Breaking Views Update: Week of 12.7.26

Saturday July 18, 2026 

News:
Environment Canterbury mulls protecting Ngāi Tahu interests ahead of local government reform
Environment Canterbury (ECan) wants to ensure Ngāi Tahu has a permanent, statutory role in governing the region’s resource management after the regional council is abolished.

The proposal is that ECan, Ngāi Tahu and eight of the 10 Canterbury rūnanga would sign a Mana Whakahono ā Rohe agreement that would give those organisations mandatory and permanent participation in plan making, resource consent processes, monitoring and reporting.

Mike's Minute: Why is the NZ Super debate back?

Like so many debates in this country, another one has restarted, this time around Superannuation.

Some economists have taken to their calculators and looked at who earns what in retirement.

Graham Adams: India’s view of ‘indigenous’ rattles Māori advisers

A month before 2023’s election, Winston Peters ignited a brush fire in the media after he told a campaign meeting in Nelson that Māori were not indigenous to New Zealand.

His reasoning was simple: “We come from Hawai-iki. Where's our Hawai-iki? We think it is in the Cook Islands. We think it’s in Rarotonga... but we’re not from here.”

He noted that his tribe Ngāti Wai “came to Aotearoa about 900 years ago or longer”.

Matt Ridley: We’re using the wrong pronouns for AI

Editor’s Note: Matt Ridley spoke about AI’s “pronoun issue” at a London conference last week. Our friends at Quantum Zeitgeist attended the speech and kindly let us republish their thoughts for you.

Most people who talk about artificial intelligence reach, sooner or later, for the singular. There is the AI, the machine, the mind we are about to build, and the only argument left is whether it saves us or finishes us off. Matt Ridley thinks that whole habit of speech is a category error, and at ARC in London this week, the annual gathering of the Alliance for Responsible Citizenship, the science writer offered something cheerier and more curious instead: stop saying it, and start saying them.

Maurice Williamson: Move to Māori names “madness”

Imagine you’d decided to leave the car at home and make the shift to public transport.

After all, if you live around the Pakuranga part of town, you’ve been the subject of construction fatigue for years and years, and you finally thought “I might give the Eastern Busway a go”.

Mary Hobbs: Our beloved country – illusions laid bare

When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love has always won. There have been tyrants and murderers and for a time they seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall… think of it, always. — Mahatma Gandhi

In earlier decades New Zealanders seemed far more relaxed as they cruised through life. It was a time of no internet – yes, the ancient times! – and less government and local council interference. Overall, we revelled in celebrating what it was to be Kiwi.

John McLean: “OPERATIONAL”

Diametrically disparate attitudes towards political interference in New Zealand’s public sector

In late June 2026, it was revealed that the Independent Police Complaints Authority and the Police’s National Integrity Unit are investigating two historical complaints against current Police Commissioner Richard Chambers. Reports are that the complaints involve allegations of untoward sexual conduct on Chambers’ part, towards women. I’ve no idea about the merits of the complaints.

Ryan Bridge: Should we just ban kids' cell phones altogether?

Is banning smart phones for kids a dumb idea?

That would leave them with dumb phones, sans apps and the internet, just texts and phone calls.

Remember the old Nokia? Or Alcatels? They came in that weird light orangey-peachy colour and a purpley-blue.

Jemma Geoghegan, Nigel French: Bird flu has reached New Zealand...

Bird flu has reached New Zealand – what this means and what comes next

The first detection of the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus H5N1 in New Zealand marks an important milestone, but not an unexpected one.

Since the virus reached Australia last month, and as it continued its global spread, scientists and government agencies have been preparing for the possibility that it would eventually arrive here.

Centrist: No charges laid – 1000 days since Baby Ru’s death

Ruthless-Empire Ahipene-Wall, known publicly as Baby Ru, died on 22 October 2023, just days before his second birthday.

Police said post-mortem results confirmed his cause of death was blunt-force trauma and that they believed the injuries were not accidental.

1000 days since, three adults remain persons of interest, but no one has been charged.

Kerre Woodham: Is it better to ban smartphones or police social media?

The ACT Party's not really a “ban” sort of a party. I've always thought they supported the idea of letting people go to hell in their own way. If you want to make your own decisions, fill your boots – if they're bad ones, live with the consequences. And perhaps they do still support the idea of adults going to hell in their own way, but not when it comes to kids.

Leader David Seymour did not support the National Party ban getting kids off social media. They've said that's a dumb idea, there's no way you can police the internet. But what David Seymour has proposed is a total ban on smartphones for under 16-year-olds.

Friday July 17, 2026 

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Perspective with Heather du Plessis-Allan: The Government needs to prove what it said about co-governance wasn't just hot air

If anyone on a council at the moment can't understand why so many of us ratepayers are so hostile towards them, sometimes bordering on hatred, can I just suggest they take a look at what's going on with these agreements with iwi? That might actually give them a bit of an idea.

If you haven't followed this, Chris Bishop is planning to replace the Resource Management Act shortly and his replacement law will not allow councils to sign any more of these agreements.

Ryan Bridge: How much are political parties willing to borrow after a disaster?

Welcome to New Zealand... land of earthquakes, stormy weather and absolute natural beauty.

Another reminder overnight of how shaky these isles can be.

Hope everyone's alright this morning. It's always a bit hard to get back to sleep after a decent jolt and it sounds like you had one.

Mike's Minute: The beat-up of the week

The beltway beat-up of the week goes to the seemingly ongoing fascination over the missing paperwork and the Prime Minister's office when it came to a meeting between Z Energy and their concerns over Mike Smith's court case involving polluters and climate cost.

Ian Miller: The lockdown disaster must not be forgiven

We’re now rapidly approaching the six-year anniversary of “15 Days to Slow the Spread.”

That policy has to have been one of the most disastrous in world history, created by “experts” who took all established pre-pandemic planning documents and tossed them out the window at the first opportunity.

Peter Dunne: The Kiwi Political Paradox

New Zealanders have an often-contradictory view about what they expect in their politicians.

At one level, they are frequently dismissive of those they regard as "career" politicians with no real life-experience. They barely tolerate the way they do things because they are just the "games politicians play." They deride all politicians for their perceived caution and tendency to see most situations through their own particular political prisms.

Nathan Smith: In Defence Of AI Cheating

Good news everybody! Another piece of the tired 20th century may finally be on its deathbed. The university system is in terminal decline and I couldn’t be happier.

The news comes from a family member who teaches about artificial intelligence at one of the universities. In perhaps the juiciest of ironies, professors have given up trying to detect if the students are using AI to write essays and pass tests. You would think that professors of AI would be able to outrun their students, but you would be wrong. It’s over. The students have defeated the teachers.

Dr Oliver Hartwich: Drowning in €3.5 trillion of debt, France faces a new revolution

When France celebrates its national holiday today, it will look much the same as always. There will be the usual aircraft flyover and the cavalry parading past the president.

The only visible difference will be the absence of fireworks. Paris held them last night instead, leaving July 14 for commemorations of the 10th anniversary of the Nice terrorist attack.

Kerre Woodham: Do celebrities and self-made millionaires make for good parliamentarians?

Stop the press, the media has a new darling. Chlöe Swarbrick and the Opportunity Party can have a breather this week, a bit of downtime, because there's only one show in town and it's Paul Henry. The self-made millionaire, the former broadcaster, has thrown his hat into the political ring again. He wants to become a polly, and not just any old polly. He has no interest in sitting on the back benches, cooling his heels, learning the ropes. He is not there to shag spiders.