The Democracy Project

The Democracy Project

News Briefing

News Briefing: 9 October 2026

Bryce Edwards's avatar
Bryce Edwards
Oct 08, 2026
∙ Paid

ELECTION 2026 – POLLS
Stuff: New poll sees coalition back in power as Opportunity falls short of 5%
RNZ: NZ First surge extends coalition lead, latest Taxpayers’ Union Curia poll shows
Adam Pearse (Herald): Support rises for NZ First and Labour in latest Taxpayers’ Union-Curia poll
Chris Knox (Herald): Inside the Herald-Motu Poll of polls: Why Opportunity has rated above Act - and averages don’t tell the whole story (paywalled)

ELECTION 2026 – CAMPAIGN AND COMMENTARY
Chris Trotter (LawNews): Of debatable value
Chris Penk (Stuff): The stark choice facing parents at the school gate after the leaders’ debate
Chris Schulz (Spinoff): The fiscal holes of New Zealand politics, ranked
Toby Manhire (Spinoff): One man and his wild, windmill-tilting mission to make this election funny
Heather du Plessis-Allan (Newstalk ZB): John Key’s speaking sense about billionaires
Mike Hosking (Newstalk ZB): Like children, our problems are for others to solve
Paul Catmur (Listener): ‘Visual pollution masquerading as politics’: An ad-man’s take on the election’s social media output (paywalled)
Anna Whyte (Interest): Drug tests for beneficiaries, airfares, the ‘dumpster fire’ of policy & billionaires
Jamie Ensor (Herald): Act’s David Seymour says world watching New Zealand’s ‘dumpster fire policy debate’
David Cohen (Herald): Better is ... impossible. The nonsense in a suit posing as political slogan (paywalled)
Dugald MacTavish (ODT): The sustainable political direction: strengthening the things we share (paywalled)
Chris Trotter (ODT): Fear and loathing at the election night derby (paywalled)
Nina Hindmarsh (Press): Hipkins takes election campaign to Nelson streets (paywalled)
Caron Copek (Stuff): One of the biggest political scoops this week came from a kids’ news show
Audrey Young (Herald): Labour’s Arena Williams gets top billing, but not everybody’s on side (paywalled)

ELECTION 2026 – STRATEGY
Tim Watkin (RNZ): Caucus: National takes aim at coalition partners in scramble for ‘soft centre’ voters
Tracey Lee (Spinoff): Why overseas New Zealanders are so crucial this election
Fox Meyer (Newsroom): Overseas influence could tip election to the left
Carmen Parahi (Herald): How could Māori, who make up about one in six voters, influence this election? (paywalled)
Aziz Al Sa’afin (1News): Vote Compass: What are the priorities for voters of different generations?
Felix Walton (RNZ): Why bottom trawling could be a top issue in forming the next government
Brent Edwards (NBR): Never mind the odds, it’s what’s at stake that matters (paywalled)
Katie Bradford (Herald): Goff says Parliament would be worse off without Chris Bishop

ELECTION 2026 – ELECTORATES AND CANDIDATES
Hanna McCallum (Newsroom): Heavy hitters vie for the left-leaning vote in Wellington Bays
Glenn McConnell (Stuff): In Northland, jobs and addiction are the big issues for a region at a crossroads
Rachel Moore (RNZ): Hamilton East: Will the ‘city of the future’ predict the election again?
Anneke Smith (Post): No more cups of tea: Paul Goldsmith’s quest to actually win Epsom (paywalled)
1News: Tāmaki Makaurau: Meet two candidates vying for the smallest Māori seat
Jack Riddell (Herald): Former All Blacks captain Taine Randell lands at No 9 on NZ First’s election list

The paywall now starts partway through all Democracy Project newsletters. Please take out a paid sub if you want to support this service and access the full content, including the following sections: DEMOCRACY, DONATIONS AND LOBBYING; WELFARE AND NATIONAL’S BENEFICIARY DRUG-TESTING; LABOUR’S AIRLINE POLICY; NZ FIRST: CONVERSION THERAPY AND ABORTION; ECONOMY AND BUSINESS; ENERGY AND RESOURCES; GOVERNMENT, PUBLIC SERVICE AND DEFENCE; HEALTH; EDUCATION; ENVIRONMENT AND ANIMAL WELFARE; MEDIA; CARTOONS

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