Southern Say

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NZ First’s Patterson in his roles for good reason

Rural Communities Minister Mark Patterson. PHOTO: FRANCINE KEACH

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NZ First’s Patterson in his roles for good reason

Nestled down near the bottom of the ministerial list on the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet website sits, almost last but certainly not least, Taieri NZ First list MP Mark Patterson.

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Local representation lack in Parliament concerning

Parliamentary Service is blocking the TikTok application on all Parliamentary Service-managed...

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Local representation lack in Parliament concerning

Parliament is not actually back at work yet, but its constituent parties have now at last worked out where their MPs will be sitting and what jobs they will be doing.

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Forming govt: ‘Complainers need to get a grip’

Act New Zealand leader David Seymour, National Party leader and Prime Minister-elect Christopher...

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Forming govt: ‘Complainers need to get a grip’

Earlier this week a reader emailed to ask what the enthusiastic proponents of electoral reform in the 1980s and ’90s made of the seemingly interminable delay in restoring politics as normal.

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Legislation facing reconsideration by new govt

The future of Forbury Park is a step closer to being decided, but the wrangling is likely far...

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Legislation facing reconsideration by new govt

A fortnight ago, before illness laid me low, I suggested that readers had the advantage over me in that a new government might have formed after I had filed that week’s "Southern Say".

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Turnout in the South down across board

Taieri Labour MP Ingrid Leary. PHOTO: STEPHEN JAQUIERY

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Turnout in the South down across board

Now that the dust has settled a little, what lessons can we in the South learn from Election 2023?

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Greens visit to rally the troops, National not so much

Taieri candidate Scott Willis, co-leader Marama Davidson — with her newly-purchased Dunedin...

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Greens visit to rally the troops, National not so much

As the election campaign enters the home stretch, the non marginal seats of Dunedin are not a magnet to most political party leaders — on that, more shortly.

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Small halls central to Act’s campaign

Act New Zealand leader David Seymour on the campaign trail in Wānaka. Photo: Milo Long

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Small halls central to Act’s campaign

There are many reasons why Act has its best asset in the Lake Wānaka Centre in prime time, rather than strutting the stage somewhere more populous.

Te Tai Tonga candidates join televised debate

Te Tai Tonga Labour MP Rino Tirikatene. PHOTOS: WHAKAATA MĀORI

Te Tai Tonga candidates join televised debate

‘Tis the season for election debates, with podiums and politicians springing up all over the place.

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Little cars fire up Luxon’s personality

National Party leader Christopher Luxon casts an eye over a Mini pick-up at Bill Richardson...

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Little cars fire up Luxon’s personality

One of the biggest hurdles politicians have to clear is the mysterious, undefinable quality of likeability.

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Points scored by all in important debate

Act New Zealand leader David Seymour and Labour Finance spokesman Grant Robertson spar at the ASB...

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Points scored by all in important debate

Political debates are a mixed breed.

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Southern say: Gutsy showing on campaign trail

Prime Minister Chris Hipkins announces expanded places for medical school trainees in Dunedin...

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Gutsy showing on campaign trail

OPINION: As symbolism goes, the start of Prime Minister Chris Hipkins’ day in Dunedin did not bode well.

Labour’s Verrall courts traditionally blue district

Labour Waitaki candidate Ethan Reille and Health Minister Ayesha Verrall front up to Oamaru...

Labour’s Verrall courts traditionally blue district

If there is one truism about electioneering, it is that politicians will go where the votes are.

More successful than given credit

Michael Woodhouse’s possibly final speech in Parliament. Photo: Parliament TV

More successful than given credit

In what is likely Michael Woodhouse's last week in Parliament the Dunedin list MP made several thoughtful contributions which should have reminded National of the skills it has so carelessly discarded.

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Heartfelt testimonies impress committees

Corinda Taylor testifies to a parliamentary select committee. PHOTO: PARLIAMENT

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Heartfelt testimonies impress committees

The final weeks of the parliamentary year are always hectic, as governments strive to get law changes through before the end of the final sitting block.

Stepping back with no regrets

Retiring Waitaki MP Jacqui Dean and Jimmy. PHOTO: FACEBOOK

Stepping back with no regrets

There are many ways you can measure a political career.

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Political landscape a mixed blessing

Green candidates Francisco Hernandez and Scott Willis. PHOTOS: ODT FILES

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Political landscape a mixed blessing

The South likes to think it punches above its weight in almost all things, but political representation has not always been one of them.

Curly questions as Parliament counts down

Penny Simmonds, on the hunt for answers. PHOTO: PARLIAMENT NZ

Curly questions as Parliament counts down

Things can get a bit hectic as Parliament nears the end of its time.

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Steering legislative ship through choppy waters

Rachel Brooking speaks on the Natural and Built Environment Bill. Photos: Parliament

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Steering legislative ship through choppy waters

It has been a big week for Rachel Brooking, who got to steer the government’s legislative ship for several parts of the passage of the Natural and Built Environment Bill.

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Advocates railing against health inequities

Jane Ludemann, founder of the Cure Our Ovarian Cancer Charitable Trust (left), briefs Parliament...

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Advocates railing against health inequities

There are many things that the South is short of in the health sector, but one thing the region has no dearth of is activists prepared to stand up and fight Otago and Southland’s corner.

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Govt marches on with irresolute disabilities policy, little support

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Govt marches on with irresolute disabilities policy, little support

Many of us will have cringed through a situation where ourselves or someone we know is trying as hard as they can to make things better for somebody but is only succeeding in making things worse.

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Southern Say