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# The Case for Saving Chris Bishop
- URL: https://goodoil.news/the-case-for-saving-chris-bishop/
- Published: 2026-10-27T21:30:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-27T21:29:59.000Z
- Description: A parliament without Chris Bishop would be a worse parliament.
- Author: Reproduced with permission
- Tags: NZ Politics, Election 2026, National

[**Ani O’Brien**](https://aniobrien.substack.com/p/the-case-for-saving-chris-bishop)  
*Like good faith disagreements & principled people. Dislike disingenuousness and Foucault. Care especially about women’s rights, justice, and democracy.*

You may have heard about “*The Overhang”* which looms large over this election campaign. If not, [you can read what I wrote a few weeks ago on the situation](https://aniobrien.substack.com/p/should-the-centre-right-split-their-vote?r=ey0hd&utm%5Fcampaign=post&utm%5Fmedium=web). In any case, because of the potential overhang that will be created by National having more electorate seats than their party vote entitles them to, they will most likely not take any list MPs into parliament. That means senior National MPs Nicola Willis, Chris Bishop, Paul Goldsmith, and Gerry Brownlee would lose their seats. Unless those standing in electorates win their seats.

**I’ll be totally transparent, I am writing this in the hope that we can save Chris Bishop.** Bish is the current MP for Hutt South and a perusal of his social media feed will show you that despite being a busy senior minister, it is a role he has performed with pride. The problem is that is usually a very red seat. He won it last time on a wave of National support that saw them flip several seats, but before him it was held by Ginny Andersen and Trevor Mallard. Boundary changes have made the red seat even redder and the battle for Bish to win back his seat even harder.

![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!yFYt!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1aa540ed-dfaf-42ad-8385-6721c825b6cc_600x600.png)

Always fair game for charity events, Bish has donned the mullet several times to fundraise.

Ginny Andersen is again running for Labour and a Victor Consulting poll conducted in September, with a sample size of 533, had her leading Bishop by 42 per cent to 30 per cent. The poll was commissioned and run by a firm founded by former Labour staffer Clint Smith, however. It is also a RoboPoll meaning that there is no human involved in the process. A robot calls up and asks people to press 1 for candidate X or party Y, for example. The polling is extremely cheap, but unreliable as they are likely to only receive responses from the most politically engaged.

Regardless, it is not surprising that Andersen would be polling ahead. Bish is basically in a seat he had no business winning in the first place. It is my sincere hope that he wins it again, underdog or not.

I have known Chris Bishop since my stint working in parliament in 2021\. I have worked with him, I like him, I respect him, and I think that New Zealand politics would be seriously poorer without him in our next parliament. However, I do not agree with him on everything and I have no doubt that I will find myself disagreeing with him about many things in the future. That is the nature of politics, right? Especially for someone like me who has never been particularly good at adopting a party’s entire worldview.

But there are some politicians whose value extends beyond their actual politics and the positions they take on any given issue. These are rare parliamentarians who understand their responsibilities to the people of New Zealand and to our democratic system in ways that ensure that those around them are encouraged to follow suit. They lead by example in taking the business of government and the business of Parliament very seriously and possess genuine intellectual interest in public policy. Chris Bishop is one of these rare politicians.

We tend to judge politicians by their performances in the most visible parts of the jobs like question time, in media interviews, or high profile events. But there are many politicians who master the media and social media performance while maintaining a very shallow understanding of how parliament works and sometimes achieving very little. Parties rely heavily on those rare MPs like Bish who devote themselves to the grinding, difficult, and often tedious work of running parliament and legislating.

Having served as leader of the House, shadow leader of the House before that, and since April this year, attorney-general, Bishop’s knowledge of the ins and outs of government and parliament are second to few in our current parliament. The old boys Speaker Gerry Brownlee and Winston Peters are up there too.

In a [2024 interview with RNZ’s ](https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/thehouse/556211/chris-bishop-on-keeping-a-tidy-parliament?ref=goodoil.news)[*The House*](https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/thehouse/556211/chris-bishop-on-keeping-a-tidy-parliament?ref=goodoil.news), Bish spoke of his affection for parliament as an institution, the importance of accountability, and his enjoyment of the intricate rules and processes which govern its operations. In terms of the opposition, he pointed to Chris Hipkins and Grant Robertson as being parliamentarians who are/were most knowledgable of these things too.

His ministerial responsibilities have been immense and included housing, infrastructure, and the reform of the *Resource Management Act*. In these vital areas he has demonstrated a willingness to work across the aisle and I bet if you asked his counterpart in Labour, Kieran McAnulty, he would express respect for him. We desperately need long-term plans and consistency in investing in infrastructure and McAnulty and Bish continuing to work together on these matters makes this a heck of a lot more likely. Anyone who has seen the pair in action at infrastructure panel events will testify that they are collegial and share a passion for sorting out what are some of our country’s most complex issues. They also talk about cricket a lot.

![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3feQ!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F60f65b69-c679-4fc1-93d1-6f5ba1fa114c_1600x900.png)

It looked like Bish was going to run out of time to pass the reforms he spent most of the term working on with ACT’s Simon Court. The biggest overhaul of our planning laws in 35 years, the task was no easy feat. In fact, navigating the roadblocks placed in his way by public servants meant to exercise political neutrality was a nightmare. The Ministry for the Environment drafted the bills initially, but they simply were not going to achieve the stated goals of the government and so a substantial rewrite took place.

At the very last minute Bish got the two bills over the line, sweeping away much of the bureaucratic blockades that have made building houses, developing infrastructure, and even making pretty minor changes to private property such a time consuming and expensive nightmare. Officials estimate the changes could eliminate around 45 per cent of the consent and permit applications required under the RMA saving billions of private and public dollars.

In the process of getting through the mammoth work of passing the reforms to the *Resource Management Act* he also showed his willingness to work with the opposition to ensure greater longevity of the legislation. Among many meetings, he worked to find common ground with MPs like Labour’s Rachel Brooking and the Greens’ Julie Anne Genter and Lan Pham while acknowledging that significant policy differences remained. Labour’s Phil Twyford expressed support for the provisions dealing with competitive land markets despite Labour’s broader opposition. He described the emerging cross-party agreement on the importance of land supply for housing affordability as a real bright spot in the policy debate.

Bish isn’t universally loved though. He managed to piss off some Aucklanders with his approach to housing this term. He has a different approach to the portfolio than virtually any of his predecessors. He has placed a lot more focus on making housing accessible for younger generations and that has meant he has clashed with his boss Christopher Luxon and others who maintain the old line of steady housing value growth. They managed to strike a happy medium eventually, but there were definitely teething issues.

For millennials and Gen Zers, he has been a much needed advocate though. Politics of all kinds often ends up playing to older New Zealanders, who hold a lot of electoral heft, but Bish has a principled determination to ensure we younger ones can build our futures here and thrive. Watch him speaking at an event called [Housing Reform in NSW & New Zealand](https://youtu.be/mhoJNpmNTIo?si=TUiDR6rK1dkPiFPr&t=967&ref=goodoil.news) a year ago to see what I mean.

It can be said that Bish must be somewhat of a masochist, however. Despite the absolute thrashing, sometimes bordering on abuse, he and his party take from the arts sector in New Zealand, he remains a tragically dedicated fan and advocate of New Zealand music. Like a proper fan. He attends gigs, buys the merch, and has done since he was a youngster. He is not the politician who pretends support but can only name two songs (helpfully supplied by a staffer prior to an interview).

![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!gvR4!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F832aee5d-2711-4703-b5f0-69685050bfbb_1600x900.png)

In 2022, [The Spinoff took a look at his Spotify playlists](https://thespinoff.co.nz/politics/28-12-2022/a-deep-dive-into-the-public-spotify-profiles-of-new-zealands-mps-2?ref=goodoil.news) and reported an impressive collection of Kiwi rock including Shihad and Fur Patrol. There was even a painstakingly curated chronological Shihad playlist he put together during lockdown.

As I say, Bish’s enthusiasm has not been reciprocated by the industry that relies so heavily on government funding. Last year at the *Aotearoa Music Awards* he got himself in a spot of bother. Stan Walker did the thing that celebrities all over the world seem to think gives them relevance and put on a highly politicised performance. Personally I wish we could enjoy the escapism of art and entertainment without flags and lectures, but that is just me. Walker’s performance included several *Toitū Te Tiriti* banners and political messaging (this was before the movement imploded) and Bish was caught on camera expressing his irritation. He was confronted by musician Don McGlashan at the time. Bish later acknowledged he should have kept his opinions to himself in this setting and true to form said he remained an enormous admirer of McGlashan and the Mutton Birds despite the man’s very public opposition to his politics.

Now I will turn to Bish’s opponent in the Hutt South electorate battle, Labour’s Ginny Andersen. I will do my best to present a fair picture because all politicians make mistakes, get tired and lose their tempers, and from time to time find themselves advancing positions which become indefensible halfway through a sentence. She is a senior Labour MP, former minister, and someone who clearly enjoys the trust and confidence of leader Chris Hipkins.

However, unlike Bish, Andersen is often not across the details. But what she lacks in knowledge she makes up for in unshakeable confidence. Recently during one of the regular joint interviews she does with National’s Mark Mitchell on Newstalk ZB, she demonstrated this. During the discussion, in defending her party’s policy which would see the National Land Transport Fund starved of funding, Andersen insisted the fund did not pay for road maintenance. Mitchell assured her that it did. But Andersen doubled down repeatedly telling him he was wrong and questioning his credibility on financial matters. Then they went to a commercial break and upon returning Andersen sheepishly admitted that she double checked and was indeed mistaken. She copped a lot of stick in parliament about the incident.

This was not the first clanger of a performance Andersen had managed in these ZB head to heads. In February 2024, she accused Mark Mitchell of being paid to kill people during his previous work as a security contractor in Iraq. She even asked him whether he kept a tally of the number of people he had shot.

For context, prior to his political career, Mitchell spent 13 years in the New Zealand Police serving as a dog handler and in the Armed Offenders Squad. He received the Police Gold Merit Award for Bravery and Dedication to Duty after he and his dog were injured in the process of confronting a man armed with a samurai sword. He also received a Commissioner’s Commendation. Later he worked in Iraq protecting diplomats, government officials, and humanitarian aid workers. He also helped train new Iraqi security forces in counterterrorism operations. He worked with many governments including Britain, the US, Australia, Japan, and Italy. The Italians even gave him a commendation.

At the time Andersen attacked Mitchell for his pre-parliament work, Labour leader Chris Hipkins said she had gone too far and she eventually apologised publicly. The incident showed a distinct lack of judgment and raised concerns about her attitudes toward the New Zealanders we pay to protect our communities and defend our interests overseas.

Then there is the infamous bullying incident that emerged after the last election in 2023\. Labour confirmed that it had received a complaint regarding allegations of Andersen’s poor treatment of young party volunteers. The complaint did not come from opponents, it was lodged by the Labour supporting mother of a teenage volunteer who described a pattern of behaviour over several years culminating in an unfortunate incident on election night when Andersen lost Hutt South.

According to the complaint, Andersen yelled at the woman’s daughter and son, suggested they had not done enough campaigning, and made them feel like they were responsible for her defeat. Other allegations including calling the young girl *“useless”* and becoming angry with her when she wasn’t available to volunteer on a particular date due to a family holiday.

Initially, Andersen denied the allegations and said she was not a bully. However, a few days later she provided a written apology to the volunteers and the Labour Party President Jill Day confirmed that the matter was resolved.

Back when she was Hutt South’s MP, she faced media scrutiny for a dodgy arrangement regarding her electorate office. To be fair to her, she did inherit the arrangement from Trevor Mallard so he should wear the bulk of the blame. The situation was that Labour’s Hutt South office had been paying just $1,500 annually to rent the premises from the Professional Firefighters Union while receiving $6,000 of our taxes via Parliamentary Services to pay for the subletting. The remaining $4,500 was pocketed by Labour.

None of this means that she hasn’t contributed positively to New Zealand politics in other ways, but as I made clear from the outset, I am making the argument for people to vote for Bish instead. In my view, she is not as valuable to parliament as a whole. But, and this is important, that point is actually redundant because she is far enough up the Labour list that **she will enter parliament even if she loses Hutt South**.

![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!fGVw!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8399776e-d471-4c8e-a1ef-28834c7fd798_600x600.png)

**By voting for Bish, the good people of Hutt South will ensure both he and Andersen enter parliament giving them two senior MPs who have a vested interest in looking out for the electorate. If Andersen wins, Bish is out.**

Those in Hutt South who support the coalition parties, National, ACT, and NZ First, should 100 per cent definitely give Chris Bishop their electorate vote. There is no ACT candidate standing and the NZ First candidate Alistair Boyce is openly telling voters to give Bish their candidate vote while giving their party vote to NZ First. Boyce is the well known owner of Wellington’s iconic Backbencher Pub and during an appearance with Bish on the Platform he teased him for having to stick to National Party messaging, but nonetheless made the case on his behalf for splitting the vote. Boyce knows he hasn’t a shot in hell of winning the seat and is there to campaign for party vote NZ First. An electorate vote for him is a waste.

Now I want to talk to those in Hutt South who do not support the coalition. I realise that it is a tough ask, but I put it to you that voting for Chris Bishop as your local MP is what is best for New Zealand. Not only will you get an active advocate in parliament, but you will still get Ginny Andersen via the Labour list. More importantly, you will ensure that parliament does not lose a key figure who ensures the democratic and fair running of our most important institution. You will ensure that National and Labour can go into the next term, regardless of the outcome, best placed to work together on key infrastructure matters. The duo of McAnulty and Bishop could be one of the most consequential for our future.

Give your party vote to whoever you like, but I urge you to consider your electorate vote for Bishop. These are polarised and tumultuous times and he is a steadying force for New Zealand.

I realise that most of my readers will not be Hutt South voters, but it is my hope that you will pass this on to anyone you know who is. As I say, I don’t agree with Bish on everything, but he listens and cares. And I think he is worth saving.

![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!16Vz!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2ec92fe1-dc79-4e92-8f3b-f9db7ac9248e_600x600.png)

This article was originally published by [Thought Crimes](https://aniobrien.substack.com/p/the-case-for-saving-chris-bishop).