The Minister of Regulation, David Seymour, says critics dodged the substance of the bill, which he argues strengthens public rights and curbs lazy lawmaking. ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏

Great minds share alike. Pass it on!

Economy

Health

Briefing for 8 July 2025

Seymour says critics of Regulatory Standards Bill offer heat, not answers

Opponents dominated the opening day of public hearings into the Regulatory Standards Bill, but ACT leader David Seymour says little constructive criticism was offered.

Just a lot of political theatre.

From state media to state power? Oriini Kaipara eyes Māori seat

Former broadcaster Oriini Kaipara, who has built her career around cultural identity roles while drawing salaries from the state, is putting her name forward for Te Pāti Māori’s candidacy in the Tāmaki Makaurau by-election.

This follows the death of MP Takutai Tarsh Kemp.

Doctor punished for COVID heresy

A Southland GP who prescribed Ivermectin during the COVID pandemic has been formally censured by the Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal.

Dr Sophie Febery can continue practising medicine, but must pay over $67,000 in costs and complete additional training.

Long Covid left out despite rising toll, new study shows

As the Royal Commission’s COVID inquiry begins its public hearings this week, “Long Covid” sufferers say they are being sidelined.

This is despite new research suggesting the condition is more common than previously recorded.

New Zealand ranks second in the world for freedom, just behind Finland

New Zealand has been ranked among the freest nations on earth in the 2025 Freedom in the World report, scoring 99 out of 100, the same as Norway and Sweden, and just one point behind Finland, which leads with a perfect score.

Bureaucrats up, teachers down: what’s really wrong with NZ’s universities?

When it comes to tertiary education, are we becoming an “intellectual desert and a dumbed-down, impoverished economy?” asks academic Grant Duncan.

Short answer: “NZ is already there.”

Sam Altman’s AI U-turn: Trust less, upgrade soon

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has warned users not to place too much faith in ChatGPT, calling the trust levels “interesting” given that AI still “hallucinates” and is “not super reliable.”

Speaking on the company’s inaugural podcast, Altman said ChatGPT should be treated as a tool, not a truth engine: “It should be the tech that you don’t trust that much.”