Podcast appearances and mentions of christopher luxon

The PM ponders Trump’s tariffs and the potential of selling Pāmu. He also discusses the industry kickback against the RMA rural reforms and falling electricity prices. Plus, the fall of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor (the artist formerly known as Prince).See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jamie Mackay talks to Christopher Luxon, Hunter McGregor, and Stephen Guerin. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Leaders Getting Coffee episode 57, our guest is The Right Honourable Christopher Luxon, Prime Minister of New Zealand. A typical Kiwi upbringing was a hallmark of young Christopher Luxon’s life. The oldest of three brothers, he grew up in Christchurch and later Auckland, with working parents and a work ethic that was obvious early. He was a sports mad kid, but it didn’t stop there. Walking home one afternoon he decided to cold call the neighbourhood homes to see if he could sell his services as a window cleaner. A business was born. It’s owner-operator just 14 years old. He returned to his hometown of Christchurch for his university studies before his corporate career took hold. Starting as a management trainee with global consumer goods giant Unilever, it was a company and a career that took him around the world. He worked in Australia, the United Kingdom and the USA before his eventual appointment as President and CEO of Unilever Canada. In 2011, he returned to New Zealand for a senior executive role at Air New Zealand and a year later he was appointed CEO, a role he held for seven years. That he walked away from such a spectacular business career is a story in itself. Within four years, and after just three years as a Member of Parliament, he became New Zealand’s 42nd Prime Minister. In the Leaders Getting Coffee podcast, Christopher Luxon talks openly with Bruce Cotterill about his short but spectacular rise in New Zealand’s political scene. He is surprisingly open about his successes and failures in government to date and equally forthright about the assembly and operation of a coalition that has held together better than many expected.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Prime Minister says New Zealand would support the U-K government - if it decides to remove Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor from the line of succession. The former prince was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office - over allegations that he'd sent confidential documents to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Christopher Luxon says government officials from NZ and the UK have been in contact over the issue in the past week. Meanwhile, Aucklanders have also weighed in, many saying that Mr Mountbatten-Windsor should be removed from succession.

Credit to those 120 business people who went along to hear Chris Hipkins' State of the Nation address yesterday, hosted by the Auckland Business Chamber. Credit to those few people who watched it live, like my colleague Mike Hosking. My word, it was dull. And that is not me being a lickspittle mouthpiece for the Tory overlords. Have a listen to this: “I know we didn't get everything right when we were in government last time. Many of you have been very clear on what you think we did wrong. But one thing is clear, we were trying to do too much, too fast, and we weren't focused enough. We're going to be making further announcements later in the year as we get closer to the election. But I want to be very, very clear on this. I want to know that I can deliver on any promises that I make. That's the standard that I'll be holding myself to and our next Labour Government to. “Because frankly, Kiwis have had enough of promises that aren't kept. And I don't want to repeat that cycle. We won't try and do everything in our first term. We'll be focusing on what matters the most and delivering on those things. I'm not promising perfection. Where we make mistakes, I'll take responsibility for those. But I'm promising this: a government that puts the cost of living first, a government that partners with business to create jobs and raise wages, a government that invests in our people and backs our potential. Not just managing the country, building it.” Yes. So there was another 20 odd minutes of the same, 20 odd minutes. He banged on about affordability, that word was used a lot. Repeated the mantra I first heard when he came in for the quarterly catch up, and which we will no doubt hear throughout the campaign: jobs, health, homes. He went big on renewable energy, promised Labour would scrap the Government's proposed gas import terminal. Also went big on his future fund. As speeches go, he was no JFK. It is not one for the history books. But commentators say that was by design, like Tim Murphy from Newsroom. Tim says this was Labour trying to convey maturity, a little contrition, humility, and to claim it could be the adult in the room now and after the November 7 election. Luke Malpass from The Press says the speech was to present as a calm port in a cost of living storm, to be dependable, reliable, and boring even. That was the aim. Well, that's something Labour's achieved. Above all else, says Luke, at this stage of the game, to not change the strategy that has served Labour well so far, which is not say much, not do much, not announce much. And it has worked for them. When there is nothing that you can argue against, it's steady as she goes. They're just letting the Coalition Government make mistakes, or not work fast enough, or not be snazzy enough for the electorate, and they're just sitting there and collecting the votes of the centre, who are underwhelmed by the Coalition Government. Basically, they're saying vote for this Chris because he's not Christopher Luxon and we're not National. But that works both ways. You might not be wowed by the Coalition Government and the Prime Minister, but the message could be at least they're not Labour, Greens, and Te Pāti Māori, and at least Christopher Luxon isn't the Chris that was in charge last time. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This morning we spoke to the Prime Minister, Christopher Luxon; We spoke to Auckland Council, they're asking for the government to do more about dog control laws; There's pushback from homeless advocates following the government's new move-on laws, we spoke to Auckland City Missioner Helen Robinson; Julie White from the Travel Agent's association joined us as confusion grows over UK passport and visa requirements; And, we spoke Shaun Robinson from the Mental Health Foundation about the rise in weather anxiety.

Questions to Ministers Hon CARMEL SEPULONI to the Minister for Pacific Peoples: Does he agree with Christopher Luxon's statement about Pasifika, "We're gonna make sure we deliver for them"; if so, why? Hon JULIE ANNE GENTER to the Minister of Finance: Does she stand by her statement, "As Finance Minister, I take responsibility for managing our Government's books ... I am the Ministerial colleague who takes pride in scrutinising the dollars, in reading through the business cases, and having the courage to say 'no' when proposals don't stack up"? Hon Dr AYESHA VERRALL to the Minister of Health: Does he still believe that supporting locally trained nurses is key to growing the health system's nursing workforce; if not, why not? RYAN HAMILTON to the Minister of Finance: What reports has she seen on the economy? Hon KIERAN McANULTY to the Minister of Housing: Does he stand by all his statements and actions? TODD STEPHENSON to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all of the Government's statements and actions? SAM UFFINDELL to the Minister of Health: What recent announcements has he made about enabling 12-month prescriptions for patients? LEMAUGA LYDIA SOSENE to the Minister of Internal Affairs: Is she confident that Fire and Emergency New Zealand is doing everything it can to ensure firefighters are receiving a fair deal; if so, why? RIMA NAKHLE to the Minister of Education: What announcement has she made regarding school property? SHANAN HALBERT to the Minister for Universities: Does he think that current student loan levels are sufficient to allow students to focus on their studies; if so, why? MILES ANDERSON to the Minister for Tourism and Hospitality: What recent progress has she seen on tourism and major events in New Zealand? HANA-RAWHITI MAIPI-CLARKE to the Minister for Emergency Management and Recovery: Does he agree with the Prime Minister that "Iwi and marae are very good at emergency management. They don't just stand up for iwi, they stand up for the entire community"?

There are numerous approaches to management: Legacy, Ideological, Corporate, and Political Management. These combine to produce a system that cannot sustain long-term strategies. “Cultivation Management is the alternative.” According to Dr Mike Schmidt, it is also the approach that Christopher Luxon needs to adopt to retain his Prime Ministership. And then there's the question; can Mr Luxon afford to bypass the advice Schmidt has to offer? Advice that is equally applicable to most other forms of management. You can decide for yourself. And we visit The Mailroom with Mrs Producer. File your comments and complaints at Leighton@newstalkzb.co.nz OR Carolyn@newstalkzb.co.nz Haven't listened to a podcast before? Check out our simple how-to guide. Listen here on iHeartRadio Leighton Smith's podcast also available on iTunes:To subscribe via iTunes click here See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Duncan asks the tough questions about who is actually running the show at National. With a floated $9 toll for the Auckland Harbor Bridge and new electricity levies, the party of "no new taxes" is looking a lot like the opposition. We dive into why these "optics" are making voters sick and whether Christopher Luxon is losing his grip on the party's economic soul. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Prime Minister ponders the prospect of a managed retreat from flooding, a sobering infrastructure plan, National Lamb Day and the state of the rural economy, and why one of his MPs is letting the side down.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jamie Mackay talks to Christopher Luxon, Emma Higgins, Adam Thompson, Mitch Highett, and Craig Wiggins. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government will today reveal its back down on controversial Auckland housing intensification plans amid fierce public criticism. New planning rules would currently allow another 2 million homes in Auckland. But last month the Government announced it'll water down the rules with an announcement expected this afternoon. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon told Kerre Woodham a balance needs to be struck. He says Auckland has to grow with affordable housing, but quite rightly some Aucklanders have said they don't want big buildings next to their homes. He's also allaying concerns about a proposal for a $9 toll on Auckland's Harbour Bridge. The Infrastructure Commission recommended tolling the existing bridge, and second new crossing, to reduce construction costs on the Crown. But Luxon told Woodham it's only an idea. He says the Government hasn't decided whether it'll be a new bridge or a tunnel yet, and decisions on how to fund it will come later. He says tolls are the only way to pull forward the development of new roads, faster. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Winston Peters is back with a familiar policy to abolish the Maori seats. We look at why his timing is shrewd and why it's making Christopher Luxon look so weak. Damien Grant and Jordan Williams join us to debate the future of our democracy. Plus, we dig into the cultural leave story the mainstream media refused to touch. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jamie Mackay talks to Mark Warren, Mike Casey, Nathan Guy, Chris Hipkins, Winston Peters, and Christopher Luxon.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jamie Mackay talks to Christopher Luxon, Sir David Fagan, Bryce McKenzie, Bruce Weir, Vanessa Winning, Simon Beamish, and Hamish McKay.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The prime minister celebrates great results for New Zealand’s red meat sector, discusses RMA reforms, and rules out a water tax.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jamie Mackay talks to Nathan Guy, Chris Hipkins, Winston Peters, Christopher Luxon, Kate Acland, Todd McClay, David Seymour, Jono Pemberton, Steve Abel, and Todd Charteris.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Prime Minister reminisces about his t-shirt faux pas from last year’s barbecue, before discussing the free trade agreement with India.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Foreign Minister Winston Peters' politicking around the India free trade agreement is nothing new. There's been weeks of back and forth within the coalition about the contents of the deal, which still hasn't been publicly released. Peters has spoken out about the deal prohibiting a specific cap on Indian student visas. Queen City Law managing director Marcus Beveridge told Ryan Bridge Peters made similar criticisms about 20 years ago, but was shut down by Helen Clark. He says Todd McClay and Christopher Luxon have been a bit more feeble and weak on this one, so Peters has more mileage. Beveridge says we don't cap any foreign students, so the whole thing is a bit of a red herring. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The headline on one of the stories this morning said, "vital or bonkers?". Is the new liquefied natural gas terminal announced by the Government yesterday a vital piece of infrastructure that will save New Zealand households hundreds, shore up gaps in our energy supply, give confidence to our manufacturers, or as the Greens are saying, absolutely bonkers for the planet and for our country's energy resilience? Energy Minister Simon Watts announced yesterday that the new terminal to be built in New Plymouth should be ready by next year, and will mean that Kiwis no longer need to suffer through an endless series of winter bill shocks. The idea is that liquid natural gas can be imported in large volumes, we'll store it, and then it will be re-gasified to be used when shortages occur during dry years. It's expensive. It's an expensive way of doing it. An expensive “just in case”, but Simon Watts says, well we can't afford not to, otherwise it means the end of businesses. Greens co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick says the decision to build a terminal is cooked. Well, you wouldn't be able to cook it unless there was some form of energy supply, so it's not a terribly good analogy because something can only be cooked when there's energy, and what they're doing is providing energy. She said Christopher Luxon has once again chosen to throw New Zealanders' money at fossil fuels, which is bad for power bills, energy security, and the planet. But as Simon Watts told the Mike Hosking Breakfast this morning, this will quite literally power New Zealand's economy and we can't afford not to do it. “The reality is renewables are nice, but the sun doesn't shine during the night and that's when we need firming capacity and thermal capacity. In a dry year when we don't have enough water in those lakes, we have to make that from either gas, diesel, or coal. Coal only covers 50% of us, we've still got a massive gap. That's why there's a price premium in people's bills. Having the certainty of supply of gas to come into that market when we need it means that that risk is mitigated and therefore that price premium that's in people's bills comes off. That's the rationale of what we're doing here. “This is a strategic investment also for national security because guess what, if you can't have energy then other aspects of your economy is at risk and we've got to protect those industries that can't run on coal and surprisingly can't run on electricity. There's a lot of industry, heavy industry that needs gas and if we haven't got it domestically in the short term, we need to be able to import it.” Yeah. Like absolutely phase out fossil fuels, totally, let's do it and we've been talking about it since probably the 70's – possibly earlier than that. I mean that's when I first started reading newspapers when I was at primary school and that's when I can remember talking about the need not to rely on fossil fuels. All for it. But you have to have a reliable alternative – a sustainable, inexpensive alternative. You can't just stop producing energy without providing another sustainable source of power. Hoping and wishing for something better and nicer and cleaner and greener is not a strategy. You can't just legislate sustainable energy out of thin air. Look at the disastrous result of various governments around the world legislating to force car manufacturers into producing more EVs to save the planet. Major automakers and EV startups have collectively incurred more than $114 billion , and those are real dollars, $114 billion in losses on EVs in the US and Europe, in basically three and a half years between 2022 and early 2026, driven by aggressive government electrification targets that outpaced consumer demand. People weren't convinced. Show me the electrical network that can sustain me being able to power these vehicles. Show me that they're safe. Show me that they're suitable for all terrains and all weather. As of February 2026, the cumulative financial hit from vaporised EV bets, write downs, and production cuts for the big three Detroit automakers GM, Ford, and Stellantis is estimated at roughly $52.1 billion. You might have heard Mike talking about Stellantis shares going down the toilet this morning. You can't just make people do things. This is a top down decision from the governments – we will not use fossil fuels. The people at the bottom who are making stuff, generating exports, providing jobs, driving to get from point A to point B, either driving their exports to different ports or driving to work to produce the exports, have to be convinced and confident that there's another source of energy that is reliable, sustainable, and relatively inexpensive that doesn't put their exports beyond the reach of buyers. And until such time, they're not going to they're not going to fall into line because it would be financial suicide. It's a nice idea, it absolutely is, and we make the most of what we have, the resources around us, where they're renewable, yes let's use them. But the Greens won't let us put in any hydro dams. Can you imagine? I think my grandchildren's grandchildren probably wouldn't live to see that. There's not enough sun, as Simon Watts said, it's dark at night. The wind is not consistent. It's pie in the sky. Until such time as we have sustainable, inexpensive alternative fuel sources, we need to shore up the energy supply we have now. Sure, save the planet, but if there's nobody bloody on it, what's the point? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This Government's running into similar problems Jacinda's one did on energy - they're getting too much 'official' advice and reports. The problem when you ask 'the experts' for advice on every thought that pops into your head, is that they tend to agree with it. And if they don't, you tend to ignore them. And what does that tell you about the need for the advice in the first place? Latest case in point is the LNG terminal in Taranaki. A billion bucks. We'll be paying a levy on our power bills to fund it. Big announcement at the Beehive theatrette yesterday. The 'official advice' from MBIE and the rest was that this is the way to go. This will save us all, on average, apparently, $1 a week on electricity. If we're lucky. Because remember, as with all advice, there are caveats. The caveats are "depends on this" and "depends on that". So, we've got an announcement and we hope for the best and this thing will be built, come hell or high water, bar a change of government, by 2027. When the wind doesn't blow and the sun doesn't shine, we'll import LNG and keep the lights on. BUT. Last year we had the Frontier Economics report. Same issue but different set of 'advisors'. They're an independent global consultancy crowd and what they said was quite different. They told us it would basically be a dumb idea to build an import terminal because you've got a massive fixed cost spread over a relatively small amount of output, because you're only using this as a back-up. You can't sell an LNG terminal once you're finished with it. These particular advisors made the point that it's quite a specific piece of kit and could well turn it one of this country's biggest white elephant investments. Yet here we are less than a year later with a different set of advice and another vague plan. There's no doubt this country needs a plan to deal with energy security, but depending on who you ask, this is either brilliant or batshit.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This morning we spoke to the prime minister, Christopher Luxon, plus the Transport minister Chris Bishop joined us as repairs to roads hit by severe weather continue; It's a big week for Auckland, with the convention centre opening, and the Sail GP foiling its way into town. We spoke to mayor Wayne Brown; We were joined by our reporter Timothy Brown who covered the Christchurch mosque attacks in detail, as the gunman attempts to appeal his convictions; Wellington Water Chief Executive Pat Dougherty says locals may have to stay out of the water for months, he joined us live.

It was meant to be our year. That's what we were told. But as 2026 kicks off, the numbers are telling a very different story. Inflation is back up, unemployment is rising, and interest rates may not be done yet. On the podcast, Duncan Garner asks the hard question. Where are the green shoots we were promised? And what does it mean for Christopher Luxon as the election clock starts ticking loudly? Duncan is joined by Bob McCoskrie and Ashley Church to unpack the credibility problem facing the government, why voters are running out of patience, and how economic pain is still hitting households where it counts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stats New Zealand released the labour market statistics yesterday while I was on air talking to my caller Troy, and the numbers were not good. KW: The unemployment rate is 5.4% in the December quarter, up 5.3 in September. So we'll discuss that with Liam Dann in a minute. There we go. T: Interesting in an election year, that will be interesting for sure. Interesting in an election year for sure, Troy. For a government that campaigned on fixing the economy, getting people back into work, the figures are a cold hard dose of reality. An unemployment rate of 5.4%, total unemployed 165,000 – that's 5,000 extra people without a job since the last quarter. 16,000 without a job since this time last year. The underutilisation figures made for pretty grim reading too. Underutilisation includes the unemployed, the underemployed, part time workers who are wanting more hours – they might have been looking for a full-time job, all they can get is a part time, but they'll take it while they keep looking. And the potential labour force, people who want to work but aren't actively seeking it. I don't quite understand those people, do they just expect somebody to come knocking on their door saying, you're it, you're perfect. 150,000 and a car, come on in"? I don't know how they expect to find work, but there we go. The number of underutilised people rose by 2,000 over the quarter, by roughly 52,000 to 71,000 over the past year depending on all sorts of metrics. What it does end up with is a record high of 409,000 people. So there's a lot of people doing it tough. The Finance Minister Nicola Willis says, just hold your nerve, we'll come right. “We have been waiting for an economic recovery and there is some impatience, but all of the signs are there.” Yes. Well, are they? To be fair, look at the alternative. If you don't like what the Coalition Government is doing, have a look at Labour, Greens, and Te Pāti Māori and think, could they do better? But that's of cold comfort to the thousands of Kiwis that have had to relocate, they've had to pivot, they've had to reevaluate to get themselves into work, to get food on the table, the rent paid, to look after the kids. Another caller yesterday who had rung me previously told me he'd applied for more than 200 jobs. He's bought himself a business. Others have moved themselves and their families into different regions. The figures don't show the Kiwis who moved to different countries, nearly 73,000 to Australia – imagine how grim the stats would have been otherwise. Now there are some people really who could have expected to lose their jobs. If you were one of the many, many thousands of people who took a job with the public service in Wellington in the last six months of '23, come on. When you've got Chris Hipkins and Christopher Luxon both saying the public service needs to be cut, if you took a job then really you couldn't have expected to keep it. It would have been luck if you did. But for others, the slowing down of the economy has had a dramatic effect on them. The youth, because people hold onto their jobs longer, people don't take on trainees, they don't, can't afford to take a risk with a newbie or an apprentice. The business just can't sustain that. People 50 to 60, they might have been laid off. They've got many, you know, 10, 15, 20 years left in them. Try telling that to a prospective employer. Tough. So I would love to hear from those of you who have been looking for jobs, who have found jobs, who have pivoted, like my caller yesterday who after 200 rejections thought, “you know what? I'll do it myself," and bought himself a business. Those who've gone seeking a job in another part of the country. In Canterbury the figures are better than the national average. It's a tale as we've heard before of two economies. South Island's doing fine, North Island not so much. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Prime Minister insists the government and iwi are aligned on improving outcomes for Māori, as he makes his return to Waitangi. Christopher Luxon is back at the Treaty Grounds after skipping last year - and has met face-to-face with iwi leaders. Political reporter Giles Dexter is at Waitangi

Jamie Mackay talks to Christopher Luxon, Sir Ian Taylor, Paul Joules, and Richard Allen. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The PM ponders the lead-up to National Lamb Day (Feb 15) and the National Lamb Day broadcast from Parliament Lawns next Wednesday (Feb 11). We also discuss the upcoming regional farmer Field Days season, and who’s right - Shane Jones or Sir Ian Taylor when it comes to gold mining at Bendigo in Central Otago? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Monday, 2 February, 2026, the Education Minister on new reporting guidelines for schools - what it means for you as a parent. Should the firefighter who made an obscene gesture behind the back of the prime minister keep her job? We talk to teenage running sensation Sam Ruthe's grandfather about what makes him so good. And on the Huddle, Trish Sherson and Josie Pagani - who says Christopher Luxon is in danger of being outperformed by his lectern. Get the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast every weekday evening on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We were straight out of the blocks this morning, talking to the father of running sensation Sam Ruthe following his record-breaking run in Boston; Plus, the prime minister, Christopher Luxon, joined us; ADHD medication can now be prescribed by GPs and nurse practitioners. This morning we spoke to the father of someone with ADHD who says cost is still a major barrier to treatment; And, we spoke to the Transport Accident Investigation Commission following an incident involving a tourist boat at Akaroa at the weekend; Plus, Michael Baker joined us to tell us more about the Nipah virus that's sparked warnings for kiwis travelling overseas.

Chris Luxon says the Government had major "up front" concerns about joining Donald Trump's Board of Peace. New Zealand has joined other western countries in declining an invitation. The Prime Minister says the one-billion-US-dollars required to join the Board of Peace would be better spent on schools, roads and hospitals. He told Mike Hosking that it will be better for Middle Eastern countries to be on the board, since it will be focused on the Middle East. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jamie Mackay talks to Geoff Ross, Christopher Luxon, Dr Robyn Dynes, Emma Higgins, and Winston Peters.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The prime minister says it could take up to six months to remove masses of soil dumped on damaged roads on the East Cape from last week's storm. Christopher Luxon visited weather-hit Te Araroa and Hicks Bay by helicopter, and spoke to media at the Tai Rawhiti emergency coordination centre. Like locals, he's bracing for a long and tough road ahead. The PM's comparing the devastation in some places to 20-23's Cyclone Gabrielle. Meanwhile, work has just resumed at Mount Maunganui a week on from the deadly land-slip there. Rescue workers were pulled out of the disaster site this morning after technology that had been installed to monitor land movement was triggered and work suspended. It came ahead of a vigil tonight for a community still reeling over the deaths of six people. Kim Baker Wilson spoke to Lisa Owen.

Jamie Mackay talks to Christopher Luxon, Stephen Jacobi, Dr Robyn Dynes, and Paul Allison.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Prime Minister comments on the retirement of Attorney General Judith Collins, Winston Peters and the Indian FTA, Budget Day, inflation being a spanner in the works for the economic recovery, and Emergency Response Minister Mark Mitchell’s great work on the ground in tragic circumstances.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Wednesday, 28 January, 2026, we look at the legacy of Judith Collins in New Zealand politics as she prepares to become president of the Law Commission. Air New Zealand cabin crew are preparing to go on strike - will it affect your travel plans? Another hammer blow for the construction industry - why more than 20 businesses have gone bust in a week. And on the Huddle, Jack Tame and Jordan Williams look at why people aren't liking prime minister Christopher Luxon in opinion polls. Get the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast every weekday evening on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As Christopher Luxon announced an election date of November 7, a strip of the North Island was under siege from another bout of brutal weather. As the clean-up and recovery continues, and families and communities grieve the loss of nine lives, questions swirl around the response. In the first Gone By Lunchtime for 2026, Annabelle Lee-Mather, Ben Thomas and Toby Manhire assess that response, and ask whether the bigger picture around climate adaptation and mitigation will filter through the forthcoming campaign. The year begins, meanwhile, with incessant geopolitical disorder emanating from the White House. As Mark Carney sets out his stall in compelling fashion at Davos, what does the Canadian prime minister's "new world order" approach have in common with Christopher Luxon's, where do they differ, and is New Zealand's prime minister on an election-year collision course with a foreign minister set upon below-parapet foreign relations and flirting with the thought of quitting the World Health Organisation? Speaking of Winston Peters, his New Zealand First Party has enjoyed a bump in recent polling. Could they emulate the populist-nationalist trends in Australia and the UK and climb even further? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Prime Minister says today's the day the Government's preparing a support package the areas severely damaged by recent weather. Recovery efforts are in their sixth day at Mount Maunganui, where six people are still missing in the aftermath of a large landslide. Local states of emergency remain in place for the Tairawhiti regions, Whangarei, Thames Coromandel and Hauraki Districts, and the Bay of Plenty. Christopher Luxon told Mike Hosking he's meeting with Cabinet this morning to discuss funding that's needed immediately. He says different areas need different support, and they will spend whatever they need to. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Tuesday 27th of January, we take a look at what's happening with the Government's retail crime advisory group after three of its five members resigned. The Prime Minister is on after Auckland Anniversary to discuss the response to the severe weather damage, Winston Peters' comments on WHO, and when electioneering will begin. And L.A.B frontman Joel Shadbolt is back to talk their summer of concerts and this weekend's performance in Auckland – the first in four years. Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Prime Minister discusses the tragedy unfolding at Mount Maunganui and the election date.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jamie Mackay talks to Mark Mitchell, Brent Mountfort, Sandra Faulkner, Christopher Luxon, Jane Smith, Peter Newbold, and Chris Russell.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Wednesday, 21 January, 2026, Christopher Luxon's announced the election date - we look at who's in poll position. A witness to a shop worker's stabbing in Auckland tells us how he confronted the attacker. Martin Snedden on the difficulties of the job with our three top sports - rugby, netball and cricket - without leaders. Plus, on The Huddle, Jack Tame and Phil O'Reilly debate the election and the overwhelming support for a social media ban among Kiwis. Get the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast every weekday evening on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Christopher Luxon had the stage, the timing, and the attention. Election year. State of the Nation. A chance to set the agenda. And yet, nothing new landed. We unpack why the Prime Minister's speech felt safe, steady, and completely underwhelming. From cost of living pressures and power prices to debt, borrowing, and that familiar “green shoots” language, Duncan asks the question many households are already asking around the kitchen table. Are we actually better off? Joining the discussion are Ashley Church and Ani O'Brien, who bring sharply different perspectives on strategy, substance, and whether this was deliberate discipline or a missed opportunity. There's debate around fiscal discipline, KiwiSaver changes, housing, local government, and the political risks of playing it too safe when voters are still hurting. Find every episode and discover your next favourite podcast on the rova app or rova.nz Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Christopher Luxon gave his annual scene setting speech in Auckland on Monday to a crowd of 700 people hosted by the Auckland Business Chamber. Political reporter Lillian Hanly was there and spoke to Melissa Chan-Green.

Christopher Luxon spoke to Melissa Chan-Green following Monday's State of the Nation speech.

Christopher Luxon gave his annual scene setting speech in Auckland on Monday to a crowd of 700 people hosted by the Auckland Business Chamber; New research shows many New Zealanders aren't paying enough attention when it comes to skin cancer prevention; Christopher Luxon spoke to Melissa Chan-Green following Monday's State of the Nation speech; Community housing advocates are worried the police will soon be given powers to move rough sleepers on from public spaces; A US Defence official has said 1500 soldiers are on standby as an option to deploy to Minneapolis as protests continue.

The Retirement Commissioner is asking for a careful and considered approach for changing the retirement age. During his State of the Nation speech yesterday, the Prime Minister said increasing the retirement age was inevitable. Christopher Luxon says as life expectancy rises, the pension age of 65 is too low. Jane Wrightson told Mike Hosking it's good it is now on the political agenda, so the people can hear ideas from all parties. She says political parties will need to discuss what the next decade will look like, and they need to carefully look at how all people will be affected by any changes. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why does the cost of living still feel out of control for so many Kiwis? And why is National struggling to convince voters they understand the pressure at the kitchen table? In this episode, Duncan Garner digs into why the government's cost of living response has failed to land, despite repeated promises. From power prices and rates to food bills and fixed incomes, Duncan argues the real economy isn't measured in GDP figures, but in whether households can actually pay their bills. At the centre of the episode is an email from Tony, a 77-year-old from Dunedin, whose story captures what many older New Zealanders are facing. Rising rates, soaring power bills, shrinking savings, and no meaningful relief in sight. It's a warning for Christopher Luxon, and for Labour too. Ignore the home economy at your peril. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We've got some Christmas messages from the political leaders at Parliament to bring you throughout the programme. First up we have the Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, and Labour leader, Chris Hipkins.

RNZ's political team sits down with the leaders of the two major parties - National's Christopher Luxon and Labour's Chris Hipkins - to reflect on 2025 and look forward to election year. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

His summer break may only be 20 minutes long, but Christopher Luxon goes into it grinning, on the back of a poll that saw a swing to the right, boosted economic confidence data, maybe staring down a maybe-coup, and most crucially, snipping the ribbon on the big green, yellow and blue shoot: Ikea. Just how confident must he feel going into Christmas? Toby Manhire, Annabelle Lee-Mather and Ben Thomas chew it over, plus: poor poll numbers for the Greens and Te Pāti Māori, as TPM limp through an AGM with their future in the balance. Another big reforming swing from Chris Bishop with two new bumper bills to replace the Resource Management Act; how will this look and what does it mean for iwi Māori? And how did former Police Commissioner Andrew Coster fare in his feature-length interview for Q+A? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices