The Good Oil Podcast – Episode 8 – Simon O’Connor
Over a decade in Parliament, Simon built a reputation for going against the grain – unapologetically pro-life, pro-free speech and sceptical of the creeping influence of identity politics.
Politics
Everything about politics
News Briefing: 24 June 2025
Republished with Permission Author: Bryce Edwards FOREIGN AFFAIRS - MIDDLE EAST Lillian Hanly (RNZ):Calls for government to denounce United States attack on Iran Chelsea Daniels (Herald): Front Page: Iran-Israel conflict: Why NZ is being urged to push for UN Security Council reform Shanti Mathias (Spinoff): How has New Zealand
News Briefing: 23 June 2025
Republished with Permission Author: Bryce Edwards FOREIGN AFFAIRS - MIDDLE EAST Giles Dexter (RNZ): Middle East military action 'extremely worrying', NZ backs efforts towards diplomacy - Peters Glenn McConnell (Stuff): ’The world is on fire’: Have we reached World War III - and what can NZ do? Thomas
Shane Jones Vows to Resurrect Oil and Gas: A Middle Finger to Ardern’s Economic Sabotage
The green lobby will howl, the media will amplify their tantrums and the usual suspects will try to paint Jones as some sort of environmental antichrist. But he’s got the facts, the moxie and the mandate to push through.
Jacinda Ardern Still Haunts Us, Luxon Flops and Hipkins Flounders: New Zealand’s Political Gene Pool Is a Puddle
New Zealand is desperate for someone with guts, vision and a bit of mongrel. Instead, we’re stuck with a has-been who ran away, a CEO who can’t sell and a placeholder who’s out of his depth.
News Briefing: 19 June 2025
Republished with Permission Author: Bryce Edwards FOREIGN AFFAIRS, DEFENCE, TRADE Phil Pennington (RNZ): Why NZ's involvement in possible US-Iran war may hang on Europe Adam Pearse (Herald): New Zealand pauses Cook Islands funding over China deal stoush Laura Walters (Newsroom): Confusion as NZ becomes midpoint on China route
Ngāpuhi’s Treaty Settlement Saga: Time to Call It Quits?
Give Ngāpuhi a deadline to get their house in order – say, 12 months and if they can’t come to the table with a unified proposal, the Crown should walk away. No more meetings, no more ‘progress reports’ and no more excuses.
Big Brother Lives Next Door
The UK claims to be part of the free West, yet we have more CCTV cameras than anywhere else in the world. Completely enamoured of surveillance, even our bloody doorbells are filming us
News Briefing: 18 June 2025
Republished with Permission Author: Bryce Edwards PARLIAMENT, PUBLIC SECTOR Alice Neville (Spinoff): The secretive Tory donor with the golden visa – and the ear of the Beehive Tim Murphy (Newsroom): Heavily criticised SFO to lead drive against public service corruption Neil Sands (Law News): Serious Fraud Office asks government to overhaul
Labour’s Nasty Streak Laid Bare as MPs Swear and Sneer at Seymour
Labour’s Nasty Party reputation is well-earned and no amount of crocodile tears will wash it away. Next time Russell or Webb feel the urge to swear, they should try coming up with an actual argument instead.
Bodies on the Altar of Science
At the very least, based on logic, rationality, and decency, we should be transparent. This should ensure truly informed consent, labeling medicines, for instance, as having been derived or not through procedures or experiments on unconsented humans.