The Gone By Lunchtime peloton roars into 2019. Just as you’re wondering whether it’s too late to say ‘happy new year’, Annabelle Lee, Toby Manhire and Ben Thomas wish you a happy new year with a return to the Gone-pod. On the agenda: A hell-poll for National sees Judith Collins casting a shadow over Simon … Read more
For a government promising “a year of delivery”, Ardern’s team has begun in something of a defensive crouch, writes Guyon Espiner for RNZ Labour will count itself lucky the Newshub-Reid Research poll was held for nine days and released the night before MPs returned to parliament on Tuesday. The poll, completed on 2 February but … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: First published poll of the year spells disaster for National, China-NZ tourism promotion yanked, and rural firefighters struggling to find water. Hey, remember how I said the other day that National were having a good start to their year? Well, according to the first poll of it, they’re absolutely … Read more
The first day back in parliament comes with double gloom for Simon Bridges: not only did Labour overtake National in Newshub’s poll, but the ‘strong and decisive’ one is preferred as PM. Who’d bet against Collins having another tilt at the leadership before the next election, writes Toby Manhire Just less than four months ago, … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Pride events take place over weekend in Auckland, analysis of why the Air NZ flight was turned back from China, and working groups abound on mental health. In the end, it wasn’t the disaster that many had predicted. The Auckland Pride march still went ahead, heading from … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: National plans approach to regaining government in 2020, fishing industry letter about onboard cameras to Stuart Nash revealed, and unemployment up. The National Party are off on their caucus retreat to start the year, and are already promising more policy will be rolled out well before … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Fire rages in tinder-dry Tasman region, contention over call for compulsory colonial history teaching, and another big jump for dairy prices. Hundreds of people haven’t been able to return to their homes overnight, as fires rage in the Tasman District. A Civil Defence emergency was declared yesterday … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: PM tells MPs it’s time to deliver some results, National launches new tax policy aimed at bracket creep, and Local Government NZ counts cost of climate change. It’s time for the rubber to meet the road, as far as the government’s agenda is concerned. PM Jacinda Ardern … Read more
As National searches for a support partner, there is fresh talk of a new centrist environmental party. But is it something voters are looking for, asks RNZ’s Chris Bramwell It is no surprise talk of a new environmentally-focussed centrist political party is being welcomed by National, because under MMP it will need a support partner if it … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: National gets year underway with reshuffle and red meat, judge rules union is allowed to be rude during negotiations, and investigation into CHCH crypto hack. With a reshuffle and a few whiffs of red meat, National has set out a few points where they intend to … Read more
The leader of the National Party was heavily criticised for delivering a tone-deaf interview on the prime ministerial baby. Hayden Donnell resolved to help him beat his demons and redefine his personal brand. This post was first published 26 June 2018 The worst thing was he thought it was going well. Simon Bridges was revelling … Read more
National MPs have been railing against the ‘Global Compact’. Sam Bookman sets the record straight on the United Nations agreement and what it really means for immigration. As Kiwis, we consider ourselves pretty good global citizens. We like to believe that from our corner of the South Pacific we can play an outsized role in world … Read more
This week Massey University released its annual ‘Quote of the Year’ competition, serving up a shortlist of 10 to vote to the 2018 title. And, look, some of them are fine! But in the spirits of breadth and plurality, our quote-loving team has produced its own crop of 10 for the inaugural Spinoff Alternative Quote … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Foreign policy fault line opens over UN migration pact, mental health report released and waiting on govt response, and yet more leaks about the National Party. Fault lines have opened up in New Zealand’s foreign policy over whether we should sign up to the UN Global … Read more
New Zealanders could be getting votes on cannabis reform, MMP and assisted dying – but politicians have a bunch of questions to answer first, writes Andrew Geddis New Zealand’s recent experience with using referendums to make decisions has all been a bit odd, really. We had a rather pointless one in 2011 on whether to … Read more
New Zealand is engaged in a long-running, intense, and completely reasonable debate over whether Santa is a boy or a girl. Hayden Donnell offers his own equally reasonable addition to the discourse. New Zealand is being torn apart by a single debate. For days now, people have been commenting angrily on Stuff Nation. The chairman … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Open letter on China aimed at government, no new taxes if Simon Bridges is elected to government, and three issues could be on the ballot in 2020. The government has been called on to protect academic freedom, and the personal safety of academic Anne-Marie Brady, reports the NZ … Read more
The opposition’s problem is not Simon Bridges’ performance, it’s not the party losing faith and it’s not even a fallen MP raising merry hell, writes RNZ’s Guyon Espiner The salacious saga of Jami-Lee Ross has severely tested Simon Bridges over recent weeks. The Ross story is the political equivalent of a page-turning novel, but the … Read more
Toby Manhire is joined by iconic duo Annabelle Lee and Ben Thomas to rake the leaves of the JLR saga – and the mini-crises confronting the government, too. The overlord of all successful television in New Zealand, Annabelle Lee, restores equilibrium to the Gone By Lunchtime universe by sitting down with Ben Thomas and Toby Manhire … Read more
A new week has dawned, and to start it off, another conversation secretly recorded by Jami-Lee Ross has been leaked to Newshub. So what does it say, and what does it mean? The leader of the opposition goes on all the major TV and radio shows on a Monday morning, and generally the interviews follow … Read more
Simon Bridges has ordered a review of the National Party’s culture following the Jami-Lee Ross saga. Such exercises tend to set up by those who have a pretty clear idea of the outcomes they want to see and who are likely to be dismissive if they’re not duly delivered, writes Bryan Gould, the former UK Labour … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: PM makes no new regional fuel taxes pledge on the fly, dream of merger over for media companies, and Hager speaks out on JLR saga. Jacinda Ardern has made what could become something of a defining pledge for her career – no new regional fuel taxes … Read more
The Jami-Lee Ross saga has prompted many to draw parallels with Dirty Politics, the 2014 exposé of attack politics and tactics emanating from the then prime minister’s office. Here the author of the book argues that it is a stark reminder that our politics remain at risk from the poison of dirty politics. The Jami-Lee … Read more
In a series of interviews this morning, a very high-ranking member of the National caucus has set the clock ticking, laying out exactly what Bridges needs to achieve in the coming polls to remain in his job Last night the immediate damage to the National Party from the Jami-Lee Ross saga was laid out in … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: National party orders internal culture review, international students claim they’re being treated like slaves, and CHCH faces water restrictions or more chlorine. The National Party has ordered a review into its internal culture, focused on ensuring women feel safe within the party, reports the NZ Herald. It follows allegations that … Read more
A new Colmar Brunton poll for TVNZ conducted in one of National’s bleakest weeks makes tough reading both for the party and its leader. As is often pointed out, to read too much into any one poll is folly: it’s the patterns that matter. That’s a fair point; some of us do every now and … Read more
Here are some of the issues an internal probe following the Jami Lee-Ross saga will confront. The National Party leader faced a bit of blowback for commissioning an inquiry into the leaking of his expenses. He’s unlikely to face much criticism, however, for the inquiry he commissioned today. After a week-long fusillade from Jami-Lee Ross, … Read more
In a week like no other in NZ politics, the Botany MP turned on his former party and its leader, going about as rogue as you can go. Toby Manhire tallies the explosions Over the course of 100 hours last week, Jami-Lee Ross turned into a human firestorm. It began on Monday lunchtime with the … Read more
The Jami-Lee Ross saga is a betrayal without precedent in New Zealand’s political history. Danyl Mclauchlan explains why. So much of what happens in politics never makes it into the media. Every now and then a journalist – out for an early run or stumbling home from a late night – passes Parliament and observes … Read more