Ryan Bridge: Democracy is a privilege billions still don't have

It was a weekend of big events. A wedding, a funeral, and a milestone birthday.

Congratulations, in that order, to America on its 250th anniversary, to Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce on their wedding, to those Iranians who suffered under the Ayatollah's rule, and to the All Blacks for beating France.

Breaking Views Update: Week of 5.7.26

Tuesday July 7, 2026 

News:
Horizons Regional Council keeps final say on resource management iwi agreements, backs $10k funding
Final approval for resource management agreements with iwi will stay with Horizons regional councillors, rather than being delegated to staff.

 
In a marathon sitting over two days, councillors overturned a staff recommendation to delegate authority to staff, instead voting to keep final say on the legally binding Mana Whakahono ā Rohe (MWāR) agreements.

Pee Kay: National… the Enemy Within?

PART ONE: The Bolger/Shipley years

Labour may talk co-governance, but it’s actually National who cements it!

It’s bizarre isn’t it, Labour often absorbs the loudest and most heated public condemnation for its Maori centred policies. For decades, political commentators have labelled Labour as the champion of Maori rights and National as its staunch opponent.

But is that, in fact, true?

David Farrar: An excellent NZ First policy

NZ First announced:

New Zealand First has today announced that we will be campaigning to change the electoral law to ensure that only citizens have the right to vote.

Currently, any permanent resident who has gone through the normal process, after just two years living in New Zealand, can vote.

Lindsay Mitchell: Residents must retain their right to participate

According to Treasury, "People present in New Zealand each year are increasingly non-NZ citizens":

"In 2024, there were 476,000 resident visa holders to spend at least one day in New Zealand, and 705,000 holders of permanent resident visas."

Mike's Minute: Does Wellington deserve it's reputation?

Wellington looks to me to be in rude health.

For a city down in the dumps, with a reputation problem and a previously shocking council, public service issues and any number of surveys talking about negativity, how come Wellington looks so busy?

I was down for dinner Saturday night. The drive from the airport around the Bays was packed. Jervois Quay was packed, bumper to bumper.

Cam Slater: Luxon Chases Nigerian Princes While Kiwis Struggle at Home

National leader Christopher Luxon has rolled out yet another grand trade policy announcement, promising to prioritise free trade deals with seven countries if re-elected. Brazil, Switzerland, Argentina, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Uruguay and the European Free Trade Association are all in his sights, with a second wave to follow.

This is the same mob that keeps telling us they are delivering for Kiwis. Yet here they are, campaigning on trade deals with places many average New Zealanders could not point to on a map. Luxon and his Trade Spokesperson Todd McClay stood at the Port of Auckland to spruik the plan, talking up the next billion customers and untapped opportunities worth billions.

Bruce Cotterill: Election 2026 - Why more ‘free’ policies could cost New Zealand dearly

As the election campaign gets underway, the promises have started coming thick and fast. This time around, we’re hearing a lot about free stuff.

The all too familiar faces from Labour and the Greens have been joined by newcomers TOP, with each seemingly intent on outdoing the other with pledges of benevolence.

David Harvey: The Unfinished Pursuit

Reflections on the 250th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence

Introductory

Jonathan Ayling wrote an article in the Herald published on 2 July 2026. He questions whether the promise of the American Dream will survive and that it must renew itself, returning to the truths of its founding.

I have written elsewhere about how it is that Jefferson wrote of his self-evident truths and why there has not been a similar mission statement in New Zealand.

In this article I attempt to answer some of Jonathan’s concerns, suggesting that the American Dream is a work in progress and that the road is still being built. Like all great works there are stumbles on the way.

Matua Kahurangi: Winston Peters announces citizens-only voting policy

New Zealand First leader Winston Peters, today in Warkworth, has unveiled a strong new policy to restore integrity to the country’s electoral system. Under the proposal, only New Zealand citizens will be eligible to vote in both local and general elections.

Peters made the announcement clear and direct. “We’re making another campaign announcement here today. We’re announcing today that New Zealand First will change the law that only citizens of New Zealand can vote in local and general elections.”

David Farrar: We need transparency over when Iwi are paid not to object

Don Brash e-mailed:

Hobson’s Pledge has always stood firmly for the protection of private property rights. When a major infrastructure project directly impacts local communities or land, it is completely right for legitimate, proportionate claims to be recognised and mitigated.

But what is happening right now with the Port of Tauranga expansion is not a defence of property rights. It is something else entirely.

Monday July 6, 2026 

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Damien Grant: The maths behind TOP’s biggest promise falls apart

It had been my optimistic belief that I could ignore The Opportunities Party. Like Scientology, Aromatherapy and anything to do with Gwyneth Paltrow, some things are so ridiculous no commentary is necessary.

Sadly; it seems some of you have been telling pollsters you intend to vote for a party that was so moribund they advertised for their current leader by posting in the Situations Vacant section of the internet.

Perspective with Heather du Plessis-Allan: The attention on the Waikato ED case could increase the odds of fixing the problem

If there's any good that comes from this awful case of the man dying while waiting for help in Waikato Hospital's emergency department, it's that at least it's getting a lot of media attention.

I don't know if you recall but basically the same thing happened in 2021 at Middlemore Hospital. It was strange to me how little attention it received at the time, especially given everything else that was going wrong. There were people waiting for ambulances and dying in their doorways.

Spaniard: Tikanga plays third rail in public land changes

Tikanga is creeping into much of our nation’s life, with control passed to iwi underhandedly. One mostly unnoticed area is conservation. When Minister of Conservation Tama Potaka recently redesignated 513,042.2 hectares of West Coast public conservation land, he did it on the basis on tikanga.

His decision-making legitimised Ngai Tahu’s leveraging of lore and law in interpreting the Conservation Act and other legislation, serious conflicts of interest, and dominance of Ngai Tahu tribal rhetoric.

Rodney Hide: Parliament’s Assault on the Family Home

When candidates come knocking this election you may care to ask about the “Conversion Practices Prohibition Legislation Act”. It was passed in 2022 because … compassion. Of course, the Act is everything but compassionate. It is a direct, brutal attack on parental authority, free speech, and religious liberty.

Net Zero Watch Samizdat: Dark Green Money

UK

Ed Miliband’s Dark Green Money Network

An investigation by The Spectator has exposed the Dark Green Money networks behind the ideological capture of Westminster.

This week’s cover piece reveals the monied interests behind a dense ecosystem of funders, think tanks, campaign groups and policy organisations that have helped shape Britain’s net zero debate. Also read this article in the Telegraph on the European Climate Foundation. 

John McLean: Infectious Medical Council Maori Madness

A chance insight into the Ministry of Health’s collective mind

Talking to embedded individuals can provide intriguing insights into elite sentiments on controversial matters.

I recently chewed the fat with one of our neighbors, an English-born doctor idling at the Ministry of Health. When I asked him what the general mood is at that Ministry, his face clouded with anger. He explained that Ministry staff are all furious and terribly distracted over the Minister of Health, baby faced assassin Simeon Brown, firing the chair and deputy-chair of the Medical Council.

Nick Clark: Who decides, and how

Local government reform has turned into a numbers game. The government’s ‘Head Start’ asks how many councils we should have, and where the lines between their jurisdictions should be drawn. But a more important question is, what decisions should be made at each level of government?

My new research note, Head Start Done Right, argues that decisions should be made at the lowest level able to make them well. That approach is called subsidiarity.

Dr Eric Crampton: Wegovy, RSV vaccines among drugs on slow track in NZ

Small countries in a big world can choose to be nimble or they can choose to be stupid.

When it comes to medicines, New Zealand has chosen the second path. Rather than recognising authorisations provided by better-resourced overseas drug approval agencies, New Zealand requires local approval for new medicines.