NATIONAL PARTY LEADERSHIP CRISIS AND FALLOUT
Jenna Lynch (Stuff): Stuff’s Pulse of the Nation: 30% less likely to vote National post-coup attempt
Tim Murphy (Newsroom): Inside Luxon’s Monday morning therapy session
Hayden Donnell (Spinoff): Technically possible: How Paul Goldsmith can fit 11 ministerial roles into his schedule
Claire Robinson: The obstacle is the way out
Anneke Smith (Post): National won’t lose votes over second leadership crisis ‒ party president (paywalled)
Richard Harman: Making up is not so hard to do (paywalled)
Chris Trotter (ODT): Snakes and leaders (paywalled)
Stuff: Simeon Brown says Penk acted alone - but Penk won’t say
Jo Moir (RNZ): Sacked minister Chris Penk likely to return to Parliament next week
Giles Dexter (RNZ): Parliament debates Chris Penk’s sacking over failed National leadership coup
Lillian Hanly (RNZ): National Party rule stopping Goldsmith from running in Penk’s safe seat
Thomas Coughlan (Herald): Paul Goldsmith hints at why he can’t stand in Chris Penk’s seat (paywalled)
Nick James (Post): Former minister Chris Penk’s social media account hacked (paywalled)
Lillian Hanly and Russell Palmer (RNZ): Christopher Luxon, Chris Bishop press fondness for Hutt Valley in show of party unity
MMP AND STRATEGIC VOTING
Julia Gabel (Herald): Labour’s Willie Jackson says Te Pāti Māori strategy could threaten integrity of Māori seats
Ani O’Brien: Don Brash & Te Pāti Māori agree on a strategy
Henry Cooke (Post): Gaming MMP: Experts say accidental National ‘overhang’ is possible, and TPM push for one is irresponsible (paywalled)
Post: Editorial: Gaming MMP risks the system itself (paywalled)
Ashley Church: Could an MMP loophole return a centre-right government?
NZ FIRST, WINSTON PETERS AND COALITION TENSIONS
1News: Peters calls harbour crossing report a gross waste of money
Glenn McConnell (Stuff): Winston breaks Cabinet ranks over ‘gross waste of money’ on harbour crossing
Jamie Ensor and Adam Pearse (Herald): NZ First leader Winston Peters doubts Christopher Luxon leadership challenge was ‘one-man coup’
Jenna Lynch (Stuff): Winston Peters refuses to say if he has confidence in the prime minister
Craig McCulloch (RNZ): NZ First leader Winston Peters stops short of support for Prime Minister Christopher Luxon
ELECTION 2026 — CAMPAIGN AND POLICY
Bryce Edwards (Democracy Project): An Opportunity to clean up lobbying
Farah Hancock (RNZ): Opportunity’s $200,000+ donor Alan Wilderland: ‘You have to play the game’
Mike Hosking (Newstalk ZB): Why all the angst around the Opportunity Party?
Peter Griffin (BusinessDesk): What a new Government means for science: back to blue skies (paywalled)
Azaria Howell (Herald): Electoral Commission sees fuel availability and price volatility as ‘active election delivery risk’
Herald: Editorial: Election campaign will be a contrast of ideologies and also strategies (paywalled)
Nick James (Post): PM hints at early childhood policy and gives Wellington tick of approval at public meeting (paywalled)
Hayden Donnell (Spinoff): His brother is standing for Opportunity in his electorate, but he’ll be voting National
Stuff: Lower beer tax, immigration changes on hospitality sector’s election wishlist
Tom Pullar-Strecker (Post): Winston Peters declines to support Greens’ proposed ban on ‘excessive’ supermarket prices (paywalled)
TAX AND THE STREAMING LEVY
Joel MacManus (Spinoff): National’s tax claims tripped up Labour, but misleading marketing comes with risks
Emma Ricketts (Stuff): Hipkins ruled out new levy, but forgot his MP had a bill proposing it
Craig McCulloch (RNZ): Labour blames mixed messaging on streaming levy on ‘administrative oversight’
Tom Pullar-Strecker (Post): Streaming ‘tax’ becomes election-year political football (paywalled)
Jamie Ensor (Herald): Labour quietly ditches streaming tax proposal as National brings it to light
David Farrar: Labour denies a tax it had in the ballot!
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