Trust and mistrust

Simon Bridges’ surprise early ruling on the New Zealand First question may have occasioned a lot of head scratching, but at least the Opposition leader has spared us the triennial conundrum that’s become our own version of Schrödinger’s cat.

Is Winston Peters alive in the ballot box, or will he be dead by the time we open it? Should we proceed as though he has more of his nine lives left? And should we even be prepared for the possibility that, like any self-respecting cat, he may reserve the right to refuse to leave the damned box when it’s opened, and have his party