OPINION: A strange bedfellow and a tenuous lifeline at Ratana for Bridges

OPINION: A strange bedfellow and a tenuous lifeline at Ratana for Bridges
Pattrick Smellie
National Party leader Simon Bridges was thrown an unlikely, admittedly tenuous, lifeline at today's annual political pilgrimage to the seat of the Ratana church, a traditional Labour Party bastion.That lifeline came in the form of an unexpected endorsement by the Green Party's Jack McDonald (pictured right).McDonald, who quit as a Green Party candidate last year in protest at the centrist leadership style of co-leader James Shaw, popped up making the formal speech at Ratana on behalf of the Maori Party this afternoon.McDonald used his speech to...

More Policy

Māori leader praises Govt focus on root causes of social harm
Policy

Māori leader praises Govt focus on root causes of social harm

Outcomes-based contracting will be easier said than done.

Jem Traylen 25 Oct 2024
'Massive blow': 75 suppliers lose school lunch contracts
Policy

'Massive blow': 75 suppliers lose school lunch contracts

Thousands of jobs are on the line as school lunch cuts hit harder than expected.

Cécile Meier 23 Oct 2024
Forest owners' ETS charge halved
Primary Sector

Forest owners' ETS charge halved

Previous increase in charge was 'excessive' says forestry minister Todd McClay.

Staff reporters 23 Oct 2024
Red socks type of leader needed to fix NZ’s infrastructure conundrum
Policy

Olivia Blaylock: Red socks type of leader needed to fix NZ’s infrastructure conundrum

Bold leadership is needed to pull NZ out of its infrastructure crisis. 

Olivia Blaylock 23 Oct 2024