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henry cooke

@henrycooke.bsky.social
2.2K followers 287 following 676 posts

political editor at the post, wellington tragic send me gossip or stories: 📞021 241 1398 📧henry.cooke@thepost.co.nz 📧henry.cooke.post@proton.me

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henry cooke @henrycooke.bsky.social · 12h
I'll be live-blogging our Kingmakers debate, just like the good old days, on The Press and The Post. The debate kicks off at 7.30pm and features: - Winston Peters - David Seymour - Chlöe Swarbrick - Qiuelae Wong - Rawiri Waititi It'll be fun! www.thepost.co.nz/politics/361...
thepost.co.nz
Watch live: Kingmakers’ Debate - who will hold the balance of power?
Join us for the Kingmakers’ Debate from 7.30pm.
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henry cooke @henrycooke.bsky.social · 16h
NEW: Enrolment figures just released show 22k 18-24 year olds enrolled in the last month - leaving a lot more work to do. All the data can be found in our (non-paywalled) election dashboard:
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henry cooke @henrycooke.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Labour won campaign launch day with some pretty simple political wisdom: - Don’t hire a room you can’t fill - Use your time in the spotlight to offer voters something My piece on yday: www.thepost.co.nz/politics/361...
thepost.co.nz
Labour outshines National in campaign launch battle with high-energy event
ANALYSIS: Labour won in a walk by over-stuffing a smaller room than National’s.
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henry cooke @henrycooke.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
David Seymour was in a hurry, Christopher Luxon was getting mobbed, and Chris Hipkins was out on the doors - inside the first weekend of the short campaign: www.thepost.co.nz/politics/361...
thepost.co.nz
8000 door knocks, a league table and a bit of rain - inside the first weekend of the election campaign
As David Seymour sprinted between houses, volunteers across Auckland were knocking on all the doors they could.
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henry cooke @henrycooke.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
In the column this week I uncover the plot to skew the election for the right - and explain why it probably won’t work: www.thepost.co.nz/politics/361...
thepost.co.nz
The Mowbray plot to skew the election
COMMENT: A rich, right-wing man wants to exploit the overhang. But he’s running into the real problem with creating your own political reality.
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henry cooke @henrycooke.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
One of the more interesting bits of the Hager book is his concern about small dollar donations. It's far more focused on this flow of small donations, which allegedly spiked whenever TPU engaged in race populism, than big business funding or anything like that.
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henry cooke @henrycooke.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
NEW: The Post has heard from a bookseller that the new Nicky Hager book is being invoiced as “Dirty Work” - suggesting it could be a follow up on Dirty Politics. www.thepost.co.nz/politics/361...
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henry cooke @henrycooke.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
We're launching our Election Dashboard this morning - a one-stop shop to keep up with the election featuring: - Polls - Donations - Enrolment data - News - Odds on who will become PM www.thepost.co.nz/election-das...
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henry cooke @henrycooke.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
you’re not allowed to have a blog while overseas that means you don’t have a job
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henry cooke @henrycooke.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Are voters as angry about Covid as politicians think they are? Piece on our polling this morning: www.thepost.co.nz/politics/361...
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henry cooke @henrycooke.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Everyone is in opposition now! Column on the supermarkets www.thepost.co.nz/politics/361...
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henry cooke @henrycooke.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
The Post has a new poll tomorrow! In print and online, 4am.
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henry cooke @henrycooke.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
In The Post this morning I take a dive into the 415k Kiwis who aren't enrolled to vote yet. They are mostly young - and the young are from some of our poorest electorates. But that doesn't quite tell the whole story: www.thepost.co.nz/politics/361...
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henry cooke @henrycooke.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
After dismissing last month's NZTU poll as 'rogue' Chris Hipkins has simply said 'polls move around' in response to today's - and promised he will be working hard to earn more votes: www.thepost.co.nz/politics/361...
thepost.co.nz
Hipkins says ‘work to do’ following shock poll result
Chris Hipkins says ‘polls move around’ and promises new policy.
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henry cooke @henrycooke.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
Column this week is on the near-total victory of the Infrastructure Commission www.thepost.co.nz/politics/361...
thepost.co.nz
The quiet experts who have convinced MPs to stop building shiny new things
COMMENT: Voters love new things. But they probably hate when old things break more.
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henry cooke @henrycooke.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
Nicola Willis is not distancing herself from a clip put out from National that suggests, incorrectly, that Labour is campaigning on a land and gift tax: www.thepost.co.nz/politics/361...
thepost.co.nz
‘Potpourri of big taxing parties’: Nicola Willis unrepentant about incorrect claims in Nat clip
National’s deputy leader says she is ‘very comfortable’ with a clip suggesting Labour wants a land tax, and it’s her duty to highlight how coalition partners could impact policy.
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henry cooke @henrycooke.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
Louise Upston says she didn't mislead Parliament over whether main benefits were cut as a result of her rushed law change - because the question was about her "policy". She blames the logjam at MSD, not her policy. But the logjam is a result of the policy change: www.thepost.co.nz/politics/361...
thepost.co.nz
Upston says she didn’t mislead Parliament over bungled benefit payments
As Labour accuses her of misleading Parliament, the social development minister says a review is on its way.
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henry cooke @henrycooke.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
In an environment of already frozen fuel taxes, where National attacks “Labour taxes” that don’t exist, the attack on Chris Hipkins’ tax pledge this week was incredibly hypocritical. www.thepost.co.nz/politics/361...
thepost.co.nz
National’s attack on Labour’s fuel tax freeze incredibly hypocritical
COMMENT: Freezing fuel taxes is a bad idea now, but it was a bad idea then too.
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henry cooke @henrycooke.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
Richard Harman is coming back to The Post, 49 years after Sean Plunket’s dad got him to leave the paper for TV. I’ve written a profile of his extraordinary career to welcome him back: www.thepost.co.nz/politics/361...
thepost.co.nz
The accidental witness: New columnist Richard Harman on 50 years at the front line of NZ history
The veteran journalist starts as a columnist for The Post on Monday.
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henry cooke @henrycooke.bsky.social · 23/08/2026
Yesterday’s fiscal strategy made the dividing lines of the election refreshingly clear. Labour is a social democratic party. It believes the state should have more of a role in the economy and be more worried about unemployment. It wants to tax + spend more. www.thepost.co.nz/politics/361...
thepost.co.nz
Labour makes clear it wants to tax more and spend more
ANALYSIS: Labour is a social democratic party that wants to spend more money. National does not.
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henry cooke @henrycooke.bsky.social · 23/08/2026
NEW: Labour has released its fiscal strategy, with a plan for structurally higher spending, a return to surplus, and different debt measure: www.thepost.co.nz/politics/361...
thepost.co.nz
Labour sets out plan for higher spending, return to surplus
The party would also bring back employment mandate to Reserve Bank.
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henry cooke @henrycooke.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
Labour’s manifesto is stuck in its Policy Council as the party struggles to find campaign gear. Column today: www.thepost.co.nz/politics/361...
thepost.co.nz
Labour struggling to find campaign gear
COMMENT: Labour had an OK week in the House – but what about the rest of the country?
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henry cooke @henrycooke.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
Carlos Cheung uses Monopoly to explain his opposition to taxes. Funnily enough, Monopoly was created to promote a land tax and attack the concept of land speculation.
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henry cooke @henrycooke.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
Labour sent Louise Upston's office an email in June with the subject line: "Winter Energy Payment threatened to be stopped?" But the Minister says she only became aware of the issue with the payment last Thursday: www.thepost.co.nz/politics/361...
thepost.co.nz
Labour emailed Upston about winter payment issue in June
Upston says the email did not make it to her personally.
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henry cooke @henrycooke.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
The new Arms Act means that Brian Tamaki can still use guns - even after losing his firearm's license www.thepost.co.nz/politics/361...
thepost.co.nz
Lost your gun licence? You can still use a firearm
Brian Tamaki and others can lawfully use firearms under new gun laws, even if they’ve lost their licence.
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henry cooke @henrycooke.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
It’s looking like an overhang election - with TPM aiming to exploit the loophole and National flirting with using one by accident. Piece today looks at the massive risks in gaming MMP and models the chances of a National overhang: www.thepost.co.nz/politics/361...
thepost.co.nz
Gaming MMP: What role will the overhang play this election?
As Te Pāti Māori pushes to use an overhang to change Government, National might create one by accident.
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henry cooke @henrycooke.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
NEW: 15k pensioners had their winter energy payment wrongly suspended this winter thanks to an error in a bill rushed through the House under urgency last year. www.thepost.co.nz/politics/361...
thepost.co.nz
Winter Energy Payments removed from 15k pensioners in rushed law blunder
Thousands of pensioners and veterans lost their Winter Energy Payment this winter after an error in a law passed under urgency last year, The Post can reveal today.
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henry cooke @henrycooke.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
Chris Penk had to leave Cabinet. He didn't have to leave politics altogether. www.thepost.co.nz/politics/361...
thepost.co.nz
Henry Cooke: Chris Penk shouldn’t have to leave politics altogether
OPINION: Far too many of our MPs now see politics as a mid-career pit-stop, not a calling.
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henry cooke @henrycooke.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
In the bellwetherish seat of Napier, it seemed a lot of voters wanted to turn back the clock. www.thepost.co.nz/politics/361...
thepost.co.nz
Napier without Nash: The bellwether seat struggling to feel normal again
Katie Nimon, Alex Hedley and the Napier doors where Nash's name never comes up.
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henry cooke @henrycooke.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
Last night in Nelson, a deaf dominatrix told Luxon his public service cuts had decimated her work in Wellington. He agreed that she had a demand problem. www.thepost.co.nz/nz-news/3610...
thepost.co.nz
Back to work: Luxon hits campaign trail in Nelson
On Wednesday the Prime Minister said he was going back to work. On Thursday, that meant a public meeting at the Annesbrook Centre in Nelson.
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henry cooke @henrycooke.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
The police released the OIA behind this - which was five weeks late - at 10.43am yesterday morning in the midst of the National Party leadership crisis. www.thepost.co.nz/politics/361...
thepost.co.nz
Top cop apologises after incorrect info given to media about Labour candidate
OIA reveals Labour candidate told his supervisor about two weeks ahead of time.
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henry cooke @henrycooke.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
Christopher Luxon was relentlessly on message today - but he sounded like he was apologising to his mum www.thepost.co.nz/politics/361...
thepost.co.nz
Christopher Luxon’s very downcast victory
ANALYSIS: Christopher Luxon has once again proved his caucus backs him, but we will likely never know for sure how close the vote was.
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henry cooke @henrycooke.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
NEW: Andrea Vance has all the details of the ticket being put together to take over from Luxon if he loses tomorrow: www.thepost.co.nz/politics/361...
thepost.co.nz
National MPs line up potential Stanford leadership ticket as Luxon faces caucus test
Exclusive: Erica Stanford, Mark Mitchell and Chris Bishop are being discussed as a potential new leadership team if Christopher Luxon loses the backing of National’s caucus at an emergency meeting on ...
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henry cooke @henrycooke.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
Christopher Luxon is trying to play the same trick twice. But this time his opponents will have more time to organise - and the public pledges of fealty have not been coming quite as fast. My piece on where things stand as of around 4pm: www.thepost.co.nz/politics/361...
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henry cooke @henrycooke.bsky.social · 08/08/2026
Erica Stanford has ruled out a run at leader as speculation has ramped back up. Understand view within caucus is that the April confidence vote was very very tight. www.thepost.co.nz/politics/361...
thepost.co.nz
Stanford rules out run as National leadership talk returns
Leaked polls shows Luxon with a net favourability score of -19%, behind Hipkins on -7% and Peters on -16%.
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henry cooke @henrycooke.bsky.social · 07/08/2026
Quite the poll www.thepost.co.nz/politics/361...
thepost.co.nz
New poll has Opportunity above 5%, Labour dipping well below 30%
Christopher Luxon’s leadership of the National Party appears safe after a crunch poll saw his party in front of Labour for the first time in over a year.
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henry cooke @henrycooke.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
Helen White wants house prices to come down www.thepost.co.nz/politics/361...
thepost.co.nz
Breaking ranks with her party’s line, Labour MP says house prices should come down
Helen White says it isn’t fair how much more expensive houses are than when she bought.
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henry cooke @henrycooke.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
Nicola Willis and Mark Mitchell suggested this morning that firing Winston Peters would bring down the Government. www.thepost.co.nz/politics/361...
thepost.co.nz
Nicola Willis suggests firing Winston Peters would bring down Government
National’s deputy leader Nicola Willis says “no-one would thank us for breaking up the coalition” when asked why Winston Peters still in a job.
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henry cooke @henrycooke.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
Maureen Pugh says she hasn’t caught up on the PM’s Rotorua comments bc she left her phone in Wellington all weekend.
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henry cooke @henrycooke.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
National says it’s “triple your taxes” ads refer to three parties wanting to raise taxes. www.thepost.co.nz/politics/361...
thepost.co.nz
Nats say ‘triple your taxes’ ad about ‘three parties’ wanting to raise taxes
Labour calls ad “disinformation” but ASA rule it is political opinion.
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henry cooke @henrycooke.bsky.social · 01/08/2026
Winston Peters wants to pay people up to $45k, tax free, to have three kids. It’s a policy with a very nativist bent that will naturally draw comparisons to the “great replacement theory” conspiracy. www.thepost.co.nz/politics/361...
thepost.co.nz
Exclusive: Winston Peters wants to pay you to have more babies
Winston Peters says it is the ‘11th hour’ to get New Zealand’s birth-rate up.
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henry cooke @henrycooke.bsky.social · 01/08/2026
The full comments the PM made at the Rotorua event, which the PM's office say Labour are mischaracterising as a "patronising lecture". www.thepost.co.nz/politics/361...
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henry cooke @henrycooke.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
Column today on the Green Party's decision to be the party of "no" once more: www.thepost.co.nz/politics/361...
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henry cooke @henrycooke.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
100 DAYS TO GO www.thepost.co.nz/politics/361...
thepost.co.nz
100 days out, the election is far from settled
ANALYSIS: As the coalition jostles and the economy grinds, voters appear eager to shake up this election - just as they did in 2023.
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henry cooke @henrycooke.bsky.social · 28/07/2026
NEW: Winston Peters says he believes in 'full employment' and removing employment from the RBNZ mandate was a 'dead rat' he had to swallow. Suggests he will re-litigate in new coalition talks: www.thepost.co.nz/politics/361...
thepost.co.nz
‘Dead rat’: Winston Peters wants employment mandate back at Reserve Bank
The NZ First leader says he believes in full employment and removing the central bank’s jobs mandate was a ‘dead rat’ he had to swallow.
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henry cooke @henrycooke.bsky.social · 26/07/2026
New Zealand was in a very small group abstaining on the reappointment of a human right chief the US and Israel hate. But MFAT say it was a decision made entirely on procedural grounds: www.thepost.co.nz/politics/361...
thepost.co.nz
Helen Clark slams ‘humiliating’ decision to abstain on UN vote
Decision made by MFAT not Winston Peters.
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henry cooke @henrycooke.bsky.social · 24/07/2026
The new enrolment restrictions risk real damage to our social fabric. Column today: www.thepost.co.nz/politics/361...
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henry cooke @henrycooke.bsky.social · 24/07/2026
NEW POLL. Coalition victory, with Nats up above 30% and Greens way down. But it is also the third to have Opportunity flirting with 5%: www.thepost.co.nz/politics/361...
thepost.co.nz
New poll shows coalition victory - but Opportunity close to upending it all
A third poll has shown the Opportunity party flirting with the 5% threshold - and with it the kingmaker position.
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henry cooke @henrycooke.bsky.social · 22/07/2026
National MPs united in expressing disgust at this comment by Stuart Nash, sent to Chris Finlayson about Katie Nimon. www.thepost.co.nz/politics/361...
thepost.co.nz
‘Laziest MP I’ve come across’: Nash comments on MP’s parental leave sexist, PM says
NZ First candidate Stuart Nash called Napier MP Katie Nimon lazy after she took 10 week’s maternity leave, comments Chris Bishop said were “disgusting” and the PM called sexist.
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henry cooke @henrycooke.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
Chris Bishop says it is "highly unlikely" he would win Hutt South on National's current polling: www.thepost.co.nz/politics/361...
thepost.co.nz
Chris Bishop says it is ‘highly unlikely’ he would win Hutt South on current polling
Bishop could be booted from Parliament altogether.
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