Watch Waitaki
Damien O’Connor has a unique chance to wrest the safe seat of Waitaki off National’s Miles Anderson.
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nz first
The Latest One News Verian Poll
It’s only one poll, but it’s broadly in line with other recent polls.
National’s LNG terminal tax is on hold (for the moment).
National proposed building a liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal at Port Taranaki. Ostensibly for dry year support for the electricity generators. National were planning to have this signed up before the election. Act and NZ First appear to have quashed that. The outrage of consumers to being taxed yet again by the National government for their piss-poor 1990s energy management broke through?
Unmasking the TaxPayers Union as the Tobacco Protection Union
The most interesting thing so far about Hagers’ Dirty Work book has been revelation of the extent that the Tobacco industry funds the Taxpayers Union and the people operating it. It appears that the organisation should be regarded as an organisation dedicated to killing citizens with tobacco products.
Comrade Christopher and the breakup of Foodstuffs
Christopher Luxon’s announcement that if re-elected National would move to break up Foodstuffs has met resistence from within his caucus, from the Act Party and from some of the party’s strongest and best resourced supporters.
The Right is winning the bullshit media narrative
Last weekend saw a continuation of right wing parties coming out with inane policy announcements that make a media splash without any hard questions being asked.
Winston Peters clings to a dying empire
It may feel to NZ First cultists that Winston Peters is being picked on this site. But if he chooses to act like an geriatric, erratic, and foolish foolish dickhead in the pursuit of the unthinking bigot vote.. Well, then opinion writers will notice and opine. Here is another opinion from Local Bodies which focuses on a foreign minister who appears to be out of touch with current international affairs.
Aotearoa’s very own Donald Trump
New Zealand First is peddling nonsense law changes straight out of the Donald Trump playbook. And engaging in obnoxious racist behaviour. And Christopher Luxon does not have the ability to stop them or control them.
Sack Him Christopher
After the 2005 election, the Chinese Embassy sent Zhang Wei to ask me if Winston Peters would follow Labour government policy. I said I didn’t know, but would ask.
Stuart Gnash
With the demise of Stuart Nash’s planned resumption of his political career the question has to be asked, did Stuart Nash leave NZ First or did NZ First leave Stuart Nash?
Jones should be sacked
Shane Jones underscored Christopher Luxon’s weakness by telling him publicly that he needed to “take off your kneepads” when receiving a visit from foreign leaders without repercussion.
Does Parliament really need more shock jocks?
Michael Laws and Paul Henry are planning a return to Parliament. Laws as a potential New Zealand First MP and Henry as an Act MP. Does Parliament really need more shock jocks?
Latest poll – too close to call
The latest RNZ Reid Research Poll suggests that the chances of Christopher Luxon needing a new job after the next election are increasing.
National panics with Kiwisaver announcement as polling crashes
National’s recent Kiwisaver announcement, expected to cost $110 million a year, only pays back some of the savings from its erlier Kiwisaver cuts expected to save $610 million a year, and appears to be signs ofincreasing panic.
Walking backwards off the cliff
The coming oil shock is not just about oil. The future is baked in, and its not good. National’s backward-looking budget will make it much worse.
Should we renationalise the BNZ?
Winston Peters is trying to appeal to the far left by calling for the renationalisation of the Bank of New Zealand.
Does the centre left need Te Pāti Māori to win the election?
Does the centre left need Te Pāti Māori to win the election?
Crisis what crisis
Christopher Luxon has responded to Winston Peters releasing emails suggesting Luxon wanted to support the US invasion of Iran by dressing him down publicly. The Government is clearly in crisis.
As stable as a three legged stool?
The Peters-Willis-Jones stoush during the past week underlines the importance of Labour indicating that it will not go into coalition with NZ First after the next election.
I could be completely wrong, but…
My hunch is that Luxon stands down as Prime Minister, to be replaced by Mark Mitchell.
Shane Jones: Government isn’t Nostradamus
Shane Jones appeals for understanding for the Coalition, but did he extend any to others?
Winston Peters signals willingness to send military assets to assist USA
Is NZ going to join the Iran war?
Lies, damned lies and Shane Jones’ Oil Refinery take
Shane Jones has been making a song and dance about how the previous Labour Government was responsible for the closure of the Marsden Point Refinery. But a perusal of the cabinet paper he cites in support shows that this clearly is not the case.
Labour Gains Ground
Latest poll results show a gain of 10 seats by Labour but don’t forget the voter disenfranchisement laws and NZME’s Editorial Direction is still to come
2.8% of New Zealand population outbound in 2 years as division widens
OPINION: I visited Facebook recently and noticed some fake accounts (you know the ones with AI pictures depicting Māori in an unfavourable light, along with NZ flags featured prominently, as if love for a country is about a piece of cloth), and there’s a distinct anti-Indian sentiment being cultivated on the platform
Fast Track law fails at the first big hurdle
Environmental groups have cheered the draft Panel’s decision refusing to allow Taranaki’s continental shelf from being smashed up to extract rare earth minerals. But how will the Government respond?
Is Shane Jones really to blame?
NZ First is openly allegiant to commercial fishers, mining (fossil fuels) and tobacco companies, but is it really their fault?
Shane Jones loves fossil fuels
National has allowed Shane Jones to effectively veto the country signing up to a road map away from the use of fossil fuels supported by much of the world that was consistent with current policy settings.
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?
How the Atlas Network is shaping your life, even if you’ve never heard of it
Australia’s media covers the nefarious rise and links of Atlas Network in Australia and NZ.
The rise of Winston follows the rise of Pauline Hansen and Nigel Farage
Ten months to go and there is no political party currently countering the sustained rise of New Zealand First.
Management speech mumbo jumbo
Christopher Luxon’s latest State of the Nation speech suggests that over summer he has been spending more on his Spotify summer list than he should have.
Peters attacks Reserve Bank Governor
Winston Peters has attacked the REserve Bank Governor Anna Bremen for publicly expressing concern about politically inspired Department of Justice attacks on US Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell.
Some random predictions for 2026 …
What will election year 2026 bring to Aotearoa?
Politician of the year?
Chris Bishop is thought by some to be the politician of the year, mainly for drafting a couple of bills plaigarised from the work of David Parker and untested promises to build hugely expensive roads of National significance. But they are ignoring the most extraordinary performance by an opposition leader in recent decades.
Peters spits the dummy over India Free Trade deal
“National preferred doing a quick, low-quality deal over doing the hard work necessary to get a fair deal that delivers for both New Zealanders and Indians.”