Ani O'Brien: I changed my mind on Luxon

How Liam Hehir convinced me I was wrong

Yesterday in my weekly political wrap up I wrote:

Again we find ourselves with another lot of coup rumours. Yesterday, Luxon insisted repeatedly that he has the full support of his caucus. Sadly, the only time a leader has to say that is when he does not.

My assessment of things is that the end of the road is nigh for the Prime Minister. He can not continue fending off these attacks. And I no longer think he should. Leadership coups are messy and difficult to get right, but the polls are heading nowhere good and Luxon seems unwilling to do anything to correct his course. He chases votes he will never get while New Zealand First robs the nest where neglected and increasingly frustrated National voters languish.

We are finally at the point where virtually any combination of senior National MPs would present a more palatable option to the people of New Zealand than Christopher Luxon. He has the choice to continue to fight or put party and country first and fall on his sword. With Labour ahead in the polls on the back of doing absolutely nothing, it is clear that the electorate has rejected him. Time to resign, Prime Minister. And if he won’t, National needs to get brave and take him out.

Today I read this piece by Liam Hehir. I highly recommend reading it. [below]

Net Zero Watch Samizdat: UK’s energy weaknesses exposed

UK

IMF warns that Britain faces the biggest shock in the G7

Britain faces the biggest economic shock in the G7 this year, the IMF has warned, as it cut its UK growth forecasts for this year and next. The IMF cited the "impact of higher energy prices”. By contrast, energy exporters such as the US and Canada will see a much smaller hit to growth.

Breaking Views Update: Week of 19.4.26

Sunday April 19, 2026 

News:
Education treaty mandates: Waitangi Tribunal wraps urgent inquiry into clause repeal
The Waitangi Tribunal has concluded final arguments in an urgent inquiry into the government’s decision to remove Treaty of Waitangi mandates from the education system.

The focus of the proceedings is the repeal of Section 127(1)(d), a law passed in November 2025 that removed the legal requirement for school boards to give effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

Ani O'Brien: A week is a long time: 18 April 2026

Election 2026: Defections, debuts, and the latest leadership drama

Former All Blacks captain Taine Randell has thrown his hat in the ring to contest the Tukituki electorate for New Zealand First. He brings a wealth of business and fisheries knowledge, coming in hot on energy, immigration, and regional economic issues, all of which sit squarely in NZ First’s wheelhouse. What a fish for the party to land!

Peter Williams: The FNDC debacle – Why democracy matters

The Local Government Act must be changed

Democracy, as Sir Winston Churchill once said in the House of Commons (quoting an unknown parliamentary predecessor) is the worst form of government, apart from all those other forms which have been tried from time to time.

Democracy, from the Greek words demos, meaning people, and kratos (rule, power or strength) in its purist form is government of the people, by the people and for the people.

Thousands of organisations, from the smallest membership based incorporated societies to local authorities and central government vote for the people they wish to govern them.

Bryce McKenzie: We're taking Gore District Council to court

Bryce McKenzie, co-founder of Groundswell NZ explains clearly what is happening in Gore and why it is relevant to all of New Zealand.

We’re writing to update you on the proposed Gore District Plan, how it will affect all of New Zealand, and our latest step to take our campaign for property rights to the courts.

This isn’t just about Gore, but the ever-expanding ways interest groups use planning legislation to wedge themselves between landowners and the legitimate uses of their land. It’s Gore today, but it could be any council tomorrow.

DTNZ: Trump thanks Iran for opening Strait of Hormuz as oil prices in freefall

The US president vowed, however, to continue to blockade Iranian ports.

Iran has announced that it will allow passage for “all commercial vessels” through the strategic Strait of Hormuz following the declaration of a 10-day Israel-Lebanon ceasefire. However, US President Donald Trump has vowed to maintain his blockade of Iranian ports.

Ele Ludemann: Open letter to National MPs

Dear National MPs,

Your party members, the ones who support events, fundraising and you, hate disloyalty and leaks.

Voters punish both.

Melanie Phillips: An unholy accommodation

The Pope’s genuflection to Islam spells disaster for Western civilisation

When US President Donald Trump sent Vice-President JD Vance to negotiate with members of the Iranian regime in Islamabad, people initially thought that Vance — reportedly the most outspoken voice in the Trump administration against going to war with Iran — would be a soft touch.

When the talks in Pakistan broke down, however, Vance’s position could hardly have been tougher. Having seen the Iranian regime up close, he said, he was absolutely certain that these people must never be allowed to get nuclear weapons.

In recent days, he has again taken a position which contradicted previous assumptions about his worldview.

Roger Partridge: Still Admiring the Emperor’s New Clothes

Why loyalty outlasts the evidence

A year ago this week, my Quadrant column, “The Emperor’s New Clothes” – written before this Substack launched – asked a question that irritated more people than it persuaded: How could so many thoughtful conservatives, people who once championed limited government and constitutional norms, support a president whose actions so plainly contradicted those principles?

The answer drew on Jonathan Haidt’s research into moral psychology. Trump, the column argued, had tapped into something deeper than policy preference – loyalty, authority, sanctity – the moral foundations conservatives weight more heavily than liberals. Facts that contradicted the tribal narrative would be reinterpreted or dismissed. “Short-term pain for long-term gain,” supporters would say. Or: “He’s playing four-dimensional chess.”

Andrew Dickens: All eyes are on Christopher Luxon

The story that has made the front page of the Herald this morning and dominated the conversation was the leadership of Prime Minister Christopher Luxon. He is facing what party insiders describe as “the most difficult fortnight of his leadership”, with growing speculation about his support within National's caucus as Parliament returns next week. Sources say that the whip, Stuart Smith, tried to present Christopher Luxon with evidence that caucus backing for his leadership had weakened. He tried to do that before Easter, but Christopher Luxon did not want to hear this.

Bob Edlin: Breaking the high-kicking rule on sports grounds around Queenstown....

Breaking the high-kicking rule on sports grounds around Queenstown could earn you much more than time in the sin bin or a red card …

If it had been published on April 1, your PoO team would have had a good chuckle and credited Stuff with posting a splendid spoof.

Not just a spoof, but a spoof spiced by a raunchy headline:

 

Players told ‘no kicking balls high’ during football tournament

Saturday April 18, 2026 

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Duncan Garner: The Panel - More Pressure on Luxon, As Winston Continues to Rise

Christopher Luxon, National Party leadership, Winston Peters, polling trends, co-governance and tax reform all come under the microscope on today’s Editor in Chief panel. 

Joined by Maurice Williamson and Ashley Church, we unpack whether Luxon can survive mounting pressure as another poor poll is released. 

Is there actually a viable alternative, or is National stuck with the leader it has? We also explore why polls drive political decision-making more than anyone admits, and how Winston Peters’ rise could reshape the election. 

There’s also a deep dive into co-governance, including unelected representation in council decision-making, and why this issue is firing up voters.

Click to view

Pee Kay: $27.6 million… WHY?

“Two Hawke’s Bay marae damaged during Cyclone Gabrielle will be rebuilt in safer locations using $27.6 million of Government funding.”

“Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka said the Government had on Thursday approved $11.54m for Petāne Marae and $16.06m for Tāngoio Marae to relocate and rebuild, through the Whenua Māori and Marae Pathway.”

WHY?

Perspective with Heather du Plessis-Allan: Maths doesn't lie - Luxon is out

In my opinion, National MPs need to bite the bullet and ask Chris Luxon to step aside.

I don’t enjoy saying this because personally I like Chris Luxon and have a fair amount of respect for him. But I think the chances are now very high that this is going to happen before the election. He is going to lose the leadership and perhaps the only real choice National MPs now have is how messy they allow this to become.

Ryan Bridge: No queues means trust in fuel plan

There's been a bit of hand-wringing this week about the fuel situation and some of it is justified.

If you're running an airline, it's bad. If you're paying $4 bucks to fill a truck with diesel, also bad.

Breaking Views Update: Week of 12.4.26

Saturday April 18, 2026 

News:
Shane Jones invited to support law change to protect local democracy
ACT Local Government spokesperson Cameron Luxton is calling on NZ First Minister Shane Jones to back a simple law change to protect democratic accountability, following his comments on the Far North District Council.

“After an unusual attack on Councillor Davina Smolders, who stood up against co-governance by stealth at the far North District Council, Mr Jones now says he opposes co-governance after all. There’s an unmistakable signal he can send, if he’d like to support elected councillors like Davina, and reinforce his commitment to one person, one vote at every council in this country,” says Mr Luxton.

Ani O'Brien: Useful idiots? The vegan astroturf organisation that has tricked Kiwi farmers

How “Fair for Farmers” risks turning Kiwi farmers into foot soldiers for anti-farming activists

Note: I was a vegetarian for 10 years and previously worked at the SPCA. I am a believer in high animal welfare standards and think that many animal welfare groups do a great deal of good work. Many of them are a bit nuts though.

There I was, scrolling the apps, when a familiar Kiwi farmer’s face appeared with a message that sounded quite good. I halted in my tracks and bestowed a view on the video’s tally. The gist was that our imported farming products should live up to our national animal welfare standards. Fair enough, right?

Duggan Flanakin: Is America on the verge of a nuclear renaissance?

It has been more than seven years since President Donald Trump signed the Nuclear Energy Innovation and Modernization Act (NEIMA) into law – and it has taken all seven years (including four during the Biden Administration) for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to issue a final rule implementing its provisions.