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by Roger Partridge Something has gone badly wrong in the public service. From energy policy to financial regulation to education, ministers are too often advised by officials lacking the deep technical background their roles demand. This chronic loss of subject-matter [...]

by Peter Williams In any discussion about name suppression law here’s an argument that’s hard to refute: if Rolf Harris, Harvey Weinstein and Bill Cosby had been New Zealanders we’d probably never know about them. That’s because there’s every chance [...]

by Corina Shields All my life Māori have had a healthy distrust of government and politicians right up until Covid when Jacinda started dishing out dollars. As time went on and we got deeper into the pandemic, more and more [...]

by Dr James Kierstead ‘Every five years or so, I crunch the numbers on college grades across the US and report what I’ve found,’ writes Stuart Rojstaczer modestly on his website. What Rojstaczer, a former professor, has found is that [...]

by Bruce Cotterill In Sebastian Junger’s excellent portrayal of the sinking of the fishing boat, the Andrea Gail, the author outlined what he termed “The Perfect Storm”. The phrase was used to describe a unique weather event whereby a high-pressure [...]

by Simon O'Connor I did not expect to be writing a Substack on Sydney Sweeney and denim jeans. In fact, I didn’t even know who she was until the latest brouhaha erupted over an American Eagle advertisement she headlined. I [...]

by Dr Muriel Newman In his 1985 book Shadows Over New Zealand, the former Communist Geoff McDonald revealed how the Maori Sovereignty movement was using Marxist strategies to gain power: “Marxists understand that the key to destabilising New Zealand is to [...]

by Peter Williams In Britain they call the Prime Minister “Two Tier Keir,” a reference to, perceived or otherwise, a two tier justice system in that country whereby a woman can go to jail for 31 months for posting a [...]

by John McLean How Woketearoa molds Minors into Marxists “Te Whāriki” early childhood curriculum guidelines were first published in 1996. The inaugural Te Whāriki was published under a National Party-led Government, with Jim “Spud” Bolger as Prime Minister. There’s a [...]

by Dr Eric Crampton Land transport funding is not in great shape. Minister Bishop’s announcement last week of a shift from petrol excise to road user charges should be the first step toward a much better funding system. First, the big-picture [...]

by Bonnie Flaws The Government’s Digital ID infrastructure is well advanced, including cross-border plans with Australia for an ‘ANZAC ID’ and a globally interoperable digital passport. Minister for Digitising Government Judith Collins wants us to “get on with it” and [...]

by Elliot Ikilei Our entire billboard campaign has been shut down - not by debate, not by democracy, but by intimidation. Last week, we had our first Māori Wards billboard up for only a short time before the activist machine [...]

by Peter Williams If RNZ wanted a warts and all report on its failings and reasons for the catastrophic audience decline in the last five years it certainly received one this week. The former Head of News for the organisation [...]

by Barry Davis The New Zealand Parliament is now receiving advice which is informed by maturanga Maori, New Zealand universities are offering courses on maturanga Maori, and New Zealand corporations are incorporating maturanga Maori in their business practices. What is [...]

by Ian Bradford A number of weather events have been happening lately that have been associated with climate change by the climate alarmists. Weather events do not in general, signify climate change. Weather is real and observed as well as [...]

by Lindsay Perigo Last week, I celebrated the end of NCEA, the biggest blow against the child-molesters of the mind since the restoration of phonics. Don't stop there, I urged the government, who, of course, are hanging on my every [...]

by  Peter Dunne Albert Einstein apparently once said "insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." Earlier this week it was reported that the Labour Party's Policy Council is recommending the Party include introducing a [...]

by Simon O'Connor Imagine being so assured that your views on anything and everything, that you expect everyone to agree with you without compromise. Imagine being so assured that your perspective is without error, that you need only emotion and [...]

by Dr Michael Johnston On Monday morning, Education Minister Erica Stanford announced that the NCEA assessment and qualification system will be replaced. In 2028, a foundational award in literacy and numeracy will replace NCEA Level 1. The New Zealand Certificate [...]

What It Means for New Zealand and the Royal Commission Phase 2 Mathematical Fiction Used to Justify Mandates, Misinform Policy, and Silence Critics by Katie Ashby-Koppens For years, Kiwis were told, repeatedly, that COVID-19 vaccines saved millions of lives. In fact, [...]

by John Raine The 23rd July 2025 USA Department of Energy (DoE) Report, “A Critical Review of Impacts of Greenhouse Gas Emissions on the U.S. Climate” [1], authored by five eminent scientists, at last brings some balance back into official statements [...]

by Don Brash The following is written by Don Brash in his capacity as Hobson's Pledge spokesman We have big plans for our Māori Ward campaign and had planned to ease into this with our billboards and then go full [...]

by Peter Williams It looked like a plea for help, a plea for someone, anyone, to do something about the content of Relationship and Sex Education (RSE) at Queenstown’s Wakatipu High School. The email arrived from Rodney Hide, one time [...]

by Rachel Stewart To say I abhor local government elections is an understatement. Every three years we are bombarded with billboards touting insufferable twits who genuinely think they have something more special than the other guy to offer their communities. [...]

by Dr Eric Crampton The government is worried about the harms some youths experience on social media. The Prime Minister has announced his support for age limits. Social media platforms would face penalties if those under 16 made it onto [...]

by Lindsay Perigo Well, whaddaya know? The morning after last week's Perspective dealing with the brouhaha in Parliament about the hijacking of the name of our country, Winston Peters posted on X; "New Zealand First has today introduced a Member’s [...]

by Peter Dunne That Oppositions do not win elections, but governments lose them is a well-established political maxim. Elections are essentially a judgement on the performance of the government of the day. Seldom does the capability of the Opposition to [...]

by Roger Partridge Finance Minister, Nicola Willis described last week’s meeting with Fonterra’s chief executive as “routine.” But routine meetings do not usually begin with public promises that a CEO will “front up” over pricing. Nor do they require clarification [...]

by Dr Muriel Newman Forty-two councils are set to hold pivotal referenda on the future of Maori seats in October, yet few New Zealanders appear to grasp just how high the stakes actually are. Proponents of Maori sovereignty understand the [...]

by Graham Adams After NZ First leapfrogged Act last month in a Taxpayers’ Union-Curia poll — which led to much media excitement about the party’s rising fortunes — it seemed odd for Winston Peters to be quite so tetchy with [...]

by Zoran Rakovic There is a particular kind of madness that comes not with rage, but with the quiet clarity of a staff report. It arrives in a pdf, decorated with the warm tones of cultural respect, laced with enough [...]

by Simon O'Connor The Stuff headline (below) can be best described as a lie. To date, Stuff has shown little interest in presenting a range of views on this complicated conflict, and this call made at the start of the week will [...]

by John Robertson New Zealand is being culturally hijacked — and we’re all meant to smile, nod, and pay for it. Let’s stop lying to ourselves. This forced bilingualism isn’t “inclusion.” It’s a political power game. A language spoken fluently [...]

by Rachel Stewart For many people when they hear the word ‘surrogacy’ they conjure up images of a long-standing relationship between a sweet female friend and a smiling well-groomed couple who have made an adult arrangement that she provide the [...]

by Lindsay Perigo Always so much to have a perspective on. Another insane moronnial goes on a shooting spree in New York. Bad news. OMBA strides Europe like a colossus. Great news, great results.  But I shall start this week [...]

by Michael Bassett On Monday 28 July there was a strange story in the New Zealand Herald about advice that had been given to the Attorney-General, Judith Collins, by her officers. They had told their minister that the Justice minister’s [...]

by Ian Miller In what we now understand were completely theatrical attempts to control the Covid-19 pandemic, experts demanded and politicians mandated all sorts of intrusive policies. Mask mandates were one of the most obvious. School closures. Lockdowns. Curfews. Capacity [...]

by Simon O'Connor In recent days, the government has announced its intention to reform electoral laws. There are several proposed changes, but one of note is the intention to end election day registration – that is, the ability of someone [...]

by Ani O'Brien So, they’re flipping the words on the cover of the New Zealand passport… again. New Zealand is to return to sit above Aotearoa. Cue the headlines. Cue the outrage. Cue the proverbial dick measuring. Cue the race-baiting. [...]

by Zoran Rakovic Selwyn District – a semi-rural patch of Canterbury where life rolls along at 100 km/h (give or take a few over the limit). Enter the Council, armed with a plan to tinker with speed limits. It’s a [...]

by Peter Williams We shared a pleasant lunch with some newish acquaintances yesterday at the home of a couple we’ve recently met. They live about half an hour’s drive away near Alexandra. We were all of a mature age, what [...]

by Dr Will Jones Covid vaccines saved far fewer lives than first thought, a major new analysis from Stanford’s Professor John Ioannidis and team has concluded – closer to 2.5 million than the 14 million claimed by the WHO in [...]

by Sarah Cowgill Why is the job market closing down for the Gen Z worker? Recent college graduates are discovering that reality does, in fact, bite. A recent poll by Intelligent found that human resources managers aren’t thrilled with the [...]

by Zoran Rakovic In the Selwyn District Council's standing orders—those arcane pages that tell you when to stand, when to sit, and precisely how to whisper politely into the void—there lies a curious clause. It forbids members of the public [...]

by Peter Williams It was a good try but Winston, you’re at least five years too late, possibly much longer. The New Zealand First leader made a not so subtle point during Question Time this week when responding to a [...]

by PLUG This letter is written by P.L.U.G. on behalf of all citizens of New Zealand, who are concerned at the lack of information, the misinformation and fear about co-governance. What is co-governance? Co-governance in todays’ context increasingly means the [...]

by Rachel Stewart From May next year American TV icon ‘The Late Show with Stephen Colbert’ will be just that – late. The announcement was made by Colbert on air last week, and on this week’s show he’s a Democratic [...]

by Prof Barbara Oakley When students across New Zealand say they are not learning anything at school, we should listen. After nearly six months speaking with New Zealand’s schools and universities, I have witnessed firsthand how this nation has become [...]

by Peter Williams There are minorities and there are minorities. Males at 49.7 percent of the New Zealand population are a minority. Māori are 17.8 percent of us. Those of Asian ethnicity are 17.3 percent. In the 2023 Census only [...]

by Michael Bassett Only a little more than two months to go until local body elections. Always, triennially, on the second Saturday in October. And there is so much hanging on the outcome this time. As voters, we need to [...]

by Simon O'Connor The Druze of Syria are currently being attacked and killed and yet much of the world remains silent or panglossian (there’s a word for people to look up!) that the new Syrian regime will be able to [...]

by Lindsay Perigo Margaret Thatcher used to say, "The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of Other People's Money." Socialist governments have taken to thinking they can ward off any ensuing electoral calamity by lowering the voting [...]

by Thomas Scrimgeour Local government elections are fast approaching. When turnout inevitably proves dismal, the chorus of pious suggestions to make voting even easier will grow louder: Go digital. Launch public information campaigns. Make it 16. Keep postal voting open [...]

by Dr Muriel Newman In spite of the Coalition’s best efforts to create jobs and boost economic growth, State dependency continues to grow with the latest June 2025 statistics showing over 12 percent of the working age population receive welfare. [...]

by Clive Bibby As a semi retired farmer used to long days and sleepless nights looking after the livestock and crops grown on the property, recent episodes of the Country Calendar TV programme show just why we keep coming back [...]

by Peter Williams Stats NZ have laid it out in the clearest and simplest way possible. Payments required by your local authority have pushed annual inflation to its highest level in twelve months. “The largest upwards contributor to the annual [...]

by Barrie Davis There has been a concerted effort since at least the Treaty of Waitangi Act 1975 to convince us that ‘the Crown’ and by extension We the people have something to atone for regarding the colonization of New [...]

by Peter Williams The Taxpayers' Union has been alerting supporters about the "Te Mana o te Wai" (literally meaning the mana of the water) requirements, which are still applicable to local councils' environmental planning/consenting. It is becoming clear that the Coalition [...]

by Nick Clark After decades of planning gridlock, the government has promised to put property rights at the heart of New Zealand’s resource management system. But will its latest reforms deliver lasting change or just patch up the mess we [...]

by Eric Crampton The Regulatory Standards Bill before Parliament provides no enforceable legal right to compensation for the cost of regulation. It only suggests that compensation can be warranted when regulation takes or impairs property. A sovereign Parliament remains free [...]

by Nick Clark After decades of planning gridlock, the government has promised to put property rights at the heart of New Zealand’s resource management system. But will its latest reforms deliver lasting change or just patch up the mess we [...]

by Richard Prebble Mr. Albert K. Barume, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the rights of Indigenous Peoples, based in Geneva, wrote to ministers alleging that the Regulatory Standards bill “fails to uphold the principles of partnership, active protection, and self‑determination [...]

by Peter Dunne In 2013 then Prime Minister John Key raised the ire of Wellington’s community and business leaders when he told an Auckland audience that the capital city was “dying” and that “we don't know how to turn it [...]

by Roger Partridge Revolutions conjure images of violent uprisings, the storming of institutions, and the forcible overthrow of existing orders. But constitutional foundations can be destroyed through more subtle means. When judges discard long-established constitutional principles and remake the law [...]

It’s only words, and words are all I have to take your heart away. And the dramatic rise of NZ First in the polls and into the third most popular party spot, has all been done using words. But what [...]

by Lindsay Perigo I've been in Heaven all week for several reasons, one being this message from a young and musical friend: "I'm downloading the 1956 movie Serenade with Mario Lanza and will watch it today, I saw the clip of [...]

by Dr Muriel Newman All around New Zealand there’s a growing concern that a cultural takeover of our country is underway. It’s a problem that’s being exacerbated by the weaponisation of “Te Tiriti o Waitangi”, and the domination of the [...]

by Mary Hobbs The future depends on what we do in the present. — Mahatma Gandhi The First Reading of the Gene Technology Bill 2024 was introduced to Parliament on 17 December 2024, by National MP, Judith Collins. It made this day [...]

by John Bell A few weeks ago, South Canterbury’s “Courier” newspaper featured a report of a welcome for the new Principal at the Waihi School, a primary school situated in the rural town of Winchester, a little north of Timaru. [...]

by Simon O'Connor My father’s side of the family is Irish and proudly so. I am actually an Irish citizen - and before anyone freaks out that my time in Parliament was illegitimate, I am also a New Zealand citizen. [...]

by Zoran Rakovic  If you wanted to invent a financial arrangement capable of mimicking the perils of subprime mortgages, municipal corruption, and Soviet-style mutual collapse—all in one—New Zealand has quietly succeeded. It’s called the Local Government Funding Agency (LGFA). Never [...]

The Texas flash flood waters are receding and is slowly revealing some truly venomous snakes that it’s hard to even imagine were there before this happened. Unfortunately I know a bit about this. In 2004, my partner and I had [...]