Auckland University calls in the lawyers over Ashley Bloomfield scam, Australian officials to brief the Government on Aukus developments and why Airbnb could be forced to cut its services in the latest NZ Herald headlines.
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Opinion by Audrey Young
Audrey Young, Senior Political Correspondent at the New Zealand Herald based at Parliament, specialises in writing about politics and power.
This is a transcript of Audrey Young’s subscriber-only Premium Politics newsletter. To sign up, click on your profile at nzherald.co.nz and select ‘Newsletters’. For a step-by-step guide, click here.
The first problem was a bit of a mess but it was cleaned up relatively quickly. Contrary to what the coalition agreement says, Police Minister Mark Mitchell said in Parliament on Tuesday that it would take three years, not two, to add 500 more police and explained why he gave plausible reasons for the change. But the very next day he had flip-flopped again back to the original position after New Zealand First objected.
As political editor Claire Trevett wrote: “Mitchell may have thought the difference between two years and three years was a matter of tomato or tomahto, but alas Winston Peters did not.”
“...If there’s one thing Peters hates, it is thinking NZ First has been taken by surprise or left out of decisions, especially when it comes to the party’s own coalition agreement.”
It was certainly a lesson for any minister in the coalition. Do not take New Zealand First - or Act - for granted. Assume nothing. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has said several times since the kerfuffle that the Government might not reach the 500 target. Maybe Peters has not caught up with those comments yet.
As a new MP and a new minister, a few mistakes are to be expected. But Costello needs the attention of an experienced operator to sort out exactly what has gone on over getting official advice on tobacco excise, to admit to any ignorance about procedure or errors or confusion, and to cauterise it. Otherwise, it will be death by a thousand innuendos.
Former PM’s take on Waitangi tensions
Luxon and Act leader David Seymour are meeting iwi chairs in Kerikeri this morning where one of the main subjects of discussion will be Seymour’s bill to rewrite the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi.
The great trek to Waitangi also begins this weekend and, given the anxiety over the Treaty in many quarters, not just Māoridom, I thought it would be good to get some reflections of someone who has previously been at the centre of the Crown-Māori relationship, former Prime Minister Bill English (see below). He has a lot of faith in New Zealand to work these things through.
My colleague Thomas Coughlan has had a busy week, dashing over to Melbourne with Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Defence Minister Judith Collins to meet their Australian counterparts, Penny Wong and Richard Marles. Australia will dispatch a team to brief New Zealand on Aukus Pillar II once they actually know what it is. Pillar one - nuclear submarines - is its priority at present.
Chloe Swarbrick is the Green MP for Auckland Central. Who was the last Labour MP, the last National MP, the last Alliance MP and the last Act MP to hold Auckland Central? (Answer below.)
“Is she seriously saying that she requested advice on the tobacco excise tax freeze but because the document canvassed other matters, she was being truthful when she denied having sought the advice to the media?” - Labour’s Ayesha Verrall to Associate Health Minister Casey Costello.
“I was being truthful at the time, in relation to that statement. Being offered something and asking for something are two separate matters” - Costello responds.
Brickbat
Speaker Gerry Brownlee. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Goes to Speaker Gerry Brownlee, who is excellent in most regards except for his habit of forgetting to press the mute button between maiden speeches and sharing his grumbles on various matters with the live-stream audience.
Bouquet
Former Labour deputy Kelvin Davis delivers his valedictory speech. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Goes to former Labour deputy Kelvin Davis for his valedictory speech this week. It focused on his influence as a Cabinet minister, Treaty issues currently vexing the country, and some funny reflections on political friendships. Then he did a Chris Finlayson - disappearing into the lobbies immediately without fuss.
Quiz answer: Judith Tizard for Labour from 1996 to 2008, Nikki Kaye for National from 2008 to 2018 and Sandra Lee for the Alliance from 1993 to 1996. Act has never held the seat, but Richard Prebble held it as a Labour MP from 1975 to 1993 before he became Act leader.
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.
For more political news and views, listen to On the Tiles, the Herald’s politics podcast.
