The Post

Region’s leaders condemn move on orders in letter to PM Community leaders, among them all Wellington region mayors, have issued a sharply worded open letter condemning the Government’s move-on orders.

Describing the move as “superficial, unhelpful”, and “not welcome” the signatories note homelessness is a growing issue, being felt throughout New Zealand.

Mystery man behind cycleway vs pipe blog is a ‘pseudonym’ The publisher of a blog written by the mysterious Peter Bassett has broken her silence, confirming it is a pen name – with the original author remaining secret. The main target of Bassett’s criticism ...

The main target - Green MP and former city councillor Tamatha Paul - has hit back: “I put my name and face to everything I say and do because unlike them, I’m not a coward.”

Mayor puts kibosh on $405,000 library celebration Wellington mayor Andrew Little slashes by half the budget for an extravagant knees up to celebrate the opening of the city’s new library.

“I’ve asked the chief executive to ensure budgets for events like this reflect community expectations to keep council spending under control.”

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.

And part 1: www.thepost.co.nz/business/360...

Here's part 2: www.thepost.co.nz/nz-news/3609...

'Perfect storm' prompts bittersweet goodbye for outdoor store Ben Kepes is philosophical about having to shutter up his Wellington retail outlet, describing the decision to leave the city he had grown up in as emotionally difficult but “absolutely” the right thi...

This is part 3 in our series, The Tipping Point, looking at the story behind the story of small business closures.

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...

Wellington mayor releases three-year plan Mayor Andrew Little has revealed what his council aims to do over the next three years. It could affect your rates, your bus ride and much, much more.

Andrew Little is advocating for a reversal of the law that means Crown buildings – including Parliament, schools and hospitals – do not pay rates.

From surge to slowdown: Wellington secondary rolls start to level off Wellington high schools were under pressure, but now they’re predicting a slow down.

"For years, we just accepted people off the ballot, there wasn't any real problem - there weren't any pressures. It's only in the last 10 years that as we started to grow, we really needed to enforce our zone."

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...

Fonotī Pati Umaga never planned to tell his story. Now he’s living it on-stage After a fall left musician Fonotī Pati Umaga paralysed, he spent years rebuilding his life in private. Now, at 67, he is stepping on-stage for the first time to tell his story - not through words alon...

"Ableism is something you have to accept. It just means you don’t have to take on the frustration and the absolute absurdity of people’s views, because it just wears you down."

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 is embarrassing’: Site scrubs mystery author Peter Bassett’s post The mystery of Peter Bassett ‒ the elusive author of a debunked article on Wellington cycleway spending at the expense of water infrastructure ‒ deepens. One website has now removed the offending piec...

A curious update from the original poster: “I will be addressing the matter in full in my next newsletter.”

Parties head for comfort food in recess week OPINION: What do you do after backing down on housing? Focus on law and order!

First edition - the web version: www.thepost.co.nz/politics/360...

🚨We're reviving an old newsletter from the Stuff days tomorrow morning - Politically Correct.

It'll be a fun summary of the week in politics with some gossip about job changes and the like.

And all the stories linked with be de-paywalled.

Sign up: accounts.news.stuff.co.nz/newsletter

Poll: Kiwis back mega projects despite commission’s warning on costs New polling shows the vast majority of Kiwis want the Government to build big - but flood protection is top priority, not roads.

"We do have a history of building large projects that we know are going to significantly add to people's lives and to improve economic performance."

Move-on orders, from both sides of the street As Parliament considers move‑on powers for rough sleepers, Simon — a familiar face on Willis St — says the rules won’t fix homelessness or its causes.

"The reality is, town and city centres need to be inclusive environments - but when something changes that you need to make a move."

Mayor signals change for controversial bus lanes generating millions Wellington mayor Andrew Little has a personal history with the notorious Cambridge Tce bus lane - he was in a car that got pinged with a $150 ticket.

"I'm not convinced that the sign posting is that well done. I’m also not convinced that we need to have a bus lane that is 12 hours a day, seven days a week."

The great flush: Are new sewage laws reverting to 1930s standards? Experts and watchdogs warn new rules could allow plants like Wellington’s Moa Point to scale back treatment, raising fears of a return to outdated sewage practices.

“How in the 21st century, clean and green New Zealand can specify new environmental standards that set limits several times above decades-old resource consent limits will forever remain beyond reason.”

Wellington’s mysterious blogger: Would the real Peter Bassett please stand up? He started a furore by claiming blame for the capital’s wastewater failures stems from a council vote on cycleways versus pipes, but it appears no-one knows the writer described as “an observer of med...

"The spread of misinformation and disinformation makes this work so much harder than it needs to be."

Behind the Beehive’s handling of the McSkimming scandal: who knew what when? Nearly 300 pages of newly released communications reveal months of crisis management as ministers, officials and police worked to contain the legal and political fallout from the former deputy commiss...

On July 18, 2025, National’s chief of staff Cameron Burrows received a text from a ministerial adviser. “We’re not saying anything re Jevon, right?” “That’s right, no comment,” Burrows replied.

Exclusions spark tension as Greens tighten list rules Members complain that the new process has created a “very James Shaw party list” of people who play “respectability games”.

The Green Party’s strict new process for its party list is prompting turmoil within the membership as former candidates have been excluded from potentially becoming MPs.

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

The many knives in Chris Bishop’s back OPINION: The Housing Minister’s latest backdown may not be the last. His experience will turn off other politicians keen to take a punt on our knottiest issues.

He took a punt this term trying to build political space for a shocking amount of new housing, for the notion that it might win the political right voters who aren’t already wealthy and sorted, even if it hurt them with those that were. @henrycooke.bsky.social

National struggles for traction as NZ First gains ground Labour and Chris Hipkins maintain their advantage, National stalls, and NZ First continues to rise in the latest The Post/Freshwater Strategy poll.

New Post/Freshwater poll has Labour seven points clear of National:

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

Chris Bishop opens door to cancelling or delaying Wellington tunnels Transport Minister Chris Bishop says he agrees with a major report that congestion charging on existing routes be prioritised before funding is committed.

NEW: Chris Bishop just opened the door to cancelling or severely delaying the Wellington tunnels, if a congestion charge shows they aren't needed in the first place.

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

NEW: The Infra Commission just released its official plan, and it's a massive challenge to the Govt and NZ to:

- Trim transport spending
- Double spending on renewal/maintenance
- Spend twice as much on hospitals

In pictures: All the action from Round The Bays Wellington It was very cold and blustery, but many braved the elements ‒ including The Post’s David Unwin, with camera in hand. Here’s what he captured.

Yes, it was cold - but at least Round the Bays wasn't today!

The inside story of Wellington’s $511m sludge blowout Wellington’s $511m sludge plant was meant to be world-class. But basic errors, redesigns and zero-margin commissioning blew the budget.

And as the city reels from millions of litres of untreated sewage spilling daily into Cook Strait, The Post can reveal the inside story of why the plant’s cost has doubled.

How Moa Point cost could hit wallets from Hutt Valley to Porirua As the ownership of water assets transitions to the new entity, a debate is set to erupt over who will foot the extensive repair bill.

“Transparency with Wellingtonians and all New Zealanders is essential, so it would be my expectation that all reporting should be proactively released as appropriate.”