Matthew Hooton, a political strategist who has worked for the National Party and ACT, has been appointed editor-in-chief of The Post and Sunday Star-Times. He replaces Tracy Watkins in the role. The appointment was reported by the NZ Herald's Media Insider on 15 June 2026.

Hooton has worked in political circles for years as a consultant and strategist. He has appeared regularly on broadcast and print platforms offering commentary on politics, according to RNZ. He has not previously held a newsroom job.

The Post is Wellington's main daily newspaper. It covers Parliament, the Beehive and the public service — the heart of New Zealand's government. Appointing someone to edit it whose career has been built advising political parties rather than covering them is uncommon in New Zealand. Editors of the country's major newspapers have traditionally come up through journalism.

The Post's editorial independence will come under scrutiny. Hooton has previously advised the National Party and ACT, parties that form part of the current government. The paper covers that same government. Wellington readers — who include many public servants and political figures — pay close attention to whether major news outlets can cover politics fairly.

This is not a theoretical problem. The Post carries real weight in Wellington's political culture. Its news pages and opinion columns are read and discussed by people making policy decisions. Questions about how Hooton will handle coverage of parties he has advised, and whether he will try to steer the paper's direction, are ones that matter to readers and to Stuff's credibility as a news organisation. Those issues ought to be addressed clearly and early rather than left to speculation.

There is also the practical side of running a newspaper. Editing a daily paper involves skills that political strategy does not necessarily teach — managing journalists, making news decisions under tight deadlines, understanding legal risks, and building source relationships that serve reporters rather than clients. What preparation Stuff has given Hooton for the role, or what support is in place, has not been explained publicly.

Watkins, Hooton's predecessor, is a veteran political journalist. She spent her career in the Press Gallery covering Parliament — she knew the place and its people intimately. Her departure removes that depth of institutional knowledge, and the new appointment does not obviously replace it.

Stuff, the company that owns The Post and Sunday Star-Times, has faced the same pressures as most New Zealand newspapers. It bought these papers from Fairfax in 2020 and has since dealt with revenue challenges that affect the entire sector. Appointments at editor level often signal what the owner's priorities are. This one will be watched through that lens — by journalists in the newsroom and by readers — fairly or not.

What matters now is what Hooton does in the role. The Post's journalism over the coming months, the stories it chooses to cover, and how it handles issues that touch his old career — these are what will show whether the appointment succeeds. The answer will come from the paper's work, not from any statement or announcement.