Claire Trevett
Political Editor
Claire Trevett is the New Zealand Herald’s Political Editor, based at Parliament in Wellington.
Claire Trevett is the NZ Herald’s political editor, based at Parliament in Wellington. She started at the NZ Herald in 2003 and joined the Press Gallery team in 2007. She is a life member of the Parliamentary Press Gallery.
Check out Claire’s latest content
Wars on woke and police in dark alleys: why are politicians giving the time of day to nonsense?
Winston Peters ended the week with an epistle from St Peters to the Anti-Woke
Claire Trevett: Polls point to white-knuckle year for National MPs and Luxon
Luxon's insurance policies are his coalition partners' and National's love of power.
Claire Trevett: Marmite sandwiches or bust as school lunch wars enter new phase
OPINION: Luxon wanted marmite sammies while Peters recalled the days of girls in kitchens.
Claire Trevett: Is Seymour at risk of a fail mark on school lunches?
National & Act campaigned on Labour's delivery fails - are they heading for their own?
Claire Trevett: Why Andrew Bayly didn’t stand a chance of staying as a minister
Resign or be sacked were the only options for Andrew Bayly.
Claire Trevett: Rumble in the coalition – is tension between Seymour, Luxon heading to boiling point?
OPINION: Luxon let his frustration show and Seymour bit back.
Claire Trevett: Luxon pays steep price for Seymour's Treaty Principles Bill
Luxon gave Seymour an inch - he has now suffered for miles.
Claire Trevett: Will assets sales end up being National's dead duck policy?
How much of a risk will National be taking if it puts asset sales into its 2026 campaign?
Claire Trevett: The year of 'yeah, nah, yeah' and Luxon's bid to get National back on track
Luxon kicked off his year of saying 'yes' with a week of clear air - it won't last long.
Claire Trevett: Did Christopher Luxon's reshuffle ruthlessness go far enough?
The Prime Minister's reshuffle was much needed but some ministers got off too lightly.
Health Minister Shane Reti expected to lose portfolio in Christopher Luxon's first reshuffle
The Prime Minister is set to do his first big reshuffle today.
Claire Trevett: National gets spooked as David Seymour plays a blinder
OPINION: Five of the top columns of the year from Claire Trevett.
Claire Trevett: From Treaty Principles to potholes, the battles of 2024
War was waged on potholes and gang patches, on truancy and on each other.
Inside the coalition: the frictions, the power brokers and what they really think about each other
Working with NZ First is 'like a dream' but Act is another story, insiders say.
Claire Trevett: Politician of the Year 2024 - Why King of the Roads Simeon Brown beats the rest
OPINION: Getting things done is the criterion and one minister has been all action.
Claire Trevett: National tried to celebrate alone, Act and NZ First were not impressed
Act's David Seymour was dealing with a more fearsome group than gangs: menopausal women.
'Old dog's got game': Sir John Key gets a second hole-in-one
Max Key says dad's second ace shows "the old dog's still got a bit of game in him."
Claire Trevett: National gets spooked as David Seymour plays a blinder on Treaty Principles Bill
OPINION: National has moved to try to reassure its base as pressure grows on Treaty Bill.
Claire Trevett: Luxon claps back at Seymour Treaty Principles Bill day of drama
OPINION: The first debate on the Treaty Principles Bill was always going to deliver drama.
Luxon talks to Trump: 'Obvious' respect in first phone call
PM says US President-elect spoke 'very warmly' about New Zealand in their first chat.
Claire Trevett: Seymour, the champion at making life difficult for Luxon
OPINION: PM might think Seymour is an ungrateful sod after his Treaty Bill antics.
What's in PM Chris Luxon's bag of tricks for dealing with Donald Trump?
Elon Musk and Luxon's US-based business background could prove political assets
Seymour confirms plan to introduce controversial Treaty Principles Bill this week
National and NZ First will will not support the bill past a first reading.
'Very tight': Is Sir John Key sticking to his prediction of a Trump win?
The polls are close, so is Key still sticking to his prediction of a Trump win?
Claire Trevett: Dodging hospital protests won't help Luxon's problem in health go away
Turning a blind eye to protesters won't help Luxon address the problem with health.
Trade agreement with Gulf Co-operation Council countries signed after 18 years
Todd McClay says it is the GCC's first agreement with a major agricultural country.
Claire Trevett: Hipkins upped the political attacks game, Peters responded
In a week of Labour attacks it was Winston Peters who put up the counter attack.
'Take some wine and f*** off': Minister sorry for behaviour during business visit
Employee said he felt degraded and embarrassed by minister's treatment of him.
Claire Trevett: Wealthy and out of touch? Christopher Luxon faces polling blues
OPINION: A PM's popularity becomes a factor when selling the case for unpopular moves.
'I'm wealthy': Has Christopher Luxon lost touch with voters?
National Party supporters most likely to view PM as in touch.
'It doesn’t look great': Luxon's concern over Wellington council
The PM said Simeon Brown has a 'close eye' on the council and is ready to step in.
Luxon and Hipkins both take a hit in latest political poll
The poll marks the anniversary of the 2023 election.
Claire Trevett: Why Govt buckled on revealing fast-track conflicts of interest
OPINION: Leaving it to your enemies to unearth conflicts can make things look a bit murky.
Claire Trevett: Can Bishop fix it? The politics of pulling the pin
OPINION: Luxon won't care about a lack of political nous, he will care about delivery.
Claire Trevett: Willis and Seymour tackle the evils of staying at home
Climate strikes and teacher-only days are no excuses for missing school, Seymour says.
'Challenging': Andrew Coster speaks out on being dragged into political debate
Coster says Police Commissioner should never be a political appointment.
'Mix of emotions': Police Commissioner steps down to take new job
Coster to head the Social Investment Agency. Search for new Police Commissioner to begin.
Claire Trevett: Why Luxon got grumpy about the frickin' targets
The reason you heard a lot about law and order this week is National's frickin' targets.
Claire Trevett: A bad poll and an overseas trip makes Chris Hipkins an easy target
OPINION: It didn't take long for National to make merry with leadership speculation.
Govt to rush through second last-minute amendment to gang patch ban
A second late amendment will cover gang patches displayed in private cars.
Claire Trevett: David Seymour's annoying habit of hogging headlines
OPINION: The Treaty Principles Bill is going nowhere - so why is Seymour digging in?
Budget docs: Treasury recommended less health funding, lower tax cuts
Three months later, Budget papers have been released.
Claire Trevett: Trade-offs obvious as Seymour and Luxon wrestle over Treaty Principles Bill timing
OPINION: Neither PM nor Seymour got it all their own way on the timing of Treaty bill.
Claire Trevett: Silencing of Shane Jones an easy first test of coalition discipline steps
Shane Jones has been quietened - but a few in National quietly agree with his views.
Claire Trevett: Little wonder Hipkins is sceptical of Bishop's olive branch on infrastructure
OPINION: Bishop wants political consensus on 30-year pipeline of infrastructure projects.
'Hugely relieved': National MP David MacLeod responds to police decision on donations disclosure failure
MacLeod hopeful PM Christopher Luxon will take him off the 'naughty boys' bench'.
Claire Trevett: Govt's fast-track backdown delivers a nod to critics but not a buckling
COMMENT: Ministers lose the power to decide fast-track projects, but still have influence.
Ministers lose sign-off powers in backdown on Fast-track Approvals Bill
Chris Bishop, Shane Jones and Simeon Brown will no longer have final approval powers.
Claire Trevett: Luxon's message to councils and banks was merciless, but great politics
OPINION: Luxon did not bother to sugarcoat it.
Watch live: Question Time as Seymour fires back over Treaty Principles Bill
Act leader said it would be 'democratic and respectful' to hear public opinion first.
The 'shocking' data that pushed forward new maths curriculum
Luxon's conference maths announcement was pulled together in a few days.
PM's maths fix makes the perfect conference announcement – Claire Trevett
OPINION: It won't have hurt that Luxon's rush job on maths shows him as an Action Man.
Watch: 'Total system failure' - Luxon addresses media after maths action plan announcement
PM announces moves to bring forward change to the way maths is taught
'Take the temperature down': John Key on debate around Māori issues
Sir John Key says governments need to tread carefully on race relations
National ignores coalition partners at conference: Act and NZ First left out
Act, NZ First and "coalition" were dirty words on the first day of the National Conference
National Party conference opens with Nicola Willis nudging at Kiwibank sale
Finance Minister talks spending cuts, Chris Bishop suggests council spending reviews.
National Party president Sylvia Wood sets goal of mid-40s in the polls
National Party gets to work on new policy and selection processes
PM Christopher Luxon challenged to lift polls to Key-era levels
OPINION: National has too often been overshadowed by coalition partners.
Christopher Luxon set to move into Premier House - finally
Luxon says recent refurbishments allow him to move into the PM's official home.
Poll: How worried are NZ'ers about a second Trump presidency?
A Talbot Mills poll asked about a second Trump presidency and political division.
Darleen Tana digs in as MP, Greens to decide on invoking waka-jumping law
Greens co-leader Chloe Swarbrick says wider party approval is needed to use the law.
Watch: 'Distressing' - Helen Clark weighs in on Winston Peters' 'retard' remark
Peters had to withdraw the use of the phrase 'retard comment' in Parliament today.
Claire Trevett: Seymour makes the most of his big week as Acting PM
His stint coincided with data drops on benefit numbers and inflation.
Luxon meets California Governor Gavin Newsom, tries his arm at baseball
Newsom is one of the names in the mix to be a future presidential candidate.
Claire Trevett: Luxon suffers amid Biden scrutiny in Nato debut
The photo Luxon was dearly seeking turned out to be the biggest diplomatic blunder.
‘On top of his brief’: Luxon weighs in on President Biden’s mental state
Biden is facing increasing pressure regarding his physical and mental capacity.
Biden 'expressed his love for NZ' in meeting with Luxon at White House
US President expressed his 'love' for New Zealand.
'A place of large egos': PM wraps up meetings with Republicans on Capitol Hill
The PM has met with key Trump-supporting Republicans ahead of the summit meeting.
Claire Trevett: Luxon's big day in DC and the questions he's avoiding like the plague
The Prime Minister was like a kid in a candy shop, but there were questions to avoid.
'US political junkie': PM Luxon talks after meeting US lawmakers
The PM has announced more support for Ukraine as he meets Senators in the US.
Speed dating, relationship building: Luxon to meet US, Nato leaders in Washington
Luxon hits DC at an intriguing time, but will not be drawn on his views of Biden or Trump
Claire Trevett: PM's Nato trip perfectly timed for US, UK schmoozing
OPINION: There'll be plenty of high-level chat about what Trump 2.0 might bring.
Transport Minister unrepentant about cycle lane cuts for pothole repairs and new roads
Brown has released the Government's final roads and transport plan.
Claire Trevett: Crime, coalition 'cracks' and unicorn kisses - just another week in politics
OPINION: Also in today's wrap - the PM's medicine comeback and Andrew Bayly's flying leap.
Governing coalition bounces back in new poll, Hipkins closes preferred PM gap
How the Government is faring in the first 1News Verian poll since the Budget.
Coalition friction: NZ First invokes first 'agree to disagree' clause
It's the first time the 'agree to disagree' clause has been used during the term.
Claire Trevett: Luxon's cancer drugs promise doubled is a problem halved
OPINION: Luxon's moved from under-delivering to over-deliver on drugs promise: at a cost.
Northland power cut: Cabinet to address energy and fuel security after blackout
Energy Minister Simeon Brown is expected to provide more details this afternoon.
Claire Trevett: PM's big-noting detracts from diplomatic wins
OPINION: The plane breakdown was bad enough. Then came the 'C-listers' clanger.
Simeon Brown says proposed cuts for emergency road repairs 'challenging' for councils
NZTA is consulting on changes that will give councils less money for road repairs.