Geoff Parker: New Zealand’s Land History - Beyond the ‘Stolen Land’ Slogan.

Few political slogans in New Zealand are repeated as confidently — and examined as rarely — as the claim that the country was built on “stolen land.”

The claim that Māori land in New Zealand was simply “stolen” has become a common slogan in modern political debate. It appears frequently on social media and in activist rhetoric, and is often used to support calls for co-governance, special political status.

But slogans are not history.

The reality is that Māori land passed out of tribal ownership through several very different legal processes over nearly two centuries.

Ani O'Brien: A week is a long time: 7 March 2026

How many lives does Christopher Luxon have left?

The political rumour mill went into overdrive on Thursday night as news spread of a dire poll for National. The Taxpayers’ Union–Curia poll released on Friday has National dropping to the lowest it has been under Christopher Luxon (28.4%). If this was an election result, the Party would get just 36 seats. They currently have 48 and it is likely senior ministers would be among the list MP to lose their seats. The poll has Labour on 34.4%, up 0.3.

John McLean: Would The Real National Party Please Stand Up, Please Stand Up

Eeny, Meeny, Miny, Moe…which way will The Nats Go?

In October 2017, Rapper Marshall Mathers got wildly worked up about US President Donald Trump. The artist know as Eminem, clearly afflicted by a virulent early strain of Trump Derangement Syndrome, produced a freestyle rap called “The Storm”. It wasn’t his finest work. But The Storm did contain a cornel of eternal truth. Sometimes there’s a line and you have to choose which side you’re on.

David Harvey: In Defence of Free Speech

Free speech has returned to the centre of public life with an energy that surprises even those who thought the argument was finished. Weren’t Milton and Locke supposed to have done the heavy lifting? Didn’t John Stuart Mill leave us an intellectual architecture sturdy enough to outlast fashion, panic and political opportunism?

Kerre Woodham: Is the primary teachers' union acting in its members' best interests?

I'd be getting seriously brassed off if I was a primary school teacher, especially if I was a non-union primary school teacher. The NZEI has been in protracted negotiations with the Public Service Commissioner and the Government over pay and conditions. Every other teaching union has negotiated its own deal for its teachers, its principals, and its support staff, but not the NZEI. The Treaty of Waitangi was a big sticking point for them for a while, but according to Sir Brian Roche, who was on with Mike Hosking this morning, that's no longer the major roadblock it has been.

Bob Edlin: Much gas but little light when the PM was questioned about that LNG import facility

The PM demonstrated a feeble grasp of his Government’s foreign policy this week, at least insofar as it relates to the US-Israeli attack on Iran.

Or he did have a good understanding but could not express it in the language which New Zealand First wants made official?

But Christopher Luxon is apt to struggle with questions in Parliament about other policies, too – unless, of course, he is deliberately aiming to infuriate the Opposition with his bluster.

Take the liquefied natural gas import facility, for example.

Barrie Saunders: Luxon and the head of a pin

It’s very clear from Monday, the political media’s obsession with NZ’s view of the Israeli and American attacks on Iran, PM Luxon does not know how to dance on the head of a pin.

He could not adequately respond to questions about how he viewed the military action taken against the very nuanced official statement on the Beehive website. This is largely because Luxon, unlike Key, is not a natural politician.

David Farrar: A tough poll

Today was a teacher only day at my boys’ school so I’ve been out all day visiting grandparents., indoor playgrounds and rugby. Having now got home, I’ve seen that the monthly Curia poll for the TU has gotten a wee bit of attention.

I normally don’t blog on my own polls, or even mention them on Kiwiblog. But as this one is being discussed so much elsewhere, I thought it would be useful to share some thoughts.

Mike's Minute: Week one of the war

Where are we at with the war?

Ambrose Evans-Pritchard makes a very compelling case that this thing is over in four weeks because that’s about when the petrol reserves in America get drained. The Strait is closed, no LNG is getting through, Trump cannot tolerate $100 a barrel and so he will capitulate.

China can hold out. The Iranians, if they have kept a bunch of attack drones back, can hold out too, then go for some fuel sites in Arab states. You see his theory? It's not to be dismissed.

Saturday March 7, 2026 

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Breaking Views Update: Week of 1.3.26

Saturday March 7, 2026 

News:
Concerns Raised Over Plan to Remove Māori Land Court Oversight of Settlement Entities
Legal experts and Māori leaders are raising concerns about a government proposal that would remove the supervisory role of the Māori Land Court over post-settlement governance entities, warning the change could weaken accountability and access to justice for whānau and hapū.

The proposal would allow many settlement entities to opt out of key provisions of Te Ture Whenua Māori Act, shifting oversight and dispute resolution away from the Māori Land Court and into the High Court system.

NZCPR Newsletter: Analysing a Crisis

At 11.10 am on Wednesday 4 February, Wellington Water – the council-controlled organisation responsible for managing drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater services for the Greater Wellington region – announced a “significant incident” had occurred at the Moa Point Wastewater Treatment Plant.

Perspective with Heather du Plessis-Allan: If not Luxon, then who?

National and its problems, right?

Twenty-eight point four percent in the polling is a significant problem for National. It seems to me they’ve got four options for how to deal with this in an election year:

1) Continue with Chris Luxon
2) Switch to Chris Bishop
3) Switch to Erica Stanford
4) Or, switch to Mark Mitchell.

Ryan Bridge: I don't mind paying the train tax

I don't mind paying the train tax in Auckland, even though I won't be using it.

Rates are going up 7.9% next year. Which let's be honest, is like Woolworths selling butter for $7.99.

It's 8%. Wayne Brown is the 8% man.

Graham Adams: Making English Official Is A Sly Winner

Winston Peters snookers the naysayers

The reaction to NZ First’s English Language Bill has ranged from intense vitriol to support with reservations but it passed its first reading in Parliament this week without any votes cast against it. It now proceeds to the Justice select committee for scrutiny before its second reading.

The Justice minister, Paul Goldsmith, has endorsed it while pointing out that making English an official language wouldn’t have been a “top priority” if it hadn’t been in his party’s coalition agreement with NZ First. He meant, of course, that National regards the bill as a waste of time.

Dr Eric Crampton, Roger Partridge: Reserve Bank drifts out of its lane again

A principal who runs a school well does not get to tell parents what to cook for dinner. The authority is real – but it is specific. It does not travel home with the children.

The Reserve Bank of New Zealand seems to have the same problem – mistaking authority in one domain for authority in everything adjacent.

Peter Williams: The Curious Case of the Disappearing Male Newsreader

Where have all the young men gone?

Mark down Thursday, March 5 as an unusual evening in the long and curious history of television news in New Zealand.

“¿Qué?” you may ask, in the puzzled tone of Manuel from Fawlty Towers.

No, it wasn’t because the bulletin suddenly contained stories that might warm the heart of the Coalition government. Nor was it because the New York correspondent had miraculously overcome his daily bout of Trump Derangement Syndrome.

No, the reason was something much more subtle.

David Harvey: Unlawful

The UN Charter and the Iranian Conflict

Helen Clark and latterly Phil Goff have criticized the Government for failing to condemn the attack on Iran by the US and Israel. Ms Clark condemned the Government’s approach as servile towards the US and a disgrace.

The main argument advanced by Ms Clark is that the attacks were illegal. And she wants the Government to endorse that approach.

Chris Lynch: Government books beat forecast as deficit narrows

The Government’s latest financial statements have shown the country’s books were tracking better than forecast, even though the main operating measure remained in deficit.

Treasury released the Interim Financial Statements for the 7 months to 31 January 2026 on Thursday, comparing results against forecasts from the Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update 2025.

Bob Edlin: Labour perhaps supported the English Language Bill because it could not build a strong case for scuttling it

Stuff reports –

The bill to register English as an official language of New Zealand passed its first reading on Tuesday, and there was silence from the Opposition benches when it came to the vote.

It was initially assumed Labour and the rest of the Opposition parties were against the bill, and had just forgotten to vote in opposition – but Labour, on Wednesday, confirmed to Stuff that it supports the legislation.