Search for episodes from Q+A with a specific topic:

Latest episodes from Q+A

Full show: Q+A with Jack Tame, August 10 2025

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 9, 2025 55:06


With Education Minister Erica Stanford, PM's Chief Science Advisor John Roche, and Vatican astronomer Brother Guy Consolmagno.

Erica Stanford on charter schools: 'Transformational change' will stop schools converting

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 9, 2025 25:47


Full interview: Education Minister Erica Stanford says the re-introduction of charter schools under Associate Education Minister David Seymour has motivated her to strengthen the state school system "so we don't have people leaving and wanting to convert to charter schools". . Stanford also says she didn't come into the job with a plan to scrap NCEA for secondary school students. But increasingly, it became clear major changes were needed, she says. Q+A asks the Minister about the impact her proposed replacement may have for students with diverse needs.

Finding God in the universe: The Vatican's astronomer

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 9, 2025 20:35


Full interview: Brother Guy Consolmagno is an astronomer, meteorite expert, and heads up the Vatican Observatory. While visiting New Zealand, the Jesuit spoke to Q+A about why science and religion aren't always in conflict. Jack Tame also asks him where he stands on the Fermi Paradox — is there intelligent life beyond Earth and, if so, why haven't we found it yet?

PM's new chief science advisor: Still independent?

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 9, 2025 23:47


Full interview: After a delay, the Government named Ministry for Primary Industries' John Roche as the Prime Minister's new chief science advisor. With the Government prioritising economic growth in its efforts in science, Roche reflects on the pressures he faces in the role and whether his advice is truly independent. . The former Dairy NZ principal scientist also speaks to Q+A about the lessons New Zealand learnt from its M. Bovis eradication programme, broader science sector reforms, and what changes to the school curriculum could mean for the future of STEM.

Full show: Q+A with Jack Tame, August 3 2025

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 3, 2025 54:30


Interviews with Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop, Crimson Education co-founder Jamie Beaton, Infrastructure Commission CEO Geoff Cooper, and digital infrastructure activist Julian Oliver.

Geoff Cooper: Why NZ gets poor 'bang for buck' on infrastructure

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 2, 2025 11:36


Full interview: Infrastructure Commission Te Waihanga chief executive Geoff Cooper joins Jack Tame to talk about the country's infrastructure pipeline, and why the spending New Zealand puts toward infrastructure doesn't necessarily result in the most effective outcomes — especially when it comes to renewing existing infrastructure.

Chris Bishop: Construction job losses and Luxon's popularity

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 2, 2025 25:27


Full interview: Senior minister Chris Bishop discusses the job losses currently being seen in the construction sector, and answers questions on whether his government's policies on infrastructure are a contributing cause. . Q+A also asks him about recent data on homelessness and rough sleeping, with Bishop indicating an openness to possible “tweaks” in policies that homelessness advocates argue have led to an increase in people sleeping on the street. . And as the newly appointed campaign chair, Bishop discusses whether Christopher Luxon's low preferred Prime Minister ratings are a cause for concern, and defends the government's decision to limit election enrolment to the day before advance voting begins.

Jamie Beaton: Why education needs competition and pressure

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 2, 2025 21:24


Full interview: With the Government considering the future of NCEA, co-founder of billion-dollar company Crimson Education Jamie Beaton is urging massive changes to New Zealand's secondary school qualification, saying it is causing the country's graduates to fall behind their international peers.

Full show: Q+A with Jack Tame, July 27 2025

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 26, 2025 54:27


Interviews with Environment Minister Penny Simmonds, educator Welby Ings, think tank researcher Max Rashbrooke, and NZ First MP Jamie Arbuckle.

Max Rashbrooke: Ideas to get people off benefits

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 26, 2025 18:35


Full interview: According to the latest quarterly figures, unemployment is sitting at just over 5%. New research from new think tank The Institute for Democratic and Economic Analysis recommends a range of policies to get people off a benefit and into work, faster.

Penny Simmonds: Will polytechs survive?

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 26, 2025 18:56


Full interview: Vocational Education Minister Penny Simmonds is overseeing huge changes to New Zealand's vocational education system. But after years of reform, could training providers stand alone as Te Pūkenga is dismantled? Q+A also asks Simmonds about her absence from major environmental policies — from freshwater management in farms to the fast-track approvals regime — as Environment Minister.

Top educator Welby Ings: Why standardised testing doesn't work

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 24, 2025 24:59


What counts as intelligence? Educator Welby Ings, labelled a "naughty" student all his life, could barely read and write until he was 15 years old. He went on to become a renowned speaker, filmmaker, teacher, and author. His new book Invisible Intelligence argues New Zealand's education system fails to recognise intelligence and ability beyond a narrow definition. Ings argues for a more "sophisticated" assessment system in an increasingly complex world.

Tama Potaka: Has Govt played role in increased homelessness?

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 19, 2025 30:26


Full interview: Community housing groups are sounding the alarm on increasing rates of homelessness. Q+A asks Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka if the Government's social housing policies have contributed to the issue.

China 'outplayed' Trump on trade — Veteran journalist Andy Browne

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 19, 2025 21:59


Full interview: Andrew Browne is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist who was the China Editor for the Wall Street Journal and the Asia-Pacific Editor for Reuters. While in New Zealand for the China Business Summit, he spoke with Q+A about the China-US relationship and how New Zealand can make the most of global uncertainty.

Full show: Q+A with Jack Tame, July 20 2025

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 19, 2025 53:59


Q+A asks Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka if the Government's social housing policies have contributed to increasing homelessness. Q+A also speaks to China expert and journalist Andy Browne on US President Donald Trump's trade policies. Labour MP Jan Tinetti talks about her members' bill aimed at helping new parents.

NZ heading toward US-style health system

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 12, 2025 54:05


With Dame Susan Bagshaw, Dr Philip Bagshaw, Bowen Pan, Karen Boyes and Ryan Hamilton

Paul Goldsmith: Will tough on crime actually work?

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 5, 2025 54:51


With Paul Goldsmith, Haehaetu Barrett, David Wilson and Cameron Luxton

Local govt: Huge rates rises, crumbling infrastructure, and why people should care

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 28, 2025 54:31


With Rohan O'Neill Stevens, Tina Nixon, Paula Southgate, Campbell Barry and Nīkau Wi Neera

Ruth Richardson: Super age should rise, assets sold

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 14, 2025 53:56


With Ruth Richardson, Ben Picton, Steve Abel and Cameron Brewer

Road cone tipline: Brooke van Velden unsure of possible results

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 7, 2025 54:07


With Brooke van Velden, Willie Jackson and Tākuta Ferris

Did Coalition agreements undermine 'targeted' Budget spending?

Play Episode Listen Later May 24, 2025 54:07


Why Chlöe Swarbrick wants taxes on wealthy, more debt

Play Episode Listen Later May 17, 2025 54:45


With Chlöe Swarbrick, Andrew Coster, Marcel Dirsus and Suze Redmayne

Meth, gangs, recruitment and racism

Play Episode Listen Later May 10, 2025 54:29


With Richard Chambers, John Ryan, and Steve Abel

Brian Roche: Public service too risk-averse

Play Episode Listen Later May 3, 2025 55:26


With Brian Roche, James Meager and Tanya Unkovich

Inside Kiwi drone company with $66m UK defence contract

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 26, 2025 54:32


With Shaun Hendy, David Seymour and Malcolm Turnbull

Judith Collins on defence: US undergoing 'shakedown', but still reliable

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 12, 2025 53:46


With Judith Collins, Anna Fifield, Paris Marx and Laura McClure

Trump's tariffs — David Parker on how NZ should hit back

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 6, 2025 54:38


With David Parker, Eru Kapa-Kingi and Sir Ron Young

Has Govt policy led to more homeless? Chris Bishop says no

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 30, 2025 53:28


With Chris Bishop, Shamubeel Eaqub and James Marape.

Migrants in New Zealand: Could India trade deal make travel easier?

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 23, 2025 53:56


With Christopher Luxon, Peter Boshier and Glen Bennett.

David Seymour defends beleaguered programme

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 16, 2025 54:16


With David Seymour, Shane Jones and Paul Newfield

Kiwis should be able to see a GP within a week

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 9, 2025 53:23


With Simeon Brown, Chris Hipkins and Catherine Wedd.

Helen Clark on how NZ should approach Trump, reassess Five Eyes

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 2, 2025 53:23


With Helen Clark, Marama Davidson and Sunny Kaushal.

Trump's White House: What can Europe do?

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 23, 2025 53:34


With Lawrence Meredith, Sarita Divis, Rowan Simpson and Priyanca Radhakrishnan

Erica Stanford wants to relax foreign buyer ban for wealthy migrants

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 16, 2025 53:51


With Erica Stanford, Scott Morrison and Kahurangi Carter.

NZ will be hit by 'collateral damage' of Trump's trade policies

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 8, 2025 53:47


With Tim Groser, Sean Gourley and Robin Oliver.

Luxon on Māori-Crown relations: 'There's more division'

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 30, 2024 53:50


With Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Rod Carr.

David Seymour: Implications of Treaty Principles Bill

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 23, 2024 54:57


With David Seymour and Debbie Ngarewa-Packer and Benjamin Doyle.

ImpactLab report — the key to getting Govt funding?

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 16, 2024 54:09


With Maria English, Dr Claire Achmad and Nicholas Pinter.

Donald Trump's victory: Democrats' finger-pointing begins

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 9, 2024 54:10


With Logan Church, Peter Watson, Ryan Cummings, Charles Edel and Kali Mercier

US faces 'chaos' if Trump wins 2nd term - former George W. Bush aide

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 2, 2024 54:59


We need more nuanced conversations on crime — Outgoing Police Commissioner

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 19, 2024 54:31


With Andrew Coster, Maire Leadbeater and Nick Smith

Judith Collins: Cleaning up after Manawanui, Pacific-style NATO?

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 12, 2024 54:45


With Judith Collins, Phil Mauger and Tom Middendorp.

Why Australia wants NZ to beef up its military

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 5, 2024 54:38


With Australia's Deputy Prime Minister, Richard Marles, CEO Roger Gray and Ian Bremmer.

David Seymour: School lunches and charter school ambitions

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 28, 2024 54:14


With David Seymour and Dr Ganesh Nana

Todd Stephenson: Expanding access to assisted dying

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 21, 2024 54:12


Todd Stephenson, Dr Katie Ben, Simon O'Connor and Tory Whanau

Wayne Brown hasn't ruled out second tilt at Auckland mayoralty

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 14, 2024 54:32


With Wayne Brown, Peter Malinauskas, and Steve Jurkovich.

Chris Hipkins: 'We will absolutely need to increase debt'

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 8, 2024 53:15


Labour leader Chris Hipkins says NZ needs to have an "honest" conversation about the levels of debt and taxation needed to afford everything that it wants. Q+A also speaks to renewable energy advocate Saul Griffith, Transport Minister Simeon Brown, and rheumatic fever researcher Jason Gurney.

Andrew Little on Health Reform, Defence

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 31, 2024 54:19


With Ngira Simmonds, Te Aniwa Hurihanganui, Maiki Sherman and Andrew Little

defence health reform andrew little maiki sherman te aniwa hurihanganui
Simeon Brown on council 'nice-to-haves', energy prices

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 24, 2024 53:25


With Simeon Brown, Darleen Tana and Eric Crampton

Nicole McKee wants gun law changes. Will it keep NZ safer?

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 17, 2024 54:26


With Nicole McKee, Saunoamaali'i Karanina Sumeo and Phillipa Yasbek.

Labour wants legal advice to unwind charter schools

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 10, 2024 54:22


With Jan Tinetti, Barbara Dreaver, Vanuatu Prime Minister Charlot Salwai and Steven Hail.

Claim Q+A

In order to claim this podcast we'll send an email to with a verification link. Simply click the link and you will be able to edit tags, request a refresh, and other features to take control of your podcast page!

Claim Cancel