New Conservative deputy quits one week in, deepening leadership tumult

The fallout continues from the post-election leadership change in the New Conservatives, with deputy leader and firearms spokesperson Victoria O’Brien quitting after less than a week in the job. Alex Braae reports. On Thursday last week, new New Conservative leader Elliot Ikilei was hailing the rise of his deputy Victoria O’Brien. But as of this … Read more

Coup Conservatives? Leader ousted to make way for ‘outspoken’ Elliot Ikilei

After a disappointing election result, Leighton Baker is out as the leader of the New Conservatives, with former deputy Elliot Ikilei taking over. Alex Braae reports. After a review of the election campaign, the board of the New Conservative party has voted to “relieve” Leighton Baker of the leadership, opting to promote deputy Elliot Ikilei … Read more

Minor parties hit out at exclusion from TVNZ multi-party debate

With the election campaign about to get under way, minor party leaders are furious at being shut out of one of the biggest possible stages for their policy platforms. Alex Braae reports. TVNZ’s multi-party election debate is once again the subject of controversy, not because of who will be on the stage, but who won’t. … Read more

The minor parties on how they would have responded to the Covid-19 crisis

It’s election year, but thanks to the not insignificant matter of a global pandemic, we’ve barely heard from the minor parties. So we decided to give them a chance to explain how they would have handled the Covid-19 response had they been in parliament. Getting attention from the opposition benches is hard enough in politics. … Read more

NZ’s resurgent New Conservatives: riding the culture wars to the 2020 election

Of all the would-bes stuck in minor party hell, the New Conservatives may be the horse that bolts on the back of opportunistic campaigning and culture wars. Alex Braae heads to the Bay of Plenty to watch their leader, Leighton Baker, in action. Leighton Baker strode purposely up to the front of the room when … Read more

Life after Colin: Can the rebranded Conservatives rescue the NZ right?

They might have rebranded, they want us to know they’ve changed. And yet the party now known as New Conservative say they have the same values as when they were just the Conservatives. Is there any chance they’ll be taken seriously? The most important thing to get across about the New Conservative Party is that … Read more