ELECTION 2026 AND THE PARTIES
Bryce Edwards (Democracy Project): Who would the Opportunity Party put in power?
Richard Shaw (The Conversation): NZ’s political ‘centre’ is an electoral strategy, not a set of beliefs
Mark Jennings (Newsroom): Staying pink or turning blue again? The battle for the seat of Tāmaki
Toby Manhire (Spinoff): The little parties coiling their springs for election 2026
Thomas Coughlan (Herald): No, you’re not imagining it - election ads really are everywhere, and there’s a good reason (paywalled)
Lauren Crimp (RNZ): Senior National MP says it’s ‘highly unlikely’ he would retain his electorate seat on current RNZ Reid Research poll result
Henry Cooke (Post): Chris Bishop says it is ‘highly unlikely’ he would win Hutt South on latest polling (paywalled)
Glenn McConnell (Stuff): Stop populist ‘cosplay’, says Luxon, as Jones dismisses ‘take off your knee-pads’ uproar
Craig McCulloch (RNZ): Shane Jones denies ‘knee pads’ remark was oral sex reference
Matthew Tukaki (Waatea News): Jones Defends ‘Knee Bending’ Remark
1News: Hipkins: ‘Instead of NZ First you could call it Labour’s seconds’
Chris Lynch: Labour’s biggest asset is Christopher Luxon
Will Johnston (Post): True blue electorate gets NZ First contender (paywalled)
Chris Trotter: Untouchable Domains (paywalled)
ENROLMENT AND ELECTORAL LAW
Craig McCulloch (RNZ): ‘Absolute bulls***’: Labour MP blasts coalition over ‘evil’ voting changes
Anneke Smith (Post): ‘Absolute bullshit’: Labour decries enrolment restrictions as ‘evil agenda from the right’ (paywalled)
Henry Cooke (Post): Chris Hipkins says Electoral Commission failing to enrol voters ahead of controversial change (paywalled)
Louise Barnes (Listener): Our Government said no to lowering the voting age, so Make It 16 has a new mission for election ’26 (paywalled)
SEXUAL CONSENT LAW REFORM
Lillian Hanly (RNZ): Govt prioritising language law change over consent law reform - Labour
Jamie Ensor (Herald): National’s Christopher Luxon, Paul Goldsmith blame ‘packed agenda’ for no quick change to sexual consent law
Harriet Laughton (Post): Chris Hipkins says Nats walked away from cross-party talks on consent law (paywalled)
PARLIAMENT AND GOVERNMENT
Tom Pullar-Strecker (Post): Supermarket split: Nicola Willis looking ‘in detail’ at option, will release advice before election (paywalled)
Thomas Coughlan (Herald): Government concedes it can’t deliver on coalition commitment to repeal controversial law, will have to wait until next term (paywalled)
Jo Moir (RNZ): From ‘achievable’ to ‘unlikely’ in nine days: Immigration NZ’s botched $35m project
Phil Smith (RNZ): Parliament’s week: Government and (unusually), non-government bills
RNZ: ‘No body, no parole’ law inconsistent with Bill of Rights Act, attorney general says
RNZ: Police make moves to speed up OIA requests
Giles Dexter (RNZ): Government receives inquiry into handling of Tom Phillips case
Jamie Ensor (Herald): Social media restrictions: I’m ‘standing up for kids’ against ‘insidious’ tech, Erica Stanford says
CEMENT BAILOUT AND FLETCHER BUILDING
Corin Dann (RNZ): Finance Minister Nicola Willis had little option but to protect local cement supply
Mike Hosking (Newstalk ZB): So many questions around the Govt’s cement bailout
Anneke Smith (Post): The strategic risk of losing Golden Bay Cement (paywalled)
Kate MacNamara (Herald): Government’s $60m handout for Fletcher Building’s NZ cement production is a quick fix, but not a good one – Kate MacNamara (paywalled)
Kerre Woodham (Newstalk ZB): A one-off payment is not going to fix the problem
Nick Mills (Newstalk ZB): The Government’s $60 million hand out will open the flood gates
Ryan Bridge (Newstalk ZB): We don’t have the money for corporate welfare
Rebecca Stevenson (BusinessDesk): Willis leans on Deloitte assessment to justify $60m Fletcher Building cement rescue (paywalled)
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