathias | 9th September, 2026

Contributing writer

Wellington’s spring highlights: Big Low Dream at Footnote New Zealand Dance, Cornelia Parker at City Gallery, World of WearableArt, Verb Readers and Writers Festival, Matilda the Musical.

What Wellington’s culture crowd is looking forward to this spring

Highlights from the capital’s cultural calendar, from the people who should know.

By Catherine McGregor | 8th September, 2026

Commercial editor

Moving house soon? Learn from our mistakes.

Everything we did wrong when we moved house

Learn from our mistakes.

By Chris Schulz | 7th September, 2026

Driving tests are changing – here’s what you need to know

Driving tests are changing – here’s what you need to know

Getting a driver's licence in New Zealand will soon look very different. Will the system’s biggest overhaul since 2011 actually make our roads safer?

By Dan Brunskill | 3rd August, 2026

Some of the most joyful celebrations are pulled together with more creativity than cash. (Image: Tina Tiller)

Big feelings, small spend: a guide to birthdays on a budget

Smart ideas for making the people you love feel like a million bucks – without spending anything close.

By Sophie Neville | 20th July, 2026

The city of Kurashiki, near Okayama, is famed for its Edo-period architecture and its willow-lined canals. (Photo: Shutterstock)

What to see in Chugoku, the Japanese region with something for everyone

It's home to ancient traditions, epic outdoor adventures and one of the world's most important historic sites – and that's just the start of the story.

By Catherine McGregor | 13th July, 2026

Commercial editor

A little better every day: ‘The garden was quite a healing process’

A little better every day: ‘The garden was quite a healing process’

Inside Matariki at Amberley School, where they're planting seeds of growth to honour a beloved teacher's legacy.

By The Spinoff | 29th June, 2026

HBO’s ensemble casts are unmatched

What’s the greatest HBO show of all time?

Ten Spinoff writers make their cases for the greatest Home Box Office (HBO) Original of all time + vote for your winner.

By Group Think | 25th June, 2026

A bunch of people

The shows we’re most excited to watch on HBO Max

The shows we’re most excited to watch on HBO Max

The best recommendations for upcoming and returning shows to watch on the new streaming service.

By Tara Ward | 22nd June, 2026

Climbing Mount Tomaniivi (Photo: Supplied)

Beyond the beach: Fiji’s best hiking adventures

New Zealanders know their way around a great walk – and as it turns out, so does Fiji.

By Ellen Rykers | 18th June, 2026

Contributing writer

HBO Max is launching in New Zealand on June 16

Everything you need to know about HBO Max – and what it means for your favourite shows

All the important details about the upcoming launch of HBO Max in New Zealand.

By Tara Ward | 15th June, 2026

Charles Williams at one of his favourite spots, Swashbucklers (Photo: Sophie Miya-Smith)

‘Salad slinger’ Charles Williams knows how Aucklanders like to eat

'So many people are budget-conscious, but also way more conscious about what they put into their bodies.'

By Emma Gleason | 10th June, 2026

Poi Eruera at Tanuki’s Cave (Photo: Sophie Miya-Smith)

Hospo legend Poi Eruera on how to have the best night out in Auckland

Steak frite deals, staycation spots, coconut curries – these are Poi Eruera's favourite things about Auckland after dark.

By Emma Gleason | 27th May, 2026

The shock of the new: Auckland’s expectation-defying show of Chinese contemporary art

New Zealand's largest-ever survey of Chinese contemporary art is on now at Auckland Art Gallery. What does a Chinese New Zealand reviewer think of Forever Tomorrow: Chinese Art Now?

By Eda Tang | 26th May, 2026