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Daily review 30/09/2026
40 comments on “Daily review 30/09/2026”
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An excellent interview of Zack Polanski in the round with Zeteo UK: His position on Palestine genocide, the England and Wales Greens as a bottom-up party, and how they are shifting UK politics, plus a bit of self-reflection.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9aB7IpaA5NM
It's interesting to compare Zack with Chloe, who is a hero of Zack's. He's a bit less 'rush through facts' and more 'coherent story telling', but both give out authentic vibes, ie they're mostly WYSIWYG.
"I wouldn't normally quote Netanyahu, but he said this week that Milliband's illegal settlement sactions are more about St Pancras and Holbern [the by-election Zack is running in against Labour] than anything else." Zack says.
I'll have to take time out later to watch the clip in full. But at this point in time, leaving aside the Palestine question (which is not to belittle it, no sir), Polanski and his party's "open borders" policy for the UK, make me deeply uneasy. The country's overpopulated as it is; some would argue has been for a century or more.
I'm lovin' the Nats trying to reverse ferret on their policy to raise the pension age to 67. I heard several times today on RNZ that they were now "going softly" on this policy.
Good luck with that. Either it is their policy or it is not their policy. It is their policy. Whoosh….that is the noise of votes shifting to Labour whose policy is to keep the age 65.
The Nats not sure if they are coming…or going. My pick is going… down….hard.
: )
Luxon: What I can tell you is that on my watch we won’t be raising the retirement age until all boomers have safely retired at 65.
I used to be pro lifting it, but as a 55 year old who's mostly done manual labour, 65 is starting to feel along way away
Who raising the pension age disadvantages: manual workers and those sections of society with poorer life expectancy.
True and on the very day a Maori Speaker for parliament passed away aged 65.
(I can see the flags at half mast from this cafe)
And a warbling shout from the 40% of New Zealanders aged 65 and older who rely entirely on NZ Super and further 20% who have only minimal extra income.
Hey National Campaign team: that's 1 million voters plus the half million voters reitring in the next 5 years Luxon and Willis have just put the fear of God into.
Could the wee tradie chap in the Header photo be thinking…Surely not this guy? Wasnt he the one who spelled CAT…KAT?
: )
By all accounts, the new City Rail Link (CRL) has been a great success, particularly with Westies.
https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/city-rail-link-one-million-trips-and-counting
Unsurprisingly, there’s a similarly positive effect in Mt Albert.
https://thespinoff.co.nz/politics/30-09-2026/opportunity-knocked-qiulae-wong-trails-in-fourth-in-mt-albert-poll
One of Labour’s firstly announced policies was the $20 Public Transport Fare Cap policy.
https://www.labour.org.nz/farecap
Given a little more time and I reckon that more voters will start to see the light at the end of the tunnel and connect the dots.
That policy needs more profile Incog.
Agreed!
In mainstream media (NZH) it appears to be only Nicola Willis (!?) who’s drawing attention to the Labour’s $20 Public Transport Fare Cap policy because she’s questioning and seeding doubts about how the policy will be funded, aka her usual lies & scare-mongering and diversion from her own and her party’s policy shortcomings.
In addition to Nicola’s help, the recent rise in fuel prices will help also.
It’s School Holidays right now, so keep the powder dry until everybody is back at school/work.
Labour’s small policies tend to be aimed at hip-pocket issues and offer immediate relief, more or less. If nothing else, they’ll provide good fodder for on the campaign trail and good talking points for interviews and Q&As.
PS Lifting up the Left, if not Labour, is the only way we’ll have a chance of avoiding Coalition Mark II.
Speaking as a born and bred ex-Westie, it took us from the near-complete death of the rail passenger trains in the late 1990s under Shipley's scorched earth, to the next 20 years of building western communities and town centres around that old rail line in the promise that one day, some decade ahead, we could build at least some part of Auckland in which you didn't need a car.
Long time coming.
Overall, it’s a huge improvement with the exception of Westies who need to go to Auckland City Hospital or the Med School in Grafton – everybody else is (much) better off with the new CRL.
The Daily Blog reports that Wellington Labourites have brought Trevor Mallard to the election pre-feast. I thought that someone would have potted him last duck-shooting season. Just what we need to turn our solemn problems further towards farce.
https://thedailyblog.co.nz/why-is-labour-trying-to-spoil-chippys-campaign-with-toxic-trevor-mallard/
Seen that.
Hipkins was asked about that the other day on the telly.
He said Trevor is an old friend helping out.
See vid in link below. Around 4.40 in
https://www.1news.co.nz/2026/09/29/hipkins-promises-to-reverse-pay-equity-changes-in-first-100-days-if-elected/
If Trevor Mallard is the answer, you are asking the wrong question.
Given Mallard is so hated by Luxon, Seymour and especially Peters, he must be doing something right.
A classic case of political partisans mistakenly assuming that the voters think the same way.
Nobody says "I will or won't vote for Party X because of Mallard". People commenting on political blogs might, but we're fringe fruit loops. Irrelevant.
Do you think it would be fair to assume there are lingering frustrations over the pandemic?
Further, that those lingering frustrations play a role in Labour struggling to gain good traction in the polls?
Additionally, how having Mallard helping out could bring more of those frustrations to the fore. Exacerbating their struggle in the polls, thus their election outcome?
No doubt your first two sentences are correct. But it's hard to see many of those voters saying "I was thinking of voting Labour, and can accept former Covid minister Hipkins becoming PM again, but can't accept seeing somebody who isn't even in Parliament and won't be."
Those were the ones I was alluding too.
Those that were/are getting over Hipkins being former Covid Minister being reignited by this
"The ones I was alluding too" need help, imho.
It's a strange one that Winston has the support of some opposed to mandates and he seems to be seeking their vote.
Clearly, he's merely trying to grow his support however he can.
And with the failures of all the other small parties opposed to mandates, one can only guess Winston is seen as their best hope for a seat at the table
Winston First pivoted to chasing voters opposed to vaccine mandates – whether he can truly help them is another matter.
Indeed.
I've seen Peters as a turning, twisting weather-vane changing positions according to conditions, for a long time. Consistently not consistent. In his case too, he is a weather-vain.
One would ask who is re-iterating, re-igniting, and feeding those ‘lingering frustrations’.
Do you think that John Key helping out flailing Luxon at National’s election campaign launch might re-ignite lingering frustrations & sub-merged associations with Dirty Politics and that this may exacerbate Luxon’s unpopularity thereby further dragging down his Party’s chances of leading Coalition Mark II?
TC makes a good point about a Covid 'hangover'. Seeing Mallard wasd a tad triggering but I have heeded weka and other's call to not criticise Labour for fear of disuading others from ticking their box.
I don't think there is a legitimate comparison to be made in terms of numbers or severity with Covid response/Dirty Politics. Even if they were in the same ballpark, all good if it does drag down Luxon, he's not on our side.
Context is key and I didn’t feel triggered by the mention of Mallard in the slightest but TC’s comment did trigger me, as you can tell, because he was parroting typical NZ First and RW tropes that are not constructive or helpful by any means (aka history cannot be changed but it can teach us lessons, but some like to re-write & re-interpret history through rear-mirror lenses because they hold grudges and have an axe to grind).
Hence, I agree that my comparison was flawed; it was an intentional ‘see what I did there?’ prompt.
I didn't make any direct points, gsays. I asked a few questions.
Asking questions forces people to pause and process information internally, which frequently helps them discover valid points in the questioning along with valuable insights or flaws in their own thinking
Unfortunately, for some discovering flaws in their own thinking can be uncomfortable.
"Unfortunately, for some discovering flaws in their own thinking can be uncomfortable."
The unexamined life is not worth living. Socrates.
Although the 'Socratic method' has proven an unpopular approach round these parts in the past.
First and foremost, it was Labour that decided allowing Mallard to help out was fine.
Whether anybody in Labour foreseen that decision would reignite and feed those lingering frustrations is unknown. Should they have? Some would say yes.
So if you're looking for someone to blame, I suggest you start there.
Nevertheless, it was noticed by the media, leading to Hipkins being questioned on it.
This was then picked up by Bomber over at his left-wing blog.
As for Key being rolled out, it looks desperate.
Despite what he's done (like selling shares in our power companies) when people look back to his era of reign, they mostly think of better times than what they currently face now
foresaw -just sayin'
(Foresaw is the past tense form of the verb foresee, which means to know, see, or anticipate an event before it happens.)
Key? "…his era of reign…" – it was shite and you should know it. People " looking back" only think it waa better because it is SO shite now.
Thanks for the correction.
And yes, exactly. People looking back only think it was better because it is SO shite now.
Though, can the same be said about Mallard and the era of lockdowns and vaccine segregation?
No, it cannot, though you might try to say so.
The present "shite" situation is all down to the present Government: National, ACT & NZ First.
It IS shite right now and that has to be sheeted to the present Government; if they couldn't "right the ship" with a 3-year free hand, then they are shite. They ARE shite.
Yes, there would be a number out there that would consider the era of lockdowns and vaccine segregation as being worse than the hardship they are facing now.
And yes, this coalition government is responsible for what they have done this term.
Though, there is more at play for our current situation.
For example, the impact of the sale of 49% minority stakes in three major state power companies taking a harder affect
Many being on the backfoot coming out of covid with high debt now facing high costs and slowing demand.
The international events having local impact
Weather events adding to costs. And so on.
There are many things at play, so it is best to look with both eyes
Chairman:
"Yes, there would be a number out there that would consider the era of lockdowns and vaccine segregation as being worse than the hardship they are facing now."
That number is vanishingly tiny and not worth regarding, mostly because if they are, like you, still clinging to their mad resentments, they'll never be of any use to any progressive movement.
Let them go.
Let it go.