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May 11, 2026 8:00am by Kokila Patel

General Debate 11 May 2026

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General Debate

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Nikola Donatello

This is a story about an artist from Nga Tahu who has a photo exhibition at the Venice Biennale.

I am sure that the artist is talented. The Venice Biennale is a big deal.

However what caught my eye was the sheer scale of the support crew accompanying the artist.

“Ahead of the exhibition opening, members of the wider Ngāi Tahu delegation joined them as they carried out karakia, whakawātea and waiata in Venice. The group was also joined by representatives from the Aotearoa art community…..

“I think we’re very lucky for our presentation, our opening to have a powhiri supported by our whānau and our hapū and our cousins that have come to support us,””

https://www.teaonews.co.nz/2026/05/08/whanau-back-ngai-tahu-artist-in-venice/

So there is a support crew comprising whānau, hapū and the cousins? 😳

This is a return trip to Venice. Airfares, accommodation plus expenses. You would get no change from $NZ 10,000 for each person.

Did Nga Tahu pay for all this? Please don’t tell me that it was the Government

I don’t present this as an attack on the artist. I am suggesting that the scale of the delegation is excessive given competing priorities at home.
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May 11, 2026 8:08am
- Dougal10
  
  I can assure you that in some way you contributed to this wonderful event .
  
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  May 11, 2026 8:11am
  - MCōs
    
    I’m glad you think it’s wonderful because you’ll have the chance to look at it yourself in NZ next year.
    
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    May 11, 2026 9:54am
    - Dougal10
      
      Woosh
      
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      May 11, 2026 11:12am
      - ISeeRed
        
        Oh he gets it. He covers for mike here sometimes.
        
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        May 11, 2026 12:49pm
- Gravelroad
  
  “Please don’t tell me that it was the Government”.
  Please don’t tell me that it was the taxpayers.
  
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  May 11, 2026 8:12am
- igm
  
  ND: Please get it right . . . taxpayers, not government, funding this delegation’s abject bludge!
  
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  May 11, 2026 8:29am
  - Nikola Donatello
    
    Maybe each of the support crew paid their own way but it seems unlikely. I think that I was being conservative with my estimated cost of $NZ 10000 per person.
    
    Let’s be conservative and say that the trip cost $150,000. Think of the benefit that would have been obtained from a Nga Tahu donation to a Chistchurch food bank of that amount.
    
    I agree that it is more likely to have been funded from a New Zealand government agency. Iwi see money from “the Crown” as unlimited and lasting forever. The idea that Iwi would receive a final “settlement”…. that is long gone. We now have aspirations to shared power. As David Lange pointed out wisely, New Zealand cannot remain a democracy if concede that Maori have sovereignty.
    
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    May 11, 2026 8:49am
    - Quail
      
      The article , as written in the link , is incomprehensible to average New Zealanders.
      They certainly don’t want to communicate detail with all NZ.
      
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      May 11, 2026 9:12am
- Simon
  
  “Aotearoa New Zealand’s 2026 Venice Biennale presentation is led by Creative New Zealand Toi Aotearoa, in partnership with Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū and Te Runanaga o Ngāi Tahu, with generous support from the New Zealand at Venice Patrons.”
  
  That is taxpayer money levied by National who believe mountains can be people. Hence parasite taxing of non- Maori by National
  
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  May 11, 2026 8:40am
  - Northshoredoc
    
    As per Mcos’ post below funding appears to be largely via private donors but don’ let that deter you your usual morning rant.
    
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    May 11, 2026 9:35am
    - Jethrod
      
      Gosh, are you reeeeaaaly that naive to believe there is no Taxpayer involvement?
      
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      May 11, 2026 11:28am
    - Nikola Donatello
      
      Not sure I do much ranting.
      
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      May 11, 2026 11:54am
      - Northshoredoc
        
        Sorry not directed at you ND, more so at Simon.
        
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        May 11, 2026 12:44pm
      - Cassandra
        
        Aimed at Simon, I think.
        
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        May 11, 2026 12:48pm
  - Right of way is Way of Right
    
    “with generous support from the New Zealand at Venice Patrons.”
    
    Now what do you suppose was the substantive form of that support? A handshake and a hug?
    
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    May 11, 2026 11:33am
- pdm
  
  ND that entourage sounds about the same as those that accompany the Prime Minister on his overseas trips to sing and dance and pray for a man they say they dislike – if not hate.
  
  Surely a Maori artist would have the same or even greater entitlement than our Prime Minister?
  
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  May 11, 2026 8:44am
  - Nikola Donatello
    
    I must be out of touch. When I think of an artist at an overseas festival, I think of someone struggling and staying at a local youth hostel. I have a feeling that these guys did not stay at a hostel.
    
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    May 11, 2026 8:52am
    - kowtow
      
      Gone are the days of chopping off one’s ear , mind you he might have made a few bob out of that self portrait with head in bandage and fur cap illustrating hard times.
      
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      May 11, 2026 9:11am
      - peterwn
        
        He ended up in a mental hospital near Arles in southern France on the Rhône River. That did not stop him painting. His room at the hospital has been retained as a memorial and can be easily visited.
        He certainly passed the artist test – his paintings are worth a fortune and every major art gallery (including Auckland) has at least one.
        
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        May 11, 2026 12:13pm
    - pdm
      
      Art is not my thing so I have no idea what his contribution to the festival was.
      
      I guess it was not a `dunny’ as was the case a few years ago.
      
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      May 11, 2026 9:37am
      - Gravelroad
        
        Perhaps it included a New Zealand flag which people could walk on and wipe their feet as they entered the venue?
        
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        May 11, 2026 10:03am
      - pdm
        
        gravel I think that was the artist still known as Prince.
        
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        May 11, 2026 10:09am
    - Jethrod
      
      Think St Regis, Four Seasons, Metropole and JWMarriot as just a few 4 Star hotels in Venice!
      
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      May 11, 2026 11:32am
- kowtow
  
  They make a huge song and dance over the environment . That’s an awful lot of jet fuel for some alleged ‘art” thingy.
  
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  May 11, 2026 8:47am
- Yvette
  
  Nikola – Did Ngāi Tahu pay for all this? Please don’t tell me that it was the Government
  
  Esteemed artist Fiona Pardington MNZM (Kāi Tahu, Kāti Mamoe, Ngāti Kahungunu, Clan Cameron of Erracht) will represent New Zealand at La Biennale di Venezia in 2026.
  
  The estimated budget is approximately NZ$1.2 million to run the national pavilion.
  
  The funding is a partnership model between government, patrons, and the delivery partner: Creative New Zealand (CNZ): acts as the principal investor, contributing roughly NZ$980,000 for the 2026 project. CNZ provides funding, maintains the relationship with the Biennale, and handles overall strategy.
  
  New Zealand at Venice patrons: A dedicated group of supporters covers about a third of the budget through private philanthropy. These donations are crucial to staging the exhibition, and patrons are invited to a special preview week.
  
  Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū: appointed as the delivery partner for 2026, they handle logistics, project management, and curation, working alongside curators Felicity Milburn and Chloe Cull.
  
  Partners: Ngāi Tahu (the artist’s iwi) and associated commercial galleries (such as Starkwhite) are involved in providing support for the artist and the project’s integrity.
  
  Dr Fiona Pardington has been made an officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to photography.
  Doctorate in Fine Arts (DFA) in photography from the University of Auckland, graduating in 2013. 2011 Arts Foundation Laureate.
  She is a big cheese in New Zealand ‘art’ …
  
  Pardington photographed taxidermied specimens held in museum collections across New Zealand and Australia, aiming to return mauri (life force) to them and highlight themes of memory, ecological responsibility, and loss.
  … with almost the perfect cultural / art gimmick
  
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  May 11, 2026 8:48am
  - pdm
    
    `……………………………………………….Clan Cameron of Erracht’
    
    Bloody hell a `Piper’ from Crianlarich could have got on a Ryan Air or Easy Jet flight for less than 50 quid return.
    
    $1,000 would have covered his whole trip including a bottle of Johnny Walker Black Label.
    
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    May 11, 2026 9:42am
    - Yvette
      
      Pdm – $1,000 would have covered his whole trip including a bottle of Johnny Walker Black Label.
      
      Pdm, a bottle of Johnny Walker Black Label could result in several trips.
      
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      May 11, 2026 9:54am
  - sungsamning
    
    So, more arty woke garbage that maybe 1% of people care about? I’m sure 99% of Kiwi grandkids will enjoy paying interest on their share of the national debt to pay for frills instead of necessities.
    
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    May 11, 2026 12:00pm
- MCōs
  
  If you look here there is a list of patrons who gave $3k each minimum
  https://www.nzatvenice.com/
  
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  May 11, 2026 8:51am
  - Nikola Donatello
    
    That’s good. Thanks for that.
    
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    May 11, 2026 8:55am
    - kowtow
      
      Good for them .taxpayers are still stumping up bigly for this.
      
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      May 11, 2026 9:48am
- slightlyrighty
  
  The exhibition is 17 large photos of Native Birds.
  
  I think some sort of OIA application is in order to see if any of our money was spent on this, and how much.
  
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  May 11, 2026 9:56am
artemisia

Bereaved parents want banks to stop alcohol sales to kids Very sad but fair to respond as parents have gone public and were instrumental in the liquor outlets being penalised. Good. But rather than plan to change the banking industry parents could decide to give young offspring monitored cash not bank cards.

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/crime-and-justice/594790/bereaved-parents-want-banks-to-stop-alcohol-sales-to-kids
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May 11, 2026 8:24am
- Nikola Donatello
  
  “Banks have … a social obligation to parents when they provide payment cards to children.”.
  
  Do they?
  
  Many 16 year olds have been getting hold of alcohol and drinking excessively since long before debit cards were invented
  
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  May 11, 2026 8:59am
- MCōs
  
  Another problem is liquor outlets selling alcohol to seriously underage kids.
  Apart from that a bank card is pretty much a necessity if you own a car
  
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  May 11, 2026 9:01am
- JackRabbit
  
  Good parenting begins at home, while the child is young. Banks should not be having to step in because the parents did a poor job of educating their children.
  
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  May 11, 2026 9:01am
  - SGA
    
    A little harsh – there are plenty of good kids from good families who think it is cool to get alcohol underage (at least there were in my day). Without knowing more about the family, I wouldn’t leap on this bandwagon too quickly.
    
    That said, and as others have commented, you are one ATM from cash with a debit/eftpos card (which are increasingly necessary in today’s world – some cafes are now cashless, for example). I’m sure underagers would quickly learn how to get around such a demand on banks (we would have).
    
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    May 11, 2026 9:29am
  - Steve Otto N Shore
    
    The most intelligent comment on this subject so far.
    
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    May 11, 2026 2:19pm
- Nigel Kearney
  
  I’m pretty sure there are ways to withdraw cash instead of using the card directly. Some kind of machine where you can do that.
  
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  May 11, 2026 9:11am
- Flossie
  
  Very sad that parents have lost kids to alcohol related issues. However this has been happening for generations long before bank cards were even thought of. At the end of the day it is parents who are responsible for the drinking habits of their kids.
  
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  May 11, 2026 9:19am
  - Ra Henare
    
    I think its sad that many(not all) parents and families automatically turn to Nanny Government to “”pass a law”” to cover up thir ineptitude.
    
    This sort of rant from a distraought parent, should not be turned into emotional click bait reporting
    
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    May 11, 2026 3:05pm
artemisia

Believe there are a few retirement village residents who post here. Interested to hear what they think of the proposed new rules, see link, and in particular the comments reported. “… kind of piracy really”. Piracy? Really?

How is the current situation essentially different to others who don’t live in a retirement village but need to release capital. I realise there are differences, as in the Licence to Occupy, but residents had to receive independent legal advice about the rules at the outset.

https://www.1news.co.nz/2026/05/10/its-kind-of-piracy-calls-for-tougher-retirement-village-repayment-laws/
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May 11, 2026 8:39am
- Flossie
  
  Caveat emptor? Where I live it is all very clear how things work,
  
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  May 11, 2026 12:44pm
  - Paulus
    
    When we first looked at a Retirement Village the representative of the Village made it quite clear that this is the worse investment you will ever make.
    Following my wife’s stroke, following surgery, we did so reluctantly, and have for some time been very happy here.
    
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    May 11, 2026 2:19pm
NeverMindTheBollocks

Climate change, blah blah; terrible time with flooding, how awful it is to have to leave the land of our forebears etc etc. So, we have to relocate. Luckily, locals have volunteered to provide land up the hill.

Buried well below the headline is that it’ll cost $80m to relocate, plus a further $26m to boost economic opportunities (nicely slipped into the budget!). And, 20% is to come from philanthropic donations with the rest from the Crown. So let me get this straight; the locals will get brand new houses, courtesy you & me, without paying a bean?

Interestingly, the 19th century church is already up the hill. I wonder why that is.

Also unasked is why the locals have stayed on a flood plain since (in their words) Kupe came here. What land use changes are driving the flooding?

One bloke doesn’t want to move, but he says he’ll have to, for the sake of his eight children. Well, free houses for all the kids will do that, eh.

And by the way – how much of the $80m is going to the person who is selling the land to which the village is going to be relocated? Has the land been valued professionally?

Wouldn’t it just be cheaper and easier for them to relocate to Auckland?

So many questions unasked by our media.

http://www.rnz.co.nz/news/weather/594787/far-north-settlement-could-be-first-place-in-nz-to-entirely-relocate
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May 11, 2026 8:46am
- xasperated
  
  Hardly the first. The town of Kelso in Southland was moved wholly in ~1980 because of regular flooding. There were lots of floods down south then, Dunedin airport and the “flood free” were inundated, Southland Airport had a line on the wall at about 2m which was the water level in the terminal.
  
  Clearly the climate change induced floods down that way have all moved north.
  
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  May 11, 2026 12:09pm
  - kowtow
    
    From Clutha Heritage.
    
    ‘Port Molyneux, 18kms south-east of Balclutha, was a port for coastal and river shipping. In the time prior to roads and railways, Port Molyneux was extremely important for transportation and trade in the Clutha District. In 1878, a massive flood resulted in a shift of the Clutha River mouth in effect leaving Port Molyneux as a backwater of silt, sand and dunes. It is now difficult to imagine this area as a port with hotels, stores, shops etc. The post office which had been established in 1868, despite the demise of the port, continued to operate until 1938. Port Molyneux School opened in 1865, and after the flood provided education for children of Kaka Point. Today this school has been transformed into a cafe.’
    
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    May 11, 2026 2:47pm
David George

Another brilliant essay from our Ani.
Excerpt:
“I fear that New Zealand currently sits on the precipice of the point where this resentment and siloing of communities moves from fringe to the broader populace. One one side of the issue this already exists as the accepted elite narrative. Funding, resources, housing, initiatives are expected to address Māori separately sometimes framed as due to their special status as tangata whenua and sometimes in order to redress past wrongs. On the other side there has been resistance to this, objection to the Māori Health Authority and political power and representation based on race, for example. These objections have been framed as racist, but the real problem will be when this population stops objecting to anti-universalist policy and starts advocating for racialised policies of their own.”
https://substack.com/home/post/p-192646334
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May 11, 2026 8:51am
- MCōs
  
  “Our Ani”??
  
  Is she your granddaughter or something?
  
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  May 11, 2026 9:07am
  - David George
    
    A national (small n) treasure, that’s what she is.
    
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    May 11, 2026 9:55am
  - rouppe
    
    Do you ask that when Debbie Ngarewa-Packer talks about “our people”?
    
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    May 11, 2026 3:20pm
- sungsamning
  
  Labour and the Greens have been pushing this separatist stuff. So have National. Some are probably thinking the new New Zealanders added by Clark and Key will resent it and vote ACT, or NZ First. They’re dreaming. They’ll stick with Labour. Because Labour will promise them anything to retain their vote. Easy access for spouses and kids. Special benefits. Whatever bribe it takes to gain power as the main part of a coalition. The ball and chain is almost impossible to get rid of.
  
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  May 11, 2026 12:08pm
RoboRob

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/594775/committee-recommends-disestablishing-environment-ministry-despite-public-opposition

Say it aint so, could we actually be closing down a ministry? Surprised they started with MOE.

I laugh at RNZ for claiming strong public support to NOT close it. I am pretty sure the 588 submissions were only from people associated with ‘groups’. Cetainly your average NZer likely had no idea this was even on the table.
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May 11, 2026 9:00am
- sungsamning
  
  Next, close down ‘Womens Affairs’, Maori Affairs, and Climate Change.
  
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  May 11, 2026 12:09pm
  - RoboRob
    
    Yes please and the childrens commisioner (or whatever they are called) and the Ministry for pacific peoples.
    
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    May 11, 2026 1:41pm
G the giant from Dunedin

Herald poll of polls, coalition 88% to be voted back in, and if the TPM are booted completely then 3 overhang seats go west as well, even if they hang on to 2 seats, the overhang will be gone at 1-2%
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May 11, 2026 9:03am
- Steve Todd
  
  G the giant, Te Pāti Māori has two overhang seats, not three, as I pointed out to you on 30 June last year. See https://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2025/06/general_debate_29_june_2025.html/comment-page-1#comment-3732992.
  
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  May 11, 2026 9:25am
  - G the giant from Dunedin
    
    Well, TPM got 2.1% of the vote, they have six seats, that seems well over the proportions 2 over hang seats
    
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    May 11, 2026 11:05am
    - RoboRob
      
      The thing you are missing, as SteveTodds original post says, is that PM didn’t get 2.1%, they got 3.08%
      
      https://elections.nz/media-and-news/2023/official-results-for-the-2023-general-election
      
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      May 11, 2026 12:08pm
      - Steve Todd
        
        Thanks, RoboRob, and for your link, too.
        
        More relevantly, Te Pāti Māori received 3.26% of the effective Party Vote, which entitled them to four seats in total. (Their fourth seat was the 108th seat (of 120) to be allocated to the qualifying parties.)
        
        (Even now, I’m disappointed that G the giant would appear not to have accessed https://electionresults.govt.nz/electionresults_2023/statistics/party-quotients.html, where he would see that – I say again – Te Pāti Māori were only entitled to four seats (out of 120), based on their effective Party Vote, being 3.26%.)
        
        But, the party won six electorate seats, which means two of those seats were (and are) overhang seats.
        
        The reason why there are 123 seats in parliament is because National has an additional (not an overhang) seat, which I explained in my response to Tony Stuart on 29 June 25 (which G the giant seems determined to overlook).
        
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        May 11, 2026 12:58pm
- RoboRob
  
  Interesting. Would like to see the raw numbers being used as the last few public polls have shown a left block in power, not a 5% lead for the right.
  
  Looking forward to the next TPU / Curia poll (must be soon) to see how that reflects the Herald / Motu figures.
  
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  May 11, 2026 9:50am
  - pdm
    
    Roy Morgan Poll must be any day too.
    
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    May 11, 2026 10:11am
  - G the giant from Dunedin
    
    Agreed, I note the Morgan poll is well over due as well
    
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    May 11, 2026 11:06am
- Prince
  
  Assuming the budget-leaker can’t get more baubles with Labour.
  
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  May 11, 2026 11:04am
RoboRob

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/594810/fees-free-university-scheme-didn-t-achieve-any-goals-christopher-luxon-says

Willis and now Luxon either directly or indirectly cliam the Winston prevented them stopping this scheme earlier. Winston doesn’t seem to be denying that. Very interesting, who would have throught it was NZF behind the scenes keeping this unaffordable scheme going. Certainly I didn’t expect that.

Well done National on keeping the behind the scenes negotiations private. However perhaps they should have used their agree to disagree clause to let the public know they wanted to shut it down.
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May 11, 2026 9:04am
- G the giant from Dunedin
  
  I said all the time that this will be gone by the election, i do think it was Peters idea to go last year free, but he was clearly more woke and socialist than we thought.
  
  He cant be trusted, he will go left with a blink of an eye
  
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  May 11, 2026 9:14am
  - pdm
    
    G I think it was ACT that drove it to 3rd year if they could not get rid of it completely in Coalition negotiations.
    
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    May 11, 2026 9:54am
  - RoboRob
    
    I always said it was stupid they kept it, I think it is poor politics to kill it in election year too, it should have been gone day one. Now we see potentially why it didn’t go. I have no idea whu Winston thought it was a good idea.
    
    p.s. We are paying it this year, so Winstons politics has come with a financial cost too.
    
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    May 11, 2026 9:56am
  - Pope Punctilious II
    
    Peters certainly has some socialist beliefs, but is probably NZ’s most anti-woke politician. He’s always been a social conservative. Yes he’s also a shameless opportunist, who often goes for low-hanging fruit rather than tackling the wicked problems. But he’s not stupid – and he’ll remember what happened to his support last time he went with Labour.
    
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    May 11, 2026 12:18pm
    - Northshoredoc
      
      This is Winston’s last election, he won’t care what happens to his support post election day.
      
      All he will care about post election are the baubles on offer.
      
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      May 11, 2026 1:18pm
      - Flossie
        
        I’m not willing to bet this will be Winston’s last election. Wasn’t the last one called his last throw of the dice? I reckon he’ll be around till he’s carried out in a box!
        
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        May 11, 2026 7:31pm
    - G the giant from Dunedin
      
      Well, free fees is bloody woke as far as i am concerned, woke he is
      
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      May 11, 2026 1:40pm
      - Steve Otto N Shore
        
        Free fees is socialist, but someone always has to pay.
        Winston has ‘Winston’ supporters. I was once one.
        
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        May 11, 2026 2:34pm
      - rouppe
        
        Well let’s not forget that – as Luxon said this morning – tertiary education is already about 80% subsidized, so the fees were already 80% free…
        
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        May 11, 2026 3:29pm
      - Pope Punctilious II
        
        Nothing woke about fees-free. Fees-free is socialist, not woke. Letting Maori students into med school with lower marks – that’s woke. Foisting maatauranga on science courses – that’s woke. Gratuitously putting pronouns on your signature block – that’s woke. Referring to “birthing persons” – that’s woke. Woke is about identity politics.
        
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        May 11, 2026 6:01pm
RoboRob

Huge election results in the UK with Reform decimating the two major parties, especially Labour. Not good results for the tories either as even though Labour lost more seats, they did so becuase they had so many more to lose after Labour previously thrashed the Tories.

This is what happens when both mainstream parties ignore discontent in the public. As I have said before National and Labour should be very careful, it could happen here too. The surge in support for Winston first should be a red flag. I also suspect Acts new PM spot on TVNZ breakfast will help Acts vote too.
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May 11, 2026 9:09am
- G the giant from Dunedin
  
  Rubbish, there is a huge difference, we do not have illegal immigration, it is a weak gutless stance to take to try and suggest this is the same thing.
  
  Go and look at the number this government was handed, 300000 immigrants un vetted in Labours last 2 years, the last year when you take out the returning NZers and the work visa category, then only 23000 immagrants came here last year. now tell me. how are the government ignoring people?
  
  And before you say the 300000 Labour immigrants were not unvetted, they had the minister Standford on the radio on Wednesday and she stated that none of those immigrants had criminal record checks, did not have background checks, and did not have language tests at all.
  
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  May 11, 2026 9:20am
  - RoboRob
    
    Try your reading comprehension I never said we had an issue with illegal immigration. I said, ‘This is what happens when both mainstream parties ignore discontent in the public’
    
    If you dont think there are a large number of people that are pretty unhappy with the last government and this one, your kidding yourself. Why do you think the governing minor parties are up? That never happens, minor parties in power almost always lose vote when in power. Not this time.
    
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    May 11, 2026 10:00am
    - G the giant from Dunedin
      
      The election swing in Britain is purely over illegal immigration, it is nothing to do with this government cutting Labours open border immigration right back to the bone, as I said, only 23000
      
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      May 11, 2026 1:41pm
      - waikatosinger
        
        It is also an intergenerational problem. Gen Z is seriously pissed off at the boomers who made out like bandits and pulled up the ladder behind them. The young don’t see any prospects that they will ever own a house or afford to live as their parents and grandparents do. Work is disppearing as workers are replaced at one end by cheap immigrants and at the other by AI, all in the name of the abstract economy. Many young people don’t think society offers them a worthwhile future.
        
        When people start to feel the game is rigged against them, they support radical change: turn over the table, smash everything, start over. Things are not as bad here as in the UK, but those trends are present here too. And social upheavals in the rest of the anglosphere will have echoes here.
        
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        May 11, 2026 4:41pm
- MCōs
  
  Act’s polling has been going nowhere since the last election, which I suspect is why they’ve jumped on the anti immigrant bandwagon. That’s a double edged sword too because immigrants are essential and they vote if they’re residents.
  I expect the Nats will keep hammering away at Winston and vice versa.
  
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  May 11, 2026 9:39am
  - RoboRob
    
    Yes ACTs polling has been stable. Thats actually pretty remarkable for a governing minor party, it is the norm for minor parties to lose vote when in power. ACT not doing so is a good result. NZFs increase is remarkable.
    
    Generally the minor parties pick up support in the 6 mths leading up to an election.
    
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    May 11, 2026 10:04am
  - pdm
    
    mcos I think ACT have learned from their 2023 mistake of peaking at around 14/15% 6 months or so before the election.
    
    I think their campaigning is only starting now with `knock, drop and collect’ in Wellington and The Mount at the weekend just gone.
    
    Look for ACT people knocking on your door soon and for more Policy announcements from now on.
    
    New Zealand needs a numerically strong Caucus of capable ACT MP’s following this election. I suggest 15 as an absolute minimum number and preferably 20.
    
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    May 11, 2026 10:18am
    - R
      
      I havennoticed that ACT have 15 capable MP’s. Maybe 4 or 5 at the most.
      
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      May 11, 2026 10:47am
      - Dougal10
        
        Thats still 4 or 5 more than labour
        
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        May 11, 2026 11:23am
    - wsk12345
      
      That knocks and drop thing has been going on in diff parts of the country for 6 months at least as I participated in one before xmas.
      
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      May 11, 2026 11:11am
    - MCōs
      
      The chances of someone from Act knocking on my door this election are zero going by previous campaigns
      In fact nobody connected to any party has ever knocked on my door
      Religious nutters and chuggers (charity muggers) are another story.
      I saw a lonely looking Act gazebo at the Avondale Market once. Someone with a sense of humour put them next to the Islamic info booth.
      
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      May 11, 2026 2:16pm
  - septic skeptic
    
    It’s a big mistake to assume that most immigrants who are already here want more immigration from where they came from. It’s not always true. As the Democrats found out when they assumed the Latino voters would all be anti Trump.
    
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    May 11, 2026 11:13am
  - G the giant from Dunedin
    
    Both Willis and Luxon are openly becoming embolden with pointing the Peters and his attitude, i think polls have swung well and truly back to the Nats after the media failed hitjob. the way Peters is protesting to much i think he has seen it as well, note Labour have gone silent/
    
    I think polls about pension and possibly free fees have been done and seen as favourable
    
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    May 11, 2026 1:44pm
- Wairoa Native
  
  I guess bad economies and issues like large scale immigration (legal or illegal) do make populations unhappy. The recent local elections in the Uk, and the Brexit result before that, demonstrate people want politicians they think will listen to them. Or just want to try something different. Look at recent protests in Ireland (barely mentioned by our media), the yellow vests/National Rally in France, the AFD in Germany, One Nation getting a seat in Australia. The same thing is sort of happening here. National seems stuck below 30% in the polls. Labour is only a bit better in making 35%. Of course, our mainstream media and establishment parties like to label this ‘popularism’ and call these parties ‘far right’ to scare people off. Ignoring the fact that all these voters used to vote for them not so long ago. After all politics is about being popular, getting more votes than your opponents and giving people what they want, or at least saying you will.
  
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  May 11, 2026 10:50am
- sungsamning
  
  Yes, its great news. Its obvious that Labour and the Tories are a uni party. The ‘Greens’ got a lot of Muslim votes. Restore got all 10 seats in Great Yarmouth. It ran as Great Yarmouth First though. Well done Rupert Lowe!
  
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  May 11, 2026 12:13pm
Damocles11

As long as the powers-that-be continue to pursue a policy of high levels of immigration, we will never get to grips with the urgent issues that need resolving in our economy, and our living standards will invariably continue to fall.
‘Importing people to create housing demand and bolster GDP numbers does not inherently increase productivity (output per worker or per hour) and may, in the short term, decrease it if infrastructure and capital do not keep pace with population growth. While population growth from immigration increases the total size of the economy (GDP), it often acts as an artificial stimulus to GDP rather than a driver of efficiency or productivity. Relying on immigration-fuelled population growth to mask low productivity often leads to lower standards of living over time.’
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May 11, 2026 9:10am
- kowtow
  
  ‘Relying on immigration-fuelled population growth to mask low productivity often leads to lower standards of living over time.’’
  
  And over reliance on the politicians who control the source countries . Some of which do not share our democratic or cultural values .
  
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  May 11, 2026 9:50am
- Scott
  
  Damocles, I read your post and found myself in agreement with you. I read it again to make sure? Yep still agree. Couldn’t agree more. 😊
  
  What I would add is that here in the Wairarapa our population in Masterton has grown from 20k to 25k in the last couple of decades. Our hospital is flat out. Housing prices are way up and unaffordable for many. Local businesses that sell are almost always bought by Indians who tend to employ other Indians.
  Meanwhile young kiwis can’t get a job.
  
  How is mass immigration making us richer? On every metric; housing affordability, business growth, homelessness, social cohesion, emergency hospital waiting times, we are going backwards.
  
  Stop mass immigration. The odd doctor or nurse, sure. But in our town we are going down the path of Europe and the locals are being squeezed out by foreigners.
  
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  May 11, 2026 10:50am
  - Damocles11
    
    It’s not making ‘us’ wealthier at all, as we need to pay for all the upgraded infrastructure that’s required when a country rapidly increases its population via mass immigration.
    It also suppresses wage and salary growth.
    But it is making property developers, house builders, and real estate agents wealthier, and – from their point of view – to hell with the societal and economic consequences of continuing down this track. Ultimately it also benefits the Australian-owned retail banks as the increased demand for housing gives them more people to load up with debt, so they too want more mass immigration not less.
    
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    May 11, 2026 12:04pm
  - Ian
    
    You’re not the first person to point to this. “Local businesses that sell are almost always bought by Indians who tend to employ other Indians.
    Meanwhile young kiwis can’t get a job.” The underlying question has to be, why aren’t Kiwi locals buying these businesses which could employ young Kiwis if they were employable at all…
    
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    May 11, 2026 1:13pm
    - Paulus
      
      It also behests that Indians have their own form of finance, not through the normal New Zealand way.
      For them any business coming up can get the money as the first question asked is how much, and when do you want it !
      They then support each other in whatever is required.
      
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      May 11, 2026 2:30pm
    - NZer In Exile
      
      I presume “Indians” (and other cultures) can do this stuff at lower cost because of their more traditional family structures (IE less individualistic and more the whole family pulling together to achieve things).
      
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      May 11, 2026 3:26pm
      - All_on_Red
        
        ‘Today, Patels own over 22,000 hotels and motels across the United States, a staggering 40% of the hotel and motel industry. ‘
        https://wealthz.substack.com/p/motel-empire-how-patel-families-transformed
        
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        May 11, 2026 4:56pm
    - Scott
      
      Ian, I agree we need to do something about getting our kids ready to support themselves and not be welfare dependant.
      
      However our immigration system allows in Indian people with capital. They buy the businesses presumably outbidding the locals. They buy up more businesses and get economies of scale meanwhile employing mainly Indian people.
      
      So how does that benefit locals? It doesn’t.
      And are we really saying that NZers suddenly can’t run their own country and we must have Indians to do it?
      
      Of course not. We had a country that was the envy of the world. Now we’re declining in every metric and mass immigration is part of the problem, not part of the solution.
      
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      May 11, 2026 4:22pm
Boy Geoff

Sounds a bit like Aussie political journalist Michelle Grattan’s bitter at One Nation’s by-election success.

Therefore, it’s all the Liberals’ fault and they have some serious questions to answer…
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May 11, 2026 9:19am
- MCōs
  
  Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
  Why is Gina Rinehart so enamored with the loathsome Pauline Hansen?
  
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  May 11, 2026 9:46am
  - pdm
    
    Why is Pauline Hansen loathsome?
    
    27 1
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    May 11, 2026 9:58am
    - Inandout
      
      pdm, simply because she is right of centre, that is all it takes to disturb the left.
      
      25 2
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      May 11, 2026 10:22am
      - Steve Otto N Shore
        
        [No, and don’t speculate about “other” identity please. holy mod.]
        
        1 1
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        May 11, 2026 2:46pm
      - Jethrod
        
        Nah MCos has been around forever, even when Mike was here.
        
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        May 11, 2026 2:50pm
    - NZer In Exile
      
      I’ve asked a number of lefties this question. Most don’t know. Some quote her not wanting Australia to be “swamped by Asians” quote (which wasn’t racist but was really about sensible intake numbers from quite different cultures and the question of assimilation). One lefty even burst into tears upon being asked (because she mindlessly believed the lefty mob/media, didn’t actually know and realised how stupid she looked, presumably).
      
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      May 11, 2026 2:10pm
  - Tauhei Notts
    
    I imagine it is the same reason that I always read comments on this blog by the loathsome MCos.
    
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    May 11, 2026 10:06am
    - NZer In Exile
      
      Loathsome? That’s a bit harsh old chap. Occasionally the old rusted on lefties have a point.
      
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      May 11, 2026 2:16pm
Jack5

On Kiwiblog yesterday someone suggested that signs within the new Christchurch stadium are in Maori first.

That seems extreme when some signs might be needed to save lives in an emergency and fewer than one in five New Zealanders speak Maori.

Who would be responsible for this? The City Council?

As for the name of the stadium, which One NZ paid big money to sponsor …

Apparently officially it’s “One New Zealand Stadium at Te Kaha,” but the Woke media are helping the general term to be bedded in as “Te Kaha”.

Get your money back, One NZ (owned by Infratil).
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May 11, 2026 9:59am
- Ghost
  
  so how many people do you think will die because on a sign it has a cross and “whakaora whawhati tata First Aid”. pretty obvious that is first aid.
  
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  May 11, 2026 10:36am
  - Jack5
    
    Should any emergency fire-exit signs read: “whatinga ahi – fire exit”?
    
    At least put the English-language warning first.
    
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    May 11, 2026 11:10am
    - Ghost
      
      do you think people are too stupid to understand what the word fire exit means because it has a Māori word in front of it? Oh, and if there is a fire, i couldnt give a fuck what is written on the sign, I will be going towards what is so obvious under any language an exit.
      
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      May 11, 2026 11:32am
      - Jack5
        
        It’s not about being “too stupid to understand,” it’s about speed of perception of danger and escape.
        
        Safety requirements are interesting, and can be sampled at the link below (I suspect actual standards cost hundreds of dollars each to access).
        
        For example:
        
        – The ‘running man’ is a globally recognised symbol that transcends language barriers. It intuitively communicates movement towards safety, providing a clear, instinctive instruction that anyone can understand in a fraction of a second.
        
        (Note the words “language barriers”. The Christchurch stadium will have people from countries with no acquaintance with Maori — fans from the UK, perhaps France, Argentina, Japan.)
        
        – Green is the new emergency colour. This has been scientifically chosen over traditional red.
        
        https://www.sonidesign.co.nz/blogs/news/emergency-exit-signage-requirements
        
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        May 11, 2026 12:09pm
      - Ghost
        
        bullshit. you would have to be very stupid to see a sign that says “Putanga Whawhati Tata, Emergency Exit” and not understand what that sign means The first you will register as a non maori speaker will be the image and colour on the sign, then then English words. sorry, but you’ve made up a stupid claim that people will die that really just shows stupidity
        
        despite your bullshit claim, no one is going to die because of the signs
        
        as I said, there are other reasons you could debate why English should be first, this, well, its stupid. I strongly recommend you don’t travel to any country where English is not the first language, don’t want you dying because your trying to work out what is said before the English on signs
        
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        May 11, 2026 12:32pm
      - Jack5
        
        Ghost says .. you’ve made up a stupid claim that people will die …
        
        Ghost: No word “die” in my posts, until this one.
        
        Jesus, is there some connection between the pseudonym “Ghost” and “die”? If so, I’m sorry.
        
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        May 11, 2026 1:28pm
      - Ghost
        
        So tell me jack, if someone’s life isn’t saved, what happens to them if they don’t die?
        
        Your little whinge is signs should be in English to save lives, if a life isn’t saved the person dies.
        
        You still haven’t answered the question on how many people you think will die because the sign has English second. Your above post is as stupid as your first. There are decent debates to have on this, your stupid claim isn’t realistically one
        
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        May 11, 2026 1:41pm
      - NZer In Exile
        
        Ghost bottom line it is another case of insanely messed up priorities. NZ is a basket case in serious trouble, and this stuff is just some low-priority wet dream for a minority hellbent on an undemocratic and irrational cultural coup. Most people simply do not have the bandwidth left to deal with this childish crap. Hence the annoyance.
        
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        May 11, 2026 1:48pm
      - Jack5
        
        Ghost’s …if someone’s life isn’t saved, what happens to them if they don’t die?
        
        🙃They remain sinners until the next revival meeting?
        
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        May 11, 2026 1:52pm
  - septic skeptic
    
    It’s pretty obvious virtue signalling and political indoctrination. Especially when the vast majority of Maoris don’t understand the fikafokafotsit part either.
    
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    May 11, 2026 11:18am
    - Ghost
      
      and yet, no one is going to die because it is second on a sign. Just as no one died under labour when hospitals had “whawhati tata, Emergency” on their signs. Seriously, we can disagree that it shouldn’t be first, or whatever, but to make a stupid claim like that… Oh no, kiwis are too stupid to read the English word after the Māori they might die…..
      
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      May 11, 2026 11:28am
      - NZer In Exile
        
        Let’s do pointless and stupid because Ghost says nobody will die from it.
        
        13 1
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        May 11, 2026 2:20pm
      - Gussy
        
        Smoke, heat, screaming panic, crushing bodies, broken structures. Darkness.
        
        Why would we wish to make it even the tiniest bit harder under such circumstances?
        
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        May 11, 2026 4:36pm
  - Dougal10
    
    its only first aid for the first peoples.
    
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    May 11, 2026 11:26am
    - NZer In Exile
      
      But does it even do that? How many of the fractional descendants of the real “first peoples” could be arsed to learn the language of their “first peoples” ancestors even when the language has been pushed hard for decades? Very few.
      
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      May 11, 2026 2:24pm
- R
  
  ‘One NZ Stadium at Te Kaha’, is a bit of a long title for our media journalists to remember.
  
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  May 11, 2026 10:51am
  - Flossie
    
    Maybe just remember One NZ Stadium bit then?
    
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    May 11, 2026 12:19pm
- RoboRob
  
  I actually like they have given the stadium a non sponsor name. When you have stadiums / places that change their names every couple of years based on the sponsor of the day it gets damned hard to remember what it is currently called, if you dont use it much.
  
  Take Wolfbrook Arena (christchurch) as an example. It was Horncastle arena and before that Westpac trust stadium. I just had to look it up becuase I wasn’t sure it was still WolfBrook.
  
  Whether it should be Maori name or not is another question.
  
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  May 11, 2026 1:15pm
cas

I was listenening to Jim Mora on RNZ yesterday and inadvertently got caught up hearing Mediawatch. It was, of course, anti-Government, but what struck me is that when they played clips from media to illustrate their points, it wasn’t so much what the person was saying but how they said it. Guyon Espiner all breathless, someone else with an element of surprise in their voice etc etc. You can distort something by the tone of your voice not just by what you say.

Happy Monday.
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May 11, 2026 10:24am
- R
  
  Voice tone, and facial expression are very valuable tools in communication; also very useful to distort context of ‘quoted comments’
  
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  May 11, 2026 10:53am
- Paulus
  
  But remember it is not what you say but how you say it, as our so called media do just that.
  Clever sods too !
  
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  May 11, 2026 2:35pm
  - waikatosinger
    
    Yeah but it is also what you say. And what you don’t say.
    
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    May 11, 2026 11:45pm
- Tauhei Notts
  
  I have suggested to my wife that she cease listening to Media Watch. It causes her too much anger and she uses bad language.
  
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  May 11, 2026 4:09pm
  - waikatosinger
    
    I had to retune my car radio. RNZ was making me angry with all their assumptions and distorted framing. Driving while angry is not safe.
    
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    May 11, 2026 11:42pm
Swifty

What about Kelso in the late 70s?

https://www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/360976918/far-north-settlement-could-be-first-place-nz-entirely-relocate

Was that climate change as well?

Crap reporting too.
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May 11, 2026 10:40am
- NZer In Exile
  
  From the article:
  “‘Climate change is definitely upon us”
  
  Which means they think a spate of storms in NZ recently is proof that human produced Co2 globally caused them. There is absolutely zero evidence for that. There isn’t even evidence that a warmer climate globally causes more storms! These people have lost their minds.
  
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  May 11, 2026 2:28pm
edhunter

Unless you can magically start making kiwi woman have more babies the only way for the govt to support you in your old age is import more people.
Average age 1965 25.8 2025 38.0
Average life expectancy 1965 71.2 2025 83.1
Fertility rate 1965 3.54 2025 1.60
Average time on Super 1965 11.2 2025 18.1

All these stats are going the wrong way (well maybe not expectancy depending on your views). And that is to say nothing of the skyrocketing medical cost associated with an ageing population,
Welcome to hear viable solutions, I’ve a couple but definitely not viable.
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May 11, 2026 11:10am
- Flossie
  
  I have commented before that while having more babies is desirable for the future, it will only work if they are not welfare dependents. More babies from those people will only make the situation worse.
  
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  May 11, 2026 12:49pm
  - Nikola Donatello
    
    Unlikely. As women become more educated they have far fewer children. New Zealand fertility rates are now high by international standards. Births are likely to fall from here.
    
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    May 11, 2026 1:52pm
  - Paulus
    
    Maiki with her six children is outside the Pakeha norm and as she was totally immersed in all her education, we will see the difference in six (currently) children.
    Knocks the norm.
    
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    May 11, 2026 2:37pm
- nz_aj
  
  And the retirement age went from 60 to 65, meaning people pay tax for 5 years more, and collect pension for 5 years less than they would have previously.
  The birth rate is down, but population growth has been near linear since that time at 2%.
  We’ve also had productivity growth, meaning more money from the same number of people.
  Things aren’t so bad
  
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  May 11, 2026 6:32pm
Swifty

Taupo locals object to mosque construction:

https://x.com/cookersunited/status/2053584765425680629/video/1?s=46

All power to them.
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May 11, 2026 11:40am
NeverMindTheBollocks

Oh the hypocrites!

Not content with the annual COP jamboree, the usual suspects (self-described as ‘the coalition of the willing’) will be heading to Tuvalu for another version of COP to pull together their fossil fuel reduction plans. Yep, two annual COPs.

Yes, that’s right, Tuvalu. The one that will sink under the waves if people don’t stop flying.

In all honesty, I don’t know how Tuvalu will accomodate them all. Let alone how much diesel will be required to power the event. Because, you know, these delegates will cut up rough if the air con fails.

Nothing that they’re planning to do could not be done via Zoom.

Hypocrites to their fingernails.

https://oilprice.com/Energy/Energy-General/The-Breakaway-Climate-Conference-Challenging-the-COP-Process.html
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May 11, 2026 12:20pm
- artemisia
  
  Tuvalu’s land area has been increasing for several decades.
  
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  May 11, 2026 1:19pm
  - Maggy Wassilieff
    
    Yep,
    
    an increase of 73.5ha between 1971 and 2014
    
    https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-018-02954-1
    
    https://www.nzgeo.com/stories/tuvalu-rising/
    
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    May 11, 2026 2:36pm
Nikola Donatello

So the Greens have policies designed to increase energy prices. Then they complain about energy prices..

https://www.stuff.co.nz/politics/360977099/greens-call-ministerial-intervention-over-power-prices
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May 11, 2026 12:26pm
Jethrod

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/mariameno-kapa-kingi-leaves-te-pati-maori-starts-new-party/QSLN7FWU3VF6HOOWZFOGALJYEI/

Should be a GOOD WEEK I Maori politics this week!!!!!!!!!
M-K Kingi gone from the clutches of John T!!!
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May 11, 2026 12:58pm
Bobba Fret

Tory Whanau – it was never anything to do with you being a woman, or being Maori. She needs to realise that it was because she was useless and couldn’t do the job.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/tory-whanau-testifies-at-waitangi-tribunal-racism-sexism-and-women-hating-abuse-drove-me-out-of-the-country/premium/TDL5EFPNQBH47IZL7ULB6BYCCM/
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May 11, 2026 12:59pm
- MCōs
  
  I wasn’t a Wellington resident in 2021-22 when Tory Whanau came out of nowhere to contest and win the mayoral contest in a landslide from the previous one term encumbent Andy Foster; himself a journeyman nine term councilor, who scrapped into the job with the endorsement of Peter Jackson.
  She had a pretty rough time, partly of her own making and not helped by the fool Ray Chueng sending a stupid email about her.
  
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  May 11, 2026 1:46pm
  - rouppe
    
    She had a rough time because
    
    * she didn’t know what she was doing
    * she ruined businesses with the cycleways
    * she didn’t turn up to work because of exhaustion brought on by a suddenly diagnosed adhd.
    * she was a drunk
    
    Celia wade brown was also criticised, and she only did the first two. And cycled to the airport to greet a world leader
    
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    May 11, 2026 1:56pm
- Gravelroad
  
  I would like to know what action and leadership Ms Whanau took during her time as Mayor of Wellington, to address the issue of untreated sewage being frequently pumped into Cook Strait via the south Wellington beaches.
  That is just third world stuff.
  I don’t think her lack of interest in that situation had anything to do with her race or gender.
  Wasn’t Ms Whanau high up in the Green Party admin before she stood for the mayoralty?
  But not really interested in local situations adversely affecting the environment then……….?
  
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  May 11, 2026 2:12pm
  - Ian Boag
    
    to address the issue of untreated sewage being frequently pumped into Cook Strait via the south Wellington beaches
    
    I guess the problem wasn’t there for her predecessors – only happened after she was elected in a landslide. We can tell you didn’t/don’t like her and didn’t vote for her but …. electorate felt otherwise. Doncha hate democracy … ? All that even though you were out there actively campaigning (knocking on doors, giving donations etc) for her opponents.
    
    Whingeing on Kiwiblog is easier – but doesn’t achieve much
    
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    May 11, 2026 6:44pm
    - Quail
      
      The voters did have their say— Ms Whanau was replaced by a new Mayor.
      Have not heard anyone whinging bout that!
      
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      May 11, 2026 8:22pm
      - Ian Boag
        
        She didn’t run ….. KBers were pretty negative about Little as well … seemed to like Chung whose vote didn’t amount to a lot …. Go figure.
        
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        May 11, 2026 9:22pm
Right of way is Way of Right

Tory Whanau has complained to the Waitangi Tribunal, claiming that racism, sexism and abuse has driven her out of New Zealand.

So, it wasn’t about the fact that you were useless at your job, and have cost Wellington Ratepayers millions of dollars while doing nothing to rein in the largess of runaway council executives?

Well, if only there was another example of a young, female Maori Mayor to compare to?

Tania Tapsell of Rotorua springs to mind.
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May 11, 2026 1:13pm
- rouppe
  
  It’s always that way.
  
  Success is always because of being a strong wahine Maori.
  
  Failure is always of racism and sexism.
  
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  May 11, 2026 1:51pm
- Nikola Donatello
  
  It is absurd. A man of any ethnicity, who did we exactly the same things, would have had the same reaction.
  
  And honestly. She is hardly likely to be harassed walking the streets. Her big problem is finding a job.
  
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  May 11, 2026 2:00pm
- Flossie
  
  Seems to be the way of things that any “wahine toa” that gets sacked/bad press etc immediately blames racism and or misogyny. Self awareness just doesn’t enter the picture.
  
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  May 11, 2026 2:22pm
- Ian
  
  I thought you could only take a case to the Waitangi tribunal, not a complaint (of hurty feelings)…
  
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  May 11, 2026 3:27pm
  - Ghost
    
    she is just giving her testimony in the Mana Wāhine Kaupapa inquiry. https://www.waitangitribunal.govt.nz/en/inquiries/kaupapa-inquiries/mana-wahine
    
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    May 11, 2026 3:40pm
    - Ian
      
      ‘Tory Whanau has complained to the Waitangi Tribunal, claiming that racism, sexism and abuse has driven her out of New Zealand.” So this racism, sexism and abuse was from the Crown to qualify being heard by the Waitangi Tribunal? “Wai 2700 – the Mana Wahine Kaupapa Inquiry – will hear outstanding claims which allege prejudice to wāhine Māori as a result of Treaty breaches by the Crown.”
      
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      May 11, 2026 4:53pm
Individual Responsibility

[ Mod – hard to call this “debate” ]
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May 11, 2026 2:22pm
Ian Boag

So the Nats are going to raise the pension age. My servo pie goes on a bet that it will be to 67 and be phased in at 3 months/year starting in 10 years time …. IIRC English and Joyce talked about doing something similar starting in 2037 or so this is a retread of that policy.

Brave stuff looking that far ahead – anyone born before 1975 is unaffected. Heady stuff. I’m trying to think of some other policy where a government has attempted to specify detailed (legislated) policy changes that will take effect in 10+ years.
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May 11, 2026 2:52pm
- Jethrod
  
  What are Winnies bottom lines again?
  Also I understand there is an announcement coming from NZFIRST on the 14th about a new candidate!
  
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  May 11, 2026 2:58pm
  - Ghost
    
    Well, one of his bottom lines is to ban private fireworks. Another of his bottom lines in 2017 was for a referendum on the Māori seats, that bottom line never even made it into negotiations.
    
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    May 11, 2026 9:13pm
- NZer In Exile
  
  I’d wager 67 also. Why? Because Aus and NZ often follow each other on various issues like this.
  
  Services Aus govt website on who can get the aged pension there:
  https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/who-can-get-age-pension?context=22526
  
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  May 11, 2026 3:07pm
Pope Punctilious II

Wayne Brown confirms he’s a right ****wit. And Luxon responds decisively for a change:
https://www.stuff.co.nz/politics/360977362/would-be-insanity-luxon-rules-out-forming-grand-coalition-labour
Hooton has also been advocating for a grand coalition. But I’m not sure why anyone would heed someone who thought Todd Muller was the one to lead the Nats out of the wilderness.
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May 11, 2026 6:20pm
Ghost

Welcome to Scotland, where you can be elected while only having a student visa…..

One of the new Scottish Green MSPs will have to renew their visa while sitting at Holyrood.

Q Manivannan, who is originally from India, is in the UK on a student visa and is entitled to stand as an MSP due to recent changes to eligibility rules.

Article
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May 11, 2026 9:12pm

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