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NationalOctober 12

Greens promise 284,000 jobs with $6b economic plan

The Green Party says it will create 284,000 jobs over four years as part of its nearly $6 billion economic development plan.
Greens promise 284,000 jobs with $6b economic plan
Greens promise 284,000 jobs with $6b economic plan
NationalOctober 12

‘Cost of Luxon’: Labour claims Kiwi households are $6000 a year worse off under National

The Labour party has launched an election attack on National, saying Christopher Luxon has left the typical Kiwi family thousands of dollars worse off.
‘Cost of Luxon’: Labour claims Kiwi households are $6000 a year worse off under National
‘Cost of Luxon’: Labour claims Kiwi households are $6000 a year worse off under National
NationalOctober 12

National adamant its superannuation stance has not changed

National is adamant its stance on superannuation has not changed since its fiery criticisms of other parties' failure to tackle the problem earlier in the year.
National adamant its superannuation stance has not changed
National adamant its superannuation stance has not changed
NewsOctober 12

Seymour trumpets Act’s ‘excellent progress’

Act New Zealand has risen to new heights in the past three years, literally and figuratively.
Mike Houlahan
Seymour trumpets Act’s ‘excellent progress’
Seymour trumpets Act’s ‘excellent progress’
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DunedinOctober 11

A new kind of ‘House of Pain’ beckons for Randell

Once the hero of Carisbrook, Taine Randell was back in Dunedin on Sunday in a new and very different capacity: as an aspiring politician.
Mike Houlahan
A new kind of ‘House of Pain’ beckons for Randell
A new kind of ‘House of Pain’ beckons for Randell
DunedinOctober 11

Hipkins 2.0 campaigning on his own platform

Chris Hipkins made history in the 2023 election, but for all the wrong reasons.
Mike Houlahan
Hipkins 2.0 campaigning on his own platform
Hipkins 2.0 campaigning on his own platform
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DunedinOctober 11

A full house, and more, greets Winston Peters in Mosgiel

NZ First leader Winston Peters came to town on Sunday, proclaiming that he had saved the new Dunedin Hospital and also the KiwiRail Hiilside workshop, and that next he would prevent the country from becoming an "Orwellian nightmare’’ or from turning into Myanmar or Venezuela.
Mike Houlahan
A full house, and more, greets Winston Peters in Mosgiel
A full house, and more, greets Winston Peters in Mosgiel
NationalOctober 11

ACT outline plans to raise retirement age, slash disability benefits to reduce debt

The ACT Party's fiscal plan promises to cut debt and spending, raise the superannuation age by three months every year, and cut disability benefits by $653 million.
ACT outline plans to raise retirement age, slash disability benefits to reduce debt
ACT outline plans to raise retirement age, slash disability benefits to reduce debt
DunedinOctober 11

Election 2026 interview: Winston Peters

This week's guest on Election 2026 is New Zealand First leader Winston Peters.
Mike Houlahan
Election 2026 interview: Winston Peters
Election 2026 interview: Winston Peters
NationalOctober 10

Labour details plan to reinstate school lunch programme

Labour has confirmed more details of its plan to reinstate the former school lunch programme from Term 1 2028, if elected.
Labour details plan to reinstate school lunch programme
Labour details plan to reinstate school lunch programme
NationalOctober 10

Green Party plan to guarantee young people jobs draws praise from social workers, LGNZ

The Green Party says it will guarantee a job for every young New Zealander aged 16 to 24 who has been out of work for six months or more.
RNZ
Green Party plan to guarantee young people jobs draws praise from social workers, LGNZ
Green Party plan to guarantee young people jobs draws praise from social workers, LGNZ
NationalOctober 10

National would make finishing Year 11 compulsory if re-elected

National will require high school students to stay in school until they complete Year 11, if re-elected.
RNZ
National would make finishing Year 11 compulsory if re-elected
National would make finishing Year 11 compulsory if re-elected
SouthlandOctober 10

Election 2026 debate: Invercargill

Today the second of the ODT electorate debates has gone live.
Mike Houlahan
Election 2026 debate: Invercargill
Election 2026 debate: Invercargill
NewsOctober 9

Luxon adamant coalition strong, stable on inside

Whatever else you might say about Christopher Luxon, he is a man who defies predictions and pundits.
Mike Houlahan
Luxon adamant coalition strong, stable on inside
Luxon adamant coalition strong, stable on inside
DunedinOctober 9

Candidates ready for election races

No surprise last-minute names have emerged in the South, as the Electoral Commission released the final list of candidates for this year’s election.
Mike Houlahan
Candidates ready for election races
Candidates ready for election races
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OpinionOctober 9

Scratchings have savaged the field in the 2026 election stakes

Back in the good old days when newspapers ran the results of the previous day’s horse races, the usual format was to print first, second and third in bold type, followed by ``Also ran:’’.
Mike Houlahan
Scratchings have savaged the field in the 2026 election stakes
Scratchings have savaged the field in the 2026 election stakes
OtagoOctober 6

Southerners high in NZ First party list

New Zealand First could potentially have two southern MPs in the next Parliament, given the rankings in its party list released Wednesday.
Mike Houlahan
Southerners high in NZ First party list
Southerners high in NZ First party list
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DunedinOctober 6

The battle to be Mr Relevant

In American football there is a player every year called "Mr Irrelevant’’ — the last man selected in the NFL draft.
Mike Houlahan
The battle to be Mr Relevant
The battle to be Mr Relevant
NationalOctober 6

Opportunity remains kingmaker in latest poll

Both National and Labour are stuck in the 20s in the latest 1News Verian poll - while the Opportunity Party continues to hold the balance of power.
RNZ
Opportunity remains kingmaker in latest poll
Opportunity remains kingmaker in latest poll
NationalOctober 5

Peters slams National promise to cut foreign aid as ‘dangerous’

The National Party wants to redirect foreign aid money into funding for new medicines if it leads the next government, but its coalition partner has slammed the decision as “dangerous” and “irresponsible”.
Peters slams National promise to cut foreign aid as ‘dangerous’
Peters slams National promise to cut foreign aid as ‘dangerous’
NationalOctober 5

National crashes, Greens surge, Opportunity kingmaker in latest poll

National has plunged below 26 percent in a new RNZ-Reid Research poll, while the Greens have surged about a month out from voting day.
National crashes, Greens surge, Opportunity kingmaker in latest poll
National crashes, Greens surge, Opportunity kingmaker in latest poll
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OpinionOctober 2

In the immortal words of Mrs Merton, let’s have a heated debate

Way back in 1983, during a 5th form Classical Studies at Tawa College, my teacher Jan Gould was explaining some of the gruesome ways in which the Romans killed Christian martyrs.
Mike Houlahan
In the immortal words of Mrs Merton, let’s have a heated debate
In the immortal words of Mrs Merton, let’s have a heated debate
NationalOctober 2

Luxon walks back 'bizarre claim' about the Greens

Christopher Luxon has walked back claims made by one of his ministers about the Greens, before then suggesting - wrongly - that they originated from the media.
Luxon walks back 'bizarre claim' about the Greens
Luxon walks back 'bizarre claim' about the Greens
NationalSeptember 30

National promises to make transtasman travel easier

National wants to progress a more seamless transtasman travel experience.
National promises to make transtasman travel easier
National promises to make transtasman travel easier
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DunedinSeptember 30

Odds on the key issue is the cost of living

Some might think that overseeing an election campaign was all drama and dynamic moments, but Labour campaign chairman Kieran McAnulty can confirm that there are plenty of mundane moments too.
Mike Houlahan
Odds on the key issue is the cost of living
Odds on the key issue is the cost of living