Jones - channelling MAGA

Minister Shane Jones is undoubtedly one of New Zealand’s most colourful and charismatic politicians, currently located in a party on the right of the political spectrum and with populist inclinations.  

As long ago as 2017, Bryce Edwards writing in the New Zealand Herald drew comparisons between Trump and Jones -see article here.   Also note Verity Johnson’s 2020 Stuff article titled Shane Jones is more dangerous than you might think  - see article here

Against this background, it was troubling to see Jones appearing before an 18 June 2025 Select Committee hearing on energy in a Make New Zealand Great Again cap.  It’s not the first time but it is particularly confronting in the current environment, with the MAGA led assault on American democracy gaining traction on an almost daily basis. 

Also in the context of energy, Jones’ recent description of the Otago Regional Council as the Otago Kremlin - see article here - was concerning.   This echoes the MAGA campaign to characterise Democrats as radical leftists rather than fellow Americans who happen to have different views on policy.  

In a similar vein, last year Jones described a High Court judge as a communist in the context of fisheries rulings he disagreed with - see article here.

These activities may be performance and rhetoric rather than anything more sinister. But, even still, they are irresponsible.  For the sake of our democracy we must not set the MAGA hares running in New Zealand.

The references to communism could also be viewed as coming straight out of the autocratic playbook. Increasing polarisation and mistrust by painting opponents and institutions as the enemy within.