POLITICAL DONATIONS, LOBBYING & INTEGRITY
Farah Hancock (RNZ): $1m in political donations from entities linked to fast track applications revealed
Ethan Manera (Herald): Political fallout from Rod Drury allegations as some parties cut ties, others keep donations (paywalled)
Bryce Edwards (Democracy Project): The Lobbyists who wrote the climate law
Lillian Hanly (RNZ): Ministerial Services need to be ‘fully aware of their obligations’ - Luxon
Poppy Clark (Stuff): ‘I’d be careful saying that, John,’ Luxon warns RNZ host during interview
No Right Turn: This is why we need criminal penalties in the OIA
Erika Harvey (Lobbying for Good): The Lobbying Loophole Is the Point
Russell Palmer (RNZ): Ombudsman rebukes MFAT for doubling OIA response time
Fiona Rotherham (NBR): How to handle a deluge of private information requests (paywalled)
BUDGET 2026
Luke Malpass (Post): Budget 2026: How the boomer Budget is gobbling more of every tax dollar (paywalled)
Jenée Tibshraeny (Herald): Budget 2026 to include more cuts and reprioritisations than sweeteners (paywalled)
Corin Dann (RNZ): Unions say government needs to put workers at heart of Budget
Craig McCulloch (RNZ): Budget 2026: No ‘lolly scramble’ from ‘grown-up’ Budget - Luxon
Russell Palmer (RNZ): Budget 2026: What has been announced so far
Glenn McConnell (Stuff): Nicola Willis has billions stored away to pull a Budget Day rabbit out the hat
Dave Armstrong (Post): The week the Government’s hard line came into focus (paywalled)
Joel Maxwell (Stuff): Under this Government the Budget has become an annual form of weaponised accounting
Hayden Donnell (The Spinoff): Budget 2026: Everyone wants to cut costs until it’s their own
Jonathan Killick (Post): Budget 2026: Costello announces $70.7m to fight ‘clear and present danger’ at NZ border (paywalled)
Andrew Dickson: Grip Up: Budget 2026 and the Anal Economy
Michael Swanson: Budget Week: The Government’s Biggest Week
Tom Peters (WSWS): New Zealand budget attacks workers and students, boosts the military
Gyles Beckford (RNZ): Budget 2026: Getting the books in order
ELECTION 2026 & PARTIES
Russell Palmer (RNZ): Fuel prices become fourth-biggest issue for New Zealanders, poll finds
Glenn McConnell (Stuff): New Ipsos issues survey shows Labour most trusted to fix 7 of the country’s top 10 problems
Toby Manhire (The Spinoff): New poll: the issues that most concern New Zealanders, with 165 days to go
Derek Cheng (Herald): National is bleeding votes to NZ First. Can it win them back? (paywalled)
Adam Pearse (Herald): Fuel price spikes as key issue for Kiwis, immigration dips amid India FTA debate (paywalled)
Nick James (Post): Chris Hipkins says Labour MP was right to apologise after calling Nicola Willis a ‘duck-faced horse’ (paywalled)
Stuff: Stuart Nash, who vowed to stay Labour even after sacking, joins NZ First
Henry Cooke (Post): Can Stuart Nash win Napier for NZ First? (paywalled)
Jamie Ensor (Herald): Labour’s Chris Hipkins says Barbara Edmonds right to apologise for calling Nicola Willis ‘duck-faced horse’ (paywalled)
1News: Willis accepts Edmonds’ apology over ‘duck-faced horse’ comment
Jo Moir (RNZ): Former Labour minister Stuart Nash switches to NZ First
ODT Editorial: Ducking whether to show your workings (paywalled)
Eric Crampton (Offsetting Behaviour): SEZs as policy trial areas
MĀORI POLITICS & TREATY
Dale Husband (Waatea News): Tamihere Says Hana Hasn’t Called Amid Growing Questions Over New Māori Political Movement
Dale Husband (Waatea News): Māori Political Shake-Up: Tainui-Waikato Race Heats Up Amid Questions Over Fragmented Vote
Denise Piper (Herald): Party unites: Hone Harawira backs Aperahama Edwards for Te Pāti Māori in the north (paywalled)
Mike McRoberts (NBR): Māori data finds its fortress (paywalled)
Moana Ellis (Herald): ‘Treaty obligations must not be diluted’: Iwi leaders oppose Government reforms (paywalled)
Mariana Whareaitu (1News): Is it OK for non-Māori to perform haka? New show investigates appropriation
PUBLIC SERVICE
Azaria Howell (Newstalk ZB): Public sector cuts: Potential savings to be made with HR, payroll, technology shake-up
Jo Cribb (Newsroom): Ex-CEO’s warning: Fewer, larger silos won’t deliver better public service
Barbara Allen, Jonathan Boston and Michael Macaulay (The Conversation): The push for a smaller public service risks coming at a larger cost for New Zealanders
Roger Partridge: Schumpeter comes to Wellington
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