Politics
NZH
Formal crackdown on nitrous oxide fast-tracked over ‘stockpiling’ fears
A nationwide ban on the sale of unregulated nitrous oxide came into force in early June.
Govt says it can't deliver on coalition commitment to repeal controversial law
It's conceded it cannot repeal a controversial law and will have to wait until next term.
No, you’re not imagining it - election ads really are everywhere
Election ads feel like they're everywhere - and there's a good reason why.
Social media restrictions: I'm 'standing up for kids' against 'insidious' tech, Stanford says
But she admits not knowing what will happen when it goes to Cabinet.
Shane Jones blames media 'wokeism' for response to 'kneepads' remark
Christopher Luxon has deemed the comment crass and unprofessional.
Govt receives Tom Phillips inquiry, anticipates public release in coming weeks
The Government received the public inquiry into Marokopa fugitive case today.
St
Will RMA changes actually make consenting faster? Yes, but there is a caveat
Experts say the Government’s resource management replacement could cut consent times—but risks sparking fresh uncertainty.
Time is running out for Māori voters to make their roll choice
If you want to change between the Māori roll and the general roll before this year's election, the clock is ticking.
Shane Jones says there was no sexual innuendo in ‘take off your knee-pads’. Do you buy it?
Luxon said NZ First’s deputy leader was trying to copy the success of foreign populist politicians such as Donald Trump or Australia’s Pauline Hanson.
Govt not yet considering removing $50 fuel payment despite prices falling under $3
“It's difficult to predict the future when Donald Trump is the president,” Nicola Willis said.
Watch: Hipkins mocks NZ First as ‘Labour’s Seconds’ over former Labour recruits
Labour leader Chris Hipkins has taken a swipe at Winston Peters after a string of former Labour politicians joined New Zealand First ahead of the election.
Mayor to magazine: Publish op-eds ‘bagging me’ and ‘your paper will die’
Ponsonby News say they will no longer run columns by Wayne Brown after the mayor sent a threatening email to the magazine.
New Zealand's first H5 bird flu case was a little bit weird. Some say even a little TOO weird
The brown skua arrived, unexpectedly, in Western Australia and Wellington -- marking the arrival of a deadly bird flu to Australasia.
‘A pack of ........’: Marama Davidson slams coalition government, doubles down on comments
The Green Party co-leader says her words were not harsh enough and she was “being mild.“
Bishop insists $140m housing promise is on track despite just 18% of social homes built so far
The Government has built just 270 of the 1500 social homes promised in Budget 2024 and funded by the cancellation of the First Home Grant.
+6 for NZ First, -5 for National: Where the political wanderers go
Some big-name former MPs and candidates have jumped ship, breaking with their past and tying their political colours to new masts.
TP
Editorial: Energy security will be an election issue
EDITORIAL: Rising electricity prices, dwindling gas supplies and recent geopolitical shocks have pushed energy security back up the political agenda. That is overdue.
The strategic risk of losing Golden Bay Cement
ANALYSIS: Handing a huge wad of cash to one of New Zealand’s major listed companies is the least worst option according to Nicola Willis. And it’s about a lot more than saving the country’s only domestic concrete manufacturer.
Already illegal: Simeon Brown says police should enforce law on meth pipes
Ministry of Health advice finds meth pipes are already illegal, but says there is a gap in enforcement.
Labour says RMA reform will be field day for lawyers due to conflicting goals
Chris Bishop concedes scale of reform will lead to some court cases as new system “beds in”.
‘Cynical politics at its absolute worst’: Hipkins says Nats walked away from cross-party talks on consent law
National blames ‘traffic management’ for not changing the law faster.
Chris Bishop says it is ‘highly unlikely’ he would win Hutt South on current polling
Bishop could be booted from Parliament altogether.
Hipkins: We will change planning reforms, not start again
Chris Hipkins says he is against the Government’s RMA-replacement, but a third repeal-and-replace cycle would take too long.
‘Absolute bullshit’: Labour decries enrolment restrictions, Govt says rules are clear
National’s campaign chairperson Simeon Brown said people are “absolutely” aware of the changes and have plenty of time to add or update their details.
Labour leader pans Electoral Commission for not getting enough people enrolled
Chris Hipkins says the entity must get people enrolled or new law will see them turned away.
Editorial: Te Papa’s art experiment remains unproven
EDITORIAL: Nearly three decades after Te Papa merged New Zealand’s national museum and art gallery under one roof, the institution still has to prove the model truly works.
TPr
Editorial: Energy security will be an election issue
EDITORIAL: Rising electricity prices, dwindling gas supplies and recent geopolitical shocks have pushed energy security back up the political agenda. That is overdue.
The strategic risk of losing Golden Bay Cement
ANALYSIS: Handing a huge wad of cash to one of New Zealand’s major listed companies is the least worst option according to Nicola Willis. And it’s about a lot more than saving the country’s only domestic concrete manufacturer.
Already illegal: Simeon Brown says police should enforce law on meth pipes
Ministry of Health advice finds meth pipes are already illegal, but says there is a gap in enforcement.
Labour says RMA reform will be field day for lawyers due to conflicting goals
Chris Bishop concedes scale of reform will lead to some court cases as new system “beds in”.
‘Cynical politics at its absolute worst’: Hipkins says Nats walked away from cross-party talks on consent law
National blames ‘traffic management’ for not changing the law faster.
Chris Bishop says it is ‘highly unlikely’ he would win Hutt South on current polling
Bishop could be booted from Parliament altogether.
Hipkins: We will change planning reforms, not start again
Chris Hipkins says he is against the Government’s RMA-replacement, but a third repeal-and-replace cycle would take too long.
‘Absolute bullshit’: Labour decries enrolment restrictions, Govt says rules are clear
National’s campaign chairperson Simeon Brown said people are “absolutely” aware of the changes and have plenty of time to add or update their details.
Labour leader pans Electoral Commission for not getting enough people enrolled
Chris Hipkins says the entity must get people enrolled or new law will see them turned away.
Gate-crashing judge inquiry tops $1m as taxpayer-funded legal bill reaches $401k
The Judge Aitken inquiry has crossed the million-dollar mark, with taxpayers funding a $401,000 legal bill for the judge — but the full cost remains unknown.
WT
Editorial: Energy security will be an election issue
EDITORIAL: Rising electricity prices, dwindling gas supplies and recent geopolitical shocks have pushed energy security back up the political agenda. That is overdue.
The strategic risk of losing Golden Bay Cement
ANALYSIS: Handing a huge wad of cash to one of New Zealand’s major listed companies is the least worst option according to Nicola Willis. And it’s about a lot more than saving the country’s only domestic concrete manufacturer.
Already illegal: Simeon Brown says police should enforce law on meth pipes
Ministry of Health advice finds meth pipes are already illegal, but says there is a gap in enforcement.
Labour says RMA reform will be field day for lawyers due to conflicting goals
Chris Bishop concedes scale of reform will lead to some court cases as new system “beds in”.
‘Cynical politics at its absolute worst’: Hipkins says Nats walked away from cross-party talks on consent law
National blames ‘traffic management’ for not changing the law faster.
Chris Bishop says it is ‘highly unlikely’ he would win Hutt South on current polling
Bishop could be booted from Parliament altogether.
Hipkins: We will change planning reforms, not start again
Chris Hipkins says he is against the Government’s RMA-replacement, but a third repeal-and-replace cycle would take too long.
‘Absolute bullshit’: Labour decries enrolment restrictions, Govt says rules are clear
National’s campaign chairperson Simeon Brown said people are “absolutely” aware of the changes and have plenty of time to add or update their details.
Labour leader pans Electoral Commission for not getting enough people enrolled
Chris Hipkins says the entity must get people enrolled or new law will see them turned away.
Gate-crashing judge inquiry tops $1m as taxpayer-funded legal bill reaches $401k
The Judge Aitken inquiry has crossed the million-dollar mark, with taxpayers funding a $401,000 legal bill for the judge — but the full cost remains unknown.
Sp
Are Chris Bishop’s RMA reforms on shaky ground?
The latest controversial changes to the Resource Management Act risk make the legislative package even more politically toxic.
The little parties coiling their springs for election 2026
Watch out threshold. They’re coming for you.
Fenz bosses grilled as fleet crisis inquiry returns to parliament
MPs failed to hide their frustration with Fire and Emergency NZ, with one prodding board members to resign.
How’s that social media ban going for you, Australia?
Christopher Luxon says he’ll ‘die trying’ to introduce something like our neighbour’s social media ban for under-16s. What can he learn from their effort?
Winston Peters’ weird weekend waging an election culture war
At NZ First’s campaign launch, breaking up the supermarket duopoly got polite claps. Getting fluoride out of the water supply? Wild applause.
‘He asked me. And I said, yeah, why not?’ Bill Birch on a life in politics
The former National minister, who has died at 92, spoke to the Spinoff at length in 2025.
Councils spent millions replacing new road signs after Simeon Brown’s speed limit edict
The transport minister’s decree came at significant cost to councils, and newly released emails show the extent of the backlash.
New Zealand’s media has been gripped by Paul Henry mania
The Herald carried an op-ed from Paul Henry on why he was running for parliament before saying ‘screw it’ and running at least 15 more stories on why Paul Henry is running for parliament.
NZ’s floated social media ban for under‑16s could unite two groups that rarely agree
Normally, libertarians and social justice campaigners occupy different political worlds. Yet on social media bans they have arrived at similar concerns from very different starting points.
Is the Reserve Bank’s blunt tool fit for purpose?
Time for a rethink on the mandate for taming inflation, argues Bernard Hickey.