This is edition 2026/075 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. They Say They Want A Revolution.
Chris Trotter
- 📊 11% want total political system overhaul: Over 1 in 10 New Zealanders believe the political system is failing and should be replaced, signaling significant discontent.
- 🔴 Historical context: In the past, groups like the Socialist Unity Party (SUP) couldn’t attract this level of support. Political stability and economic growth made revolution unlikely.
- 💼 Union shift: The dismantling of trade unions, starting in the 1980s, left the working class politically disempowered, accelerating the decline of social cohesion.
- 📉 Major dissatisfaction: 44% of New Zealanders want significant reforms, showing widespread dissatisfaction tied to material insecurity and political disenchantment.
- 💔 Political alienation: Labour and National have both played roles in excluding the working class, with Labour maintaining loyalty through myths and National marginalizing them through racial divides.
- 🗣️ Divided society: The report reveals three social groups: 30% connected, 41% ambivalent, and 28% alienated—those ready for protest and change.
- 🔥 Potential for upheaval: A government misstep could ignite further unrest, echoing historical revolutions like the Irish Easter Rising.
- 🌱 Emerging change: Among all groups, young Māori (87%) have the strongest sense of belonging, suggesting that significant societal change is on the horizon.
