Ani O'Brien: Government axes Regional Councils in historic overhaul

A necessary reset for Local Government

The Government’s announcement yesterday that it will abolish regional councils and replace them with new Combined Territories Boards, which will be regional bodies made up of mayors, is the biggest shake-up of local government in decades. And it’s about time. Regional councils have been probably the most invisible and least accountable tier of government in the country.

Peter Williams: Replacing Regional Councillors with Mayors Isn’t Reform

It’s a Shortcut

The government’s sudden decision to replace elected regional councillors with panels of district and city mayors has been sold as a bold stroke toward streamlining local government. But bold is not the same as wise, and decisive is not the same as thoughtful. In its rush to simplify a system that undoubtedly needs reform, the government has swung the axe at the wrong trunk.

Rather than fixing the machinery of local government, it has removed the very people elected to oversee that machinery — and installed a group already burdened with full-time jobs of their own.

Pee Kay: Christopher Luxon or someone else?

Heather du Plessis-Allan, in the article below, states, “But if they choose to stick with Luxon, they have to figure out how to limit his damage to the party’s polling.”

What about National asking themselves this question, “If we do stick with Luxon, how can we generate a rapid increase in his popularity?

David Farrar: ACT’s 10 reasons to oppose a CGT

ACT has listed ten reasons to oppose Labour’s Capital Gains Tax. They are:

Peter Lynn: The Peasants are Revolting

Over the last 30 years, state sectors of Western democracies have expanded and senior level state employment, with its high pay, security and access to the levers of power became a magnet for the academically gifted, especially independence minded younger women. University educated they initially moved into ministries before spreading back into academia, and out to media, consultancies, mainstream political parties, the legal profession (including the judiciary), local government and lately, HR departments of larger corporates. During this period their political centre of gravity moved sharply left- at least partly driven by self-interest as they accrued advantages from an ever-larger government sector.

Rodney Hide: The Inevitable Implosion....

The Inevitable Implosion: How Te Pāti Māori’s Rejection of Westminster Democracy Made the 2025 Chaos Predictable

The past three months have been brutal for Te Pāti Māori. Expulsions, leaked emails, budget scandals, family feuds, and public accusations of “dictatorship” have shredded the party’s image. On 10 November 2025 the national council voted to expel two of its six MPs — Mariameno Kapa-Kingi and Tākuta Ferris — for alleged breaches of the party’s kawa (constitution). Both have vowed to fight on as independents, and the fallout is still spreading.

Dr James Allan: Trump’s First Year Has Been Outstanding

It’s been just over a year since President Trump capped off the most remarkable comeback in US political history (okay, we can argue about Andrew Jackson) to win a non-consecutive second term as President. He was only the second man ever to do that. Now the US Constitution requires the election winner to wait over two months before taking power in the new year. That meant lots of time for the Biden autopen to issue pardons, spray money everywhere and allow myriad Third World people to keep pouring into the US. So any assessment around now is not of Trump’s first year of his second term, but rather more like a 10-month gauging or evaluation. But hey, for all those lovers of the metric system, let’s go ahead now and see how The Donald is doing.

James Alexander: What Should Be Done About Britain’s Impending Collapse?

There is a rising sense, on at least our side, that the world, and, specifically, the United Kingdom, is in a state of crisis, collapse or incipient civil war. What should be done?

We have significant figures who argue for various things that should be done. The things are more important than the people who advocate them. But it is hard to hold onto thoughts. Concrete is more memorable than abstract. So I want to identify the things that we should do with those who, it seems to me, are arguing for them the hardest. Saying what should be done is a collective activity, and I see many people contributing to it. But we should all row together, as in a college eight.

Wednesday November 26, 2025 

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Insights From Social Media: A Nation Built by Grit Is Being Run by Fragility

Stuart Bennett Clarke Writes > New Zealand’s success was never an accident. It emerged from a very specific cultural framework — one built on reason, industry, personal responsibility, and an unwavering belief in objective truth. For more than a century, these foundations enabled a small, remote nation to punch far above its weight, producing world-class scientists, engineers, explorers, aviators, and athletes. Today, those foundations have been progressively dismantled and replaced with a new ideology that prioritises feelings over facts and symbolism over substance — and New Zealand is paying the price.

Breaking Views Update: Week of 23.11.25

Wednesday November 26, 2025 

News:
Iwi Chairs Unite to Defend Treaty Protections in Education
The National Iwi Chairs Forum (NICF) is mobilising strongly in response to the Government’s amendment of the Education and Training Act. From a Māori viewpoint, the removal of the legal requirement for kura to “give effect to Te Tiriti” is not a minor technical fix – it’s seen as a direct threat to the Treaty partnership and to how Māori identity and history are taught in schools.

Perspective with Heather du Plessis-Allan: Regional councils have got to go

The Government has announced this afternoon that it is scrapping regional councils - and I reckon you need to put this on your list of some of the best news that you have heard in a long time for turning this country around.

Regional councils have got to go.

Ryan Bridge: Will rate caps actually work?

This rates cap, how's it actually going to work.

I had Luxon on my Herald show yesterday, an announcement's coming in the next few weeks.

But ask any Mayor, not the ones who like disco toilets and golden miles, but the ones who already to the basic stuff and little else. They're cutting their cloth.

Chris Lynch: Government moves to abolish regional councils in landmark local government overhaul

The Government has unveiled plans it says will simplify how cities and regions are run, with proposals that include abolishing elected regional councillors and replacing them with new boards made up of mayors.

Ministers Chris Bishop and Simon Watts said the changes have been designed to cut duplication, reduce costs, and make it easier to plan for growth.

Chris Lynch: Digital overhaul promises faster care and an end to repeated patient histories

The Government has released a ten year plan to modernise New Zealand’s health technology, with Health Minister Simeon Brown saying the changes have been designed to give patients faster access to care and end the need to repeat medical histories at every appointment.

Brown said the health system is being held back by outdated and disconnected technology.

Simon O'Connor: Cold water

Politically, pouring ‘cold water’ onto challenging issues in New Zealand is common place – be it the recent police scandal or instances of foreign interference. It's time to sustain conversations.

Have you noticed how cold water is quickly and figuratively poured over emerging political issues in New Zealand? The latest scandal around some senior police commanders is a good case in point as too the exposure of various instances of foreign interference over recent years.

Kevin: Another One Who Doesn’t Get Freedom of Speech

Anne Salmond.

Newsroom’s series of articles on the Free Speech Union has been illuminating.

Perhaps the most entertaining was David Williams’ account of their AGM in Christchurch, which featured the Wizard of Christchurch, Brian Tamaki and ‘prominent conspiracy influencer’ Chantelle Baker as well as Jordan Williams from the Taxpayers’ Union and Eric Crampton from the New Zealand Initiative.

Note the subtle put down of using the word entertaining.

Ananish Chaudhuri: Rule-breaking by the police and why it matters

A look at how everyday rule-breaking creates the conditions for police scandals and public distrust.

The World Bank has long defined corruption as the abuse of public office for private gain. Transparency International defines it as the abuse of entrusted power for private gain. Many commentators and politicians are shying away from referring to the current scandal engulfing our police as corruption. Regardless of what label we apply to this behaviour, dishonest conduct by powerful people carries broader societal implications.

JD: The Bell Tolls for NZ Investment

Guest post on The Good Oil by JD

The Chloe clanger.

Probably one of the most damaging statements ever made by a
politician fell out of the mouth of Chloë Swarbrick recently in the Herald
Now channel. Paraphrasing, she said that because the Fast Track
legislation was “illegitimate”, the Greens, when in the next government,
will cancel all the mining consents issued under this law.

David Farrar: Coughlan on Te Pati Maori

Thomas Coughlan writes:

The attacks made by National, Act and NZ First, that the party is all theatrics and no substance, and that its MPs never bother spending much time in Parliament, have begun to land – even Labour leader Chris Hipkins this week was explicit that he wanted to see the leadership in Parliament more.