UMR survey shows National largely resistant to the Labour surge, though Jacinda Ardern’s party has made inroads among centre voters, writes Stephen Mills Between June 2017 and February 2018 Jacinda Ardern has made Labour the dominant force on the left and much more competitive among centrist voters. National, however, has remained largely resistant to the … Read more
In going along with the Queen’s wish to make Charles their next head, Commonwealth leaders put paid to any hopes the crown might skip a generation, writes Louis – sorry, Lewis – Holden When it comes to the British Royals, the excitement of many for Prince William and Kate’s latest addition eclipsed a somewhat more … Read more
Paris, Berlin, London. The New Zealand prime minister has been shuttling the major European capitals this week, and the snappers have been out in force to document the appearances of New Zealand’s ‘pregnant leftie PM’ (© Sun newspaper). Here, a selection of those photographs, and Sam Brooks’ scientific analysis reveals precisely what Jacinda Ardern was … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: New Zealand’s land is in bad shape, medicinal cannabis submitters warned, and a symbolic day for Pike River families. New Zealand is losing 192 million tonnes of soil every year, according to a new environmental report. Radio NZ reports a bit under half of that soil loss is … Read more
The prime minister’s whistlestop tour of Europe saw her meet the German chancellor in Berlin yesterday. And the local press were gushing, writes Julie Hill It’s been a bloody big month for our PM. First, she was basically mobbed at an arts festival in Wanaka. Then she flew to Paris to catch up with the other … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Free trade with Britain moves closer, police and government at odds over drug driver testing, and EQC checks may be recalled. The PM is in London reassuring Britain that New Zealand is very keen on a post-Brexit free trade deal. The meeting between Ardern and Britain’s Theresa … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: A new poll is out, the government is considering public-private partnerships, and rents are rising rapidly. A new 1 News Colmar Brunton poll shows a drop for Labour, but government parties still comfortably ahead of the National party. It’s being reported by 1 News as the ‘end of the … Read more
The government sprung a surprise today by announcing an end to offshore oil and gas exploration permits. The response was mixed, with criticism from industry and acclaim from environmental groups. The prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, formally revealed the move in this speech to students at Victoria University of Wellington. I want you for a moment to think … Read more
The Budget Responsibility Rules are arbitrary and unhelpful, argues Branko Marcetic. When your house is in decay, a refusal to spend money to fix it is the opposite of prudent Just over a year ago, Labour and the Greens unveiled a set of Budget Responsibility Rules that committed them to keep delivering budget surpluses, paring down debt … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to the Bulletin. In today’s edition: Government prepares ground for a no-treats budget, Waikato DHB pulls out of expensive app failure, and a controversial immigration programme put on hold. The government is preparing the ground for a treat-free Budget by pointing to the situation they inherited. At yesterday’s post-cabinet press conference, PM … Read more
There’s nothing quite like the drama of a good ministerial sacking. So who in this government will be the first to be shown the door, or walk through it all on their own? Alex Braae assesses the candidates. Ministers come and ministers go, but the first of a new government is always a major occasion. … Read more
In this edition of Gone By Lunchtime Plus, a phalanx of heavy hitters from the The Hui and Ben and Toby order soy mocha-lattés and size up a challenging month for Jacinda Ardern and her government. Bookended by revelations of sexual assault at a Young Labour summer camp and calls for broadcasting minister Clare Curran’s resignation … Read more
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Commentators say government is in crisis, record gains in net migration, and the cost of posting a humble letter is going up. This is the web version of the Spinoff’s daily morning email The Bulletin. Read more about the Bulletin here. Sign up here to get … Read more
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In this morning’s edition: Minister Clare Curran still under fire over Radio NZ meeting, New Zealand’s spies can’t find any Russian spies, and no National candidacy for Dr Lance O’Sullivan. Radio NZ’s Head of Content Carol Hirschfeld has resigned after lying over the arrangement of a meeting with Broadcasting … Read more
At the end of a week in which the New Zealand media swooned at the presence of a former president completing a few private rounds of golf and a few private speeches, what, asks Finlay Macdonald, did it really amount to? He came, he saw, he … putted. No, former US president Barack Obama’s visit to New Zealand will … Read more
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Fonterra looks to future as boss resigns, confusion at the top of the coalition government, and charities board denies Greenpeace again. There is comprehensive coverage of the resignation of Fonterra CEO Theo Spierings on the NBR. Mr Spierings stepped down on the same day Fonterra announced its interim financial results. … Read more
Former US president Barack Obama is in New Zealand for three days. You might not get to see him but as Madeleine Chapman shows, you can still travel like him. It’s easy to like Barack Obama. It’s even easier to like him when his successor has the charisma of a lit turd. Soon after his … Read more
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: PM Jacinda Ardern walks a fine line on oil exploration, nurses are set to strike, and a senior judge speaks out on youth crime. Greenpeace have delivered a petition to Parliament, calling for a ban on oil exploration, reports Stuff. It was received by PM Jacinda Ardern, … Read more
Kia ora, good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Greens do a Parliamentary deal with National, maternity care faces growing crisis, and Hamilton’s mayor hits out at Kirikiriroa coverage. The Greens will give the bulk of their Parliamentary questions to the National Party for the rest of the term. Leader James Shaw made the announcement … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to the Bulletin. In today’s edition:Labour announces a full review into sexual harassment and assault in the party, nobody is that keen on America’s Cup plans, and the tax working group is getting down to business. The Labour leader has ordered a comprehensive review of the entire party in the wake of … Read more
As the Labour Party goes into overdrive in an effort to acknowledge its woeful response to sexual assault claims at a youth camp, RNZ’s political editor Jane Patterson looks at the political mess that’s been left in its wake. No one disputes victims of sexual assault should be treated with respect and confidentiality, and offered … Read more
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. Labour’s launched an investigation after reports of sexual harassment and assault at a party run youth camp, glaciers on the Southern Alps are in bad shape, and Lyttelton Port workers have gone on strike. The Labour Party has launched an investigation after reports of sexual harassment and assault taking … Read more
The PM famously called climate change her generation’s ‘nuclear free moment’. Branko Marcetic asks environmental critics of the original agreement whether the deal updated as CPTPP allays their concerns Climate change is here. It’s only March, and we’ve already experienced a record-breaking heatwave, a “revved up” tropical cyclone, and now scientists are freaking out over … Read more
Good morning and welcome to the first ever edition of The Bulletin, a round up the best and most important NZ news of the day. Sign up here to get The Bulletin direct to your inbox every single morning. Another National heavyweight is bowing out, a report into referrals of kids to protection services is … Read more
Listen to Alex Casey, Leonie Hayden and Michele A’Court tackle the past month in women, news and popular culture. This month On the Rag, we look back at the revelations from the law world and the reality of workplace harassment. What else shouldn’t you ever, ever say in the workplace? What steps can you take … Read more
The PM gets the Backbencher treatment in DJ pose, Winston Peters gets a refit, but the publican is unsure whether it’s worth bothering with Simon Bridges yet, writes RNZ’s Craig McCulloch Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has been immortalised as a puppet DJ at the Backbencher pub across the road from the Beehive. But National’s new leader … Read more
Australian 60 Minutes presenter Charles Wooley this week revealed himself to be in love, or “smitten”, with Jacinda Ardern. Madeleine Chapman watched and wept. Charles Wooley just wanted to ask Jacinda Ardern out for a date. It’s not that complicated. Except it is, because he did so via a 13 minute creep fest of an interview for 60 … Read more
Opinion: The announcement of a Royal Commission of Inquiry into the abuse of children in state care has been met with praise and relief, but survivors may be worse off if the historic claims unit within the Ministry of Social Development is allowed to continue. The announcement of a Royal Commission of Inquiry into abuse … Read more
With each passing week, a new international profile of Jacinda Ardern is published. Having studied them all, Madeleine Chapman presents a simple DIY guide. Dinosaurs. A robust exchange of views in the ACT caucus. An international story on New Zealand that doesn’t mention Middle Earth. These are three things that don’t exist in 2018. Profiles … Read more