CoveragePost
December 16, 2025
Analysis by Keith Rankin, 16 December 2025 RNZ news item, 12pm 9 Dec 2025: “Finance Minister Nicola Willis has challenged one of her predecessors Ruth Richardson to debate her on how to best manage the country’s finances. Our political reporter Anneke Smith has more: ‘The taxpayers union is poised to launch a pressure campaign targeting ... <a title="Keith Rankin Analysis – Fire! Fire! Today’s Vestiges of Ruthenasia and Classical Austerity" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/12/16/keith-rankin-analysis-fire-fire-todays-vestiges-of-ruthenasia-and-classical-austerity/" aria-label="Read more about Keith Rankin Analysis – Fire! Fire! Today’s Vestiges of Ruthenasia and Classical Austerity">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
August 22, 2024
Opinion by Hon. Matt Robson, former Alliance Party Cabinet Minister and Associate Minister of Foreign Affairs. In 2000, the Initial vote on Kiwibank in the Labour-Alliance government was 16 votes against from Labour, and four votes in favour from the Alliance. I was there when this was reversed, and in 2001 the four insurgent Alliance ... <a title="Opinion: The New Zealand Public’s KiwiBank On The Auction Block" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2024/08/22/opinion-the-new-zealand-publics-kiwibank-on-the-auction-block/" aria-label="Read more about Opinion: The New Zealand Public’s KiwiBank On The Auction Block">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
April 27, 2024
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards, Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz) Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government is trying to achieve and its arguments for such a bold ... <a title="Bryce Edwards – FastTrackWatch: The Case for the Government’s Fast Track Bill" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2024/04/27/bryce-edwards-fasttrackwatch-the-case-for-the-governments-fast-track-bill/" aria-label="Read more about Bryce Edwards – FastTrackWatch: The Case for the Government’s Fast Track Bill">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
November 28, 2023
Analysis by Keith Rankin. The new government is making a weak start to its tenure. On Morning Report (RNZ, 28 Nov 2023, Prime Minister Luxon to lead first cabinet meeting), Mr Luxon repeated a comment such as he has made several times before: “The number one job is to rebuild the economy so we can ... <a title="Keith Rankin Analysis – Government by Cliché" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2023/11/28/keith-rankin-analysis-government-by-cliche/" aria-label="Read more about Keith Rankin Analysis – Government by Cliché">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
November 24, 2023
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Richard Shaw, Professor of Politics, Massey University It might have taken six weeks to decide the shape of New Zealand’s next government (or three if you count from the final results), but in the end that is the nature of proportional representation. Compromise, trade-offs and haggling are ... <a title="Three parties, two deals, one government: the stress points within New Zealand’s ‘coalition of many colours’" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2023/11/24/three-parties-two-deals-one-government-the-stress-points-within-new-zealands-coalition-of-many-colours-217673/" aria-label="Read more about Three parties, two deals, one government: the stress points within New Zealand’s ‘coalition of many colours’">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
September 26, 2023
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards. As the National Party gets closer to government, lobbyists and business interests will be lining up for influence and to get policies adopted. It’s therefore in the public interest to have much more scrutiny and transparency about potential conflicts of interests that might arise. One of the key individuals of ... <a title="Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: The Vested interests shaping National Party policies" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2023/09/26/bryce-edwards-political-roundup-the-vested-interests-shaping-national-party-policies/" aria-label="Read more about Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: The Vested interests shaping National Party policies">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
August 8, 2022
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards. Political Roundup: Luxon’s “New National” Back in the 1990s, Tony Blair rebranded The British Labour Party as “New Labour”, to try and draw a line under past failures. It’s as if Christopher Luxon is attempting to follow suit, and launch “New National” at the moment – a party that’s fresh-looking, has ... <a title="Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: Luxon’s “New National”" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2022/08/08/bryce-edwards-political-roundup-luxons-new-national/" aria-label="Read more about Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: Luxon’s “New National”">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
September 8, 2021
Analysis by Bryce Edwards. What exactly is plaguing the National Party? And would another leadership change help? These are the big and enduring questions that have surrounded the opposition party since they lost power in 2017. For the best answers to these questions, it’s well worth reading the latest piece by Matthew Hooton in the ... <a title="Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: What’s going on in the National Party?" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2021/09/08/bryce-edwards-political-roundup-whats-going-on-in-the-national-party/" aria-label="Read more about Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: What’s going on in the National Party?">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
August 7, 2021
Analysis by Bryce Edwards. Running alongside Judith Collins’ “Demand the Debate” campaign in public is something of a “Demand Reform” mood within her party. There will be heightened demands for change to be made to the top of the party this weekend, when National branch delegates convene for their Annual General Meeting. The conference looks ... <a title="Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: National’s internal discontent and mood for change" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2021/08/07/bryce-edwards-political-roundup-nationals-internal-discontent-and-mood-for-change/" aria-label="Read more about Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: National’s internal discontent and mood for change">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
June 26, 2021
Analysis by Bryce Edwards. At the end of another tumultuous week for National, two former senior staffers for Judith Collins have spoken out in savage terms about the state of the party. First Matthew Hooton argued that the party could be in mortal decline: “National has been in intensive care. It’s now moving to the ... <a title="Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: Does National’s turmoil mean the party is terminal?" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2021/06/26/bryce-edwards-political-roundup-does-nationals-turmoil-mean-the-party-is-terminal/" aria-label="Read more about Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: Does National’s turmoil mean the party is terminal?">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
June 4, 2021
Analysis by Bryce Edwards. The National Party has a major problem with standards, especially amongst its MPs and election candidates. The latest controversies involve the resignation of their longest-serving MP Nick Smith over an employment dispute, and allegations of abhorrent behaviour by election candidate Jake Bezzant. The party has been beset by a series of ... <a title="Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: The Low standards in the National Party" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2021/06/04/bryce-edwards-political-roundup-the-low-standards-in-the-national-party/" aria-label="Read more about Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: The Low standards in the National Party">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
April 20, 2021
Analysis by Bryce Edwards Speculation about the National Party’s leadership has died down, after a fortnight of rumours and overt positioning by supposed challengers to Judith Collins. She lives on as leader for a bit longer, and Christopher Luxon and Simon Bridges have been put in their place. National now desperately needs to focus on ... <a title="Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: National has bigger problems than its leadership" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2021/04/20/bryce-edwards-political-roundup-national-has-bigger-problems-than-its-leadership/" aria-label="Read more about Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: National has bigger problems than its leadership">Read more</a>
