One Last Question, Prime Minister

by Barry Soper

From Muldoon to Luxon, untold stories from the House of Parliament
Barry Soper has spent close to five decades questioning New Zealand's prime ministers.

From the imposing, larger-than-life characters of Rob Muldoon and David Lange, to the golden age of Helen Clark and John Key, and the post-Covid era of Jacinda Ardern and the 'Chrises', Soper's insight and nose for a story are second to none.

One Last Question, Prime Minister is the story of a working life measured by 12 prime ministers - packed with entertaining yarns from the hallways, back-rooms, and hotel bars where New Zealand's chosen leaders - for better or worse - created their lasting legacies.

Genres: Nonfiction

245 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 1, 2026

Reviews

[Georgia Harding]

I enjoyed this book, especially reading about the Prime Ministers I didn’t know a lot about (or had lived through). A nice easy read too.

[Jonathon Hagger]

It’s a literary lightweight read in which Mr Soper thinly veils his own political views. His longevity in the industry speaks volumes of his tenacity and endurance. The book would have been better had it been twice as long giving opportunity for more nuance and examination of the wider political factors in play.

[Liz]

Far from an unbiased read, but it's an interesting one.

[Emily Burt]

It's hard to deny Soper had an incredible career at the forefront of NZ politics. There were a few interesting insights, particularly about those early years but overall this was far more surface level than I thought it would be. The writing is sloppy and Soper disjointedly jumps from one tangent to the next, which was disorientating.

While he seemed to give balanced takes on the rest of the prime ministers, he's pretty ruthless and cruel when speaking about Arden. Oh and deeply misogynistic! He claimed that she proved why recent young mothers shouldn't have the top job. Yuck.

[Ruby Lange]

A good read if you completely ignore the chapter on Jacinda

[Elliot]

Maybe it just wasn’t for me. The whole thing felt really surface level I thought. But I also should’ve known it wasn’t a biography about each prime minister.
I’m glad I read it as I always want to keep reading the voices of those with different opinions to myself.
It’s pretty crazy to me just how clearly obsessed Barry is with Jacinda Ardern. I think he mentions her in every chapter.

[Chris Anderson]

A pretty good book covering Muldoon, Lange, Palmer, Moore, Bolger, Shipley, and Clark. But he absolutely loses the plot with Ardern. The bias is so incredibly strong it's hard to believe he doesn't have a personal vendetta against her. He seems to be looking back at the Covid era without considering what was happening in the rest of the world.

[Robbie]

Soper has a nice, conversational, writing style and it is a quick and entertaining read. The books gives some interesting insights into the prime ministers and the other major politicians of this period, and it both bought back memories and gave new insights into events and the key people involved

On the other side, the book does jump around a bit and is more a collection of anecdotes than a linear narrative of events. There is little content of any real depth, instead it focuses more on amusing stories and high level analysis.

It is clear that Soper did not like Jacinda Arden but it doesn't feel unfair or that laboured to me, he explains his rationale why and it is unquestionable that she is a polarising personality

[Rachel]

Book is a fast and easy read. Author’s opinions of PMs appear largely based on how well they regard him and whether they call him at night for his opinion - which is fair enough - it’s his memoir. Unfortunately he comes across as spiteful to those who don’t give him enough sunshine. I’d have liked a little more insight into his subjects including himself. Don’t regret reading - sufficiently interesting - just a weak tea.

[brenna]

Enjoyed it on the whole, think it would have been a three star read if not for the insane Jacinda Ardern chapter. Dripping in misogyny, seemed to be an extremely unbalanced take on her time in office.

[Tom Roughan]

I'm not often drawn to posting reviews, but I felt Barry Soper's autobiography warranted one.

I wasn't surprised by the inherent bias, I wasn't surprised by the sometimes boastful nature of the chummy relationship between the government and the fourth estate; what I was surprised by was the lack of substance in this book.

Barry Soper has been at the heart of NZ politics since 1980 and I was genuinely surprised that there was such little insight into the operations of the big movers and shakers over the years.

It's common knowledge that Muldoon called a snap election while drunk, and that Lange wasn't particularly interested in governing and left Douglas to set the direction of the government, and that Clark faced rumours and innuendo about her sexuality. None of this is new or groundbreaking.

If you read the Wikipedia articles for each Prime Minister you would probably have no need of reading this book.

There's very little introspection from Soper, very little insight into what drove decision making at the highest levels. Every story more or less boils down to an event occurred and Soper was either in the vicinity, or knew someone who was.

Aside from that, Soper has a slight penchant for undermining his points throughout. At one point he refers to his lifelong campaign against poorly engineered phrases, such as "centered around", which he describes as an impossibility.

But then a few pages later, in recounting a story where he found himself in unfamiliar circumstances, he described himself as "a duck out of water" employing an animal in a metaphor famous for it's comfort both in and out of water.

There were also numerous errors and typos which added to the comedy of a book where the author self-professes acute editorship abilities. At one point he describes his suit colour as being "shot-brown" (though that may be self censorship) and later gets his wife's age wrong by about 10 years.

I imagine if you're already a fan of Soper and his political commentary, you'll be willing to overlook the scant historical value and appreciate it for what it is, a condensed version of Barry Soper's reckons of the past 45 years, slightly reheated.

[Anne Williams]

I was going to make it a 2-star but decided that was a factor of my own bias... I am not of Soper's political persuasion. There are a few interesting anecdotes and observations, but much of it is / was in the public domain. I'll be lazy and quote a few other reviewers, as they've already said what I mainly want to say. "The writing is sloppy" which is kind of surprising as he must know a few editors. For instance he repeats anecdotes, or re-explains them in adjacent chapters. Yet sometimes he discusses the fallout of an event without explaining the nub of what the event entailed... (or sometimes he does explain it, but in a later chapter). "His reflections on getting bullied by a younger journo were, while bitter, felt a bit insightful to his own reflections" - Soper's analysis of events and the public mood are a reflection of his own circles and bubble. He can't help but come across as an older boomer who struggles with being dismissed too lightly by those younger and without "life experience". Like many who had family locked out of the country over lockdown he wasn't impressed with the Ardern led government. It's understandable. He is scathing about the debt burden the country was left with after covid, without a single comparison to the same situation faced by overseas economies who took more muddled approaches. I was disappointed he had to reach (again) for the tired old trope that Ardern left parliament every afternoon to breastfeed her daughter "which is of course what a mother should do" (I'm paraphrasing not quoting) "but is it really where a prime minister should be spending their time?" Sighhhh. But of course this is "asking the hard questions" and "what any good journalist should do".... A lifetime of being available to the breaking news, or a prime minister's phone calls, has conditioned Soper's thinking.

Still, what a fascinating career - all those nights drinking, playing pool, gossiping, harbouring bottles of wine because of who gave them to you. A way of work that is nearing extinction for a journalist in these times.

[Susanna]

Interesting enough to read if you have some spare time - is a fast read and some good behind the scenes.

The not so good-
It gets more and more annoying to read as it becomes more and more evident just how much of an ego Soper has. (He credits himself with a lot..)
The chapters I assume are written to be taken as standalone but it does mean that theres several bits of repetition in the book and given its such a quick read the repetition sticks out.
His opinion of pms seems to be quite biased / direct result of whether he felt they gave him the respect he felt his deserved. This is probably to be expected but does also mean there is some pretty shallow political analysis in places.

Worth a read if you are very interested in nz pol but would get a library or loan from a friend rather than purchase for the bookshelves.

[Dylan Bland]

Not a huge Barry Soper fan, and he says some very unkind things about Jacinda Ardern “I don’t think she had the intellectual capacity to understand exactly what she was doing” (wtf?) but overall - I enjoyed the book and I’m glad we’re publishing books like this so the stories stay with us forever. I especially enjoyed Soper’s recollection of time spent with Muldoon and Lange - with Muldoon’s desire to build and create infrastructure particularly inspiring. His reflection on Clark and Key both being the glory days of NZ Prime Ministers feels correct to me. An easy read that is easy to recommend to anyone in NZ interested in politics or journalism.

[garry larsen]

I found the book an excellent read. Barry covered the various Prime Ministers quite fairly but also accurately, including Jacinda's Ardurn' ruinious reign during the Covid epidemic. He did extremely well in writing his book given that one of his colleagues tossed out all his carefully written notes for his book without his knowledge. I ordered it from my local library but found I could get it immediately on my Kindle for $20. When I checked yesterday with the library I was told their more than 400 ahead of me waiting for a hard copy of the book. Well done Barry.

[Kathryn]

I enjoyed reading this entertaining book. It takes a look at all the Prime Ministers that I am aware of but with an inside look that revealed the personality and politics of each. What a job to have and to visit so many countries with the various PM's and get that inside view. To meet various world figures. I am a voter although not that fully understanding of politics but I like what I like and education and economy and justice is important to me. So I read this expecting to be entertained and I was and informed too in some ways. Well worth reading.

[Daniel Headifen]

Easy quick read. Didn’t do it in order as had to read about Bill English first. I’ve tended to remember the failings he noted so made me think he skimmed their strengths - but he did cover those for each of them. Jacinda he didn’t rate - and I think it his time in FPTP that shows as he didn’t rate that she lost so many electorate contests as an MP. His reflections on getting bullied by a younger journo were, while bitter, felt a bit insightful to his own reflections. Brought at Havelock North Wardini after brunch with B&P.

[Felicity Price]

An easy read - read it in a couple of days. A savvy political journalist covers the nine PMs he's worked with over his career. Would have liked more contention and gossip he must had learned in that time, but it was interesting nevertheless. He remained politically neutral which was good. QUite a bit different from my usual reads!

[Kathy Higgins]

A easy to read book He says what he thinks but what comes through is I'm a political reporter with a great knowledge of politics but never been one. Does not spare Muldoon and Ardern from fierce criticism which is well deserved.

[Dillon Balasingham]

Very good overview of New Zealand’s political history including great anecdotes of the last 12 Prime Ministers Relatively light read with great yarns and an exclusive insight into the lives of politicians.

Definitely quite surface level and I wouldn’t consider it in depth political analysis.

[Jim Coley]

A wonderful sharing of Barry’s experience with NZ political leaders, the good the bad & the ugly and sprinkled with many humorous reflections.

[Margaret Willoughby]

Barry Soper on his political life. Prine ministers from Muldoon to Christopher Luxon.
A few insights into the other reporters/ politicians that he knew and worked with.
Well written and interesting.

[Bernice]

Interesting read.

[Hunter Morgan]

so overtly misogynistic :( i’m really disappointed, left a bad taste in my mouth. i wish it was less biased

[Ruby Major]

Definitely a biased take but still an interesting and enjoyable insight into parliament.

[Claude Tellick]

undeniably entertaining

[Louise]

Brilliant. A fascinating insight into what goes on in the Beehive and what many of New Zealand’s Prime Ministers were really like. Very enjoyable read.

[Natasha Caitlin Clothier]

Interesting enough but most certainly not objective