Podcasts about act leader david seymour

Government debt is the worst it's been since the 1990s but today, two days out from a Budget designed to fix it, our Parliamentarians be debating a haka. The public largely doesn't care about this stuff. Pocketbook politics always trumps theatrics - except if you're Te Pati Māori. No matter how today's debate over the Privileges Committee report goes, and it could go on for a long time, Te Pati Māori wins. A loss for them in our Westminster system, what we might think of as a sanction or punishment, is to them a badge of honour. Already their well-followed social accounts are beating the drum of discontent. There are some who say that 21 days without pay is too harsh. People are comparing the haka and Debbie's gun gesture to Brooke's C-bomb. They miss an important point. Both the c-bomb and the haka were pre-planned choreographed stunts. The difference between the two is Brooke asked the Clerk in advance of her stunt if she was allowed to use the word. The answer was yes. Te Pati Māori did not. Brooke's stunt did not disrupt a vote being taken in the House. Te Pari Māori's did. Voting is the essence of democracy, where the elected express the views of the electors. It's Parliament's Holy Communion. And nobody's yet said sorry. That doesn't mean the punishment a slim majority of government members voted for is not overly harsh. The Clerk reckons it is. Brownlee clearly reckons it is. The Opposition reckons it is. Does the punishment really fit the crime? Or have standards slipped so badly, the House such a hot mess, that a precedent and a message needs to be sent? The public, largely, doesn't care. The question today is how long will National let this debate drag on with amendments and filibustering before a compromised is reached? Winston and Seymour will be hardliners, of course. As will the Greens and TPM. But for the bigger parties the risk is if you play politics over policy for too long you look childish. The only winners from today's sideshow will be the minnows and, of course, the rest of us. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Matt Heath and Tyler Adams Afternoons Full Show Podcast for the 7th of May, National has got a private member's bill in the biscuit tin that would ban under-16s from social media - we spoke with Eric Crampton from the NZ Initiative, as well as ACT Leader David Seymour. Then our Afternoons duo had a great chat about the growing number of adult children moving home. And uniforms at work - what works and what doesn't. To wrap things up in the Ask The Expert series, Employment Lawyer Gareth Abdinor answered listeners' questions. Get the Matt Heath and Tyler Adams Afternoons Podcast every weekday afternoon on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Act Leader David Seymour's taken aim at the size of government. He's calling for a limit on the number of ministers, with no ministers outside cabinet, and no associate ministers other than in finance. There's currently 82 ministerial portfolios, held by 28 ministers, and he claims they're full of 'meaningless titles'. PSA National Secretary Fleur Fitzsimons told Ryan Bridge it's a hypocritical move from Seymour. She says both times Act have been in government recently, they've created new agencies. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Deputy Leader of New Zealand First says his party will step in to stop management of the Waitakere Ranges morphing into co-governance. Auckland Council's proposing a board made up of Iwi, the Department of Conservation, and the council. Act Leader David Seymour has also criticised the plan as moving towards co-governance. Shane Jones told Mike Hosking they're not going to stand for it. He says they won't tolerate any slither of the West Auckland heritage land being under that type of arrangement. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Act Leader David Seymour doesn't regret spearheading the Treaty Principles Bill. The widely unpopular bill was voted down by all but its own MPs at its second reading yesterday. MPs called it racist, divisive, ugly, grubby, and an assault on history and rights. Seymour told Mike Hosking he's standing up for equal human rights. He says the Crown has an obligation to uphold all people's rights, including Māori, and we are all equal before the law. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So it looks like the Treaty Principles Act is toast as Christopher Luxon assured us it would be. Much was made over the weekend that 90 per cent of the submissions were against it. But that means nothing if all the opposing submissions were just photocopies of one. Māori are organised. Anyone who's seen their multiple Hikoi's and the awesome organisation of the Kings Tangi should know that. You underestimate Māori at your peril. But it must also be noted that Act's act was a simplistic dog. Much of it is already covered by the bill of rights. At its heart it was three sentences designed to overthrow 50 years of legal development. But is the movement against the treaty dead. No, it is not. New Zealand first wants to have a crack. And Winston Peters, being the experienced legislator, wants to amend the existing Treaty Principles legislation we already have. He ran his election campaign on it. It's the smart way to achieve real change. And as we approach the changeover between Peters and Seymour of the Deputy PM role, Winston will have the time and the energy to have his try. So welcome to round two of the Treaty Principles debate. A round that has much more chance to succeed. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today on the show... Should all first-year students at Auckland University be forced to study the Treaty of Waitangi? The university says it’s about understanding our country better, but critics - including Act Leader David Seymour - call it indoctrination. Is this academic progress, or just another politically-driven move? Let’s dive in. Can you buy a house without a massive deposit or a bank loan? Chris Smith thinks so. His company, Bloxx, is offering a new way to get on the property ladder - starting with just 1% down and payments similar to rent. But is the system ready for such a shake-up? We break it all down. And some Letters to the Editor! Website: https://www.rova.nz/home/podcasts/duncan-garner---editor-in-chief.html Instagram: @DuncanGarnerpodcast TikTok: @DuncanGarnerpodcast

On today's REX Daily Podcast, from the Wanaka A&P Show, Dom talks with ACT Leader David Seymore about school lunches, Auckland traffic and Central Otago... He talks with Kate Meyer, Founding Director of the Planetary Accounting Network, about the idea behind the business, the notion of 'Planetary Facts' labels for products and services and other applications for the technology... He talks with Wool Impact CEO Andy Caughey about the current state of the wool industry, his recent trip to India and the importance of adding value to raw material... And he talks with Pablo Gregorini, Head of the Lincoln University Centre of Excellence for Designing Future Productive Landscapes, and Phd student Ella Wilson about their research. Tune in daily for the latest and greatest REX rural content on your favourite streaming platform, visit rexonline.co.nz and follow us on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn for more.

ACT leader David Seymour wrote a letter of support for Philip Polkinghorne during the police's investigation into his wife's death in April 2022. Political editor Jo Moir spoke to Corin Dann.

ACT leader and soon-to-be Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour sent a detailed letter to police advocating for Philip Polkinghorne during the investigation into the death of Pauline Hanna, according to new reports. During the police investigation into the death of the Remuera eye surgeon's wife, Seymour wrote a 1012-word letter to Auckland District Commander Karyn Malthus in April 2022. NZ Herald political reporter Adam Pearse says Seymour accused police of acting 'inappropriately' and invading Polkinghorne's privacy. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A former Climate Change Minister says it would be a mistake to withdraw from a global climate deal. ACT Leader David Seymour's floated the idea of New Zealand leaving the agreement, saying it's perhaps a discussion for a future election. Labour's calling on Prime Minister Christopher Luxon to recommit to the deal. Nick Smith told Mike Hosking it would be great if we could hold a consistent stance on this. He says the problem with an issue like climate change is if Government policy is flip-flopping all the time, you're not going to make any progress. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An environmental law professor says it wouldn't make sense to pull out of the Paris Agreement. Speaking to The Country, ACT Leader David Seymour's floated the idea of New Zealand leaving the agreement, suggesting it appears half the world is leaving. It follows US President Donald Trump pulling the United States from the climate deal. Waikato University's Dr Nathan Cooper told Andrew Dickens that while the US is leaving, other big players are likely to stay. He says climate change, which is what the Paris Agreement is there to respond to, is a global challenge. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two former members of a committee tasked with checking over assisted deaths to ensure the law worked as it should say the system is so broken they wouldn't have known if someone had wrongly died. Doctors Jane Greville and Dana Wensley repeatedly raised concerns about incomplete information about a patient's health and the risk of coercion. In one case, a patient with suspected dementia who could not speak English was approved for assisted dying without a translator in the room. ACT Leader David Seymour was behind the End of Life Choice Act and joins Jack Tame to discuss how this happened. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ACT Leader David Seymour is alleging racism in Parliament over select committee tensions and claims of personal attacks towards MP Karen Chhour.  The ACT Party says its confidence in the Speaker of the House is “falling by the day”, accusing Gerry Brownlee of failing to address racial harassment in Parliament.  Seymour told Mike Hosking this morning they wrote to the Speaker, calling the issues 'serious.'  He says the response suggested there was no issue.  Former National MP and Speaker of the House Sir Lockwood Smith joined Kerre Woodham to discuss how he'd approach such a situation.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's podcast, Dom talks with Michell Sands from HortNZ about the review into the complex approval processes for ag and hort products from the new Ministry for Regulation... REX Producer Jo Grigg is out in the field and catches up with Paul Hickman from Taimate Angus straight after his successful bull sale... Dom spoke with ACT Leader David Seymour at Fieldays last week and presents it for your listening pleasure today... And he talks with Rural Women NZ national President Gill Naylor about the upcoming RWNZ Business Awards, its new online business directory and its new rural health workforce scholarships. Tune in daily for the latest and greatest REX rural content on your favourite streaming platform, visit rexonline.co.nz and follow us on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn for more.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Every Tuesday at 7:30 pm Join hosts Bomber Bradbury and Damien Grant for a no-holds-barred deep dive into the heart of New Zealand politics on The Working Group.  On the show this week, ACT Leader David Seymour and Nationals Chris Penk, slice through the week's most contentious issues, from Oranga Tamariki's policies to the prison system, and tackle the living cost crisis head-on. Expect provocative, critical commentary and a hefty dose of unfiltered truths Watch on YouTube Watch on X Watch on Instagram Check the Social MediaSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Friday means its time to get the fuggouttahere.This week Regan Returns and we talk about the ACT Leader David Seymour and also get a mailbag voice message from Comedien Joachim Hacksaw around how old Tim is...Find more at https://linktr.ee/honest_to_who_podcastThis is a Frank Podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Earlier this month, the women's Super Rugby Aupiki team Hurricanes Poua kicked off their season with a new haka calling out the coalition government, raising concerns about its policies on te reo Māori, and acknowledging He Whakaputanga and Te Tiriti o Waitangi.  Additionally, last week a school in Palmerston North, Freyberg High School, performed a protest haka to visiting ACT Leader David Seymour over his parties' policies on Te Tiriti, education, and workforce issues.  Producer Sofia Roger Williams spoke to haka expert and University of Auckland Professional Teaching Fellow of Māori Studies in contemporary and traditional Māori performing arts and language, Paora Sharples, about the use of haka as political expression, how it's been received, and movements led by rangatahi. 

The Māori Development Minister has hit out at media coverage of events at Waitangi.  The Coalition came under fire from Māori leaders, with both ACT Leader David Seymour and NZ First Leader Winston Peters among those heckled during speeches.  Tama Potaka says he thinks most people came away feeling warm and excited for the future.  He told Mike Hosking that he thinks the coverage was not comprehensive and skewed towards describing angst.  Potaka says after the Government pōwhiri, it felt that while not everyone agreed with everything, everyone had the chance to present themselves.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

National is again pouring cold water on ACT's Treaty Principles bill. ACT Leader David Seymour plans to introduce a bill to redefine the Treaty of Waitangi by May. National will support the bill to the Select Committee stage, but no further.   Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka told Tim Dower that they aren't interested in rewriting the Treaty.   He says the Treaty stands as it is, and is important for the past, present, and future.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Red paint has been thrown over the entrance to the US consulate in Auckland, by a group protesting the war in Gaza. Tamaki for Palestine threw the paint, and previously doused the buildings of several politicians in Auckland, including Prime Minister Christopher Luxon's Botany office and Act Leader David Seymour's Epsom office. Reporter at the scene Lucy Xia spoke to Corin Dann.  

A former National Minister's urging the Government to back down on any idea of a referendum on the Treaty.  ACT Leader David Seymour says debate about a referendum on the Treaty of Waitangi Principles Bill being introduced to Parliament could be deferred until later in the legislative process.  He says it's helpful if the content of the bill and the referendum are dealt with separately.  Former Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Chris Finlayson told Mike Hosking that Seymour should scale back his efforts in this space.   He says the temperature's rising too high and there're bigger issues the Government needs to tackle right now.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ACT Leader David Seymour says the Public Interest Journalism Fund was silly policy. Deputy Prime Minister Winton Peters yesterday accused media of being bribed by the previous Government's $55 million fund. Today he asked reporters to tell the public what they had to sign up to, to get the money. Seymour says he doesn't believe the media was distorted by the money. "The idea that all the journalists in New Zealand were corrupted by 2 percent of revenue- for me, it doesn't pass the sniff test, but it certainly has created a widespread perception."See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ACT Leader David Seymour speaks to Lisa Owen. [embed] https://players.brightcove.net/6093072280001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6341643787112

Details remain scarce on how far along coalition negotiations are. Incoming Prime Minister Chris Luxon says National, Act and New Zealand First have about three issues to settle. The trio have been meeting in Auckland since Wednesday, where Luxon now believes they'll stay for the next few days. Act Leader David Seymour told AM a deal could be struck 'any day now'. Although, Newstalk ZB Political Editor Jason Walls told Mike Hosking it appears progress stalled over the weekend. He says it's been the Peters-Luxon show the entire team, with the pair going in and out of meetings saying how close a deal is every time, but giving nothing further.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Negotiations to form the next National-led government will step up a notch on Monday, with all parties hoping to lock in a deal as soon as possible. Those involved will likely be grappling with increased demands from New Zealand First - now that Winston Peters has a critical role in forming the next government. Peters fronted in Pukekohe on Sunday, at the launch of New Zealand First's campaign to win the Port Waikato by-election. There, he revealed he is now willing to talk to ACT Leader David Seymour. Political reporter Katie Scotcher was there.

A former New Zealand First MP has given his tips as to what Winston Peters will be negotiating for.  Peters and Act Leader David Seymour haven't spoken, with Seymour saying he tried to call and text him but didn't get a response.  Former MP Andrew Williams says Winston will likely want Foreign Minister, a knighthood and treasurer as well.  He told Mike Hosking Peters may want his number three, Casey Costello to be associate Police Minister.  Williams says his number four Mark Patterson is an ex-Otago farmer and Federated Farmers chair could build bridges across to Act's Andrew Hoggard.    LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

David Seymour is buckling in for one thousand days of Winston.  Coalition talks are ongoing; however, the Act leader and Peters aren't actually talking to each other yet with Seymour being sent to voicemail.  Incoming prime minister Chris Luxon says he's speaking to the parties individually before getting all three in a room together.  He says things are progressing well.  Act Leader David Seymour told Mike Hosking they're going to have to work together for three years.  He says he's working on how they get the best relationship possible, because New Zealand voted for change.    LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

TONIGHT: The Working Group Election Special: What went wrong for the Left with Māori TV current affairs host Moana Maniapoto, Former Labour Party Chief of Staff Matt McCarten and Libertarian Darth Vader, Damien Grant Issue 1 – Labour – what the hell happened? Issue 2 – Greens celebrate but have lost power Issue 3 – Māori Party wins big and Issue 4 – Where to now for the Left? Next week we will review the Election for the Right with former National Party Leader Simon Bridges and ACT Leader David Seymour. It's Politics done unlike anywhere else.   The podcast broadcasts from our purpose built studio bunker ADJACENT to Mediaworks studios on YouTube &  The Daily Blog and posted up afterwards on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Rova & YouTube See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If the ACT Leader had a recipe for governing New Zealand, it would start with cutting off most of the fat, but it's a different story for his oily carnivorous go-to dish. In RNZ's new political series, Grilled - the top four polling political leaders make a meal of their choice, for our very own Charlotte Cook. In today's episode ACT's leader David Seymour popped on a pinny and was ready to perform.

David Seymour has led the Act Party from the edge of extinction to a major force in the NZ parliament and stands today on the brink of bringing multiple MPs to the cabinet table. In a wide-raning conversation with Toby Manhire, he talks about why he doesn't want to talk about Winston Peters, the reasons behind the party seeing five candidates withdraw within two months, and defends his assertion that Nelson Mandela would back his party. Plus: Is Act's housing policy a Nimby's charter, why he's not interested in the baubles of office, and would Mary Poppins vote for Act? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

ACT Leader David Seymour's taken issue with comments made by Maori Development Minister Willie Jackson, calling them divisive and ineffective. In his final speech of the parliamentary term yesterday, Jackson said Maori have a different set of rights because they're recognised as the indigenous people of the country.  Seymour told Heather du Plessis-Allan that it's the first time he's heard a Labour MP explicitly say the Treaty of Waitangi means some people have different rights than others. He claims that's not true and not supported by the Treaty, which he argues says we all have the same rights and duties. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pressure on ACT over past anti-vaccine comments posted by candidates. Elaine Naidu Franz has resigned after creating a post comparing vaccine mandates to Nazi  concentration camps. Another candidate, Darren Gilchrist, has apologised for suggesting drownings were connected to the vaccine. A third candidate called Covid-19 a ScamDemic. ACT Leader David Seymour says the Nazi comment is unacceptable- and says he just disagrees with the others. "If we're going to have purity tests and beat people down and have a 'right way' of thinking, that won't work. Because a whole lot of people, if they don't have the fashionable view, will find democracy's closed off to them." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ACT wants to overhaul the Sentencing Act and put the victims of crime at the centre of judges' considerations. Under the policy, cultural background reports would no longer be considered as a principle of sentencing. And home detention would only be an option if it didn't impact public safety. ACT Leader David Seymour says this applies to sexual offenders who are on a community based sentence. "At the moment, that's not a consideration that's made. And there's been instances where people have been let out in exactly that situation."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A dispute has risen between the Government and Opposition over the state of Crown finances. Finance Minister Grant Robertson has told Newstalk ZB he called in public service chiefs for a meeting about financial restraint, but he rejects claims of a large shortfall in tax revenue. Act Leader David Seymour told Mike Hosking Robertson called the meeting to quickly improve the books before the pre-election update. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Opposition parties have been accused of politicising Kiri Allan's downfall for their own gain during an urgent debate at Parliament. The debate took place yesterday afternoon, after a request from ACT Leader David Seymour. Mr Seymour said Ms Allan's resignation signified a "very human tragedy" but quickly shifted to criticising the government, accusing it of not being able to hold it together.

ACT says the government is adding pressure on the cost of living - not relieving it. Party leader David Seymour talks to Lisa Owen. [embed] https://players.brightcove.net/6093072280001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6327724329112

The Environment Ministry is facing criticism for spending little on public transport. Data released under the Official Information Act has revealed it spent more than $900,000 on flights from January 1 to November 29 last year. It spent just $251 on public transport fares in that time, but more than $97,000 on taxis, shuttles and Ubers. Act Leader David Seymour told Mike Hosking it's hypocritical. He says it seems Climate Change is not a real thing to the people in the Ministry for the Environment - it's a bureaucratic process that allows them to lecture people. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ACT Leader David Seymour says Te Whatu Ora's board chair should lose his job over comments made about National's Three Waters policy, and Christopher Luxon. Rob Campbell is under fire after he apparently took to social media to vent about the Opposition's proposal to scrap the reform, and ensure councils retain water infrastructure. Seymour says it's bigger than just criticising a policy. He says it's about the time-honoured and proud tradition of a neutral public service and a commitment to serve the Government of the day, regardless of their views. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

National is on track to form a coalition government with ACT at next year's election. A 1News Kantar poll shows National's support up one percent to 38 percent - and Act up two points to 11 percent. Meanwhile, Labour has slid a point to 33 percent - while the Green Party is holding steady on nine percent. Act Leader David Seymour says he believes Labour is out of touch with what the public want. He says the Government isn't listening or delivering on what the country needs. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government appears to be ready to back-track on a move to entrench part of its Three Waters reforms. Under a last minute change to the Government's Three Waters reforms, 60-percent of MPs would have to agree to overturn part of the bill protecting water assets from privatisation. A group of public law experts has written to the Government raising concerns about the entrenchment of non-electoral law and the precedent it could set. Jacinda Ardern says the concerns are legitimate, and she'll be discussing the matter with Cabinet today. ACT Leader David Seymour says the change shouldn't have been rushed through Parliament under urgency without public debate in the first place. He says the backbench MPs who were on duty at the time didn't seem to realise the significance of what was being debated. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ACT says dairy owners could start taking matters into their own hands if the Government doesn't come to the table. Police are still looking for the offender who stabbed a dairy worker to death outside Rose Cottage Superette in Sandringham on Wednesday night. It took place in Jacinda Ardern's Mt Albert electorate, but she hasn't visited the community yet. ACT Leader David Seymour says she needs to tell them the incident will be a turning point. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The move to lower the voting age already appears to be dead in the water, despite a landmark decision from the country's highest court. The Supreme Court has ruled stopping 16 and 17-year-olds from voting is inconsistent with the Bill of Rights. Cabinet is now set to draft legislation to lower the voting age which will be put to a conscience vote, and will require 75 percent support to pass. Justice Minister Kiri Allan told Mike Hosking it will give the public the chance to debate the issue and have their say. However, the legislation is extremely unlikely to pass, with National Leader Christopher Luxon and Act Leader David Seymour saying they oppose any change. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The move to lower the voting age already appears to be dead in the water, despite a landmark decision from the country's highest court. The Supreme Court has ruled stopping 16 and 17-year-olds from voting, is inconsistent with the Bill of Rights. Cabinet is now set to draft legislation to lower the voting age which will be put to a conscience vote, and will require 75-percent support to pass. Justice Minister Kiri Allan says  it will give the public the chance to debate the issue and have their say. However, the legislation is extremely unlikely to pass, with National Leader Christopher Luxon and Act Leader David Seymour telling Mike Hosking they oppose any change. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Another installation of one of our regular segments, where Alex talks to one of our most important minor parties about the political hot potatoes of today and tomorrow. Today, Alex chatted with ACT Leader David Seymour, who is standing in for Brooke van Velden today, about the Tauranga by-election and New Zealand's foreign policy in the Pacific.  

Welcome to another Wednesday Wire with Stella! This week, Alex chats with ACT Leader David Seymour about the Tauranga by-election and New Zealand's foreign policy in the Pacific.  Stella speaks to Kris Taylor from the University of Auckland about the ever-relevant project Shifting The Line. Stella talks to Kyle Tan from PATHA about the mental health of the transgender community in Aotearoa. Aneeka talks to European correspondent Cameron Mulgan on this week's episode of Eurovision.    

On this week's podcast:We discuss the government's Climate Change Plan with ACT Leader David Seymour. Spoiler alert — he is not impressed. We also garner his thoughts on the increasingly serious matter of defence, education, democracy, and the state of the country. Bryan Leyland, a power supply engineer, offers little hope for success of the “great plan”. We comment on the Ministry of Women's Affairs and why it should be gone. And we peruse the mail with Mrs Producer.File your comments and complaints at Leighton@newstalkzb.co.nzHaven't listened to a podcast before? Check out our simple how-to guide.Listen here on iHeartRadioLeighton Smith's podcast also available on iTunes:To subscribe via iTunes click here

ACT is calling for major cuts to Government spending and an overhaul of the tax system.The party is launching its alternative budget this morning.It's proposing $5.3 billion dollars in Government spending cuts while increasing military spending to 2 percent of GDP.Act Leader David Seymour told Mike Hosking the party wants a two-rate tax system, with a bottom rate of 17.5 percent for low earners, and a high rate of 28 percent for those who earn more.“Cut taxes across the board, so for example if you're a nurse somewhere in the mid-range at $70,000, you'd get $2300 back.”LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Act Party won't be jumping on board a Parliamentary tour of Europe.Speaker Trevor Mallard and National's Judith Collins are leading a delegation of MPs to Europe, in an effort to help smooth the path for New Zealand's trade deal with the European Union.MPs will leave after Budget Day - May 19.Act Leader David Seymour told Mike Hosking it's a waste of taxpayers' money, with no rationale behind the trip.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ACT Party leader David Seymour talks to Lisa Owen about the government's three-phased Omicron response.