Deputy Prime Minister job drags out coalition talks, Auckland misses out on hosting SailGP and Israel’s cabinet approves hostage deal in the latest NZ Herald headlines. Video / NZ Herald
A pro-Palestine group has splashed the offices of seven politicians with red paint overnight, in protest against their stance on the conflict in Israel and Gaza.
Tāmaki for Palestine has claimed responsibility for the vandalism, saying the National and Act politicians are “complicit in the deaths of thousands in Gaza” and the paint represents blood on their hands.
The protest group is demanding both parties call for a ceasefire in Gaza.
The group emailed pictures of paint splattered on the offices of seven politicians in Auckland, including Prime Minister-elect Christopher Luxon’s Botany electorate office and the Epsom office of Act Party leader David Seymour.
The red paint was also splashed on David Seymour's Epsom office. The Act party leader is in Wellington for coalition talks. Photo / Supplied
Both Luxon and Seymour have returned to Wellington overnight for the final stages of coalition talks.
Five other National MPs’ offices were also targeted - Northcote’s Dan Bidois, Papakura’s Judith Collins, North Shore’s Simon Watts and the Epsom office shared by Paul Goldsmith and Melissa Lee.
Fake blood splashed on the Epsom office of National MPs Paul Goldsmith and Melissa Lee overnight. Photo / Supplied
The protest group said in a press release that all seven MPs had “refused to call for a ceasefire or condemn Israel’s atrocities in the war on Gaza”.
“This incoming government will be a coalition of complicity,” the statement said.
In the six weeks since then, relentless airstrikes and a ground invasion by Israel have killed more than 11,000 Palestinians including thousands of children.
Last week Labour leader Chris Hipkins called for a ceasefire in the conflict, saying it was “untenable” for himself and the Labour Party “to stand by and watch the horrific scenes we are witnessing without calling for a ceasefire”.
“All New Zealanders are horrified by the images that we’re seeing on our TVs, but the reality is you need the conditions for a ceasefire to be there and that requires that you need both parties wanting to progress a ceasefire.”
The Papakura electorate office of National MP Judith Collins was also targeted overnight. Photo / Supplied
There are thought to be slight divisions within the National Party over its stance.
National’s incoming Maungakiekie MP Greg Fleming recently emailed a constituent saying he was “urging those who speak for our government to call for an immediate ceasefire”.
A spokesperson for National clarified that Fleming was “not National’s spokesperson on Foreign Affairs” and that National “supports calls for next steps towards a ceasefire”, however; the party “regrets that the conditions do not presently exist for this”.
Another post to X suggested Simon Watts was also supportive of a ceasefire, with the poster - a constituent - reporting Watts had said the Government would soon call for a ceasefire.
However, when contacted by the Herald, Watts said this was not his position and his comments reflected National’s position.
Simon Watts' North Shore office was also vandalised. Watts has denied reports that his position on calling for a ceasefire differs from that of the National Party. Photo / Supplied
Meanwhile, the Israeli Government has announced a temporary ceasefire to allow for some hostages to be freed.
It said on Wednesday Hamas would have a four-day period to free 50 of the hostages, in exchange for some 150 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.
For every 10 extra hostages released the lull would extend by another day. A date was not given for when the truce would begin.
Ahead of Wednesday morning’s Cabinet vote, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would resume its offensive against Hamas after the ceasefire ends.
