What does Labour do about Winston?
Current polling suggests that we may witness something that has not happened before, a one term National Government. But this may mean Labour making a deal with Winston Peters. What should Labour do?
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Some random predictions for 2026 …
What will election year 2026 bring to Aotearoa?
The Tamaki Makaurau by election
With a very small turnout and half of the votes counted it appears that Orini Kaipara will win the Tamaki Makaurau by election.
Update: Peeni Henare has conceded.
A different way of doing politics
Hopefully what we witnessed in Parliament this week will return a trend to the politics of kindness that Jacinda Ardern practised. And one holding respect for Te Ao Māori at its core.
Louisa Wall – Project 2025 Is Silencing Māori Dissent — and It Didn’t Even Start Here
The attempt to punish Te Pāti Māori MPs for a haka protest is not just an internal matter—it reflects a broader, global effort to suppress dissent, erase cultural expression, and centralise power under the guise of order.
Seeing Is Believing
A video post, starring Christopher Luxon, Chris Hipkins, Nicola Willis and Winston Peters. Featuring Debbie Ngarewa-Packer as star prosecutor.
The Government blinks
Faced with the threat of an impassioned filibuster against the Priviliges Committee extreme recommendations the Government yesterday abruptly stopped debate on the committee report by voting to adjourn the debate.
Privileges Committee recommendations are partisan, indefensible and racist
The Privileges Committee recommendation for suspension of three Maori Party MPs for performing a haka in Parliament has been described as appearing to be partisan, indefensible and open to attacks of racism. Parliament’s response tomorrow will show how political the issue has become.
Te Pati Maori and the Privileges Committee
The Government’s desire to heavily punish Maori Party MPs for their haka in Parliament in opposition to the Treaty Principles Bill may have a dramatic effect on Budget Week.
The latest polls suggest a change in Government
Two recent polls both predict a one term National Government.
Later Stuart
Stuart Nash has suggested that Labour is losing support for not sticking to its values. But his suggested policy solution would have Labour resemble National lite, not deepest red Labour.
Latest opinion poll – Labour overtakes National
That grinding noise you can hear from the Parliamentary precinct is the sound of National backbenchers sharpening their knives getting ready for a change of leadership. Because the latest Curia poll shows National has fallen behind Labour in the preferred party stakes.
2024 in review
It is that time of year when during the brief hiatus of civilisation known as the holidays we get the time to reflect on what has happened over the past 12 months.
Luxon Takes A Beating
Five recent polls show that Kiwis are tired of the Coalition government, but will the trendline hold?
Justified outrage
There were some dramatic scenes in Parliament yesterday with Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke leading a fiery haka during the count of Act’s Treaty of Waitangi Principles Bill.
The Treaty of Waitangi Principles Bill gets slammed
The Treaty of Waitangi Principles Bill has now been released and it appears that the provisions take away more rights from Māori than originally proposed.
The Government’s cynical manipulation of the Treaty Principles Bill
In a cynical manipulation of Parliamentary Processes the Government is changing the date of introduction of the Treaty Principles Bill. And the Waitangi Tribunal has said that the bill is a deliberate attempt to destroy the treaty relationship.
Where’s The Opposition?
Labour, Green Party and Te Pati Māori have been relatively quiet as the Coalition government move at breakneck speed to roll back laws and transfer wealth. Is it a matter of resources, media coverage, or will?
Latest poll result – National is being cleaned out by NZ First and Act
The latest Curia poll result suggests that National is tanking and NZ First and Act are eating into its support. And Luxon selling off his rental properties and saying that he does not care suggests he may be planning for an exit.
The New Zealand left are in the worst place in a century
New Zealand has the most right wing government it’s had since Governor George Grey determined to eradicate all Maori power by systematic war and then systematic legislative theft in 1863. But the left shows no sign of unifying.
Where Does Labour Rebuild?
It won’t come from the working class. But we know where it will come from.
David Seymour and his relationship to Atlas Network – Could this affect the fate of 7AA?
Seymour was once called the “most dangerous man in Aotearoa right now.” But is he just misunderstood? Let’s revisit Section 7AA and Karen Chhour’s tears too.
About Karen Chhour’s future
Act minister Karen Chhour has recently adopted the mantle of victimhood and claimed that she has been under attack and feels unsafe in Parliament. But the attacks are not personal and are motivated by the damage her party is causing to Oranga Tamariki as well as to the country’s race relations.
The Budget Day Protests
Protests by Māori and Tangata Tiriti against government policy are underway on the day of the National government’s first budget. Carkoi and Hikoi are taking place in many locations across the country.
Right wing plunges in latest poll
The latest One News Verian poll suggests that the right is in trouble.
Back on Track?
National campaigned on the promise of getting the country back on track. How is it going?
The best Electoral System that money can buy
The Independent Electoral Review Panel has recommended changes to the electoral system including the banning of any donations unless made by enrolled voters, a cap on the size of those donations and a requirement that third parties disclose all large donations that they receive.
Peak NZ Liberal
As National dismantles with speed some of the institutional reforms made by the last Labour Government the concern is that we may have witnessed the peak in progressive influence.
The Left Do Not Own Maori
Labour, the Greens and liberal parts of the media have not adjusted to the fact that liberal and Maori are different things.
What happened in the Maori seats
The final results in the Māori electorates clearly indicate that there was a great deal of strategic voting taking place.
How the special votes may work out
Special vote counts may see Labour win back some important electorate seats and see the National/Act majority vanish.
NZ Election result
In parliamentary politics, there are no final victories. After losing the 2023 election, Labour must now immediately focus on winning in 2026.
Why are the Greens so happy?
The trad left/right spectrum people are wondering why the Greens are so happy. Didn’t the left just lose?
That was not as good as was hoped for
Last night was not a good night for the Labour Party …
Down to the wire
Two new polls were released last night and they both confirm a tightening of the race with the right slumping and the left improving.
Tax or quality public services – which is more important to NZ voters?
Earlier this year Andrew Marr wrote in the New Statesmen, that Britain’s problem was that it wanted Scandinavian levels of Public Services and North American levels of taxation. His view was that Britain was overdue for an honest debate about tax and public spending. In New Zealand, there is a similar challenge.