Michael Laws On The Latest RNZ Poll And The Danger To Democracy

Michael Laws talks about the latest RNZ poll and the danger to democracy and Christopher Luxon's failure to connect with the voting public on The Platform


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Ryan Bridge: New Zealand needs a growth spurt

I’ve had it with people whinging about state of this county and people fleeing to Australia who then refuse to stop and ask why we got here and how we get out of it.

Chucking up a post up on TikTok or waving a banner at a protest won't cut it.

Productivity (that’s how much we get out for what we put in) is crap. It's been getting worse or flat-lining for decades.

Perspective with Heather du Plessis-Allan: Does buying NZ-made ever work?

First of all, can I start by offering an apology to TVNZ? I gave them a bit of grief last night for starting the news bulletin with the peaches, but it turns out I was wrong and they were right.

This has sparked a flurry of debate over whether we prefer our Wattie's peaches from Hawke's Bay or whether we don't really care if it comes from China or not.

David Farrar: Tamihere backs Ferris

Stuff reports:

Te Pāti Māori president John Tamihere says MP Tākuta Ferris was, in essence, correct when he hit out at non-Māori supporting Labour’s Māori electorate campaign.

Tamihere said Ferris could have worded his comments better, but added that he generally agreed with what the MP had said. That is despite Te Pāti Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer telling the Labour and Green leaders that his comments didn’t reflect her party’s views.

Breaking Views Update: Week of 14.9.25

Wednesday September 17, 2025 

News:
Te Pāti Māori president says ‘substance' of controversial Tākuta Ferris comment was 'right'
Te Pāti Māori president John Tamihere says MP Tākuta Ferris was, in essence, correct when he hit out at non-Māori supporting Labour’s Māori electorate campaign.

Tamihere said Ferris could have worded his comments better, but added that he generally agreed with what the MP had said. That is despite Te Pāti Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer telling the Labour and Green leaders that his comments didn’t reflect her party’s views.

Bruce Cotterill: NZ roads vs Australia - Why better highways could boost tourism

I’ve spent the last week travelling. A good old-fashioned road trip, to be exact. We’ve been driving from Queensland’s Noosa to Port Douglas, along the aptly named Bruce Highway. About 1900km over five days. It got me thinking about our roads.

Our roads fell apart on the last Government’s watch. Most of us will remember how the lockdown-enforced neglect turned our favourite roads into potholes quicker than many of us could imagine. Wheels and even axles fell victim to the highway damage.

Matua Kahurangi: A tale of two deaths

Yesterday, still reeling from the All Blacks’ embarrassing loss in Wellington, I scrolled through X and came across a video shared by
Bob McCoskrie. It exposed the raw truth about human behaviour in the face of death. The video compared the aftermath of two very different deaths. One was George Floyd, the other Charlie Kirk.

The difference could not be more stark…

Kerre Woodham: Allowing 24/7 hospital visitor hours is bonkers

Of the many, many insane, ideologically driven policies I have heard come from government departments over the years, this has got to be one of the most bonkers.

There have been times over the years, when I'm feeling a little overwhelmed, when I've fantasised about ending up in hospital. Nothing life-changing or dramatic, just a nice routine operation, five days in a lovely quiet ward. Crisp white sheets, view out to Cornwall Park, the scent of lush green grass carried by the gentle zephyrs of spring through the open window. Matron running the ward with a firm, but benevolent gloved hand. I can sleep and rest and be protected from the rigours of reality in a nurturing, safe environment.

Kevin: The Law Commission and Trans

Something I’ve noticed recently is that the more you deal with, in good faith, transactivists, the less intelligent you become. Case in point: The New Zealand Law Commission.

 

The Law Commission has recommended changes to the Human Rights Act to clarify how protections are applied to transgender, non-binary and intersex New Zealanders, although it says the reforms would not significantly change current practice.

Matua Kahurangi: Te reo Māori or just te reoish?

Bastardised English with a fancy spin

We are constantly told that te reo Māori is some kinda sacred language that must be preserved at all costs. Billions of dollars are being spent on government programmes, schools, and advertising campaigns to force the language into everyday life. When you actually look closely at modern te reo, a lot of it is not uniquely Māori at all. It is what you might call te reoish – English words simply rebranded to sound Māori.

Ele Ludemann: Fly the flag for Suffrage Day

Katrina Briggs’ request to fly the Suffrage Flag at parliament on on Suffrage Day, September 19, has been declined.

It seemed like a simple and uncontroversial request. I asked if the violet, green, and white striped Women’s Suffrage¹ flag could please be flown at Parliament on the 19th September each year. That day in 1893 was when New Zealand became the first self-governing country in the world to enshrine the right for women to vote in legislation.

David Farrar: Treasury vs Reserve Bank

The Herald reports:

It has been revealed just how unimpressed Treasury was with the Reserve Bank for pitching for a 50% funding increase shortly before Adrian Orr resigned as governor.

As they should be.

David Farrar: They’re crazy

Radio NZ reports:

Teachers and principals warn the government is scrubbing Māori words and ideas from education documents.

Tuesday September 16, 2025 

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Mike's Minute: Labour is watching the Māori Party closely

I see the plan.

Labour is sweating the current Māori Party meltdown, so they have rolled out Willie Jackson, who claims Takuta Ferris is handing political extremists ammunition to paint the Māori Party as too weird to ever do business with Labour.

There are several problems with the plan.

Ross Meurant: In Love with AI?

AI, short for Artificial Intelligence, is computer systems or machines that can perform tasks typically requiring human intelligence, such as learning, reasoning, decision-making, and processing data to recognize patterns and gain insights. (1)

Hatched mid 1950s in the UK to the point now where AI poses a major threat to employment of humans, my first question was, “Follow the Money”. That is, who owns this evolving beast?

Caleb Anderson: The Limitations of Free Speech

British psychiatrist, neuro-scientist, philosopher and writer, Dr Iain McGilchrist, is worth listening to.

Recently he commented as follows ...

1. Freedom of speech is a wonderful thing

2. But if pushed too far it results in anarchy

3. And anarchy always results in tyranny

This is worth thinking about.

Ryan Bridge: Is funding major events a priority?

There's no doubt punters will like this new major events fund.

$70-million of new and old money.

Some for infrastructure like the cycleway network which needs an upgrade.

$10-million for regional tourism.

Dr Nicholas Tate: Is the Death of Reading Inevitable?

In France, the September return to school – la rentrée – is always accompanied by la rentrée littéraire – the publication of large numbers of new books – as people look ahead not just to all the literary awards later in the autumn but to their own winter of evenings and weekends sitting curled up reading a new book. Or do they? This year, the rentrée edition of France’s conservative monthly magazine L’incorrect led with an article, ‘Is the death of the book inevitable?’, suggesting that reading may be the very last thing that many French people are likely to be doing.

Ronald Stein: Africa is pioneering nuclear innovation as it faces a dire electricity crisis

Sub-Saharan Africa faces a dire electricity crisis. Over 600 million people—more than 40% of the continent’s population—lack access to electricity, a figure projected to rise to 657 million by 2030 without intervention.

The global nuclear renaissance is well underway—evidenced by companies like Oklo, which is now included in the Russell 2000 stocks list. The outlook is based on Oklo’s long-term vision, particularly with the Trump administration’s increased focus on AI revolution data center development powered by nuclear-generated electricity.