Back to the review of the last election result we mentioned this week from the political brains trust at Victoria University.

Just to remind you, they analysed our votes, our issues, and our voting intentions and, and as a result, what sort of mandate they thought the current Government has.

My point was they overthought the whole thing, given we only have one vote and it doesn’t specifically buy a lot, or guarantee any sort of outcome, or even influence.

So it is on that note I pose this very simple premise - if and when Labour get back to power, they are going to need most likely not just the Greens, but the Māori Party too.

It’s the Māori Party that will potentially lead to a flurry of analysis and a lot of hard questions that I'm not sure anyone has even thought about yet.

The Māori Party are radicals.

When the police raided the Mongrel Mob the other day in Opotiki, Rawiri Waititi called it "state sponsored terrorism" driven by a race agenda.

How do the Labour Party live with that? How do they explain it? How do they justify being in Government with that?

To their credit, the Māori Party I think are long-termers, given Waititi seems to have a lock on his seat and that is far more reliable than 5%, which they will never get because they are radicals.

They are single issue zealots. But democracy allows this if you can find 5% to agree with you, or a seat where that sort of rhetoric sells. Waititi has that seat.

So when you vote for Labour or for the Greens do you think about a Government grouping that has the Māori Party radical element in it and, if you do, what do you think that will lead to?

What if the Māori Party have the NZ First card, i.e. the balance of power where you can't form a Government without them?

What do you think their price for that will be? How radical do you think that will be?

When the political wonks at Victoria University get to analyse that, their heads will explode.

What you thought you were voting for and what you got, will be unrecognisable. And yet in 2026 it's possible.

In 2029 it might even be likely.

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At the end of each week, Mike Hosking takes you through the big-ticket items and lets you know what he makes of it all.

Wellington: 7/10

As in the NPC team. A brilliant final, overtime and high drama. It's good for rugby.

The haka: 6/10

I know Joe Marler is a boofhead, but doesn't he make a not unreasonable point? By the time we show up, sing the national anthem twice and then the haka, that's a lot of indulgence asked for, isn't it?

Anthony Albanese: 2/10

"Hi Alan, can you stick us in first class?" What could possibly go wrong?

Ginny Andersen: 3/10

"Hahahaha look at that, I'll share that." What could possibly go wrong?

Australia and their Covid report: 7/10

Obviously a lot more efficient than us, but what theirs says ours will say. Sadly for both, the trust is gone, and lessons will never be learnt. But good to see some honesty at last.

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Horticulture New Zealand is pushing the government to follow through with its veggie production commitments.

A new Institute of Economic Research report reveals prices could skyrocket under proposed regulations to reduce nitrogen runoff, with broccoli potentially jumping to $9 a head.

Horticulture New Zealand Strategy Manager Michelle Sands told Mike Hosking that at the moment fresh fruit and vegetable growing and supply isn't recognised as a matter of national importance for New Zealanders.

She says the current rules would prevent growers from rotating their crops, which would negatively impact soil health and could seriously threaten vegetable production.

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