The Bull Ring

ℙ𝕠𝕝𝕝 𝔸𝕟𝕒𝕝𝕪𝕤𝕚𝕤: 𝕍𝕠𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕤 𝕞𝕒𝕪 𝕓𝕖 𝕤𝕙𝕚𝕗𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕥𝕠 𝕃𝕒𝕓𝕠𝕦𝕣 ℕ𝕖𝕨 ℤ𝕖𝕒𝕝𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝔽𝕚𝕣𝕤𝕥 𝕣𝕚𝕤𝕖𝕤 𝕥𝕠 𝟡%, 𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕥𝕒𝕜𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝔸ℂ𝕋. ℝ𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕥 𝕓𝕝𝕠𝕔 (𝟞𝟛 𝕤𝕖𝕒𝕥𝕤) 𝕝𝕖𝕒𝕕𝕤 𝕝𝕖𝕗𝕥 (𝟝𝟠 𝕤𝕖𝕒𝕥𝕤). 𝕃𝕒𝕓𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕘𝕒𝕚𝕟𝕤, 𝔾𝕣𝕖𝕖𝕟𝕤 𝕝𝕠𝕤𝕖. 𝕃𝕦𝕩𝕠𝕟’𝕤 𝕡𝕠𝕡𝕦𝕝𝕒𝕣𝕚𝕥𝕪 𝕕𝕚𝕡𝕤; 𝕦𝕟𝕕𝕖𝕔𝕚𝕕𝕖𝕕 𝕧𝕠𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕤 𝕒𝕥 𝟙𝟚%. 𝗧 he latest TV1/Verian poll (August 2-6) , surveying 1002 eligible New Zealand voters, reveals a dynamic political landscape with significant shifts in party support, coalition prospects, and leadership preferences.  The right bloc—National (34%, 42 seats), ACT (8%, 10 seats), and New Zealand First (9%, 11 seats)—secures 63 seats, enough to form a government, consistent with June’s results . Courtesy: 1News The left bloc—Labour (33%, 40 seats), Greens (10%, 12 seats), and Te Pāti Māori (4%, 6 seats)—falls short with 58 seats, highlighting coalition challenges.  A 12% undecided voter rate (up 1%) signa...

ℍ𝕚𝕡𝕜𝕚𝕟𝕤’ 𝕊𝕦𝕘𝕘𝕖𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕕 ℂ𝔾𝕋 ℂ𝕠𝕦𝕝𝕕 𝔹𝕠𝕠𝕤𝕥 ℕℤ 𝔼𝕔𝕠𝕟𝕠𝕞𝕪 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝔸𝕝𝕝. ℍ𝕚𝕡𝕜𝕚𝕟𝕤’ 𝕡𝕣𝕠𝕡𝕠𝕤𝕖𝕕 ℂ𝔾𝕋 𝕔𝕠𝕦𝕝𝕕 𝕘𝕣𝕠𝕨 ℕℤ’𝕤 𝕖𝕔𝕠𝕟𝕠𝕞𝕪 𝕓𝕪 𝕥𝕒𝕩𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕨𝕖𝕒𝕝𝕥𝕙 𝕗𝕒𝕚𝕣𝕝𝕪, 𝕗𝕦𝕟𝕕𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕤𝕖𝕣𝕧𝕚𝕔𝕖𝕤, 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕓𝕠𝕠𝕤𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕛𝕠𝕓𝕤 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕒𝕝𝕝 𝕂𝕚𝕨𝕚𝕤. 𝗖 hris Hipkins, Labour Party leader, has hinted at a capital gains tax (CGT) for Aotearoa New Zealand’s 2026 election, reversing his 2023 stance.  This tax on profits from asset sales, like investment properties, aims to address tax unfairness and fund services.  Is a CGT needed to grow the economy? A well-designed CGT could benefit all Kiwis by promoting fairness and broad-based growth.  A CGT tackles tax inequity. Inland Revenue’s 2023 data shows the wealthiest pay a 9.4% tax rate, far below the 20.2% for middle earners, as asset profits often go untaxed.  Taxing gains ensures high earners pay their share, reducing inequality that slows growth.  The O...

𝕄𝔸𝔾𝔸'𝕤 𝔾𝕝𝕠𝕓𝕒𝕝 𝕊𝕦𝕣𝕘𝕖: 𝕊𝕡𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕕𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕄𝕚𝕤𝕚𝕟𝕗𝕠𝕣𝕞𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕋𝕙𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕥𝕖𝕟𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝔻𝕖𝕞𝕠𝕔𝕣𝕒𝕔𝕪 𝕄𝔸𝔾𝔸’𝕤 𝕘𝕝𝕠𝕓𝕒𝕝 𝕤𝕡𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕕 𝕠𝕗 𝕟𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟𝕒𝕝𝕚𝕤𝕞, 𝕞𝕚𝕤𝕚𝕟𝕗𝕠𝕣𝕞𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟, 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕨𝕙𝕚𝕥𝕖 𝕤𝕦𝕡𝕣𝕖𝕞𝕒𝕔𝕪 𝕦𝕟𝕕𝕖𝕣𝕞𝕚𝕟𝕖𝕤 𝕕𝕖𝕞𝕠𝕔𝕣𝕒𝕔𝕪, 𝕔𝕠𝕠𝕡𝕖𝕣𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟, 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕦𝕟𝕚𝕥𝕪. 𝕋𝕣𝕒𝕟𝕤𝕡𝕒𝕣𝕖𝕟𝕥 𝕘𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕟𝕒𝕟𝕔𝕖, 𝕗𝕒𝕔𝕥-𝕔𝕙𝕖𝕔𝕜𝕚𝕟𝕘, 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕚𝕟𝕔𝕝𝕦𝕤𝕚𝕧𝕖 𝕡𝕠𝕝𝕚𝕔𝕚𝕖𝕤 𝕒𝕣𝕖 𝕧𝕚𝕥𝕒𝕝 𝕥𝕠 𝕔𝕠𝕦𝕟𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝕚𝕥𝕤 𝕕𝕚𝕧𝕚𝕤𝕚𝕧𝕖, 𝕒𝕦𝕥𝕙𝕠𝕣𝕚𝕥𝕒𝕣𝕚𝕒𝕟 𝕚𝕟𝕗𝕝𝕦𝕖𝕟𝕔𝕖. 𝗧 he global rise of MAGA (Make America Great Again)-inspired ideologies, rooted in nationalism, populism, and anti-globalism, poses significant threats to democratic norms, global cooperation, and social cohesion.  These ideologies, centered around Donald Trump’s rhetoric, amplify misinformation, promote authoritarianism, and exacerbate cultural divides, with effects reverberating worldwide. MAGA’s influence thr...

𝕃𝕦𝕩𝕠𝕟 𝕊𝕥𝕣𝕦𝕘𝕘𝕝𝕖𝕤 𝕒𝕤 ℙ𝕄, 𝕆𝕦𝕥𝕓𝕦𝕣𝕤𝕥𝕤 ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕒𝕝 𝕌𝕟𝕗𝕚𝕥𝕟𝕖𝕤𝕤 𝕗𝕠𝕣 ℝ𝕠𝕝𝕖 ℂ𝕙𝕣𝕚𝕤𝕥𝕠𝕡𝕙𝕖𝕣 𝕃𝕦𝕩𝕠𝕟, 𝕦𝕟𝕗𝕚𝕥 𝕒𝕤 ℙ𝕄, 𝕗𝕒𝕝𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕤 𝕦𝕟𝕕𝕖𝕣 𝕤𝕥𝕣𝕖𝕤𝕤, 𝕔𝕣𝕚𝕥𝕚𝕔𝕚𝕤𝕞, 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕔𝕠𝕒𝕝𝕚𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝕚𝕤𝕤𝕦𝕖𝕤. 𝕆𝕦𝕥𝕓𝕦𝕣𝕤𝕥𝕤 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕡𝕠𝕝𝕚𝕔𝕪 𝕗𝕒𝕚𝕝𝕦𝕣𝕖𝕤 𝕔𝕠𝕟𝕥𝕣𝕒𝕤𝕥 𝕡𝕣𝕖𝕕𝕖𝕔𝕖𝕤𝕤𝕠𝕣𝕤. 𝔼𝕝𝕖𝕔𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝕝𝕠𝕠𝕞𝕤. 𝗣 rime Minister Chris Luxon demonstrates how to occupy a role for which he is wholly unsuited, often using expletives like "frickin" to deflect criticism.  Luxon’s outbursts, such as “it’s not about the frickin targets” in September 2024 and “I’m not taking any lectures from frickin’ Chris Hipkins” in July, lay bare a leader buckling under the crushing stresses of his role.  Unlike predecessors who radiated control, Luxon’s crude language, failure to handle constructive criticism, and inability to manage coalition dynamics or public scrutiny reveal a prime minister floundering, with the 2026...

𝕁𝕒𝕔𝕚𝕟𝕕𝕒 𝔸𝕣𝕕𝕖𝕣𝕟’𝕤 ℂ𝕠𝕧𝕚𝕕-𝕖𝕣𝕒 𝕝𝕖𝕒𝕕𝕖𝕣𝕤𝕙𝕚𝕡 𝕣𝕖𝕞𝕒𝕚𝕟𝕤 𝕡𝕠𝕡𝕦𝕝𝕒𝕣 𝕋𝕙𝕖 ℂ𝕠𝕧𝕚𝕕-𝟙𝟡 𝕀𝕟𝕢𝕦𝕚𝕣𝕪, 𝕕𝕦𝕖 𝔽𝕖𝕓𝕣𝕦𝕒𝕣𝕪 𝟚𝟘𝟚𝟞, 𝕚𝕟𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕖𝕤𝕥𝕤 𝕡𝕠𝕝𝕚𝕥𝕚𝕔𝕚𝕒𝕟𝕤, 𝕟𝕠𝕥𝕒𝕓𝕝𝕪 𝕃𝕒𝕓𝕠𝕦𝕣’𝕤 ℍ𝕚𝕡𝕜𝕚𝕟𝕤. 𝔸𝕣𝕕𝕖𝕣𝕟’𝕤 𝕝𝕖𝕘𝕒𝕔𝕪 𝕕𝕚𝕧𝕚𝕕𝕖𝕤: 𝟞𝟛% 𝕡𝕣𝕒𝕚𝕤𝕖 𝕙𝕖𝕣 𝕝𝕖𝕒𝕕𝕖𝕣𝕤𝕙𝕚𝕡, 𝕓𝕦𝕥 𝟞𝟘% 𝕔𝕒𝕝𝕝 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕚𝕟𝕢𝕦𝕚𝕣𝕪’𝕤 $𝟙𝟜 𝕞𝕚𝕝𝕝𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝕔𝕠𝕤𝕥 𝕨𝕒𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕗𝕦𝕝. 𝗧 he ongoing Covid-19 Inquiry is a source of some political interest. When it hands down its next report in February 2026 there are competing theories about how it will play politically.  Particularly for Chris Hipkins - the person still in politics probably most associated with the pandemic - and by association, Labour.  Former Prime Minister Dame Jacinda Ardern’s new book also coincided with the Covid-19 inquiry and it all seems to have kicked up two online universes: one that thinks she was the best PM ever, and one who thinks s...

𝕋𝕣𝕦𝕞𝕡 𝕊𝕝𝕒𝕞𝕤 𝕆𝕓𝕒𝕞𝕒 𝕥𝕠 𝔻𝕠𝕕𝕘𝕖 𝔼𝕡𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕚𝕟 𝔽𝕚𝕝𝕖 𝔹𝕒𝕔𝕜𝕝𝕒𝕤𝕙 𝕋𝕣𝕦𝕞𝕡 𝕒𝕥𝕥𝕒𝕔𝕜𝕤 𝕆𝕓𝕒𝕞𝕒 𝕥𝕠 𝕕𝕠𝕕𝕘𝕖 𝔼𝕡𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕚𝕟 𝕗𝕚𝕝𝕖 𝕔𝕠𝕟𝕥𝕣𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕤𝕪, 𝕣𝕚𝕤𝕜𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕄𝔸𝔾𝔸 𝕤𝕦𝕡𝕡𝕠𝕣𝕥 𝕒𝕤 𝔻𝕆𝕁 𝕔𝕠𝕟𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕞𝕤 𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝕟𝕒𝕞𝕖 𝕚𝕟 𝕕𝕠𝕔𝕦𝕞𝕖𝕟𝕥𝕤. 𝗣 resident Donald Trump has launched baseless attacks on former President Barack Obama, alleging "treason" and a "coup" tied to the 2016 election, citing declassified documents from Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard.  These documents, including a 2020 House Intelligence Committee report, claim Obama’s administration fabricated Russian interference to undermine Trump’s victory.  However, the bipartisan Senate Intelligence Committee debunked these allegations, confirming Russia’s 2016 election meddling through social media and leaks.  Experts, like Rep. Jim Himes, dismiss Gabbard’s report as a distraction from the intensifying Epstein controversy, where Tr...

𝕋𝕣𝕦𝕞𝕡 𝕝𝕖𝕒𝕣𝕟𝕤 𝕖𝕘𝕠-𝕕𝕣𝕚𝕧𝕖𝕟 𝕓𝕚𝕝𝕝𝕚𝕠𝕟𝕒𝕚𝕣𝕖 𝕗𝕣𝕚𝕖𝕟𝕕𝕤𝕙𝕚𝕡𝕤 𝕤𝕙𝕒𝕥𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝕨𝕙𝕖𝕟 𝕓𝕦𝕤𝕚𝕟𝕖𝕤𝕤 𝕒𝕞𝕓𝕚𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟𝕤 𝕔𝕝𝕒𝕤𝕙. 𝕋𝕣𝕦𝕞𝕡’𝕤 𝕖𝕘𝕠 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕒𝕦𝕥𝕙𝕠𝕣𝕚𝕥𝕒𝕣𝕚𝕒𝕟 𝕕𝕖𝕞𝕒𝕟𝕕𝕤 𝕔𝕝𝕒𝕤𝕙𝕖𝕕 𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙 𝕄𝕦𝕤𝕜’𝕤 𝕕𝕣𝕚𝕧𝕖, 𝕤𝕙𝕒𝕥𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕚𝕣 𝕒𝕝𝕝𝕚𝕒𝕟𝕔𝕖 𝕒𝕤 𝕓𝕠𝕥𝕙 𝕡𝕦𝕣𝕤𝕦𝕖𝕕 𝕤𝕖𝕝𝕗-𝕤𝕖𝕣𝕧𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕘𝕠𝕒𝕝𝕤. 𝗧 he alliance between Donald Trump and Elon Musk, two titans of American business, was a volatile union of ego and ambition that propelled Trump’s 2024 campaign but imploded by July 2025 under the weight of their clashing self-interests.  Their partnership, initially a strategic powerhouse, unraveled as Trump’s authoritarian demand for loyalty collided with Musk’s relentless drive for control.  Musk’s financial muscle, pouring $260-$290 million into Trump’s campaign, and his strategic amplification of Trump’s message on platforms like X were pivotal in securing Trump’s second term....