ROADS OF NATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE
Thomas Coughlan (Herald): Chris Bishop faces backlash over major transport U-turn and road cuts (paywalled)
Matthew Hooton (Post): Everyone’s promises crash into fiscal reality (paywalled)
Henry Cooke (Post): RoNS backdown: Chris Bishop cleaning up Simeon Brown’s mess (paywalled)
Nick James (Post): Why the Government has had to back down on RoNS (paywalled)
Nick James and Frances Chin (Post): Wellington mayor unsurprised by U-turn on Roads of National Significance (paywalled)
Heather du Plessis-Allan (Newstalk ZB): National’s roading announcement was a massive letdown
Nick James (Post): Roads of National Significance backdown - just six have guaranteed construction dates (paywalled)
Adam Pearse & Jamie Ensor (Herald): Government unveils new pipeline of roading projects – but timeframe for many unclear
Jamie Ensor (Herald): Road projects across New Zealand: What’s happening with Roads of National Significance near you
Jenna Lynch and Emma Ricketts (Stuff): RoNS to nowhere? Government slows work on major highways, admits 2023 election promises were ‘very ambitious’
Thomas Manch (BusinessDesk): Major roading projects pushed out in new Government pipeline (paywalled)
Giles Dexter (RNZ): ‘Phased approach’ essential for Roads of National Significance delivery - Bishop
OPINION POLL
RNZ: Coalition holds majority in latest Taxpayers’ Union Poll
Jenna Lynch (Stuff): Hipkins overtakes Luxon but Coalition hangs on by a hair in latest poll
Julia Gabel (Herald): Election 2026 poll: Chris Hipkins, Christopher Luxon neck and neck in preferred Prime Minister rankings
Harriet Laughton (Post): No KiwiSaver bounce, but coalition still ahead in latest poll (paywalled)
PARLIAMENT, ELECTION AND GOVERNMENT
Claire Robinson: Opportunity Knocks: the 38% nobody is governing for
Catrin Owen (Stuff): Ex-Lotto presenter did Health NZ promo while suspended on full pay from another agency after FBI sting
Andrea Vance (Post): Four-month wait for records on PM’s missing lobbyist memo (paywalled)
Azaria Howell (Herald): Officials warn key Government targets for welfare and education at risk
Emma Ricketts (Stuff): How begging and rough sleeping made it into the move-on orders bill
Audrey Young (Herald): Labour’s Cushla Tangaere-Manuel emerging as key Māori voice in Parliament (paywalled)
Lloyd Burr (Stuff): ‘Luxon could run at a pigeon and it doesn’t move,’ says Josie Pagani
Stuff: ‘Very arrogant and a little cruel’: Wellington residents respond to PM saying he doesn’t need his job
Taiha Molyneux (RNZ): More than half of Māori voters now on Māori electoral roll
Mike McRoberts (NBR): Māori enrolment campaign brings global success for ad agency (paywalled)
Kelly Makiha (Herald): Former Rotorua woman Jane Searle appointed Children’s Commissioner
NZ FIRST
1News: Controversial former National MP to stand for NZ First
Jo Moir (RNZ): NZ First haven: Former MP Harete Hipango-Brownlie latest to make the jump
Māni Dunlop (Te Ao News: Former National MP Harete Hipango-Brownlie confirmed as NZ First candidate in Whanganui
NEW DEFENCE ALLIANCE DISCUSSIONS
Lillian Hanly (RNZ): New Zealand to consider joining Ocean of Peace Alliance alongside Fiji and Australia
Jamie Ensor (Herald): New Zealand to explore joining Fiji-Australia defence alliance, comes after China missile launch
Nick James (Post): Government considering signing onto Fiji-Australia defence alliance (paywalled)
1News: NZ to ‘explore joining’ Fiji-Australia defence alliance – PM
Jenna Lynch (Stuff): ‘Not at all’: PM says Chinese missile had no impact on Australia-Fiji defence pact discussions
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND DEFENCE
Rob Campbell (Post): In a time of ‘geo-politics’, New Zealand needs to know its place (paywalled)
Simon Bridges (Herald): Donald Trump entrances me. But compartmentalising our US loyalties with China trade is tricky (paywalled)
Chris Hawley (Listener): New Zealand still turns to the West but our future lies with nations closer to home (paywalled)
Mark Fitz-Gerald (BusinessDesk): Why Southeast Asia must be at the heart of NZ’s growth ambition (paywalled)
Paul Foster-Bell (ODT): A tale of two island nations’ defence (paywalled)
ODT: Editorial: An unwelcome airmail message (paywalled)
Anneke Smith (Post): ‘This is not normal’ - Defence Minister on China’s missile test (paywalled)
Audrey Young (Herald): US ambassador has his head in the mushroom clouds; in defence of Michael Laws (paywalled)
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