Quick Hit — Political Intelligence — Erica Stanford — Ministry of Education — Official Information Act — Ombudsman — National — Election 2026 — NZ Politics
Quick Hit: Don’t Write It Down
A curriculum lead was filmed telling staff the minister’s feedback was “OIA-able” and should stay out of writing. Now the chief ombudsman is formally investigating, and Erica Stanford says it’s a matter for her chief executive.
Related
Quick Hit: Three Point Four Billion. Familiar Labels.
Fonterra’s $3.4 billion year came with a $1.2 billion one-off from selling Anchor and Mainland to France’s Lactalis. Farmers banked the cheque, and the butter still costs what it costs.
Quick Hit: Fifteen Questions. Roaming.
Hipkins dropped 15 written questions on Pacific roaming and SIM cards weeks from the election. Suit: some SIM cards at USD $35. Fifteen questions. Roaming. Country can wait.
Quick Hit: 880,000 Costumes
TPU puts a red price tag on $880k from the Major Events Fund for a World of WearableArt exhibition. Upston sells visitors and Kiwi creativity. Major Events Fund. Minor accountability. Eight hundred and 80 thousand costumes. One line on the invoice.
Quick Hit: Two Hundred And One Billion
Taxpayers’ Union Bribe-O-Meter puts Opportunity at $201 billion over four years. Another $407m Industry Energy Resilience this week. Hope has an invoice. $201 billion. Still other people’s money.
Latest
Strategic Voting to Win
With less than four weeks before overseas voting begins, the expression ‘the election is in the hands of voters’ has rarely been more meaningful. The way voters decide to use their two votes could materially affect the balance of power in the next parliament.
Chippy’s Minder
Trevor Mallard kept Owen Glenn away from Helen Clark in 2008. On Saturday he was stepping between Chris Hipkins and a heckler at Ōtara. Some people never change jobs.
Good Oil General Debate
Please read our rules before you start commenting on The Good Oil to avoid a temporary or permanent ban.
Face of the Day
The judge ordered a four-year starting point, two years below what the Crown sought but four months above the defence’s suggestion. He then allowed 50 per cent in reductions for his guilty pleas and for matters related to his drug addiction.