Podcasts about luxon

We've got a Code Blue on our hands. Today we dive into the explosive claims from a senior health leader who says our hospitals are so stretched they'd be treated like a patient in full emergency mode. We talk about why Kiwi-trained nurses are being left on the bench while overseas staff walk straight into jobs, and why the system feels like it's working against its own people. Chris Luxon also gives the green light to move-on orders for Auckland's homeless, and the team unpacks whether the plan is workable or just wishful thinking. Then we check in on Labour's conference, their “ready to govern” pitch, and the policies that look good on paper but come without the numbers to back them. Plus, Duncan shares a private nursing job opportunity for anyone keen to put their skills to use. Big stories, big opinions, and plenty to chew on. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aaron Hendry joins us LIVE at 9pm to talk about Kickback's State of the Street report released today showing, among other things, the issue of young people are sleeping on the streets and in cars is getting worse.Tania Waikato joins us LIVE tonight around 9.30 to talk about the latest numbers for Te Rārangi Rangatira and if we've hot the 1500 mark so we can then send Mr Seymour his cookie to eat his own words. Christopher Luxon may have pulled of the most gangsta move seen in politics in a very long time involving Chris Bishop, an alleged leadership challenge and the Kiwisaver announcement last week.=================================Come support the work we're doing by becoming a Patron of ⁠⁠#BHN⁠⁠ www.patreon.com/BigHairyNews⁠=================================Merch available at www.BHNShop.nz Like us on Facebookwww.facebook.com/BigHairyNews Follow us on Twitter.@patbrittenden @Chewie_NZFollow us on BlueskyPat @patbrittenden.bsky.socialChewie @chewienz.bsky.socialEmily @iamprettyawesome.bsky.socialMagenta @xkaosmagex.bsky.social

This one kicked off with a simple question: if Christopher Luxon really was facing a leadership challenge, who would you want running the National Party? So we put it to our YouTube audience, and nearly a thousand of you delivered a fascinating result. Chris Bishop edged out Erica Stanford by just a single point, with Luxon miles back and Nicola Willis taking a real hammering. Duncan digs into why Bishop and Stanford are resonating right now, what each brings to the table, and why Luxon's position suddenly looks a whole lot more fragile than the Beehive might like to admit. We talk momentum, credibility, and the difference between being a fixer and being a leader who can move the country. There's also your feedback on New Zealand's strange lack of mandatory third-party insurance, plus a few thoughts on why consequences on our roads feel far too soft. Another sharp, punchy episode of Editor in Chief. 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

Nick Mills wraps the week with former Upper Hutt Mayor Wayne Guppy and lawyer and former MP Stephen Franks. They get into the hot topics of the week starting with the latest OCR cut then into the proposed reform of regional councils. Guppy and Franks also discuss the Tom Phillips inquiry, Luxon's leadership coup rumours, Nationals police target and give their hots and nots for the week. Plus, the Wellington City Council Deloitte's report. What should, and will Mayor Andrew Little and CEO Matt Prosser do? Stephen Franks and Wayne Guppy share their thoughts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's a lot of talk about challenges to Christopher Luxon's leadership. Toby, Ben and Annabelle do as they must and talk about the talk and whether there's more to it. First on the agenda, however, is a reform trailed as the biggest overhaul of local government since 1989 – just how will this new Galactic Senate setup work, and can it fix the resource management mess? Plus: all the reasons, mostly involving Winston Peters, that it is very clear we're in election season, and a revelatory new interview from Tākuta Ferris on the immolation in Te Pāti Māori. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr *Matthew Hooton* joins host Martyn Bradbury and the panel — *Craig Renney, Shanan Halbert, and Matthew Tukaki* — to tear into National's “killing season,” KiwiSaver changes, and roadside drug testing. Plus: War on News (Winston's Regulatory Standards flip-flop, Shane Jones vs recreational fishers, Casey Costello's tobacco rankings disaster) and a final word on COP30's sell-out and Shane Jones' big-oil love affair. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's time for the country's most explosive 230 minutes of politics. This week Wallace is joined by Andrea Vance, Jonathan Milne and former labour MP Chris Carter. Tonight, the team discuss: is 2026 going to be the year of Winston Peters?; is Luxon going to be rolled?; the plan to remove regional councils and the continuing stoush between New Zealand and the Cook Islands.

Questions around a coup to roll National leader and Prime Minister Christopher Luxon have been swirling. When a first-term PM is already denying leadership moves, things aren't exactly humming. Duncan gets into what's real, what's noise, and why National insiders are quietly asking when, not if, the pressure really lands. Then, he sits down with Qiulae Wong, the brand-new leader of The Opportunity Party. She's a mum of two, comes from the business world, and freely admits she never set out to be a politician. Now, she's aiming to drag TOP to the 5 per cent threshold with a tax package she calls transformative, including land value tax, a citizens' income, and a pitch to break the political mud-wrestling that's turned voters off both Labour and National. 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

Ousted Te Tai Tonga MP Tākuta Ferris spoke to Mihingarangi Forbes on MATA about the mounting internal tensions within Te Pāti Māori that led to the current fall out with some pretty concerning accusations made.Chris Hipkins speaks to the National plan for Kiwisaver and what Labour would do to help lower income people into the planChristopher Luxon says, of the cracks in the coalition, that there are 'none whatsoever'...evidence would say otherwise=================================Come support the work we're doing by becoming a Patron of ⁠⁠#BHN⁠⁠ www.patreon.com/BigHairyNews⁠=================================Merch available at www.BHNShop.nz Like us on Facebookwww.facebook.com/BigHairyNews Follow us on Twitter.@patbrittenden @Chewie_NZFollow us on BlueskyPat @patbrittenden.bsky.socialChewie @chewienz.bsky.socialEmily @iamprettyawesome.bsky.socialMagenta @xkaosmagex.bsky.social

Christopher Luxon has finally swung for something big, and tonight we get stuck into what his KiwiSaver overhaul really means. After months of beige policy and quiet corridors, the Prime Minister has dropped a long term plan to lift contributions to a combined 12 per cent. It's ambitious, it's overdue, and it's got everyone talking. We break down why Luxon's suddenly found his spine, whether this is smart economics or pure desperation, and what it means for workers, employers, and anyone trying to retire before they're 90. On the panel Ashley Church and Rawdon Christie jump in with insight, history, and a few home truths about where this might land. Plus, Duncan has exclusive details you won't hear anywhere else. A rates cap is coming before Christmas and regional councils look set for the axe. Big moves. Big implications. And very big questions for a government trying to climb back in the fight. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There's growing speculation that National is looking to oust Chris Luxon as leader ahead of the election, but Finance Minister Nicola Willis is disputing these rumours. Reports have claimed National is looking to replace Luxon with Chris Bishop, but this is mostly speculation. Nicola Willis says the party has a Prime Minister who's delivering significant reforms - and making good on the promises National campaigned on. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

day's farmer/politician panel talks about the MP's Rich List, the Luxon leadership spill, and farrowing cratesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This rates cap, how's it actually going to work. I had Luxon on my Herald show yesterday, an announcement's coming in the next few weeks. But ask any Mayor, not the ones who like disco toilets and golden miles, but the ones who already to the basic stuff and little else. They're cutting their cloth. Tim Macindoe in Hamilton. I spoke to the Tararua Mayor yesterday. They all say the same thing: we are doing the basics. We've cut the silly stuff. And we don't know how this is going to work without bankrupting local government. RMA reforms will be a big part of this. Luxon's talking about amalgamation. If there are fewer consents needed or consents are streamlined, do we need so many councils with a back office bigger than Kim K's booty? Probably not. So less work, especially for regional councils, could lipo some cost out of the system. Then there's the back office more generally. The Tararua Mayor Scott Gilmore makes a good point about double up. We have 67 territorial authorities in New Zealand. All have their own finance departments, comms teams, legal - the full kit and caboodle. Can they combine the back office and save some cash that way? He reckons they can, and to his credit, is already talking to the neighbours about doing just that. But even with no frills and upkeep on the basics, residents are still steering down the barrel of double digit rates increases, or at least north of 7%, which, as we know, is more than inflation. So a rates cap, like a move-on order for rowdy rough sleepers on Queen Street, might sound like a good idea. But is it fixing a problem or simply moving it down the road for somebody else to clean up? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Either Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is telling porkies, or he's the most out-of-the-loop person in Wellington. His claim that there's “no talk” of rolling Chris Luxon is complete nonsense. There is talk—serious talk. I can tell you for a fact that senior National Party ministers believe Luxon can't continue in the job. MPs are actively discussing whether to pull the pin and replace him. If they do, the most likely successor is Chris Bishop. But—and this is crucial—they haven't decided to do it yet. Why? Because it's risky. Rolling a sitting Prime Minister has only happened once before, with Jim Bolger, and that didn't end well. MPs know that sticking with Luxon might pay off if the economy improves next year. Better economic conditions could lift National's polling and save seats currently at risk. But there's a flip side: if the polls don't recover, Luxon's unpopularity could drag National down further. Like it or not, modern elections are presidential in style—voters focus on who they want as Prime Minister. Jacinda Ardern boosted Labour's vote in 2017. Luxon is part of why National's vote has fallen. Would Chris Bishop do better? Maybe. But it's a guess. He could also do worse. And the instability of rolling a sitting PM could make things even worse for National. So MPs face two high-risk options: stick with an unpopular leader or gamble on an unproven one. It's a call I wouldn't want to make—but they're making it right now. It may never happen, but trust me: the talk is real.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rumours have been swirling of Prime Minister Christopher Luxon getting rolled by his party. Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith denied the rumours saying no one in National's caucus had raised with him the idea of replacing Luxon. In recent polls National has lagged behind Labour with 33% versus 38% in the Talbot Mills/Anacta poll conducted between November 1 and 10. This has fanned the flames of conversation regarding the likelihood of National's re-election next year. Although, Barry Soper told Heather du Plessis-Allan, "essentially you've got Labour on the ropes, whereas you've got, the coalition government headed by National in a much stronger position." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

While some true crime podcasts simply deliver the status quo, others carve a new path. Join Status: Untraced's Liam Luxon and Crook County's Kyle Tekiela as they unpack the trailblazing cases they've covered, their personal connection to them, and some of the unforeseen challenges they've overcome. And be sure to stick around to the end for exciting new updates about the future of these groundbreaking shows. Hosted by Tenderfoot TV's Supervising Producer Jon Street. Recorded live at CrimeCon 2025. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There's growing speculation Chris Luxon is at risk of being rolled ahead of the election, with Chris Bishop being touted as a potential replacement. An opinion piece by Audrey Young was released today, and it claimed that Labour was going extra hard on Bishop over the cycleway project because he was likely to take over the party by 2026. Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says National's taking a hit in the polls and there's discussions about Luxon's leadership abilities taking place. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New polling data has revealed less Kiwis have faith the current Government can turn the economy around ahead of the upcoming election. A New Zealand Herald-Kantar poll has found voters are evenly split on Labour's proposed capital gains tax and about 45 percent of respondents in an IPSOS survey scored the Luxon-led Government below 3 out of 10. Finance Minister Nicola Willis says it's clear a significant number of people are still opposed to the capital gains tax and the Government has plenty of time to expose the negative impacts. "There's also a big, undecided group in the middle and those are the people that we will be speaking to between now and the election." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Thomas Scrimgeour from the Maxim Institute and Child Fund CEO Josie Pagani joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! Schools across the country are mobilising and publicly committing to upholding the Treaty, despite the Government's plan to remove the obligations from boards. Luxon has said the schools shouldn't focus on politics - does he have a point? New polls show the Government's falling out of favour with voters and Kiwis are split on the capital gains tax. What can the Government do to improve? Uber drivers have won the battle against Uber in the Supreme Court. The court has ruled that Uber drivers are employees. Is this the right move? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Well, entirely predictably, the debate about selling state assets has already kicked off ahead of election year - with Winston calling the idea a 'tawdry, silly argument'. And Chris Luxon then shooting back that Winston's view is not surprising, because he's been there for 50 years, for goodness' sake, he's got a lot of entrenched views. I'm actually surprised that Luxon and National are prepared to take this to the election, because you can already see it, right? You know how it's gone in the past, this is going to get heated. And National is not really known at the moment for having the stomach for potentially unpopular ideas, so good on them for doing it - cause this has got to be done, if only to inject some private sector work ethic into these places. I don't even know if I need to lay this argument out for you, but I will: We know that the public sector is slower to get things done than the private sector, we know it's more likely to waste money, we know it's less likely to make money. We got the figures last week, just on sick leave. Public sector workers take more sick days than private sector workers. The partial sale of the power companies that happened under John Key's watch has already proved what can happen if you get some private discipline in there. I mean those four power companies are now worth twice what they were when we sold half of them, so we haven't lost any value. And they pay more dividends, and we got to put money in our pockets. And they've proven that we can do things differently to the way that it was done in the 80s and 90s, which freaked out Winston with the 100 percent sale of things like BNZ, 100 percent of BNZ, 100 percent of New Zealand Rail, 100 percent of Petrocorp. We can sell 49%, less than half and we can still control the business. We get the money out of it though, we get some discipline into it and we make even more money from it. Now, of course, I think the power company sales are an example of it going well. Others will blame those same sales for a drop-off in investment in renewable energy generation or an increase in power prices - which is exactly why this will be a contentious debate, because we all see it differently. So good on the Nats for having the courage, by the looks of things, to go there next election. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Te Pāti Māori has expelled two of its MPs, after weeks of internal dramas that have paralysed the party. Te Tai Tokerau MP Mariameno Kapa-Kingi and Te Tai Tonga MP Tākuta Ferris have been expelled from the party, co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer said there was no plan to force them out of Parliament.Stephen Rowe from the conservative Cato Institute and a former colleague of Charlie Kirk. He was on Q&A to discusses the legacy of Kirk and Turning Points USA and to be challenged as to why the claim victim to tactics they seem to also be involved withChristopher Luxon has, again, said the quiet part out loud by putting asset sales on the table for 2026. Luxon says we need to have a "mature conversation" about the country owning assets at all.=================================Come support the work we're doing by becoming a Patron of ⁠⁠#BHN⁠⁠ www.patreon.com/BigHairyNews⁠=================================Merch available at www.BHNShop.nz Like us on Facebookwww.facebook.com/BigHairyNews Follow us on Twitter.@patbrittenden @Chewie_NZFollow us on BlueskyPat @patbrittenden.bsky.socialChewie @chewienz.bsky.socialEmily @iamprettyawesome.bsky.socialMagenta @xkaosmagex.bsky.social

Handbags at 30 paces in the coalition today when Winston Peters said of asset sales were a “tawdry silly argument” and that the government has not fixed the economy. PM Luxon responded calling out Peters' age saying ‘he's been here 50 years for goodness sake'Chris Hipkins spoke to the NZ Herald this morning talking CGT, asset sales and what the relationship is like between TPM and LabourTe Ururoa Flavell spoke out this morning on the TPM expulsion of MPs with a perspective that comes straight from someone, who was the leader of TPM The Democrats fold to Trump and the GOP today to reopen government. Many, including some on the right, are acknowledging that this is a big loss to the Democrats.=================================Come support the work we're doing by becoming a Patron of ⁠⁠#BHN⁠⁠ www.patreon.com/BigHairyNews⁠=================================Merch available at www.BHNShop.nz Like us on Facebookwww.facebook.com/BigHairyNews Follow us on Twitter.@patbrittenden @Chewie_NZFollow us on BlueskyPat @patbrittenden.bsky.socialChewie @chewienz.bsky.socialEmily @iamprettyawesome.bsky.socialMagenta @xkaosmagex.bsky.social

Chris Luxon says India and New Zealand are continuing to get closer to reaching a free trade agreement. Trade Minister Todd McClay hosted Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal in Auckland last week for a fifth round of talks on an FTA. The Prime Minister says it's been good to see Goyal coming here when he's so in-demand around the world. Luxon told Mike Hosking that McClay will head to India this week for further talks. He says they're making good progress, with some negotiations, but they're committed to getting the deal done. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Significant progress is being made on New Zealand's Free Trade Agreement with India. India's Trade Minister is in the country - discussing our trade relationship over the next few days with Minister Todd McClay and the Prime Minister. India has announced it's looking towards an early conclusion of the FTA. Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper explained that these discussions were why Luxon missed Question Time - prompting criticism from Labour. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chris Luxon reckons Donald Trump will take up his offer, of a round of golf in New Zealand. The Prime Minister's back in the country, after attending the ASEAN and APEC summits in Malaysia and South Korea last week. He met the US President, extending the opportunity for Trump to play a round with former PM Sir John Key. Luxon told Mike Hosking that Trump knows a lot about New Zealand's golf scene. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dame Noeline Taurua was stood down as the coach of the Silver Ferns in September due to 'significant issues' in the team. After many public statements and interviews, she was reinstated at the end of last month. Netball NZ, her employer, remained just vague enough that the public could allow their imaginations to run wild about what had happened. Andrew Bayly, MP for Port Waikato, resigned as a Minister after an 'animated discussion' during which he placed his hand on a staffers arm. He said he was led to believe a complaint had been laid, and his resignation was in response to that - but he very recently discovered that no formal complaint was made. Luxon has since said about Bayly, that he would have sacked him if he hadn't resigned first. But what is the right way to go about an employment dispute like these? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our political commentator ponders the artist formerly known as Prince Andrew, Trump and Luxon at Apec and Winston being a grumpy old man barking at cars and yelling at clouds.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Andrew Bayly, the MP for Port Waikato, stood down as ACC and Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister after allegations of unprofessional behaviour. While speaking to Newstalk ZB yesterday Bayly said he was told the allegations made against him had been corroborated by three other people - he now has evidence it was not. Speaking from Korea overnight Luxon reiterated he would have fired Bayly had he not resigned. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Prime Minister has offered Donald Trump a day's golfing in New Zealand with Sir John Key - if he visits. Chris Luxon had his first face to face conversation with Trump on the sidelines of the APEC Summit in South Korea. The US President mentioned visiting New Zealand a long time ago, calling it beautiful. Key, says he'd have no problem having a round with Trump. "I showed Obama round New Zealand, he was the former president at that point - but beautiful golf courses, why not? It'd be an entertaining chat for four hours on the course, wouldn't it?" LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, broadcaster Mark Sainsbury and Kiwiblog writer and Curia pollster David Farrar joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! National's Andrew Bayly has revealed why he resigned in February and attempted to clear up the situation with ZB's Barry Soper earlier today. What do we make of all this? Luxon and Trump had their first big face-to-face meeting today - how do we think it all went? The chat was about hair and golf, did we expect more? Is it okay for Chris Hipkins to take shots at Chris Luxon's wealth? Was that a low blow? Parents are struggling to get their babies vaccinated against measles and the Ministry of Health can't explain why they're making it so hard. Is this unreasonable? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Prime Minister has met with the US President, at the APEC summit in South Korea. Political reporter Lillian Hanly reports from Gyeongju.

The fastest and best half hour of politics analysis is here and ready to go. Joining Wallace tonight is Guyon Espiner, Marian Hobbs and David Farrar. Up for discussion tonight is: Labour's Capital Gains Tax, they finally did it. Or did they? Is it really a tax and will the voters slurp up what they are offering? The New Zealand Initiative is suggesting that any serious government reform should include provisions for MORE MPs, not less. Christopher Luxon is at ASEAN, is there room for him in the Trump show? and Winston Peters claps back to a Luxon tweet: trouble in paradise?

If yesterday told us anything, it's that National doesn't have to replace Chris Luxon as urgently as some in the party were saying just a couple of weeks ago. Because if Labour carries on like they did yesterday, National is probably going to be fine for next year, aren't they? That chat, by the way, was real. There really are senior people within the party who think that Chris Luxon needs to be replaced. And from the sounds of things, they were starting to get pretty anxious in the last few weeks because of the recent polls showing Labour pulling ahead and Luxon getting less popular. Surely they're gonna be feeling a little better today, because what we learned yesterday is Labour looks credible - until they start talking. The minute they start releasing policy, it goes south. Yesterday, they couldn't even get the policy out without it being leaked first. And then they did manage to get it out and it was the same old 'come for your money' that Labour always reverts to - and then Chippy wasn't at all credible on it when he had to start answering questions. Same with last week when the doctors' policy got released before Chippy was even ready for it. Now, this doesn't actually solve National's problem altogether. Luxon is still unpopular by previous Prime Ministers' standards. But I'd have to wonder, does he not look quite as bad when you see what the alternative is now? Is it possible that Labour has actually saved Luxon's skin by sending voters back to National by just being predictable money grabbers, and then incompetent at explaining it? 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.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says he wants to anchor New Zealand's security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region. Political reporter Lillian Hanly reports.

The Prime Minister's set to finalise a deal strengthening our diplomatic and trading ties with 11 South East Asian countries, as he meets with leaders in Malaysia. Chris Luxon is in Kuala Lumpur for the ASEAN summit and will finalise a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with the association. He's then off to South Korea, for the APEC summit later this week. Luxon told Mike Hosking that we will be only one of seven countries with this relationship, which is the highest level of diplomatic partnership possible. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Tuesday the 28th of October, we talk to the Trade Minister and Prime Minister (out of Malaysia) as Luxon tries to get a handshake and chat with President Trump. After Liam Lawson had another DNF in Mexico is his future looking a little shaky? Bob McMurray on the call Red Bull have to make. Andrew Saville and Jason Pine talk the long weekend of sport - F1, Joseph Parker, Dame Noeline Taurua and the NPC final. Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Prime Minister heads to Asia today, for crucial meetings on trade and the economy. Chris Luxon's first travelling to Malaysia for the East Asia Summit and mark a milestone of 50 years of diplomatic ties with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Newstalk ZB political reporter Ethan Griffiths says Luxon will be meeting with other world leaders at APEC to discuss trade. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Christopher Lunon's $8,000 rates relief on his Waiheke mansion is a slap in the face to struggling Kiwis. I reckon you can't make this up. Christopher Luxon, the Prime Minister who tells the rest of us to live within our means has saved $8,000.In terms of his rates bill for the year, so it's $25,000. It's now $17,000 on his $10 million Waiheke Island property that he says is not worth $10 million, eight grand on a property most of us couldn't afford to walk past, let alone own. This is the same man who's refused to cap rates, increases for ordinary New Zealanders like you and me, the same guy who says councils need to be fiscally disciplined while families in the suburbs are.Cutting back on food and fuel and school costs to survive. But Luxon, he's mortgage free and still he's asking for help with his rate. Bill, could you just lower it for me? Please? Let that sink in. He's worth millions. And I'm not anti wealth. I'm not anti wealth. I think wealth's really important. Okay. But he shows this guy's wealthy, right?Then wealthy people create jobs, right? So he's worth millions. He owns this luxury retreat on Waiheke and the system still finds a way to funnel him $8,000 in fewer costs. The kind of support meant for people doing it tough, not people with a personal vineyard view of the hauraki gulf It's the hypocrisy that stings, I think, because while you're being told to suck up, the rates, hikes and shoulder the cost of living.The Prime Minister is laughing. All the way to the bank.  Ani Obrien joins me to discuss it Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSypyI8wbnZgJDYY0VCdwJQ/join Get in touch with Duncan - duncan@rova.nz and join us on the socials. Website: https://www.rova.nz/podcasts/duncan-garner-editor-in-chief-live Instagram: @DuncanGarnerpodcast TikTok: @DuncanGarnerpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Prime Minister ponders the Alliance and Fonterra farmer votes. And why does Winston Peters have such a bee in his bonnet? Meanwhile, Chris Bishop is building new roads of national significance - great, but annual inflation at 3% - not so good. How will that affect future OCR drops? Plus, the mega-strikes and the weather are due to hit tomorrow, and Luxon farewells the last of the great farmer politicians.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Kiwiblog writer and Curia pollster David Farrar and Jack Tame from ZB's Saturday Mornings and Q&A joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! It's been a controversial couple of days for the Māori Party. Do we see the party splitting apart? Do we think Labour will officially rule out working with them before next year's election? A new poll in the Post has indicated Chris Bishop is the successor in waiting for Luxon - what do we make of this? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Recent polls show Prime Minister Chris Luxon's popularity has taken a nosedive, prompting speculation about his future in the National Party. With the election set to take place next year, there's growing speculation Luxon's leadership role might not last. Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says this discussion is a self-fulfilling prophecy, but it's likely there could be mood for change. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For the nearly 13% of young people not currently in work or study, the Prime Minister reckons he's got an answer: head to the regions. The government wants to stop people becoming "trapped" on the jobseeker benefit, so from November next year they are introducing a parental assistance test; meaning 18 and 19 year olds who's parents earn more than $65,000 a year will no longer be able to claim the benefit. Luxon says primary industries like horticulture are crying out for young people to come and work for them, so why not leave the big cities and get stuck into some good, honest graft? Evie Richardson reports.

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.

"Every three years the political goalposts move". Indeed, we call it an election. But the quote is from the infrastructure industry. Their report out this week tells you the usual tale – that the pipeline, or lack of it, is an issue and politics gets in the way. It holds the country back. The Treasury report we featured this week as well tells pretty much the same story. Their report spanned out over 40 years and talks of the fear that our debt will be at 200% of GDP if we don't do something about it. We have a lot of big picture issues that we know are issues and yet we haven't been able to crack them. To be fair this Government has tried the big picture talk. They've announced a pretty decent pipeline of longer-term work and they have cited various countries that have a greater level of political cooperation than we do. Certain sectors and projects are handled by independent bodies that operate between Governments; a project is agreed to and that project is not interfered with if a government changes. This week's example gave little hope that we have the maturity to try and change the way we continue to shoot ourselves in the collective foot. Luxon wrote to Hipkins about oil and gas exploration inquiring as to whether we can get cross party agreement. The problem is that although exploration and applications are back open and we have $200 million of taxpayer money to get skin in the game, the fear is that no one is signing up if you don't know the rules stay the same. Hipkins said the letter was desperate, so that's that then. Which is a shame and Hipkins should know better, act better, and ask himself whether he serves the country well with such a myopic response. No one is really a fan of oil and gas, but surely, we all agree it's a big help between now and whenever all the windmills, solar panels and batteries are up and running. Does he really prefer coal? Can he not see that keeping the lights on is kind of important? Can he not be a bigger person about it? America is closed down currently because the two sides hate each other. We aren't as bad, but we could be an awful lot better. Surely it can't be so hard to put common, economic interest beyond simple, party politics? Surely two major so-called centre parties can't be so far apart that a basic like power supply can't be dealt with in a civil and collegial way, right? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Prime Minister has said he is "delivering" on National's election promise not to forget blood cancer patients despite some telling Checkpoint they feel forgotten. Checkpoint has spoken to a number of blood cancer patients who've had to set up donation pages or raid their Kiwisaver to get the potentially life prolonging unfunded Daratumumab or, dara, which costs hundreds of thousands of dollars or even move to Australia to get the drug. Malcolm Mulholland from Patient Voice Aotearoa.

The Prime Minister and Finance Minister have been handed a bruising assessment from the country's top bosses. NZME's Head of Business, Fran O'Sullivan spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

Australia, the UK and Canada have all formerly recognised a Palestinian state. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon spoke to Corin Dann.

The Prime Minister maintains things are looking up despite GDP data showing the economy shrank more than expected in the last quarter. He's backing his Finance Minister to stay the course, despite calls for her resignation. Another former Finance Minister today weighing in, saying the government needs to cut spending further. The Labour leader says rather than just the Finance Minister - the whole government needs to go. Lillian Hanly reports.

In this exclusive interview, Liam sits down with Culpable's Dennis Cooper for a look behind the scenes. The two discuss the origin of Danny Violette's case, the renewed investigative efforts by the Culpable team, what listeners can expect this coming season, and the inner workings of the show. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices