In an election campaign of naughty 'celebrities', the Chrises are jostling for who has the bigger stick

PremiumOpinionOpinion byTom DillaneOpinion Editor/Senior Journalist·NZ Herald·29 Jul, 2026 03:00 AM8 mins to readTom Dillane is the Opinion Editor at the New Zealand Herald. He leads the Herald’s opinion coverage across digital and print, commissioning and fact-checking columns, contributions and leaders, as well as producing his own comment and analysis pieces.‌Christopher Luxon and Chris Hipkins have been forced into a one-upmanship in criticising NZ First and Act. Photo / NZMEIt’s not surprising that, in what has been dubbed a celebrity election, the capacity to discipline unruly MPs and candidates has become a rather desperate battle of egos between unpopular major party leaders.

It’s easy to say inexperience can lead to political faux pas. But even the intentionally provocative Paul