Caleb Anderson: The Simplified Life: How the West Lost Its Mind to the Left Brain

It is interesting to reflect on whether ideas corrupt people, or people corrupt ideas. While inevitably a mix, we seem very often to lean toward the latter. The most dangerous thing you can do to an idea is to strip it of its context, and hence of its complexity.

Breaking Views Update: Week of 25.10.26

Friday October 30, 2026 

News:
Māori ‘robbed blind’
Rongo Wetere has warned that failing to address historic injustices could eventually lead to revolution in New Zealand.

The founder of Te Wānanga o Aotearoa delivered an impassioned speech after award-winning historian Dr Vincent O’Malley spoke at the Regent Theatre in Te Awamutu last week about the 1864 Invasion of Waikato.

Andy Loader: The Maori Economy

When does the extortion stop?

According to the latest figures that I have available from the March 2023 census New Zealand has 978,246 people registered as of Maori descent (19.6% of the total population). This shows an increase over the numbers in 2018, up from 18.5%.

Based on the Te Ōhanga Māori 2023 Report via Knowledge Auckland. I believe that the total Maori asset base is $126 billion (an 83% increase over the 2018 figure of $69 billion).

Colinxy: A Rabbit, Four Police Officers, and the Future Labour Wants for New Zealand

When mockery becomes policing, and speech becomes a matter for the State.

Recently in the United Kingdom, a 15‑year‑old boy found himself at the receiving end of four police officers after making fun of a local councillor on social media. His crimes allegedly included criticising the councillor’s clothing, comparing his appearance to a “rent boy”, and posting an edited image giving the politician rabbit ears. The teenager was arrested, fingerprinted, photographed, had DNA taken, and had electronic devices seized. Reports indicate police considered offences including harassment, malicious communications, and a possible hate crime[i].

Bob Edlin: “Freedom” group voices dismay at Dame Jacinda’s new job.....

....but what does a Professor of Practice do?

Big-wigs at the University of Sydney this week expressed their delight at hiring Dame Jacinda Ardern.

Their press release said:

Richard Prebble: The importance of being a smart voter

An Epsom National supporter asked whether he should vote for Paul Goldsmith.

Why would he?

National’s problem is not winning too few electorates. It is that it will win too many.

Kerre Woodham: Labour should stay away from housing policy

When I look at Labour's campaign and I look at National's campaign, it's like, look, I'll do it for you next time. Seriously, when something is being done so badly, you think, you know what? I can do that so much better. They've had shocking campaigns, both of the main parties. Just negative, silly stuff. And yesterday, Labour had an absolute clanger. Of all the issues and all the policies that Labour could have come up with to attract voters, to point out deficiencies in the Coalition Government, why on earth did they have to decide on housing as one of their last big pushes before the election?

David Farrar: A split OCR decision

The Reserve Bank announced:

The Monetary Policy Committee today voted 4 – 3 to hold the OCR at 2.75 percent. …

Global events are adding to near-term inflation pressures in New Zealand. Fuel prices have risen further because of ongoing disruptions in global energy markets, and the exchange rate has fallen by around 3 percent since early September. Annual inflation is expected to increase to 4.4 percent in the December quarter, largely reflecting current futures prices for fuel. Near-term inflation forecasts are uncertain given volatility in prices for oil and refined fuels.

David Farrar: TOP insiders speak out

The Herald reports:

Former Opportunity Party board members have spoken out about internal disarray and tribal politics as polling suggests the party may hold the balance of power after November’s election.

Speaking exclusively to the Herald, the former insiders have described a party plagued by a “toxic” and “nasty” culture, with sources feeling they were excluded, blocked from discussion and treated like outsiders when at odds with a “cliquey” faction of the party.

Rodney Hide: Two votes. Use them.

National Party pollster David Farrar had this to say this week on his blog: "There are two paths back into Parliament for Chris Bishop – a win in Hutt South, or the National Party having at least two list MPs. Both of these paths are looking far from certain right now."

That's about as big an admission that we are going to get that on present polling National will get no list MPs at all. National is polling below 30 percent, which means the 800,000 or so Kiwis who party vote National are not delivering one extra MP. They may as well not tick the party vote box.

Mike's Minute: Look at day one voting, there is no voter suppression

The figures keep defying the reality.

68,000 votes were cast on Monday.

That day was a problem according to the conspiracy theorists who suggested that not only had enrolling closed early, but the opening day of voting was a public holiday and for some reason voting on a day off may prove to be some sort of issue.

Thursday October 29, 2026 

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RNZ-Reid Research poll: National below disastrous 2020 result as Opportunity surges

The National Party has dropped below 25 percent in the latest RNZ-Reid Research poll, while Opportunity has reached a new high and could decide the next government.

National has dismissed the result as "out of step" with other polls, just nine days before voting closes.

Christopher Luxon's party is on 24.8 percent, down 1.1 percentage points since the last RNZ poll three weeks ago. That puts National below its disastrous 2020 election showing, though still above its historic low in 2002.

Labour remains the most popular party on 30.6 percent, down 0.2 points, while Opportunity records the biggest gain, rising 1.7 points to 7.2 percent.


Click to view

The full poll results can be read HERE

Perspective with Heather du Plessis-Allan: Here's why holding the OCR in place was the right move

It is fair to say the overwhelming reaction to the Reserve Bank's decision to hold the OCR was surprise and, in some cases, shock.

Everyone thought the Reserve Bank would raise the OCR. ASB says it was 95 percent priced in. Even economists who believed the OCR should be held, so as not to kill the nascent recovery, were on record saying they thought the Reserve Bank would do it anyway. They expected it to make the wrong call and hike.

Clive Bibby: The 4th Estate and 5th Columnists

Readers, including myself, often make the mistake of including these two media outlets in the same benign category of democracy oversight.

In fact the term “Fourth Estate” has traditionally referred to the non-political cornerstone upon which our democracy is based. In a free society such as ours, it is an important part of how our political system works - the election of Local and Central Governments and the format most commonly used by constituents in the process of defending their individual civil rights against powerful community special interest groups.

Alia Bland: An Open Letter To The University Of Sydney

Regarding the appointment of Jacinda Ardern as Professor of Practice

Dear Professor Scott,

I read with absolute disgust that the University of Sydney has appointed Jacinda Ardern as Professor of Practice, where she will apparently be sharing her wisdom on empathetic leadership, social cohesion and civic trust.

You cannot be serious.

Richard Prebble: Cannot be correct

The Labour Party has issued no law-and-order policies.

There are several possible explanations.

Chris Hipkins says Labour is focused on the cost of living. Yeah, right.

Dr Eric Crampton: Ending bail-outs will force councils to confront their bad decisions

If you know that someone will always be there to bail you out if things go wrong, you’ll make worse decisions.

Economist János Kornai called this the “soft budget constraint”. He thought it explained a lot of the pathologies in Eastern European companies and economies before the fall of the Soviet Union.

Companies knowing that they’ll be bailed out don’t keep a sharp eye on their accounts. The same holds for local governments – and their electorates.

JC: Guy Fawkes Is Two Days Too Early

If only the election had coincided with Guy Fawkes Night. That particular event was born out of a political feud. As you will recall the man himself, with a group of Catholic conspirators, hid 36 barrels of gunpowder beneath the House of Lords aiming to blow up the British Parliament and assassinate the Protestant King James I. Unfortunately they were betrayed and the plot was foiled. I predict a similar scenario here two days later on 7 November. The left coalition plot to overthrow the right coalition will be similarly foiled, not by gunpowder but by a mechanism known as the ‘split vote’, perfectly legitimate under the MMP system.

Geoff Neal: Top 10 Voter Issues and Performance by Government

For the first time this election, a comprehensive list of the top 10 voter issues and official government performance data has been compiled into one place - www.KPI.nz (Kiwi Performance Indicators).

Voters can now see: