Mike's Minute: Why is Retail NZ calling for tariffs?

It's hard to reconcile but the power of self interest is never to be underestimated.

Retail NZ is loving the look of the EU, who this month started a new tariff on cheap goods.

It's three euro per package for anything under 150 euros.

It's aimed at Temu and co.

Ani O'Brien: Chris Hipkins is New Zealand's Teflon politician

Chippy the Accountability Houdini

Politics often rewards shamelessness. If a politician can survive the first bad headline, deny everything for long enough, and hang in there for the news cycle to move on, there is every chance the public will simply forget. Memories fade and journalists chase the next outrage. Before long the politician who should have been answering uncomfortable questions is back on television talking confidently about everyone else’s failures. Shamelessly.

Chris Hipkins appears to be betting his political future on exactly that phenomenon.

Rodney Hide: Māori Spiritualism and the Christian Conscience in New Zealand....

Daniel in the Public Square: Māori Spiritualism and the Christian Conscience in New Zealand

Sitting through karakia I am invariably reminded of the book of Daniel in which faithful Israelites found themselves serving in the courts of pagan Babylon. They showed respect to the authorities, excelled in their duties, and contributed to the empire’s good order. Yet when the king’s table demanded compromise with idolatry or when the law forbade prayer to the true God, Daniel and his companions drew a firm line. They would not bow.

Dr Eric Crampton: A Kiwi solution to a Canadian problem on refugee sponsorship?

Ten years ago, the NZ Initiative brought a Canadian diplomat to Wellington to explain how Canada let ordinary citizens sponsor refugees. Dean Barry told us that when Canadian communities pledged to support one more refugee, Canada admitted one more. Civil society helped decide how many refugees Canada accepted.

Dean Barry visited in the wake of the Syrian refugee crisis. New Zealanders who wanted to help people had to spend their time lobbying the government to increase the quota. Canadians who wanted to help could fundraise and get on with the job of helping people.

Cam Slater: Government Gaslighting Over VPN Ban Plans Exposed

The National led government is flat out denying it is even considering a ban or restriction on VPNs. Education Minister Erica Stanford’s office insists no such thing is on the table as part of their social media harm legislation. Funny how that works when documents and sources say otherwise.

This looks like classic gaslighting. One minute reports surface about exploring a VPN ban or forcing platforms to block them; the next the government claims it was never a thing. Pull the other one.

Kerre Woodham: Would you rather pay a toll or wait for a new road?

What would you rather? Would you rather toll roads and shiny new roads, or would you rather waiting for NZTA to put you on the list of priorities and potholes up your ying yang?

New Zealand has just three toll roads right now throughout the country, and two of them are in Tauranga. There are also two more planned on Bay of Plenty roads – not surprisingly, residents are up in arms. Yes, there are workarounds for them under National Land Transport legislation. If you're going to bung a toll on a road, then a viable toll-free route must be provided, though these free detours typically add 10–20 minutes to your travel time. So you can pay and take 10–20 minutes off your journey, or don't pay and just be prepared to take a bit longer to get where you're going.

Bob Edlin: Media shun the Conservative Party.....

Media shun the Conservative Party (and shut off the oxygen of publicity) while TOP support is growing

The Conservative Party can’t complain they get a bad press. Rather, they get no press – or, at least, precious little.

We spotted a fresh policy statement from the almost-forgotten party on the Scoop website yesterday and became curious about how mainstream media had treated the information.

The answer was they ignored it.

Responding to PoO’s request for more information (“Conservative Party” NZ), Google’s search engine found a Stuff report about a month ago. This – it seems – was the most recent article published by mainstream media.

But it was more about New Zealand First.

New Conservative’s Elliot Ikilei to stand for NZ First in this year’s election

The report noted that Ikilei was the former leader of the New Conservative Party.

Google did not find mainstream media reportage of a Conservative Party press release at much the same time.

Former MP and Police Leader Ross Meurant Joins the Conservative Party as Senior Policy Advisor

Experienced law enforcement leader, former Member of Parliament and respected policy commentator brings decades of public service experience to strengthen the Conservative Party’s policy direction.

Meurant is a former senior officer in the New Zealand Police, former National Party Member of Parliament, and lcommentator on issues affecting justice, public safety and government accountability.

He has worked for New Zealand First leader Winston Peters.

The Conservative Party’s leader is Helen Houghton, who told a party conference in Nelson just over a week ag0.

She raised the question of special rights for Māori.

Equality before the law, irrespective of race, creed, colour, religion or beliefs is a fundamental pillar of the Conservatives.

A growing number of voters appear disconsolate with the centre right incumbents, for not having stated clearly, their position on this issue.

In fact, recently a board member of National said that it was “inappropriate” to address Māori related issues until after the election!

Houghton asked whether it is valid to retain separate Māori representation.

Is it time to put behind us, what a growing number of New Zealanders are seeing as an anachronistic system of reverse racism and separatism?

In my view, and the opinion of the Board of the Conservative Party, the answer is, YES. Time to change.

Her reasoning can be found HERE.

Just as PoO could find no media reports of Houghton’s speech, nor could we find reports of a press release in April headed Peaceful Nations Don’t Divide Their People by Race.

It is one of the great ironies that Te Pāti Māori promotes rhetoric that divides people into opposing camps of “Māori” and “European,” when the lived reality of our country is that New Zealanders, including Māori, are of mixed heritage. In a nation where intermarriage and shared ancestry are common, the idea of framing politics as a struggle against “European New Zealanders” becomes logically absurd. In many cases, the very people being told they are part of an opposing group share the same family lines, the same communities, and often the same ancestors.

And:

… Conservative Party policy is grounded in the principle that New Zealand works best when all citizens stand equal under one rule of law.

A stable democracy requires equality before the law. That means the same rights, the same responsibilities, and the same legal framework for every New Zealander. Cultural heritage can be respected and valued without creating separate political or legal systems based on ancestry.

Without the oxygen of publicity, small parties struggle to gain public awareness, let alone support in opinion polls.

The Conservative Party reached its peak under founder Colin Craig, capturing 3.97% of the party vote, but failed to win an electorate seat and did not enter Parliament.

Since then it has had a history of internal disputes, leadership shifts and party rebrandings.

Moreover, voters seeking economic conservatism generally back the National Party or ACT while populist or nationalist voters gravitate toward Winston Peters’ New Zealand First.

But the Conservative Party doggedly continues to campaign and release new platforms, including the bundle of policies posted on the Scoop website yesterday.

Among the policies:

• Conservatives will press for a flat tax rate for individuals and for companies. That’s a big idea worth discussing.
• Australia and China remain New Zealand’s largest trading partners but it is to China, that we must accord a trade priority.
• New Zealand must retain close military alliance with Australia.

PoO found the statement had been reposted on the Scoop website this morning.

But we could find no mention of it being followed up in the mainstream media.

The Opportunity Party – in contrast – is doing quite nicely, thank you, in terms of winning headlines and public attention:

Stuff

‘We stand by our numbers’: Opportunity responds to tax policy attack

Qiulae Wong is the leader of the Opportunity Party. OPINION: Damien Grant’s column published on Sunday is a helpful contribution to election discourse.

Newsroom

An Ode to .. Qiulae Wong

NZ’s ode laureate Victor Billot returns with lines in honour of the Opportunity Party leader

Newsroom

Boost for local innovation but skepticism hangs over Opportunity’s economic policy

The Opportunity Party unveils a $1.33b economic strategy, pledging $80m to revive regional polytechnics amid sharp criticism from academics.

Stuff

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

The numbers do not add up and the images are probably AI and TOP 2.0 is not a serious enterprise. It is vibe coding and feels says Damien Grant.

Stuff.co.nz

Opportunity’s positioning not new, but it has a radical idea

OPINION: Opportunity (formerly The Opportunities Party) has often reflected not so much the spirit of the times as the online zeitgeist.

Those headlines have been recorded in the past three day.

And today we read ….

RNZ

This ‘centrist’ party is rising in NZ polls. Will it prove power broker?

Analysis – Of all the political parties contesting New Zealand’s looming general election, one seems to be generating more buzz than almost any other.

The Opportunity Party might have significantly more appealing policies than the Conservative Party.

But maybe a minor party will gain no traction when its policies – and the debating of them – are not given print space or air time.

Bob Edlin is a veteran journalist and editor for the Point of Order blog HERE. - where this article was sourced.

David Farrar: Fast tracked renewable electricity

One of the major benefits of the fast track consenting law has been renewable electricity. Climate change activists should be praising the law. Here’s how much extra renewable has been consented:

Wednesday July 8, 2026 

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Chris Trotter’s Dire Warning Of A Centre-Left Election Win

Chris Trotter talks to Sean Plunket on The Platform about his fear of a Centre-Left Election Win in 2026

Click to view

Perspective with Heather du Plessis-Allan: Did China break any rules with their nuclear missile test?

Let's talk about the Chinese test of that nuclear-capable missile. More specifically, let's talk about New Zealand's response to it, which was quite full-throated in its criticism of China.

I find myself unable to get as worked up about this as Winston Peters because, please correct me if I'm wrong, I can't see that China has actually broken any rules here. Before firing the missile, China alerted New Zealand, Australia and Japan, as required under international regulations governing tests of this nature.

Ryan Bridge: Banning and taxing won't solve the problem

This week the Tony Blair Institute warned Andy Burnham that you can't tax your way to prosperity.

Some of our politicians could use a similar lecture.

We have parties wanting new taxes to fund what is basically a Universal Basic Income, even though AI hasn't yet stolen the number of jobs they claimed it would.

Breaking Views Update: Week of 5.7.26

Wednesday July 8, 2026 

News:
Te Māra O Hine-Raraunga Framework Explores How IMPBs Can Protect Whānau Voice And Strengthen Māori Data Sovereignty
A new framework developed in partnership with Iwi Māori Partnership Boards (IMPBs) is encouraging kōrero about how whānau voice can be protected, governed and used in ways that uphold tikanga Māori, Māori data sovereignty and tino rangatiratanga.

Spaniard: Provisions of the Treaty - all the ‘principles’ ever were

Originating in the Treaty of Waitangi Act 1975, which set up the Waitangi Tribunal, the notion of ‘Treaty principles’ refers to the provisions of the Treaty.

Neither the Act itself nor the Hansard record, nor the wider public record, suggest otherwise, and indeed it’s unthinkable that the 37th New Zealand Parliament would have blithely, and without a special process, substantively altered the compact that started our nation in 1840.

The carelessness of the wording is a flashpoint in the ‘cock-up theory’ of New Zealand’s history.

Mike's Minute: Why are we waiting for another Covid response?

I read that apparently the Government are about to give a formal response this month to the Covid Inquiry Phase Two report.

Brooke van Velden, who drove it, was so concerned about the mistake made around Covid vaccine advice for 12–17-year-olds, and the fact Chris Hipkins said he didn’t see any advice, when in fact he did.

She went off to seek advice as to what to do.

Frank Lasee: How Western aid keeps Africans poor

A young Senegalese man had the drive, savings, and plan to open a small store. He never did.

The moment he opened, cousins, uncles, and neighbors would demand goods for free because they were in need. Family obligation would force him to say yes until the shelves were empty and the business dead.

So he never started. Or he moved far away from his family to start his business with all the hardships that brings.

David Farrar: Five years of taxpayer funded leave without pay

Stuff reports:

A former Lotto presenter who delivered six bars of gold bullion to the Comancheros’ “International Commander” in Turkey was suspended on full pay from his government job after he was arrested as part of a global FBI sting targeting organised crime.

Yvonne Van Dongen: Frozen Myths

Antarctic documentary revives debunked Māori voyages

Early in the trailer on a New Zealand documentary screening for the first time this week (July 10) the doco star, one Professor Rangi Mātāmua, is asked why he is going to Antarctica.

Mātāmua explains that on his grandfather’s deathbed he was given a 400-page book on Māori star lore. This is tribal knowledge, said Mātāmua. It is tapu. But his grandfather replied “knowledge that isn’t shared isn’t knowledge.” This, says Mātāmua, has been his mantra ever since.

Kerre Woodham: Why stop at only citizens being able to vote?

Yes, it's election year. How can you tell? They're all coming up with policies now, aren't they, designed to appeal to their core constituency.

Winston Peters played a blinder by announcing to the party faithful at a campaign meeting in Warkworth over the weekend that he wants to see voting rights reserved for citizens of this country only.

Bob Edlin: DoC’s lax partnership with Far North iwi.....

How taxpayers have been short-changed by DoC’s lax partnership with Far North iwi

It looks like DoC has fallen down on the job of looking after its straitened finances.

RNZ has reported on the financial consequences of te department’s failure to properly oversee the management of three Far North campgrounds for many years.