In New Zealand politics, 2018 was a year of beginnings – a new government with a new agenda, a new Opposition leader, a new baby... and a new leopard-print pantsuit for Paula Bennett.
Jacinda Ardern arrives in Wellington with baby Neve and partner Clarke Gayford. Photo: RNZ / Rebekah Parsons-King
Political reporter Craig McCulloch takes an irreverent (by RNZ standards) look back at the biggest stories of a year which included a Prime Ministerial baby, the collapse of two Ministerial careers and a kamikaze takedown of the Opposition.
Focus on Politics is RNZ's weekly analysis of significant political issues.
RNZ senior political reporter Craig McCulloch Photo: Supplied
Craig begins by taking us back to 19 January when Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern disrupted reporters' summer holidays with the announcement that she and partner Clarke Gayford were expecting a prime miniature...
..all the way to this December, when national gardening treasure and National Party MP Maggie Barry was forced to nip in the bud headlines about alleged bullying.
In Craig's words: "Ms Barry was no wallflower, no shrinking violet, certainly never one to beat around the bush, but she wasn't a bully, she said. She'd been cleared by an investigation, no need to turn over a new leaf."
Photo: RNZ / Ian Telfer
