Point of Order: The reshuffle

• From the Beehive –

2 April 2026

PM refreshes ministerial teamRt Hon Christopher Luxon

Prime Minister

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced a refreshed ministerial line-up to continue fixing the basics and protecting New Zealand’s future.

Point of Order: NEW POLL - New Zealand First’s record high result; country direction takes a hit

The Taxpayers’ Union reports –

New Zealand First rise to their highest ever result in a Taxpayers’ Union-Curia Poll (polling since January 2021). The Coalition also strengthen their lead.

The poll shows Labour gain 2.8 points to 34.4 percent, while National gains 1.5 points to 31.5 percent.

Point of Order: How good (or bad) is China’s economy?

If you enjoy extreme scenarios, you won’t want to miss the rant essay Why Chaos Favors the Strong in the Coming Great Decoupling on the Campbell Ramble blog — a spirited case for a strong power slowly strangling a weaker opponent that merely looks strong.

Point of Order: NEW POLL - National and Labour Take Big Hits; NZ First and Greens Gain

The Taxpayers’ Union reports –

Bad news for National and Labour as they both take a beating in this month’s Taxpayers’ Union-Curia Poll.

The poll, conducted between 01 October and 05 October, shows Labour retain its position as the largest party, dropping 2.6 points to 31.2 percent.

Bob Edlin: Study shows a four-day week would improve our wellbeing – so wouldn’t a three-day week improve it even more?

The PoO team was greatly cheered by the headline which advised:

Four-day work week reduces burnout and improves job satisfaction – study.

Maybe the PoO work week will be trimmed from six days to five. Then again, maybe not.

Point of Order: New Zealand First Surge, National Regain Lead

The Taxpayers’ Union reports –

Good news for the Coalition as they extend their lead over the Centre-Left bloc this month, with National taking back the top spot from Labour in this month’s Taxpayers’ Union-Curia Poll.

Point of Order: A bad day for America’s enemies

The American strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities may end up being a bad day for a lot of people – but with luck, mainly for the autocrats, appeasers and anti-democrats.

There is a smidgen of sympathy for the Iranian regime. Every child with a stick eventually learns it’s not a good idea to keep provoking. But who would have thought that Donald Trump – the great peace president – would be the one to accept the informal declaration of war issued by the Iranian regime’s precursors on 4 November 1979.

Point of Order: Weren’t we supposed to be better off?

It should send a shiver down an already-cold spine, when the regular media starts running an article headed “The path to cheap power will be very expensive”.

So warm up your neurones with the latest from Reuters, which explains why current net zero strategies are failing – on their own terms.

Point of Order: Europe is in trouble – and it’s not just trade

Donald Trump thinks that US tariff negotiations with the European Union are going nowhere, the Daily Telegraph reports, and plans to impose a 50% tariff within the week.

It looks like the EU is not minded to follow the UK’s post-Brexit lead: accept a U.S. revenue tariff, tackle a few regulatory problems, and gesture towards future convergence (endless talks, always on the back foot).

Point of Order: The 14-Year Temp Worker - IRD’s $21 Million Long-Term Consultant Spend Exposed

• The Taxpayers’ Union reports –

The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union can reveal, through an Official Information Act response 12 contractors have been continuously engaged by IRD for more than five years, costing taxpayers a total of $20.8 million over just the past five years.

As Nicola Willis prepares to unveil Budget 2025, the Taxpayers’ Union is calling out the millions still being frittered away on long-term consultants, highlighting one Inland Revenue contractor who has been on the books for a staggering 13 years and 11 months.Taxpayers’ Union Investigations Coordinator, Rhys Hurley, said:

Point of Order: The empire that endured

It was once said the British empire was so vast that the sun never set on it. But as time marched on, the red faded from the maps, the Union Jacks came down and independence rang across continents.

Point of Order: Much more than a minerals deal

Full credit to European politicians: they know how to brief.

Latest in London’s Daily Telegraph is that “Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron have together pulled off a remarkable feat of high statecraft” in shaping the US – Ukraine minerals deal signed a few days ago. There are even some nice words for Boris Johnson’s contribution.

Who knows, it could even be true. But it’s perhaps more important that they’re thinking that way.

Point of Order: Dr Bob Brockie - a remarkably rich life which he documented in a Memoir in Words, Cartoons and Sketches.

Point of Order reports with sadness the death of Bob Brockie, scientist, writer and cartoonist, who contributed his ideas to our editorial content and provided us with cartoons. PoO friend Karl du Fresne has given us permission to publish this article, which he wrote for The Listener in 2015.

BOB BROCKIE, scientist and cartoonist, has a 25-year work programme ahead of him. He has books to write, portraits to paint and pieces of music to compose. There’s just one small catch: Brockie is 82.

Point of Order: Auckland Council tosses $128,000 at Circus School

• The Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance reports –

The Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance can reveal through a Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act request that Auckland Council gave $128,352 to Te Kura Maninirau, New Zealand’s first kaupapa Māori circus school.

Point of Order: Cultural consultants cash in $1.365m while Dunedin rates soar

• The Taxpayers’ Union reports –

The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union can reveal through a Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act request that Dunedin City Council (DCC) has spent a staggering $1.365 million over just three years on consultation with Aukaha—an iwi-owned consultancy firm—with ratepayers now hit by an average rates hike of 17.5%.Taxpayers’ Union Investigations Coordinator Rhys Hurley said:

Bob Edlin: If it’s called “kai” and it’s for a tangi, then (under the Treaty) a cultural case can be made for taxpayers to chip in

Oh dear.  The Ministry of Social Development has been found wrong to refuse a $1026 payment grant for the tucker at a tangi.

At first blush, this suggests the way has been opened for any eligible applicant to be given $1000 or so to provide the sausages rolls and what-have-you that help nourish mourners after a funeral.

Point of Order: Buzz from the Beehive - 7/2/25

Health NZ looks for a new head while Matt Doocey tells how he got a $10m thrill

It’s the resignation that surprised nobody.

As RNZ tells it,

Point of Order: Buzz from the Beehive - 5/2/25

Millions beings spent on Waitangi mollifiers? That’s what it looks like, but Shane Jones threatens to take some back

Somewhat like the three wise men bringing gifts to the Baby Jesus, government ministers have been dishing out good news to please – and/or appease – the pilgrims who have flocked to the birthplace of The Treaty to commemorate Waitangi Day.

One point of difference: it took several ministers to bring the glad tidings.

Point of Order: Buzz from the Beehive 4/2/25

Climate change minister froze out farm leaders – but (is he a closet greenie?) warmed to Greenpeace and WWF lobbyists

Your monitors of the Beehive website can tell you what ministers are up to so long as they post a press statement. They can’t tell you what ministers have been doing which they shouldn’t have been doing, if they keep quiet about it. And they can’t tell you what minister haven’t been doing that they should have been doing.

Point of Order: Buzz from the Beehive - 31/1/25

Not only can we drive faster – our chances of hitting potholes are being reduced (thanks to a $3.9bn govt investment)

Great news flowed today from Transport Minister Chris Bishop. Fresh from enabling us to put the foot down and drive at higher speeds on several roads and highways, today Bishop said potholes are being repaired more quickly, too.

Around 98 per cent of potholes on state highways are being repaired within 24 hours of identification every month since targets were introduced, he says.