CoveragePost
August 10, 2021
Analysis by Bryce Edwards. Today’s New Zealand Herald cartoon shows a titanic-style National Party sinking beneath the waters while the captain orders “Full steam ahead!”. Cartoonist Daron Parton nicely sums up the general media perception about the state of the party after its annual conference at the weekend. While the party leadership are keen to ... <a title="Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: Divisions threaten to sink National" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2021/08/10/bryce-edwards-political-roundup-divisions-threaten-to-sink-national/" aria-label="Read more about Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: Divisions threaten to sink National">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
August 6, 2021
Analysis by Bryce Edwards. When significant voices on the political left start speaking out against Labour’s proposed hate speech laws it’s a sign that they’re in big trouble. With criticisms now coming from across the political spectrum, it’s much more likely that the Government will ditch the botched speech regulation reforms. The latest leftwing activist ... <a title="Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: Progressive opposition will help kill off hate speech proposals" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2021/08/06/bryce-edwards-political-roundup-progressive-opposition-will-help-kill-off-hate-speech-proposals/" aria-label="Read more about Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: Progressive opposition will help kill off hate speech proposals">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
August 4, 2021
Analysis by Bryce Edwards. The supermarket sector is finally about to receive some serious government intervention. Following a scathing report from the Commerce Commission, it’s now almost inevitable that the Labour Government is going to have to introduce some major changes to this vital but uncompetitive retail sector. And these moves are likely to be ... <a title="Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: Radical reform coming to a supermarket near you" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2021/08/04/bryce-edwards-political-roundup-radical-reform-coming-to-a-supermarket-near-you/" aria-label="Read more about Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: Radical reform coming to a supermarket near you">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
July 28, 2021
Analysis by Bryce Edwards. Jacinda Ardern and Grant Robertson like to think of themselves as leftwing politicians. So why aren’t they prioritising and championing the vulnerable at the bottom of society? Since Covid hit they have chosen economic policies that benefit the rich while pushing more into poverty. Increasing inequality was thrown into stark relief ... <a title="Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: Labour’s sacrificing of the poor" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2021/07/28/bryce-edwards-political-roundup-labours-sacrificing-of-the-poor/" aria-label="Read more about Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: Labour’s sacrificing of the poor">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
July 23, 2021
Analysis by Bryce Edwards. It’s nearly a week since the “Howl of a Protest” took place throughout the country, and we’re still talking about the rural revolt. What are the farmers’ concerns? Are they legitimate? Has the rural-urban divide has become too deep, and will any of this have an impact on politics in Wellington? ... <a title="Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: The Seriousness of the rural revolt" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2021/07/23/bryce-edwards-political-roundup-the-seriousness-of-the-rural-revolt/" aria-label="Read more about Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: The Seriousness of the rural revolt">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
July 12, 2021
Analysis by Bryce Edwards. The Government has begun a $3.5m advertising campaign to convince New Zealanders of the need for radical reform of our drinking, storm and wastewater. A consensus appears to be building on the need for change, but there are arguments against the Government’s “Three Waters” reforms. Have they come up with the ... <a title="Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: The Democratic and equity deficits in the Three Waters reforms" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2021/07/12/bryce-edwards-political-roundup-the-democratic-and-equity-deficits-in-the-three-waters-reforms/" aria-label="Read more about Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: The Democratic and equity deficits in the Three Waters reforms">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
July 4, 2021
Analysis by Bryce Edwards. This week New Zealand was officially pronounced the second most peaceful nation on earth – just behind Iceland – in the publication of the annual Global Peace Index. New Zealand’s high “peacefulness” score was based on the country’s low amount of violence, conflict and terrorism. However, New Zealand was marked down ... <a title="Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: Massive new government defence spending reconfirmed without NZ First" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2021/07/04/bryce-edwards-political-roundup-massive-new-government-defence-spending-reconfirmed-without-nz-first/" aria-label="Read more about Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: Massive new government defence spending reconfirmed without NZ First">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
June 30, 2021
Analysis by Bryce Edwards. Whenever governments attempt to regulate political speech and activity, the results often end up being problematic and potentially harmful to democracy and debate. Regardless of how good the intentions, such reforms often bring complications, confusion, and unintended ill-effects. That means any laws around “hate speech” need to be extremely clear and ... <a title="Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: The confusing and concerning hate speech reforms" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2021/06/30/bryce-edwards-political-roundup-the-confusing-and-concerning-hate-speech-reforms/" aria-label="Read more about Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: The confusing and concerning hate speech reforms">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 25, 2021
Analysis by Bryce Edwards. Could a backlash to “woke politics” be the basis for the revival and return of New Zealand First? The Winston Peters-led party held its first post-defeat conference in the weekend, in which the main theme was NZ First’s very clear focus on culture wars issues as a way to rebuild popular ... <a title="Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: Winston’s anti-woke path back to power" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2021/06/25/bryce-edwards-political-roundup-winstons-anti-woke-path-back-to-power/" aria-label="Read more about Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: Winston’s anti-woke path back to power">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
June 11, 2021
Analysis by Bryce Edwards. In promising to be New Zealand’s most open and transparent government ever, Labour has one key challenge: reform the Official Information Act. This vital piece of machinery for democracy is in terrible disrepair, and the Government has promised to rewrite it for the modern age, but so far are stalling on ... <a title="Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: Reforming the Official Information Act is a democratic test for Labour" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2021/06/11/bryce-edwards-political-roundup-reforming-the-official-information-act-is-a-democratic-test-for-labour/" aria-label="Read more about Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: Reforming the Official Information Act is a democratic test for Labour">Read more</a>
