Three Te PÄti MÄori MPs boycotted a Privileges Committee hearing, facing potential fines and suspension from Parliament. A compromise is possible if the committee drops its demand for individual appearances and allows collective testimony with their lawyer present. Te PÄti MÄori plans its own inquiry.
Green Party co-leader Chlƶe Swarbrick faced criticism for defending MP Benjamin Doyle's language on social media. A National Party member criticized her statement as using the LGBTQ+ community as a shield and normalizing offensive language.
Australia's election is influenced by foreign factors, with the Global Times endorsing the Labor Prime Minister while Trump's tariffs provide an advantage to Albanese. The election is expected to be close.
The article also includes updates on New Zealand MPs' trip to Uzbekistan, Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop's meetings in Singapore, comments from Act leader David Seymour regarding death threats to MP Doyle, and various other political happenings, including news about supermarket competition, a controversy involving the spending of KiwiRail, and the resignation of the Reserve Bank's governor.