Question Time - 01 September 2026

Writing while Paul McCartney is watching at his place in Wellington. He might chime in, but Gary's the only person at Parliament atm. Yoko visited Parliament last week. At least I can smoke at home! - 1. Chippy to Prime Omelette (C 7, PO 4) Boilerplate questions from the left today. PO called capital gains a 'wrecking ball' Now they're on about doctors and nurses: several hundred extras still isn't enough. They clearly know I'm watching... PO isn't much of a debater: that's Chippy's main plan. He reckons he'll clean up in the debates; he was largely seen as the winner in 2023, so he's relying on the left parties to grow while Labour remains at a steady rate. I heard the PO half-say something ... 'excel...' -- that seems suspicious. David's making a dramatic point of rubbing his face as well. 2. Puhihuia to Prime Omelette (P 6, PO 4) Benefit payments are going to be a theme today. I read the questions ahead of time. That's most of what Gary and I discuss in the pregame. Chloe's asking the supplementary questions to the wrong person. It's for the Welfare Minister. That's bad Parliamentary form. Tedious question. As some are discovering, his accent is much like mine. He's from Christchurch too. 3. Willow-Jean to Louise Upston (WJP 7, LU 5) Benefit payments aren't being paid to some people. 'Some benefits have been wrongly suspended' - Upston. MSD is supposed to be conducting a review, due 10 September. Willow-Jean is basically calling her a liar; standing orders prevent her from saying it. Lots of blather from Louise. She's a very experienced politician. 'Seniors and veterans missed out on their winter energy payments' - Willow-Jean. Marama is asking a supplementary. Same theme: when did she know/disclose it? Said it again: main benefits were suspended as well. 4. Nancy Lu to Nicola (NL 5, NW 6) Patsy question. Recent economic reports. AA+ rating. Only 18 economies are that highly rated. 'Fiscal consolidation, economic revitalisation .. a better set of government books' - Nicola. 'Widespread optimism' - ANZ report. Right-wing economic bullshit, though it's not like Labour is any better. Nicola sounds rehearsed. Luxon sounds like he wings it. 5. Ginny to Nicola (GA 7, NW 5) 'The recovery is strengthening' - Nicola. Same question, but with a Labour MP grilling her. More soundbites... Nicola's sharp on a good day. 'Kiwis just can't afford another three years of National' - Ginny. 'Economic conditions have been tough for many New Zealanders.' - Nicola. Labour-bashing. In the room, Nicola has one of the louder voices. 'Where are the higher incomes her government promised?' - Ginny. Nicola sounds like she's talking jargon. It's a business meeting, after all. Ginny's probably the stalking horse to replace Chippy if their campaign fails. 'the advertorial session' - Brownlee's joke. 6. Campbell to Bishop (HC 6, CB 6) Housing question. Interest deductibility - rent increases are at a 25-year low. Banning it would push prices up: obvious. 'May reduce the supply of new housing developments ... negative impacts' - Bish. '[it would] erode the coherence of the tax system ... ' - That's his soundbite. They're all reading this review as I post it, so it's part of the game. - 7. Russell to Watts (DR 5, SW 5) Winston Peters is suggesting that NZ might leave the Paris Agreement. Luxon is fairly strong on the environment, so he's in favour of it. 'We are in the Paris Agreement' - Watts. Everyone's on the hustings. The election season is truly underway. 8. Hamilton to Watts (RH 6, SW 6) Tightening up the student loan laws. 93% of all overdue debt is overseas borrowers. 'Kiwis who stay here overwhelmingly meet their obligations' - Watts Most of the debt is over five years old, much of it over fifteen years. Our economy must be in the shit if they're pinching pennies like this. That's their justification. 9. Marama to Prime Omelette (MD 5, PO 3) They're talking past each other. It's like they're in separate rooms (lol). Treaty Settlement commitments. How are the Natzees failing Māori? 'We uphold our obligations under the law' - Luxon 'You make the law' - Chloe Tākuta has a supplementary. David Seymour is calling out an aside from Chloe. 'A politically charged afternoon' - Brownlee. Tākuta accused him of taking Crown-Māori relationships backwards. Some decent numbers being bandied about, then called Tākuta a racist. He sees us as dangerous separatists. 'Get things done and sort this country out' - Prime Omelette 10. Arena to Brewer (AW 6, CB 4) Food prices. 'We're getting food prices under control' .. 1.9% compared to 12% tre anni fa. 'Kiwis pay too much for their groceries' - Brewer. People are skipping meals: which one would the Minister suggest? Measured tone from Brewer, but not all that much being said. 'It's failed to deliver on the cost of living and is changing the definition of success' - Arena on the government. 'Can Kiwis afford another three years of National?' - Labour's hot new slogan. 11. Debbie to Prime Omelette (DN 7, PO 4) Can he name Treaty of Waitangi protections that have been strengthened? Hasn't named anything specific. Māori-Crown relations; not the treaty itself. This issue really gets under his skin. People with moko grilling him pisses him off. He's stuttering and there's a pained expression that happens when he's mad. 'We focus on outcomes, not histrionics' - Prime Omelette. David Seymour has a supplementary, bailing out the PM. 'We're getting wildly out of control here' - Brownlee. Willie Jackson is calling them liars. He withdrew and apologised. I'm gleaning that Labour are pissed about Cappucino Tuesday as well! I'm a TPM member. We're the strongest anti-war, anti-surveillance group in Parliament, but the Free Palestine Party is a promising contender for a new party. This is dragging on: Gary usually chimes in about how crap the Speaker is at this point. Finally.. the spruiking continues! The Prime Omelette hadn't read the Matike Mai report. He's spruiking some new stats for Māori. 12. Nakhle to Watts (RN 4, SW 4) Local government. Rates cap. 'Delivering the basics ratepayers expect' - Watts I don't give a shit; don't own any property. They keep telling me to put my money in a place, but that's so I can't spend it on politics. 'Councils will need to make tougher choices' - Watts Central government hate local government, and vice-versa. 'Ratepayers will need to live within their means' - Watts. 'Prepare for the new regime' - Watts. The Natzees are the ones who sound like they're doing performative histrionics atm.