Chris Bishop Frustrated By 'Politicised' Stan Walker Aotearoa Music Awards Performance
During Stan Walker's performance of Māori Ki te Ao, performers took to the stage with flags displaying Toitū Te Tiriti, a movement borne out of opposition to the Treaty Principles Bill and other government legislation.
Bishop, who was in attendance, was seen criticising the performance, and has since said he should have kept the comments to himself.
On Tuesday, Bishop told reporters his comments were not directed specifically at Walker.
"I was frustrated and annoyed by the sort of overt politicking around it," he said.
"It's not about Stan Walker, I actually quite like Stan Walker, actually quite liked his performance. It was just the sort of politicisation of it that frustrated me," he said.
Bishop singled out the Toitū Te Tiriti "banners and paraphernalia" as the source of his frustration, not the performance itself.
He said he would not be apologising to Walker.
"It's not clear what I'd be apologising for."
His comments led to backlash from other performers, including Don McGlashan, who was seen on video confronting Bishop.
The minister said the irony was he was a "huge" Don McGlashan fan.
"I love the Mutton Birds. But Don McGlashan is a noteworthy non-supporter of the National Party. People might remember the 2008 election, in which he expressed some frustration at 'Anchor Me', which is a great Mutton Birds tune, being used by TVNZ on the election night coverage," Bishop said.
"His political views are quite well-known, but look it is what it is, he's entitled to his views in the same way I'm entitled to mine."
Arts, culture and heritage minister Paul Goldsmith, who was also at the event, brushed off whether the performance was controversial.
"There's always controversy at music awards. It goes without saying," he said.
Māori Crown relations minister Tama Potaka said he disagreed with Bishop's comments, but they were for Bishop to respond to.
"I absolutely love Stan Walker and his commitment to te reo, and the mahi that he does particularly in his engagement with Ratana, the hāhi. I don't agree with minister Bishop's comments, however those are a matter for him to comment on," Potaka said.
Labour's Māori Development spokesperson Willie Jackson said Bishop, as a music fan, should know that music had always been political.
"He should know music better than anyone. Look around the world, people have been doing that for years. Whether it's Bob Marley, Bono, whatever, it's been happening, it's not like something new. He should talk to his Shihad heroes, cos the lead singer there's got pretty good politics too."
The Prime Minister told Morning Report he was comfortable with Bishop's response, and had spoken to him over the weekend.
"I just got his side of the story about what he said and it was exactly as reported. He corrected it well before I got to him... he just acknowledged he should have kept his thoughts to himself," Christopher Luxon said.
"The bottom line is your listeners aren't losing a lot of sleep over what a politician sharing his opinion on some music was about."
Labour leader Chris Hipkins said Bishop's behaviour was disappointing, but it was for the Prime Minister to bring his ministers in line.
"You've got to remember when you're a government minister that you're on public display all of the time."
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Scoop
2 hours ago
- Scoop
Speech To National Party Conference
Rt Hon Christopher Luxon Prime Minister 2 August 2025 Ka nui te mihi kia koutou. Kia Ora, good afternoon, everyone! How great is it to be here in Christchurch! Before I start can I acknowledge some people in the room with us today. President Sylvia Wood and the newly elected Board, thank you for your service to the National Party and ensuring that we are match fit for next year! My friend and our outstanding Deputy Leader Nicola Willis. She is working every day to rebuild this economy so Kiwis can get ahead! Can I also congratulate Chris Bishop – who has once again stepped into the role of campaign chair for next year's election. And to all of our Ministers and MPs, who are with us here today. Thank you for your sacrifices – the long hours and the time away from family working to make this country a better place. And most importantly, to all of our members and supporters who are here this weekend – who knock on doors, wave the signs, and keep our electorates humming. Thank you for your drive, your determination, and your unshakeable belief that our country's best days lie ahead of us. Two years ago, New Zealand was in utter turmoil. Inflation was at 6 per cent. Food prices had risen by 12.5 per cent in the last year. Mortgage rates had just tipped over 7 per cent and unemployment was starting to rise. Ram raids had taken over the country, violent crime was out of control, and gangs were shutting down whole towns like Ōpōtiki. Wait times in our health system had blown out, with New Zealanders waiting longer to be seen in emergency departments or to receive surgery. Meanwhile, less than half of our children and grandchildren were attending school regularly. And while young people in Australia, Singapore, the UK and so many other countries charged ahead, we were falling further and further behind. We knew turning that around would be the challenge of a lifetime. But in less than two years, we have already made massive progress. Take law and order. National's policies to prevent crime are working. More cops on the beat in our inner cities, keeping kiwis safe. Tough new laws that give Police the powers to ruthlessly target gangs and illegal guns. Longer sentences for violent and repeat offenders, and real consequences for unruly KO tenants and young criminals. New Zealand is already feeling the impact. Violent crime is falling. Youth crime is falling. And ram raids have collapsed. Yes, there's always more to do, but in two short years, Paul Goldsmith and Mark Mitchell have ended an historic era of lawlessness in this country. And take education. We campaigned together on giving every child in New Zealand the very best possible start in life, with an education grounded in the basics of reading, writing, and maths. Yes, every child is now getting an hour a day in each of those subjects and we have banned mobile phones to keep our kids focused. But the change we have delivered is so much larger than that. As of today, 30,000 teachers have been trained in structured literacy, ensuring hundreds of thousands of students are getting more out of every day at school. Just last year at this conference, we promised a sea change in the way we teach maths at primary school, to make sure children in New Zealand didn't keep falling behind. Since then, we have rolled out a whole new curriculum and trained more than 20,000 teachers in structured maths – with 3,500 year 7 and 8 students receiving extra support to help them catch up. There is always more to do, especially at high school – but in just two years, primary school education has been transformed in this country. Erica – thank you for your relentless energy and positivity, fixing education in this great country. And take healthcare. It's not just the record health funding, or more doctors and nurses hired, or the dozens of new medicines we have delivered for cancer and other illnesses. We aren't just spending and hiring more – we're actually delivering more. Wait lists for elective procedures are falling. Wait lists for a first specialist assessment are falling. Kiwis are spending less time waiting in emergency departments. And child immunisation rates are continuing to climb. There are more choices to see a doctor with 24/7 digital care, we're delivering the largest funding boost for GPs in New Zealand's history, and we've got initiatives underway to further lift the number of doctors and nurses. Labour might have restructured Health NZ by simply slapping a new logo on a letterhead, but Simeon Brown is actually fixing it. Simeon, thank you for the massive contribution you make to our team and our country. Finally – the economy and the cost of living. We always knew this would be a mammoth task. The conditions New Zealanders inherited from the last government were the worst in a generation. The national debt had tripled. Inflation hit a thirty-year high. Homeowners were crushed by a surge in interest rates. And critical growth industries – like agriculture and energy – were under constant siege. In the period since, our economic team – led by our outstanding Minister of Finance Nicola Willis – has worked relentlessly, under huge pressure to turn the ship around. We have been making real progress on that front, and I am confident that progress will continue in the months and years ahead as interest rates continue to fall and pro-growth reforms bed in. But global conditions have also been challenging. The impact of tariffs and offshore events in recent months has had a real impact on our economy here at home. Yesterday's latest update from the US is a fresh reminder of how life as a small, trading nation like New Zealand is very different today than it was in recent years. But we can't just batten down the hatches and hope for the best. Kiwis are ambitious, resilient, and adaptable – and our job is to put them in the very best possible position to succeed. Our team is laser-focused on the plan to do just that. We will spend carefully, we will back Kiwis that back themselves, and we will invest in New Zealand's future. It's why we have delivered more than $40 billion in savings across two Budgets, supporting inflation and interest rates to fall. It's why we have driven a relentless programme of reform and relief, restoring confidence to the sectors that need it – like agriculture, tourism and manufacturing. It's why we're carrying out an ambitious programme of infrastructure investment, delivering growth and opportunity to communities all over New Zealand. And it's why we're championing New Zealand on the world stage, giving a platform for Kiwis to export, attract investment, compete and win. Of course, in the very near term, so many New Zealanders that I meet are still struggling to keep up with the cost of living. 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Thanks to a decision by the Commerce Commission last week, small businesses are set to save tens of millions of dollars on bank interchange fees from the 1st of November. Now we're taking the next step and making sure those savings are being passed on to consumers by abolishing card surcharges. They are small changes, but they all add up – both for the businesses who have been stung by excessive fees, and for customers who have been meeting the cost at the checkout. And we aren't stopping there. We are pulling every lever we can, including going after councils exorbitant spending and progressing a cap on rates – so families struggling with the cost of living see real relief. Clearly though, in the years to come, immediate action on the cost of living isn't enough. The last Government spent billions of dollars in failed handouts, only to watch inflation roar and the economy falter. We have to keep our eyes on the prize. We can have more jobs, higher wages, and a chance for every New Zealander to get ahead, but that means restoring a culture of ambition, aspiration, prosperity, and achievement. It means backing every farmer, every small business owner, every innovator, and every entrepreneur to compete and win. It means backing every Kiwi who backs themselves. And it means taking the action necessary to make it happen. Just look at our farmers and growers – and the action we've taken to unleash growth in rural New Zealand. Look, you might have noticed that dairy prices are pretty strong right now. Our dairy exports are up 16 per cent, meat and wool exports up 8 per cent, and horticulture exports up 19 per cent. But ask any farmer and they'll tell you prices come, and prices go. Hope isn't a strategy – and just letting the good times roll on isn't enough. If we're serious about unleashing the potential of our rural communities, we need to make our own luck. And ultimately that means unshackling farmers from the red and green tape holding their businesses back. I could run through all the policies and detail – but I'll give you one example of where it's making a difference. Here in Canterbury, broken freshwater rules introduced by the previous government effectively shut down dairy conversions, leaving New Zealand's most profitable industry utterly unable to grow. Now that Todd McClay and Chris Bishop have fixed it, 15,000 more cows have been approved here in Canterbury in just six months. We can have more growth, more exports, more jobs, and higher wages for every New Zealander – but we have to say yes to letting it happen. Construction and infrastructure are also top priorities. Years of rampant inflation, high interest rates, and the resulting painful recession have taken their toll on New Zealand's construction industry. I understand the frustration. 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That's why we have a massive programme of work clearing away the jungle of red tape which is slowing construction down in New Zealand. We've already achieved a lot – and more reform is happening right now. Fast Track is rolling, with more than 50 applications underway. And I'm incredibly excited to say that just yesterday the very first consent was released for upgrades at the Ports of Auckland, with construction set to kick off as soon as possible. A flood of legislative amendments will become law by the end of this month, unshackling construction of housing, renewable energy, infrastructure, and a range of other sectors. We're backing businesses to invest in more plant and equipment through Investment Boost, so the trucks, machinery, tools, and utes they need to grow are more affordable. 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The best part of this job – by a country mile – is the people. Every week I have the privilege of getting out of the Beehive, and meeting extraordinary New Zealanders who – like me – believe our country's best days are ahead of us. The loud, proud, and excited types. And the rugged, humble, quiet types. Kiwis who – in tough times – make the impossible possible every single week. Kiwis who work all day, and often all night, just to leave a better future for their children and grandchildren. We're doing everything we can to make that a little easier. In difficult times and in a world full of uncertainty, it's never been more important to stay focused. We have the potential. We have the team. And we have the plan. So, let's keep working.
NZ Herald
8 hours ago
- NZ Herald
Ex-National Party president Peter Goodfellow on what threatens 2026 re-election
'Desley, I love you very much,' Goodfellow said, his voice catching in his throat. His final message to the party faithful was his best wishes in the 'fight to win the party vote in 2026'. Former National Party board member Peter Goodfellow (right) speaks at the party's annual conference in Christchurch alongside current party president Sylvia Wood. Photo / Adam Pearse Despite a party vote target in the mid-40s, National hadn't registered above 40% since January last year and hadn't breached 35% since April across several opinion pollsters. It received 38% in the 2023 election. Speaking to the Herald on Sunday, Goodfellow praised National's work while in Government but said the party's chief threat to re-election was the economy. 'I think people have responded really well on education with Erica [Stanford], I think Simeon [Brown] is doing a fantastic job in health, but it's the economy. 'If the economy suffers another shock then I think that the public can get tired of it and want change. 'I'm not seeing that at the moment, but there's a potential for that to happen if there were another series of shocks or a trade war.' Just hours before Goodfellow's farewell, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon confirmed Trade Minister Todd McClay would shortly travel to the United States to discuss President Donald Trump's announcement of 15% tariffs on New Zealand goods, an action Luxon described as 'blunt'. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon (front) speaks to media in Christchurch alongside Conservation Minister Tama Potaka (left) and Tourism Minister Louise Upston at the National conference. Photo / Adam Pearse The news was an unwelcome development for the Government, given the potential for further pain for exporters, which would slow any economic recovery. Recent polls affirmed the cost of living as the primary issue for voters, with the latest Ipsos Issues Monitor finding people trusted Labour more than National to lower prices. Goodfellow acknowledged New Zealanders were 'tired' of not seeing meaningful cost-of-living relief. 'My understanding is there'll continue to be relief for that middle New Zealand, but it's almost like they're saying it's not enough, it's almost never going to be enough.' A self-professed early adopter of the 'survive til 25' slogan used in 2024, Goodfellow argued economic growth hadn't been overestimated, but Trump's approach to trade had eroded confidence. 'The issue is, how do you get a bit of momentum and that confidence again?' Former Prime Minister Sir John Key (right) and Peter Goodfellow speak after the latter's selection as party president in 2009. Photo / NZPA Goodfellow stepped down as National president in 2022, but had previously voiced his original intention to resign in 2016. 'John Key and I did discuss at the beginning that we shouldn't leave together,' he said. 'I just thought, 'Well, I don't want to do this role for a huge, long time', but then we lost the election and then we had a period of some stability and coming into the 2020 election, the board wanted me to continue on as the president. 'Then we had a couple of leadership changes which just again meant they wanted that stability and continuity at the party and at the board level and I think that actually worked out pretty well.' Amid a disastrous result in the 2020 election, Goodfellow faced pressure over the party's candidate selection processes when the actions of several standing in 2020 hurt National's chances. He also endured a challenge for the party presidency from former Speaker of the House Sir David Carter, who in 2021 said he had 'zero confidence' in Goodfellow's ability to right the ship. Goodfellow described that period as a 'very unstable time for the party'. 'I never thought I would ever develop such a thick hide,' he said. 'There's a lot of criticism in the world and in politics, but not all of it is justified. 'I knew I was supported by the board and the decisions that we were making and that's why ultimately [Carter's] challenge didn't succeed.' However, Goodfellow acknowledged changes to the party's vetting proved some of the criticism was warranted. 'The vetting was very casual 20 years ago, maybe because people knew who the candidates were, but suddenly, more recently, we have people not known to the party coming in from the outside and we clearly did what we thought was good vetting, but there are some instances of behaviour that you can't pick up, no matter how good you're vetting. 'Many [candidates] are suitable ... but they don't necessarily understand what's going to be involved and what's going to be required. 'The challenge then is, are they telling you everything that's going on and increasingly, we have to be more diligent to make sure that our members are respected by not having candidates put up in front of them that aren't suitable.' Asked to describe his lasting legacy with National, Goodfellow pointed to the various special interest groups within the party and his mission to make the party more inclusive. Those groups included the party's younger and older members' wings, as well as collectives of members from Chinese, Indian, Filipino, rural, Māori and Pasifika communities. 'I know that there was no such inclusion before it, it was very much a traditional-looking party,' Goodfellow said. 'Within the party, it's good for us to have groups that represent that culture, but also share the values and the philosophy of the National Party and want to be engaged in it.' Adam Pearse is the Deputy Political Editor and part of the NZ Herald's Press Gallery team based at Parliament in Wellington. He has worked for NZME since 2018, reporting for the Northern Advocate in Whangārei and the Herald in Auckland.
NZ Herald
16 hours ago
- NZ Herald
Govt's conservation changes spark backlash over land protections
A major overhaul of conservation land law has sparked sharp criticism from Forest & Bird, which accuses the Government of gutting longstanding protections in favour of commercial interests. The Government's intended changes to the Conservation Act, unveiled at the National Party conference in Christchurch yesterday, aims to 'unleash growth'
