A weekly hoon of gallery wonks

TLDR & TLDL: Here’s my weekly ‘hoon’ podcast with a Parliamentary Press Gallery colleague about the events of the last week or so. This week I talk with NZ Herald senior reporter Thomas Coughlan about the polls, the omicron outbreak, Three Waters and the Commerce Commission’s final report from its grocery market study.

Luxon has taken National into the lead over Labour in the polls for the first time since the election. Photo: Lynn Grieveson/TheKaka

We recorded it on late on Friday and talked about the following:

• National Leader Christopher Luxon’s state of the nation address pledging to reverse Labour’s ‘six new taxes’, including a $1.7b set of adjustments to income tax thresholds;

• Luxon’s claim that these tax cuts will offset a cost of living crisis caused by rising food, fuel and housing costs, although the vast bulk of the money will go mostly to homeowners;

• The TVNZ-Kantar poll result putting National ahead of Labour;

• The latest Three Waters fudge that tried (and failed) to win back councillors and mayors; and,

• The Commerce Commission’s final report watering down initial proposals to break up the supermarkets duopoly.

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