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Scorecard: The Opposition’s performance in 2025

Monday, 29 December 2025

It’s a tough gig, so how did our Opposition MPs do this year?
It’s a tough gig, so how did our Opposition MPs do this year?

Each year The Post ranks key members of the Opposition. On Sunday, we ranked the Cabinet for their performance over 2025. Today, we apply the same standard to the Labour Party front bench and the co-leaders of the other parties in Opposition.

Measuring and ranking political performance is a difficult, and ultimately a subjective task. You have to balance how much opposition figures have achieved in their current roles against the terms they set themselves. Obviously opposition politicians can’t see policy through in the same way Government figures can - but they can develop policy, promote it, and most importantly, prosecute the Government.

As far as scores go, 5/10 is basically a par score. If a shadow minister seems to be going OK they probably get a 5/10.

The Post political team says it’s been an extremely solid year from Chris Hipkins, a veteran in this game. He’s pictured here meeting basketball players at the Special Olympics.
The Post political team says it’s been an extremely solid year from Chris Hipkins, a veteran in this game. He’s pictured here meeting basketball players at the Special Olympics.

Opposition figures are listed in order of their position in the Labour Party rankings as listed on the party’s website. Then we have listed the co-leaders for the other parties in Opposition.

LABOUR PARTY

Chris Hipkins, spokesperson for Ministerial Services, National Security and Intelligence

Score: 9/10

Holding it all together, which is more than one can say for most leaders of first-term oppositions. Has managed to get through a capital gains tax that keeps his left flank somewhat satisfied while not scaring off many other people. And all while boosting Labour’s standing in the polls

Labour
Labour's spokesperson for Auckland, Carmel Sepuloni, holds a crucial role for Labour.

Hipkins is far more experienced than most MPs in the Government and it shows. He can debate issues in the House well, can think on his feet to avoid pitfalls in media conferences, and is a master of internal Labour Party dynamics. However, he is not the best with strangers - which will become apparent on the campaign trail next year.

Still, an extremely solid year from a veteran in this game.

Labour MP Barbara Edmonds is described as “whipsmart and intensely likeable“. Here she is out and about on Courtenay Place in Wellington.
Labour MP Barbara Edmonds is described as “whipsmart and intensely likeable“. Here she is out and about on Courtenay Place in Wellington.

Carmel Sepuloni, spokesperson for Auckland Issues, Women, Pacific Peoples

Score: 5/10

Labour’s most senior Auckland MP, a crucial role for a party largely run by Wellingtonians right now. More a safe pair of hands than a standout performer in the media - she doesn’t embarrass Labour in her weekly panel with Nicola Willis, but she doesn’t win all that much either.

Megan Woods has experience and policy nous but The Post’s political team says she’s not really used them this year. She’s pictured here with HW Richardson Group chief executive Anthony Jones, left, talking about Southland’s hydrogen transport operations.
Megan Woods has experience and policy nous but The Post’s political team says she’s not really used them this year. She’s pictured here with HW Richardson Group chief executive Anthony Jones, left, talking about Southland’s hydrogen transport operations.

Barbara Edmonds, spokesperson for Finance and Economy, Savings and Investment

Score: 7/10

Willie Jackson is one of Labour’s most experienced MPs but our political team say he hasn’t been firing this year.
Willie Jackson is one of Labour’s most experienced MPs but our political team say he hasn’t been firing this year.

Liked across Parliament for a reason. Whipsmart and intensely likeable. Can be quite strong in the House. Crucially, she has been trying to re-orient Labour’s fiscal footing away from the obsessions of its activist base and towards something that might be palatable to middle New Zealand - voters who care about debt and money being managed properly.

And when it really matters, she can do a very serviceable job in the media - but this is definitely her weakest area.

Ayesha Verrall’s experience in Health shows in her performance the House. Here she is outside Ministry of Health building in Wellington during the national nurses’ strike.
Ayesha Verrall’s experience in Health shows in her performance the House. Here she is outside Ministry of Health building in Wellington during the national nurses’ strike.

Dr Megan Woods, spokesperson for Manufacturing and Industry, Energy and Resources, Associate Finance

Score: 3/10

Seems fairly checked out, so not surprising she isn’t running for her seat next year. In a year where energy was a massive issue Shane Jones often seemed a more standout opposition figure than she was. Her experience and policy nous could be a boon if Labour win next year - but she’s not doing all that much to make that happen right now.

Kieran McAnulty, pictured here with his greyhound Zoe, is one of Labour’s most relatable MPs, but doesn’t manage to best Chris Bishop all that often on housing.
Kieran McAnulty, pictured here with his greyhound Zoe, is one of Labour’s most relatable MPs, but doesn’t manage to best Chris Bishop all that often on housing.

Willie Jackson, spokesperson for Māori Development, Social Development

Score: 4/10

Labour’s education spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime provided Labour with what was probably its most embarrassing moment this year.
Labour’s education spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime provided Labour with what was probably its most embarrassing moment this year.

One of Labour’s most experienced MPs. Able to use that experience to get media cut through every now and then. But not exactly firing - and one can’t help but wonder if his closeness to John Tamihere is influencing the party’s thinking a little too much on Te Pāti Māori. Messy fight with his old pal Matt McCarten not a great look going into election year, even if he is as blameless as he claims.

Ayesha Verrall, spokesperson for Health, Wellington Issues

Ginny Andersen is doing her role that role serviceably, but not excellently.
Ginny Andersen is doing her role that role serviceably, but not excellently.

Score: 7/10

A great political and policy strategist who is driving the conversation on Labour’s best issue right now - Health. Her experience in the sector shows in the House and in select committees. Pairing GP visits with the CGT was an inspired move and Verrall is able to credibly explain the other bits of the GP policy too.

Jan Tinetti, seen here at the handover of a petition opposing the scrapping of the pay equity, is not really getting cut through.
Jan Tinetti, seen here at the handover of a petition opposing the scrapping of the pay equity, is not really getting cut through.

Would have a higher score if she was more confident speaking in front of the cameras.

Kieran McAnulty, shadow Leader of the House, spokesperson for Housing, Infrastructure and Public Investment

Peeni Henare is the only Labour MP who had an election this year and he lost it by a massive margin.
Peeni Henare is the only Labour MP who had an election this year and he lost it by a massive margin.

Score: 6/10

The man who National MPs sometimes joke is Labour’s idea of a rural person has mostly put the leadership rumours to bed. A solid MP and tactician in the House, but doesn’t manage to best Chris Bishop all that often on housing. Can attack well on Kāinga Ora and homelessness but is not as adept on the wider housing portfolio. Still, he is one of Labour’s most relatable politicians.

Tangi Utikere is the newest member of the front bench and it shows.
Tangi Utikere is the newest member of the front bench and it shows.

Willow-Jean Prime, spokesperson for Education, Children

Score: 1/10

Provided what was probably Labour’s most embarrassing moment this year when it emerged she hadn’t responded or declined multiple invitations from the Education Minister to be briefed on NCEA reforms - but still called for bipartisanship on the issue, alongside her leader. Her excuse - that she wanted to talk to the sector first - was absurd. Seems to have nothing to throw at Erica Stanford on the substance so can only talk about the process.

Ginny Andersen, spokesperson for Police, Jobs and Incomes, Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations

Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson admits she is only just getting back to her old level of energy so The Post’s political team is not ranking her this year.
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson admits she is only just getting back to her old level of energy so The Post’s political team is not ranking her this year.

Score: 5/10

Chlöe Swarbrick is the Green Party’s best performer in the House but has definitely had stronger years
Chlöe Swarbrick is the Green Party’s best performer in the House but has definitely had stronger years

Very personable and good in the media, but not exactly making major moves. Jobs and incomes could be a real boon for Labour - she’s doing that role serviceably, not excellently.

Jan Tinetti, spokesperson for Workplace Relations and Safety, Social Investment, Early Childhood Education, Child Poverty Reduction

Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi got just 1/10 in the annual scorecard.
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi got just 1/10 in the annual scorecard.

Score: 4/10

Smart and dedicated to her portfolios. But not really getting cut through - hence losing education in the reshuffle. Mentioning the C-word column in the House gave the Government a big opening and was a mistake.

Peeni Henare, spokesperson for Foreign Affairs, Economic Development, Defence, Associate Health, Māori Crown Relations: Te Arawhiti

Debbie Ngarewa-Packer is very capable in the right setting but at the end of the day the implosion within the party has to be sheeted back to both of the co-leaders.
Debbie Ngarewa-Packer is very capable in the right setting but at the end of the day the implosion within the party has to be sheeted back to both of the co-leaders.

Score: 4/10

A solid and charismatic MP able to keep the left of Labour happy with the party’s position on Palestine. But how ever solid he might have been elsewhere, his huge loss in the Tāmaki Makaurau by-election can’t be written off. The only Labour MP who had an election this year and he lost it by a massive margin.

Tangi Utikere, spokesperson for Transport, Local Government, Small Business, Racing

Score: 3/10

Newest member of the front bench and it shows. Not able to make a coherent case against rates capping (that was left to Auckland mayor Wayne Brown) or even promise that Labour would repeal it. Not as strong as Labour could be on the ferries. And unable to stick the bill for massive cost overruns in the Roads of National Significance programme onto National.

To be fair to him, he is likely constrained by choices made elsewhere.

GREEN PARTY

Marama Davidson

Returned to Parliament this year after treatment for breast cancer, but has not been quite her old self. As she said in her own adjournment speech in December, is only just getting back to her old level of energy. Who can blame her? As such we are not giving her a grade.

Chlöe Swarbrick

Score: 6.5/10

Held it together through another very tough year for the Green Party. Still incredibly capable, incredibly angry, and the party’s best performer in the House. Across the detail and very involved in the Greens putting out some very detailed policy - more than can be said for the other parties in Opposition. But she has definitely had stronger years.

Te Pāti Māori

Rawiri Waititi

Score: 1/10

The co-leaders refusal to show up to the Privileges Committee was a silly mistake. You don’t have to like Parliament’s processes to at least participate in them. But this paled in comparison to the party’s wider implosion in the latter half of the year. Where Debbie Ngarewa-Packer has been able to showcase some calm, Waititi seems to take it all far too personally, and lash out in response.

Debbie Ngarewa-Packer

Score: 3/10

Was put in the unenviable position as the person not directly related to either Mariameno Kapa-Kingi or John Tamihere of trying to be a peacemaker within her party. Very capable in the right setting but her party’s decision to largely block out the media means she has rarely been seen in those. And at the end of the day the implosion within the party has to be sheeted back to both of the co-leaders.