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September 3, 2026 8:00am by Kokila Patel

General Debate 03 September 2026

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General Debate

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Yvette

How New Zealand’s left block political parties intend to shaft Kiwi citizens by returning New Zealand back to Mari. But on the other hand, how the right block intends to shaft the left block.

Labour Party
⚬ Provide over $20 million annually in funding for Māori trade training.
⚬ Cap public transport fares.
⚬ Offer free doctor’s visits and free prescriptions to ease financial pressures on Māori communities.

Green Party
⚬ Enshrine the Te Reo Māori text of Te Tiriti as legally authoritative over the authentic English version
⚬ Implement treaty-based decision-making across all levels of government.
⚬ Grant the Waitangi Tribunal binding powers, particularly regarding land restoration to Māori.
⚬ Rewrite laws to ensure Māori have an equal say in national governance.
⚬ Support Te Pāti Māori in creating a separate parallel criminal justice system based entirely on Tikanga.
⚬ Establish a ring-fenced Māori legal aid service for property disputes.
⚬ Assist Te Pāti Māori in legally entrenching the seven Māori electorate seats.

Te Pāti Māori (The Māori Party)
⚬ Promote Māori self-determination and indigenous rights.
⚬ Repeal the Electoral Amendment Bill and reinstate voting rights for all prisoners.
⚬ Halt the abolition of Māori-focused state departments.
⚬ Introduce tax policies aimed at heavily reducing costs for whānau.
⚬ Make Māori eligible for bowel and cervical cancer screenings 10 years earlier than the rest of the population.
⚬ Create a dedicated Māori-only health card.
⚬ Establish a dedicated Māori parliament to govern indigenous affairs independently of the Westminster system.

The Opportunities Party (TOP)
⚬ Implement a Citizen’s Income / Universal Basic Income (UBI) to provide financial security for whānau and Māori communities.
________________

ACT Party
⚬ Actively campaign against race-based co-governance, holding that civic rights must be identical for all citizens.
⚬ Push for a national referendum to redefine the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi.
⚬ Remove laws, health metrics, and government departments that differentiate citizens based on race.
⚬ Ensure all policy applications are based strictly on identical treatment and economic need.

New Zealand First
⚬ Advocate for a referendum on or the outright abolition of dedicated Māori parliamentary seats.
⚬ Redirect public spending directly to infrastructure and health rather than race-based departments.
⚬ Remove race-based criteria and government departments to ensure all citizens are treated identically under the law.

National Party
⚬ Implement a “no new taxes” pledge to lower living costs for all struggling households regardless of ethnicity.
⚬ Deliver public service support based strictly on socioeconomic need rather than ethnicity.
⚬ Target lower inflation to reduce everyday costs such as rent, fuel, and groceries.
Source: Whangarei Tim.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sro74IBRkR4

The above may not be all inclusive. Please feel free to add any omitted policy.

Also please consider the outrage that the Left indulged in because they interpreted David Seymour and ACT’s as intending to alter the Treaty, and what the Left propose here doing to it
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September 3, 2026 8:01am
- Nikola Donatello
  
  “Create a dedicated Māori-only health card.
  ⚬ Establish a dedicated Māori parliament to govern indigenous affairs independently of the Westminster system.”
  
  So we sink into the abyss.
  
  Eventually the Greens and the Maori Party will be in government.
  
  It pains me, but I would encourage any bright graduate or even a bright tradesperson, to pack up and leave.
  
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  September 3, 2026 8:25am
  - cmm (semi-retired edition)
    
    I have no objections to a Maori only health card and a Maori parliament.
    
    So long as it is all funded from Maori-only taxes.
    
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    September 3, 2026 8:39am
  - MCōs
    
    “Eventually the Greens and the Maori Party will be in government.”
    Both have been in government in past administrations, although the Maori Party was quite different in John Key’s day
    Furthermore
    Christopher Luxon most certainly didn’t want NZ First in the current government, but that’s the way the chips fell
    If the public didn’t hold such a dim view of both the Nats and Labour simultaneously as they do now we wouldn’t even be discussing the merits of these various minor parties
    
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    September 3, 2026 9:28am
    - imalwaysright
      
      “If the public didn’t hold such a dim view of both the Nats and Labour simultaneously ….”
      
      Spot on.
      
      New Zealand is resource rich, and we still have enough of the right people.
      Literally we are the land of milk and honey and whatever else you could want.
      How hard can it be to Govern this country?
      We should have the highest standard of living, and be the happiest country on the planet.
      
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      September 3, 2026 10:01am
    - Nikola Donatello
      
      It was a different Maori Party entirely.
      
      The Greens have only been in government between 2017 and 2020. Only time ever. And their influence was moderated by New Zealand First.
      
      Green policies have become far more extreme. Together with the Maori Party they are literally advocating for New Zealand to exit the category of developed democracy. We would drift towards an amalgam of Zimbabwe and Papua New Guinea.
      
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      September 3, 2026 10:35am
    - Pope Punctilious II
      
      “the Maori Party was quite different in John Key’s day”
      
      How long can Key fanboys go on kidding themselves? It’s always been a Maori supremacist party, they’re just saying the quiet bit out loud now. Have you forgotten Tariana Turia encouraging Maori teenage girls to have babies on the taxpayer, because “we need to increase the Maori population”?
      
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      September 3, 2026 2:37pm
  - Yvette
    
    Nikola, as with several of the above policies, it will become essential to re-define who is “Maori,” not as lightly as the self-identity for the Electoral Rolls, but in serious perhaps life or death circumstances of health.
    
    A niece in the South Island had to deal with a breast cancer specialist on the phone from Auckland and was asked if she was of Maori descent, as if she was she would be attended to faster.
    
    A question is: Is Maori lower life expectancy a genetic predisposition? – which could mean a medical need for a physiological definition.
    
    And will such a definition take longer to arrive at than any decision on the use of Ihumātao, and how many years will that defray Maori life expectancy by?
    
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    September 3, 2026 9:59am
    - slijmbal
      
      “A question is: Is Maori lower life expectancy a genetic predisposition? ”
      
      Almost certainly not or any minor genetic contribution is completely swamped by demographics and lifestyle choices.
      
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      September 3, 2026 10:33am
      - Gussy
        
        Genetic predispositions are always viewed with one eye firmly shut.
        
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        September 3, 2026 12:11pm
      - imalwaysright
        
        It can’t be.
        ‘Maori’ are predominantly non Maori.
        
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        September 3, 2026 2:12pm
  - Burtland
    
    we already have an underperforming health system by-maori-for-maori – Hauora Health – introduced by Clark
    
    https://www.health.govt.nz/maori-health
    
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    September 3, 2026 12:32pm
  - Gulag1917
    
    Still hope for NZ.
    
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    September 3, 2026 1:51pm
- lastmanstanding
  
  I fear the increase in the OCR will be the death knell for the Government. Their only path to victory will be if the Maori Party gerrymandering fails and Opportunity fails to top (pun intended) 5%.
  However.
  1. The Opporunity MPs will be inexperienced and ill disciplined and run off to the MSM if they dont get their way.
  2. If as on current polling the Green/Opporunity/Maori portion of the Lefts total vote is close to Labour the Toxic Trio will demand the comensurate number of seats around the Cabinet table denying some hopeful Labour MPs.
  3. The Toxic Trio will demand a comensurate say in policy.
  4. Take Tax. In addition to Labours CGT they will demand it be extended, demand a Wealth Tax, Land Tax, increases in Income Tax, Company Tax and Trust Tax rates plus Death Duties and Gift Duties. Labour will have to concede to at least some of their demands.
  4. A Four Headed Hydra will not stay in one piece for the term. I suspect it will fracture at some point and the electorate will punish all four Parties as a result.
  
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  September 3, 2026 8:59am
  - Burtland
    
    you miss the obvious
    
    0. NZ becomes Aotearoa
    
    then in addition we get
    5. damaging financial and human capital flight
    6. unstable Aotearoa spooks overseas investors
    
    the scary thing is this IS the lefts plan
    
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    September 3, 2026 12:51pm
  - Ghost
    
    They would last the full term. These parties are more compatible than people want to admit
    
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    September 3, 2026 12:53pm
    - Pope Punctilious II
      
      Yes, they all want higher taxes, higher government spending, “pay equity”, and a Maori ethnostate.
      
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      September 3, 2026 2:39pm
- Handyman
  
  The word “referendum” strikes terror in the heart of every far left radical.
  They prefer “captain’s call” or “decisive action on behalf of our people” unless the decision is made by “fascists, ignoring the will of the people” ie the coalition majority in Parliament.
  
  Compare the reaction to Ardern’s “captain’s call” destroying a billion-dollar industry and Luxon’s idle comment on a referendum effecting the constitution.
  
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  September 3, 2026 11:57am
- PurplePen
  
  There’s another problem with just enshrining only the Maori text ToW. What of the tribes that signed up to the English text?
  
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  September 3, 2026 12:07pm
Scott

On the weekend I went to Wellington vs Counties at the Wellington stadium.

First of all I would have to say that it was a good game. The Wellington boys tried hard but probably without their star players who I imagine are away with the All Blacks. Counties had some block busting runners who Wellington couldn’t stop and ran away with the match. Wellington is yet to win a game this season. That might account for the very small crowd of maybe 2000? This is less than what they get for the Wellington Phoenix who normally attract around 4000.

Because the crowd was very small we were ushered down to the southern end of the ground, behind the goal posts. This meant you could see the action when a team was attacking down your end but couldn’t see much of the action when the play was down the other end. The best seats I have always found are near the half way line but no one was allowed to sit there, we were all down the southern end.

Secondly I wondered whether we would get music played all game, like during the Hurricanes games, something I do not like. The DJ was right there, a young fellow who looked around 12 but maybe was 14? He played music right through the second half, some Eminem and other rap monstrosities and other music of his choice played throughout with little or no concern about the actual rugby game. Apart from one time when he played a loud trumpet blast right as the Counties player was attempting to kick a goal! Are there no adults in charge at the Wellington rugby union?

So that’s my experience. Some two thousand spectators huddled at the far end of the ground with loud music playing throughout. Surely the rugby union can give their supporters a better experience? 🤔
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September 3, 2026 8:03am
- kowtow
  
  The powers that be clearly view their supporters as nothing more than stock to be herded where ever suits them and then subjected to constant noise.
  
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  September 3, 2026 10:47am
- CrazyIvan
  
  Also not booking the game at the same time as a food show is using the concourse would be a good idea as well
  
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  September 3, 2026 12:26pm
- imalwaysright
  
  Scott
  That sums up how NZ is run these days.
  The customer/taxpayer is merely there to pay the bill.
  
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  September 3, 2026 2:17pm
Southern Raider

Maybe I’m missing the point but how does raising the OCR reduce inflation when the items with significant price rises aren’t nice to haves.

Raising the OCR is supposed to curb inflation by reducing demand on constrained goods/services.

– the petrol price won’t reduce because people drive less
– your home insurance won’t reduce because people buy less
– rates won’t reduce as you have no choice but to pay
– electricity and gas won’t reduce by using less

I think the fundamental control is broken and it is just going to tank our economy even more
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September 3, 2026 8:10am
- Nikola Donatello
  
  It doesn’t work like that. The CPI is made up of 598 goods and services. There is overwhelming evidence that monetary policy does not just affect inflation. More it is the only policy that can tackle inflation.
  
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  September 3, 2026 10:40am
  - keepcalmcarryon
    
    Cutting government spending is the other way.
    But National refused to cut back the bloated public service so it’s the public who will get reamed again for decisions not of their making.
    If the Nats lose the election over the economy it’s completely their fault regardless of overseas events.
    
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    September 3, 2026 12:57pm
  - Southern Raider
    
    I would expect if you looked at what the main drivers of current inflation are they would be what I have listed and no consumer has ability to reduce the impact of those by not spending.
    
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    September 3, 2026 1:38pm
- Local Miller
  
  In very basic terms, inflation occurs when there’s more money than goods in the market. This allows those with money to pay more, pushing up prices, causing inflation. Cheap credit is like having more money in the economy.
  Increasing the OCR means you’re paying more for credit and are less likely to spend beyond your means, putting less pressure on supply, slowing down the price increases. i.e. reducing inflation.
  Except for people like me, I don’t use credit except for my mortgage, and I’ve just fixed that for another 2 years. Despite the rate having gone up, I’m actually paying less than before 🙂
  
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  September 3, 2026 6:02pm
artemisia

Labour signs pledge to extend living wage to all state sector workers

Lovely jubbly. Just a small point though. There are a lot of NEETs and other unemployed folk out there looking for jobs, or are supposed to be looking. How many NEETs applying for entry level state sector jobs are going to be assessed as worth Labour’s proposed pay rate?

Back in the day, when the ‘living wage’ was a new thing, The Treasury reported that its main beneficiaries were young people living at home and government revenue. And does anyone remember that the first annual update of the ‘living wage’ reduced the calculation because it was unacceptably high?

Completely coincidentally, headline in the Herald today …economists fear we’re living beyond our means. Article paywalled.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/politics/361028417/labour-signs-pledge-extend-living-wage-all-state-sector-workers
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September 3, 2026 8:11am
- RoboRob
  
  Yet another feel good policy from Labour that adds significant costs to the government, with no stated source of revenue to pay for it. Labour must be heading towards $30b of promised additional spending with only a limited CGT that will earn almost no money for at least 5 years, to pay for it.
  
  There is only so long Labour can hide behind, ‘after the Prefu we will explain how we pay for this’. The advantage they have is the media breathlessly reports every promise with the funding critique to be far in the future. The promise and the funding are decoupled and disassociated. Shamble Yahkov will be out to do the costings and confirm is all good. Very clever campaign strategy.
  
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  September 3, 2026 9:19am
- pdm
  
  A far better idea for those Parties would be for them to reestablish the Youth Rate for those under 20 entering the work force.
  
  Rate to be aged based so a 20 year old with no qualifications or experience gets say 66.6% of minimum wage while a 16 year old gets 50% and scaled appropriately in between.
  
  In addition there could be an under 16 rate that allows school kids to do paper runs, work in shops after school etc and gain the disciplines of time keeping, work ethics and even civility and good behaviour. This would be a flat rate of 33.3% of minimum wage and would encourage employers to take kids on as used to happen.
  
  Not going to happen from a Labour/Green/etc, etc Coalition of Mayhem but something the current Coalition should consider if/when reelected to Government.
  
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  September 3, 2026 9:41am
  - artemisia
    
    There is a welfare benefit change coming for 18s and 19s, unless there is a change of government. For those impacted (most) good chance at least some of their parents will say to them – no income, no sofa, no dinner.
    
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    September 3, 2026 9:50am
  - KKNZ2025
    
    Just no. I remember youth rates from the 1970s. I was paid less than adult workers who couldn’t/wouldn’t do the same work as well as myself.
    
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    September 3, 2026 10:07am
    - RoboRob
      
      The reverse here. I see young kids (my own included) who slowly shuffle around the supermarket. Without lower wages for such staff why would I not hire an older person who works faster?
      
      For a first job with no work experience youth wages are an incentive for employers to give them a chance, and a chance for them to develop a work ethic.
      
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      September 3, 2026 10:50am
- Paulus
  
  Remember we still have the second highest Minimum Wage in the OECD, with no effective commensurate productivity, except from the land.
  
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  September 3, 2026 9:46am
  - imalwaysright
    
    High wages= no employers=no jobs.
    
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    September 3, 2026 10:04am
    - kowtow
      
      And more inflation.
      
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      September 3, 2026 10:48am
- peterwn
  
  But if the Government wants to pay its employees the ‘living wage’ then it should do its own calculations on what the ‘living wage’ should be and not rely on the figures from a self appointed group ie Revd Charles Waldergrave’s group.
  I have some sympathy for the ‘living wage’ but only in the case of wage earners supporting families.
  
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  September 3, 2026 10:24am
  - artemisia
    
    There are of course a lot of taxpayer subsidies, especially for families but not only for them.
    
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    September 3, 2026 10:28am
- NeverMindTheBollocks
  
  If raising the minimum wage is such a sure fire road to success, then why not make it $50/ hour? Hell, why not $100?
  
  Go on, Chippie, you know you want to. Be the Working Class Hero you were born to be!
  
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  September 3, 2026 11:58am
artemisia

Former Children’s Commissioner Claire Achmad … After unsuccessfully applying to continue, Achmad was replaced by Jane Searle this month. Achmad said she had “not been given any specific reason as to why I wasn’t reappointed”, something she described as “really disappointing”.

There are always reasons. And always people who don’t see them coming.

https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/national/claire-achmad-on-unfinished-business-as-children-s-commissioner-jane-searle-outlines-frontline-focus/
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September 3, 2026 8:12am
- Blog-aholic
  
  When did they make giving a reason mandatory? Her term ended, it was not extended….maybe she herself was the reason…..
  
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  September 3, 2026 8:18am
  - peterwn
    
    Interestingly, left wing governments will also not reappoint or will even squeeze out people they do not want. For example – on your bike or we will legislate. Helen Clark’s government by legislation effectively removed all employment tribunal/court members/judges without redundancy payments and appointed new ones more likely to be more employee friendly. Also a certain Police Commissioner was squeezed out.
    
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    September 3, 2026 10:33am
    - SoloView
      
      @ peterwn
      Of course “a certain Police Commissioner” had to make himself known to the constable who pulled over the car his then partner was driving.
      
      Puts you in mind of the former National MP asking a waiter “do you know who I am”
      
      Any person in in a position of power that uses that power at a personal level should suffer the consequences.
      
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      September 3, 2026 1:02pm
- imalwaysright
  
  Mrs Achmad:
  
  ““I was very intentional about creating spaces for children and young people to see that they do belong in the places where big system level decisions are made that affect their lives.””
  
  Gibberish, like her letter to the children of NZ she uploaded to her website that included this:
  
  “You, your safety and happiness are so important to me that I’m writing this letter to you, and to all New Zealand’s children.
  
  I’m writing so that you know we all care about you, fully committed to a future where you grow up safe and full of joy”
  
  If she isn’t part of the solution, she is part of the problem.
  Bye bye….
  
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  September 3, 2026 8:41am
  - OlderChas
    
    I believe that the outgoing commissioner proved that the commission does nothing and therefore the job – and the commissioner – should be de-commissioned.
    
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    September 3, 2026 5:51pm
- RoboRob
  
  She has released her letter to the press for this term, it’s someone else’s turn to release the 3 yearly press release.
  
  A do nothing agency with no need to exist. I assume her contract will be for three years and not be cancellable. So she will survive whatever, if any, government restructure takes place.
  
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  September 3, 2026 9:22am
I remember when

A Different MMP:
There are 71 Electorate or Maori seats and you vote for the electorate member you want.
Then you have your List vote which only applies to the remaining 49 seats (increase it to 50 if you want).
This means there would be no overhang but List vote influence is reduced, so perhaps the percentage to qualify for a seat needs to reduce.
For the last List seat it will be decided by highest decimal point.
It continues to allow minor parties to be represented, but perhaps less able to ‘wag the dog.’
Only a starting point.
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September 3, 2026 8:20am
- Steve Todd
  
  Then you have your List vote which only applies to the remaining 49 seats (increase it to 50 if you want).
  
  Oh, dear. You must have missed my response to you a couple of Sundays ago. See https://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2026/08/general_debate_23_august_2026.html/comment-page-1#comment-3873224.
  
  As I informed you then, overall proportionality is decided by the Party Vote, not just the List seats. That would be the Supplementary Member system.
  
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  September 3, 2026 2:54pm
- Steve Todd
  
  On re-reading your comment, I realise you are advocating the Supplementary Member system, the favoured electoral system of the Right (because it is only semi-proportional), who know we’re never going back to the discredited FPP.
  
  It’s not going to happen — in my view, of course.
  
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  September 3, 2026 5:08pm
cmm (semi-retired edition)

Last night I had a bit of a scratch around the disaster of Vietnamese crime in NZ.

We all know Maori crime levels are out of control with about 0.7% of the entire Maori population in prison (4% if you zoom in on males 20 to 30). That’s a shocking 1 out of 25 20-something men in prison that would me more than double that (ie. around 10%) if prisoners served full sentences.

But Vietnamese are giving that a “hold my beer”, as has come to light in recent activities.

There are thought to be over 200 Vietnamese involved in illegal operations such as cannabis grow-houses and such. Many of these thought to be trafficked in some ways (overstayers, those working illegally etc and being forced to work for reduced wages etc).

Since there are only around 14000 Vietnamese in NZ, that would put the offending rate at about 1.5% of the entire Vietnamese population. That’s double Maori incarceration rates (which is, of course different to Maori offending rates).

Now obviously most Vietnamese are not involved in crime (just as most Maori are not), but that’s an awfully large number of rotten apples in the barrel.
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September 3, 2026 8:36am
- imalwaysright
  
  NZ has become the equivalent of the Wild West town where the Sheriff is continually drunk and the Judge is on the take.
  
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  September 3, 2026 8:44am
- MCōs
  
  About four hundred prisoners in NZ prisons are Asian. No further breakdown is provided, but seeing as Vietnamese make up a very small proportion of the number of Asians in NZ one can assume a lot less than two hundred of them are in prison.
  If all the people in NZ that deserved to be incarcerated were locked up the prison population would would be huge.
  
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  September 3, 2026 9:05am
  - MCōs
    
    Probably just as well
    The cost to the taxpayers would be enormous, which is something the lock em up and throw away the key zealots overlook.
    
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    September 3, 2026 9:33am
    - kowtow
      
      And the cost of not locking up and throwing away the key is NZ has become a crime hub for int’l organised crime as well as all the ‘mundane’ day to day crime.
      
      All the symptoms of a failed state.
      
      What’s the price of a failed state.
      
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      September 3, 2026 10:54am
  - peterwn
    
    And many Vietnamese crims are low level operatives providing labour for grow houses for which they would be paid a pittance if that. So the best solution is to charge them then deport them without further ado (Malaysia and Singapore would probably make their departure a bit memorable).
    
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    September 3, 2026 10:38am
- cmm (semi-retired edition)
  
  To make it even more fun, the worst of the Vietnamese and the worst of the Maori are now joining hands.
  
  Rival Vietnamese gangs are hiring local (mainly Maori) gang members for muscle.
  
  https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/vietnamese-crime-groups-hire-gang-members-to-target-cannabis-rivals-in-spate-of-violent-attacks-in-auckland/premium/R6PT7H6T3ZCQBNCK77ZRXFQYFY/
  
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  September 3, 2026 3:05pm
Spam

Chris Hipkins claims that Labour’s oil & gas ban had no impact on Methanex closing, and by implication, no impact on gas reserves availability in New Zealand. He explains that:

“New Zealand hasn’t had a significant find of new natural gas for over 20 years. The oil and gas ban didn’t change that reality,” he said.

“The oil and gas ban hasn’t been in place under this Government, and they still haven’t found more gas. The reality is, they spent 20 years looking for gas, billions of dollars drilling holes that didn’t have gas at the bottom of the them.”

Firstly, if there is no gas, did you need the ban? Why not stop with the silliness of reinstating it, if you are so confident?

Secondly, these “billions” have been spent by experts in the hydrocarbon industry, based on their view that the benefits outweigh the risks. It is their money (theirs and their shareholders). What do you, Chris Hipkins, know that these experts don’t?
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September 3, 2026 8:51am
- burt
  
  This is on Jacinda.
  
  Remember her, she’s the flakey one who wanted to virtue signal to the world how green she was talking up the risks of sea level rises.
  
  Of course that was before she ran away and purchased a sea front property in Australia.
  
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  September 3, 2026 8:58am
- mike
  
  I’m not sure if this was the case here, but most exploration worldwide is subsidised by governments, part of the trillions in annual public subsidies for fossil fuels.
  
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  September 3, 2026 9:09am
  - David Garrett
    
    Mike: Unless the operator – or stakeholder – in any well was the government owned Petrocorp, to the best of my knowledge governments here never subsidised wildcat oil wells. I stand to be corrected – my knowledge is on the exploration/drilling side, not the financials.
    
    Our big selling point was political certainty – now gone forever – and relatively low ad valorem royalties applied to any production.
    
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    September 3, 2026 9:29am
    - David Garrett
      
      In fact now that I think some more about it, the government often had a “free carry” interest in an exploration well – which is the opposite of a subsidy. A free carry interest means a party has – say – a 5% stake in any production from a well, but doesn’t pay any of the costs of drilling it.
      
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      September 3, 2026 9:49am
      - plc
        
        I worked for the Ministry of Energy – Petroleum Division in mid-80s and then for Petrocorp as Geologist.
        
        My role was to administer the Government stake in exploration wells in conjunction with Treasury. Petrocorp was our operational agent.
        
        The Government received a free 50% carry in all exploration wells but then had to fund 50% of development. It could farm out that percentage to reduce the investment in the development. This extended to permits awarded to Petrocorp (as opposed to external commercial entities). Petrocorp discovered and developed most of the wells along the McKee overthrust which was NZ’s most significant oil discovery. The Kaimiro end produced gas.
        
        So Government investment was in Petrocorp and from the 50% interest if that was successful and developed.
        
        The onshore Taranaki drilling programme was highly successful and lucrative for the NZ government. Wells were drilled for $5-10million.
        
        Offshore is much riskier. You needed to bring in a rig. Bringing one to NZ was uneconomical unless you had a drilling programme of 3-4 wells and usually required coordination of all local explorers. Typical cost then could go up to $100 million.
        
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        September 3, 2026 12:32pm
  - Taieri
    
    Seismic surveys around Stewart Island and west to the Solander Islands in 2004 were for the government account.
    Similarly, the surveys in 2005-2006 along the east coast of the NI and into the Bay of Plenty were also for the government accounts.
    The government at the time was Labour, with Clark as the PM.
    
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    September 3, 2026 9:43am
    - David Garrett
      
      Taeri: I don’t doubt what you say – but the results of those surveys would be either sold to a prospective licensee, or provided free of charge as an incentive to apply for a permit. I guess the second of those could be called a subsidy.
      
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      September 3, 2026 10:08am
      - Taieri
        
        provided free of charge as an incentive to apply for a permit
        ————–
        
        As far as I know the above applied. At least that’s what Harry Duynhoven told me at the time.
        
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        September 3, 2026 10:16am
      - Spam
        
        Or used for general purposes by seismologists and geologists, or even people wanting to lay undersea cables etc. They’re not just for petroleum exploration.
        
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        September 3, 2026 11:13am
      - Taieri
        
        Or used for general purposes by seismologists and geologists
        ————
        
        Not quite.
        There’re specific aims for all seismic surveys. Petroleum surveys examine bottom structure from completely different angle than undersea cable surveys.
        I have done both.
        Also worked on cable and pipe layers in the Persian Gulf.
        
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        September 3, 2026 11:22am
  - Spam
    
    The OECD has a subsidy tracker.
    https://fossilfuelsubsidytracker.org/country/
    
    If you care to look at the data, the “trillions” in subsidies is generally consumer subsidies. Use the filters, and set Fuel Types to include oil & gas, and the Beneficiary to “producer”, and the annual global subsidies are only ~ 20 Billion / annum. Consumer subsidies are more like 400 – 600 billion. It’s not the private companies that are getting subsidies!
    
    Also, under exploration licenses, seismic surveys are required to be put into the public domain, where they are used for things like studying earthquake potential. Essentially, this is private companies “subsidising” the government.
    
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    September 3, 2026 11:12am
  - virtualmark
    
    mike,
    
    Certainly not the case here anyway. The Government has in the past commissioned and paid for seismic surveys, with the results then made available as part of the info in tender rounds for drilling licenses. But AFAIK the Government hasn’t paid for drilling.
    
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    September 3, 2026 3:37pm
  - slijmbal
    
    @mike
    
    “…most exploration worldwide is subsidised by governments”
    
    utter nonsense
    
    there is the occasional government where sovereign risk is so high they have to pay the oil companies to explore. They frequently have to pay to explore but can get incentives such as accelerated depreciation, like many industries. Sometimes where the opportunity is less attractive the government may also front with capital but then gets a slice of the action.
    
    The anti oil crowd deliberately uses an extremely broad brush to make huge claims of subsidies, which are as big a lie as peak oil was.
    
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    September 3, 2026 10:54pm
- PeterTrentham
  
  It’s on Winston First also. He could of said no. Did he say yes to get Labour’s vote for the Waka Jumping Bill?
  
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  September 3, 2026 9:20am
  - David Garrett
    
    He could HAVE said no….
    
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    September 3, 2026 9:57am
- David Garrett
  
  “The oil and gas ban hasn’t been in place under this Government, and they still haven’t found more gas.
  
  That has to be one of the most – if not THE most – ignorant statement made by any politician anywhere. It suggests that the day (or the week or month) after the Nats repealed the ban, a drilling rig miraculously appeared and began drilling a well or two.
  
  Hipkins and his advisors clearly have zero comprehension of the long time frames applying to oil and gas exploration. Even if some major overseas explorer decided to come back – and I don’t believe any ever will for the reasons I and others have outlined on here numerous times – actually drilling a well based on existing seismic would take at least a couple of years.
  
  I stand to be corrected, but I don’t think there are drilling rigs capable of coping with off shore Taranaki seas just sitting around waiting to be chartered. And that’s just the first step.
  
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  September 3, 2026 9:24am
  - KKNZ2025
    
    Its not ignorance, its wilful. Hipkins knows full well that many people just read the clickbait headline quotes & won’t exercise their brains further
    
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    September 3, 2026 10:10am
  - Jack5
    
    It’s a hot topic — the Green-Left denying their responsibility for the halt in NZ oil-gas exploration.
    
    A thread yesterday on this (headed Thanks Labour ) has a post added to it this morning around 7am from Sean Rush, a veteran of the industry who was Todd Energy’s commercial manager. It’s worth reading.
    
    No doubt we’ll be back on this topic as the Left try to dodge responsibility.
    
    As a coalition partner during Jacindamania from 2017 to 2023, NZ First may share some of the shame for the ban on offshore oil exploration. Now, however, NZ First seems to be leader in a drive to harvest NZ mineral resources.
    
    As the English proverb puts it: he who makes no mistakes makes nothing.
    
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    September 3, 2026 12:33pm
  - plc
    
    Somebody on here yesterday implied that they were no unexploited oil/gas prospects in NZ.
    
    That is not the case.
    
    in the late 70s/early 80s the Hunt Brothers (of silver fame) had their company HIPCO drill 6-7 exploration prospects in the Great South Basin. This basin is around 200 miles south of Invercargill.
    
    They identified a number of potential developments for gas/condensate from the holes drilled but in 1982 the oil price crashed and they went from potential developments to non-economic.
    
    These prospects were in deep water, very far from industry and so would have required a Rankin-style LNG development. However their depth, isolation and climatic conditions made them a pipedream in that economic environment.
    
    however there are exploitable reserves there. I have a bottle of the condensate from one of the wells in my garage…light, clear fluid…compared to the waxy oil of Maui-4/McKee.
    
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    September 3, 2026 12:43pm
- RoboRob
  
  There is and was know additional gas. Removing the ability for further exploration broke the pipe line. The known / likely gas reserves where not tapped because there was no future in the industry. Why spend money on tapping a new source when it is your last. Better to focus on countries that enable you rather then block you and treat you as evil.
  
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  September 3, 2026 9:25am
- Master Mariner
  
  I think if anyone seriously dived a little Deeper you will find Methenex shut down one train, During Covid times.
  My inkling was because it was seriously needed for Electricity and Gas fired plant and “assume” came to some sort of settlement to redirect there Gas etc.
  
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  September 3, 2026 9:40am
  - virtualmark
    
    Methanex have always run the numbers on whether they can make more profit by (i) converting their contracted gas to methanol or (ii) selling their contracted gas to third-parties.
    
    They’ve done a surprising amount of (ii) over the years, and this most recent announcement that they are shutting down Motunui is also (ii). At current domestic gas prices they can make good money from selling their gas.
    
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    September 3, 2026 3:40pm
- Handyman
  
  A Labour insider explained Ardern’s announcement at the time.
  
  The message to the industry was…
  New Zealand is extending our ideological nuclear free policy to all things fossil fuels.
  You will never be granted a production license to extract any oil or gas you discover.
  It is therefore a waste of time to continue to explore. Your exploration licenses sold to you by the New Zealand government are now worthless, but we will not officially cancel them because that will require compensation. (My friend thought this was a master stroke because Labour could run the line that no existing permits would be affected).
  Gas would eventually run out but it was predicted to be during National’s turn in government. My friend thought this was another example of Ardern’s leadership and why she was so respected around the world.
  
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  September 3, 2026 12:44pm
tavita

ACT party : Push for a national referendum to redefine the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi.

No, Push for a national referendum to reestablish the original principles of the Treaty of Waitangi.

Even the translated version granted Maori the rights and duties of British citizens. We need to push back against the idea that ACT want to take away the rights guaranteed by the TOW. We want to affirm them.
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September 3, 2026 8:57am
- Yvette
  
  Tavita – No, Push for a national referendum to reestablish the original principles of the Treaty of Waitangi.
  
  No, push for a national referendum to establish
  [1] the Government has the authority to govern
  [2] New Zealand citizens have equal rights and responsibilities
  [3] the New Zealand Government is to be secular – religious neutrality – in all its functions and services
  
  The only mention of the Treaty might be in pointing that rather than being the scared foundation of the nation, it now contributes to the circumstances of confusion that necessitates the non-Treaty legislation outlined above. ACT’s property rights are contained in other legislation but can be restated. The secularity issue is raised by the incursion of spirituality into Government, rather than personal morality of respect and honesty.
  
  And honesty, as far as this comment is concerned, means that the Treaty can then be considered as meeting the above outlined simple restatement of New Zealand citizen rights and responsibilities, or not, and te Ao o Maori – the Maori religious world view – in the same way.
  
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  September 3, 2026 11:00am
  - Philview
    
    I would prefer a more simple question.
    For Example: Should the nation state of New Zealand and its resources be co-governed by the Crown and Iwi?
    
    David Seymour’s attempt was easily tied up in misinformation and ambiguity by the opposition to it.
    
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    September 3, 2026 11:41am
- RoboRob
  
  Wrong. ACT pushed for a referendum to DEFINE the principles. That is because currently the principles are what any IWI, academic or politician argue they are.
  
  I would be more then happy to go back to the original three clause English version, but so many academics have twisted its meaning out of context that it needs to be re qualified or scrapped.
  
  For example I dont see Maori arguing that they should offer the sale of any property to the crown first, yet that is a key principle of the original doc.
  
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  September 3, 2026 11:31am
Grumpy Silver Top

Cognitive Dissonance perhaps?
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September 3, 2026 9:02am
Master Mariner

Just to further add to previous post about O&G Ban.
With the predictable closure of ME Oil/Gas, The only real question was how long before a settlement / agreement was reached. This now looks longer than at least 6-12 months.
Regardless what you believe, This leaves SE Asian refineries with little choice but hold on to stocks for themselves.
Throw in the ludicrous refinery attacks in Russian territory and banning of petroleum products overseas of which SE was a Market. Meanwhile the Chinese must be close to buying Oil on the Market which will increase Oil prices dramatically.
They had refrained from buying not because of there large stock piles but too keep the Oil price down.
Brent / WTI is bouncing around the 90’s/bbl with nearly all countries running out of reserves, This will get higher regardless how manipulated it appears to be.
Worth a watch as a reminder of Energy Security.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=or9Z9_kSxzw
“New Zealand’s Gas”.
There appears to be a huge disconnect between Ideology and Reality, Not only here, Europe and US to how exactly supply chains work, In particular Shipping.
Sal Mercano from “Whats going on with Shipping” hits the nail on the Head yet again.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QeQwZgWN9dw
Meantime we get AUT “Professor” doing a write up.
https://www.aut.ac.nz/news/stories/how-should-nz-boost-its-fuel-security
Regardless, This should be front and centre of any election issue.
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September 3, 2026 9:06am
- Taieri
  
  The last link doesn’t work.
  
  It shows:
  “Sorry, you have been blocked”
  Even via VPN.
  
  [Mod – works for me. try below archive link]
  
  https://web.archive.org/web/20260606065954/https://www.aut.ac.nz/news/stories/how-should-nz-boost-its-fuel-security
  
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  September 3, 2026 10:20am
  - Taieri
    
    Thanks mod.
    
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    September 3, 2026 10:49am
RoboRob

So a review on Wellingtons sewage is out. Breifly heard the author on with HDPA last night. The key players all refused to participate and he had no power to compel. The real shocker came when he said something like…

Minister watts didn’t give us the power to compel and instructed us to not find anyone responsible

Something that few people do is look at the terms of reference. These are often designed to result in the outcome the commissioning party desires.

The is a clear example of the true focus of national and local government. They are all interested in protecting each other, they live and work together. There future jobs might rely on being hired by one on the people they might criticise, so they dont.
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September 3, 2026 9:31am
- David Garrett
  
  Robo: That’s absurd…what the fuck is the point of an enquiry into some disaster if the end result is not finding who or what was responsible?
  
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  September 3, 2026 9:37am
  - Ghost
    
    they refused to appear in person instead giving written submissions.
    
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    September 3, 2026 9:47am
    - KKNZ2025
      
      Because they didn’t want themselves or their legal / spin doctors statements to be questioned
      
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      September 3, 2026 10:12am
    - RoboRob
      
      Doesn’t matter though does it, when the report was predetermined to find only systematic failure.
      
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      September 3, 2026 11:34am
    - RoboRob
      
      I’m not sure if I was clear enough. Minister Watts, in the terms if reference, specifically ruled out determining who (if anyone) was at fault. Therefore, whether the staff chose to appear in person or not, had no impact on the result with regards to determining guilt.
      
      The guy running the review pointed out he had been asked not to find anyone at fault, in response to questioning as to should these people have shown.
      
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      September 3, 2026 1:26pm
      - Ghost
        
        yes and do you actually know why, because to do so would prejudice and compromise potential prosecutions and the current investigation underway. The Greater Wellington Regional Council’s investigation into it will be finished by December at which time any prosecutions will be announced
        
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        September 3, 2026 1:38pm
  - kowtow
    
    It’s from the Sir Humphrey Appleby playbook .
    
    ‘Enquiries serve to shield the permanent bureaucracy, stall inconvenient political initiatives, and ensure that the status quo remains completely unchanged.’
    
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    September 3, 2026 11:01am
  - RoboRob
    
    Simon Watts. Not interested in actually doing or achieving anything. Like Goldsmith, the place you send portfolios to die.
    
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    September 3, 2026 11:33am
- pdm
  
  `Minister watts didn’t give us the power to compel and instructed us to not find anyone responsible’
  
  No surprises with this sentence.
  
  Watts is the most inept Minister in he current Government and maybe the most inept National Minister in decades.
  
  Just look at how Councils all over New Zealand are walking all over him.
  
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  September 3, 2026 9:49am
  - imalwaysright
    
    If a Government wants to do something it doesn’t let an inept Minister get in the way.
    
    Watts is doing precisely as instructed. He will never be out of an overpaid job.
    
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    September 3, 2026 10:13am
    - RoboRob
      
      Watts and Goldsmith are the two least productive ministers. It is very informative that they hold so many portfolios. Goldsmith holds the most of any MP, yet achieves the least (if you exclude Watts).
      
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      September 3, 2026 11:36am
      - imalwaysright
        
        Seems that we are in a holding pattern…
        
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        September 3, 2026 12:10pm
Paulus

I see in today’s Herald that …wit Coughlan is decrying the use of the two RNAF B757s Aircraft in the Paciific at the same time as Paific Forums and Winston’s role are required as effectively stand byes.
He compalins about their previous breakdowns as this is the end of the world.
What he forgot to say is that two new Airbus A320 have been ordered to replace these two old aircraft.
Silly little man, just slang the current Government as earlier such as Labour Government did not order new aircratft for the purpose.
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September 3, 2026 9:39am
- Nikola Donatello
  
  No they are being replaced by modified A321XLR aircraft. Far more capable than A320s.
  
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  September 3, 2026 10:43am
  - Hugh Jarse
    
    Palau isn’t that easy to get to either, no wonder the RNZAF took an extra as a back up, they may also have picked up other PI Leaders and entourages on the way. Once they have the new aircraft operational taking a back up will probably stop.
    
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    September 3, 2026 6:59pm
Maggy Wassilieff

Can anyone fathom why some offenders get home detention while others get banged up in a prison?

https://pointofordernz.wordpress.com/2026/09/02/child-porn-brierley-went-to-jail-and-lost-his-knighthood-but-former-maori-fishing-ceo-gets-to-serve-time-at-home/
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September 3, 2026 9:53am
- David Garrett
  
  Mags: This is fucking disgraceful. That guy belongs in prison – alongside some of the other offenders mentioned in the piece. We all know why he isn’t where he belongs.
  
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  September 3, 2026 10:02am
  - Nikola Donatello
    
    Why?
    
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    September 3, 2026 10:45am
- kowtow
  
  I think the answer to that is pretty well black and white.
  
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  September 3, 2026 11:03am
- Gravelroad
  
  Can anyone fathom why some people find the use of babies and children for their sexual gratification acceptable?
  I’ll wait………
  
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  September 3, 2026 11:28am
Paulus

I seeing today BOP Times the pictures and names of the top staff at Tauranga Council and their responsibilities towards Ratepayers.
Of course not one these ladies would accept any responsibility for what they do not want to know from their little empires.
Tauranga Council top echelons have been fully bounded for years by these special lady with DEI appointments, along with a weak male CEO at $700,000 plus a year (5th highest Council paid CEO), being the only employer.
We read that the salaries paid to these council senior staff would make most people blush.
Not Me sir !
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September 3, 2026 10:13am
- RoboRob
  
  According to Minister Watts, the local ratepayers / voters are the only ones who can remove these people. I’m not quite sure he understands how councils function. I would like to see how the voters can remove the CEO, let alone the top staff.
  
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  September 3, 2026 11:40am
  - MCōs
    
    They can’t and I’d be surprised if he actually said that which you claim
    
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    September 3, 2026 4:29pm
  - MCōs
    
    Here is what he said
    https://fb.watch/JoIvrdqfY0/?fs=e
    
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    September 3, 2026 4:33pm
- MCōs
  
  The full council is responsible for employing/terminating the CEO.
  In turn the CEO is responsible for council staff.
  
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  September 3, 2026 4:26pm
Duncan Brown

Hawke’s Bay readers, there’s a new (refurbished) news source I’ll be keeping an eye on: http://www.hawkesbaynews.co.nz
Formerly HB App, it’s been relaunched by journalist Astrid Austin, daughter of Andrew Austin, former editor of HB App and before that, editor of HB Today. She says the launch is, “a little later than we originally planned, but with the general election approaching, what better time to start?”
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September 3, 2026 11:06am
imalwaysright

TV1 London correspondent on the Breakfast programme quoted some officials who said the recent hot summer in the UK was “130 times more likely to be caused by man made global warming”

Where do you start with that one…?
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September 3, 2026 11:07am
- Taieri
  
  130 times more likely
  ———–
  
  And, my ignorance, I thought that it was only 127.32 times more likely…
  
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  September 3, 2026 12:54pm
- RoboRob
  
  I will one up you on that…
  
  The same reporter also ran a story on a German state potentially selecting the ‘first far right government since WW2’.
  
  There is plenty of debate as to where on the political spectrum Hitler fits but it certainly isn’t a decided fact.
  
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  September 3, 2026 1:32pm
  - imalwaysright
    
    Yes, I saw that.
    I was expecting some grainy footage of 1939 German political speeches to be used as a background to that particular proclamation….
    
    Journalist = Propagandist
    
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    September 3, 2026 1:58pm
imalwaysright

This sums up the disdain with which the disgraceful Public Service treat their employers, the Public.

https://www.1news.co.nz/2026/09/03/tolls-kept-on-during-free-route-closure-waived-if-drivers-get-in-touch/
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September 3, 2026 12:15pm
I remember when

Hampshire U-turn on Scott Kuggeleijn signing after backlash: ESPN.
Hampshire have announced that the New Zealand allrounder Scott Kuggeleijn will no longer play for them after his signing drew significant backlash from supporters and club staff, including members of their women’s team.
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September 3, 2026 1:29pm
nova

The top story on the Herald website right now is that Luxon made an embarrassing gaffe, saying Warratahs instead of Warriors. Except he correct himself immediately, in the next few words, so it was really just a slight slip of the tongue. It is not as if he doubled down on his mistake, like certain Labour MPs recently. And the same article brings up another apparent gaffe, from 2023, where he said Crusaders when Canterbury might have been more applicable. I’m a pedant, but even I would feel stupid criticizing someone for that. And even worse to harp on about it 3 years later. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/rugby-league/warriors/prime-minister-christopher-luxon-mixes-up-waratahs-with-warriors-at-pacific-islands-forum-leaders-meeting/K6KZ3PB3LZF75JE6IHFWWC67DA/
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September 3, 2026 1:51pm
Maxxx

Moa Point…… what a shambles.

And true to form, a central player has quietly moved on and has his snout in the trough elsewhere. Pat Dougherty, erstwhile CEO and previously a non-executive director of Wellington Water moved on when Tiaki Wai kicked off. He’s now turned up as a director on two new water authorities…. Tauranga/Western Bay, and Marlborough.

So you get to preside over a serious fuck up, and are rewarded with cushy appointments elsewhere. WTF were those responsible for the appointments in BoP and Marlborough thinking? Another example of the ‘monastic sect’ that local govt appears to be? FFS.
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September 3, 2026 2:03pm
Paulus

History has often told thet the bigger the stuff up the bigger the redundency payment followed not too long afterwards by another well paid job.
Local Government is the tops in this sphere.
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September 3, 2026 4:34pm
Gravelroad

Headline news on car radio around 4pm.
PM Luxon arranged for two NZ planes to go to some meetings in the Pacific. – TWO PLANES.
It’s a scandal, I tell you, an absolute scandal.
What it has to do with the PM, I do not know.
How pathetic is this?
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September 3, 2026 5:09pm
- Hugh Jarse
  
  Of far more interest but not it seems to media was that a number of the Island’s, Solomons, Samoa and Kiribati (?) did not attend under pressure from the Chinese.
  
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  September 3, 2026 6:52pm
rouppe

More dud judges:

Hakyung Lee is still subject to a life sentence, but her minimum non-parole period has been cut from 17 years to 10.

The reduction has been made after the Court of Appeal noted there was a “stark” disparity between her sentence and that given to Lauren Dickason, another mother who murdered her children.

I wonder if the judge ever considers going “this is manifestly unjust, so we’ll INCREASE the sentence on Lauren Dickason.

Plus, are the circumstances the same?

Hakyung Lee: Assessments focused on a prolonged grief reaction and atypical depression. Her defense experts argued her mental break was entirely triggered by the recent death of her husband from cancer.

Lauren Dickason: Assessments focused heavily on postpartum depression (PPD) and a pre-existing recurrent major depressive disorder dating back to her teenage years. Defense experts argued her mind was disturbed by childbirth and aggravated by intense fertility struggles and a stressful international move from South Africa.

But hey, I’m a judge, and I can just ignore all that shit
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