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Happy New Year, folks. It’s 2026 and we’re back in the saddle at the Good Oil. While many of us took a well-earned breather over Christmas and the New Year, the world kept spinning at full tilt. Let’s get you up to speed on the key global happenings since December 2025.
- Donald Trump orchestrated a swift regime change in Venezuela, ousting Nicolás Maduro’s Government through a combination of US-backed opposition forces and targeted sanctions, leading to the installation of a pro-Western interim administration by early January.
- In Iran, a popular counter-revolution has gained unstoppable momentum, with widespread protests and defections from the military toppling the ayatollahs’ regime, ending decades of Islamist rule and sparking hopes for a secular democracy, though regional instability lingers.
- China faced internal economic turmoil as its property market bubble burst further, triggering stock market crashes in Shanghai and protests in major cities over unemployment rates hitting 20 per cent among young workers.
- In the Middle East, Hezbollah and Hamas suffered major setbacks due to disrupted funding channels, with Israeli forces conducting precision strikes that neutralised the key leaders without full-scale invasion.
- Tech giants like Meta and Google announced massive layoffs amid antitrust probes, while AI advancements in quantum computing were unveiled at CES 2026, promising breakthroughs in drug discovery.
Now, let’s talk about that Venezuelan shake-up. Unlike the legacy media, which seems to have been dozing through the holidays with endless puff pieces and reruns, Donald Trump was wide awake and wielding the big stick. His move on Venezuela wasn’t just about sorting out a failed state. It was a deliberate flex against Putin, Iran and China. By dismantling the Venezuelan drug, oil and money cartel, Trump has strangled vital funding streams for the Iranian regime and Russia, as well as for Hezbollah and Hamas. In one bold stroke, he’s reminded the world that America under his watch is not a pushover. The media might downplay it as ‘controversial intervention’, but the ripple effects are already starving rogue actors of cash and clout. Good riddance to that lot.
Closer to home, New Zealand hasn’t been idle, either, since December 2025. Here’s a quick rundown of the main events shaking things up in our neck of the woods.
- The coalition Government unveiled its 2026 budget preview, promising tax cuts for middle-income earners while slashing funding for what they called “woke initiatives” in education and health, sparking heated debates in parliament.
- A major scandal erupted over allegations of bullying and harassment at MUMA, with whistleblowers exposing a toxic culture. And that led to the legacy media ignoring the story and leaving news-breaking to the Good Oil and supporting conservative voices like Sean Plunket, Duncan Garner and Ani O’Brien.
- Auckland’s housing market showed signs of cooling, with property prices dropping five per cent amid rising interest rates, though first-home buyers remain squeezed out.
- Economic data revealed inflation easing to three per cent but unemployment ticked up slightly to 4.5 per cent, prompting calls from opposition parties for more stimulus.
- Te Pāti Māori announced a new policy platform focusing on Māori sovereignty, setting the stage for fiery election battles.
Thanks to all our loyal readers for sticking with us through 2025. It was a gruelling year – full of challenges from economic headwinds to political upheavals. Your support kept the Good Oil firing on all cylinders, delivering the unfiltered truth that the mainstream outlets conveniently sidestep. We’re grateful for every share, comment and subscription that helps us punch above our weight.
If you’re not already subscribed, now’s the time to jump on board. For just a few bucks a month, you’ll unlock exclusive long-form articles, in-depth podcasts and priority access to breaking news before it hits the wires. Plus, you’ll get behind-the-scenes insights and ad-free reading.
Don’t miss out on important election year details.
This year is election year, which makes it crucial to stay informed and ahead of the curve. The legacy media have proven time and again that they’re asleep at the wheel, ignoring massive stories from the bullying fiasco at MUMA to the Iranian counter-revolution that has dismantled the global terror network the Islamists imposed first on their own people and then exported worldwide. The media have ditched their duty to break and report real news, instead opting for agenda-driven drivel.
The responsibility now falls to independent voices like ours. We’re committed to long-form articles that dive deep, extended podcasts that unpack the issues without spin, and being first and fastest with the facts that matter. It’s especially vital in 2026, with an election looming. We all know the legacy media is firmly in the pocket of the coalition of losers, from Labour to the Greens and Te Pāti Māori. If the government politicians have any smarts, they’ll leverage platforms like the Good Oil and podcasts like mine to bypass the filters and get their message straight to you.
Of course, National might keep shunning us, preferring to cosy up with the likes of Martyn Bradbury. That’s their call but it’s short sighted. Supporting us is essential to build our reach so that ignoring us becomes politically painful for them. When we grow, they can’t afford to snub the audience we represent.
I hope you’ve all enjoyed a solid break over the holidays. We certainly did – recharging for what’s ahead. Now, we’re ramped up and ready for a cracker of an election year. Let’s make it count.
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