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The Spinoff
20 hours ago
- Politics
- The Spinoff
Weird men are driving people out of politics
Their smear campaigns are ham-fisted and grotesque. They're also working. Ray Chung seemed more annoyed than apologetic in what he'd billed as his ' unequivocal apology ' to Wellington mayor Tory Whanau. The Independent Together mayoral candidate said he regretted sending a florid email full of false rumours about the sitting mayor's sex life to several of his council colleagues, but stopped short of actually saying a word widely considered to be a key ingredient in an apology, 'sorry'. Perhaps he needed to save space in his video statement for bitter recriminations. Chung was annoyed at an as-yet unidentified councillor and journalists for collaborating in a scurrilous Dirty Politics-style campaign to accurately report his, and the Independent Together team's, real words and actions. 'Over the last week there's been a concerted campaign against me and my campaign for the Wellington mayoralty,' he said. 'This attack on me and our team of Independent Together candidates is designed to undermine our campaign.' Chung may have been befuddled at the chorus of boos he's been hearing, given previous attempted smears have met with a far warmer reception. Just 18 months ago, Whanau was seen going for drinks with friends at Havana Bar in central Wellington. Her night out became the subject of a digital chain letter from social media's pulsating swarm of weird men, who managed to churn out a rumour about her being videoed performing a sex act in public. The clamour got so loud and insistent, the alleged video was reported by RNZ and Stuff. Whanau was forced to release a statement based on the limited information put to her by the media. On The Platform, Sean Plunket described the alleged contents of the video in detail, before getting councillor Nicola Young to weigh in on why Whanau should resign for bringing the mayoralty into disrepute. Auckland councillor Maurice Williamson was overheard phoning a friend to gossip about the video during a council meeting. Whanau didn't resign, partly because the video didn't exist, and those who insisted it did were, to use the scientific term, 'full of shit'. But Young's career didn't suffer. Neither did Williamson's. More recently, Green MP Benjamin Doyle was the subject of a similarly toxic and defamatory chorus of accusations after posting what amounted to a joke caption on their private Instagram account. A group aligned with Chung's Independent Together ticket later gave the businessman behind that campaign, Rhys Williams, the task of finding someone to put together an opposition dossier on their left-wing rivals. These high-profile incidents are flare-ups against a background radiation of abuse. Just about every woman or gender diverse person in politics will tell you their job requires an ability to multitask between deleting insulting emails and blocking dehumanising social media posts. The noise from the weird men is relentless. It's so loud and vehement, it's hard to believe it's simply the product of a heady mix of fevered imagination, unalloyed prejudice, and easy access to the internet. Perhaps that's why the media keeps taking the bait. RNZ never saw the footage of Whanau's night out in 2023. That didn't stop it stating its existence as fact. 'RNZ learned of footage circulating and put the allegations to her office,' its reporter wrote of the non-existent video, under a headline dubiously asserting that the mayor had engaged in 'drunken antics'. Doyle was the subject of dozens of media stories and misleading opinion pieces from people determined to misconstrue a caption that was clearly more about themself than about their child. When Doyle finally fronted the media about being 'attacked in such a baseless, personal and violent way,' nearly all the questions were about whether they'd admit to political misjudgement. Rather than step down for their own safety, Doyle committed to staying in politics. These flimsy scandals were egged on by a braying online crowd which urged journalists to conflate sound with substance. The weird men online have endless reservoirs of psychological dysfunction and large expanses of time to marshall their obsessions into people's mentions. More often than not, they win. Several former politicians have admitted that being subjected to monotonous daily abuse was a factor in their public breakdowns. Former prime minister Jacinda Ardern has moved to the US and still requires security escorts when she re-enters the country. Whanau isn't running for re-election. She's unequivocal that smear campaigns motivated her decision which will likely allow Labour's Andrew Little to sweep to office on a tidal wave of resigned shrugging. 'This harassment has been the main cause of me stepping aside from the mayoralty,' she says. 'I'm just glad it's now visible for others to see and we can make changes to ensure this doesn't happen to others. I'll commit to doing that in my role as a councillor.' At the end of his apology video this week, Chung vowed to fight on. 'I look forward to seeing you on the campaign trail as we build the momentum to take back our city,' he said. Despite the brave posturing, it seems his campaign is most probably over before it's begun. Not only is it unlikely he'll win the mayoralty; some now believe his ticket could cede winnable races to the left. If that's the case, it'll be a notable departure from the norm. For once, the consequences of a false, sexist rumour will fall primarily on the person spreading it and his allies, rather than the woman on the receiving end.
The Spinoff
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Spinoff
A play-by-play of Ray Chung's train wreck interview with Sean Plunket
What's even worse than a days-long PR crisis as a mayoral candidate? Getting owned by Sean Plunket. Wellington mayoral candidate Ray Chung was under fire in a way he had never experienced before. Donors were abandoning him, and his support was cratering. The root cause: An email he sent to council colleagues two and a half years ago detailing salacious and unverified rumours about Wellington mayor Tory Whanau having a drug-fueled sexcapade with his neighbour's son. It was a wildly inappropriate topic for a work email and almost certainly defamatory. Whanau has denied the claims and said she can prove she was at a different event on the night in question. Instead of apologising, Chung doubled down. 'There has been a concerted campaign against me,' he said in a video released on Sunday. 'An email I sent privately over two and a half years ago was passed to the media. This was done deliberately to discredit me.' After being deliberately discredited with his own words, Chung desperately needed a way to shore up his base of support and focus everything in the right area. So, on Monday morning, he spoke to Sean Plunket live on The Platform. Chung would have fairly expected this to be a friendly interview, given that Plunket has previously broadcast an entirely different unfounded rumour about Tory Whanau. But as the interview went on, Plunket grew frustrated at Chung's complete inability to grasp why he was in trouble, and his repeated insistence on making everything worse. It was 17 minutes of mayhem and majesty. Here's the lowlights. 'It sounds like you've had a rugged weekend,' Plunket begins, lending a sympathetic ear. 'I have had a very rugged weekend. I've never had so many days in a row like this,' Chung replies. 'Joel MacManus [hey, that's me!] tells me you're a windbag and you've never been fit for office,' Plunket says. 'Have you seen The Spinoff's piece this morning? It's pretty remarkable. I'd have to say it's one of the most blatantly biased pieces of political writing I've ever seen in all my life, and coming from such a pimply faced little stuck-up millennial, it's amazing.' For the record, Windbag is the name of my column, not a comment on Ray Chung. But I stand by the rest. Also, I'm now feeling self-conscious about my skincare routine. Open to any and all recommendations from Plunket. Plunket wants Chung to go back to the start and explain the whole ordeal to his listeners: 'OK, three years ago, you're approached by a next-door neighbour of yours who tells you what?' Having just got himself into trouble for repeating an unfounded and probably defamatory story in an email – and trying to play the matter down because it happened two and a half years ago – you might think Chung would be smart enough not to repeat the same allegations live on air. But that's giving him far too much credit. 'We were walking with our dogs and [my neighbour] stopped me and as usual, you have a bit of a chat with your neighbours and he said 'oh, let me tell you about something',' Chung begins. 'A good story's a fast story, Ray,' Plunket urges, already losing patience. Chung continues: 'He said they met up with two women in a bar and went back to their apartment.' 'This guy did, your neighbour?' 'No, no, his son. They went back to the apartment and had a fun night.' Plunket can't resist calling bullshit. 'It seems odd that your neighbour would come up to you and say, 'Hey, my son scored the other night and here are the details. '' Ray's brain seems to short-circuit here. '….um…. weeeelll….. It was nothing that I expected.' Chung then fluffs around for a while until he finally gets to his big reveal that one of the women his neighbour's son supposedly slept with was the mayor of Wellington. 'Ray, what's wrong with that? She's not married,' Plunket says. At first, it seems like he is playing devil's advocate. But then it becomes clear that he is genuinely exasperated. 'Well, when we walked back, we thought 'My god, if this hits the news media…' 'What? That the mayor of Wellington is sexually active and she's a single woman, and she decides occasionally to have sex with people? Why is that a scandal?' Plunket is incredulous. Then, Chung decides to do the political equivalent of tripping over your shoelaces directly into a cow pat: 'Well it wasn't just sex, it was drugs as well.' That thumping you hear is Chung's lawyer concussing himself against his own desk. Plunket appears to roll his eyes and gives a barely audible sigh. 'Tell us about the drugs,' he says. Chung stumbles on. 'OK, as I was told, when they were at the pub, [Whanau] asked the two boys if they were interested in some drugs.' 'When you say boys, can we define boys?' Plunket says. 'I think about 21.' 'That's not a boy, that's a grown ass man,' Plunket says, crossing his arms. Chung argues for a while about the definition of a boy. Plunket is having none of it. 'Doesn't matter. 21. Get a beer, fight and die for your country, and sleep with who you want to.' Time to bring things back on track. 'OK, so she offered them drugs?' Plunket asks. 'Yep. And they went back to the apartment and, um, you know, had a good evening.' 'And did they do drugs, Ray?' 'Well, I don't know, but I assume they did because that's what they went back for.' The key quote there, of course, is: 'I DON'T KNOW.' 'Did you ever talk to the son to get the story firsthand?' Plunket continues. 'No, no, he wasn't there,' Chung admits. Chung spends a few minutes giving a meandering account about NZ Herald reporter David Fisher calling him for the story. Plunket gets bored and steers things back to the juicy bits. 'Where did pendulous breasts come from?' he asks. 'Where did what come from?' 'Pendulous breasts. Where did that phrase come from?' 'Oh, I was just told exactly what they said and how they described it.' 'So your neighbour's son told you she had pendulous breasts?' Plunket says with the withering tone of Kim Hill in her prime. 'That doesn't sound like the sort of language a 21-year-old would use, Ray. That's one part of the story that doesn't stack up'. Chung laughs. 'Heh heh, yep, I don't know, I was just repeating everything that I was told.' Repeating everything you're told without doing any effort to verify is exactly the problem. But understanding that seems beyond him. 'Would you send such an email again?' Plunket asks. 'Never, never. I've learned my lesson,' Chung says, after spending 16 minutes repeating all the problematic information that was in the original email, live on air. 'But I've also learned another even more important lesson, and that's don't trust anyone.' 'Oh, Ray, you can trust me,' Plunket croons. 'Can I? Can I?' Chung asks. He certainly shouldn't have. With that, Plunket ends the interview and turns to the text machine. He reads two messages from his loyal listeners: 'God, this Ray Chung sounds like a moron. Hopefully, Wellington has dodged a bullet.' 'Sean, Chung sounds like a loose cannon. He's the best the right have? God help you.'
Fashion United
30-06-2025
- Business
- Fashion United
Valentino: CEO Jacopo Venturini to reportedly step down
Valentino CEO Jacopo Venturini was reportedly leaving the company. According to The Platform, the executive was on leave and is to now exit the company "to take time for himself". The company confirmed to MFF that "Venturini was temporarily absent and on leave for health reasons". Valentino's revenue was relatively stable compared to the previous year, totalling 1.31 billion euros in 2024, down 2 percent at constant exchange rates and 3 percent at current exchange rates, year-over-year. In 2023, the company closed at 1.35 billion euros. 'We made significant progress in 2024, continuing to cultivate our maison's promise to enchant, surprise and inspire our customers in equal measure and in line with the brand's values since its foundation, from unparalleled attention to detail to dedication to excellence. Our work took a decisive step forward with the arrival of Alessandro Michele as the new creative director,' underlined Venturini in a statement last April. This article was translated to English using an AI tool. FashionUnited uses AI language tools to speed up translating (news) articles and proofread the translations to improve the end result. This saves our human journalists time they can spend doing research and writing original articles. Articles translated with the help of AI are checked and edited by a human desk editor prior to going online. If you have questions or comments about this process email us at info@
Gulf Business
24-06-2025
- Business
- Gulf Business
Q2's ‘most-searched' communities: See where UAE renters, buyers want to live
Image: Supplied As UAE real estate continues its momentum into 2025, new data from UAE-based real estate platform The platform, analysed over 44 million search queries and 540 million property views in Q2 2025, offering one of the clearest windows yet into what's driving real estate decisions across the UAE. Here are the key takeaways from the data: 1. Renters are choosing affordability over flash With rising living costs, particularly in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, affordability has become a top concern for renters. Convenience and access to amenities are also critical — with professionals, couples, and families searching for communities that balance value with location. Most searched rental communities: In Dubai International City Deira Bur Dubai Dubai Marina Jumeirah Village Circle (JVC) In Abu Dhabi Al Reem Island Hamdan Street Khalifa City Electra Street Mohammed Bin Zayed City These areas offer relatively lower rents while remaining close to schools, retail, transit, and business hubs — making them attractive for cost-conscious residents. 2. Buyers are eyeing investment corridors and future-ready zones While renters lean toward current convenience, buyers are looking ahead. The most popular search areas for buyers are less saturated, more affordable, and near planned infrastructure — positioning them for capital appreciation and high rental yields. Most searched buyer communities: In Dubai Dubai Investment Park (DIP) Jumeirah Village Triangle (JVT) Jumeirah Village Circle (JVC) In Abu Dhabi Khalifa City Mohammed Bin Zayed City In the Northern Emirates: Al Nahda (Sharjah) Select communities in Ras Al Khaimah These areas are appealing to investors and end-users seeking long-term value rather than instant convenience. 3. There's a clear renter–buyer divide in decision-making Skyloov's data underscores a growing behavioural divergence: 'Renters are prioritising access and affordability, while buyers are strategically looking for growth potential,' said Dr Abdulaziz Albwardi, chairman of the Board at Skyloov. He added that data-driven platforms are now essential to understanding and responding to this shift: 'In a market as dynamic as the UAE, data is no longer a supporting tool — it's a strategic advantage.' 4. Ras Al Khaimah and Sharjah are emerging hotspots Ras Al Khaimah and Sharjah's Al Nahda are rising in buyer interest, signalling broader investor confidence outside traditional centres. The appeal includes lower entry points, infrastructure development, and new lifestyle offerings in these emirates. 5. Data is redefining how people search and decide With over half a billion property views in one quarter, Skyloov's platform illustrates just how digital and data-led the UAE real estate market has become. As renters and buyers alike make sharper, value-conscious decisions, platforms that offer behavioural insights will shape where and how the next wave of real estate growth happens. Read:
Yahoo
20-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Netflix's new mystery thriller movie looks a mind-twisting ride that'll keep you guessing — watch the first trailer now
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. I wouldn't say I've ever been particularly claustrophobic, but after watching Netflix's first trailer for the German thriller 'Brick,' I can definitely feel the nightmare of confinement setting in. The premise is simple but intriguing: a couple wakes up to find their apartment building completely encased by an impenetrable brick wall that appeared overnight. The plot immediately reminded me of 'The Platform' and '10 Cloverfield Lane,' which are two of my favorite claustrophobic thrillers. So, it's no surprise this one went straight onto my summer watchlist. 'Brick' will land on Netflix on July 10, 2025, and judging by the first trailer, it looks like a mystery thriller viewers will devour (and maybe come to fear enclosed spaces a little more). The trailer opens with Olivia (Ruby O. Fee) telling her partner, Tim (Matthias Schweighöfer), that she's leaving him and not coming back. But as she tries to walk out of the apartment, she's met with a brick wall. Confused, they soon realize their entire building is surrounded by this strange structure. Like anyone would, they start kicking and throwing themselves against it, but it doesn't budge. The water doesn't work, there's no cell reception and even drilling through the brick gets them nowhere. Instead, they manage to break through a plastered wall and find their neighbor on the other side just as panicked as they are. You can feel the tension start to rise as Tim, Olivia, and the rest of the building's residents try to figure out what's happening and how to escape. But as the fear and claustrophobia set in, it's clear the real danger might be what's happening inside, not just outside. The trailer might reveal a bit more than it should, so the movie will need to pull off a truly unexpected twist to keep the story engaging and leave a lasting impact. Along with the trailer and release date, Netflix's synopsis reads: 'Tim and Olivia awake trapped in their apartment behind an impenetrable, futuristic wall which has materialized overnight … and they are not alone. The entire building and its residents seem to be enclosed. 'What happened? Who built that wall and why? Without any chance of outside help, they must band together to find a way out. Can they solve the mystery of the wall in time — and survive?' Nearly four years after starring together in 'Army of Thieves' (the prequel to 'Army of the Dead'), real-life couple Matthias Schweighöfer and Ruby O. Fee reunite for another Netflix project with 'Brick,' this time in a much darker, more suspenseful setting. 'Brick' is directed by Philip Koch and features a strong ensemble cast alongside Fee and Schweighöfer, including Frederick Lau, Salber Lee Williams, Murathan Muslu, Axel Werner, Sira-Anna Faal, and Alexander Beyer. Koch has a real knack for creating tense, atmospheric stories that feel just a little off-kilter in the best way, like he did with 'Tribes of Europa.' With 'Brick,' he seems to be bringing that same energy, turning a simple, contained setting into something eerie and unpredictable. There's a good chance this won't just be a survival thriller, as it looks to explore how people unravel under pressure. Given his background in sci-fi and psychological thrillers, Koch knows how to make familiar spaces feel strange and claustrophobic. If this new movie leans into that, it could end up being something really memorable. This is very much a claustrophobic thriller and one that will probably have you guessing until the very end. The trailer suggests a story that leans heavily into psychological pressure, exploring what happens to people when their world suddenly shrinks and the rules no longer make sense. Plus, it's perfect for anyone who enjoys a good single-location thriller. Visually, though, it actually looks pretty sharp and stylized, and I'm curious to see how it balances dread and mystery in the right way. Thankfully, we don't have long to wait to see the mystery unfold. If you're drawn to stories that thrive on slow-building tension, this one looks like it'll have you hooked from the first minute. 'Brick' starts streaming on Netflix from July 10. In the meantime, see what got added to Netflix in June 2025. Netflix drops trailer for its new star-studded romantic comedy series Netflix's chilling new doc has cracked the top 10 already Netflix just added one of the most shocking documentaries I've ever seen
