# Centrist

> Centrist is an independent New Zealand news and public-affairs publication covering politics, policy, current affairs, investigative reporting, citizen journalism, and reason-based analysis.

Centrist's primary language is English (New Zealand). Article pages are the canonical sources for headlines, publication dates, author attribution, corrections, and article text. Content marked as part of the main feed has been editorially selected. Community discussion is reader-contributed and should not be attributed to Centrist's editorial team.

Last updated: 2026-10-29T20:34:59.872Z

## Key resources

- [Centrist home](https://centrist.nz/): Latest editorially selected New Zealand news and analysis.
- [Newsletter archive](https://centrist.nz/archive): Admin-reviewed public copies of past Centrist campaign emails.
- [Comment and community policy](https://centrist.nz/policy): Rules governing reader comments and community participation.
- [Contact Centrist](https://centrist.nz/contact): Publication contact information.
- [XML sitemap](https://centrist.nz/sitemap.xml): Indexable public pages and published articles.
- [RSS feed](https://centrist.nz/feed): The 20 latest published articles selected for the main feed.
- [Robots policy](https://centrist.nz/robots.txt): Automated crawler access policy.

## Recent editorial content

- [What experience are voters actually hiring?](https://centrist.nz/what-experience-are-voters-actually-hiring-1793298333859): Everyone wants to run New Zealand. But what have they actually run?
- [National's MMP claim challenged, but election watchdogs decline to intervene](https://centrist.nz/nationals-mmp-claim-challenged-but-election-watchdogs-decline-to-intervene-1793297993732): When parties make claims about how MMP works, who decides whether voters are being misled?
- [The government says it won't track you. It just wants to 'bind' your phone and log your metadata](https://centrist.nz/the-government-says-it-wont-track-you-it-just-wants-to-bind-your-phone-and-log-your-metadata-1793153761831): Official documents obtained by Centrist reveal plans to link citizens' devices to government agency records while logging millions of communications.
- [Stanford offered to help social media ban campaign counter critics before launch](https://centrist.nz/stanford-offered-to-help-social-media-ban-campaign-counter-critics-before-launch-1793153757535): Was the government responding to public pressure, or helping build the pressure it then cited?
- [National planned social media ban launch before Cabinet signed off](https://centrist.nz/national-planned-social-media-ban-launch-before-cabinet-signed-off-1792970752993): Official emails reveal National was organising a major announcement weeks before Cabinet's decision, despite opposition from both coalition partners.
- [Police can now move on rough sleepers — even without disorderly behaviour](https://centrist.nz/police-can-now-move-on-rough-sleepers-even-without-disorderly-behaviour-1792970723555): The government says the law targets disorder, but critics question its consequences for homelessness.
- [Gang photos or gang campaigning? Luxon draws the line](https://centrist.nz/gang-photos-or-gang-campaigning-luxon-draws-the-line-1792970719776): Luxon argues there's a clear distinction between meeting gang members and campaigning for their votes.
- [Seymour takes aim at 'activist judges'](https://centrist.nz/seymour-takes-aim-at-activist-judges-1792970716125): “Parliament is elected. Judges are not.”
- [Pharmac funds cancer drug for some — but this father faces $17,000 a month](https://centrist.nz/pharmac-funds-cancer-drug-for-some-but-this-father-faces-17000-a-month-1792970711776): After spending nearly $100,000, a Christchurch family is running out of money and options.
- [AI hackers speed up attacks as defenders struggle to keep pace](https://centrist.nz/ai-hackers-speed-up-attacks-as-defenders-struggle-to-keep-pace-1792970703007): AI-powered hacking tools are accelerating cyberattacks and lowering the skills needed to launch them.
- [Leoni's exit raises a bigger question: What did Labour know?](https://centrist.nz/leonis-exit-raises-a-bigger-question-what-did-labour-know-1792970707934): eoni's resignation raises questions about what Labour's leadership and campaign officials knew while publicly condemning other parties.
- [Labour candidate resigns a day after Hipkins declared 'absolute' confidence](https://centrist.nz/labour-candidate-resigns-a-day-after-hipkins-declared-absolute-confidence-1792717595990): “No, I haven’t spoken to her directly.”
- [NZ First candidates' 'population replacement' remarks spark controversy](https://centrist.nz/nz-first-candidates-population-replacement-remarks-spark-controversy-1792717591312): “Mass migration has been forced down everyday Kiwis’ throats.”
- [Tamaki claims Australia barred him after remarks about burning mosques and temples](https://centrist.nz/tamaki-claims-australia-barred-him-after-remarks-about-burning-mosques-and-temples-1792717586703): “Why don’t we burn mosques and their temples down? Tit for tat.”
- [High Court overturns puberty-blocker ban despite acknowledging grounds for restrictions](https://centrist.nz/high-court-overturns-puberty-blocker-ban-despite-acknowledging-grounds-for-restrictions-1792717582923): “If the evidence is contested … then caution must prevail.”
- [Nearly one in three young voters still not enrolled as deadline looms](https://centrist.nz/nearly-one-in-three-young-voters-still-not-enrolled-as-deadline-looms-1792717578777): “You must be enrolled by midnight this Sunday 25 October for your vote to count.”
- [New parents’ group pushes school basics as critics focus on political connections](https://centrist.nz/new-parents-group-pushes-school-basics-as-critics-focus-on-political-connections-1792717575066): “Academic achievement must come first.”
- [Mother jailed over Starship child abuse diagnosis wins fresh appeal after new evidence emerges](https://centrist.nz/mother-jailed-over-starship-child-abuse-diagnosis-wins-fresh-appeal-after-new-evidence-emerges-1792717570837): “There is now significant expert evidence that was not available to the jury.”
- [From police poster boy to gun thief: Award-winning constable pocketed $5,000](https://centrist.nz/from-police-poster-boy-to-gun-thief-award-winning-constable-pocketed-5000-1792717565834): "If I can inspire one young Māori boy, then, you know, it's worthwhile."
- [Poll calls Opportunity kingmaker, but National overhang could change everything](https://centrist.nz/poll-calls-opportunity-kingmaker-but-national-overhang-could-change-everything-1792541223049): Summarised by Centrist National has surged to 32% in the latest 1News-Verian poll, opening a five-point lead over Labour, but the possibility of a Na...
- [Australian MP attack prompts warning over threats to politicians](https://centrist.nz/australian-mp-attack-prompts-warning-over-threats-to-politicians-1792541219344): The accused attacker publicly praised Haines in 2019. Seven years later, investigators have not established a motive.
- [Is NCEA disguising how many students are failing to learn?](https://centrist.nz/is-ncea-disguising-how-many-students-are-failing-to-learn-1792541215219): Would higher failure rates mean the new qualification is failing students, or that NCEA has been masking shortcomings in their achievement?
- [Michael Laws accuses mainstream media of hypocrisy over MMP overhang strategy](https://centrist.nz/michael-laws-accuses-mainstream-media-of-hypocrisy-over-mmp-overhang-strategy-1792541211753): “How incredibly typical, how incredibly hypocritical.”
- [Former Opportunity insiders allege factional takeover and toxic party culture](https://centrist.nz/former-opportunity-insiders-allege-factional-takeover-and-toxic-party-culture-1792541207106): A party campaigning against political tribalism is facing claims of backroom factionalism — just as it could decide the next government.
- [Labour and National different cheeks of the same arse, argues Chris Trotter](https://centrist.nz/labour-and-national-different-cheeks-of-the-same-arse-argues-chris-trotter-1792541203238): “The right and left cheeks of the same economically- and culturally-liberal arse.”
- [Why your allergies might get worse the more you're exposed](https://centrist.nz/why-your-allergies-might-get-worse-the-more-youre-exposed-1792541198801): “What if the neurons are developing a 'memory' of this allergen?”
- [Labour promises urgent hospital bed audit and investigation into ED deaths](https://centrist.nz/labour-promises-urgent-hospital-bed-audit-and-investigation-into-ed-deaths-1792541194497): How many hospital beds remain unopened while patients wait for emergency care? Labour says it wants to find out.
- [National proposes 10-year prison terms for silence in child killings](https://centrist.nz/national-proposes-10-year-prison-terms-for-silence-in-child-killings-1792375240565): "The right to remain silent is a fundamental principle, however, it should not be absolute when a child has lost their life..."
- [Te Pāti Māori’s Kiri Tamihere, who spoke of overthrowing government, defends gang-pad hui](https://centrist.nz/te-pti-moris-kiri-tamihere-who-spoke-of-overthrowing-government-defends-gang-pad-hui-1792375233346): Yet even Labour has condemned the visit.
- [Labour and National urged to strike deal to stop overhangs distorting elections](https://centrist.nz/labour-and-national-urged-to-strike-deal-to-stop-overhangs-distorting-elections-1792375229392): “If you vote the wrong way, you vote again.”

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