Outgoing National MPs Chris Penk and Vanessa Weenink have recently sounded an alarm, warning that the National Party faces peril at the ballot box if it allows itself to be dragged further to the political right by its coalition partners.
To many disillusioned long term National voters and supporters, however, these warnings do not signal principled leadership; they just expose a party hierarchy that has, not only lost its way but has lost its nerve! Far from being pulled too far right, National’s real crisis stems from drifting into the centre-left, a move that continues to drive its core supporters straight into the arms of ACT and New Zealand First.
Chris Penk, once viewed by some as a potential saviour for the party, now echoes the same cautious, middle-of-the-road rhetoric as fellow departing MP Vanessa Weenink. Penk argues that the backlash to the Treaty Principles Bill should have been a “wakeup call” against losing centrist voters, claiming that allowing minor parties to drive the agenda makes National appear as though it has “surrendered politically”.
Yet, looking at the political reality, the exact opposite is true. National has indeed surrendered politically, not to the right, but to the prevailing belief of the left. By positioning itself firmly in the centre with a foot, now, seemingly moving further to the left, National has alienated the very base that once kept it strong. Voters did not abandon National because it was too conservative; they deserted the party because it failed to stand up for traditional centre-right principles when it mattered most.
The handling of the Treaty Principles Bill is a prime example of this miscalculation. Penk laments that progressing the legislation part-way created a “difficult situation” to defend and provoked a reaction that required “pause for thought”. What he overlooks is that the blowback from refusing to fully back the bill was far more damaging to National’s long-term prospects.
By treating a fundamental debate over democratic equality as a mere coalition obligation to be tolerated and then quietly dropped, National signalled that it lacks conviction. Predictably, another huge swathe of frustrated National voters decamped to ACT, a party willing to actually fight for the principles National merely pays lip service to.
If National wants to stop the haemorrhage of members and voters, the solution is not to double down on timid centrism or worry about appeasing critics on the left. The party must return to the foundational values that originally defined it: equal citizenship and equal opportunity for all New Zealanders, personal responsibility, limited government, and an unwavering loyalty to our country, its democratic principles, and our Sovereign as Head of State.
Until National rediscovers the backbone to champion these core beliefs without apology, the leaking of support will only worsen.
Voters looking for genuine centre-right leadership will continue to bypass a hesitant National Party in favour of ACT and New Zealand First, leaving National to wonder where its base went.
There are none so blind as those who do not want to see!
Have a read of the article that got me so wound up – https://newsroom.co.nz/2026/11/11/penk-national-faces-peril-at-the-ballot-box-if-it-loses-sight-of-centre/
Pee Kay writes he is from a generation where common sense, standards, integrity and honesty are fundamental attributes. This article was first published HERE
Chris Penk, once viewed by some as a potential saviour for the party, now echoes the same cautious, middle-of-the-road rhetoric as fellow departing MP Vanessa Weenink. Penk argues that the backlash to the Treaty Principles Bill should have been a “wakeup call” against losing centrist voters, claiming that allowing minor parties to drive the agenda makes National appear as though it has “surrendered politically”.
Yet, looking at the political reality, the exact opposite is true. National has indeed surrendered politically, not to the right, but to the prevailing belief of the left. By positioning itself firmly in the centre with a foot, now, seemingly moving further to the left, National has alienated the very base that once kept it strong. Voters did not abandon National because it was too conservative; they deserted the party because it failed to stand up for traditional centre-right principles when it mattered most.
The handling of the Treaty Principles Bill is a prime example of this miscalculation. Penk laments that progressing the legislation part-way created a “difficult situation” to defend and provoked a reaction that required “pause for thought”. What he overlooks is that the blowback from refusing to fully back the bill was far more damaging to National’s long-term prospects.
By treating a fundamental debate over democratic equality as a mere coalition obligation to be tolerated and then quietly dropped, National signalled that it lacks conviction. Predictably, another huge swathe of frustrated National voters decamped to ACT, a party willing to actually fight for the principles National merely pays lip service to.
If National wants to stop the haemorrhage of members and voters, the solution is not to double down on timid centrism or worry about appeasing critics on the left. The party must return to the foundational values that originally defined it: equal citizenship and equal opportunity for all New Zealanders, personal responsibility, limited government, and an unwavering loyalty to our country, its democratic principles, and our Sovereign as Head of State.
Until National rediscovers the backbone to champion these core beliefs without apology, the leaking of support will only worsen.
Voters looking for genuine centre-right leadership will continue to bypass a hesitant National Party in favour of ACT and New Zealand First, leaving National to wonder where its base went.
There are none so blind as those who do not want to see!
Have a read of the article that got me so wound up – https://newsroom.co.nz/2026/11/11/penk-national-faces-peril-at-the-ballot-box-if-it-loses-sight-of-centre/
Pee Kay writes he is from a generation where common sense, standards, integrity and honesty are fundamental attributes. This article was first published HERE
5 comments:
I didn't abandon the Nats. They abandoned me.
Parliament Question Time provides a very good picture of how MPs view the world and what their values and goals are. Chris Penk appeared pretty woke to me. I thought I had it wrong when he was ejected after the failed leadership bid. Apparently not.
Similarly Bishop, Willis and Stanford are pretty woke.
However, this is what National has become.
When Vanessa Weenink had her little hissy fit, the often quoted ditty came to mind:
''Nobody loves me, everybody hates me, going down the garden to..eat worms".
Very telling comments from two losers of a party which has become Labour Lite. All woke and no substance.
Rather than describing National's stances on a nebulous 'far right - centre right' spectrum, what we need is for National to articulate its sociopolitical philosophy/ideology - the conceptual framework from which its policies stem. This would best be done avoiding relative terms subject to differing interpretation such as 'conservative'.
The party votes from the last two elections are showing that NZ political Centre has moved slightly to the left. 5% of the votes that Nats lost in 2026 election went to the parties on the right. Where did the remaining 4% go? We see National as not “right” enough and the left sees Labour as not “left” enough. So here come the likes of Opportunity - where everyone can see whatever they want to see. I think National is fighting for survival - only time will show if they chose the right path.
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