News Briefing: 28 June 2026

LABOUR PARTY CONFERENCE
Andrea Vance (Sunday Star Times): In search of Labour’s soul (paywalled)
Sam Sachdeva (Newsroom): Stormy start to Labour’s election push as party takes aim at a winter of discontent
Glenn McConnell (Stuff): Labour caught between ‘hope and reality’ as it tries to rally supporters
Thomas Coughlan (Herald): Labour candidates make it to Wellington conference by taking a leaf from Jami-Lee Ross (paywalled)
Nick James (Sunday Star Times): Labour focuses on the future and National on opening day of party congress (paywalled)
Giles Dexter (RNZ): Election a choice between two futures: Labour’s Edmonds

PARLIAMENT AND GOVERNMENT
Simon Wilson: The case for voting Green
Vernon Small (Sunday Star Times): Back pedalling to the centre: National’s pragmatic pivot three months from election day (paywalled)
Ruth Richardson (Sunday Star Times): National’s KiwiSaver plan double-charges workers (paywalled)
Phil Smith (RNZ): The House: Misleading Parliament - do MPs set a bad example?
Tom Pullar-Strecker (Sunday Star Times): If MPs feel need to support a bill they think is bad and will result in deaths, something’s wrong (paywalled)
Greg Presland (The Standard): With friends like NZ First …
Steven Cowan: The left is on the move, but not in New Zealand
Richard Prebble: Why We Cannot Talk About Climate Change

THE OPPORTUNITY PARTY
Heather du Plessis-Allan (Herald): Opportunity is the most interesting thing to happen since ACT’s rise six years ago (paywalled)
Liam Hehir: Opportunity Knocks
John McLean: Opportunity... But for what? Analysis of an ascendant political party

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