This is edition 2026/040 of the Ten@10 newsletter.
Hi all,
This is the Ten@10, where I collate and summarise ten news items you generally won't see in the mainstream media.
Enjoy!
1. Luxon and National in serious trouble
Bryce Edwards
- 📉 Poll Struggles: A Taxpayers’ Union-Curia poll shows National at just 28%, down from 38% in 2023. This drop fuels leadership speculation and further criticism of Prime Minister Luxon.
- 🗣️ Hooton’s Critique: Matthew Hooton argues that Luxon’s poor handling of the US-Iran situation makes him a threat to New Zealand’s national security and undermines his credibility.
- 💼 Leadership Turmoil: Senior National figures, including Chris Bishop, have been involved in leadership challenges, but Luxon has survived due to internal divisions. The party is paralyzed by competing ambitions.
- 🔥 Crisis Mode: The National Party is in panic, with some MPs acknowledging the need for a leadership change, but fear of the high-risk gamble of replacing a first-term PM is holding them back.
- 📊 Economic Struggles: National’s poor poll numbers are linked to public dissatisfaction with the government’s handling of rising prices and stagnant wages, intensifying calls for a leadership shake-up.
- 🔄 Leadership Gridlock: Despite growing pressure, National’s senior MPs remain unable to act decisively due to personal ambitions and the risk of a leadership change too close to an election.
- ⏳ Urgency Growing: If National’s polling continues to slide, party members may soon realize that their career prospects are at risk, pushing for a leadership change before it’s too late.
