Your Daily Ten@10 - 2026/040

THE GOOD OIL March 8, 2026

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This is edition 2026/040 of the Ten@10 newsletter.

Hi all,

This is the Ten@10, where I collate and summarise ten news items you generally won't see in the mainstream media.

Enjoy!

1. Luxon and National in serious trouble

Bryce Edwards

📉 Poll Struggles : A Taxpayers’ Union-Curia poll shows National at just 28%, down from 38% in 2023. This drop fuels leadership speculation and further criticism of Prime Minister Luxon.
🗣️ Hooton’s Critique : Matthew Hooton argues that Luxon’s poor handling of the US-Iran situation makes him a threat to New Zealand’s national security and undermines his credibility.
💼 Leadership Turmoil : Senior National figures, including Chris Bishop, have been involved in leadership challenges, but Luxon has survived due to internal divisions. The party is paralyzed by competing ambitions.
🔥 Crisis Mode : The National Party is in panic, with some MPs acknowledging the need for a leadership change, but fear of the high-risk gamble of replacing a first-term PM is holding them back.
📊 Economic Struggles : National’s poor poll numbers are linked to public dissatisfaction with the government’s handling of rising prices and stagnant wages, intensifying calls for a leadership shake-up.
🔄 Leadership Gridlock : Despite growing pressure, National’s senior MPs remain unable to act decisively due to personal ambitions and the risk of a leadership change too close to an election.
⏳ Urgency Growing : If National’s polling continues to slide, party members may soon realize that their career prospects are at risk, pushing for a leadership change before it’s too late.

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