David Farrar: We may have a census after all

The Post reports:

A law change that would do away with the traditional five-year census in favour of cheaper annual surveys is unlikely to progress this side of the election, following opposition from the Labour Party.

The hiatus raises questions over how Stats NZ will be able to comply with the law, given it has indicated it would then be too late to conduct the census the normal way in 2028. …

David Farrar: SST lashes crazy TOP policy

Chris Lynch reports:

The Sensible Sentencing Trust has launched a blistering attack on The Opportunity Party’s policy to raise the age of Youth Court jurisdiction, describing it as one of the craziest ideas it has seen in years.

Opportunity’s “Smart on Crime” policy promised until recently to “raise the age of the youth court jurisdiction to 25, in line with developmental science”.

Mike's Minute: The left bloc don't have the numbers

Was Hipkins ruling out NZ First really a decision, or an announcement, or even a story?

Peters, of course, ruled Labour out a long time ago.

I've been surprised by the number of people who text me telling me not to be so naïve.

Wednesday August 12, 2026 

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Kineta Knight: Luxon survives confidence vote as National caucus backs leadership

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has survived another confidence vote in his leadership, declaring he has the full support of the National Party caucus.

Luxon emerged from this morning’s caucus meeting flanked by some of his most senior ministers, following renewed speculation about his future as National leader.

“There was a confidence vote in my leadership this morning at our caucus meeting. I had the full support of our caucus, and our caucus is united and it is determined to win this election,” Luxon said.

Peter Williams: National's Big Day

This post will be relevant for a very short time.

In the famous words of another National Party leader, the current one will be “gone by lunchtime” so these words will be out of date before the clock strikes 12.

Mark down Wednesday August 12, 2026 as the day the National Party took one of the biggest gambles in its 90 year history.

That Christopher Luxon has to go is a no-brainer.

Ryan Bridge: There's no golden outcome for Luxon's leadership contest

Here's how this morning is going to play out.

At 9:30am, any member of National's caucus can call a no-confidence vote in Luxon's leadership.

The party's constitution calls these guys the Parliamentary Section.

They vote. It's majority rules. If there's a vacancy, i.e. if Luxon is goneburger, then they elect a new leader or leaders.

Perspective with Heather du Plessis-Allan: Things are not looking good for Chris Luxon

Well, as I warned you last night, they are coming for him again. The roll is on for Christopher Luxon.

I didn't think it was going to happen this fast, but I knew it was going to happen. After I got off the radio last night at 7 o'clock, it ramped up, Thomas Coughlan wrote a piece late in the evening for the Herald confirming that National MPs were again phoning each other about his leadership.

Yvonne Van Dongen: Apologise For Not Lying

A male artist forced a small local paper to stop telling the truth.

Last week a small local newspaper on the Kapiti Coast apologised for correctly sexing a man who believes he is a woman.

The man is described in a media release as the “renowned multidisciplinary Indigenous artist Taupuruariki (Ariki) Whakataka Brightwell.”

Kevin: And Here We Go…

Imagine asking Gemini about the Musket Wars and being told, in not so many words, that it can’t help you because it’d make Māori look bad. Make no mistake. This isn’t about human rights or “te Tiriti”. It’s a blatant power grab.

 

The Human Rights Commission is calling for a human rights and te Tiriti-centred approach to artificial intelligence and digital technologies.

The commission’s new report, AI and Digital Technologies: A Human Rights and te Tiriti o Waitangi Approach, was released on Friday and said Māori data sovereignty and te Tiriti o Waitangi must be at the heart of how artificial intelligence was developed and governed in Aotearoa New Zealand.

No, I don’t know what “Māori data sovereignty” means either.

Ashley Church: Declining house prices are killing our economy

Rushing headlong toward economic oblivion

The New Zealand Initiative recently released New Zealand by Numbers, a useful and wide-ranging look at what’s happened to this country over the past 50 years or so. It brings together a large amount of data across the economy, education, health, crime, housing, energy and other areas, and it’s a valuable contribution to the debate about where New Zealand has come from and where we may be heading.

Its housing section reflects a view that has now become close to orthodoxy: that over that 50 years house prices rose too far, that affordability got worse, that first-home buyers were locked out, and that the recent fall in prices, while painful for some, is a necessary correction.

Kerre Woodham: The ambulances are under the pump, and it won't finish anytime soon

Today, the 111 call out and the fact that St John is absolutely under the pump and has been for quite some time and they're not expecting it to finish anytime soon. On Saturday, 2,562 calls came into the ambulance through 111 the highest number received ever in a single day. But then that was the third time the daily record had been broken in a week.

Bob Edlin: Sovereignty and immunity from the law....

Sovereignty and immunity from the law – if litigant loses his appeal, maybe he could land a job on the Waitangi Tribunal

PoO failed in its efforts to establish the personal wealth of a bloke named Kemp Adrian Paerata. We did establish he hopes to increase it to the tune of $55 million, to be provided (if all goes well for him) by New Zealand taxpayers.

This Paerata bloke is described as a Taupō resident who works in wastewater treatment.

Our interest in him was triggered by news that he has lost a High Court appeal regarding a driving offence.

JD: Death Knell

Guest post on The Good Oil by JD

The latest unemployment and inflation figures sound the death knell for National’s coalition and for the country.

New Zealand’s electoral history suggests governments are most vulnerable when inflation and unemployment rise together. Inflation cuts real household incomes every week, while unemployment creates fear that today’s pressure may become tomorrow’s job loss.

David Farrar: $500k just to create a 30 second ad

The Taxpayers’ Union released:

Health New Zealand spent $490,043.75 on a single advert featuring former Lotto presenter Russell Harrison, documents obtained by the Taxpayers’ Union reveal for the first time.

Harrison, who remained suspended from the Ministry of Justice on full pay for years, was paid $3,000 to appear in the 30-second advertisement.

Taxpayers’ Union Spokesman Tyler Groenewald said:

David Farrar: Money for kids doesn’t promote fertility

The Herald reports:

It comes as Peters unveils new election policy proposing to create a “Kiwi Kids Grant” for parents, one of whom must be a New Zealand citizen, for their first three children.

The grant would be worth $5000 per child for each of their first three years, meaning families could receive up to $45,000 in total. …

Tuesday August 11, 2026 

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Ryan Bridge: Luxon's leadership is in question, yet again

Here we go again.

For the second time this year, there's a story in the media about National MPs doing the numbers on Luxon.

At least one of them is talking to Thomas Coughlan at the Herald.

Ryan Bridge: Tony Randle is the sort of brain needed around the council table

Tony Randle was the exactly the type of person, the sort of brain, you want sitting round a council table.

Especially given the types who now seem to occupy many of the seats.

It's very sad to hear of his passing. My condolences to his family and those who knew him well.

Perspective with Heather du Plessis-Allan: You'd have to be naïve or foolish to believe National's promise this time around

How weird was National's re-announcement of its Budget Responsibility Rules? It was very weird. Essentially, National made exactly the same announcement that it made three years ago before the 2023 election.

First, it would strive for a surplus. Second, it would reduce debt. Third, it would cut Government spending.