Election 2026 Campaign Diary: The winners and losers of bad publicity

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Opinion

Opinion by

Audrey Young

Senior Political Correspondent·NZ Herald·

5 Nov, 2026 04:44 AM5 mins to read

Audrey Young, Senior Political Correspondent at the New Zealand Herald based at Parliament, specialises in writing about politics and power.

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New Zealand First leader Winston Peters (from left), Green co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick, Labour leader Chris Hipkins and National deputy leader Nicola Willis.

The old maxim that all publicity is good publicity is sometimes true when it comes to politics, but not for New Zealand First in the vital last week of the election campaign.

The women of New Zealand are talking about New Zealand First and candidate Michael Laws , and that includes the women of New Zealand First who are “brassed off to beat the band”, leader Winston Peters says.