Podcasts about New Zealand First

As part of Fieldays, Federated Farmers have done the most interesting survey. It is a snapshot, like them all. But the numbers for one lot are so stark, alarm bells should be ringing. So, who would a farmer vote for? You would say National and you would be right. Broadly the farming community is conservative, always has been. That, partly, is because they are their own masters, they are hard workers, they are self-reliant, they are at the cutting edge of the economy, and they know how life works. So 54% said they'd vote for National and 19% said ACT. Here is where it gets interesting and/or alarming. 8% said they'd vote for NZ First. They're the only party with farmers at about the same level as they are nationally. Labour is on 3%. How bad is that? Even with a margin of error, even with a massive margin of error, Labour should be shocked at that figure. Every party has their sweet spot, some parties more overtly so, e.g. the Greens and environmentalists, or communists. ACT have some upmarket urban liberals. New Zealand First having a provincial number higher than the city wouldn't surprise me But National and Labour, as major parties should be, by their very nature are broad-based. After all, it is Labour and National, and Labour and National alone, that will lead any given Government on any given day. You have to at least have a half-decent level of support even in your weakest areas. Farming is particularly important, given we are a farming nation, the foreign receipts we get from the land and the value of our free trade deals. To have a major party so out of touch with such a large sector strikes me as being astonishing, if not embarrassing, if not unheard of. My suspicion is the current version of Labour is particularly unpalatable, and this is going to be their major issue next year. For all voters the damage done to the country is still fresh in most of our minds, but no more so than farmers. The climate obsession, special land area designation, Three Waters with Māori overreach, no gas, and more paperwork. Farmers hated it. A lot of us hated it. But in general polls Labour are competitive. On the land they are pariahs. At 3% that is a massive hill for Hipkins and co to climb between now and October next year. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Te Pāti Māori co-leaders and one of its MPs are beginning their suspension from Parliament after unprecedented punishments against them were confirmed. New Zealand First leader Winston Peters spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

There seems to be increasing reportage, based around some new research, that our dream of being smokefree is up in smoke. 2025 is the year when we were aiming to be smokefree. By smokefree, it would have been reduced to 5% left smoking. To meet that goal, the research says about 80,000 more people need to quit. They won't. As always, the fact they haven't, or won't, is somehow the Government's fault, who haven't done enough. Or worse, this particular Government, who they say have been shocking, led by New Zealand First and Casey Costello who is a devil and in the pocket of the tobacco companies – or some such gibberish those like the Labour Party spend a lot of time trying to suggest. Where it went wrong was twofold. The first was the belief, and this was classic Labour under Helen Clark, that you could force people to do something they didn't want to, and there were always going to be people who didn't want to. Where it worked, and we can be grateful, was in the public space part of it. No longer are you forced to inhale if you don't want to, or smell like a smoker, or stand in a group, or be trapped by it. But beyond that, once the hardcores were on the footpath, some were never giving up. The second thing that went wrong was vaping, a shocking miscalculation that it was a cessation tool, when what it really was a gateway for kids. A whole new generation got easy access, and the slippery slope was never going to get stopped. Governments could have nipped it in the bud but didn't. They could have made vapes script only like Australia, but didn't. The Labour Party under Ayesha Verrall, a medical professional from the party who invented smokefree, hurled their best wet bus ticket at the vaping market. So nothing happened. History will show they were out of the gates, Clark-style, with gusto. There was early progress on public spaces and a general change in attitude to the habit, followed by the predictable malaise and hardcore resistance, leaving us 25 years on with a change in society but well short of what was envisioned. Good crack, failed on the follow through. I'd give it 7 out of 10. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Honestly, I don't know why we report on polls. Seriously, I don't know why I'm even talking about them myself, but it's really ripped my nightie overnight. They're so frustrating, and because media companies commission them, it makes the media look like master manipulators. This is from 1News last night (I didn't watch 1News, obvs) but this is from their website – both National and Labour have slid in the latest 1News-Verian poll, while New Zealand First have moved to their strongest position in eight years. If an election were to be held today, the right bloc of National, ACT, and New Zealand First would have 63 seats —enough to form a coalition— while the left bloc of Labour, the Greens, and Te Pati Māori would have 58 seats. So that's from 1News and their Verian poll. This is from Radio New Zealand – after the budget and pay equity changes, the left bloc would have the support to turf the coalition out of power, the latest RNZ-Reid Research poll shows. The preferred Prime Minister and leadership ratings are also bad news for the government, with the exception of Winston Peters, who's seen his highest results since 2017. The ratings of the government's general performance have also continued to slide, with Labour, the Greens and Te Pati Māori all gaining compared to the previous poll, they would have a majority with 63 seats between them, compared to the coalitions 57. A direct opposite of what 1News-Verian said. How can this be? And it's always headline news. You've got 1News talking about the right bloc being able to hold on to power, but only just, and look out. You've got RNZ crowing about the fact that the coalition government would be turfed out of power with the left gaining hold. And both lead with it, and it leaves me scratching my head and doubting both of them. How do you imagine the pollsters collect their data? Random phone calls of 1000 people? No, no, no. It's far more tricky than that, and they put it in every story. It must be an obligation on the part of the media company to say how the data was collected. From TVNZ: Between May 24 and May 28, 1002 eligible voters were polled by mobile phone (500) and online, using online panels (502). What are online panels? Are they things you sign up to yourself? Who knows? The maximum sampling area is approximately plus 3.1%. Party support percentages have been rounded up or down to whole numbers. The data has been weighted to align with Stats NZ population counts for age, gender, region, ethnic identification and education level. So what does that mean? If I'm a numpty, am I worth 2 points as opposed to somebody who leaves school worth NCEA and that's worth one? What does that mean? If I'm 18 and I respond, does that mean because there are fewer 18 year olds who respond, does it mean that my reckon is worth double that of somebody who's 50+. How can you weight the information? And not all 18 year olds think the same way. If you're looking at ethnic identification, not all Māori, not all Pakeha, not all Pasifika, not all Chinese people, think the same way. The sample for mobile phones is selected by random dialling using probability sampling. Online sample is collected using an online panel. So that's from 1News. This is from RNZ: This poll of 1008 people was conducted by Reid Research using quota sampling and weighting to ensure representative cross section by age, gender and geography. The poll was conducted through online interviews between the 23rd and 30th of May 2025, has a maximum margin of error of +/- 3.1%. I'm of a mind to never discuss the polls again. The statisticians and the research pollsters and the companies all say, oh, no, no, no, it's terribly scientific. Is it really? When you've got two polls conducted over the same time, presumably using the same scientific methods, coming up with two completely different results. If the polls were scientific, surely you'd see a consensus of opinion. You wouldn't go sniffing like a truffle hunter looking for respondents that agree with your particular version of the way things should be. It's like you're researching into an echo chamber. It's not worth the time and the money. If this is what RNZ is spending their money on, given that they are funded by the taxpayer, I'd rather they spend it on training up young reporters or allowing a veteran reporter to spend some time doing some investigative journalism, rather than coming up with a poll that supports their worldview. And which is in direct contrast to the other taxpayer funded organisation, which is kind of paying its way at the moment, which is 1News. What is the point? How on earth can we take them seriously when they come up with completely different results and when all the data is weighed, quotas are taken, samplings adjusted. It's an absolute crock. The emperor is stark naked and shouldn't be taken seriously at all. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand First has had its strongest showing in two recent polls in years - and leader Winston Peters says the support for his party comes down to voters wanting experienced leaders. Peters joined Nick Mills to discuss the first eighteen months of the Parliamentary term, as well as his view of Labour and his relationship with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The opposition parties - Labour, the Greens and Te Pati Maori - would be in a position to form a government if an election was held today. Labour is in the lead on 33.2, with National in behind on 30.7 points, the Greens get 11.6, and New Zealand First is on 9.1 percentage points, while ACT has 6.6 and Te Pati Maori is on 5.5 percentage points. That gives the coalition government 57 seats, not enough to govern, while the Opposition parties would have 63 seats allowing them to form a government. Political editor Jo Moir spoke to Corin Dann.

Labour's leader thinks talk of potential coalitions is premature. New Zealand First leader and veteran politician Winston Peters has ruled out working with Labour post next election if Chris Hipkins is still in charge. Peters has described a potential trio of Labour, the Greens, and Te Pati Māori as a 'woke circus'. Chris Hipkins says Labour will set out bottom lines before the election. He's taken the chance to take a swipe at the Coalition. "We're not just going to allow the smaller parties to call all the shots in the way that Christopher Luxon and the National Party currently are doing." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Labour's yet to rule potential coalition partners in or out. New Zealand First leader Winston Peters is refusing to work with Chris Hipkins next election, but has not entirely ruled Labour out. On social media, Peters posted a Government of Labour, the Greens, and Te Pati Māori would be a "circus" and a "radical woke show". Hipkins told John MacDonald that they actually ruled out working with Peters before the last election, and he's said since that that's unlikely to change. However, he says potential coalition decisions will be made closer to the election, based on principles and the party's compatibility, rather than the petty personality vendettas that seem to be occupying Peters' time. The Labour Leader is also calling the role of the Minister for the South Island a "PR job." Rangitata MP James Meager picked up the new portfolio in January, alongside Hunting and Fishing, Youth, and Associate Transport. The Prime Minister says he will be a critical voice for the South Island. But Hipkins told MacDonald there would be no need for Meager's role if the Government was actually prioritising the South Island. He says Meager's not doing anything because he has no budget or decision-making ability, and this is just a way of telling the South Island it hasn't been forgotten. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Christopher Luxon says he's expecting a “pretty seamless transition” as Winston Peters hands over the deputy prime minister role to David Seymour this week. The Prime Minister spoke live to Newstalk ZB Wellington Mornings host Nick Mills today as he reaches the halfway point of his three-year term as leader. Luxon was sworn in as Prime Minister in November 2023, after National secured 38% of the vote at the general election. He negotiated a three-way coalition agreement with New Zealand First and ACT. As part of that agreement, the leaders of the two parties, Winston Peters and David Seymour, are sharing the deputy prime minister role for half of the parliamentary term each. This week marks the midpoint for the three-year parliamentary term. Peters has been serving as deputy prime minister with Seymour set to take over this Saturday. When asked how he felt he was tracking in the job, Luxon said he was “absolutely loving it” but acknowledged it was a tough time for the country. “It's essentially like the recession of the early 90's. We inherited a hell of a mess and we're happy to fix it up and sort it out.” Luxon said he and his wife continue having date nights on Fridays despite the demands of the job, and had just been to the movies together to see Mission Impossible. “I really want Amanda and the kids to be able to carry on their life without being defined too much by what I do.” He said there was “no question at all whatsoever” that he would do it all again if he had the chance to start over. “I kind of knew what I was getting into . . . the hard stuff comes to your desk. If it's easy, it gets solved somewhere else in the system.” When asked whether he was spending too much time appeasing coalition parties, Luxon said they were doing something that had never been done before. Mills asked whether Luxon's party would be more effective if they could work without the coalition parties, and Luxon said that was not how New Zealand worked with the electoral system. He said it was “okay” and “normal” to not agree on everything with partners, but in the majority of cases they were aligned in what they wanted to do. Asked about the handover from Peters to Seymour as deputy prime minister, Luxon said he expects it to be a “pretty seamless transition”. He said Peters and Seymour were different people with different personalities, and Luxon's job was to make that work. Christopher Luxon, David Seymour and Winston Peters after signing their coalition agreement in November 2023. Photo / Mark Mitchell Mills asked Luxon what he thought was going wrong with Wellington, referencing public sector job cuts and the appointment of a Crown Observer at Wellington City Council. Luxon referred to other major cities that were making bids for big events, such as Sail GP in Auckland and the supercars in Christchurch. He criticised a bike lane being built on Molesworth St. “You've got way too much ideology and party politics in your local government. “Wellington should be more than just a public service town. We've just gone and invested $500 million in film rebates in this country.” He said there was ambition and aspiration in Wellington, but there needed to be a council that did the basics well, such as managing water. He said Wellington Water was a “total basket case”. Luxon wouldn't be drawn on who he thought should be the capital's next Mayor, instead saying “whoever is the next mayor needs to have a vision where it's going to, they need to get the finances under control. “It's a big city, it's an important city to New Zealand. I live here, I love this place, it's got so much potential.” Luxon then turned the questions on Nick Mills asking if he was going to be throwing his hat in the ring. He jokingly exclaimed they had managed to confirm Mills was not running for mayor. The six men vying to be Wellington's next mayor are Andrew Little, Ray Chung, Graham Bloxham, Karl Tiefenbacher, Rob Goulden and Kelvin Hastie. NZH composite image The pair also discussed the recent death of Palmerston North teenager Ryan Satterthwaite, who died after taking part in a private “run it straight” game on Sunday. The 19-year-old was taken to Palmerston North Hospital with severe head injuries. His life support was turned off on Monday. Satterthwaite's grieving family say his death was an “accident waiting to happen” and have urged others to stop taking part in the social media-driven trend. Speaking to the Herald, his uncle Peter Satterthwaite said Ryan was a “top kid” who loved his mates, enjoyed playing rugby, and “would do anything for anybody.” He said “run it straight” was simply a “stupid idea”. “Just don't do it. A little bit of fun has lifelong consequences.” Palmerston North teen, Ryan Satterthwaite died after suffering serious injuries in a "run it straight" game. Satterthwaite said it was “disgraceful” the events are being promoted as a sport, and is calling on the All Blacks, Warriors, and other high-profile sportspeople to publicly speak out against it. “People don't listen to us, we're just Joe Bloggs, but they [the public] idolise our sportspeople.” Luxon said the situation was “incredibly tragic for the young person involved, for their family, for their friends. It's just an absolute tragedy”. He said it was a good reminder for people to take “personal responsibility”. Luxon said adults and influencers driving the craze should be “thinking and reflecting very strongly right now”. He said it wasn't something you can ban at a government level. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So, Winston has definitively ruled out working with Chris Hipkins. Not Labour, but Hipkins. He had of course already pretty much done this earlier in the year after his State of Nation address, in which called the Labour leadership a bunch of liars and unreformed losers. But this is crystal clear now. He's spoken to Thomas Coughlin at the Herald - it's a firm no, thank you. This is interesting for two reasons. 1) Winston is a political wizard and knows how to read the room and play the game. This is not a random outburst. This is a calculated decision based on the path he thinks will get New Zealand First back to the Treasury benches. By virtue of ruling out Hipkins, assuming he doesn't get rolled and replaced, Winston has reduced his bargaining power. Which is not an outcome a kingmaker takes lightly. The key to his success on the campaign trail has always been as much about what he stands against as what he stands for - immigration and Treaty issues spring to mind. He's decided that in 2026, the punching bag will be a three-headed clown show marriage of the Greens, Labour, and Te Pati Māori. He's read the room and picked his side. In 2023, Winston ruled out Labour before Chippy definitively ruled Winston out. He has yet to do the same for 2026. He's now missed his chance, and any moral high found that went with it. Remember, Hipkins must appeal to a base that despises the anti-woke agenda Winston peddles. This year alone he's labelled him a pale version of Donald Trump, a conspiracy theorist, and spokesman for the tobacco lobby. Hipkins' failure to rule out working with him undermines the high horse he canters around the Parliament. His protestations were sounding a bit hollow. The question for Hipkins this morning: are you willing to rule out working in Winston given he's already done the same to you? Or is there a wee small hope in your head that he might just change his mind and under MMP, an open door is is worth walking through, even if it leads you to the across to the dark side?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Prime Minister's keen to raise the retirement age -- but it's not possible in coalition with New Zealand First. The Government is halving its KiwiSaver contribution rate -- and canning if people earning more than 180-thousand dollars. The default rate of worker and business contributions to KiwiSaver will rise over time. Chris Luxon told Kerre Woodham pushing out the retirement age to 67 makes sense. He says Labour doesn't think it's a good idea, and New Zealand First does not want to move that forward. Luxon also spoke about the cuts the government made to make funding available elsewhere. Budget 2025 includes 21 billion dollars of cost-savings - 13 billion of that from the controversial change to pay equity law - raising claim thresholds. Prime Minister Chris Luxon told Kerre Woodham these are difficult choices, but there's no way they could afford that. LISTEN ABOVE OR WATCH HERE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Just when I thought the issue of pay parity couldn't get any more confusing, the Government has made it so. Yesterday, the coalition government moved under urgency in Parliament to raise the threshold for proving work has been historically undervalued when making a pay equity claim. Under the new legislation, any current claims would be stopped and need to restart under the new higher threshold to show genuine gender discrimination and make sure the comparator settings were right. So 33 current claims will be stopped as a result. ACT's deputy leader and Minister for Workplace Relations Brooke Van Velden, the architect of the bill, said she supported pay equity, but the legislation introduced back in 2020 was problematic. “At the moment, people can choose a comparator for sex-based discrimination across the entire workforce. We're saying let's start firstly at home. If you can find people within your own employer, that would be a good starting point. If that comparison can't be made with a similar employer, that comparison's not there within your industry, if you can't find one there you've got to stop.” Which all sounds perfectly reasonable, because I've always thought how on earth do you compare completely different occupations? As van Velden told Parliament, Health New Zealand admin and clerical staff, as an example, have been compared to mechanical engineers. Health New Zealand librarians have been compared to transport engineers and Oranga Tamariki's social workers have been compared to air traffic controllers. I can't get my head around that at all. Equally, van Velden makes an interesting case about how wide-ranging and unwieldy claims can be drawing in vast numbers of employers. But the Government is moving or has moved so quickly, there's no Select Committee on the bill and as Thomas Coughlan points out in the Herald, officials didn't have time to write up a regulatory impact statement – which is an irony considering the changes were made by Brooke van Velden who is responsible for creating the regulatory impact statement. So before MPs vote on a bill they can have a look at the regulatory impact statement. How much is it going to cost? What are the effects? What are the wide-ranging impacts of introducing this legislation? They don't have that, and didn't have that when they went to vote last night. And as Thomas Coughlan concludes in his piece in the Herald, if the government cannot publish official papers that explain why this is a good idea, the public can be forgiven for concluding this is because it isn't one. It's the optics for me. Absolute optics. How can National champion pay parity in 2020 and champion the very legislation that they're now amending, and then say no, it's unworkable, unsustainable? They actually thought it was a jolly good idea in 2017. National began the process of amending the equal pay legislation in 2016. There's excerpts from speeches to Parliament back in 2020 when the equal pay legislation was introduced doing the rounds on Facebook, and quotes Nicola Willis saying this was a process National kicked off in the last government. “A bill was drafted, things were ready to go, and then there was a change of government – that's when Labour and New Zealand First formed the coalition. So my colleague Denise Lee, who believes very passionately in the concept of equal pay and pay equity, took a member's bill to this Parliament to progress pay equity in the absence of the new government where National had left off.” So she's taken credit for legislation that she now says is unsustainable and un-workable. How can you do that? Well, you can do that when you've got a bloody great hole in your budget, can't you? Yesterday, she said what this is about is ensuring we're clear, transparent and fair to ensure that where those claims are made, they relate to gender based discrimination and that other issues to do with pay and working conditions are raised during the normal employment relations process. So either the bill that that she worked so assiduously on and took credit for in 2020 was drafted poorly, or she's completely changed her mind about its workability. Or they didn't see through what the implications might be? And again, when you pass bills under urgency, which that was in 2020 and which this is now, you get those gaps because you don't have time to look at the far-reaching consequences – remember, there's no regulatory impact statement. So it was passed under urgency in 2020. Maggie Barry, at the time a National MP, harrumphed about it and said, for heaven's sake with Covid going on, we're passing this under urgency, this is a nonsense. But she still voted for it, as did National. And now they're saying it's unsustainable and unworkable. What this looks like is National stepping back from legislation they worked on, recommended and pushed through the House, and in fact took credit for it when it passed, so they can balance their books. It gives their critics all sorts of opportunities to lambast the government for stealing from the poorest paid workers to give rebates to wealthy landlords and tax cuts to the wealthy pricks. I actually happen to agree with the restrictions that Brooke van Velden is imposing, I think that they make sense. But it's a unique gift that this government has to make something right look so very, very wrong. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An Auckland iwi leader is accusing New Zealand First and ACT of mischief-making over the future management of Auckland's Waitākere Ranges. Political reporter Lillian Hanly has more.

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

New Zealand First and ACT are opposing an Auckland Council plan for the Waitākere Ranges. The council wants to set up a committee including iwi, the Crown and Auckland Council. NZ First MP Shane Jones says it could easily morph into co-governance and ACT leader David Seymour claims it could let unelected decision-makers close tracks and dictate land use. NZ Herald political editor Thomas Coughlan says the ball's in National's court on this matter. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In his role as regulation Minister, David Seymour is moving to simplify regulations for Early Childhood Education Centres by the end of this year.  This involves a review containing 15 recommendations, which cabinet has accepted. These recommendations concern a vast number of things, from simplifying licensing criteria for pre-schools to lowering qualification requirements for early childhood educators.  Both of these areas have sparked concern within the sector, with some educators concerned the review is simply a cost cutting exercise that will result in tamariki being put at risk.  For our weekly catch up Producer Evie spoke to ACT's Simon Court about the review.  They also spoke about New Zealand First's Members Bill aiming to have the biological definition of a woman and man defined in law.  And finally they discussed a clash between the party and National's Scott Simpson over an ACC plan to reduce injury for Māori and Pasifika workers. 

The battle over gender and definitions is building steam in New Zealand. New Zealand First has introduced a Member’s Bill that “would ensure the biological definition of a woman and man are defined in law”. It comes after a landmark ruling in the United Kingdom, where Supreme Court judges unanimously ruled a woman is defined “by biological sex under equalities law”. The court sided with a women’s rights campaign group that argued sex-based protections should only apply to “people that were born female”. Judge Lord Hodge said the ruling should not be seen as a triumph of one side over the other, and stressed that the law still gives protection against discrimination to transgender people. But it was largely seen as a victory by campaigners, while trans rights advocates have called the ruling a huge blow to some of the most marginalised people in our society. To discuss this issue, today on The Front Page, we’re joined by University of Waikato professor of sociology and social policy Katrina Roen. 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 DanielsSound Engineer: Richard MartinProducer: Ethan SillsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this week’s Pacific Dispatch, Katie Macdonald shared a trio of big stories: ANZAC Day in Australia was marred by neo-Nazi disruptors, New Zealand First introduced a bill to define gender by biology, and nearly 10% of Australians have already voted ahead of the May 3 election - though early voters might miss out on a classic democracy sausage! She shares this with Lester Kiewit. Good Morning Cape Town with Lester Kiewit is a podcast of the CapeTalk breakfast show. This programme is your authentic Cape Town wake-up call. Good Morning Cape Town with Lester Kiewit is informative, enlightening and accessible. The team’s ability to spot & share relevant and unusual stories make the programme inclusive and thought-provoking. Don’t miss the popular World View feature at 7:45am daily. Listen out for #LesterInYourLounge which is an outside broadcast – from the home of a listener in a different part of Cape Town - on the first Wednesday of every month. This show introduces you to interesting Capetonians as well as their favourite communities, habits, local personalities and neighbourhood news. Thank you for listening to a podcast from Good Morning Cape Town with Lester Kiewit. Listen live – Good Morning CapeTalk with Lester Kiewit is broadcast weekdays between 06:00 and 09:00 (SA Time) https://www.primediaplus.com/station/capetalk Find all the catch-up podcasts here https://www.primediaplus.com/capetalk/good-morning-cape-town-with-lester-kiewit/audio-podcasts/good-morning-cape-town-with-lester-kiewit/ Subscribe to the CapeTalk daily and weekly newsletters https://www.primediaplus.com/competitions/newsletter-subscription/ Follow us on social media: CapeTalk on Facebook: www.facebook.com/CapeTalk   CapeTalk on TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@capetalk   CapeTalk on Instagram: www.instagram.com/capetalkza  CapeTalk on X: www.x.com/CapeTalk  CapeTalk on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@CapeTalk567  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The New Zealand First leader Winston Peters has raised the spectre of possible cuts to RNZ's funding during a fiery interview on Morning Report. Mr Peters - who's currently acting Prime Minister - made the comment after taking exception to questioning over his party's proposal to define the term "woman" in law as "an adult human biological female". The New Zealand First member's bill is not government policy and will only be debated if it is pulled at random from the ballot. Deputy political editor Craig McCulloch has more.

A cross-party delegation of MPs recently visited Tonga, Hawai'i and Vanuatu as part of a Pacific trip organised by Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters. Earlier this week, New Zealand First proposed new legislation that would exclude trans communities from the definition of “woman” and “man” in law. Winston Peters defended the bill on RNZ's Morning Report, where he called interviewer Corin Dann a “disgrace” for raising the criticism against the bill that was brought forward by opposition parties. During this interview, Peters threatened to cut RNZ's government funding. For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, Wire Host Caeden spoke to Deputy Leader Carmel Sepuloni about all of these topics.

For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, Wire Host Caeden spoke to Labour's Carmel Sepuloni about the recent cross-party delegation to the Pacific, New Zealand First's new trans-exclusionary members' bill and Winston Peters' threat to cut RNZ's funding. For International Desk, they spoke to Jane Fae, director at TransActual UK, about the UK Supreme Court decision that excludes trans women from the legal definition of a “woman.” For City Counselling, Wire Producer Sara spoke with Auckland Councillor Julie Fairey about the intense weather of the Easter weekend, as well as latest developments in Auckland's public transport system. She also spoke with climate activist Adam Currie from this week's protest at the Stockton mine which is seeking a fast-track approval for activity expansion.

New Zealand First has proposed new legislation to define the term "woman" in law as "an adult human biological female". Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick says the Deputy Prime Minister has lost sight of the real issues in favour of an "imported culture war". Swarbrick spoke to Corin Dann.

In today's episode, the Green party responds to New Zealand First's proposed new legislation to define the term "woman" in law as "an adult human biological female", Te Pati Maori MPs have again refused to attend a privileges hearing over their haka protest in Parliament, during the first reading of the Treaty Principles bill, the inquest into the death of Olivia Podmore came to an emotional conclusion on Wednesday when Podmore's family addressed the court, residents in Wellington's southern suburbs say they've been inundated by an explosion of millipedes invading their streets and houses, and we cross the Tasman to get the latest from Kerry-Anne Walsh.

In today's episode, New Zealand First has proposed new legislation to define the term "woman" in law as "an adult human biological female", the Catholic Diocese of Auckland Vicar for Māori says Pope Francis will be remembered as a strong voice for Indigenous rights, and a new bilingual waiata has been released to mark the first ANZAC day without the any living members of the 28th Māori Battalion after Sir Robert Bom Gillies died last year.

New Zealand First has introduced a member's bill that would do away with what it calls the "woke ideology" around the subject of womanhood. Labour leader Chris Hipkins spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

New Zealand First has proposed new legislation to define the term "woman" in law as "an adult human biological female". New Zealand First leader Winston Peters spoke to Corin Dann.

This week on Politics Wednesday, Mark Mitchell and Ginny Andersen joined Mike Hosking to delve into some of the biggest topics of the short week so far. They discussed New Zealand First's new Member's Bill calling to legally define gender, conscience votes, and Kieran McAnulty's Easter bill. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Differing opinions on New Zealand First's Members' bill regarding the definition of 'woman'. MP Jenny Marcroft is proposing legally defining a woman as being an adult human biological female. Rainbow Auckland co-chair Sibyl Mandow says it's a political move to be divisive, stir up hate, and generate a narrative to distract from more pressing issues. Mandow says the bill is trying to denounce the existence of trans people – who have no agenda and just want to exist. But Speak Up for Women spokesperson Suzanne Levy told Mike Hosking polling on this issue indicates people don't want trans people to be treated poorly. But she says at the same time, people don't think sex can be changed. Levy says laws need to be definable, as sex has never had any other meaning than biological sex. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand First wants the definition of a woman and a man etched into the law. Britain's Supreme Court has ruled the legal definition should relate to biological sex - excluding transgender women. Leader Winston Peters says the Bill would define a woman as an adult human biological female, and a man as an adult human biological male. NZ Herald political editor Thomas Coughlan says it's unclear if a Bill of this nature will come to pass. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Winston Peters says the term 'woman' needs protection - by a bill legally defining it as an adult human biological female. MP Jenny Marcroft's proposed Members bill would legislate gender to biological sex, essentially meaning transgender people could not legally align with their identities. The New Zealand First leader says having to write the law this way is unusual, but it has become 'critical'. "And the fact of the matter is - that this is a case where women, who are deserving protection and support in many other occasions, are simply not getting it in our law." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The government has put out a framework on relationships and sexuality education for consultation, after removing guidelines in June over New Zealand First's concerns about what it calls gender and sexuality ideology. The Education Minister said neither she nor New Zealand First has had any influence over the new framework, which updates the health curriculum last reviewed in 2007. Political reporter Russell Palmer spoke to Lisa Owen.

The Government has announced local wool products will be used in future construction and refurbishments of state buildings. It's part of the New Zealand First coalition agreement with National. But producers of local buildings are saying ‘what about us?' Kiwi timber organisations have been lobbying the Government for a similar deal for years, and are now feeling left out in the cold. New Zealand Timber Federation Industry Director Jeff Ilott talks to Ryan Bridge about the announcement. LISTEN ABOVE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Treaty Principles Bill has been defeated at its second reading. National and New Zealand First voted against the bill, as they indicated they would. Labour, the Greens, and Te Pati Maori also voted against the bill. The only party to vote in favour of the bill was ACT. Political reporter Lillian Hanly spoke to Lisa Owen. 

The Green MP Benjamin Doyle has dug in - insisting they've done nothing wrong in regards to their social media posts - though admitting they were politically naive. It's the MP's first public comments since the New Zealand First leader Winston Peters launched an attack last week, questioning the appropriateness of language on Benjamin Doyle's private Instagram account - "Bible-belt-bussy." Deputy political editor Craig McCulloch spoke to Lisa Owen.

The Green Party and New Zealand First are locked in a stoush surrounding New Zealand's first non-binary MP - and their social media history. Winston Peters has questioned the appropriateness of language used by the Green MP Benjamin Doyle - suggesting there could be grounds for police inquiry. Deputy political editor Craig McCulloch spoke to Lisa Owen.

Winston Peters will deliver his State of the Nation speech this afternoon - off the back of high level talks in the United States last week. Similar speeches have come over the past months from the Prime Minister, the Opposition leader, ACT and the Greens - and today it's New Zealand First's turn. The address comes days after Winston Peters returned from Washington DC, where he met with senior players in the Trump Administration. NZ Herald deputy political editor Thomas Coughlan speculated what the focus of the address could be. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An employment relations expert says many workers want to discuss how much they earn - and should be allowed to. A Bill put forward by Labour would protect that right for employees. It's supported by all parties, except for ACT and New Zealand First. Amy Ross says information about salaries belongs to the worker - and this bill would not force them to share it. "If I want to be able to discuss that and I want to be able to identify potential inequality in the workplace, then I should have the right to do so without risking getting fired or getting called into a disciplinary meeting. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Recently, New Zealand First leader, Winston Peters, proposed a new member's bill to be placed in the ballot, which aims to remove diversity, equity, and inclusion targets in the public sector. This bill would amend the Public Service Act, which Peter, and NZ First, voted for when in a coalition government with the Labour Party in 2020. Peters aims with this bill is to remove what he refers to as "woke left-wing social engineering and diversity targets in the public sector". For our weekly catchup with Te Pāti Māori's Takutai Kemp, News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host, Joel, spoke to her about this bill, and what the party thinks of this bill. We also spoke about the recent Infrastructure Investment Summit, as well as three of the original Whānau Ora commissioners losing their contracts. However, I started off by asking her why Peter's has switched up his stances on DEI in the public sector, as he, and NZ First, when in a coalition government with the Labour Party, voted for the Public Service Act in 2020.

As previously discussed, New Zealand First leader, Winston Peters, has proposed a new member's bill to be placed in the ballot, aiming to remove diversity, equity, and inclusion, or DEI, targets in the public sector. This bill would amend the Public Service Act, which Peters, and NZ First, voted for when in a coalition government with the Labour Party in 2020. DEI refers to frameworks that aim to equitably represent certain individuals and communities not represented as much as other demographics in the country. The reception for this bill varies between the parties. Senior National MP, Chris Bishop, says if the bill were to be pulled out of the ballot, that the party would consider the bill, as they believe in “meritocracy,” however, would want a “public service that is reflective of modern New Zealand”. Opposition Leader from the Labour Party, Chris Hipkins, says he would want a public sector that represents all New Zealanders. News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host, Joel, spoke to the National Secretary of the Public Service Association, Fleur Fitzsimons, about Peter's members bill, and how she believes this will impact the public sector. They started off by asking how DEI targets work regarding the public sector.

In banking, New Zealand First has promised to stop "woke ideology" after the BNZ decided to pull back its lending to petrol stations. Climate change correspondent Eloise Gibson reports.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said he is open to adopting some of the so-called anti-woke proposals from New Zealand First. Diversity Works New Zealand chief executive Maretha Smit spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

The Prime Minister has given support to New Zealand First tackling what it describes as a woke agenda within government. Labour leader Chris Hipkins spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

Another poll is showing a clear drop in support for the coalition Government - and some are wondering if it's cause for concern. The newest Taxpayers Union-Curia Poll has Labour on 34.1 percent, and National on 33.6 percent - and Hipkins in the lead for preferred Prime Minister. ACT has fallen 2.3 points to 7.7, and New Zealand First is just above the threshold on 5.1 percent. Jordan Williams from the Taxpayers' Union says the Government should be concerned about losing favour with voters. "We are now only 18 months away from Christopher Luxon having to go to the public to ask that fundamental question - do you feel better off than three years ago? Right now, that answer is no." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Say whatever you want about Trump, but his demeanour and influence is genuinely global. Peter Dutton has been accused of his "Trumpian" stance on everything from the public service to immigration, and now Winston Peters is all over DEI - diversity, equity and inclusion. DEI is not new, and the New Zealand First move to change the rules in the public service could easily have been part of the Government deal. But given it isn't, it's a private members bill that will have to be drawn and even then, do they have the numbers? That in and of itself is an interesting proposition. Act will be behind it, but what about National? Is DEI mainstream, or niche? How many do they risk offending if they take a stance? It's got a touch of the "rock and a hard place" feel about it. Part of the issue is the fraudulent behaviour of the corporates. If America is anything to go by, most of them will dump it as quick as for the simple reason that they never believed in it in the first place. Apple are kind of holdouts, despite the shareholders telling them different. It's actually very like BP and climate zero – everyone's on board until they realise it's all theory and the bottom line might actually count for something. The fact the basic principal that the best person for the job has been largely ditched as we genuflect our way around a series of invented nonsense, speaks not to just how wayward we have become, but also to just how weak willed we are and how easily we can dispense with common sense in a desire to not be seen as out of step with the theory of the day. Age, gender, height, sexuality, and left-handedness should have little, if anything, to do with your employment. Skills, determination, dedication, and performance are your beginning, middle, and end. Your results are your ticket to promotion, not your pronoun. “Feels” are not a guiding principle in the workplace. As always, humanity has allowed the pendulum to swing too far. For all the old ways we grew tired of, what replaced them has increasingly been proven to be farcical. DEI only ever belonged on a white board, when someone uttered "come on, there are no bad ideas". Except there were. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters has taken aim at Ricardo Menendez March in parliament again - this time because the Green MP referred to the country as "Aotearoa." Menéndez March's migrant heritage is becoming a frequent attack line for New Zealand First - and he's calling on the Prime Minister to show some leadership. Peters is unrepentant - and has even indicated he wants to update Standing Orders to stop MPs using Aotearoa. Political reporter Giles Dexter spoke to Lisa Owen.

As of last week, New Zealand First has introduced a member's bill aimed at preventing banks from refusing their services to businesses based on the ESG or Environmental, Social and Governance Framework. This bill amends the Financial Markets Act 2022, New Zealand First claims this will mean that new decisions will be based on lawful or commercial grounds, rather than on “unelected, globalist, climate radicals.” I spoke to Dr Chanelle Duley, a lecturer in Business at the University of Auckland, about the introduction of a new bill that will aim at preventing banks from refusing their services to businesses.

The highly contentious battle over fluoridated water could be picking up steam again, despite many being over it. New Zealand First's new Member's Bill seeks to repeal the laws from 2021 giving the Director-General of Health central decision making authority. It would also mandate binding local council referendums. Dental Association Policy Director Robin Whyman told Mike Hosking the legislation already went through the whole select committee process where the public was consulted. He says there was a weighing up of the pros and cons so it's not fair to say there hasn't been any input from the public, and at some point we have to stop discussing it. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Prime Minister has encouraged all MPs to watch what they say after Shane Jones refused to resile from his comments about Mexican New Zealanders. That's despite New Zealand First leader Winston Peters conceding that Mr Jones's "send Mexicans home" comment could have been expressed differently. Political editor Jo Moir spoke to Lisa Owen.

The Resources Minister is hitting out at banks for punishing "god-fearing regional businesses". New Zealand First's Shane Jones has told The Australian newspaper banks are imposing "woke-riddled" costs on a productive sector, by reducing services to fossil fuel businesses. Jones told Mike Hosking he has every right to fight this, despite banks struggling with things like margins and the commerce commission at the moment. He says the fossil fuel businesses are doing nothing wrong, what they're doing is offending executives' luxury beliefs. Jones says the coal industry is an “honest, legitimate industry”, and people will back electricity before they back chilliness. Winston Peters and Shane Jones aren't backing down over their comments about foreign-born Green MPs. Peters has told the MPs they have ideas "foreign to the country", and they should show some gratitude for the country. Jones referenced U.S. President Donald Trump in his jeers, yelling, “Trump! Trump! Send the Mexicans home!” Peters says MPs should go somewhere else if they're too soft for robust Parliamentary debates. Jones told Hosking "it's a Mexican stand-off". LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There is little in life more nauseating than a sycophant. These are people who do not what they believe is right, but bend to the whim, flavour, or mood of the day. The corporate world is full of it. The tech giants have been badly exposed as they decide fact checking is for losers now that big Don is running the place. The battle is being fought locally as well. There is word New Zealand First are looking at a members bill to make banks do business properly. Currently, and this is also a major debate in Australia, banks have taken the stance that there are some businesses that they don't like. Those dabbling in fossil fuels is one of them. They have made getting money hard work. They have not done this because there isn't profit or because these businesses default. They have done this because fossil fuels are out, and climate change is in. The coalition in Australia, who at this stage are odds on to become the Government midyear, are going hard because fossil fuels are of greater importance to them than they are here. But the role of the banks, once again, is being called into question. In this country the Government is gunning for them over margins and competition. The last thing they need is another fight over their right, or predilection, for doing business with some people and not others. As the former chair of our biggest bank John Key quite rightly pointed out on this programme a number of times said, banks have a very large social licence. They are a backbone of an economy. It is not their job to play politics, or trend setter to the groovy mood of the day. Fossil fuels remain vital for keeping the lights on. You might not like that but it's true. If it changes, that's brilliant. Right now it isn't, or hasn't been, enough. Morals are personal choices, not business ones, and certainly not in businesses with the influence banks have. The thought that a Government might have legislate to make a business behave itself shows you how badly these places are reading the mood. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.