Satire pages target the coalition government during the 2026 election campaign

Political satire is having a renaissance during the 2026 election campaign, fuelled by social media and AI, according to RNZ. Two of the most prominent examples are the pages Beehiving Badly and Carpool Coalition, and both almost exclusively target the coalition government.

Beehiving Badly posts South Park-style animated videos of New Zealand politicians. South Park is the American cartoon known for its cut-out style of animation. The page appeared on social media in July. Carpool Coalition began posting in August.

Carpool Coalition depicts Winston Peters as grumpy, sweary and perpetually smoking. Peters said of the depiction: "I haven't seen it. It's a lie, and I don't smoke."

Peters also commented on modern satire more broadly, saying: "It's just plain nasty. It comes from the same, usually from the left or sometimes from the extreme right."

Peters has been featured in New Zealand satire dating back to the 1980s. His appearances include the satirical puppet show Public Eye, and Facelift, which used actors wearing extreme prosthetics.

Ben Uffindell has also brought back his Civilian website for the 2026 campaign. The Civilian began in 2013 and focuses on written articles. It takes aim at politicians across the spectrum, and it has posted only sporadically since 2021.

Neither Beehiving Badly nor Carpool Coalition agreed to be interviewed for RNZ's story.