The Spinoff Weekly: Siouxsie Wiles on what the data tells us about the delta outbreak
October 18 - 24, 2021
‘Up2 on Saturday?’: The texts and calls that made Vaxathon happen
No scripts, new presenters and a comms meltdown moments before going live. Here’s how last weekend’s Vaxathon came together.
Siouxsie Wiles: What the data is telling us about New Zealand’s delta outbreak
Nine weeks on, the Auckland outbreak has hit record levels, and continues to grow. The numbers tell a compelling story, writes Siouxsie Wiles. Data visualisations by Harkanwal Singh.
A message from The Spinoff publisher Duncan Greive:
We're rapidly approaching 10 weeks in lockdown here in Tāmaki Makaurau, and still unsure when a more recognisable form of living will resume. Which means that for the foreseeable future our staff will be working to bring you the latest from the delta outbreak – and to distract you from it – in a situation with a considerably reduced commercial foundation. This makes us more reliant on our Members than ever. To those who have contributed, a huge thank you from all of us. To readers who enjoy our work and have yet to join The Spinoff Members, please consider doing so today if your circumstances allow it. Head here to donate, or to find out more.
I will never, ever fix my smashed phone screen – and I’m not alone
Josie Adams refuses to fix the cracks in her phone screen even though they’re slicing her fingers to ribbons. In the latest instalment of IRL, she goes on a quest to meet others like her and discover their shared psychology.
We need your vote! Show some love by voting for your favourite podcast in the Listener’s Choice category at the New Zealand Podcast Awards.
Click here to vote for Gone by Lunchtime, The Real Pod, When the Facts Change or any of your other favourite podcasts from The Spinoff Podcast Network.
The Sunday Essay: Fame and loneliness in The Tribe
Actor Amelia Reynolds starred in the hugely popular TV show The Tribe as a child. Her experience wasn’t all fun and games.
Yup, Queenstown is doing it tough. But this week I found it bubbling with life
Visiting Queenstown as the country came out of lockdown last year, George Driver encountered a place ‘filled with bargain prices, eerie streets, fear and hope’. Now, with a third of the country in lockdown and the trans-Tasman bubble long burst, he returns to see if the town still has a pulse.
The Next Page: A free online event for emerging writers
As part of The Next Page, a new mentorship programme for emerging feature writers, we are co-hosting an online event to hear from some of the editors and journalists you might be working with – their journey, challenges and advice – and to answer any questions you might have about the programme. Register here for How I Got Here – Edition 2: Thursday, Oct 28, 2021 at 12:00pm.
How NZ’s new traffic light Covid-19 vaccine target system works
What it is, when it’s coming and everything else you need to know about the system that is set to take over from alert levels.
Charlotte said yes: How we got a French screen icon to star in our NZ film
Charlotte Rampling, acting royalty, is starring in the new local film Juniper. Writer and director Matthew J Saville tells how he travelled to Paris to convince her to take the part.
What really happened to Step Dave?
It had two stellar seasons and has been remade in multiple countries. So why did Step Dave get cancelled?
The National-Labour coalition on housing should expect a big election backlash
The cross-party deal shocked every one this week, not least National’s own supporters opposed to development in their leafy inner-city suburbs. Bernard Hickey predicts blowback in local elections in 2022, and ultimately in the 2023 general election.
Our favourite moments from Succession (so far)
Partner content
As the show’s third season kicks off on Neon, The Spinoff writers round up their favourite moments from TV’s best show about bad people.
