Steven Gaskell: Oriini Kaipara’s “Landslide” - Proof That Competence No Longer Matters

So, Tāmaki Makaurau has spoken. Former broadcaster turned political darling Oriini Kaipara has cruised into Parliament on a wave of adoration from Te Pāti Māori supporters. The result is being heralded as some kind of historic “landslide.” But let’s not kid ourselves this wasn’t a contest of ideas, policies, or even competence. This was identity politics at its most brazen.

Ryan Bridge: Peeni Henare strikes again

At the rate it’s going, this by-election could cost Labour the real election.

Peeni Henare’s popping out policies toxic to the general electorate but popular with the 10,000 odd voters he’ll need to win Tamaki Makarau.

First it was bringing back the gang patches.

Point of Order: Does Sir Ian Taylor’s elegy for the Ardern government match the mood of many Hamilton West electors?

Hamilton West voters sent a direct message to the capital on Saturday, although behind the Labour fence some found it had to read.

For those, the NZ Herald’s political editor Claire Trevett spelt it out:

“Make no mistake: no matter what Labour says about the result, it will be—and should be—very worried about it”.

For its part, Point of Order sees it as vindicating the pollsters who in their national sampling traced the gap widening between Labour and National, and becoming so wide even a budget full of handouts couldn’t do the trick in turning back the tide.