POLICE
Bryce Edwards: Democracy Deep Dive: The Coster interview deepens the case for an independent inquiry
RNZ: ‘Total nonsense’: Police Minister hits back at former commissioner’s claims he knew about McSkimming allegations
Paula Penfold (stuff): Timeline shows Minister knew of McSkimming complaint three weeks earlier than he has said
Sam Sherwood (RNZ): Police confirm emails about Jevon McSkimming weren’t shown to police minister
Herald: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon speaks after new timeline revelation in Jevon McSkimming scandal: Coster says Mitchell knew of claims earlier
Jamie Ensor (Herald): Andrew Coster denies knowing of protocol to divert Jevon McSkimming emails, Mark Mitchell calls that ‘unfathomable’
Sam Sherwood (RNZ): Former Police Commissioner Andrew Coster claims ministers knew about McSkimming allegations
David Farrar: Answer me this?
Michael Morrah (Herald): Thousands of police formal warnings set to be wiped due to improper protocol over several years (paywalled)
GOVERNMENT, PARLIAMENT, PUBLIC SERVICE
Geoffrey Palmer (Newsroom): Ministerial power vs democratic values in New Zealand
Danyl McLauchlan (Listener): On the highs and lows of the year in politics (paywalled)
Laura Walters (Newsroom): Outstanding performers, dead wood and beware the Cerberus
Grant Duncan: 2025: a forgettable year
Fran O’Sullivan (Herald): Who is bankrolling push to dump Nicola Willis as finance minister? (paywalled)
Bruce Cotterill (Herald): Christopher Luxon leadership: Why National would be ‘nuts’ to roll him (paywalled)
Michael Daly (Stuff): Luxon thinks he’s a better prime minister now than he was at the start of 2025
Russell Palmer (RNZ): Rural Communities Minister clashes with MPs over medical school, Jobs for Nature, school buses
Steven Cowan: Chloe Swarbrick has a Labour problem
1News: Financial Markets Authority chairperson steps aside amid MBIE probe
Hamish McNicol (NBR): FMA chair Craig Stobo steps down as MBIE launches investigation (paywalled)
Sophie Neville (Woman’s Weekly): Inside Christopher Luxon’s festive season: From turkey mishap to relaxed family Christmas
Grace Tinetali-Fiavaai (RNZ): University of Auckland opens new Pacific space honouring Fa’anānā Efeso Collins
TE PĀTI MĀORI
John Campbell (1News): Where to now for Te Pāti Māori?
Lillian Hanly (RNZ): Questions remain on unity in Te Pāti Māori following long-awaited AGM
Glenn McConnell (Stuff): ‘No MP is above the party’, Te Pāti Māori boss John Tamihere says
Lillian Hanly (RNZ): Ngira Simmonds challenges Te Pāti Māori leadership at AGM
Māni Dunlop (Te Ao Māori News): AGM delivers unity for some, frustration for others, as court battle looms
Daily Blog: John Tamihere Speech at Maori Party AGM
FAST-TRACK, RMA, INFRASTRUCTURE
Fox Meyer (Newsroom): Authority’s strategy to mitigate fast-track stigma: keep it as far away as possible
ODT Editorial: Fast track fiasco (paywalled)
No Right Turn: A rubber-stamp for Shane Jones’ bulldozer
Thomas Manch (BusinessDesk): Lawyers warn of summer submission period for coming RMA replacement (paywalled)
Thomas Manch (BusinessDesk): Drury-backed $400m Queenstown gondola project gets conditional endorsement (paywalled)
Brent Edwards (NBR): Regional investment fund wants to crowd in private investment (paywalled)
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Tom Hunt (Post): Public ports, including Wellington’s, face uncertain future amid council shake-up
Bernard Orsman (Herald): Ratings agency S&P warns Government rates cap risks squeezing council budgets (paywalled)
Press Editorial (Post): Does the rates cap fit? (paywalled)
K Gurunathan (Post): A Merry bloody Christmas to councils, from your Wellington mates (paywalled)
Paula Southgate (Newsroom): How to fix the reputation of local government
Gwynn Compton: Looming transparency win: Upper Hutt set to open up workshops
Sue Teodoro (Local Democracy Reporting): One Wairarapa council to rule them all? The mayors’ view
Tim Murphy (Newsroom): Ex-Auckland councillor wins $225,000 damages off Chinese social media activist
Simon Wilson (Herald): Love this City: The suburban Simeon (paywalled)
Simon Wilson (Herald): Avondale Racecourse closure sparks battle over housing, park and market (paywalled)
Andrew Gunn (Post): An ode: ‘Thank God we’re the grown-ups,’ says Minister Watts (paywalled)
WATER
Charlie Mitchell (Press/Post): Pollution limits eased for some wastewater plants under new national standards (paywalled)
Keiller MacDuff (RNZ): Water nitrate levels rise in town previously hit by unsafe levels
Phil Pennington (RNZ): Watercare delays Onehunga treatment plant opening two years
Jonathan Killick (Sunday Star Times): Big dump: new landfill needed for Auckland’s ‘number twos’ (paywalled)
TRANSPORT
Chris Knox (Herald): Road user charge calculator: How much could you pay? (paywalled)
Science Media Centre: Roadside drug testing starts in Wellington region this month – Expert Reaction
Matt Clarke (Post): Wellington can’t afford to reject NZTA’s plan for new Mt Victoria tunnel (paywalled)
Tom Hunt (Post): Absolutely mental’: 3500 more cars a day forecast for Wellington street (paywalled)
Amelia Wade (Post): Stalled at the lights: disabled Kiwis left hanging as Total Mobility review runs late (paywalled)
KIWISAVER, SUPER
Janine Starks (Post): The improvements to KiwiSaver that are really needed (paywalled)
Damien Venuto (Stuff): The ‘enormous bribe’ 50 years ago that cost New Zealand $625 billion. And the price we will pay for decades
Susan Edmunds (RNZ): KiwiSaver hardship withdrawals: ‘Worried where I will be in two weeks’
Jenée Tibshraeny (Herald): Govt’s KiwiSaver farm withdrawal plan raises fears over scheme credibility (paywalled)
David Farrar: KiwiSaver moving to 6%
FOREIGN AFFAIRS, DEFENCE, TRADE
Sam Sachdeva (Newsroom): Govt push to get India trade deal under Christmas tree
Liam Dann (Herald): Trump’s tariff backdown presents opportunity for NZ, US experts say (paywalled)
RNZ: Finance and climate ministers from NZ and Australia meet
Phil Pennington (RNZ): Defence Force ‘dusting off the history books’ to copy recruitment strategies from 1930s
Lochlan Lineham (Herald): Ron Mark says $15m Ukraine weapons funding could be spent on ‘endless list’ of supplies
Russell Palmer RNZ): Government puts $15m towards weapons and equipment for Ukraine
Caleb Fotheringham (RNZ): ‘Lack of understanding’ on Cook Islands-New Zealand realm relationship - expert
Phil Pennington (RNZ): Veterans ruling: Govt plans ‘could include a legislative response’
Derek Cheng (Herald): Government could legislate to overturn court ruling, saving billions in veterans’ support payments (paywalled)
1News: Q+A: Rethink needed for new defence money - visiting expert to NZ
Thomas Manch (Post): UK minister queries viability of Northland dry dock without British frigates (paywalled)
Latika M Bourke: Australia and New Zealand to contribute to PURL
Post: NZ hosts global Antarctic protection summit at Parliament
ECONOMY, OCR, COST OF LIVING
Brian Easton (Pundit): Is New Zealand The Best Place To Be?
Keith Woodford (Interest): What causes inflation?
Liam Dann (Herald): Why a Swedish central banker matters more than Ikea’s meatballs (paywalled)
Tracy Watkins (Sunday Star Times): Champagne holidays on a beer budget: The true cost of the ‘Great New Zealand Shutdown’ (paywalled)
Catherine McGregor (Spinoff): Is the long summer break hurting our economy?
Gyles Beckford (RNZ): ASB confident economy will turn around in 2026
1News: Brighter 2026 in sight for NZ economy as recovery gathers pace - ASB
Cameron Smith (Herald): New Zealand set for economic revival in 2026 – what’s fuelling the optimism? (paywalled)
Susan Edmunds (RNZ): Adjustment to single pension rate may be prompting women to borrow against homes
Herald: Cost-of-living pressures driving more middle and high income earners to seek financial help
Richard Prebble (Herald): Why moving to Australia may not be the upgrade young Kiwis expect (paywalled)
RNZ: Christmas plans pared back as cost-of-living expenses take priority - Westpac survey
Sam Stubbs (Sunday Star Times): Is the Māori economy a force or a fizzle? (paywalled)
Michael Reddell: A few charts updated
ENVIRONMENT, PRIMARY INDUSTRIES
Paul McBeth (Just the Business): A little ore conversation
Lillian Hanly (RNZ): Minister raises concerns over fish heading south due to warming waters
Matthew Rosenberg (Local Democracy Reporting): Southland’s waters warming faster than most
Abby Smith (ODT): Well past time for Otago marine reserves
Herald Editorial: MPI must consider the strength of its yellow-legged hornet response
CORRECTIONS, JUSTICE
Kate Nicol-Williams (1News): Government weighs UK-style jury trial cuts to ease NZ court delays
Keiller MacDuff (RNZ): Government urged to ditch second military-style boot camp
Phil Pennington (RNZ): Oranga Tamariki aims to use new design for young offenders’ boot camp in March
Samira Taghavi (Law News): In defence of our judges: why silence cannot be their only shield
HEALTH
Janet Hoek, Dr Jude Ball and Anaru Waa (Newsroom): Our smokefree goal has turned to ash, so what next?
Ingrid Ovenstone (Post): Denying Kiwis access to modern drugs is about politics, not affordability (paywalled)
Mona Jeffreys (Newsroom): Long Covid’s long reach
CARTOONS