Graeme Spencer: If Radio Spectrum Is Taonga, What Isn't?

In 2022 Labour "gifted" 20% of the 5GL spectrum to Maori - not a treaty settlement - a "gift" - along with this gift, $75 million was provided to establish and support the entity (Kāhui Whakaata - the Māori Spectrum Entity) during its formative years.

For years, the spectrum was treated as a national resource - Governments licensed or auctioned it to telecommunications companies, who paid for the right to use specific frequency bands. It was largely an administrative process, and the associated revenue would have benefited all New Zealanders.

John McLean: Hipkin's policy silence doesn't matter

Why the Labour Leader’s failure to disclose policy is irrelevant

Much has been made of Chris Hipkins not disclosing Labour Party policy positions in the lead-up to the November 2026 general election.

Hipkins’ ostensible reason for not (yet?) announcing policy is that he wanted to wait until after the Government delivered its budget on 28 May. He hints that he may begin to announce Labour policies in June.

Pee Kay: This is only the tip of a very large iceberg!

Have you ever heard of Oranga Marae? No?

Despite the name, it is not actually a physical place.

Oranga Marae is a government fund dedicated entirely to upgrading, rebuilding, and maintaining marae across New Zealand. It operates as a joint Crown investment programme between Te Puni Kokiri (Ministry of Māori Development) and the Department of Internal Affairs. The Oranga Marae programme claims to offer the advice and funding needed to sustain both physical marae structures and their cultural heritage.

With all that in mind, isn’t the question – Why?

Damien Grant: Buckle up, the future is going to be magical and terrifying

Predictions are tricky. In 1943 the chairman of IBM speculated the world would have a demand for, maybe, five computers. Al Gore declared there would be no snow on Mt Kilimanjaro by 2016. Thomas Edison famously stated that the “…baby of the 21st century will be rocked in a steel cradle”. The inventor of the light bulb didn’t foresee the rise of plastics.

I have a fraction of the insight of these great minds and insufficient wisdom or humility to prevent me from joining them in making absurdly incorrect predictions. Buckle up.

Melanie Phillips: War against Israel targets the British Museum

Historical truths backed up by ancient artefacts are pitted against a lethal echo chamber

Fury has exploded among prominent British Jews and others over the decision by the British Museum in London to postpone a lecture that was scheduled to be given this week.

Simon O'Connor: We are being misled

I explore three of the ways many in media manipulate stories and, as Sir Roger Scruton once noted, effectively censor what people read and hear.

I’m a big fan of the late Sir Roger Scruton. He was a powerful conservative voice, and among many writings, he warned of the censorship happening to conservative voices. In 2019 he said:

Kerre Woodham: As far as Budgets in tough times go, this was a pretty good one

As far as Budgets in economically precarious times go, I thought it was a pretty good one.

And save yourself the 20 cents, anonymous texter. I can see you typing from here. "Well, you would say that, Tokyo Rose, wouldn't you?" Well yes, come on, be fair though – what on Earth were they supposed to do? We were warned that there would be very little money to spend.

David Farrar: How about a special economic zone for NZ?

Radio NZ reports:

New Zealand First will campaign on establishing a Special Economic Zone at Marsden Point to “provide relief” from planning regulations and the RMA in the area. …

He explained the proposed party policy, saying a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) can have varied policies, but include tax breaks, wage subsidies, reduced regulation, and investment in physical, transport or communications infrastructure. …

 Monday June 1, 2026 

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Dame Professor Elizabeth Rata: New Zealand's Public Culture

What is it to be a New Zealander? Who do we believe ourselves to be?

New Zealand has a public culture grounded in Enlightenment principles of universalism, secularism, freedom, and individualism. The exclusivity of ethnicity is rejected for this inclusive New Zealand identity.

Philip Crump: Elon Musk Filed a Prospectus. Every Journalist Should Read It.

It promises to save humanity from the fate of the dinosaurs. It may also eat your business model.

When companies decide to go public through an initial public offering, their prospectuses are, without exception, unreadable. They are designed to be impenetrable - dense wording with legal qualifications, risk factor boilerplate, and accounting disclosures that protect the issuer while revealing as little as possible to investors. They are written by corporate lawyers and analysts, and read by other corporate lawyers, analysts and institutional investors. The SpaceX prospectus filed on 20 May was prepared by Gibson Dunn, the US law firm where, many years ago, I was a partner, although thankfully I didn’t draft prospectuses.

Breaking Views Update: Week of 31.5.26

Monday June 1, 2026 

News:
Councillor makes an ‘open apology’ over Māori and fast food comment
A regional councillor withdrew comments in a council workshop over Māori preferring KFC over eel, and has since offered an “open apology”.

The comments were made at a Waikato Regional Council workshop by councillor for Waihou, Keith Holmes, earlier this month.

Graham Carter: Councils are Ceding Sovereignty to Iwi – This is Treason

There is a major power shift happening under our noses, as power moves from elected representatives to unelected and unaccountable iwi and hapū appointees.

We have been warned for some time now that Mana Whakahono ā Rohe agreements (MWRs) are undermining local democracy and would be sped up by captured councils and local iwi before the government passes its Resource Management Act (RMA) reforms.

Dr Eric Crampton: Open markets are still the best way to a fair economy

The strongest protection tenants can have is plenty of other potential places to rent, from different landlords eager to rent them a home.

When zoning rules make it very difficult to build new housing, existing landlords do not face much potential competition. If every landlord has dozens of tenants racing to submit applications as soon as a property becomes vacant, landlords will have a lot of power over their tenants. And rents will be high.

Dr Michael Johnston: Let’s trade the fees-free tertiary funding for something that works

The worst-kept secret of this afternoon’s budget is that the entitlement to a fees-free year of tertiary study will be scrapped. On 8 May, New Zealand First leader Winston Peters ‘leaked’ the policy change on Newstalk ZB. Finance Minister Nicola Willis subsequently confirmed Peters’ claim.

The fees-free policy was implemented in 2018. Incoming Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern had announced to prospective tertiary students, “your first year is on me.” It wasn’t, of course. It was on New Zealand taxpayers, and it has cost them approximately $350 million per year ever since.

Dr Oliver Hartwich: A prescription that fits

This week’s Budget confirmed what most New Zealanders already suspected. The government’s finances are tight, the deficit persists, and there is no pot of money waiting to be spent on the country’s problems.

Just as well, because government spending never delivers growth or prosperity. The question is, what will?

Henry Olsen: Let Them Eat Slop!

In an age of unprecedented technological upheaval — an upheaval more consequential than even the advent of fire or settled agriculture — we find ourselves standing — quite literally — at a crossroads.

The question isn't whether AI will transform writing — it’s what we lose when we let it.

Dr Eric Crampton: Fingers crossed

If the country sees a few lucky breaks, Budget 2026 shows a return to surplus in 2029.

The period of structural deficits will have lasted almost a decade.

Without those lucky breaks, including at the Strait of Hormuz, deficits will extend for longer. And it beggars belief that a decade of structural deficits is consistent with the fiscal responsibility provisions of the Public Finance Act.

Bob Edlin: Budget Day surprise – Upston’s Bill to modernise social security systems is rushed through three readings

Fresh from telling us she is comfortable about collecting $1000 a week to live in her own Wellington apartment because she has “followed the rules”, Social Development Minister Louise Upston popped up yesterday to announce the Government is making changes “to improve and update the efficiency of the welfare system by modernising its processes”.

Alwyn Poole: Education … everyone knows change is needed but …

… there are so many signals that the current government is going about most things education related in the wrong way.

1. It is highly predictable that the teacher unions and most of the teaching sector will oppose most changes proposed by a center right government. However the Minister has neither reduced their power – or engaged well if she is not willing to do that.

2. The curriculum changes have been driven by a very narrow group of people with very slim engagement, understanding of our system, and endorsement from the wide sector. The qualifications and experience of the education sector has been significantly ignored by a “do what you are told to do” attitude from the Minister.