Paul Henry's Political Joke Backfires | Auckland News

Auckland News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · Jul 23, 2026 · 1m

Radio host Paul Henry sparked a political firestorm after joking he’d “shoot, shag, marry” three leaders — choosing to “shoot” Chris Hipkins and “shag” Winston Peters. Labour erupted in outrage, with Hipkins calling it a “circus audition” and MP Ayesha Verrall branding it “absolutely disgusting,” warning it fuels dangerous narratives. Henry’s defenders, including ACT’s David Seymour, argue it’s just a joke and Labour’s overreacting — claiming you can’t take the whole game seriously without taking the joke seriously. Prime Minister Luxon stayed out of it, while Police Minister Mark Mitchell…