<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" version="2.0"><channel><title><![CDATA[Bassett, Brash & Hide]]></title><description><![CDATA[Brash&Mitchell]]></description><link>https://www.brashandmitchell.com/home</link><generator>RSS for Node</generator><lastBuildDate>Fri, 14 Aug 2026 21:15:16 GMT</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="https://www.brashandmitchell.com/blog-feed.xml" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><item><title><![CDATA[ROGER PARTRIDGE - Harmed by harm: How a word is swallowing freedom]]></title><description><![CDATA[Last month, ten organisations representing New Zealand’s ethnic, faith and multicultural communities delivered what they called an election message to the political parties: commit to new hate speech laws before New Zealanders vote. The Green Party committed to implementing the recommendations of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the 2019 Christchurch mosque attacks, including extending the incitement provisions and the prohibited grounds of discrimination in the Human Rights Act to cover...]]></description><link>https://www.brashandmitchell.com/post/roger-partridge-harmed-by-harm-how-a-word-is-swallowing-freedom</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a7f6fa562cc0da001dbc4b6</guid><pubDate>Fri, 14 Aug 2026 20:08:17 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7b14b8_48ce4ea718e14730b9f817edc00dac8c~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Administrator</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[PETER WILLIAMS: The BSA's digging its own grave]]></title><description><![CDATA[Two decisions highlight the need for its rapid disestablishment If more evidence was needed about the relevance or irrelevance of the Broadcasting Standards Authority (BSA) then a couple of judgements they made this week have rammed home the point. The decision about Sean Plunket on The Platform has been widely reported and commented on. My take is simple. Firstly, Plunket calls tikanga mumbo jumbo. It might be a colloquial and rudimentary description of an undefined spiritual concept but...]]></description><link>https://www.brashandmitchell.com/post/peter-williams-the-bsa-s-digging-its-own-grave</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a7e784924b7499942a7dfd6</guid><pubDate>Fri, 14 Aug 2026 03:23:53 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7b14b8_059d07f9f9ee4602856cdb17986f5c3a~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_135,h_156,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Administrator</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[LINDSAY MITCHELL: The Anxiety Epidemic]]></title><description><![CDATA[Over the last twenty years the number of people depending on a benefit due to psychological or psychiatric reasons has increased by 140 percent. Meanwhile the working age population grew by just 26 percent. In June 2006 the number dependent was 37,300. Fast forward to June 2026 and it's 89,385. 89,385 is a very big number. It does not include people with an intellectual disability, those we might traditionally regard in genuine lifelong need of community support. Ironically, paying people to...]]></description><link>https://www.brashandmitchell.com/post/lindsay-mitchell-the-anxiety-epidemic</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a751b49421979b2d96f3e29</guid><pubDate>Thu, 13 Aug 2026 19:33:10 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7b14b8_3a40505f1ae249c08fac5f767001f57b~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Administrator</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[MURIEL NEWMAN: Insights from the polls]]></title><description><![CDATA[With the 2026 General Election less than three months away, let’s examine what the polls are telling us about who’s going to be running the country after November 7 and what the key issues are.   New Zealand has four main political opinion polls. Two are quarterly run by Verian (formerly Colmar Brunton) for TVNZ and Reid Research for Radio New Zealand, and two are monthly - one run by Curia Market Research for the Taxpayers' Union and the other run by Roy Morgan, an Australian market research...]]></description><link>https://www.brashandmitchell.com/post/muriel-newman-insights-from-the-polls</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a7d4b2560971ea08f92af2e</guid><pubDate>Thu, 13 Aug 2026 04:47:01 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7b14b8_2717196bdedb4eda914c91b2abd157c7~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_96,h_96,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Administrator</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[PETER WILLIAMS: National's Bad (Really Bad) Day]]></title><description><![CDATA[The PM survives another bungled coup The National Party is a shambles with a leader and senior MPs whose egos matter more than the good of the country. That’s the only conclusion to be drawn from the disaster that unfolded in Wellington on Wednesday, August 12. Christopher Luxon is a poorly performing Prime Minister. The first time I saw him appearing in public was at a public meeting in Wanaka in the winter of 2023, probably about four months before the election. It was highly likely then...]]></description><link>https://www.brashandmitchell.com/post/peter-williams-national-s-bad-really-bad-day</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a7cbb0ef1f88bc38bde2ca7</guid><pubDate>Wed, 12 Aug 2026 20:49:51 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7b14b8_059d07f9f9ee4602856cdb17986f5c3a~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_135,h_156,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Administrator</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[FREE PRESS: New Zealand’s New Religion]]></title><description><![CDATA[FREE PRESS is the ACT Party's regular newsletter. We have heard reports from someone who sat last week with the good and the great at Revved, a conference which promotes itself as “New Zealand’s leadership ecosystem where state, business and community converge.” Obviously a politically incorrect publication like Free Press would never be invited to share such mighty company, but what we heard fascinated us. Videos were played with children on beaches, stirring music, and a narrator telling us...]]></description><link>https://www.brashandmitchell.com/post/free-press-new-zealand-s-new-religion</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a797b2343b85b4f6fb0db0c</guid><pubDate>Mon, 10 Aug 2026 07:36:58 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7b14b8_3eac02c970814638ac2372d3b744ab1e~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_446,h_512,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Administrator</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[PETER WILLIAMS: Why are we waiting?]]></title><description><![CDATA[The Ngai Tahu water case is clogged in a judge's chambers There are no official records for New Zealand’s longest delay between a court hearing and the judgement. High Court guidelines say judges expect 90 percent of reserved decisions to be delivered within three months of the last day of the hearing. The Chief High Court Judge regards a reserved judgement as being “outstanding beyond a reasonable time” once six months have elapsed. So where does that leave Justice Melanie Harland and her...]]></description><link>https://www.brashandmitchell.com/post/peter-williams-why-are-we-waiting</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a78c82001d644deb8d8b2d3</guid><pubDate>Mon, 10 Aug 2026 01:43:53 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7b14b8_059d07f9f9ee4602856cdb17986f5c3a~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_135,h_156,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Administrator</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[ANI O'BRIEN: National's list and the quirks of MMP]]></title><description><![CDATA[National needs more votes, not a new electoral system There are few surprises to be found in National’s list rankings for the election. Christopher Luxon is first, obviously. Then Nicola Willis, then Chris Bishop retains 3rd despite months of leadership gossip, and Simeon Brown and Erica Stanford round out the top 5. Paul Goldsmith follows at 6 and Gerry Brownlee has been hauled up from 14th at the last election to 9th. Nancy Lu is perhaps the most interesting promotion at 16th. And Melissa...]]></description><link>https://www.brashandmitchell.com/post/ani-o-brien-national-s-list-and-the-quirks-of-mmp</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a78d1ae2dc76a37da44a0ad</guid><pubDate>Sun, 09 Aug 2026 20:45:24 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7b14b8_a7720f9429504106b37b093bd0e0b23b~mv2.webp/v1/fit/w_88,h_88,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Administrator</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[OLIVER HARTWICH: Embed, align, continue, refresh ]]></title><description><![CDATA[The cover of MBIE’s new Workforce Diversity Action Plan shows nine staff holding signs reading “I belong” in several languages. Inside, it declares itself “People-centred | Performance-driven | Evidence-informed”. Treasury’s plan appeared a few weeks after MBIE’s. Both are organised around the same three focus areas. Both culminate in the same heading “Apply the merit principle comprehensively”. That emphasis is no accident. The coalition Government, unlike its predecessor, has removed...]]></description><link>https://www.brashandmitchell.com/post/oliver-hartwich-embed-align-continue-refresh</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a76d7077e238b0b8adfa72f</guid><pubDate>Sat, 08 Aug 2026 20:24:32 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7b14b8_bca3d6f255fd46b0ac1734a1e981b89b~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_300,h_300,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Administrator</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[LINDSAY MITCHELL: What the Left constantly ignores]]></title><description><![CDATA[Here is the political argument from the Left: "Poverty causes hardship for children. Whether the parent is working or on a benefit makes no difference. It's the lack of income that matters." My argument is that the source of income matters. A lot. Children in households with the same low income suffer hardship disproportionately if their parent is on a benefit. I can speculate as to why. The beneficiary household may lack in budgeting ability. It may lack the discipline of the daily routine...]]></description><link>https://www.brashandmitchell.com/post/lindsay-mitchell-what-the-left-constantly-ignores</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a769d0d7e238b0b8adf2824</guid><pubDate>Sat, 08 Aug 2026 04:47:54 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7b14b8_85fc3715e713436486db90dd6ff83ae6~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Administrator</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[BRYCE WILKINSON: Thoughts for reducing child material hardship]]></title><description><![CDATA[Last month, the Ministry of Social Development released the latest of its excellent statistical reports documenting the extent of child poverty, hardship/deprivation in New Zealand. The proportions are much below their peak rates around 15 years ago but are still too high. In 2023-24, New Zealand’s child material hardship rate on a standard measure was 13% for children aged 0-17 years. The average for European Union countries was 14%. On the severe material deprivation measure, our 5% rate...]]></description><link>https://www.brashandmitchell.com/post/bryce-wilkinson-thoughts-for-reducing-child-material-hardship</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a7643732dc76a37da3f0063</guid><pubDate>Fri, 07 Aug 2026 20:51:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7b14b8_9b0f3c1d7c2741cd95ae8adefcaddfab~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_300,h_300,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Administrator</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[CHRIS BISHOP: Speech to the Law Association]]></title><description><![CDATA[Thank you for the invitation to come and speak to the Law Association. I’ve just come from announcing the opening date for the City Rail Link in Auckland. It may not surprise you to learn that my address to you today is not as exciting as that news! It is a real privilege to be the Attorney-General. All Ministers and officeholders in New Zealand say that about their jobs, but I genuinely mean it. For someone interested in politics and public law and who is deeply interested in our...]]></description><link>https://www.brashandmitchell.com/post/chris-bishop-speech-to-the-law-association</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a755eef7e238b0b8adc141b</guid><pubDate>Fri, 07 Aug 2026 07:10:51 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7b14b8_a8e7a56044a94b6d87bcf9ec64bc712b~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_320,h_320,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Administrator</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[GRAHAM ADAMS: RNZ’s te reo policy dovetails with He Puapua]]></title><description><![CDATA[Jacinda Ardern always insisted He Puapua was not official government policy although critics could be forgiven for thinking it was — whether it was the blind eye turned to illegal iwi roadblocks in Northland during Covid or the co-governance provisions under Three Waters. Similarly, RNZ’s management would undoubtedly deny that its te reo policy closely echoes the He Puapua playbook despite striking similarities. The broadcaster’s Charter requires it to “reflect New Zealand’s cultural...]]></description><link>https://www.brashandmitchell.com/post/graham-adams-rnz-s-te-reo-policy-dovetails-with-he-puapua</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a753dbf7e238b0b8adbc73a</guid><pubDate>Fri, 07 Aug 2026 02:14:06 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7b14b8_3de95095e60c4fd8bbbd8cb694c13d25~mv2.jpeg/v1/fit/w_960,h_960,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Administrator</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[RHYS HURLEY: Taxpayers' Union Investigation]]></title><description><![CDATA[A Ministry of Justice bureaucrat got caught smuggling gold bars for a gang. In case you missed it, Russell Harrison, former Lotto presenter, was arrested in June 2021 and remained on his taxpayer-funded salary for five years before pleading guilty to smuggling gold bars into Turkey for the notorious Comancheros motorcycle gang. Your humble Taxpayers’ Union knew this had to be just the tip of the iceberg, so our investigations team kept digging and uncovered that, while on gardening leave, he...]]></description><link>https://www.brashandmitchell.com/post/rhys-hurley-taxpayers-union-investigation</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a743071c34aae87f0dd937a</guid><pubDate>Thu, 06 Aug 2026 07:25:40 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7b14b8_1255822bb6df4a44a52e0b7dad9defb1~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_600,h_282,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Administrator</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Leighton Smith interviews Don Brash, July 29, 2026]]></title><description><![CDATA[Listen here This 2026 election has much of the constituency concerned about a result that could lead to the end of the country as we know it. Don Brash, arguably the best Reserve Bank Governor we’ve known, voices his thoughts on the matters he believes are most important. He talks about our appallingly slow productivity growth - and on the country’s GDP per capita. He also reflects on house prices, the long term outlook for government debt, foreign policy and race relations. And he rates the...]]></description><link>https://www.brashandmitchell.com/post/leighton-smith-interviews-don-brash-july-29-2026</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a73e05d421979b2d96c5829</guid><pubDate>Thu, 06 Aug 2026 01:22:41 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7b14b8_8c6d9916381e425688d9a5fadb241aa8~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_457,h_437,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Administrator</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[JOHN RAINE: THE ELECTRICITY SYSTEM - ENERGY REALISM VERSUS POLICY GREENWASH]]></title><description><![CDATA[Cheap High-Density Energy is the Key to Prosperity It’s Election 2026 policy silly season. No surprise that some party policies on New Zealand’s energy future are detached from reality, particularly those of the Green Party and Labour. At least NZ First’s bold oil and gas exploration policy is sound in principle. This article revisits what makes a realistic electricity system, adding to recent commentary by Bryan Leyland [1] and earlier by Raine and Leyland [2]. A later article will look at...]]></description><link>https://www.brashandmitchell.com/post/john-raine-the-electricity-system-energy-realism-versus-policy-greenwash</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a73821acc18b115026e1cf3</guid><pubDate>Wed, 05 Aug 2026 20:14:41 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7b14b8_8fb9be57a35e4954bf2ff3ed201998a5~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Administrator</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[LINDSAY MITCHELL: Why the vacuum around the new Children's Commissioner?]]></title><description><![CDATA[For those of us who take an interest in child welfare and listen to various media outlets, Jane Searle is a familiar voice. As head of the organisation Child Matters, she was often the go-to person when child abuse deaths occur. As an ex detective who worked in a child abuse team, Jane wasn't afraid to talk about contributing factors such as drug addiction. My first response to her appointment was that she would have to be better than the wet Claire Achmad. So naturally I am keen to hear what...]]></description><link>https://www.brashandmitchell.com/post/lindsay-mitchell-why-the-vacuum-around-the-new-children-s-commissioner</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a7250ec4c43b9b2d4c9172c</guid><pubDate>Wed, 05 Aug 2026 00:13:51 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7b14b8_1e30254a37a447b8a8b8f43c62928fa1~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_156,h_178,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Administrator</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[OWEN JENNINGS: Tax is a means to an end, not an end in itself]]></title><description><![CDATA[Tax is likely to be the big policy divide in this coming election.  No matter how you put the parties together, it seems almost certain that parties led by Labour will seek to increase taxes and conversely, those led by National are not suggesting any increases; even potential reductions. The media’s current fascination with TOP conveniently overlooks their plans to raise taxes. This debate typically starts at the wrong point.  Tax funds the state’s activities.  Surely, the first question...]]></description><link>https://www.brashandmitchell.com/post/owen-jennings-tax-is-a-means-to-an-end-not-an-end-in-itself</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a71747cf20e59031dfce38f</guid><pubDate>Tue, 04 Aug 2026 05:52:36 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7b14b8_addd9a3c5c8b43fdb32b7f506ccd6d8f~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_96,h_97,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Administrator</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[PETER WILLIAMS: Who can be a racist?]]></title><description><![CDATA[It's not about ethnicity. It's about your politics. In my not entirely successful career as a radio talk show host, a few encounters remain fresh in the memory. One was with former Te Tai Tokerau MP Hone Harawira during the time of the Ihumatao land occupation near Auckland Airport in 2019. You’ll remember Fletcher Building bought the land off a farmer and planned to build about 500 houses on it, including some set aside especially for members of local iwi. But some Maori protested the sale...]]></description><link>https://www.brashandmitchell.com/post/peter-williams-who-can-be-a-racist</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a71153c74653e170f8c5a4f</guid><pubDate>Tue, 04 Aug 2026 00:02:10 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7b14b8_059d07f9f9ee4602856cdb17986f5c3a~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_135,h_156,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Administrator</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[BRUCE COTTERILL: The risk behind Opportunity Party’s rapid rise in the polls]]></title><description><![CDATA[There once was a young woman. She had long dark hair and a nice smile. She was a politician. She came out of nowhere. She was bright and charismatic, communicated well, and the media adored her. The people adored her too, despite not knowing that much about her or the team around her. She became our Prime Minister, with promises of kindness, more houses and less poverty. Six years later, she left our politics. The dream was over and so too were the promises. Her party’s policies during the...]]></description><link>https://www.brashandmitchell.com/post/bruce-cotterill-the-risk-behind-opportunity-party-s-rapid-rise-in-the-polls</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a70de7710c38ed7f08386fd</guid><pubDate>Mon, 03 Aug 2026 20:30:40 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7b14b8_bb580050228b4b19a0251dc03bf35f42~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_222,h_227,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Administrator</dc:creator></item></channel></rss>