Summer reissue: The Young NZ First chairman always dreamed of meeting Winston Peters. Then one day on the main street of Dargaville, his dream came true. He tells his story in the first episode of Youth Wings. First published August 17, 2020. Independent journalism depends on you. Help us stay curious in 2021. The Spinoff’s … Read more
All this week we’re looking back on some of the best videos published on The Spinoff in 2020. Today, Youth Wings introduces Jay McLaren-Harris, chairman of Young NZ First. Jay McLaren-Harris can pinpoint the precise moment he fell in love with NZ First. It was during the Northland by-election in 2015, and Winston Peters was … Read more
On October 17, voters called time on the Labour NZ First coalition government, sending the self-proclaimed “handbrake” of NZ First into the wilderness and returning Labour with enough support to govern alone. In this Herald Premium article, the NZ Herald’s Claire Trevett spoke to politicians and staff about the three years the two parties and … Read more
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Mahuta signals intent to replace Tauranga council with commissioner, Super Fund keen on local infrastructure, and Safety Warehouse panned for idiotic cash drop stunt. Local government minister Nanaia Mahuta has started the term with a big call. After months of dysfunction and infighting around the Tauranga … Read more
With only 2.7% of the vote, NZ First will not be returning to parliament this time. But as Winston Peters’ former researcher Josh Van Veen writes, the party’s legacy is too enduring for NZ First to be gone for good. Ambition and ideals are at the heart of politics. More often than not they conflict. … Read more
Each week in the lead-up to the election, The Side Eye cartoonist Toby Morris is going to teach us how to draw a different New Zealand politician. This week, it’s the New Zealand First leader. Click here for the rest of the How to draw series. The Side Eye is a monthly non-fiction comic by Toby … Read more
We all know who’s going to come in 1st and 2nd place in the election. But what about 11th or 12th? Minor party correspondent Alex Braae predicts where every party will finish. Elections are fought on close margins, and sometimes the difference between winning and losing can be just a few hundred votes. That’s true … Read more
More than 40 years after he first arrived in parliament, Winston Peters is facing, barring a miracle, the end of the line, with his New Zealand First Party polling under 2%. But what a political career it has been. Danyl Mclauchlan traces the life and times of one of the most compelling and enduring characters … Read more
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: SFO files charges against two people in connection with NZ First Foundation, tourism industry holding out Christmas bubble hope, and Advance NZ go to court over debate exclusion. Just days before voting starts, we got an update yesterday on the Serious Fraud Office investigation into the … Read more
Two individuals have been charged by the Serious Fraud Office, but neither is an MP. What’s the skinny? The Serious Fraud Office announced in a 5pm statement that two people have been charged with “obtaining by deception” following its inquiry into the New Zealand First Foundation and donations and loans provided to the New Zealand … Read more
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Long forecast recession finally arrives, NZ First releases list for election, and scramble to come up with gathering guidelines for Auckland tertiary institutes. It almost doesn’t make sense to call this news, but the country has officially tipped over into recession. The reason it’s entirely unsurprising is … Read more
Looking to wear your political affiliations on your sleeve? Eli Matthewson takes you through your options. As the news of the controversial “Green School” funding broke, I could think of only one thing: how almost everyone I follow on Instagram had already bought the Green Party jumper. At the start of the worst week for … Read more
From shambolic interviews to dismal polling, it’s hard to see how the NZ First leader can save his party ahead of the next month’s election, writes Ben Thomas. In boxing, there’s a saying that “power is the last thing to go”. After speed, coordination and stamina are long gone, the oldest fighter still knows how … Read more
The Young NZ First chairman always dreamed of meeting Winston Peters. Then one day on the main street of Dargaville, his dream came true. He tells his story in the first episode of Youth Wings, The Spinoff’s new documentary series about the youngest and most passionate members of New Zealand’s main political parties. Watch the … Read more
The Spinoff’s new six-part documentary series Youth Wings goes behind the O Week stalls to get to know some of the youngest and most passionate members of New Zealand’s main political parties. It may be hard to imagine, but every single member of New Zealand’s parliament was once young. And when they were young, many … Read more
The first Auckland Central debate took place last night, despite the lack of a National candidate. Josie Adams went along to watch Helen White, Chlöe Swarbrick and the rest. The Auckland Central electorate stretches from the depths of Grafton across the Hauraki Gulf to Aotea (Great Barrier). Its residents are Waiheke’s hippies and vintners, the … Read more
A once thriving, globally acclaimed business says it faces an expensive death, wedged between punitive commercial law and government inaction. Most New Zealanders will have never heard of it, but if you were a young international traveller it was the place to be – the first stop and bustling home base for thousands of tourists … Read more
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: For and against a massive new hydro storage scheme, major new report delivered on RMA reforms, and Greens and NZ First at odds over waka-jumping repeal. For a lead story today, a look at some of the benefits and challenges of a major potential infrastructure … Read more
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: National announces its plan to charge returnees $3,000 and the government indicates a policy is coming soon, Judith Collins’ first weekend as National leader, and Northland reels from flood damage. The days of free hotel stays for all returning New Zealanders appear to be drawing … Read more
After previously stonewalling inquiries on the matter, Leave.EU ‘bad boy’ Arron Banks has told a UK newspaper he is sending a team to New Zealand to work on Winston Peters’ NZ First campaign. Justin Giovannetti reports. New Zealand First has hired a crew of political operators from one of the most aggressive groups in the … Read more
Mahesh Bindra has been a loyal member of NZ First for almost 15 years. But as an Indian-New Zealander, what does he make of members of his party attacking his community? Multicultural Times editor Gaurav Sharma reports. Winston Peters, deputy prime minister and leader of New Zealand First, likes to say that his party is … Read more
Struggling to find the correct apportionment of blame for the failure of light rail in Auckland? Hayden Donnell is here to help. Aucklanders’ hopes for a functional transport network took another hit last week, with the announcement that light rail will not be approved before the election. Many people have lashed out in the aftermath, … Read more
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: New benefits and new taxes in effect from today, questions raised over whether a leading Brexiteer is getting into NZ politics, and contrasting polls on cannabis legalisation. Today is a big day for New Zealand, with a whole lot of previously announced policies coming into … Read more
The bankroller of Nigel Farage’s Brexit campaign has spent most of 2020 in New Zealand, where he became an ardent supporter of Winston Peters and the NZ First Party – and the feeling appears to be mutual. Justin Giovannetti on the puzzle of a polarising British political figure and a small party in a small … Read more
Finally, voting rights for prisoners serving less than three years has been restored. It’s a cause to celebrate, but it appears to have been overshadowed by some procedural games and unhelpful amendments, writes Andrew Geddis. Last night should have been a cause for muted celebration in parliament, with the Electoral (Registration of Sentenced Prisoners) Bill’s … Read more
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Questions over stability of the government, health minister throws top official under the bus, and concerns raised over dolphin protection plan. After several days of frantically knifing each other at parliament, you’d be forgiven for thinking the coalition government is on the verge of collapse. The … Read more
Down in the polls and facing the risk of oblivion, New Zealand First has had a very busy Friday. Justin Giovannetti looks at the start of an NZ First electoral strategy focused on being tough. There’s no surer sign that it’s election time than the blitz of news coming out of New Zealand First. With … Read more
New Zealand’s fishing boats were all supposed to carry cameras by the end of the month. And then they weren’t. With Greenpeace pointing fingers at NZ First for the delay, MP Shane Jones says he won’t accept criticism from the ‘green blowfish’ anymore. The government’s decision to delay the installation of monitoring cameras on fishing … Read more
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Political divisions rage as election looms, economic forecasts considered too optimistic, and travel routes start to move again. They had all been doing so well at getting along, but that’s all over now. A cross-party consensus is emerging that it’s time to get back to the … Read more