Latest Politics Headlines
The Multibillion-Dollar Boost For New Zealand's Military: What You Need To Know
Saturday, 12 April 2025, 3:27 pm | RNZ
Explainer - $12 billion sounds like a lot to spend on the military. But is it, really? More >>
The Unusual Death Of The Treaty Principles Bill
Saturday, 12 April 2025, 3:22 pm | RNZ
The Treaty Principles Bill has been brutally defeated in Parliament. We have highlights from key speeches, and explain why its demise is so unusual. More >>
'Call Me Next Time': Peters Disparages Luxon's Tariff Talks
Saturday, 12 April 2025, 3:10 pm | RNZ
Winston Peters told RNZ the prime minister had not consulted with him ahead of the calls. More >>
Formula Firms Fight Against Expanded Online Ad Ban Despite WHO Warnings
Saturday, 12 April 2025, 3:07 pm | RNZ
The industry body representing the companies even met with NZ diplomats in Geneva to raise its concerns about marketing restrictions. More >>
How The World Reacted To The Demise Of The Treaty Principles Bill
Friday, 11 April 2025, 6:35 pm | RNZ
Parliament has voted down the controversial bill, with only Act backing it. More >>
China Doesn't Want Trade War, But Will Fight Back - Ambassador To New Zealand
Friday, 11 April 2025, 6:33 pm | RNZ
Dr Wang Xiaolong rejects the trade war has come about because China had not played fair. More >>
Phil Goff Relishes New-Found Freedom, Blasts Donald Trump Again
Friday, 11 April 2025, 6:24 pm | RNZ
Relishing his new-found freedom, the sacked diplomat blasted US President Donald Trump again in front of a packed lecture hall. More >>
E Tū Welcomes Defeat Of Treaty Principles Bill
Friday, 11 April 2025, 9:52 am | E Tu
This bill sought to fundamentally alter the meaning of Te Tiriti o Waitangi by selectively and incorrectly interpreting the reo Māori text, says E tū National Secretary Rachel Mackintosh. More >>
New Zealand Government Downplays Trump’s Tariffs, Despite Business Fears
Thursday, 10 April 2025, 8:04 pm | Socialist Equality Group
Tariffs express the madness of the capitalist system, in which the world remains divided into rival nation states and imperialist powers, which are determined to strengthen their grip on natural resources and supply chains at the expense of their ... More >>
Government’s Retrospective Law Change Threatens Consumer Protections
Thursday, 10 April 2025, 7:47 pm | Banking Class Action
The amendment undermines confidence in the rule of law and therefore, confidence in everyday commerce and international investment. It harms NZ’s reputation and unfairly denies the plaintiffs their claims, for no other reason other than to effectively ... More >>
Winston Peters Declines Benjamin Doyle's Invitation To Speak Directly
Thursday, 10 April 2025, 5:26 pm | RNZ
The New Zealand First leader instead suggested the Green MP should speak to police about their private social media posts. More >>
Christopher Luxon Talks To World Leaders As Donald Trump Pauses Tariffs
Thursday, 10 April 2025, 5:22 pm | RNZ
The Prime Minister says he will speak to world leaders today about working together to maintain free trade. More >>
Watchdog Warns Of Reputational Damage From Failure To Meet Treaty Settlement Obligations
Thursday, 10 April 2025, 4:56 pm | RNZ
The Auditor-General has criticised the public sector over a lack of planning, monitoring and accountability for keeping to commitments laid down in Treaty settlement laws. More >>
Harassment Of NZ’s Female MPs – Expert Reaction
Thursday, 10 April 2025, 11:09 am | Science Media Centre
Eleven MPs from across the political spectrum talked to researchers about their experiences of harassment, misogyny, racism and online trolling. The Science Media Centre asked third-party experts to comment. More >>
Māui And Hector’s Dolphin Threat Management Plan Unlawful, Unacceptable, Immoral: Dolphin Defenders
Thursday, 10 April 2025, 8:15 am | Maui and Hector's Dolphin Defenders
Dolphin Defenders founder and Chair, Christine Rose, says, “We know every TMP has failed to do its job, to actually manage the threats to Māui and Hector’s dolphins, because they are still being wiped out by the fishing industry.” More >>
Justice For Palestine Joins Call For Removal Of Chief Human Rights Commissioner
Thursday, 10 April 2025, 7:53 am | Justice for Palestine
Justice for Palestine says Dr Stephen Rainbow’s misuse of national intelligence, coupled with a history of anti-Palestinian and Islamophobic public statements, has eroded any confidence in his ability to carry out his role impartially. More >>
'My Beliefs Are A Private Matter' - National MP Part Of Underground Sect Probed By FBI
Wednesday, 9 April 2025, 8:11 pm | RNZ
A National Party politician who is part of a secretive sect being probed for historical child sexual abuse says he had a happy upbringing in the group. More >>
The House: A Question Time Scavenger Hunt
Wednesday, 9 April 2025, 8:07 pm | RNZ
Arguments, inferences, imputations, epithets… Many things are banned in Parliament's Question Time. The House goes on a scavenger hunt for them. More >>
'I Refuse To Be Disappeared By Hate' - Green MP Benjamin Doyle Responds To Social Media Scrutiny
Wednesday, 9 April 2025, 7:37 pm | RNZ
Benjamin Doyle has broken their silence for the first time since coming under intense scrutiny for their social media history. More >>
OraTaiao Calls On All Of Aotearoa To Take A Stand For Climate Health At Friday’s Climate Strike On Parliament Grounds
Wednesday, 9 April 2025, 6:31 pm | OraTaiao
OraTaiao strongly supports School Strike 4 Climate Aotearoa’s key demands: repeal the Fast-Track Approvals Bill and protect Māori lands from further exploitation. More >>
Defence Capability Plan Fails To Invest In NZDF’s Biggest Capability
Wednesday, 9 April 2025, 5:38 pm | Mission Homefront
While increased investment in defence equipment is very welcome, investment in pay, conditions of service and defence buildings is required to ensure all living and working environments are safe and healthy. These things are equally important and ... More >>
Recruitment Of New External Member To The Monetary Policy Committee
Wednesday, 9 April 2025, 4:43 pm | The Reserve Bank of New Zealand
Board Chair Neil Quigley said that “suitably qualified candidates will be interviewed later this year and assessed against the appointment criteria, then the name of the candidate recommended by the Board will be provided to the Minister of Finance.” More >>
Tesla Takedown In Pōneke This Morning 7.30am
Wednesday, 9 April 2025, 7:39 am | Poneke Anti-fascist Coalition
“We will hold banners, toiere (sing) waiata, and chant to draw attention to the far right ideology of the Tesla CEO and to encourage potential Tesla customers away from a product with fascist ties," says PAFC spokesperson Michelle Ducat. More >>
Hipkins Changes Diary To Vote Down Treaty Principles Bill Says PM Should Do The Same
Tuesday, 8 April 2025, 6:21 pm | RNZ
Labour leader Chris Hipkins has changed his diary to speak at the second reading of the bill and says Christopher Luxon should do the same. More >>
Laws To Better Protect MPs From The Public Being Considered
Tuesday, 8 April 2025, 6:19 pm | RNZ
The prime minister will not say yet if he would support a potential law change to keep publicly elected officials safer. More >>
Defence Force Spend-Up: Who Is It Meant To Protect Us Against, And Other Questions
Tuesday, 8 April 2025, 6:08 pm | RNZ
The government plans to pump billions into the Defence Force, but there are questions around just who it is the government thinks we might end up using the upgraded equipment against. More >>
NZCTU Announce Transformative Policy Vision For Aotearoa
Tuesday, 8 April 2025, 6:06 pm | NZCTU
The plan would ensure that Aotearoa meets its climate obligations and guarantees a just transition for the workers and communities who will bear the brunt of the climate crisis and technological change. More >>
Greenpeace Corrects Federated Farmers’ Impotent Attack
Tuesday, 8 April 2025, 2:39 pm | Greenpeace
Greenpeace says that the Federated Farmers list of Greenpeace protests is far from comprehensive and omits dozens of examples of direct action that have played a key role in bringing about positive change in Aotearoa and beyond. More >>
Brooke Van Velden Ramps Up Her War On Working People
Tuesday, 8 April 2025, 1:55 pm | NZCTU
Make no mistake, this is a deliberate attempt to undermine the role of unions in workplaces and prevent working people from securing good pay and conditions when they take on a job in a new workplace. More >>
NZ’s Environment Report Card Is Alarming
Tuesday, 8 April 2025, 10:29 am | Greenpeace
"The report documents the alarming decline of nature in Aotearoa, driven by activities such as industrial dairying and fishing, and highlights the desperate need for strong Government regulation to protect nature from more harm", says Dr. Russel Norman, ... More >>
‘Clearly Anti-Māori’: Local Leaders Slam Member’s Bill On Race-Based Services
Monday, 7 April 2025, 6:14 pm | Mary Afemata - Local Democracy Reporter
"We need to continue speaking out against the government about this. Ka whawhai tonu tātou. We all benefit as New Zealanders when our indigenous people do well – nobody loses, because we all win,” Dr Will Flavell says. More >>
Government Considers U-turn On Baby Formula Rules After Industry Shift
Monday, 7 April 2025, 6:06 pm | RNZ
The formula companies wanted the government to opt out of tougher regulation, but now they want back in. More >>
NZDF's Obscene Military Spending Plans
Monday, 7 April 2025, 5:58 pm | Peace Action Wellington
This Defence Capability Plan will ensure that desperately needed public services here in Aotearoa are starved of resources and primed for privatisation, while US weapons companies drain our treasury and the US military sets us up to service them ... More >>
New Zealand 'Incredibly Well-Positioned' To Weather Tariff Storm - Christopher Luxon
Monday, 7 April 2025, 5:54 pm | RNZ
Trump's tariffs sent global markets reeling, with losses comparable to the global financial crisis and the arrival of Covid-19. More >>
Police Taking Formal Statement Over Alleged Assault On Shane Jones' Wife
Monday, 7 April 2025, 5:50 pm | RNZ
The incident has reignited concerns about the threats MPs and their families face. More >>
Greens Claim Intellectual Property Rights And Demand Changes To “Defund The Police” Billboards
Monday, 7 April 2025, 5:14 pm | Sensible Sentencing Trust
Spokesperson for The Sensible Sentencing Trust Louise Parsons says: “We were happy to make the image changes, but find it telling that they are trying to have our billboards taken down when they simply state what their MPs advocate for - the ‘radical abolition ... More >>
Govt Must Reverse Cuts To Civilian Workforce If Defence Spend Up Is To Be Effective
Monday, 7 April 2025, 4:54 pm | PSA
The Government today announced a $12 billion dollar investment in defence capability over the next four years. But at the same time NZDF is planning to slash 374 roles from the civilian workforce, coming on top of cuts late last year which saw 144 civilian ... More >>
New Research Finds Dumped South Island Whānau Ora Agency An exemplar Of Effective, Community-Led Public Service Delivery
Monday, 7 April 2025, 1:33 pm | Te Putahitanga o Te Waipounamu
Pouārahi, Ivy Harper, said the Government and Te Puni Kōkiri had consistently overlooked clear research and data. The latest evaluation, completed by Ihi Research, was particularly compelling, she said. More >>
‘Should Put It To A Public Referendum’ Tauranga Proceeds With Māori Wards By-election
Monday, 7 April 2025, 1:16 pm | Taxpayers' Union
“Mayor Mahé Drysdale has labelled this an exercise of local democracy. Let’s call it what it is—undemocratic by its definition.” More >>
Richard Wagstaff To Launch NZCTU Policy Platform
Monday, 7 April 2025, 12:56 pm | NZCTU
The event will also feature speeches from workers and a panel of experts including Saunoamaali’i Dr Karanina Sumeo, Shamubeel Eaqub, Lyndy McIntyre and Ed Miller. More >>
Health Coalition Aotearoa Demands Fairness In Government Decision-making
Monday, 7 April 2025, 11:04 am | Health Coalition Aotearoa
The cost of unchecked influence The New Zealand public will gain many benefits from a fairer, transparent public policy making process - like a greater recognition of what the public values and more trust in government decision makers. More >>
Behind the door at a parliamentary privilege hearing
Sunday, 6 April 2025, 7:56 pm | RNZ
Parliament's Privileges Committee has been a major source of news over the last few weeks. What is privilege, and how does the committee typically work? More >>
Complaint Over Teaching Tikanga Māori In Law Schools Rejected
Saturday, 5 April 2025, 5:47 pm | RNZ
But the select committee also put a limit on how much cultural education was required. More >>
Trump Tariffs: Trade Minister Todd McClay Gets Clarification On How The United States' New Regime Will Work
Saturday, 5 April 2025, 5:44 pm | RNZ
The flat 10 percent duty being applied to US imports will apply on top of any existing tariffs, but there are some exceptions. More >>
Crew On Manawanui During Sinking Were Under-trained, Ship Not Up To Task - Report
Saturday, 5 April 2025, 5:42 pm | RNZ
A damning report explains how the disaster on a Samoan reef happened, including a full transcript of the dramatic night. More >>
The Parliamentary Processes Behind The Missing Submissions Story
Friday, 4 April 2025, 7:35 pm | RNZ
Public submissions potentially ignored and unrecorded were a focus this week. We background how the process usually works and what will happen now. More >>
Transcript: What Happened When The Manawanui Navy Ship Grounded Off Samoa
Friday, 4 April 2025, 7:31 pm | RNZ
"We'll get in our liferafts and we'll survive," the captain told the crew as the navy ship grounded in Samoa, the full transcript shows. More >>
Rejecting Apologies: Human Rights Commissioner Must Be Held Accountable
Friday, 4 April 2025, 6:21 pm | Palestine Forum of New Zealand
We stand in solidarity with all communities impacted by Islamophobia, racism, and discrimination. We call for genuine accountability, not empty apologies. It is imperative that the government takes decisive action to restore integrity to the Human Rights ... More >>
Government Is Misleading Public Over Labelling Of GMO Food
Friday, 4 April 2025, 6:13 pm | GE Free NZ
"This is a broken promise to the public. People demand the right to choose and want products from gene editing to be labelled,” said Jon Carapiet, spokesman for GE-Free New Zealand (in Food and Environment). More >>
Nurses’ Union Backs Call To Scrap Anti-Treaty Bill
Friday, 4 April 2025, 3:47 pm | New Zealand Nurses Organisation
Parliament's Justice Committee has released its report into the Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Bill and has recommended it does not proceed. More >>
Justice Committee Presents Report To The House On The Principles Of The Treaty Of Waitangi Bill
Friday, 4 April 2025, 2:10 pm | Justice Committee
This is a Final Report of the Justice Committee. More >>
Law Commission Recommends New Legislation For Managing High-Risk Offenders
Friday, 4 April 2025, 12:59 pm | Law Commission
The Commission makes 149 reform recommendations to the Government. They include a new Act to replace the current law governing preventive detention, extended supervision orders and public protection orders. More >>
New Zealand Government Stokes Fascistic Smear Campaign Against Green MP
Friday, 4 April 2025, 8:30 am | Socialist Equality Group
The toxic and divisive politics of NZ First and the govt must be opposed. But it must be stressed that NZ First is only able to play such a prominent role in the country’s politics because it has been legitimised by National, Labour Party & ... More >>
‘Democracy Is Not Lost’: Experts Discuss NZ’s Place In Changing World
Friday, 4 April 2025, 8:08 am | University of Auckland
Armoudian, who will chair the panel discussion, says she is “deeply concerned” about the ideological shift in the US that is moving towards greater authoritarianism and denial of climate realities. More >>
Further Job Losses At Kāinga Ora Shows The Government Intent To Dismantle The State Housing Build Programme
Thursday, 3 April 2025, 3:15 pm | Public Housing Futures
Starving public services of resources, gutting the workforce and then proposing private market solutions has been a key strategy of this government, says Vanessa Cole, spokesperson for Public Housing Futures. More >>
Gene Tech Bill: A High-Stakes Gamble That Risks Farmers’ Livelihoods, Trade, And NZ’s Global Reputation
Thursday, 3 April 2025, 2:15 pm | Organics Aotearoa New Zealand
The government’s own Regulatory Impact Statement acknowledges that organic producers will bear the financial burden of adapting to the risks posed by GMO expansion. More >>
Financial Statements Of The Government Of New Zealand For The 8 Months Ended 28 February 2025
Thursday, 3 April 2025, 10:14 am | The Treasury
Net worth at $187.6 billion (43.9% of GDP) was $3.1 billion higher than forecast largely reflecting the year-to-date operating balance result. More >>
Te Pāti Māori To Hold Own Hearing After Boycotting Privileges Committee
Thursday, 3 April 2025, 9:50 am | RNZ
Te Pāti Māori says it will hold its own "alternative independent hearing". More >>
How Multinational Dairy Companies Convinced Ministers To Back Away From New Rules For Baby Formula
Thursday, 3 April 2025, 9:39 am | RNZ
Tougher guidelines were 11 years in the making. But for multinational dairy companies, profits were at stake. More >>
Chief Human Rights Commissioner Apologises To Muslim Community
Thursday, 3 April 2025, 9:29 am | RNZ
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is standing by Chief Human Rights Commissioner Stephen Rainbow, despite calls for him to be sacked for remarks characterised as Islamophobic by some groups. More >>