Featured
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Home Schooled – the true 3rd rail of NZ Politics
Turns out the true 3rd rail of NZ politics is Home Schooling… Government backs down on last-minute homeschooling law change Education Minister Erica Stanford has dumped rushed plans for new restrictions on homeschooling after a loud backlash from those affected. Parties from across both the coalition and opposition claimed credit for the backdown on Wednesday, while Stanford pitched it as…
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WAATEA NEWS COLUMN – The Puritan Budget
The Government has shrugged its shoulders and has decided ‘you’re on your own NZ’. This Budget is death by $780million cuts,…
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GUEST BLOG: Tadhg Stopford – New Zealand Did Not Accidentally Become a Fragile Country
New Zealand increasingly feels like a wealthy country that cannot quite afford itself. People feel it everywhere: housing costs, strained…
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GUEST BLOG : Dave Bainbridge-Zafar – The Cash-for-Consents Illusion: Why Central Government is the Real Problem in Housing
How you assume other people make decisions often reveals far more about your own personal motivations than it does about…
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Something Smells at The New Zealand Teachers Council
I and many others have written about Erica Stanford’s dictatorial control of education. Hopefully this message is starting to gain traction. The agenda is clearly far greater than the usual shibboleth of ‘raising achievement’ and in fact is aimed at…
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How Do You Define A Woman? Not Like This!
After years demanding Labour define a woman, NZ First’s answer appears to be: a woman is a biological female and a female is a biological female.
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Ben Morgan’s Pacific Update – Discussing geopolitical and military activity in the Pacific
A new US-led Pacific “kill web” linking Japan, South Korea and the Philippines signals how rapidly the Indo-Pacific is militarising.
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Can Labour centrism win the election? No. But why?
The problem with centrism is not moderation. It is that voters eventually stop believing you stand for anything at all.
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TDB Poll of Polls
Based on 4 polls, latest: 12 May 2026
Sources
- Roy Morgan — 12/05/2026
- 1News Verian — 19/04/2026
- RNZ Reid — 23/03/2026
- Talbot Mills — 12/03/2026
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National literally fiddles while Ministry of Environment torched
“End of an era” as Government law change disestablishes Ministry for the Environment – Greens The Green Party is condemning the Government’s disestablishment of the Ministry for the Environment, following the law change required to scrap the Ministry passing through Parliament on Wednesday. “This Government is cementing their place as…
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Why every Kainga Ora tenant should be terrified and voting this election
The moves to increase state rents to 30%. The new plans to force state tenants out into the private market. The changes to housing allowances and how it penalises beneficiaries. The kick in the guts to the carers of the disabled. This on top of the $3billion tax loop hole…
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We are already using AI against beneficiaries
Beneficiaries are always the lab rats for how far the State thinks it can bend human rights. Beneficiaries are already under a level of mass surveillance we wouldn’t agree with if used on us. Beneficiaries are already facing AI. The Government changed the rules around welfare and forced beneficiaries to…
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Super El Nino could splinter the political spectrum – climate change could spark the revolution
I don’t think we’ve considered the political realities of what happens when the climate collapses. The impacts of a Super El Niño are going to be terrifying for those living under it… …and it looks like it could be worse than 1877… …so what happens when the extremes of climate…
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Britain is jailing environmentalists and anti-genocide protesters – NZ must not follow
Britain is locking up climate and Palestine-solidarity protesters. Now New Zealand is rushing through new Police powers with barely a murmur.
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English Tests for Migrant Workers, $5m Homes for Investors
Speak English if you are a migrant worker. Bring millions if you want a mansion. National’s immigration priorities could not be clearer.
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1.2 Billion in Mental Health Crisis as AI Guts Jobs
Nearly 1.2 billion people are living with mental disorders while the planet burns and AI threatens work. This despair is not happening by accident.
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Nashy gets NZ First pashy after bashy for slashy cashy and Sean Plunket’s woman definition smashy
THE NASHY IS BACK! Former Labour minister Stuart Nash switches to NZ First NZs second most compromised politician…
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When even Chris Bishop can see the human rights abuses of the new move on powers
Move-on orders law breach Bill of Rights in part – Chris Bishop Aspects of the Government’s move-on orders risk being…
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The madness of Trump and Israel’s ‘plan’ to illegally wage war with Iran – when you answer is Mahmoud Ahmadinejad???
Every time I think I can’t be surprised anymore with Trump’s illegal war on Iran, he manages to catch me…
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Why Is Seymour’s Red Tape Ministry So Huge and Expensive?
David Seymour wants fewer bureaucrats, except in his own Ministry for Regulation. Its staff numbers are now four times larger than the agency it replaced.
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WAATEA NEWS COLUMN – The Puritan Budget
The Government has shrugged its shoulders and has decided ‘you’re on your own NZ’. This Budget is death by $780million cuts, that’s the amount of money the Government are taking from State Tenants, Students and Beneficiaries to cook the books. By refusing…
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#Clip: My Final Word: The Bradbury Group Turns One — Cancelled, Defunded & Bigger Than Ever
This is The Bradbury Group’s one-year birthday — and Martyn Bradbury has a few things to say about how we got here. 🎙️ Martyn’s final word — one year on The Bradbury Group was born after funding was pulled from…
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#Clip: Barbara Edmonds DESTROYS National’s Budget Narrative
Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds joins The Bradbury Group to analyse the Government’s latest Budget, rising unemployment, housing pressures, public service cuts, and what Labour plans to offer voters ahead of Election 2026. In this wide-ranging 1-on-1 in 10 interview,…
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#Clip: The War on News: English Tests for Workers, No Tests for Millionaires & AI Job Cuts
This week on The War on News, Martyn Bradbury tackles immigration hypocrisy, the return of Stuart Nash, and a government that thinks artificial intelligence can replace thousands of public servants. 🏠 English Tests for Workers, Not Millionaires The Government wants…
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Waatea Election Budget ’26 Coverage with Cameron Bagerie, Chris Hipkins, Brad Olson, Tama Potaka, Bernard Hickey, John Tamihere, Shane Jones, Marama Davidson, Barbera Edmonds, Willie Jackson and Fran O’Sullivan
The most up to date Budget Day commentary and coverage live from 2pm-6pm Thursday. With Massey University Economist – Professor Matt Roskruge, co-Leader of Te Pati Māori – Debbie Ngarewa-Packer, Economist – Cameron Bagerie, Leader of the Labour Party – Chris Hipkens, Economist…
TDB: Left News
- 'What needs protecting?': Researcher questions purpose of English Language Bill
- What scientists really think of this year's Budget
- NZ prioritising talks with British, Australian navies to potentially replace Anzac frigates
- Claims of attempted ousting of Nelson city councillor by fellow councillor
- Six times Kiwi creatives called out the government
- Māori unions and iwi leaders say the Budget will not alleviate Māori unemployment
- Proposed law could see government use AI to make decisions about people's benefits
- 'Same old cliche': Paul Goldsmith brushes off Dame Lynda Topp's criticism
- Budget 2026: University leader welcomes extra funding, but critics warn students worse off
- Kindys prepare to ask parents for donations after 'drop in the bucket' Budget increase
- Friday's Chorus Live with Bernard Hickey
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The Weekly Hoon: Budget 2026, a climate scandal, Saudi Arabia & Iran & disinformation flooding NZ's political debates
- Join us at 5pm for this week's Hoon
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A sugar-free Budget that relies on rosy forecasts
- Why the Govt's 'sensible, grown up' tight Budget strategy is failing the economy
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RBNZ almost hikes & eyes three hikes before election
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Live with Bernard Hickey
- The $1.4 billion hole in the Govt's revenues
- The fuel powering our captured political economy
- The 30/30 rule that is the Govt's North Star
- Chris Hedges: America’s Suicide Pact
- Zohran Mamdani Is Right to Condemn West Bank Land Sales
- The Unraveling of Nehru’s Vision for India
- The Democratic Candidate Closely Tied to Crypto and Big Tech
- An ICE Surveillance Vendor Is Misleading the Public
- Palestine Action Barrister Wins Appeal in UK Contempt Case
- Taking a Good, Long Look Into Elon Musk and “Muskism”
- Big Tech’s Cross-Border Abuses Demand an International Response
- Disney Is Encouraging and Exploiting the Rise of “Kidults”
- Want the hard numbers? Here’s the budget at a glance
- What made my jaw drop and eyes pop this budget? The ‘Mad Max’ scenario
- What secret budget items are ‘not for publication’?
- E-bikes and strawberries: The weirdest things we spotted in the budget
- Labor has a spending addiction. But at least it’s shaking off some timidity
- Finally, some changes to negative gearing and capital gains tax. They may not be enough to shift the dial on housing
- This budget, Labor grapples with the politics of pain in a world gone populist
- PATRICK LAWRENCE: Epic Desperation
- Israel Accuses The New York Times Of Antisemitic Journalism, And Other Notes
- Labor’s gambling plan snuck out on budget day, ANU gets framed, and Julie goes jogging
- Tim Wilson will ‘never, ever, ever’ be treasurer
PODCAST: A View from Afar
TDB: Top NZ Political Podcasts
- EDITOR-IN-CHIEF with Duncan Garner Audience: 30,667
- Q+A with Jack Tame Audience: 40,000
- Ryan Bridge Today Audience: xx,xxx
- MATA with Mihi Forbes Audience: 36,333
- LOCKED OUT with Craig Renney Audience: 4,400
- The Vinny Eastwood Show Audience: xx,xxx
- BHN – BIG HAIRY NEWS with Pat and Chewie Audience: 3,533
- THE BRADBURY GROUP with Martyn Bradbury Audience: 4,600
- PENNY MARIE NZ Audience: 4,000
- Cross Party Lines with Phil Goff & Christopher Finlayson Audience: 4,000
Liberal Agenda
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The Liberal Agenda – Second annual Keith Locke Memorial Debate July 2nd – Hate Speech Laws threaten Free Speech
Do hate speech laws protect the vulnerable, or hand the state a weapon against free speech? This Keith Locke Memorial Debate will be worth watching.
Daily Gallery
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Political Caption Competition
David Farrar is the biggest Karen on the Right, second only to Sean Plunkett and anyone hosting any show on Reality Check Radio. Actually there are a lot of Karens on the Right. A collective of Karens is called a…
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Political Caption Competition
Who ate all the pies? Who ate all the pies? Those fat bastards, those fat bastards They ate all the pies! (not a crumb for children in poverty)
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GUEST BLOG: Tadhg Stopford – New Zealand Did Not Accidentally Become a Fragile Country
New Zealand increasingly feels like a wealthy country that cannot quite afford itself. People feel it everywhere: housing costs, strained…
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GUEST BLOG : Dave Bainbridge-Zafar – The Cash-for-Consents Illusion: Why Central Government is the Real Problem in Housing
How you assume other people make decisions often reveals far more about your own personal motivations than it does about…
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GUEST BLOG: Ian Powell – Un-funding rural general practice
They’re the ones that would suffer…our elderly vulnerable community who are struggling with pensions, who are suddenly going to have…
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GUEST BLOG: Tadhg Stopford – Let’s Fix New Zealand
New Zealand is entering another election being offered the same failed remedies for the very problems those remedies helped create….
The Bradbury Group
Pre-Budget reckoning — Barbara Edmonds & Hone Harawira join us on The Bradbury Group
Labour Finance Spokesperson Barbara Edmonds joins Martyn to take apart the pre-Budget economic agenda and ask whether free market ideology has become economic vandalism. Hone Harawira brings his unfiltered message for Māori politics ahead of the election. And the panel: Matthew Hooton, Verity Johnston and Quilae Wong, dig into the Big Polluter scandal, Luxon’s attack on John Campbell, and the question nobody in the Beehive wants to answer: how does criminalising the homeless and fighting culture wars, grow the NZ economy?
Raw News
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Budget 2026: Billions For Hospitals, Nothing For The Front Door – Alliance Party
The Alliance Party says today’s health Budget is a politically convenient headline built on a structural illusion, and that throwing billions at hospitals while starving primary care is like mopping the floor without turning off the tap. Alliance Party Health…
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A Black Budget Built On Human Misery – PSA
Today’s Budget makes clear the heavy price public services, and all New Zealanders will pay to make Nicola Willis’s numbers add up as she unveils deep cuts across government departments. Nearly 9000 public service workers – one in seven –…
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Budget 2026 confirms Luxon’s climate ‘plan’ is a trashfire – Green
Budget 2026 confirms the Government has no plan to meet our commitment under the Paris Climate Agreement, at a cost that previously Treasury calculated as up to $23 billion due by 2030. “New Zealanders have experienced 21 States of Emergency this year, which even the Prime Minister has acknowledged are inflamed by…
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Budget leaves Kiwis to fend for themselves – Labour
National has chosen to make life harder for New Zealanders in their last Budget. “This year’s Budget was the Government’s last chance to show it had a plan to help New Zealanders get ahead – and they have failed,”…
