Danyl McLauchlan: Trouble for Winston Peters as Kiwi workers wake up to his party’s limitations

Winston Peters may find himself in dangerous waters in 2026.

The political cartoon: Anthony Ellison’s take on what’s to come in NZ politics

Anthony Ellison returns for 2026, sharing his perspective on politics.

Greg Dixon’s Another Kind of Politics: My wild political predictions for 2026

Greg Dixon runs a satirical eye over the year in local and international politics.

Danyl McLauchlan: Between austerity and orthodoxy, NZ’s left goes quiet

A stoush between competing economic theories is doing little to help balance NZ's books.

Aaron Smale: With Waitangi Day fast approaching, we need to talk about sovereignty

Whether it’s here, Greenland, Venezuela or Ukraine, sovereignty is under threat.

What might positive patriarchy look like?

Boys are growing up under a narrative that codes maleness as deficient or toxic.

Bulletin from Washington DC: There is no end to the Trump administration’s cruelty

History has shown us that a single act can spark a flame that immolates evil.

The Good life: Summer, in short, has deserted us

When the rain falls, out come the baby photos.

Where is Dunedin’s missing Star Fountain? Paul Gorman uncovers a strange tale

After Dunedin’s Star Fountain was dismantled in 1989, it disappeared.

Listener weekly quiz: January 28

Test your general knowledge with the Listener’s weekly quiz.

Why local networks and good neighbours are critical in natural disasters

When disasters strike, we can’t wait for rescue—locals must be ready to help themselves.

As Erica Stanford defends her rapid reforms in our schools, critics say they’re too experimental. Who’s right?

Are Kiwi kids really being used as guinea pigs in a dangerous political experiment?

Smoking foods can raise cancer risks but there are ways to snuff out most ill effects

Although smoked food isn't a health food, neither is it a villain.

Are ultra-processed soft foods stopping your mouth from getting a workout?

Our mouths play an essential role in digestion, but UPFs are making it too easy for them.

Hope is at hand for women suffering from a common post-menopausal symptom

Gone are the days when people didn't talk about menopause, but one change remains taboo.

A whole lot of pain: Why 135,000 Kiwis are still living with untreated gout

Gout is a serious form of arthritis yet stigma around it stops sufferers from getting help

Duncan Garner: I’ve got a life sentence – but it’s one I am happy to serve

Owning land humbles you; it strips away the illusion that you’re in control.

Sunshine, Lemons and Sea Salt: Donna Hay returns with coastal Australian home cooking

Ravenous appetites will appreciate Hay's twist on a classic garlic bread and tiramisu.

Weekend wine guide: Dancing Water’s new lease on life

The North Canterbury winery's rare vines date back to the 1980s.

The Good Life: Hazards of country life

A New Year's Honours snub and musings on being a tradwife is the latest at Lush Places.

The former refugee performing for change - and pulling the strings for Roma

Rašid Nikolić grew up in a camp for nomads & spends his time advocating for Roma people.

Beyond Dodi: The Crown star Khalid Abdalla on acting, activism, politics and performance

Theatre maker Khalid Abdalla on finding optimism in the face of crisis.

Your A-Z guide to NZ’s year in culture: The festivals, explosive exhibitions and x-rated shows you need to see

The best in live music, theatre, opera and dance coming this way in 2026.

Strings detached: Kiwi classical guitarist’s electronic pluck

Matthew Marshall: "The world does not need another guitarist who can play Spanish music.”

Fade to black: Barry Adamson’s Scala!!! ode to London’s notorious Scala theatre

Bad Seed and Magazine man goes noir.

Listener’s Songs of the Week: New tracks by Harry Styles, Arctic Monkeys, Bic Runga and more

New and intriguing tracks picked by Listener music writers.

With so many new films & series based on novels, book lovers must consider this vital question

From classics to sci-fi romps & rom-coms, 2026 is bursting with book-to-film adaptations.

The Martian’s Andy Weir on writing another novel that Hollywood had to have

After The Martian, Hollywood called early on Andy Weir's latest sci-fi hit.

Nicholas Wade's The Origin of Politics is a sustained attack on the political project of the modern left

Book argues that the “blank slate” ideas of the left can’t compete with human nature.

Book of the day: A World War II hero receives the biography her achievements and bravery deserve

Crash of the Heavens: The Remarkable Story of Hannah Senesh.

With so many new films & series based on novels, book lovers must consider this vital question

From classics to sci-fi romps & rom-coms, 2026 is bursting with book-to-film adaptations.

The Martian’s Andy Weir on writing another novel that Hollywood had to have

After The Martian, Hollywood called early on Andy Weir's latest sci-fi hit.

Milk, Madness and Mayhem: The Ruahine Triple Axe Murders

Was it an act of temporary, alcohol-induced madness? Or plain bloody murder?

The Listener 2025 collection: Our most popular crime writing

From contemporary court cases to historic murders, 2025's best read crime stories.

Steve Braunias on the sentencing of the mother responsible for the ‘suitcase murders’

Mercy for Hakyung Lee was bartered for at sentencing.

Foreigner, bigamist, killer: The wild life and dubious conviction of a colonial double murderer

Faced with a double murder that rocked colonial NZ, police were quick to find a suspect.

Was Renee Good’s death the result of senseless violence or an outcome of domestic terrorism?

Why your “moral language” will determine how you answer this question.

Bulletin from Washington DC: There is no end to the Trump administration’s cruelty

History has shown us that a single act can spark a flame that immolates evil.

Trump and Greenland: Liberal democracies need to wake up and smell the gunpowder

What is Europe's role in this new, brutish era?

2025, the UK’s warmest year on record, brings a sense of climate displacement

Between New Zealand and the UK, where would you rather be?

Tell us what you think - and win with listener.co.nz

We want readers to tell us more about how they're buying and reading the Listener.

Last chance to subscribe to listener.co.nz in our Black Friday special

Special Black Friday offer

See the world anew when science, art and nature converge in Te Papa’s Breathe | Mauri Ora

Te Papa’s new experience is at the cutting edge of technology and immersive art practice.

This Titirangi home was transformed into a functional family home

A mid-century Auckland home is reconfigured to make it more functional for a young family