Podcasts about National Party

So I don't know what's worse, the fact that Willow Jean Prime is a lazy, disinterested waste of space in Labour's team, or the fact that Labour's been busted almost lying about this. So let me get you across what happened, and you can decide for yourself. In March, Willow Jean Prime took over the Labour Party education portfolio from Jan Tonetti, and her National Party counterpart, Erika Stanford, sent her a text to say congrats and I need to get you up to speed with the NCEA change process. It would be good if we could meet first and I can run you through where we're at. There is a policy advisory group of principals who are working on the details. You can have access to them as well as my officials and also NZQA. Willow Jean does not bother to reply. Two months later in May, Erica's office sends an email saying, basically, haven't heard from Willow Jean, would like to ensure cross-party engagement can continue. Can we set up a meeting? Willow Jean doesn't bother to reply. A month later in mid-Junne, Erica personally writes again, Willow Jean, yeah, you know, doesn't bother to reply. Next month, July, Erica then goes up a level and writes to Chippy. He doesn't reply either, but then the next day Willow Jean finally does reply, and she says she declines your invitation. Fast forward now to the 25th of July and suddenly Willow Jean writes to Erica wanting to meet because she's read in the Herald that the NCEA changes are coming soon. Erica writes back, basically says to her, mate, you missed your chance, we have already made the decisions. Chippy, meanwhile, complains publicly that the government, AKA Erika Stanford, hasn't been consulting with him and Willow Jean on the NCEA changes. So, tell me now, having heard that, what do you think is worse? That Willow Jean can't be bothered doing her job properly, or that Chippy has an amazing ability to lie with a smile? Now, here are the key learnings from this incident. Willow Jean is not a serious, hardworking, or clever person, and it is not ready to be a minister. Chris Hipkins is not as honest as his lovely smiling face would make you think. Labour is thin on the ground for talent if Willow Jean Prime is #8 in their party, and don't mess with Erica because she will pull a beautiful hit job on you, which is exactly what's happened here. But also, Labour are just rude and unprofessional. It doesn't kill you to reply to a message. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I said earlier this week that the Government will be re-elected next year because, all things being equal, history tends to show you get two terms. Plus, the Opposition remain the same people who stuffed the place a year and a half ago and the pain of that, the closeness of that, is still real for too many of us. Unless of course they rejuvenate the party or say sorry – none of which is going to happen. This was all backed up by Treasury who, in one of their latest papers which is well worth reading, basically says the Government overspent. They were told not to overspend. And whatever spending they were doing should've been targeted and directly linked to Covid. None of that advice was followed. They sprayed money at a rate that equated to $66billion, or 20% of GDP, and when the worst was over they kept spraying. And here we are a couple of years later bogged down in their economic incompetence. The politics of it all is in full swing as Labour tried to blame the current Government for the mess. What's making that argument slightly complicated is the ongoing criticism, which is justifiable if you ask me, that for all the announcements and noise, this is a timid Government that really had licence to go for broke and they have largely chickened out. They have dabbled and poked and prodded and done some decent, common sense stuff. In just the past few weeks we've had changes to building products, garden sheds, speed limits, RUC's and NCEA. There is no shortage of bits and pieces but it's not transformational, hence the slow progress and the opening for Labour to have a crack. Labour are praying you forget all this is on them. But it is and the Treasury paper very clearly says so. They told Grant Robertson to tighten it up, to be disciplined, but socialists with majorities and egos are not for turning and so the ruinous money party was on. Writing about it doesn't fix it. But it is proof positive that this lot inherited one of the most ill-disciplined, ill-advised, arrogant, bungling, fiscal messes of the modern age and if you don't believe the National Party, believe Treasury. Labour don't have a leg to stand on. And the same people who did that to us are still there wanting you to forget and give them another crack in a years time. That is why they will not win. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the face of it, the announcement from Transport Minister Chris Bishop yesterday makes good sense. It's been signalled; it was National Party election policy to move away from a fuel excise duty to road user charges (RUC). Simeon Brown, who was the transport spokesman at the time, said it would be a fairer way to charge for the distance people drive rather than the amount of fuel they use, given the different nature of the way we drive these days and the vehicles we drive. So the current fuel excise duty is expected to be abolished in the coming years, all vehicles moving to road user charges. These are currently paid by owners of diesel, electric, and heavy vehicles. Last year the Government said the transition away from the so-called petrol tax could happen as soon as 2027. Yesterday, Chris Bishop said no date had been set, in order to make sure the changes aren't rushed. Which put this rather in the category of an announcement of an announcement. What was announced yesterday is: Removing the requirement to carry or display RUC licences, allowing for digital records instead. Enable the use of a broader range of electronic RUC devices, including those already built into many modern vehicles. Supporting flexible payment models, such as post-pay and monthly billing. Separating NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi's (NZTA) roles as both RUC regulator and retailer to foster fairer competition. Allowing bundling of other road charges such as tolls and time-of-use-based pricing into a single, easy payment. Currently, the system is mostly paper-based and drivers have to monitor their odometers to check what distance they have driven. It also requires owners to buy RUCs in 1000km chunks. The Automobile Association is broadly supportive of the changes. AA Transport policy director Martin Glynn spoke to the Mike Hosking Breakfast and believes moving to an electronic system is a good idea. MG: “I think absolutely long term, as vehicles become more fuel efficient and people start, you know, there's different ways of powering vehicles, as we all know it's just not sustainable. So yeah we actually do need to make the shift. MH: "The electronics behind it, is the transfer easy? If you get an app or you get a sensor in your car or whatever that turns out to be, is that easy? MG: "The announcements been a little bit vague. Certainly for new cars the Minister's been clear that a lot of that data and the systems are already available in the car itself, so that should be fairly straightforward. But I think that what he seems to be signalling is that we're moving to electronic devices to measure distance, and base, and weight. So that would be actually something in vehicles like we have the heavy vehicles now. And the National Road Carrier Association CEO Justin Tighe-Umbers spoke to Early Edition this morning, and they also think it's a good move. “It's a once in 50 year change. Every country around the world is actually facing this problem where you've got EVs and far more efficient petrol engines just reducing how roading's paid for. New Zealand's actually in, we're in quite a good position because we're world pioneers in road user charges. We were the first to bring it out in the late 70s and we're still a world leader on it with electronic RUCs for how trucks pay for it, so we're actually in quite a strong position compared to other countries.” Who knew? I did not realise that we were world leaders in road user charges. At first glance, it makes sense. The Minister said that as our vehicle fleet has changed, so too must the way we fund our roads. It isn't fair, Chris Bishop said, to have Kiwis who drive less and can't afford the fuel-efficient cars paying more than people who can afford one and drive more often. He said the intent is to make paying RUC user friendly and similar to paying a power bill online or a Netflix subscription. The thing is though, if you don't pay your power bill or your Netflix subscription, the service is cut. You don't get it anymore. You don't pay, you don't get it. You can't do that with roads. It's not as though all of a sudden a barrier is going to appear at your driveway, and you're not allowed to go onto the road because you haven't paid your RUC. And according to number of mechanics, the number of vehicles that turn up where the RUC have not been paid is extraordinary. So the system will only be as good as the technology that can isolate the people who are not paying. I'm sure you'll be able to fiddle the electronics if you can fiddle odometers, and people have been doing that ever since there's been the buying and trading of vehicles. The technology has to be as tamper proof as we can make it. It's the right move, but we just have to ensure we have the technology to ensure that users do indeed pay. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When I heard Transport Minister Chris Bishop talking about the Government's changes to the road user charges system, I had a bit of a Max Bradford moment. Max was the National Party minister who told us back in 1988 that his reforms of the electricity sector were going to mean cheaper power prices. Which is what Chris Bishop was saying yesterday about the plan to ditch petrol taxes and move all vehicle owners to road user charges which, at the moment, are only paid by people with diesel, electric, and heavy vehicles. He said: “From a cash flow point of view, it'll help people. At the moment, when you go and fill your car up you pay petrol tax at the pump, right there at 70 cents per litre, roughly.” The part of yesterday's announcement that really caught my eye was NZTA not being responsible for collecting and processing the road user charge payments. Instead, that's going to be farmed out to private operators which the government says will encourage “fairer competition”. And, in saying that, the Government is trying to sell some sort of idea that by not having NZTA involved, these charges are somehow going to be cheaper. Which is why I had Max Bradford ringing in my ears. Because he was talking nonsense when he said his reforms back in 1988 were going to mean cheaper power prices. And Chris Bishop is talking nonsense if he expects us to believe that contracting private outfits to take over is going to mean cheaper costs for vehicle owners. The minister says it's possible we'll pay our road user charges through an app, which is why the government wants to get private operators involved. Because it doesn't want to spend the time and money developing the technology and the systems. But will this “fairer competition” it's talking about really mean things being cheaper at our end? Of course not. And this is not me having a dig at any of the companies who might have heard that announcement yesterday and saw an opportunity. Because that's what business is all about: seeing opportunities. And, again, this isn't me having a dig at businesses, but they don't do these kinds of things for free. Being in business is all about clipping the ticket as much as possible. And no business is going to want to get involved in the new road user charging system if it can't clip the ticket. That's just how it is. Which is why I don't like the Government's plan to take NZTA out of the picture. Yes, I support the shift to everyone paying road user charges, because that makes sense. Because when you use a road, it makes no difference whether you drive an old dunger or something more modern – you're still using it. With road user charges, you pay depending on how many kilometres you drive instead of how much fuel you buy. And if you've got the most fuel-efficient vehicle on the market, why should you effectively pay less to use the same road as someone who can only afford an old gas guzzler? You shouldn't. So the move to us all paying road user charges will get no argument from me. What I am pushing back on, though, is the plan to get private companies running the new system. To let private companies clip the ticket which, as far as I can see, will only lead to us paying more. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's been a busy start to the week and Mark Mitchell and Ginny Andersen joined Mike Hosking to delve into some of the biggest topics thus far. The Government is completely overhauling secondary school qualifications, aiming to completely replace NCEA over five years. Is this a sensible plan? The criteria for Māori claiming Customary Marine Titles will be tightened as the Government forges ahead with the changes to the Marine and Coastal Area Act – is pushing forward the right decision? And the National Party President has made some bold claims at the party conference – does she have a point? LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On Thursday last week, the coalition government passed legislation to reverse the ban on oil and gas exploration — a ban which had been initiated by the previous government in 2018. Minister Shane Jones who drove the reversal, highlighted the impact of the ban on economic growth and energy supply in New Zealand. Opposition parties have voiced concerns about the impact of this decision for New Zealand's climate commitments. As well, yesterday Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Education Minister Erica Stanford announced an overhaul of the NCEA system, to be replaced with qualifications that they say will be better to understand, and more aligned with international standards. Finally, as the United States places 15% tariffs on NZ exports, the Labour party have said the government needs to do more to strengthen our trade relationships to avoid a rise in the cost of living for kiwis. Host Sara spoke with National MP Carl Bates about all these topics. Sara started by asking him to explain the government's decision to reverse the ban on oil and gas exploration in New Zealand.

For Dear Science this week, our expert, Dr Daniel Thomas on history, pre-history, and the search for Atlantis For our weekly catchup with the National Party, Host Sara spoke to MP Carl Bates about the reversal of the oil and gas exploration ban, yesterday's announcement of an NCEA overhaul and US tariffs. Sara also spoke with Greenpeace executive director Russel Norman, about the oil and gas ban reversal in New Zealand, and the plans in the US to repeal the finding that greenhouse gas emissions endanger human health. Producer Faith spoke to Professor Treasa Dunworth from the University of Auckland about the government's statement on Gaza. Faith also spoke to the university's Dr. Michael Rehm about the humidity standards in green homes, and what needs to change about the rating system.

On Thursday last week, the coalition government passed legislation to reverse the ban on oil and gas exploration — a ban which had been initiated by the previous government in 2018. Minister Shane Jones who drove the reversal, highlighted the impact of the ban on economic growth and energy supply in New Zealand. Opposition parties have voiced concerns about the impact of this decision for New Zealand's climate commitments. As well, yesterday Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Education Minister Erica Stanford announced an overhaul of the NCEA system, to be replaced with qualifications that they say will be better to understand, and more aligned with international standards. Finally, as the United States places 15% tariffs on NZ exports, the Labour party have said the government needs to do more to strengthen our trade relationships to avoid a rise in the cost of living for kiwis. Host Sara spoke with National MP Carl Bates about all these topics. Sara started by asking him to explain the government's decision to reverse the ban on oil and gas exploration in New Zealand.

The National party gathered on Saturday for its annual conference, with Christopher Luxon putting an economic stake in the ground ahead of next year's election. RNZ's Acting Political Editor Craig McCulloch spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

"Say yes" to more - was the message from the Prime Minister at his address to National party members in Christchurch. The party gathered on Saturday for its annual conference, in which Christopher Luxon put an economic stake in the ground ahead of next year's election. Corin Dann has more.

The National Party Conference will kick off later today in Christchurch off the back of bad news for exporters with U.S imposition of a 15% trade tariff. 

After a quick break in which nothing happened (we got a new Pope, The Little Prexit, Bridie's friend did his ACL). Freddie, Bridie, and Dana look at the aftermath of the election, leading to the National Party's unexpected withdrawal from the coalition and what happens next. They also discuss the worsening famine in Gaza and Trump's latest antics with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australia has lifted its longstanding ban on US beef imports, with the government denying any influence from Donald Trump. Officials say the move follows updated biosecurity standards, but critics, including the National Party, are calling for an independent review. The decision has sparked concerns over hormone use, disease risk, and its impact on Australian cattle farmers. However, with US cattle stocks at historic lows and demand for Australian beef rising, experts say a market flood is unlikely.

Today on Wednesday Brekkie, Rosetta is flying solo in the studio - because Milly is on a mission to get to Rosedale Bakery in Albany, to try to winning pie of the Supreme Pie Awards last night! Also on the show, What's Up with The National Party's Chris Penk, and a kōrero with Half Hexagon's James Milne about their a new track + the release of their EPs on vinyl! Whakarongo mai nei! Thanks to Atomic!

On Friday, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith announced various changes to the electoral system in New Zealand which he says seek to make the process of voting more efficient and effective for future elections. These include the closing of enrolment 13 days before the official election day, prohibiting the provision of food and drink at polling booths, and a reinstatement of a total prisoner voting ban. A number of Labour and Greens party politicians have been among those to criticise the changes as a disenfranchisement of voters which will make democratic engagement in New Zealand more difficult. As well, last week the Ministry for Housing and Urban Development released the latest iteration of the Homelessness Insights Report which reveals that there has been a quantifiable rise in homelessness across Aotearoa.

On Friday, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith announced various changes to the electoral system in New Zealand which he says seek to make the process of voting more efficient and effective for future elections. These include the closing of enrolment 13 days before the official election day, prohibiting the provision of food and drink at polling booths, and a reinstatement of a total prisoner voting ban. A number of Labour and Greens party politicians have been among those to criticise the changes as a disenfranchisement of voters which will make democratic engagement in New Zealand more difficult. As well, last week the Ministry for Housing and Urban Development released the latest iteration of the Homelessness Insights Report which reveals that there has been a quantifiable rise in homelessness across Aotearoa.

For Dear Science this week, our expert, Professor Allan Blackman, chats with us about an astronomical discovery, the passing of the great Tom Lehrer, and the latest estimate on your required daily step count In our weekly catchup with the National Party's Tom Rutherford, I ask about the government's recent electoral reforms, and the latest Homelessness Insights report In light of this homelessness report, I also speak with Manaaki Rangatahi spokesperson Brooke Stanley about her views on addressing homelessness in Aotearoa, as well as Dr Madeline Shelling from Ihi Research about the health impacts of housing insecurity for Māori and Pacific populations  Finally, Faith spoke to commercial law Professor Alex Sims from the University of Auckland about the ongoing problems caused by AI deepfakes, and what Denmark is doing to tackle them.

Evidence shows urgent action is needed to prevent the climate crisis from worsening but political will is waning. As the Coalition takes the debate back to the future on the merits of net zero, questions remain about Labor's willingness to act on its own policies. Reged Ahmad speaks to editor Lenore Taylor, head of newsroom Mike Ticher and climate and environment editor Adam Morton on what's distracting Australia from acting on the climate emergency

Tania Waikato joins us LIVE at 9pm to talk about what interest.co.nz described as "the clear strategic imperative for all three Coalition partners is break-out. Each must seize as much of the Right's ideological territory as possible for themselves" over the next 15 monthsStephen Colbert gone, TV3 sold for $1...what's the latest happenings in the world of media telling news stories. New political polling has the National Party headed towards one term in power, with a majority thinking the country is on the “wrong track”, disapproving of the Government's performance and a near majority believing it is time to “give another party a go”.The Finance Minister is meeting with Fonterra's chief executive to discuss the nearly 50 percent surge in butter prices. Nicola Willis has acknowledged Kiwis think the cost of living is too high, and the Opposition agrees, with Labour accusing the Government of failing to address the strain on households.=================================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

Now, here's a prediction for you - watch those Waikato University medical school costs blowout. I reckon it's gonna blow out and there's all the signs this thing is gonna blow out. Even when the Waikato University was itself putting in less money, which is $100 million, there were questions about whether it could afford it because Waikato University's debt level is maxed out at the moment. So everybody looked at it and went, are you actually gonna be able to afford it? Well now, it not only has to put in the $100 million, it has to put in $150 million between itself and some philanthropists it needs to find. Now, what do you think happens if for whatever reason, it cannot quite find that money? Who do you think is going to be called upon to fund the gap? The long-suffering taxpayer. That's a blowout for us. Now, that's not even mentioning the chances that this thing costs much more than what they say it's gonna cost. I'm very suspicious about how it is that a $380 million project suddenly got cut down to $230 million without anything actually being cut out of it. How did that happen? And even at the higher estimate, which was $380 million, I was already worried that that wasn't really going to cover it, because there were warnings then that it was going to blow out - because the thing is being rushed. Treasury said that whenever we rush things, like the Dunedin Hospital build, we end up with unexpected and often urgent cost escalations. Now, I'm incredibly cynical about the fact that this has somehow managed to radically cut the costs of a scheme that was being questioned for being too expensive and unnecessary when we already have two medical schools. And I worry very much that we have been presented the best case scenario to get us across the line on a National Party election promise that actually wasn't stacking up anymore. And that once we've invested in this and the shovels are in the ground and the costs start to blow out, we go - well, we're already pouring money into it, we simply will have to continue pouring money into it, which is how this always goes. So I hope that this comes in under budget, and if it does, I absolutely will apologize for what I'm saying right now, but I don't think it will. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gareth Hughes is the Director of the Wellbeing Economy Alliance Aotearoa is a former Green MP and is no longer a member of any political party. Liam Hehir is a Palmerston North lawyer, political commentator and a National Party member.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

For Dear Science this week, our expert, Dr Daniel Thomas, chats with us about snake and spider venom, saber-toothed tiger extinction, and penguin travel patterns, thanks to MOTAT. In our weekly catchup with the National Party's Tom Rutherford, Wire Host Sara asks about the government's recent $6billion infrastructure announcement. Sara also speaks to youth homelessness advocate Aaron Hendry about the rise of homelessness in light of Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka's most recent interview. Producer Faith spoke to the University of Auckland's Nicola Gaston about the government's $231m support of breakthrough technology, and whether there are any concerns about AI and synthetic biology. Faith also spoke to the University of Otago's Dr. Karen Wright about Villa Maria Estate's recent decision to put cancer warnings on their wines sold in Ireland.

From humble beginnings to a rising star in the National Party, James Meager’s journey to the Beehive has been rapid to say the least. In just two years he’s gone from delivering his maiden speech, to becoming a Minister of the Crown, tackling the portfolios of Youth, Hunting and Fishing, and the newly established South Island portfolio. So, how do we make sure every young person in New Zealand gets the best possible start in life? And what does it actually mean to be the Minister for the South Island? Today on The Front Page, James Meager joins us to discuss what the trajectory from party staffer to Minister has been like, and what the future holds for the kid from Timaru. 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: Ethan SillsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Last week Pharmac workers announced their first-ever strike over cuts to annual pay increases and deteriorating work conditions. Also last week, the New Zealand Nurses Organisation announced plans to strike on July 30th. The nurses' strike follows concerns around understaffing and overcrowding, with many staff members facing burnout.  These two issues have been attributed to similar causes - not enough funding in the health sector, which is forcing redundancies, increased hours, and understaffing. While the government has committed extra funding to the health sector in the last two budgets, critics say the funding is inadequate and barely catching up to existing deficits.  In our weekly catch-up with the National party, Wire host Castor asked Tom Rutherford about health funding and the government's plans moving forward in light of the two recently announced health workers' strikes.

This week on the Tuesday Wire... For Dear Science, our expert, Professor Allan Blackman, chatted with us about lightning created by peeling tape, links between talc and cancer, and a new form of Nitrogen.  In our weekly catchup with the National Party's Tom Rutherford, Wire host Castor asked about the government's health contributions in light of recent strikes. They also spoke to Emeritus Professor Tim Hazledine about David Seymour's plans to address the supermarket duopoly in Aotearoa.  On the topic of the recent Economy of Genocide report released by UN Special rapporteur Francesca Albanese, producer Sara spoke with both University of Otago's Professor of International Relations Robert Patman, as well as Amnesty International Aotearoa's Margaret Taylor.

This week on the Tuesday Wire... For Dear Science, our expert, Daniel Thomas chatted with us about rice arriving in the Pacific, native forests sinking carbon, and seaweed used for grooming orcas.  In our weekly catchup with the National Party's Tom Rutherford, Wire host Castor asked about the regulatory standards bill in light of it going to select committee.  Producer Faith spoke to Larisa Hockey from the Long COVID Kids organisation about the effects of Long COVID on children, and how the issue should be addressed. She also spoke to the CEO of Cannabis Clinic NZ, Dr. Waseem Alzaher, about the stigma around medicinal cannabis. 

Hearings on the regulatory standards bill are currently underway, with around 23,000 total submissions both written and oral. Early analysis of the submissions estimated 88% percent are in opposition, while only 0.3% are in support.  The bill has been pushed by Minister for Regulation and ACT Party leader David Seymour, who says it should support the government to reduce regulation and ensure the protection of individual rights and private property. The bill has been criticised for not including clauses around Te Tiriti o Waitangi or environmental protections. It has also been criticised for potentially undemocratic elements, placing large amounts of control in the hands of the unelected Ministry for Regulation. In our weekly catch-up with the National party, Wire host Castor asked Tom Rutherford about the regulatory standards bill in light of the select committee hearings and new criticisms.

After a bruising election loss, the Coalition is at a crossroads. Can it reinvent itself as a credible alternative to Labor, or will internal divisions over nuclear energy, net zero and the Liberal party's identity doom it to another term in opposition? Guardian Australia chief political correspondent, Tom McIlroy, speaks with the deputy opposition leader, Ted O'Brien, about the road ahead – from climate policy to rebuilding trust – and whether the Coalition can rise from the ashes of defeat

Labour leader Chris Hipkins raised a few eyebrows after he offered his theory about why ram-raids don't get as much media coverage anymore. In an earlier interview on ZB's Wellington Mornings, Chris Hipkins claimed NZME's 'Tory owners' decided not to put ram-raids on the front page anymore - in order to put the National Party in a better light. NZ Herald political editor Thomas Coughlan says data shows ram-raids have dropped significantly over the last year. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Before Trump there was Joh. A laconic right-wing Premier who ruled Queensland with an iron first for 20 years. A cowboy politician who was surrounded by corruption at every level - but always managed to avoid going down. At his disposal was a hippy-bashing police force that is alleged to have murdered numerous political opponents and whistleblowers. It’s a chapter of Australian history that everyone wants to forget. Especially Queenslanders. ESPECIALLY the National Party. This week’s guest has done the opposite, one of Queensland’s great filmmakers, Kriv Stenders, joins the Betoota Talks to discuss this era of Australian politics, and his new documentary that’s available now on Stan. It’s tilted JOH - THE LAST KING OF QUEENSLANDSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on the Tuesday Wire... For Dear Science our expert, Professor Allan Blackman, chatted with us about new theories about the big bang, maths anxiety, and the legitimacy of a silver Dutch basin. In our weekly catchup with the National Party's Tom Rutherford, Wire host Castor asked about Chris Bishop's comments at the Aotearoa Music Awards, the suspension of Te Pāti Māori MPs from parliament, and the new Parent Boost Visa.  They also spoke to CEO of immigration advisory group Aims Global, Arunima Dhingra, about the Parent Boost Visa and how it addresses the issues migrants are facing in Aotearoa. And they spoke to the owner of Hard to Find Books, Warwick Jordan, about news that the bookshop's lease on Saint Benedicts Street will end at the start of next year.  Producer Faith spoke to Kate Stone from Justice for Palestine NZ, about why she thinks our government should recognise the state of Palestine. She also spoke to PhD student Yuan Gao from the University of Auckland's health psychology department, about her research on how robots can help people with dementia.

Inside The CIA's Secret War In Jamaica tells the story of the campaign from the United States to destabilize the Michael Manley government in 1976 due to his ties to Fidel Castro. The book covers the rise of violence between the PNP (People's National Party) and the JLP (Jamaica Labor Party), the assassination attempt of Bob Marley, and the rise of the Jamaica Shower Posse and its ties to the CIA. Gane-McCalla also takes an in-depth look into the events leading up to 1976 for both the CIA and the country of Jamaica including Jamaica's history of pirates and slave rebellions, and its road to independence. To understand the nature and history of the CIA, the book gets to the bottom of the John F. Kennedy assassination, Watergate, CIA heroin smuggling in Laos during the Vietnam War, and cocaine trafficking during Iran-Contra, which involved the same players who were involved in destabilizing Jamaica.https://amzn.to/3T72cGRBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-opperman-report--1198501/support.

More than half of New Zealanders support a social media ban for under 16 year olds, according to the latest RNZ Reid-Research poll. It comes as the government looks into options to restrict social media for young people, after a National Party members Bill was dismissed by the ACT party as unworkable. Politicians agree something needs to be done - but exactly what that is, or how its implemented isn't yet clear. Political reporter Lillian Hanly reports.

The Budget for 2025 came out two weeks ago, with news for the nation on how funds will be allocated over the coming year. The budget held big news for defence spending, $12 billion over the next four years, including $9 billion of new spending.  The funding is planned to go towards various technologies and equipment for different branches of the military, including replacements for two Air Force Boeing 757 planes and new helicopters to be operated from Navy ships. Defence Minister Judith Collins also announced plans to acquire new killer drones with increased lethality, raising some human rights concerns.  In our weekly catchup with National's Tom Rutherford, Wire host Castor asked about the defence spending announcements, concerns over killer drones, and if this money is best spent on more military equipment.

This week on the Tuesday Wire... For Dear Science, our expert, Professor Allan Blackman, chatted with us about discounting claims of life on k2-18b, stories of a mysterious ninth planet, and 'The Blue Danube' heading to outer space.  In our weekly catchup with the National Party's Tom Rutherford, Wire host Castor asked about the new defence spending in 2025's Budget and where everything's going to go.  They also spoke to the General Manager at Forest and Bird, Richard Capie, about the disestablishment of Predator Free 2050.  Producer Faith spoke to Professor Robert MacCulloch from the University of Auckland's School of Business and Economics about the official cash rate (OCR), and whether or not it should drop. She also spoke to Professor Jodi Gardner from the University's Faculty of Law about how the government's Budget 2025 will invest in abuse redress and care reform.

Neale Jones was Chief of Staff to Labour Leader Jacinda Ardern and Liam Hehir is a Palmerston North lawyer, political commentator, and National Party member

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With the announcement of how the government is planning to spend money over the next year comes the question of how this will impact the National Party's chances of being re-elected into power in next year's General Election. When presenting her work to Parliament, Finance Minister, Nicola Willis, said that “every Kiwi knows this government has their back”. However, elements of the Budget have been criticised by opposition parties and various activist groups, with opposition leader, Chris Hipkins, calling funding decisions in the Budget “strange and unnecessary”. The Budget can play a major role in whether a government will be re-elected or not.  Labour's 1958 Budget, for example, which has since become known as the ‘Black Budget,' resulted in Finance Minister at the time, Arnold Nordmeyer, imposing additional taxes on cars, alcohol, and tobacco, in an attempt to limit the need for international goods during the payments crisis in late 1957. This caused political tensions, and as a result, Labour lost the 1960 general election after one term. News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host, Joel, spoke to Brian Roper — an Associate Professor in Politics at the University of Otago, about how Budget 2025 will impact National's chances to be re-elected, and his opinion on what party, or parties, will make up the next government.

This week on the Monday Wire: For our weekly catchup with Te Pāti Māori's Takutai Kemp, News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host, Joel, speaks to her about Budget 2025 and its impacts on Māori initiatives, and the deferral of the debate into the suspension of Te Pāti Māori MPs. For our weekly catchup with the ACT Party's Simon Court, Joel speaks to him also about Budget 2025, specifically around spending on education and how the Budget will impact young people. They speak to Brian Roper — an Associate Professor in Politics at the University of Otago, about the 2025 Budget, and how much of an impact this Budget will have for the National Party's chances of a re-election. And they speak to the Co-Founder and General Manager of KickBack, Aaron Hendry, about his concerns with Budget 2025 in addressing the youth homelessness crisis. Whakarongo mai.

As this episode was recorded, the Liberal and National parties were still locked in discussions over the Coalition agreement, after the parties dramatically parted ways earlier in the week. But with a reunion already on the cards, Bridie Jabour spoke with Mike Ticher and former rural and regional editor Gabrielle Chan about why the breakup could be good for regional voters

Senior Liberal and National Party members are urgently working to rebuild the Coalition before shadow cabinet positions are announced; A major investigation is underway as a 17 year old girl hasn’t been seen May 15; NSW Premier Chris Minns says around 50,000 people have been told to prepare for evacuation, with nearly 10,000 homes at risk as major floods hit the Mid North Coast; A new drug that slows the early stages of Alzheimer’s has just been approved for use in Australia; Mariah Carey is returning to Australia after more than ten years, headlining Fridayz Live. The Quicky is the easiest and most enjoyable way to get across the news every day. And it’s delivered straight to your ears in a daily podcast so you can listen whenever you want, wherever you want...at the gym, on the train, in the playground or at night while you're making dinner. Support independent women's media CREDITS Host/Producer: Tahli BlackmanBecome a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Liberals and Nationals are back at the negotiating table, just two days after their bombshell break-up.  

After a humiliating general election defeat, Australia’s National Party has bid farewell to its coalition partners of more than 60 years. But what is behind this seemingly self-defeating manoeuvre? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Just a week after taking charge in the wake of the Liberals’ disastrous election result, Opposition Leader Sussan Ley now finds herself without a coalition partner. Nationals leader David Littleproud says he walked from the agreement after the Liberals refused to lock in a list of policy commitments, while Ley accused the Nationals of holding the agreement “hostage”. The split is a major setback for the Liberals, but it may be worse for the National Party – now relegated to a minor party on the crossbench. Today, special correspondent for The Saturday Paper, Jason Koutsoukis, on why the Coalition broke up and what it will take to bring them back together. If you enjoy 7am, the best way you can support us is by making a contribution at 7ampodcast.com.au/support. Socials: Stay in touch with us on Instagram Guest: Special correspondent for The Saturday Paper, Jason Koutsoukis. Photo: AAP Image/Lukas Coch; Mick TsikasSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nightlife News Breakdown with Philip Clark, joined by Andrew Tillett, who writes on politics, foreign affairs, defence and security from the Canberra press gallery for the Australian Financial Review. 

The National Party and Liberal Party have not been able to reach a coalition agreement, ending a partnership between the two parties. Foreign Minister Penny Wong is in the Pacific to meet with the prime ministers and foreign ministers of Fiji, Tonga and Vanuatu. Residents of New South Wales Hunter and Mid-North Coast regions have been hit hard by severe weather in the past 24 hours, with no reprieve from enduring rain in the coming days. - 国民党と自由党が、保守連合としての79年にわたる関係に終止符を打ちます。オーストラリアのペニー・ウォン外相が、選挙後初となる外遊で太平洋諸島を訪れています。激しい天候に見舞われているニューサウスウェールズ州のハンター地方とミッドノースコーストでは、30校が休校となっています。午後１時から放送されたラジオ番組のニュース部分をお届けします。

The Nationals leader, David Littleproud, has confirmed his party will not be entering a coalition agreement with the Liberal party. Chief political correspondent Tom McIlroy speaks to Reged Ahmad on what contributed to the decision to end an 80-year-old partnership, and what this means for the new parliament

After a humiliating election defeat, the historic coalition between the Liberal Party and the National Party has imploded. The extraordinary split between the two conservative parties leaves Australia without a united and effective opposition, meaning that on their own, have no hope of beating Labor at the next election in three years time. Australia correspondent Peter Ryan spoke to Lisa Owen.

This week, the Liberal party elected its first female leader in Sussan Ley, but she's already fighting to keep the factional sharks at bay. Same goes for the Nationals, who've re-elected David Littleproud in a leadership challenge that revealed deep divisions. The Greens also elected a new leader on Thursday, but will that mean a change in strategy after their stinging election loss?Reged Ahmad talks to head of newsroom Mike Ticher, national news editor Jo Tovey and chief political correspondent Tom McIlroy about whether changes in leadership could mean a change in our politics

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