Breaking Views Update: Week of 26.4.26

Friday May 1, 2026 

News:
Te reo Māori first in name for Cromwell’s $45.8M events centre
Cromwell’s new $45.8M events facility will be known as Te Puna Mahara - Cromwell Memorial Events Centre.

The name was confirmed at a Central Otago District Council meeting in Alexandra on Wednesday (April 29).

Karl du Fresne: Why the Maiki Sherman-Lloyd Burr incident is a matter of public interest

A good and respected friend – like me, a former newspaper editor – takes the view that the furore over TVNZ political editor Maiki Sherman’s alleged verbal abuse of Stuff press gallery journalist Lloyd Burr is not news; that at best, it would warrant a mention in a gossip column.

Fair enough, but I differ. If the high-profile journalists who provide the public with political news and comment are bitchy, entitled, childish, over-stimulated and perhaps inclined to run off at the mouth after a few drinks at the end of a long day, I think we deserve to know. That knowledge is potentially very helpful in judging how much notice we should take of them, or indeed whether we should take any notice of them at all.

Matua Kahurangi: Infinite Indians - An open deal with no plan

While the rest of us were just trying to get on with life and our mainstream media were busy hurling homophobic slurs, our spineless politicians quietly sold the farm. They have locked New Zealand into a so-called trade deal that will reshape this country for decades. Almost no one in the press had the balls to ask the bleeding obvious questions.

Thank God for Winston Peters, who is actually doing his job.

Bruce Cotterill: Christopher Luxon leadership - Why the ‘Flakey Five’ coup fizzled fast

We could learn a lot from the animal kingdom.

I remember a university discussion about leadership which referred to the behaviours of buffalo when moving as a pack.

When the herd is on the move the strongest bulls run at the front and on the flanks, forming a protective shield to safeguard the herd. Other strong bulls watch over the stragglers at the back and make sure that none are left behind. The goal is always in the best interests of the herd.

Kerre Woodham: The country we want costs more than we're willing to pay

The topic of tax has been in the news recently and it will stay in the news. It’s set to become an election issue with one of the few policies that Labour's actually committed to being a Capital Gains Tax – possibly more taxation/revenue measures. Watch the politicians dance on the head of a pin in the lead up to the election. The Fitch report, which looks at New Zealand's ability to pay its bills, said that a Labour Party coalition with the Greens and Te Pāti Māori would emphasise revenue measures as a means of making ends meet. The authors of the report said the National Party-led coalition would focus on expenditure constraint. There's been all sorts of argy bargy and we can go into that a little bit later, but already, even when we start talking about tax and about Labour introducing a Capital Gains Tax and more tax, it's said like it's a bad thing. Like it's a dreadful thing to contemplate more tax.

JC: Luxon Has to Turn the Ship Around

Christopher Luxon survived a caucus vote he himself initiated. The obvious aim was an attempt to put the matter to bed/rest. I doubt that has happened. Put plainly, the matter is on bed rest. Peters thinks that it was a bad idea and National is looking increasingly like a party that has lost its way. It has certainly lost the support of a significant percentage of its voter base.

Nicholas Kerr: Alienation and the Failure of MMP

Bryce Edwards’ column on New Zealand’s growing “alienated” class raises an important issue. The numbers are striking: more than a quarter of the country feels politically disconnected, and nearly half believe the system needs major change or replacement.

That is not noise. It is a flashing red light.

David Farrar: Why does the left take over and destroy once great institutions

The Southern Poverty Law Centre used to be a great institution. It used to be a major foe of the KKK and did a great job. But it has now morphed into a radical left group that classified almost anyone in the right as an extremist.

As a university student I was a huge supporter and member of Amnesty International. They stood up for political prisoners everywhere. Now they are extremely selective with their campaigns, and have widened their sphere to much wider political issues.

Dr Don Brash: Instead of fixing the RMA, Govt is perfecting the machinery of division

The following is written in Don's capacity as Hobson's Pledge Trustee.

A few weeks ago, Hobson’s Pledge sent the Government an Official Information Act (OIA) request concerning the Gore District Plan and its requirement that farmers and those using the land must assess their use against Ngāi Tahu's cultural values, such as mauri, wairua, whakapapa, and utu.

Mike's Minute: The free trade deal should be celebrated

The greatest sadness of the India Free Trade Deal, for me to this point, is that the rhetoric has not paid due respect to where free trade basically began.

New Zealand.

We are the pioneers. Well, the modern pioneers.

 Thursday April 30, 2026 

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