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News Briefing: 28 December 2025 - Weekend edition
END OF YEAR COMMENTARY
Bryce Edwards (Democracy Project): Democracy Briefing: Chris Bishop – Politician of the Year 2025
Thomas Coughlan (Herald): The Herald’s 2025 politician of the year is... (paywalled)
The Post: The Post’s political awards: Politician of the year, rookie on the rise and the rest (paywalled)
The Post: The Government’s 2025 Cabinet, marked (paywalled)
Brent Edwards (NBR): Winners and losers of the 2025 political year (paywalled)
Steve Braunias (Newsroom): The secret diary of .. 2025
Martin Van Beynen (Post): My WTF moments of 2025 (paywalled)
Philip Matthews (Post): Bad men, confusing times: Twelve dates that defined 2025 (paywalled)
Harriet Laughton (Post): Summer off politics: Camilla Belich talks BookTok, pavlova and Taylor Swift (paywalled)
1News: ‘Beyond saddened’: A year of law changes impacting Māori
PARLIAMENT AND GOVERNMENT
Bryce Edwards (Democracy Project): Democracy Briefing: Following the Money in 2025
Janet Wilson (Post): Get ready for the Knock ’Em Down, Bash ’Em Up political campaign (paywalled)
Andrea Vance (Post): Jacinda Ardern remains poll favourite – but which struggling leaders are on the rise? (paywalled)
Harriet Laughton (Post): Greens eye Government, working with NZ First not ruled out (paywalled)
Māni Dunlop (Te Ao Māori News): Green Party prioritises ‘building trust’ as Māori membership rises despite poll drop
Julia Gabel (Herald): MPs’ favourite books: What they recommend you read this summer (paywalled)
NBR: Out of Office Reply: Barbara Edmonds (paywalled)
Tyson Beckett (Herald): Christopher Luxon’s Christmas message: New Zealand PM acknowledges tough year for some Kiwis
Brent Edwards (NBR): The MPs who aim to put some ‘common sense back in the room’ (paywalled)
INDIA FREE TRADE AGREEMENT
Matthew Hooton (Herald): India‑New Zealand trade agreement: Labour to decide fate of Luxon’s deal (paywalled)
Fran O’Sullivan (Herald): India’s free trade deal could reshape our exports – and our politics (paywalled)
Ellen O’Dwyer (RNZ): Trade Minister Todd McClay confident Labour will support India Free Trade Agreement
NBR: Labour disappointed by lack of dairy gains in India FTA (paywalled)
ROBERT SMELLIE OBITUARY
Thomas Manch (BusinessDesk): Obituary: Robert Smellie, an open-minded judge with a socialist heart (paywalled)
Herald: Chief Justice leads tributes to Robert Smellie after death of former High Court judge
Stuff: Former high court judge who oversaw NZ’s longest trial dies aged 95