Podcasts about foreign minister winston peters

This week on Tagata o te Moana: For the first time in 7 years - New Caledonians will go to the polls, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says the Pacific is at the top of New Zealand's diplomatic priority list, and Australian scientists have discover a new shark species in PNG that walks on its fins. All that and more stories from the week at RNZ Pacific.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Is there a lifeline for Moana Pasifika? Foreign Minister Winston Peters has hinted at “good news” for the embattled club, and is reportedly instructing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade to look into proposals. Rugby Players Association CEO Rob Nichol told Mike Hosking that from a player's perspective, the team hasn't been set up for success, but they remain optimistic it can happen. He says there's two to three key areas that need to be nailed for Moana Pasifika to be successful – it needs to be true to purpose, there needs to be a sense that it is owned by Pacific people, for Pacific people, and it has unique opportunities for commercialisation that need to be utilised well. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Barbara Edmonds joins us LIVE at 9pm to talk about the latest government's announced a major shake-up of social housing beginning in this year's Budget - which will boost weekly support for 110,000 families by almost $15 but leave another 80,000 families worse off by $30 a week.Tangi Utikere and Chris Bishop were on TVNZ Breakfast this morning talking about the public sector cuts. There was an interesting interaction with the TVNZ hosts where they took government talking points and asked Utikere questions based in National Party opinions as opposed to actual facts.New Zealand has condemned Israeli national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, after he taunted detained flotilla activists - including three Kiwis - who tried to breach Israel's blockade of Gaza. Foreign Minister Winston Peters demanded that Israel's ambassador, Alon Roth-Snir, front up to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for a “please explain”.++++++++++++++++++++Like us on Facebook.com/BigHairyNetwork Follow us on Twitter.com/@bighairynetworkFollowing us on TikTok.com/@bighairynetworkSupport us on Patreon www.patreon.com/c/BigHairyNewsCheck out our merch https://bhn.nz/shop/Donate to our work https://bhn.nz/shop/donation/

This week on the Tuesday Wire... For Dear Science this week, our expert, Dr Cushla McGoverin, speaks with us about AI spotting Pancreatic Cancer, Foetal surgery, and Yellowstone. For our weekly catchup with the National Party, I spoke with Ryan Hamilton about the emails between Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Prime Minister Christopher Luxon released last week, what they mean for growing tensions and instability within the coalition, and proposed changes to Treaty Obligations that would see the Te Tiriti only need to be ‘taken into account'. For Green World today, Producer Liam spoke with Max Harvey from the University of Otago, who lead a recent research study about the habitat usage of the Hector's dolphin, about the research that they carried out on dolphin populations in Southland, what they discovered and what it tells us about how we can better look after this dolphin species.  Liam also spoke to Professor Sally Gaw from the University of Canterbury, about the government's new rules to reduce the amount of lead in drinking water pipes, what this means for New Zealand and why it was not done sooner.  And Producer Flo spoke to Doctor Lucy Goodman, researcher at the University of Auckland's School of Optometry and Vision Science about her study into accessible eye health and potential government funding of eye care.

Former Defence Minister Ron Mark says its not clear how New Zealand could meaningfully support reopening the Strait of Hormuz. The US has formally provided an initial plan to New Zealand for the Government to consider - but Foreign Minister Winston Peters says more detail's needed. Mark told Heather du Plessis Allan that our defence forces have reduced capability - and he could only see us helping with aerial surveying. He says we are strategically irrelevant right now - and there's no way he could see us deploying a frigate. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Winston Peters has gone too far this time. Last week, Christopher Luxon and Nicola Willis were telling us not to trust him. They‘ll be saying it even louder now. After the NZ First leader released emails to the media which show how the Prime Minister was talked out of expressing “explicit public support” for the war in Iran. And I'm in no doubt that peters has betrayed Luxon's trust. The two of them, apparently, had what are being reported as “crisis talks” last night. With a spokesperson for the prime minister saying the NZ First leader has put politics ahead of national interest. Which, of course, he has. And, if I was Christopher Luxon, I'd be ropeable. Because that's what he's done. He's put politics ahead of national interest. And i would have thought, after all the huffing and puffing about cool heads being needed when it comes to foreign affairs, that he wouldn't have released these emails. It's this claiming credit thing that he just can't resist. Like that time when Christopher Luxon went on social media and said he'd done a trade deal with Southeast Asian nations. And Peters responded with that one-word tweet saying “we”. As in “we” did the deal, not “you”. But releasing these emails about the Iran war is next level. Because it shows a very clear difference of opinion within the government. With the prime minister thinking the attacks by the U.S. And Israel were and are a good thing - but saying something different publicly. Which happens all the time in governments. But you don't go telling the world about it. Which is exactly what Winston Peters has done. Just as an aside, even though I think Winston Peters is in the wrong here, it does show how out of his depth the prime minister was when this all blew up. As the released emails show, he was all gung-ho and wanted the government to show “explicit public support” for the war when it started. But, as we saw publicly during those first few days (which is backed up these emails), it was Winston who was all calm the farm and don't panic. That's what he was saying to media on the Sunday after the attacks started. It seems to me that one of the things Winston is going to campaign on in this year's election is “experience”. Because last week he criticised the prime minister for putting his leadership to the test with that confidence vote. It was clear that he thought Luxon was naive doing that - because it only invites another confidence vote next time a bad poll comes out. Now, by releasing these emails, he's pointing to Luxon's naievity on the foreign affairs front. Which is true. Christopher Luxon is way out of his depth when it comes to foreign affairs and international diplomacy. But you don't go showing to that to the world the way Winston Peters has. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

EDITORIAL: Overnight, we've learnt that behind closed doors, at the very start of this war in Iran, our own Government wasn't quite on the same page. And as a New Zealander watching all of this unfold, what I wanted—what I think most of us wanted—was a clear, confident line about where we as a country stand. Instead, we've got emails, pushback—and a pretty uncomfortable question about who's actually in charge. Because cast your mind back to that first stand-up. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, fronting media, being pushed hard—simple question: does New Zealand support the strikes? And he couldn't give a straight answer. He said we “acknowledge” them—but wouldn't say support, wouldn't oppose. And at the time, that felt messy and unclear. It felt, frankly, like a bit of a wobble—and that's when the questions around his leadership really started to heat up. But now—now we've got a bit more context. Because the emails released under the Official Information Act show that, behind the scenes, Luxon was at least open to shifting New Zealand's position—looking at aligning more closely with countries like Australia, who explicitly supported the US-led action. And at the very same time, Foreign Minister Winston Peters and his team were saying: absolutely not. The advice was to hold the line. Stay neutral. Don't move toward explicit support—it would be “imprudent” and against New Zealand's national interest. So now you look back at that dress disastrous stand-up and you have to ask: was Luxon unclear because he didn't know what he thought? Or was he being pulled in two different directions at once? Because that's a very different story. Now, here's the interesting part. The position we ended up with—that careful middle ground of acknowledging but not supporting—actually lines up with public sentiment. An Ipsos poll in April showed 87% of Kiwis don't want military involvement, 83% think it would escalate things further, and about three-quarters don't think it's worth higher fuel prices. So the outcome? Probably right. But the process? That's where this gets shaky. Because what we've seen is internal disagreement, emails being released publicly by the Foreign Minister's office, a late-night Beehive meeting—and an admission from Peters that releasing those emails was a mistake. But Winston Peters doesn't make mistakes. That's not a Government speaking with one voice. And I'll say this—Winston Peters is experienced, he's a global operator, and he knows exactly how to play the diplomatic game. But when it starts to feel like he's the one holding the reins, and the Prime Minister is reacting— You've got to ask the question: Who's actually running the country? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Focus on Politics, political reporter Lillian Hanly takes a look at a meeting between Foreign Minister Winston Peters and his US counterpart Marco Rubio, as President Donald Trump ramps up his threats toward Iran.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Donald Trump has backed down again on threats towards Iran. In a social media post, the President said he has agreed “to suspend the bombing and attack of Iran for a period of two weeks” and that this “will be a double-sided ceasefire”. It’s after Iranians formed human chains along bridges and around power plants after Trump vowed that “a whole civilisation will die tonight”. On the other hand, Iran has claimed victory, saying it forced the US to accept its 10-point plan. All the while, our Foreign Minister Winston Peters has met with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, coming out of it saying he is “very hopeful for the future”. Today on The Front Page, University of Otago Peace Studies professor Richard Jackson is with us to take us through the latest, and what could happen next. Follow The Front Page on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. You can read more about this and other stories in the New Zealand Herald, online at nzherald.co.nz, or tune in to news bulletins across the NZME network. Host: Chelsea DanielsEditor/Producer: Richard MartinProducer: Jane YeeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Foreign Minister Winston Peters has outlined the significant negative economic impacts the conflict in the Middle East is having on New Zealand, and Pacific neighbours, during his meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio overnight. Mr Peters spoke to Corin Dann.

Iran has rejected a proposed ceasefire with the US and Israel. It’s after an expletive-ridden post from President Donald Trump – where he demanded the Strait of Hormuz be opened or else Iran would be “living in Hell”. Iran’s deputy foreign minister has accused Trump of threatening war crimes, saying strikes on power plants and bridges would target civilian infrastructure and violate international law. Meanwhile, our Foreign Minister Winston Peters is travelling to Washington D.C. - where he’ll meet with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other officials. Today on The Front Page, University of Otago international relations expert Robert Patman is with us to discuss the latest on the war in Iran, and what could happen next. Follow The Front Page on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. You can read more about this and other stories in the New Zealand Herald, online at nzherald.co.nz, or tune in to news bulletins across the NZME network. Host: Chelsea DanielsEditor/Producer: Richard MartinProducer: Jane YeeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It comes as Foreign Minister Winston Peters is scheduled to meet with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington this week. Waikato University's Professor of International Law, Al Gillespie spoke to Corin Dann.

The Cook Islands doesn't want a New Zealand Navy base on its shores, but it does want stronger collaboration. Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown have signed a defence and security declaration, which includes restoring 30 million dollars in funding. The agreement eases tensions that flared when the Cook Islands struck a deal with China last year. Brown says he's 'pleased' both countries were able to sign off on this agreement. "It sets a foundation, really, for us to build on our relationship going forward. So for us here in the Cook Islands, we're really happy with this." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Foreign Minister Winston Peters has formally met with the Prime Minister of the Cook Islands. RNZ's Political Reporter Russell Palmer spoke to Corin Dann.

Australia is weighing up a request from Persian Gulf states to provide military aid. So, how long before that request gets put to the New Zealand government. Foreign Minister Winston Peters spoke to Corin Dann.

Foreign Minister Winston Peters has responded to critics of the Government's position on whether the United States and Israel have acted illegally by attacking Iran, saying the world is facing "new circumstances". He told Newstalk ZB's Mike Hosking this morning that “serious international legal experts” should decide whether their actions were legal - not people who were “not qualified”, including former PM Helen Clark, who has called New Zealand's response "a disgrace". “The rule of law on the streets of Auckland is the same as the rule of law internationally. To make it stand, somebody has to enforce it,” Peters said. “Some countries are kicking back and saying no, we are dealing with a bunch of religious fanatics and they cannot be trusted.” Peters denied he was backing America whether or not the country's actions were legal. “[Iran] have been financing proxies all around the world, even as far as Australia, in major terrorist activities. They've been doing it for decades. "But all of a sudden now you've got a sort of a concertina of concern where some countries are saying enough, we are going to stop you right here, right now. “And then all of a sudden all those geostrategic experts in history and what have you in foreign affairs are saying, oh, we should have the rule of law,” he said. “Well, my point is you're not looking at the same circumstances now. It's not a matter of backing anybody or opposing anyone. We are facing new circumstances…and we have to look at them with new eyes.” LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The US and Israel launched strikes at Iran over the weekend, prompting concern and outrage from experts. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters have criticised Iran's counter attacks, prompting Helen Clark to call the Government's response 'one-sided'. Waikato University law professor Al Gillespie has said this attack was illegal by the standards of international law. "There's nothing in the UN charter that says you can bomb someone who won't negotiate...the exemption to that was if this was a pre-emptive attack and it was an overwhelming necessity, and that cannot be seen in this instance." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters have issued a joint statement on the escalating tension in the Middle East. The US and Israel launched a massive assault on Iran overnight with reports of more than 500 targets hit. It's reported more than 200 people have been killed in the strikes across Iran and there's also claims the country's Supreme Leader is now dead. Former Minister and commentator Peter Dunne says this is a rapidly changing situation, and it's important for this to be handled carefully. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand Parliament announced late last week that it will no longer post updates on the social media platform X - formerly known as Twitter. The move comes amid growing international backlash against the Elon Musk owned platform, after thousands of sexualised deepfake images mainly of women and children, were generated using the social media site's AI chatbot 'Grok' Foreign Minister Winston Peters has since criticised the decision, writing on X that "This is how freedoms are lost - by unilateral decision-making being made by moral virtue signalling - where someone seeks to do one thing but causes damage to other freedoms." So is he right? To discuss the issue, Free Speech Union Chief Executive Jillaine Heather joins Jesse now.

Trade Minister Todd McClay's recognised he could have been clearer about aspects of his India trade deal. He's in battles with Foreign Minister Winston Peters about the agreement's text, which hasn't been released. Peters has criticised student visas being uncapped but McClay says over-arching immigration settings can still change. He told Mike Hosking the deal's being legally verified, and India's asked us to withhold its release. McClay says India's negotiating with the EU and US and are sensitive about what they've given us, so we can only talk about things widely when India agrees. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Trish Sherson from Sherson-Willis PR and Child Fund CEO Josie Pagani joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed funding will still be withheld from the Cook Islands off the back of their China partnership. Is this the right tactic? Should we go further and threaten withdrawing citizenship rights? ANZ has announced a significant profit boost today - should we be concerned? Or is this just business? Tākuta Ferris and Mariameno Kapa-Kingi have been expelled from Te Pāti Māori after weeks of political infighting. Is this the end of the drama? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Foreign Minister Winston Peters has appeared to correct the Prime Minister for taking credit on a trade deal. Chris Luxon has confirmed New Zealand is one of a handful of nations that now has a comprehensive strategic partnership with ASEAN - and posted that he made a deal with Southeast Asian nations. In a since-deleted tweet, Peters corrected Luxon with one word - 'we'. Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper speculated on why Peters deleted the comment. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Only 32.6% of eligible voters voted in local elections, the worst turnout in 36 years.  Foreign Minister Winston Peters has welcomed the ceasefire in Gaza. And politicians across the house have criticised Te Pāti Māori for the confusing infighting between members that has played out over the past few days. For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, Wire Host Caeden spoke to Shanan Halbert about all of these issues.

In a shifting world order, New Zealand's foreign policy faces new tests, from Gaza to the Pacific. Foreign Minister Winston Peters speaks to Talk to Al Jazeera about why his government has stopped short of recognising a Palestinian state, how small nations can stay neutral amid the United States-China rivalry, and whether multilateralism still protects the weak from the will of the powerful.

There's confidence Israeli hostages will be released as early as this weekend, with Hamas and Israel today agreeing to the first phase of a peace plan. It includes Hamas releasing hostages and Israel withdrawing some forces from Gaza. Foreign Minister Winston Peters has welcomed the news - and urges Israel and Hamas to continue working towards a complete resolution. Australian National University lecturer Anas Iqtait says this first phase could be carried out in the next 72 hours. "It is highly likely that Israeli captives in Gaza and Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli detention camps and prisons will also be released." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Police Minister says officers don't have the laws they need to move protesters from MPs' homes. The Government introduced the legislation to ban protests outside homes in August, and it's now before a select committee. A 29-year-old man's turned himself in and been charged, accused of smashing a window at Foreign Minister Winston Peters' house earlier this week. Minister Mark Mitchell told Mike Hosking every single Kiwi would agree the one place they should feel safe is in their own home. Labour's Ginny Andersen agreed, but says the law as proposed is really unclear in terms of detail. She says people have the right to protest but if they're breaking the law, then they should get prosecuted, just as the person who was charged with smashing the window was. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tuesday at Parliament felt a bit like Groundhog Day as Foreign Minister Winston Peters gave yet another Ministerial Statement on the war in Gaza. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

In today's episode, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has described protesters outside his Auckland home as 'truly gutless' after one smashed a window, which left glass on his dog; The government has announced 18-and-19-year-olds whose parents earn more than $65,000 a year will be ineligible for jobseeker benefit, There are currently 11 cases of measles nationally, with a new case in Northland over the weekend, and an unrelated case in Queenstown, and new research has found Kiwi kids are at risk of leaving home without the life skills like cooking needed to thrive.

Foreign Minister Winston Peters has described protesters outside his Auckland home as 'truly gutless' after one smashed a window, which left glass on his dog. Labour leader Chris Hipkins spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Monday, 6 October 2025, Foreign Minister Winston Peters tells Heather about the protesters that keep turning up outside his house night after night. Heather applauds the Government's tough love attitude to unemployed teenagers. The Finance Minister Nicola Willis gets a grilling over ex-RBNZ governor Adrian Orr's $416,000 golden parachute payment. Just 60% of 13-17 year olds know how to cook three or more meals - does this reflect badly on us parents? Plus, the Huddle debates young people on the benefit and Adrian Orr's big payday. 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.

Chris Luxon says the Government's taking steps to ban further protests outside politicians' homes. Protesters gathered outside Foreign Minister Winston Peters' Auckland house on Thursday, in support of the Kiwis detained by Israel, while travelling in a flotilla to Gaza. The Prime Minister says legislation is currently before select committee to ban such activity. He says [told Mike Hosking] there is a time and place for protests. Luxon says there is lots of places to protest a public figure, but you don't need to do it outside their homes, impacting their families. He says these protests outside homes are "not the Kiwi way". LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

While speaking at the Eightieth session of the United Nations General Assembly over the weekend, Foreign Minister Winston Peters announced that New Zealand would not be recognising a Palestinian state at this point in time. Peters' rationale was that Hamas's leadership in Gaza would make recognising Palestine an unwise move for New Zealand to make at this point, additionally stating that it could trigger a reaction from Israel that would lead to more aggressive policies in both Gaza and the West Bank, subsequently threatening the two state solution. Aotearoa for Palestine, the organisers behind the march for humanity, have condemned Winston Peters' announcement, saying it was indicative of the government's complicity in Israel's genocide in Gaza and that the upcoming march across the Auckland harbour bridge will be held in opposition to the announcement, as well as to call for sanctions on Israel. Oto spoke with Heba Mortaja from Aotearoa for Palestine to discuss Winston Peters' UN Address and his refusal to recognise Palestinian statehood.

While speaking at the Eightieth session of the United Nations General Assembly over the weekend, Foreign Minister Winston Peters announced that New Zealand would not be recognising a Palestinian state at this point in time. Peters' rationale was that Hamas's leadership in Gaza would make recognising Palestine an unwise move for New Zealand to make at this point, additionally stating that it could trigger a reaction from Israel that would lead to more aggressive policies in both Gaza and the West Bank, subsequently threatening the two state solution. However, with more than 40% of the New Zealand public expressing support for Palestinian recognition and for stronger action to be taken against Israel for their actions in Gaza, which the The United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory has officially referred to as a genocide, this decision by Peters' has been the subject of widespread controversy amongst activists, experts and a large portion of the general public. Additionally, despite claiming to take a more balanced and calculated approach to Israel's genocide in Gaza, Winston Peters' decision at the UN General Assembly has placed New Zealand within a small handful of western nations who have refused to recognise Palestine, with the United Kingdom, France, Canada and our close Ally Australia all announcing their recognition of Palestine shortly before. For our weekly catchup with the Green Party's Ricardo Menendez-March, Oto spoke to him about Foreign Minister Winston Peters' decision not to recognise Palestine at the UN General Assembly. They also spoke about the government's decision last week to resume oil and gas exploration across Aotearoa.

Donald Trump's proposed peace deal for Gaza is bringing some hope and optimism. The deal would end the war, and requires all hostages to be returned, Israeli troops to be pulled out of Gaza, and would allow Trump to lead an interim Government. It's being supported by our Foreign Minister Winston Peters as well as European and Middle Eastern leaders. The Economist Middle East Correspondent Greg Carlstrom told Mike Hosking it's good to see a serious proposal. He says it's an actual plan to end the war, unlike Trump's wild suggestion in February to depopulate Gaza and turn it into a beach resort. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The government has announced their plan to repeal the Holidays Act in an effort to make the application of leave entitlements for workers easier to calculate — an issue which has been estimated to have resulted in more than $2 billion in remediation payments to workers for miscalculated entitlements.  But critics including from Labour and the Greens say the changes will see some workers lose protections, especially when their hours defer from the traditional employment arrangement. Submissions on the Electoral Amendment Bill reveal that many New Zealanders believe the changes will disenfranchise voters and negatively impact democratic participation.  The proposed changes in the bill include removing the ability to enrol on voting day, banning prisoners from voting, and disallowing the provision of food and drink at election booths. Over the weekend, Foreign Minister Winston Peters' announced that New Zealand does not officially recognise Palestinian statehood, going against the decisions of countries like Australia, the UK and Canada. Peters said that, at this stage, such a decision might legitimise Hamas, but that the government will take a ‘when, not if' approach to the issue.   Wire Host Sara spoke with National MP Carl Bates about all of these topics, starting with the Holidays Act

The Prime Minister says New Zealand remains committed to the peace process in the Middle East. Foreign Minister Winston Peters has told the UN our Government won't be recognising a Palestinian state. Chris Luxon says we can't acknowledge a state whose de facto Government is the designated terror group, Hamas. Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says Peters delivered a 'well-argued and well-positioned speech' and New Zealand has always had its own foreign policy. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Labour leader Chris Hipkins has been quick to confirm his party would recognise Palestine as a state if Labour leads the Government after next year's election. On Saturday, while at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Foreign Minister Winston Peters announced New Zealand would not recognise the state of Palestine amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza between Israel and Hamas. Hipkins says Israel's actions are 'unacceptable' and not recognising Palestine sends Israel a message that New Zealand is okay with the 'unfolding genocide.' "New Zealand cannot stand by and cannot turn our backs on what's unfolding in Palestine. It is unfolding genocide, people are being starved to death." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The decision not to recognise a Palestinian state puts New Zealand out of step with the likes of Canada, the UK and Australia. . Colin Keating is New Zealand's former permanent representative to the UN and was outspoken on its Security Council as the Rwanda genocide unfolded. He gives his assessment about what New Zealand's position could mean for its standing internationally. Keating says New Zealand could have made a difference in the longer term had it decided to recognise a Palestinian state. . Meanwhile, the Government argues the time is not right as fighting continues in the Middle East. “With a war raging, Hamas still in place, and no clarity on next steps, we do not think that time is now,” Foreign Minister Winston Peters said in his address to the UN General Assembly. . Join Jack Tame and the Q+A team and find the answers to the questions that matter. Made with the support of NZ on Air.

David Seymour believes a refresh of Pharmac's operations is benefiting New Zealanders. Its latest funding proposal includes five new medicines for breast cancer, multiple sclerosis, eye conditions, and lung cancer. The Associate Health Minister says a board and leadership change has worked well, and the next step is ensuring strong budget bids. Seymour told Mike Hosking that instead of Pharmac working within a set allocation, it will now go to the Finance Minister each year for funding. When it comes to recognising Palestine, David Seymour appears to be backing a more cautious approach to the thorny question. Foreign Minister Winston Peters is set to announce our decision at the UN General Assembly in New York on Saturday. Doing so would mean our country joins the likes of Australia, the UK, and France. Seymour told Hosking he has his own opinion on the matter but will support any Government position. He suggests some countries are jumping up and down for political theatre, but New Zealand will consider all the facts. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Palestine's Deputy Foreign Minister has shared his view on what it means to recognise a Palestinian state. Foreign Minister Winston Peters will announce New Zealand's position on Saturday, at the United Nations general assembly in New York. At least 150 nations have recognised a Palestinian state, including France, Australia, Canada, and the UK. Omar Awadallah from the Palestinian Authority says it's about recognising the people, Government, and territory of Palestine. "You recognise the ideas, the principles upon which those people are acting." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on the Monday Wire: For our weekly catch-up with the ACT Party, News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host Joel spoke to MP Simon Court about the new school subjects set to be implemented into the new, proposed curriculum, and the drastic changes to art history and outdoor education. Producer Alex spoke with the University of Otago's Robert Patman about international support for Palestinian Statehood, and whether or not Foreign Minister Winston Peters will follow his Australian and Canadian counterparts. Joel spoke to the Children's Commissioner Dr Claire Achmad about the temporary pause of international adoptions, and what this means for children overseas. And Alex spoke with the University of Aucklands Helen petousis-Harris about the CDC reviewing vaccine recommendations and regulations under an anti-vax committee. Whakarongo mai!

Foreign Minister Winston Peters will attend a UN General Assembly meeting where he will outline New Zealand's position on recognising a Palestinian state.

A security analyst's surprised the Chinese Embassy is taking such issue to one of its citizens being searched. It says a Chinese citizen was subject to an interrogation and harassment at a New Zealand airport - with their personal devices taken away. Foreign Minister Winston Peters says the embassy's statement is no risk to the NZ-China relationship. Security analyst John Battersby says there's some surface level tension on display. He says it does follow a threat environment report highlighting China, which it disputed. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cabinet discussions are continuing over whether New Zealand will recognise the State of Palestine. A number of countries have said they'll recognise Palestine next week at a UN meeting. Chris Luxon says recognition is a complex issue and that there's a range of views to consider, and the Government will make its own decision on whether recognition is appropriate. The Prime Minister told Mike Hosking an announcement on the matter, won't be made today. He says the Government has always said it's a matter of "when not if" - Foreign Minister Winston Peters will have more to say on the matter in the coming weeks. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Last week, Defence Minister Judith Collins and Foreign Minister Winston Peters revealed plans to purchase almost $3 billion worth of US aircraft to replace the Defence Force's ageing 757s. The five MH-60R Seahawk helicopters involved in the purchase, manufactured by Lockheed Martin, would be procured directly through the United States' Foreign Military Sales programme. This week, a legal challenge against the disestablishment of Te Aka Whai Ora, the Māori Health Authority, will be heard in the High Court in Wellington. The case will be argued on the grounds that the government breached the Treaty of Waitangi and the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act when making the decision to disestablish the Māori Health Authority. And the Green party recently launched a petition calling on the government to restore adequate funding to Polytechnics and to reverse cuts to vocational education and training. For our weekly catchup with the Green Party, Oto spoke with MP Ricardo Menendez-March to get the party's take on all of these issues.

"The carnival's over". Those were the words of Foreign Minister Winston Peters who appeared to be celebrating Trevor Mallard's early exit as ambassador to Ireland. Mallard is being replaced by Angela Hassan-Sharp. Political reporter Russell Palmer spoke to Lisa Owen.   

Foreign Minister Winston Peters has said Pacific nations and territories should not be told what to do by outsiders. His message comes ahead of the 54th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting in the Solomon Islands and follows a contentious gathering in Suva where regional leaders discussed culling international partners from next month's meeting.Teuila Fuata reports.

Earlier this week, Foreign Minister Winston Peters announced that the government would be announcing its position on the recognition of a Palestinian state over the next month. This announcement was made in the lead up to the UN general assembly in September, where world leaders such as the prime ministers of France and Australia promised to recognise a Palestinian state. Also this week, Green party Wellington MPs Julie Anne Genter and Tamatha Paul recently launched a petition calling for Māori place names to be restored to Wellington electorates after the Rongotai electorate was recently renamed to the English name Wellington Bays. And the latest Taxpayers' Union-Curia Poll was recently released, which showed that Labour had overtaken National as the largest party, gaining 2 points to 33.6 percent, while National' dropped 2.1 points to 31.8 percent. For our weekly catchup with the Green party, Oto spoke with MP Ricardo Menendez-March to get the party's take on all of these issues

As a fragile ceasefire between Iran and Israel continues to hold for now, the government is working to get more than 200 New Zealanders out of the region, though some are trying to make their own way home in difficult and dangerous circumstances. New Zealand's Foreign Minister Winston Peters is urging them to hunker down and stay safe, as a New Zealand Defence Force Hercules makes its way to the Middle East to help bring them home. The almost two weeks of conflict and a temporary airport closure in Qatar has caused chaos at the borders and some frightening encounters for kiwi travellers. Some of the lucky ones landed safely back on New Zealand soil today. Mary Argue reports.

In today's episode, the Foreign Minister Winston Peters is again calling for a peaceful resolution to the Middle East conflict, saying diplomacy must come first, not last, the longest ad ever made in New Zealand will soon be aired, encouraging Maori to join the Maori Electoral Roll. The 30-minute ad features Tame Iti reading some of the names of the 300,00 people who are on the roll, "What is the point of regional government?" That's the question the regional development minister posed to a meeting of local government officials last week, US President Donald Trump has let loose the f-bomb in comments about the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Iran, and international carriers are cancelling or rerouting flights to and from the Middle East amid the conflict between Israel and Iran.