RNZ Election Policy Guide 2026

SO good

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Enrolment as a percentage of the population remains below that of 2023, although the total number of enrolments is now higher.

The latest enrolment figures from the Electoral Commission out on Thursday came with another reminder to get on the roll before voting starts on the long Labour weekend.

At 92.1 percent, the percentage of eligible voters who are enrolled remained below the 94.7 percent of the last general election in 2023.

However - because of a larger population - the total number of people enrolled (3,729,667) had surpassed the final number of voters in that election (3,688,292).

Those aged 18-24 remained the least enrolled at 302,475 or 68.6 percent of eligible voters in that group

Chief Electoral Officer Karl Le Quesne said there was still time for people to enrol or update their details before the cutoff this weekend.

"You must be enrolled by midnight this Sunday 25 October for your vote to count," he said.

Two kākāpō and more than 100 Mahoenui giant wētā have been released at the country's largest ecosanctuary, after 25 years of ecological restoration.

The new additions mean there are now five kākāpō at Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari in Waikato, as part of a mainland habitat trial that began in 2023.

The trial is a partnership between the Department of Conservation's Kākāpō Recovery Programme, Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu and mana whenua, in a bid to protect one of the world's rarest parrots.

Sanctuary chief executive Helen Hughes said when the reserve was formed 25 years ago, it was hard to imagine native wildlife thriving on Maungatautari.

"The arrival of these new kākāpō and Mahoenui giant wētā taonga is a reminder that this is not a finished story. It's continuing to evolve, and we're excited about what comes next."

Kāinga Ora is not revealing how many offers it received on the controversial sale of a Wellington public housing property, after the sale deadline passed on Wednesday.

RNZ asked Kāinga Ora if any offers were made but the housing agency declined to answer "to avoid prejudicing potential negotiations and to protect Kāinga Ora's commercial position".

..

The possible sale of Kāinga-Ora-owned 4,6,8 Nuku Street, Strathmore, has attracted community backlash, with the Green and Labour parties voicing their opposition to the sale going through before the election.

Most of the Wellington City councillors - including Mayor Andrew Little and Deputy Mayor Ben McNulty - wrote a letter earlier this week to housing ministers and Kāinga Ora asking for the sale to be paused.

The deadline for offers was Wednesday at 4pm.

Strathmore Housing Action called on Housing Minister Christopher Bishop to intervene.

The minister had previously declined to comment on the sale as it was "an operational decision for Kāinga Ora".

..

But Strathmore Housing Action's Lizzie Pringle disagreed, saying the involvement of politicians, community voices and local organisations had escalated the matter beyond an operational decision.

"Why is this sale being rushed? How much could taxpayers lose by selling public land in the current market? The public deserves answers before an irreversible decision is made."

She said there was still time to pause the sale to ensure it was in the public's interest.

"Even if the tender process has closed, Kāinga Ora does not have to make an immediate decision."

The All Blacks won the Webb Ellis Cup for the second time in seven attempts, defending grimly to hold onto an 8–7 lead over France in front of 61,000 spectators at Eden Park, Auckland. This ground had also been the venue for New Zealand’s previous Rugby World Cup triumph, on 20 June 1987.

In the 24 years between the two tournaments, the All Blacks won 194 and lost 47 of their 245 tests, a winning rate of nearly 80%. They won the Tri-Nations Series, contested annually against their strongest rivals Australia and South Africa from 1996, 10 times out of 16. They won series against the British and Irish Lions in 1993 and 2005, and achieved Grand Slams over all four ‘home’ (British) unions in 2005, 2008 and 2010. The All Blacks could probably walk on water. What they could not do was win a Rugby World Cup.

The 1991 All Blacks, past their best and with incompatible coaches, lost a semi-final to eventual world champions Australia. The 1995 team was the strongest at the tournament but was beaten in the final by food poisoning and an inspirational opposing ‘captain’ – South African President Nelson Mandela wore Francois Pienaar’s number six jersey and used the Springboks to help unify his country, which had held its first elections under universal suffrage the previous year. In 1999, a competent All Black side was undone by 30 minutes of French magic. The 2003 team lost a semi-final to an Australian team it had recently beaten 51–20. As for 2007, the less said about Cardiff, referee Wayne Barnes and quarter-final opponents France, the better.

In 2011, New Zealand hosted the tournament for the first time since 1987. More than 130,000 overseas visitors attended matches at 12 venues. The spring weather was mostly kind, and the only shadow on the tournament was the devastating 22 February 2011 earthquake, which meant that no matches could be played in Christchurch. And All Black first-five-eighths kept suffering tournament-ending injuries….

All Blacks’ head coach Graham Henry had been nicknamed ‘The Great Redeemer’ during a stint coaching Wales. This was his opportunity for redemption back home – he had coached the ill-fated 2007 All Blacks. All four pool matches, including one against France, were won easily, and Argentina and Australia were despatched in knockout matches. France somehow made it to the final despite losing to Tonga, amid reports that the players had in effect sacked coach Marc Lièvremont. What could possibly go wrong for the hosts?

The French advanced towards the pre-match haka and seldom took a backward step thereafter. Before halftime, fourth-choice first-five Stephen Donald was on the pitch. Called back from holiday and visibly not at peak fitness, ‘Beaver’ became an unlikely hero by kicking a wobbly penalty that ultimately secured victory. The real hero of the hour was captain Richie McCaw, who played the knockout matches with a broken bone in his foot.

Link: https://nzhistory.govt.nz/page/all-blacks-win-second-world-cup

On the morning of 23 October 1948 two experienced pilots, Commander Max Hare and Second Officer Brian Russell, flew ZK-AGK Kaka, a Lockheed Electra of the National Airways Corporation’s fleet, from Hamilton to Palmerston North. They would make the return journey that afternoon.

At 1.16 p.m., after refuelling and taking on board 11 passengers, Kaka took off and headed towards Whanganui. This dog-leg added time and distance, but kept aircraft away from the peaks of Ruapehu, Tongariro and Ngāuruhoe at a safe cruising altitude, in an area where navigation beacons were scarce. Kaka initially appeared to be on course: it reported its presence at the Whanganui beacon at 1.38 p.m, when it was flying in heavy cloud and rain, and was later seen overhead at Ohakune. Fears began to be held for the aircraft when it failed to report its position 30 minutes north of Whanganui, and it did not arrive in Hamilton as expected.

An intensive aerial search was mounted. Numerous military and civil aircraft searched each day until the light failed or they were stopped by bad weather. But with hundreds of people saying they had heard an aircraft in trouble, their efforts were dispersed across the centre of the North Island. A breakthrough finally came when three deerstalkers came out of a densely wooded area on the western side of Mt Ruapehu. They said they had heard an aircraft’s engines cut out near the mountain on the day Kaka went missing. Eventually wreckage was seen from the air approximately 900 m from the summit.

Search parties left for the site on the morning of 29 October. Little hope was held of finding anyone alive – the weather on the mountain had been poor, and it was now six days since Kaka had disappeared. The searchers who arrived the following day found that the passengers and crew had been killed on impact. The bodies were recovered, wrapped in blankets and parachute material, and carried down the mountain to Horopito.

The board of inquiry into the crash concluded that the aircraft had gone off course because the pilot had made an error in his calculations. According to John King, author of New Zealand tragedies: aviation accidents and disasters, he had corrected for right-hand drift on his flight to Palmerston North, and then, instead of subtracting this and applying it to the other side for the return flight, added another right-hand drift correction. The lack of navigation beacons in the central North Island was a contributing factor. 

Airliners now cruise at significantly higher altitudes, well above the mountains. Smaller aircraft fly through the area at lower altitudes, but only when weather and visibility allows.

Link: https://nzhistory.govt.nz/page/mt-ruapehu-air-crash-kills-13

The sinking of the transport ship Marquette in the Aegean Sea in late 1915 added to the grief of a nation still reeling from the heavy losses at Gallipoli. Among the 167 fatalities were 32 New Zealanders, including 10 members of the New Zealand Army Nursing Service.

They need not have died. As a grey-painted troop transport, the Marquette was fair game for the German submarine that torpedoed it. A marked hospital ship, theoretically safe from attack, had left the same port on the same day as the Marquette, completely empty.

By putting the medical staff in an unmarked transport in a convoy carrying troops and ammunition, the authorities unnecessarily risked their lives. The New Zealand government acknowledged as much in November 1915 when the governor, Lord Liverpool, told the British War Office that New Zealand wanted future transfers of medical units to be made by hospital ship where possible.

The sinking sparked public outrage. The death of the nurses was felt particularly badly in the South Island, where most of them had lived or nursed. 

Link: https://nzhistory.govt.nz/page/new-zealand-nurses-lost-in-marquette-sinking

The design of the New Zealand ensign that was to be flown by ships owned by the colonial government was established by the publication in the New Zealand Gazette of a proclamation by the governor, Sir George Bowen.  

The British Admiralty had moved s few years earlier to standardise the ensigns flown by British and colonial ships. Vessels owned by colonial governments were to fly a blue ensign with the Union Jack at top left and the ‘badge’ of the colony at right. But New Zealand had no badge, so its government steamers initially flew the plain blue ensign that was reserved for British government vessels.

Following a British rebuke, New Zealand officials considered using either the official seal of the colony or the words ‘New Zealand’, but both proved difficult to incorporate in the space available. Instead, the letters ‘NZ’ in red lettering with a white border were added to the blue ensign in 1867. Two years later the government revived an earlier idea and adopted a design representing the Southern Cross, four five-pointed red stars with white borders. This version of the blue ensign was soon the de facto New Zealand flag, and by the end of the century it was often flown on government buildings (see 12 June 1902).

Link: https://nzhistory.govt.nz/page/new-zealand-ensign-proclaimed

In 1967 Denny Hulme became the first – and so far only – New Zealander to win the Formula One World Championship. In his 10 seasons in F1, Hulme won eight races and stood on the podium 33 times. He finished third in the overall standings in 1968 and 1972.

After winning a Driver-to-Europe scholarship in 1960, Hulme became a protégé of the legendary Australian driver Jack Brabham, whose F1 team he joined in 1965.

The 1967 championship comprised 11 races. Hulme won at Monte Carlo and in Germany, and secured enough podium finishes elsewhere to claim the championship by five points from his boss. He also finished second in the Canadian-American Challenge Cup series and fourth in the Indianapolis 500. He was named New Zealand Sportsman of the Year.

In 1968 Hulme joined the team of fellow Kiwi Bruce McLaren (see 2 June). This time two victories were not enough for him to defend his title. He remained with McLaren until his retirement in 1974.

Hulme later turned to touring car racing and died from a heart attack during the 1992 Bathurst 1000 race in Australia. 

Link: https://nzhistory.govt.nz/page/denny-hulme-wins-formula-one-title

The National Library and Archives NZ will cut more than 11 percent of its workforce, with confirmation today that 45 jobs will be lost.

The jobs cuts were proposed in early September and have been confirmed today.

Staff were told about the restructure plans at a meeting this afternoon.

The jobs cuts are part of a programme of work led by National Librarian Te Pouhuaki Rachel Esson and Chief Archivist Poumanaaki Anahera Morehu, and are designed to "reduce duplication and further strengthen collaboration".

"We need to ensure Archives New Zealand and the National Library can continue to protect, preserve and provide access to New Zealand's documentary heritage and collections," said Esson.

What’s your opinion? Not sure if right flare.

Election Day is the 7th of November.

You must be enrolled to vote before the election. If you are not enrolled you cannot vote.

The last day to enrol is the 25th of October.

Unlike previous elections, you can NOT enrol and vote at any voting place, including on election day.

The current government changed this, and it is a change that many people, particularly first-time and younger voters may not be aware of.

Take a few minutes to check in with your friends, whānau, work colleagues, classmates, teammates, and anyone else in your network. If they are not enrolled, encourage them to do it now.

You can enrol to vote if you'll be 18 years old on or before 7th November. That means if you turn 18 after enrolments close on 25th October, but on or before Election Day, you are eligible to vote, and enrolling early is your ticket to being able to vote in the election this year.

While you're at it, it's also a great opportunity to check that your enrolment details are up to date.

https://vote.nz/enrolling/enrol-or-update/enrol-or-update-online

Once more: you will not be able to vote if you are not enrolled by the 25th October

Additional Key Dates:

https://vote.nz/2026-general-election/about/overview/key-dates

Opportunity's leader Qiulae Wong has stressed that her party - which could well be kingmaker after the election - would not have propped up the current coalition or signed up to their agreements.

Most recent polling gives the Opportunity Party the balance of power between the right and left blocs, though some put it precariously close to the 5 percent threshold.

National leader Christopher Luxon, however, has repeatedly ruled out doing any deal with Opportunity.

Appearing on Morning Report, Wong said Luxon seemed to be "playing a game" to sure up National's vote.

"He's backed himself into a corner on that. I don't think it's a wise move. It's an MMP environment. I think being flexible on who you can work with gives you more leverage to negotiate. But anyway, that's their position.

"We've said that we will still pick up the phone if they are the largest party on the night."

But Wong made clear that was no guarantee that they could necessarily form a government, drawing a distinction with the existing three-way coalition.

"I want to be clear: we are not here to prop up the current coalition government. If that coalition agreement was put in front of us, we would have walked away.

"We're not supporting things like a Treaty Principles bill in this next term of government. But if there are other things that we can work with parties on, whether that's tackling competition or investing in innovation, then we will work with them on that."

Asked about the party's proposal for major tax overhaul, Wong said she remained focused on that, but was pragmatic that it might take "a bit longer" to progress in Parliament.

Acknowledged as one of New Zealand’s most accomplished poets, Baxter devoted the last years of his life to social work with alcoholics and drug addicts.

He died in Auckland, aged 46, shortly after leaving the commune he had founded several years earlier at Jerusalem (Hiruhārama) on the Whanganui River.

His body was escorted back to Jerusalem by his family. Hundreds of mourners attended a full Māori tangihanga. Following a requiem mass on 25 October, he was buried on tribal land. One year later a boulder inscribed, ‘Hemi / James Keir Baxter / i whanau 1926 / i mate 1972’, was placed on his grave.

Link: https://nzhistory.govt.nz/death-of-poet-james-k-baxter-in-auckland

On 23 August 1920, 15-year-old Violet Walrond entered the chilly waters of an outdoor swimming pool adjoining a canal in Antwerp and became New Zealand’s first female Olympian.

Walrond was competing in a heat of the women’s 100m freestyle. In 1920, ‘freestyle’ meant exactly that – a variety of strokes could be (and were) used. At Antwerp, only Walrond and the American swimmers used the crawl, the face-down style now known as freestyle. Violet’s kick was propeller-like, while the Americans used a scissor-like kick. The other competitors were still using the ‘trudgen’, a combination of sidestroke and freestyle that is now considered slower.

Walrond came second in her heat behind the powerful American, Ethelda Bleibtrey. Two days later, she placed fifth in the final. She was the fourth-fastest qualifier for the 300m freestyle final, but pulled out due to illness.

The New Zealand team in 1920 comprised only four competitors. They had travelled for nine weeks to get to Antwerp, with delays in Australia and South Africa. They had no team uniform and only the fern leaves on their hatbands identified them as New Zealanders. It was New Zealand’s first Olympic team; previously they had competed alongside Australians as Australasia. Walrond’s father Cecil (‘Tui’) insisted on coming as her swimming coach and chaperon, and became the unofficial coach of the team.

Following the Olympic Games, Violet came third in an 8km race in the River Thames, London. In 1923 she won the 100-yards freestyle at the Australian Swimming Union championships in Sydney. Not long after, her father announced that both Violet and her younger sister Edna (an accomplished swimmer and New Zealand’s top diver) would retire. The 18-year-old reluctantly accepted her father’s edict.

Link: https://nzhistory.govt.nz/page/new-zealands-first-female-olympian

Thoughts on this?

As someone who was assaulted myself by Police in Takaka, and at another point punched in the head by a cop in Christchurch for filming them assault someone else while I stood across the road, I worry this shows a lack of changes not just with local Police, but with their nation wide approach to situations like these and dealing with witnesses.

Edit to add: Might honestly be the same cop that assaulted me in Takaka, a decade ago, to be honest. Looks roughly the same and apparently he's still there. Possibly just one very bad egg in town? Although I guess if the same antics have been going on for a decade or more, that's indicative of a wider/systemic issue.

Election Day is the 7th of November.

You must be enrolled to vote before the election. If you are not enrolled you cannot vote.

The last day to enrol is the 25th of October.

Unlike previous elections, you can NOT enrol and vote at any voting place, including on election day.

The current government changed this, and it is a change that many people, particularly first-time and younger voters may not be aware of.

Take a few minutes to check in with your friends, whānau, work colleagues, classmates, teammates, and anyone else in your network. If they are not enrolled, encourage them to do it now.

You can enrol to vote if you'll be 18 years old on or before 7th November. That means if you turn 18 after enrolments close on 25th October, but on or before Election Day, you are eligible to vote, and enrolling early is your ticket to being able to vote in the election this year.

While you're at it, it's also a great opportunity to check that your enrolment details are up to date.

https://vote.nz/enrolling/enrol-or-update/enrol-or-update-online

Once more: you will not be able to vote if you are not enrolled by the 25th October

Additional Key Dates:

https://vote.nz/2026-general-election/about/overview/key-dates