Breaking Views Update: Week of 22.3.26

Thursday March 26, 2026 

News:
Wellington District leadership deepens cultural capability through Sites of Significance Kaupapa
The kaupapa was intentionally led by Wellington District Manager, Gareth Hughes, who recognised the importance of strengthening authentic, enduring relationships with mana whenua, culturally significant landscapes, and Māori leadership structures.

Ian Bradford: Is Carbon Dioxide the Primary Driver of Global Warming?

The current thinking by many in the scientific world is that carbon dioxide is the primary driver of global warming. Carbon dioxide is supposed to capture and radiate heat back to the earth in what is termed “radiative forcing”. The emissions of carbon dioxide coming from the consumption of fossil fuels is supposed to be fuelling the increase in average global temperature.

Perspective with Heather du Plessis-Allan: Should we be outraged at the dinner charging $10k to sit with Luxon?

Right, let’s talk about the National Party accidentally letting slip that they’re selling tables at a dinner with Christopher Luxon.

The story is that the Mainland Dinner will be held in Christchurch next month and if you have a few thousand dollars spare, you can go along.

Ryan Bridge: How much does $50 for some families cost the rest of us?

That’s the real question we should be asking ourselves this morning.

Remember, the Government’s running a deficit. A structural one.

They spend more than they earn in taxes.

Lindsay Mitchell: Understanding the $50 boost for working families

I am not a supporter of government hand-outs. That's because I am not a supporter of the government taking people's money by force and deciding who to redistribute it to. That ability confers enormous power on the state. Taxing to redistribute only ever spirals upward. Wherever possible, earnings should be left largely with the earner - not expensively churned by dead weight bureaucracy.

Mike's Minute: A gesture, or an actual economic solution?

How many ways can you slice the petrol handout?

Many.

The Government is to be commended on restraint, and I hope that message of restraint has sunk into the New Zealanders who think we have money on trees and debt is never to be paid back.

David Harvey: Above the Parapet

Prefiero morir de pie que vivir de rodillas - Better to die on your feet than live on your knees

Mark Carney, the Canadia Prime Minister, made an interesting and well-publicised speech to the World Economic Forum in Davos in January.

His theme was on the importance of being open and honest about widely accepted beliefs we all know to be at least “partially false”. He urged middle-nations to call out the cosy view of the “rules-based international order” which is routinely abused by the powerful.

Dave Patterson: Is an End to the Iran War in Sight?

The raining of bombs, missiles, and other munitions from the skies onto Iran that began in February is in its fourth week. Following exhaustive talks, the United States and Israel had had enough, and on Feb. 28, they began an air assault, which has systematically and relentlessly destroyed the rogue country’s leadership, governing structure, air defenses, navy, and ballistic missile, drone, and cruise missile capability. Now, there may be an end in sight.

Matua Kahurangi: Courts of New Zealand bolt from X to Bluesky’s pedo-friendly echo chamber

The official Courts of New Zealand account just nuked its presence on X with this whimper of a farewell tweet:

“You will now find Courts of New Zealand updates on our other social media channels. Visit the Courts of New Zealand website to find out more: sen.nz/5vtq73”

Kerre Woodham: In this instance, a bit of support is necessary

If Trump's envoys weren't talking to Iranian officials, who the hell were they talking to? When you get older, you expect that you can make more sense of the world, but I've got to be honest here, I am struggling to make sense of anything. I was reading the headlines at about 5 this morning. Trump talking about the good and productive talks having been conducted by special envoy Steve Witkoff, his son in law Jared Kushner. There'll be no nukes. No, the Iranians have said, yep, absolutely, we'll open the Straits of Hormuz and there's no nukes.

Bob Edlin: A guaranteed Govt income for artists....

A guaranteed Govt income for artists – some MPs see merit in Ireland’s scheme but Newsroom didn’t ask ACT or NZ First

In Budget 2025, Vote Arts, Culture and Heritage was funded $403 million in 2025/26 – or $1.5 billion over four years.

The spending initiatives included:

David Farrar: A worthwhile trade off

Susan Hornsby-Geluk writes:

Among the most controversial aspects of the recently enacted Employment Relations Amendment Act 2026 is the introduction of a high-income threshold for personal grievance claims.

Wednesday March 25, 2026 

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Caleb Anderson: The Dangers of union of sacred and state

The encroachment of faith systems into the secular state represents a fundamental threat to rational policy design, and civic equality. History teaches that when sacred belief is merged with state power, it inevitably erodes the objective, evidence-based reasoning required for effective governance, replacing policy deliberation with dogma, and dogma's inescapable consequence ... the marginalization of dissent.

Perspective with Heather du Plessis-Allan: The Government is right to have limited the fuel relief package

If you were listening to the previous show - Tyler’s show - you’ll have heard that not everyone loves the package the Government has just announced to help families pay their fuel bills, because it’s not for everyone.

Pensioners have complained that they should be helped as well because they don’t have enough money. Beneficiaries have complained. Diesel users have complained because their fuel has actually gone up much more than petrol.

David Harvey: The Empty Chair

Chris Hipkins and the Bankruptcy of the New Zealand Left

It is my practice in this Substack to write about policies and ideas when I enter the political arena. I try to avoid in personam attacks. Up until now. The world is in a crisis that would probably be even more dangerous than the 1963 Cuban Missile incident (yes – I remember that) and like it or not, New Zealand, like the rest of the world is going to suffer from the fallout from this crisis.

This is a time for people to pull together – to forget about political differences and work towards a common solution for the good of the country. But as Chris Hipkins demonstrates, he is not up for that. And by so demonstrating he is not up for anything else.

David Farrar: Shock - Brooke retires

ACT Deputy Leader Brooke van Velden has announced she will retire at the election, after two terms as an MP. She is only 33 years old and many (including me) thought she would succeed David Seymour as ACT leader.

Aaron Spencer: The Complacent Country

New Zealanders, in general, have had very little interest in the apparently baffling complexities of geopolitics, economics, and the way history doesn’t repeat…but does often rhyme.

Our main preoccupations have been work, rugby, BBQ’s, holidays, and the inter-personal relationships and dramas of family and friends. And if the Jones’ are climbing the property ladder, buying a boat, and upgrading the car “that’s good enough for us as well”. Herd behaviour around what we should aspire to has well and truly been the order of the day and, in case there was any doubt, there was always an older sage on hand to dispense the comforting adage that “you can’t go wrong with property”.

Bobbie Ann Flower Cox: When Judges Go Rogue

Though I am an attorney in practice for almost thirty years now, I have always said that not all issues can be resolved in a court of law. I say this not because I lack confidence in our judicial system, but because not all issues are subject to the decision of a court. In other words, judges can’t have a say in everything! This is the premise behind our stalwart foundational doctrine of Separation-of-Powers where each of our three, co-equal branches of government have their own sphere of influence and power, and each is to stay out of the others’ lanes.

Pee Kay: Local Water Done Well

My [Pee Kay] letter to Simon Watts

To: The Hon. Simon Watts

cc: Prime Minister Luxon, Deputy Prime Minister Seymour, Winston Peters, Katie Nimon MP, Catherine Wedd MP.

Dear Minister Watts,

I write to you as a New Zealand citizen, taxpayer and ratepayer who is deeply concerned at the inclusion of co-governance in local water services being implemented by councils through the Coalition Government’s plan to address New Zealand’s long-standing water infrastructure challenges, Local Water Done Well.