The Good Oil is an independent New Zealand news and commentary site, so a Good Oil membership is a membership of this website. We don't sell olive oil or cooking oil. If you came looking for an oil subscription, or for the Good Oil brand made by Pure Oil NZ, you've found a different outfit entirely and we have no connection to them.
What we do publish is New Zealand political news, analysis and commentary, written from a conservative, centre-right point of view, with a regular eye on Australia, Britain and the rest of the world. Cam Slater founded the site. Until 2024 it was called The BFD, and it's still the same business (BFD Publishing Limited) under a new name. The old thebfd.co.nz address brings you here. There's more about who we are and who writes for us on the About page.
What you get without paying
Most of what we publish is free to read. Sign up for a free account, no card needed, and you can join the conversation in the comments and have new posts sent to your inbox, so a news feed or an algorithm doesn't get to decide what you see.
What the paid tiers add
Paid memberships are what keep The Good Oil independent. There are three, priced in New Zealand dollars, and all prices include GST:
- Basic, NZ$5 a month or NZ$50 a year: no ads, plus Daily Trivia.
- Basic+, NZ$15 a month or NZ$150 a year: everything in Basic, plus the daily crossword, sudoku and codecracker, and the SonovaMin and BoomSlang cartoons.
- VIP, NZ$25 a month or NZ$250 a year: everything in Basic+, plus the Ten@10 curated news newsletter every weekday, the VIP-only Real Good Oil newsletter, Political Intelligence: Quick Hits, and Good Oil Insight, which gives you access to the goodoil.ai app at app.goodoil.ai.
Every paid tier comes with a seven-day free trial. Paid members also get Cam's Corner and can read our subscriber-only articles. On every tier, a year costs the same as ten months, and you can change plans yourself at any time from your account page. If your card has changed or a renewal didn't go through, our Membership Renewal Help page walks you through it.
So, is it worth it?
That depends on how you read. If you want the news and a say in the comments underneath, the free account will do the job and we won't pretend otherwise. If the ads drive you up the wall, or the puzzles have become part of your morning, Basic or Basic+ covers that. VIP is for people who follow politics closely and want the extra analysis and Ten@10 in front of them every weekday.
Our honest advice to anyone new is to pop in once a day for a week and see whether it suits you. If it does, take a paid tier for its seven-day trial and decide from there. The plans are all on the signup page.
Common questions
Is The Good Oil an olive-oil or cooking-oil subscription?
No. The Good Oil at goodoil.news is a New Zealand news and commentary website, and a membership is a membership of the site. It has no connection to Pure Oil NZ or to any olive-oil club.
How much does a Good Oil membership cost?
A free account costs nothing. Paid plans are Basic at NZ$5 a month (NZ$50 a year), Basic+ at NZ$15 a month (NZ$150 a year) and VIP at NZ$25 a month (NZ$250 a year). All prices include GST.
Is there a free trial?
Yes. Each paid tier comes with a seven-day free trial.
What does VIP get you?
Everything in Basic+, plus the Ten@10 curated news newsletter every weekday, the VIP-only Real Good Oil newsletter, Political Intelligence: Quick Hits, and Good Oil Insight, which gives you access to the goodoil.ai app at app.goodoil.ai.
Is The Good Oil the same as The BFD?
Yes. The BFD changed its name to The Good Oil in 2024. The same business, BFD Publishing Limited, still publishes it.
Can I change plans later?
Yes. You can change your plan yourself at any time from your account page.