BREAKING NEWS--Simon Bridges rolled, Todd Muller new National Party leader
It follows a disastrous Colmar Brunton Poll result last night that saw National drop to its lowest support since 2003, plunging 17 percentage points to 29 per cent. Mr Bridges’ preferred PM result dropped six percentage points to 5 per cent, and his approval rating also fell to -40. Mr Muller's victory came after an emergency caucus meeting today, where MPs were brought back to Wellington to make the vote. The National Party website crashed during the meeting. Nikki Kaye has been elected Deputy Leader, replacing Paula Bennett. When Mr Muller arrived at Parliament this morning, he told journalists he was “feeling very excited", calling it “a momentous day for the National Party”. Mr Muller, who grew up in Te Puna, Bay of Plenty, was a former staffer to then-PM Jim Bolger in 1996, entering Parliament as an MP in 2014. He sat at National MP rank 16, and was spokesperson for agriculture, biosecurity, food safety and forestry. The 51-year-old worked as general manager for Zespri and was group director of corporate affairs for Fonterra. Mr Muller, an avid US politics fan who has described himself previously to the Bay of Plenty Times as an “American politics tragic”, was on the receiving end of the infamous ‘OK, boomer’ quip by Green MP Chlöe Swarbrick last year. Tauranga MP Simon Bridges took over from former PM Sir Bill English in early 2018. When he was running for leader in 2018, he told he wanted his legacy if he were to become Prime Minister “to ensure New Zealand is a growing, dynamic, exciting place in the 2020s where people have opportunities”. “I would like people to look back and be glad about the kind of New Zealand we have created together.” “When I was a teen I liked to read about politics and got involved in the 1993 election and have never looked back, I believed then and still do in the values of the National Party,” he said at the time.
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Poll: How should Guy Fawkes be celebrated?
While it is a fun occasion, fireworks on Guy Fawkes Night has caused much conflict over the years, upsetting our pets and disrupting the sleep of neighbours.
How should we celebrate Guy Fawkes Night? Vote in our poll and share your thoughts below.
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27.9% With a city-wide public fireworks display
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20.5% Small fireworks displays in each community
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7.7% Keep it as is
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32.7% We shouldn't celebrate it!
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10.8% Anything but fireworks
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0.4% Other - I'll share below
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Fire at New Lynn mosque
Firefighters were called to a blaze at an Auckland mosque this afternoon.
What you need to know:
- Fire crews were notified of a blaze in the New Lynn Imam Reza Mosque on Tuesday at 9.43am.
- The blaze was said to be on the ground floor of the two-storey building.
- A back window of the mosque was also found smashed this morning.
- The fire was said to be so intense that plastic chairs had melted in the blaze.
Three fire crews were at the address and have since left the scene. A fire investigator remains at the address