Ani O'Brien: A week is a long time: 29 November 2025

Winston Peters has everyone getting jumpy

Every party leader was nervously and repeatedly refreshing their alerts to see what Winston Peters had said now. For a man in his late 70s, he continues to hold Wellington in a remarkable psychological headlock.

It began with his comments about repealing the Regulatory Standards Act which the government he is part of had just passed. Chris Hipkins responded saying:

Dr James Allan: Vance is Right - The West is Stagnating Due to Mass Immigration

Last week US Vice President J.D. Vance pointed out a home truth about the politicians who have run Canada and Britain this last decade or so. They’ve made some terrible calls, especially as regards mass inwards immigration. To start, Vance pointed to my native Canada and noted that it now has the highest foreign-born share of the population of the entire G7. And its living standards have flatlined.

John McLean: The Great Gaslights

Gaslighting is a form of psychological manipulation. Gaslighters aim to make their victims doubt their own perceptions and memories, and reality itself. The term comes from the 1944 film Gaslight, in which a husband manipulates his wife into thinking she’s losing her mind by dimming their gas lights and, when she notices, denying he’s done so.

Kerre Woodham: Regional councils need to be streamlined

Regional councils are being abolished – or are they?

Thomas Coughan writing in the Herald makes a very good point, it's not the councils that are being abolished, it's the council laws.

Peter Dunne: "No" Zealand

For more than a century New Zealanders have prided themselves on their “can do” mentality. Our “number eight wire” approach to problem solving is legendary. It derives from the ability settlers developed in the early days of colonisation to utilise number eight-gauge fencing wire to fix all manner of things for which parts were either unavailable or too expensive. It was an ingenuity and resourcefulness necessitated by the country’s geographic isolation.

David Farrar: Could Te Pāti Māori lose two more MPs?

The Tamihere faction of Te Pati Maori may end up the victors, but a pyrrhic victory.

I understand that Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke is consulting her electorate over the next two weeks on whether she should remain with Te Pati Maori under its current leadership.

Mike's Minute: Why aren't more people excellent?

It’s the simple question with seemingly no simple answer: why aren't more people excellent?

Naylor Love reported this week they are cracking the $1 billion revenue mark. They are an old company that has never cracked a billion.

Saturday November 29, 2025 

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Dr Will Jones: Trump Halts Migration From all Third World Countries.....

Trump Halts Migration From all Third World Countries and Demands “Reverse Migration” After Deadly DC Attack

President Donald Trump has “permanently paused migration” from Third World countries and demanded “reverse migration”, ordering a green card audit of 19 nations, after the Washington DC terror attack that left a National Guard soldier dead. The Mail has more.

Breaking Views Update: Week of 23.11.25

Saturday November 29, 2025 

News:
Experienced Māori education leader appointed as EIT’s Pouārahi Māori
He joins EIT after more than 30 years in education, most recently as a Leadership Advisor for the Ministry of Education and previously as Principal of Tamatea High School from 2015 to 2024. His earlier roles include Deputy Principal at Te Aute College, Head of Māori at Napier Boys’ High School and Science Teacher at Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Te Ara Hou.

Perspective with Heather du Plessis-Allan: Thanks to the big banks for not helping

I've reached the conclusion that when it comes to the banks and mortgage rates, the only option you've got left is to hustle.

You're on your own here.

It has been 2 days since the Reserve Bank cut the official cash rate, and by how much do you think the big banks have cut their fixed rates?

Ryan Bridge: Our country deserves more than an economic recovery

The RBNZ update this week again made the point that yes, the economy's in bounce back mode.

We'll grow 2.5% next year, they reckon.

But this country needs more than that. It deserves more than that.

Roger Partridge: What Did New Zealand Do With Its Trillion Dollars?

A familiar lament has resurfaced in recent weeks: that Robert Muldoon’s decision to cancel Norm Kirk’s 1975 compulsory superannuation scheme cost New Zealand a trillion-dollar nest egg. The Government’s weekend signal of higher KiwiSaver contributions has given that argument new life, encouraging some to reach again for the comparison. New Zealand, we are told, might otherwise be an “Antipodean Tiger.”

Bob Edlin: Iwi leader calls for local government reforms to go further.....

Iwi leader calls for local government reforms to go further – but does he have race-based seats in mind?

RNZ reports –

An iwi representative on two West Coast councils has rejected the idea that mayors would represent Māori interests on the government’s proposed new boards, which replace regional councils.

David Farrar: Teaching Council conflicts

The Herald reports:

A probe into conflict-of-interest allegations at the Teaching Council was sparked by a whistle blower’s claims the agency spent hundreds of thousands of dollars in public funds on an advertising firm run by the CEO’s husband.

Owen Jennings: Cop30 Ironies

France’s President Macron led the charge for putting taxes on aircraft flights at Cop30 in Belem, Brazil. Aircraft are “killing the planet” with their emissions, apparently. The same day Air France announced its new "La Premiere" cabin -- the first update since 2014. Designed for long-haul Boeing 777s, the "suites" will feature five windows, an armchair and a chaise longue that converts into a bed.

Jenny Ruth: Open letter to Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith

Minister of Justice

P.Goldsmith@ministers.govt.nz

OPEN LETTER

Dear Mr Goldsmith

I’m writing to complain about my treatment, and the treatment of Helen Joyce, a former finance editor and international editor at The Economist, at the hands of the Human Rights Review Tribunal (HRRT).

Dr Michael Bassett: Chris Bishop and Simon Watts are correct

When I first heard of their plans to do away with regional councils and replace them with boards of mayors I thought the timing rather odd. After all, we have just had local elections, and telling the newly-elected they are redundant seemed needlessly insulting. But it quickly became clear that these were proposals, and not some sort of ministerial coup d’etat. Chris Bishop and Simon Watts seem to be proposing to use the next three years to fine-tune their ideas. The goal is laudable: to remove an expensive layer of authority from local government that is no longer necessary, thereby reducing costs for ratepayers.

Mike's Minute: Erica Stanford was right, the backlash is disgusting

I tell you what I like about all the educators whinging away over the curriculum redo and the Treaty treatment: they are at least standing their ground. They are having their say and that is no bad thing.

It struck me yesterday when I read Roger Gray's speech, Roger Gray of Auckland Port. When he talked of “No Zealand”, of the naysayers, of the cruise people in Miami and their view of NZ not wanting a cruise industry. Of Jacinda Ardern calling them Petrie dishes.

Where were the Roger Grays when she was actually in charge and wrecking the place?

Friday November 28, 2025 

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