ICYMI: The flag comes down at Ihumātao
20 January - 27 January
Simon Bridges is about to make a big decision that could shape the election. Election day is now just months away (235 days, to be exact) which means speculation around who the major parties will work with will no doubt begin to heat up. It’s fair to say that Winston Peters will likely return as kingmaker, which begs the question: will National be willing to work with NZ First? Alex Braae lays out six potential scenarios, some more plausible than others.
BREAKING… your toilet. Because detox teas will only make you shit. Several detox teas, which are promoted as helping you to lose weight and improve “wellness”, were recently removed from shelves after a Consumer NZ investigation found them to contain senna, a pharmacy-only laxative ingredient used to treat constipation. Or, as senior writer Madeleine Chapman puts it in her piece: “D is for detox but mostly diarrhoea”.
‘We will see a positive resolution’: the flag comes down at Ihumātao. On day 1,173 of the occupation at Ihumātao, it was announced that a resolution was imminent and expected before Waitangi Day, reports Ātea editor Leonie Hayden. To mark the occasion, Kiingi Tuheitia travelled to Ihumātao and lowered the flag of the Kiingitanga in “recognition that the king has successfully intervened in a process that will see a positive resolution.”
Just briefly, a quick word from Toby Manhire, editor of The Spinoff:
As you probably know, it’s one hell of a turbulent media market out there. If you like The Spinoff and want to help us survive the storm, please consider becoming a Spinoff member. Contributions allow us to keep making homegrown and independent journalism that’s free to all. Our coverage of local elections, the Policy voting tool and a bunch of important and innovative climate change journalism, for example, would have been impossible without the generosity of members. But wait, there’s more: if you do sign up, you can contribute any amount you like, but give $8 a month or more and you’ll get a free Spinoff tea towel designed by Toby Morris. And a tote bag.
Island Fútbol. Far from home, the Latin American football fanatics of Waiheke Island are fighting to regain their place on the New Zealand football league. As Michael Andrew writes in his excellent Spinoff Members-funded piece, Waiheke United’s matches are filled with boisterous energy thanks to its small but fervent fanbase who chant, dance and sing “with such passion and colour the club could be River Plate or São Paulo FC”.
An ode to Food Alley, 1992-2020. After 28 years, downtown Auckland’s historic food court will finally close down. Following in the footsteps of K Road’s Mercury Plaza, many expressed shock and sadness that the city’s oldest Asian food court would be shutting its door. “It’s been a regular haunt for years,” one diner told food editor Alice Neville and I when we visited Food Alley the day after the news broke. “There are not many food halls like this any more. I like the variety, the simplicity and the price.”
The Mad Butcher on being NZ’s greatest food influencer. The Mad Butcher loves to post pictures of his breakfast on Instagram, and they’re wild I tell you. Wild! From good ol’ favourites like jam on toast to avant-garde concoctions like mandarins in cornflakes, nothing will stop The Butch from posting his plate. “All I’m doing is sharing the love and what I’m up to,” he tells senior writer Alex Casey. “I only believe in positivity and I don’t believe in negativity. I just share the love.”
A handy guide to being a good friend to a new mum. “We need to respect the need for māmā to heal and rest, so when you’re visiting, keep an eye on the time. Unless you are incredibly close, an hour is a good amount of time to stay,” advises new mum Gemma Major. “Before you go, clean up any dishes you made while you are there plus any others. If you made any rubbish, put it in the bin and put any recycling out. You want to leave nothing extra for the parents to do. In fact, when you visit, you want to be sure that by you showing up, you’ve made life easier for them today.”
The Spinoff Weekly is written by staff writer Jihee Junn