The decision to support Winston Peters’ beloved caucus-cementing bill is bad karma for the Green Party and at least as big a threat to our democracy as anything the National government did, writes Geoff Simmons With the Green Party now lending its support (under the guise of “coalition stability”), the infamous “Waka Jumping Bill” will … Read more
This week: National party leader Simon Bridges is excited about launching an opposition bill to make medical marijuana legal in New Zealand. Starring Tom Sainsbury. The Spinoff TV, 10.45pm Fridays on THREE Click here for all our Kiwis of Snapchat videos
Australia’s polarising immigration minister, Peter Dutton, last week responded to Andrew Little’s criticisms of its deportation policy by asking him to “reflect a little more on the relationship between Australia and New Zealand”. Here the NZ justice minister, having reflected, writes that every country has the sovereign right to make their own laws. But when those … Read more
The medicinal cannabis bill filed today in the name of National’s Whangarei MP Shane Reti is vastly better-conceived than the government bill it seeks to supplant. But it’s not perfect, writes Russell Brown. It’s no secret that members of the Health select committee were moved by many of the oral submissions they heard while considering … Read more
The difference between the New Zealand First vote and the Green vote at the election? Less than one percentage point. The leverage value for New Zealand First in those 25,000 extra votes? Priceless, writes Guyon Espiner for RNZ As the one year milestone since the election nears, the New Zealand First leader is nearing the … Read more
Meat on aeroplanes has unexpectedly emerged as a critical political fault line. Madeleine Chapman speaks to Mark Patterson, the farmer politician with the chops. Like a locally slaughtered snag in a slice of Tip Top white bread, Mark Patterson has made himself at home in parliament. By picking an issue and sticking with it, Patterson … Read more
With the folding of TOP and the Māori Party’s struggle to re-enter Parliament, one thing’s become obvious; there just aren’t enough parties. Anna Bracewell-Worrall for Newshub suggests a few potentials. Currently there are five parties in Parliament. There are only two parties in opposition. If variety is the spice is life, the Parliament of Aotearoa … Read more
In resetting targets for health, the challenge is to identify and articulate the underlying map, writes Paul Duignan Will health targets end up on target? Imagine that you are talking to an Air Force chief in a war somewhere. You have the job of working out whether the targets they have selected for bombing are … Read more
Submissions to the Zero Carbon Bill close on Thursday July 19. Laura Somerset, a Wellington-based convener of Generation Zero, looks back on the early days of the climate action movement. At 16, I unwittingly became a climate activist because I wanted to skip English class. The year was 2016. Selfie sticks were emerging and global … Read more
From tax incentives to cash grants, ‘price signals’ are the key to increasing the uptake of electric vehicles in New Zealand, writes Victoria University’s Lisa Marriott. On Friday 13 July, Climate Change Minister James Shaw stated that in order for New Zealand to meet its zero carbon pledge nearly all the country’s cars will have … Read more
We review the entire country and culture of New Zealand, one thing at a time. Today, Hayden Donnell reviews all New Zealand roads after driving 2500km in four days. The route over Takaka Hill is less a road than a rickety goat track hewn into the side of a mountain. It’s afflicted by slips and … Read more
Many of the attendees at a protest against Auckland Council banning Lauren Southern and Stefan Molyneux feel they get a raw deal from media. So, here’s exactly what they said. The events that led to the protest are already well covered. Auckland mayor Phil Goff stepped in to prevent two Canadian speakers from using Council … Read more
The purchase of four surveillance planes signals an even closer military alignment with the United States, and the reflects badly on our non-aligned status, writes former Green Party defence spokesperson Keith Locke. It was disappointing to see a Labour-led government agree to spend $2.3 billion on four P8A surveillance planes equipped to detect and fight submarines. Back in … Read more
One of TOP’s former candidates, Dr Jenny Condie, is speaking out about why she thinks the Gareth Morgan-dominated party failed, and what should have been done better. “At the heart of this is my concern that you are simply unable to relinquish the control and direction of this party to anyone other than yourself and … Read more
As its first candidate and deputy leader, Geoff Simmons was the policy power behind Gareth Morgan’s fledgling, ill-fated party. In the week that Morgan announced its demise, Simmons reflects on the experience It’s been quite sad and surreal to watch TOP’s demise. Even more surreal is being bombarded with requests for my views on what … Read more
A newly formed Free Speech Coalition has raised $50,000 in one day to support the rights of two racists to speak at the Bruce Mason Centre. Hayden Donnell catalogues a few times some of the coalition members have been less fervent in their defence of free speech. David Farrar has written about his inclusion in … Read more
Did a National MP really call a Labour MP a “bitch” in parliament? And if so why did it vanish from the official Hansard record? It was just another ennui-inducing debate in the House of Representatives. A scattering of rostered MPs were debating, if you must know, the Appropriation (2017/18 Supplementary Estimates) Bill and Imprest … Read more
Our Q&A introduction to the topic of the moment. Today: Theresa May’s UK government is in crisis following high-profile resignations and disarray around plans to leave the European Union. What’s the latest? The British government has been as sober and stable as a vodka jelly since it voted two years and two weeks ago to … Read more
With the demise of The Opportunities Party, the protest vote they garnered will need a new home. But where? Alex Braae assesses the candidates. Even as the fond memories of TOP’s brief existence fade away, a few defining pictures remain. There’s Gareth Morgan on a billboard, talking about lipstick. There’s Geoff Simmons, chatting away amiably … Read more
In an election campaign replete with fascinating and colourful moments, the Opportunities Party and its leader, Gareth Morgan, were at the very least the outstanding subplot last September. Yesterday, out of the blue, it was announced that the TOP board had decided not to contest the 2020 election and would be deregistering with the Electoral … Read more
Ron Mark on Friday revealed the most important foreign policy statement we have seen yet from the new government, including an unmistakable shift in NZ’s position on China, writes David Capie The government’s Strategic Defence Policy Statement, launched on Friday by defence minister Ron Mark, signals a new view of New Zealand’s security challenges. It … Read more
A week which saw opposition MPs railing against airline menu changes and inquiries properly constituted under legislation they promoted in government suggests they’re hellbent upon repeating their predecessors’ tendency to get tied up in credibility knots, writes former minister Peter Dunne Politicians often get a bad rap, even when they do not deserve it. In … Read more
The buyer eligibility rules for the government’s marquee house building programme have just been released. Do you qualify? Alex Braae has the skinny What’s all this then? Remember when the housing crisis became a real thing for the commentariat of New Zealand, because their sons and daughters were being priced out of the market? Well … Read more
Former National cabinet minister Wayne Mapp asks what the party’s green policy might look like. The National party has won plaudits for pledging to support the new Climate Change Commission. Climate scientist James Renwick, for example, writing for The Spinoff, welcomed the prospect of “meaningful and long-lasting policies implemented that genuinely reduce our greenhouse emissions”. … Read more
Māui Street editor Morgan Godfery chats to ‘minister for everything’ Andrew Little about nation building and resolving Treaty settlements on ‘marae time’. Old timers will tell you the words “former Labour leader” are a curse. Former Labour leader Phil Goff. Former Labour leader David Shearer. Former Labour leader David Cunliffe. Former Labour leader is the … Read more
The government says new data suggesting foreign buyers have a much larger role in the housing market than previously thought is “a vindication” of its foreign buyer ban. But that doesn’t mean the ban makes any sense, writes Guyon Espiner for RNZ. It’s a great bumper sticker. Ban foreign buyers! It’s simple, it resonates and … Read more
It’s a bold claim from Simon Bridges, but has his office pulled a bit of a swifty on the numbers? Alex Braae checks the maths. Here’s the claim: National Party leader Simon Bridges says in the nine months of the Labour government, there has been more industrial action than under nine years of the National … Read more
The leader of the National Party has been heavily criticised for delivering a tone-deaf interview on the prime ministerial baby on Friday. Hayden Donnell resolved to help him beat his demons and redefine his personal brand. The worst thing was he thought it was going well. Simon Bridges was revelling in the grim nihilism of … Read more
