henry cooke

Chris Hipkins and local candidate Craig Renney out and about at a slightly drizzly Newtown Festival.

Christopher Luxon staying put despite horror poll The Prime Minister says he has the full support of his team but sources have told The Post the phones are running hot.

www.thepost.co.nz/politics/360...

Story today on the poll that made David Farrar say “fuck”.

there was no rise they delayed em all

The Govt is currently committed to a fuel tax rise of 12c next year, 6c in 2028, and 4c in the years following. Bishop has made clear his transport plan is predicated on this happening.

It will be interesting to see how the politics of this play out if fuel keeps going up.

Disastrous number for National in imminent poll puts pressure on Luxon MPs and staffers say the party vote figure for National in a soon to be released poll is just 28%, the worst from this pollster since Christopher Luxon became leader.

National is on 28% in a new TPU/Curia poll out this morning, according to MPs and staffers who have seen it.
www.thepost.co.nz/politics/360...

It could probably be “restrict VPN use” with hindsight.

They don’t say ban but they want the regulator to explore how to stop people using them. The fact that the Green and ACT MPs who were on the committee describe it as such suggests to me that this is the direction of travel being discussed - but it is an explore not a “do”

The big online harm SC inquiry report is out. As expected it recommends an under-16 ban. It also suggests a new regulator explore banning VPNs…

Greens and ACT both very against that and caution against the social media ban.

(well admitting as much on several of those fronts - zoning, tax incentives, etc)

i agree that those are more important problems. but our politicians are admitting as much there. they are not admitting that cleaning out our kiwisavers at age 34 is bad news for our retirement and in a supply constrained market likely add to house prices

this column does not suggest that it is the sole or primary driver of higher house prices

Fantastic piece from @henrycooke.bsky.social. Not only does using KiwiSaver for a first home artificially inflate the housing market, it denies young people the benefit of compound interest at the time it’s most beneficial to them.
www.thepost.co.nz/politics/360...

KiwiSaver’s original sin OPINION: Two decades on, the decision to let people raid their retirement savings for a house looks worse than ever.

Column this morning is on the original sin of KiwiSaver - the fact we all empty it out to buy homes

www.thepost.co.nz/politics/360...

Chris Bishop says HUD advised against the move on orders.

Chris Luxon says he misspoke yesterday saying “any action” was supported if it stopped Iran developing nukes. He says he should have said “action”.

thanks, that was me

Here’s Luxon saying NZ supports “any action” to stop Iran and me following up to ask if that would include carpet bombing (vid via RNZ)

Luxon said in his presser today that NZ sees "any actions" that stop Iran getting a nuke, sponsoring terrorism, or hurting own people as a good thing. I asked him if that included carpet bombing the country and he said it didn't.

Helen Clark tells me New Zealand must clearly reject the 'slippery slope' into war, after the UK found itself involved.

She says Luxon appears to have endorsed the strikes this morning and it seems he would have invaded Iraq had he been PM in 2003.

www.thepost.co.nz/politics/360...

no congratulation present you utter tool

NZ calls for resumption of negotiations with Iran following US attack Christopher Luxon and Winston Peters say Iran must stop retaliating in statement following US strikes.

NZ putting itself closer to the European position (neither endorsing nor condemning US attack, calling for resumption of talks) rather than the more pro-US Aus + Canada position

www.thepost.co.nz/politics/360...

yup! Parklet festival

another gorgeous day in the capital 🫡

Infrastructure boss: Tolls and charges needed before new projects New Zealand is building costly roads it may not need, Infrastructure Commission head Geoff Cooper says, urging far greater use of tolls and congestion charges first.

In an interview with me in The Post this morning, the Infrastructure Commission head says equity arguments about the impact of congestion charges must be balanced with the equity issue of building roads we don’t need

www.thepost.co.nz/politics/360...

It sure looks like people are never going to get over Jacinda Ardern The former PM retired three years ago. The very mention of her name still has the power to send grown men spiralling,

i think hayden put it well thespinoff.co.nz/politics/24-...

look i posted about it once and i am still getting hate mail for it

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no i am fairly clearly saying that the news reports on things that are new and wellington's water is usually a lot better than auckland's. this would be obvious if you had quote tweeted me instead of cutting out what i was replying too, but that wouldn't work for your framing