Audrey Young is the New Zealand Herald’s senior political correspondent. She was named Political Journalist of the Year at the Voyager Media Awards in 2023, 2020 and 2018.
OPINION
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Welcome to the Politics Briefing. The Government has been ploughing through its coalition agenda to progress some of its most controversial measures, including the bills to overturn the ban on new oil and gas exploration, overturn a Court of Appeal decision relaxing the test for customary title in the foreshore and seabed, and reinstate charter schools. The Opposition, as Oppositions always do, has been howling about the limited time some of the bills are scheduled to spend before select committees.
If only they had practised what they preached when they were in Government. The oil and gas ban was announced by Dame Jacinda Ardern in 2018 without Labour having campaigned on it or having had the benefit of a Cabinet paper. The bill enacting the ban was reported back from the select committee in a mere 34 days. The legislation overturning the ban has been sent to a select committee this week for – you guessed it – 34 days. Reversing the ban has been National Party policy since 2018 and was campaigned on by NZ First at the last election.
Labour’s deputy leader Carmel Sepuloni has been running the shop while Chris Hipkins visits Britain. Perhaps she is reflecting a new confidence after her participation in Celebrity Treasure Island (airing on TV2 Monday to Wednesday), but, after last week’s glitch when she didn’t know Labour’s position on the gang insignia bill, she had a strong week. She had a cracking set of questions to put to Prime Minister Christopher Luxon yesterday – the sort of questions that are almost impossible for her opponent to answer but make a strong political statement.
Sepuloni’s questions to Luxon included these: “Who is correct: Nicola Willis, who said on July 1 that an announcement about replacement ferries can be expected within the quarter and then, on Monday, by the end of this year; himself, who yesterday morning said by the end of the year, early next year; Matt Doocey, who said in August that an announcement was imminent; or Paul Goldsmith, who can’t even commit to a decision this year?”
“Who does he agree with: Christopher Luxon, who said he’d march in the street to end modern slavery; or Brooke van Velden, who has ceased all work to end such practices in New Zealand because that is just not a priority for her?”
“Who does he agree with: Andrew Bayly, who endorsed the Grocery Commissioner’s proposal to regulate the supermarket duopoly; or David Seymour, who called the same proposal outlandish?”
Luxon’s House performance has improved markedly this year but, faced with a question line like that, he had nowhere to go. Frustration with each question grew and eventually, he snapped: “What a petty line of questions from the deputy leader of the Labour Party today.”
As discussed in last week’s Politics Briefing, Te Pāti Māori MP Tākuta Ferris has been referred to the Privileges Committee for comments he made in the House.
NZ First whip Jamie Arbuckle complained. The sin was not so much in claiming that fellow MPs in Parliament were liars but, when asked by the Speaker if he had made the comments, in denying he had said it. In another twist, NZ First’s Shane Jones’ claims that the comments were directed to him and Winston Peters, although Ferris didn’t name anyone in his speech.
Ferris is a first-term MP and doesn’t appear to be the type of character who will accept a censure and seek the House’s forgiveness for not following its hallowed rules. He is more likely to follow Peters’ own example from 2008. When Peters faced a censure motion from the Privileges Committee and a recommendation to apologise to the House over the non-disclosure of Owen Glenn’s $100,000 donation, he ignored it.
“I call again for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the return of the sausages” – there are no words for this blunder by new British PM Sir Keir Starmer during his speech at the Labour conference in Liverpool.
Tākuta Ferris is the MP for Te Tai Tonga, one of six Māori electorate seats held by Te Pāti Māori. Which Māori seat does it not hold? (Answer below.)
Goes to Shane Jones for a gob-stopping moment in the House yesterday. He called a point of order having just stuffed his mouth with lollies from the supply box being passed around the Government benches. Quick as a flash, Speaker Gerry Brownlee asked: “Have you swallowed yet?”
Goes to the Foreign Affairs officials who worked tirelessly for 19 months in a bid to get New Zealand pilot and hostage Phillip Mehrtens released by West Papuan rebels. He was freed last weekend.
Public service cuts: Finance Minister Nicola Willis says she front-footed a sombre meeting with Public Service Association members yesterday.
WFH directive: Nicola Willis has asked government departments to call their staff back to the office and to enforce stricter rules around working from home.
Foreshore and seabed: The Labour Party is crying foul over plans for a truncated select committee process for controversial foreshore and seabed legislation.
Coster on politics: Outgoing Police Commissioner Andrew Coster has spoken about being dragged into the political debate, saying it’s important that the role is politically neutral.
New ferries: One of the major sticking points surrounding KiwiRail’s new Interislander ferries is whether they should be rail-enabled.
New ferries II: The managing director of transport giant Mainfreight wants rail on the new Interislander ferries.
Charter schools: Parliament has passed legislation to reintroduce charter schools in New Zealand following impassioned speeches in the House.
Smokefree laws: Associate Health Minister Casey Costello has been grilled by experts over the Government’s Smokefree targets at a Health Coalition Aotearoa event.
Quiz answer: Ikaroa-Rāwhiti, held by Labour’s Cushla Tangaere-Manuel.
For more political news and views, listen to On the Tiles, the Herald’s politics podcast.
Expectations tempered around return to surplus in 2027/28.