New Zealand Politics Daily is a collation of the most prominent issues being discussed in New Zealand. It is edited by Dr Bryce Edwards of The Democracy Project.

NZ Politics Daily: 25 September 2023

NZ FIRST, COALITION WITH NATIONAL
1News: National’s Christopher Luxon would work with NZ First if he has to
William Hewett (Newshub): National’s Christopher Luxon says he’ll work with Winston Peters, NZ First after election if he needs them
Claire Trevett (Herald): Winston is in – National leader Christopher Luxon will pick up the phone to NZ First leader Winston Peters if he really needs to
Luke Malpass (Post): Luxon to voters: We’ll go with Winston, but only if we have to
Newstalk ZB: David Seymour: ACT leader unsure if he can work with Winston Peters
Glenn McConnell (Stuff): Winston Peters gets scrappy as Christopher Luxon goes cold on coalition talk (paywalled)
Lloyd Burr (Newshub): Christopher Luxon tells Kiwis to read between lines as coalition questions continue
Michael Neilson (Herald): Winston Peters in Epsom, David Seymour’s hood, raising potential headaches for Christopher Luxon (paywalled)
Cass Mason (Newsroom): A country for old men
Luke Malpass (Post): Winston Peters and the great coalition jockeying game (paywalled)
Claire Trevett (Herald): Pity Luxon as Peters and Seymour react like Mentos and Coke (paywalled)
Ben McKay (AAP): Winston Peters lashes out at corporate Australia on campaign trail
Newshub: The Project: Winston Peters labels Green Party as ‘communists’ but praises James Shaw in game of ‘kiss, kick or marry’ on The Project

ACT
John Campbell (1News): Striving to comprehend the multi-headed creature that is ACT
Tess McClure (Guardian): How David Seymour hopes to move New Zealand to the right
John MacDonald (Newstalk ZB): ACT throws National’s tax plan on the bonfire (paywalled)
1News: Pharmacists fear reversing pseudoephedrine ban could endanger workers
RNZ: ACT reveals seniors policy including reversing pseudoephedrine ban

CO-GOVERNANCE
Heather du Plessis-Allan (Herald): A referendum on co-governance would return a big, fat no (paywalled)
Mike Hosking (Newstalk ZB): Labour can’t understand they’ve divided this country
Elise Johnson (Post): A warning from Brexit Britain on divisive referendums (paywalled)
Perry Wilton (Newshub): Major shouting match in Auckland as Stop Co-Governance movement clashes with counter-protesters

ECONOMY, COST OF LIVING
Thomas Coughlan (Herald): Forget the ‘squeezed middle’, what’s on offer for the squashed poor? (paywalled)
Max Rashbrooke (Post): The election’s great beneficiary vanishing act (paywalled)
Susan Edmunds (Stuff): ‘Not clear’ why beneficiary numbers stubbornly higher than pre-Covid
TVNZ: Q+A: Exclusive polling: How Kiwis feel about paying for poverty, climate change
Vernon Small (Post): The distorted truth about the economy (paywalled)
Liam Dann (Herald): The economic results are in pre-election, have you made up your mind? (paywalled)
Russell Palmer (RNZ): Duelling fiscal plans: Labour-National economic rivalry comes to a head
1News: Q+A: Robertson, Willis clash on finance policy in fiery debate
1News: Q+A: Willis on house price-income ratio: ‘Targeted to be much lower’
Duncan Greive (Spinoff): Nicola Willis brings the printouts to an ill-tempered Q+A finance debate
Martyn Bradbury (Daily Blog): Q+A Review: Nicola Willis destroyed by Grant Robertson in angry Finance Debate
Dan Brunskill (Interest): We asked twenty economists how they would define a recession in New Zealand
Cameron Bagrie (BusinessDesk): So many big promises, so little money in the bank (paywalled)
Brian Easton (Pundit): Has There Been External Structural Change?
Fair Policy Commentary): The planned amendment of the Reserve Bank’s mandate: The National Party’s most significant programme element and no one talks about it
Mike Williams (Hawkes Bay Today): What makes anyone think National could run the economy better than Labour?
Steven Joyce (Herald): Not so much a recession as an absence of growth (paywalled)
Tom Pullar-Strecker (Stuff): More interest rate rises ahead? How the experts split
Herald: Westpac index finds consumer confidence plummets further

ELECTION
Danyl McLauchlan (Listener): Market research, rather than principle, is driving the pledges of our mainstream parties (paywalled)
Grant Duncan: Post-truth or recycled lies?
Damien Grant (Stuff): Can we believe political slogans?
Jo Moir (Newsroom): Gone are the days of political leaders being mobbed
Janet Wilson (Post): After the not-so-great debate, look for panic to kick in (paywalled)
Bridie Witton (Post): Can Labour bounce back just weeks out from the election? (paywalled)
Felix Desmarais (1News): Luxon is going 100kph on campaign trail
Martyn Bradbury (Daily Blog): 3 Weeks until Election: TDB Battlefield Analysis
Craig Hoyle (Post): Exclusive Brethren lessons suggest Destiny should beware meddling in politics (paywalled)
Newshub: Don Brash’s Hobson’s Pledge returns fire with attack ad taking aim at Chris Hipkins
Mark Quinlivan (Newshub): Election 2023 profiles: Who are Green Party co-leaders Marama Davidson and James Shaw?
Newshub: Chlöe Swarbrick’s witty response to sign vandalised with ‘woke lesbo’ wins praise
Holly Bennett (Newsroom): I don’t want Te Pāti Māori choosing my electoral roll
Listener: Jane Ussher’s political portrait of Te Pāti Māori co-leaders Debbie Ngarewa-Packer and Rawiri Waititi (paywalled)
Audrey Young (Herald): Labour MP concedes election, Chris Hipkins’ trust win, Winston Peters sets the tone at minor parties’ debate (paywalled)
RNZ: Focus ion Politics: On the campaign trail, week three: Debates, polls, sausage and cheese rolls
Herald: Beehive Diaries: Chris Luxon’s scorecard, a win for Chris Hipkins, what to watch for next week (paywalled)
Peter Wilson (RNZ): Week in Politics: Leaders’ debate fails to catch fire
Brent Edwards (NBR): TV debates, TV polls, Auckland’s plan and out of recession
Eric Frykberg (Interest): ACT launch implodes, Winston Peters shows responsibility, and the Greens and Labour squabble over solar power
Michele Hewitson (Listener): Pre-election performances career from farcical to fatiguing (paywalled)
Alison Mau (Post): Minor leaders inspire cracking TV, and deserve more voice in election debates (paywalled)
Rob Campbell (Herald): The political parties’ porkies behind the recession, prison and gangs (paywalled)
Earl Bardsley (Post): The risk of becoming the ‘blackout nation’ (paywalled)
Craig Hoyle (Stuff): Why are ACT and Greens supporters more likely to work from home?
Federico Magrin (Stuff): Direct democracy, the political system minor parties are raving about
Toby Manhire (Spinoff): Why David Seymour despises TV shows about politics
Spinoff: Sick of tame leaders’ debates? Watch this Youth Wings one instead
Donna Miles (Post): Are you a hobbit, a hooligan or a Vulcan? (paywalled)

ELECTORATES
Bridie Witton (Stuff): ‘My heart couldn’t take it any more’: How Northland has become a hotbed of frustration, anger and distrust
Gabi Lardies (Spinoff): Who dares challenge Chlöe? The race for Auckland Central
Emma Hatton (Newsroom): Electorates to watch: Candidates fight for face time in Whanganui
Mihingarangi Forbes (RNZ): Mata Reports 3: Ikaroa-Rāwhiti
Justin Wong (Post): Public service spending in the spotlight at Mana electorate debate (paywalled)
Otago University: Q&A with Ingrid Leary and Ben Peters
David Hill (Local Democrac Reporting): Waimakariri election candidates tackle crime, healthcare and the cost of living

LABOUR
Duncan Garner (Listener): Why Labour only have themselves to blame (paywalled)
Richard Harman (Politik): Game on; Hipkins comes out punching (paywalled)
Marc Daalder (Newsroom): Hipkins goes on the attack in rally speech
Molly Swift (Newshub): Chris Hipkins reaffirms stance on wealth tax as Te Pāti Māori reveals it as bottom line during Newshub Nation debate
Thomas Coughlan (Herald): More fiscal holes as Labour faces questions about GST policy
Amelia Wade (Newshub): Labour on attack over free school lunches as poll shows support for taxing wealthy more
RNZ: Labour promises to keep school lunch programme
Thomas Manch (Post): Postcards from the road: A week in the life of a Labour campaign (paywalled)
Thomas Coughlan (Herald): Chris Hipkins distances himself from former colleague dismissing bullying allegations against Shanan Halbert (paywalled)
RNZ: Hipkins defends Labour’s handling of Halbert concerns
1News: Chris Hipkins reveals ‘hardest moment’ of the campaign so far
Karanama Ruru (Stuff): One of New Zealand’s youngest candidates wants to hold the door open for young people
Vincent O’Sullivan (Newsroom): Short story of a Labour candidate

NATIONAL
Chris Trotter (Interest): Moving in the direction of the (new) Government
Brent Edwards (NBR): Still no sign of National’s fiscal plan and detailed costings (paywalled)
RNZ: National releases document laying out current economic plan
1News: National to spend at least $30m to reverse speed limit changes if elected
Claire Trevett (Herald): National leader Christopher Luxon takes leaf out of Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown’s book, declares war on road cones and speed limits
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): National wants to reverse speed limit reductions, minimise use of road cones
Brianna Mcilraith (Stuff): National promises to reinstate 100kph limit on State Highways
RNZ: Election 2023: National promises to end new speed limit reductions
Jamie Enosr (Newshub): Labour’s Chris Hipkins dismisses National’s speed limit announcement
Tom Pullar-Strecker (Post): National promises ‘laser sharp’ focus addressing competition problems (paywalled)
Steve Braunias (Herald): The Secret Diary of … Truckin’ Luxon (paywalled)

IMMIGRATION
Lincon Tan (Herald): Indonesian overstayers found living in a plywood shed and dilapidated caravan at New Windsor, Auckland property
Michael Neilson , Adam Pearse and Thomas Coughlan (Herald): Govt moves on Dawn Raids, Labour unveils major immigration policy
Trent Doyle (Newshub): Government announces changes to Green List, seasonal employment, Recovery Visas
RNZ: Immigration rebalance: Green List expanded, restrictions on ‘dawn raid’ deportations
NBR: More roles added to green list to cope with skills shortages
Rayssa Almeida (RNZ): Immigration laws need stability, says adviser group
Casper McGuire (1News): Labour, National, ACT announce similar immigration policies
RNZ: Immigration in spotlight as similar policies announced
RNZ: National announces new parent visa category
Eleisha Foon (RNZ): Dawn Raids stories captured for future generations
Martyn Bradbury (Daily Blog): Migrant exploitation is the backbone of NZs low wage addiction
Mark Derby (Post): High-stakes rescue finds new life for Burmese refugee accused of ‘high treason’ (paywalled)

HOUSING
Ged Cann (Post): Mega Landlords: National wants to ‘rebalance market’ to help landlords (paywalled)
Max Rashbrooke (Spinoff): Did National really just simply sell off state houses?
John Minto (Daily Blog): State housing fantasies and a tale of two graphs
Thomas Coughlan (Herald): National declines to match Labour’s housing promise as campaign enters crucial week
1News: Labour promises another 6000 public homes if re-elected
RNZ: Labour promises 6000 more state houses if re-elected
Stuff: More public housing to regions over coming years, says Labour’s Megan Woods
Amelia Wade (Newshub): Chris Bishop calls Labour ‘recklessly irresponsible’ over housing promise, Megan Woods says ‘judge us on our record’
David Chaston (Interest): Gird yourself. Home loan rates will likely rise soon – again
David Chaston (Interest): Residential property auction sales rate drops to 43%
Miriam Bell (Post): Small-town tenants hit hard by rental pressures (paywalled)
Miriam Bell (Post): Forget the stereotype of the ‘typical’ landlord (paywalled)
Katie Townshend (Nelson Mail): Plan Change 29: How easy will it be to build six storeys?
Tom Kitchin (RNZ): Tiny homes, big problems

HEALTH
Ruth Hill (RNZ): Wellington doctors told to stop referring women to specialists unless their condition is urgent
Virginia Fallon (Post): ‘We are powerless here’: One night in the emergency department (paywalled)
Guyon Espiner (RNZ): Junk food advertising a ‘major contributor’ to obesity
Guyon Espiner (RNZ): How ultra-processed food became a battleground
Rachel Thomas (Press): From car boot care to queues out the door, what broke after-hours healthcare? (paywalled)
Zoe Madden-Smith (Re: News): Nearly half of NZers can’t afford to go to the dentist
Andrew Bevin (Newsroom) The major health crisis ignored by election campaigns
Liu Chen (RNZ): Asian New Zealanders excluded from the mental health conversation
Moana Ellis (Local Democracy Reporting): Patients on beds in corridors: How will Whanganui Hospital cope with a growing population?
Michael Oehley (Waikato Times): How to make a doctor (paywalled)
RNZ: New Covid vaccines may arrive too late for latest variant
Amanda Gillies (Newshub): Blind woman Minnie Baragwanath calls for NZ to do better for people with vision and hearing impairments

THREE WATERS
Andrea Vance (Post): The circus moves on, but no-one is talking about the elephant in the ring (paywalled)
Kelly Dennett (Post): When bread and butter collides with transformation (paywalled)
Press Editorial: The need for water reform (paywalled)
Stuff: Investigation into Queenstown’s cryptosporidium outbreak intensifies, will leave ‘no stone unturned’
RNZ: Cryptosporidium outbreak: Health officials search for infection source

CLIMATE CHANGE, ENVIRONMENT
Eloise Gibson (RNZ): The multibillion-dollar climate hole faced by both Labour and National
Brent Edwards (NBR): Climate change agreement marked by disagreement (paywalled)
Evan Harding (Southland Times): Farming lobby group revs up ‘drive 4 change’ campaign, but Labour hits back
Martyn Bradbury (Daily Blog): The Big Lies Climate Deniers, Groundswell, National, ACT and Corporate Farmers keep spinning about NZ emissions
Grant Miller (ODT): Climate action cards to be laid on the table (paywalled)
Annemarie Quill (Stuff): NZ’s hottest ever summer could be ahead – with fire, drought and sharks
Newshub: New LAWA data shows two-thirds of monitored New Zealand river sites rated poorly for E. coli
Isobel Ewing (Newshub): New Plymouth residents concerned despite milestone in battle to have toxic chemical plant cleaned up
Mike White (Post): Niagara shipwreck continues to deteriorate while politicians dither (paywalled)
ODT Editorial: River proposal go-slow (paywalled)

LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Simon Brown (Herald): Trams, plans and parking fines: Wayne Brown has some new ideas for Auckland (paywalled)
Mark Thomas (Newsroom): Mayor Brown’s Auckland Deal is the real deal
Kevin Norquay (Post): Why can’t Wellington have nice things? (paywalled)
Trent Doyle (Newshub): Support for Māori wards in Tāmaki Makaurau low as Auckland Council submissions close
Catherine Hubbard (Nelson Mail): Māori ward ‘not true partnership’ but step in right direction, say iwi
Denise Piper (Stuff): Northland council considers security as claws come out over new cat rules

TRANSPORT, INFRASTRUCTURE
Olivia Wannan (Stuff): Are $3 per litre petrol prices driving motorists towards EVs?
Frances Chin (Post): Wellington commuters take full fares in their stride (paywalled)
Finn Blackwell (RNZ): Auckland rail: KiwiRail, Auckland Transport release plans
Krystal Gibbens (RNZ): Hybrid trains on the way for lower North Island
Kate Green (RNZ): Wairoa Airport runway extension gets boost from government

PUBLIC SERVICE
Nikitin Sallee (BusinessDesk): The public service: ‘just do it’ (paywalled)
Oliver Lewis (BusinessDesk): Govt department investigates AI job screening (paywalled)

FOREIGN AFFAIRS, PACIFIC
Mitch McCann (Newshub): Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta rebukes Russia, warns of Pacific destabilisation in United Nations speech
Mitch McCann, Reuters (Newshub): Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta to meet US President Joe Biden next week while at Pacific Leaders Summit
RNZ: Niue announces new scheme at UN to fund and protect its ocean
Lydia Lewis (RNZ): ‘We are at crisis point’: Climate warrior calls on US, UK to do more for climate action

BANKS
Nona Pelletier (RNZ): Banking services study reveals negative opinions on state of sector
Rebecca Stevenson (Interest): NZ banks are lagging on real-time payments and fraud protections. The Commerce Commission says it could force them to get on with it
Tom Pullar-Strecker (Post): Consumer NZ fears consumers will be underrepresented in banking review (paywalled)
Grant Kemble (Stuff): Banks could do more to open doors to homeownership