Gifts, Graft and a $12bn Defence Spend-up
The government’s headlong rush into big defence contracts, with minimal public oversight, risks compounding the problem by entrenching a military-industrial elite operating with impunity.
Politics
Everything about politics
News Briefing: 8 July 2025
Republished with Permission Author: Bryce Edwards PARLIAMENT, PUBLIC SECTOR Peter Adams (Newsroom): Alcohol lobbying is a wild west of influence Kate MacNamara (Herald): Lease termination for unused Three Waters Auckland office costs taxpayers $2.2m (paywalled) NataliIS THATa Albert: Winston Peters and the Myth of MMP’s Stability Good Ideas:
The Good Oil Podcast – Episode 10 – Lee Taituha
In episode ten of The Good Oil Podcast, Cam sits down with Unite NZ leader Lee Taituha.
The Local Electoral Act Hole
The possibilities are endless, provided you have the money and the intestinal fortitude to tell the truth about some ratbag local government candidate.
News Briefing: 7 July 2025
Republished with Permission Author: Bryce Edwards PARLIAMENT Andrea Vance (Sunday Star Times): There are no rules any more. The political pendulum is now a wrecking ball (paywalled) Catherine McGregor (Spinoff): Is NZ politics having a MAGA moment? Peter Dunne: When symbolism trumps substance Thomas Coughlan (Herald): Labour offers National a
Time to Lock Up the Ratbags: Goldsmith’s Mandatory Sentencing Push Is What New Zealand Needs
Give Kiwis a justice system they can trust, and a reason to vote for you in 2026. The scumbags have had their run. It’s time to lock them up and let decent folks sleep easy.
A New Brave New World, Faith Outside the Gates
Today, AI-powered cities like The Line in Saudi Arabia and other surveillance-heavy urban experiments are no longer science fiction. They offer safety, convenience and control but risk turning human beings into manageable units of data. A sanitised society – but a soulless one.
Rawiri Waititi’s Dangerous Hero Worship: A Wake-Up Call for New Zealand
New Zealand stands at a crossroads. We can either call out this dangerous flirtation with authoritarianism or risk letting it fester. David Seymour’s got the guts to say it like it is. The question is: will anyone else step up before it’s too late?
News Briefing: 4 July 2025
Republished with Permission Author: Bryce Edwards PARLIAMENT Jamie Ensor (Herald): Special tax change for fossil fuel companies was proposed ahead of Budget 2025, ministers went for $200m co-investment option (paywalled) Dan Brunskill (Interest): Labour Party offers to help Nicola Willis set up election policy costing unit Tim Hazledine (Post)
Enough Is Enough? Luxon’s Trespass Law Tweak Is Just Hot Air
What we need is a government with the guts to get serious. Stop tinkering with fines and notices and start empowering people to protect what’s theirs. Let shop owners arm themselves with something more than harsh words.
Face of the Day
Her team circulated a statement following PMQs, saying it was “a personal matter”. No more details about the circumstances have been provided.
News Briefing: 3 July 2025
Republished with Permission Author: Bryce Edwards LOCAL GOVERNMENT, WATER Janet Wilson (Post): Coalition finds a handy distraction in council bashing (paywalled) ODT Editorial: Less of the bombast, please (paywalled) Craig McCulloch (RNZ): Government begins negotiations with councils for regional deals Mandy Te (Interest): Negotiations start for 'city and regional