The Latest Breaking News from Willie Jackson

NZ's reformist and reconciling PM Jim Bolger dies at 90

Paul Keating has remembered former NZ prime minister Jim Bolger, who has died aged 90, as the "jolliest and best natured" government head he ever worked with.

AAP · Oct 16, 2025

NZ anti-Māori rights bill faces backlash

Māori opponents of a vote on the Treaty Principles Bill staged a haka in Parliament on Thursday

Salon · Nov 15, 2024

Lawmakers stage Māori protest in New Zealand's parliament during fraught race relations debate

A vote in New Zealand’s parliament was suspended and two lawmakers ejected Thursday amid debate over a controversial proposed law redefining the country’s founding agreement between Indigenous Māori and the British Crown

The Independent UK · Nov 14, 2024

Undercount fears as New Zealand conducts census

Harry Styles and the Sri Lankan men's cricket team are among the visitors to New Zealand that will have to fill out the five-yearly census - or face fines.

AAP · Mar 7, 2023

Breaking news: making Google and Facebook pay NZ media for content could deliver less than bargained for

Broadcasting Minister Willie Jackson’s announcement of planned legislation requiring big online platforms such as Google and Meta/Facebook to “pay a fair price” to New Zealand news media for their content was welcomed by many as much-needed support for local journalism.

The Conversation · Dec 8, 2022

When is being Māori not enough? Why Māori politics are always personal

The truism that the personal is political and the political personal is very much the case with Māori (identity) politics. We’ve recently seen several incidents in which Māori government ministers have criticised other Māori MPs or public figures in ways that, by implication, relate to who they are as Māori.

The Conversation · Oct 3, 2022

New Zealand republic debate complicated by Māori treaty

The death of Queen Elizabeth II last week has reignited debate in New Zealand about whether it should continue recognizing Britain’s monarch as its symbolic head of state or take the final step toward independence by becoming a republic

The Independent UK · Sep 16, 2022

The merger of TVNZ and RNZ needs to build trust in public media – 3 things the law change must get right

With only six days left for submissions to the select committee examining the Aotearoa New Zealand Public Media Bill, it is becoming clear this crucial piece of legislation has some significant shortcomings. These will need attention before it passes into law.

The Conversation · Sep 2, 2022

‘Pivotal’ Māori leader Tipene O’Regan made member of Order of New Zealand

Champion of Māori rights honoured by Queen for life of work dedicated to improving ‘economic, cultural and social standing of Māori communities’

The Guardian - AU · Jun 6, 2022

‘A brilliant mind’: pioneering Māori lawyer and activist Moana Jackson dies

Born in 1948, Dr Jackson was a champion of Indigenous rights and influenced legal reform in New Zealand

The Guardian - AU · Mar 31, 2022