Podcasts about nz first

The NZ First leader is at his combative best as he educates us on the Indian FTA, National Super, the Opportunity Party, Chloe Swarbrick as Finance Minister, whether he still wants to be Foreign Minister, plus he throws in some free healthy diet advice for good measure!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

National and NZ First have expressed interest in pulling apart Foodstuffs, and the company is looking to fight back. Foodstuffs recently commissioned consultancy firm Houston Kemp to review the Government-ordered cost-benefit analysis of making the split - with the review claiming the earlier conclusions were 'too good to be true'. Houston Kemp founding director Greg Houston says the recipe of lower prices, higher costs and wiping out profits doesn't seem 'plausible.' LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

National and NZ First have expressed interest in pulling apart Foodstuffs, and the company is looking to fight back. Foodstuffs recently commissioned consultancy firm Houston Kemp to review the Government-ordered cost-benefit analysis of making the split - with the review claiming the earlier conclusions were 'too good to be true'. Houston Kemp founding director Greg Houston says the recipe of lower prices, higher costs and wiping out profits doesn't seem 'plausible.' LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on the Raw Politics podcast: voters get their last look at the books, will strategic voting help or harm National, plus Opportunity's bottom linesThe big reveal is over and the economy might well get a lot better a lot more quickly than thought, but might it be too late for voters doing it tough?Today, the Raw Politics panel discusses what we can read into the pre-election economic and fiscal update. Its current numbers are positive but its near future risks and worries are not, and unlikely to pierce the electoral gloom before November 7.Join associate editor Sam Sachdeva and political editor Laura Walters at Parliament and Newsroom co-editor Tim Murphy in Auckland as we ask if Labour is about to run smack, bang into a difficult fiscal reality and if its promises could be unaffordable.The panel also analyses calls for people on the right to vote strategically – for National in the electorate vote and for Act or New Zealand First for the party vote – to theoretically enlarge the total size of Parliament and ensure the centre right wins more than half of it.Our third topic is the Opportunity Party and its five bottom lines announced this week. Its leader Qiulae Wong left off its two biggest policy planks, a universal basic income and land tax, but the panel thinks that's understandable; there's always a need to eat the electoral elephant one bite at a time.Finally, we offer recommendations for you to read, watch or listen to over your weekend:Tim: A column we ran here on Newsroom, with public health expert Dr Boyd Swinburn assessing NZ First's health agenda as “more vibes and vitamins than actual evidence”Laura: Parallel Newsroom analysis on the National and Labour Party campaign launch events, from Sam and Tim. National's taxing campaign to hold the throne & Labour launches with a Wahs-like vibe and a student surpriseSam: Adam Pearse's pitch-perfect NZ Herald dispatch from the campaign trail in Auckland, complete with Simeon Brown getting stranded at a pedestrian crossing and Christopher Luxon asking a young boy to shake his mullet.Raw Politics will be available wherever you get your podcasts at the end of each week, and to watch on YouTube.

The Gals talk to New Zealand First leader and Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters about whether we're too easily offended, the pros and cons of MMP and how he juggles his diplomacy-first role with domestic politics.    We ask about declining support for our major parties, trade-offs facing the country and where NZ First's support comes from.    The Three Gals' Leaders Series is proudly sponsored by Duncan Cotterill. 

The big Rural Issues Debate is set to go ahead tomorrow night at Mystery Creek, where politicians will discuss the issues impacting rural voters. The debating panel will feature National's Todd McClay, Labour's Jo Luxton, ACT's Andrew Hoggard, NZ First's Mark Patterson and Steve Abel from the Greens. The Country's Jamie Mackay explained further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The centre-right bloc is at odds over voting strategies. Christopher Luxon and former leader John Key implored voters at National's campaign launch to simply party vote National and ignore any call for strategic voting. The strategy is aimed at creating an overhang and maximising the number of aligned MPs in Parliament. Key told Kerre Woodham for the Coalition, it would result in a lot more ACT and NZ First ministers, trading talented National ministers like Nicola Willis, Chris Bishop, or Paul Goldsmith for people voters have potentially never heard of and don't want. He says if you broadly want a National Government, then vote for what you want instead of potentially ending up with buyer's remorse. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

NZ First has announced a 15-point ‘Make New Zealand Healthy' plan, placing emphasis on the role of prevention in health approaches, pointing to the cost burden of avoidable health issues. However, whether or not this plan effectively tackles the issue is a different question. Prevention has also become an increased priority for other political parties, with Labour, Greens, and Opportunity all discussing prevention in their health approaches. Host Alex spoke with Professor of Population Health at the University of Auckland, and Chair of Health Coalition Aotearoa, Boyd Swinburn, about NZ First's plan, its problems, and what it and similar approaches get right going into this election.

I'm no fan of the current Government. In fact, I'm no fan of any of the political parties at the moment. That said, you've got to give the current lot credit for what we saw in yesterday's Pre-election Economic and Fiscal Update (PREFU). Is it enough for them to get another term? I'll tell you what I think shortly. But the overarching result is that the government's finances are better than expected. The books could be out of the red a year earlier than forecast. With a $4 billion surplus, $1.5 billion higher than was forecast just a few months ago, expected within three years. When I first heard those numbers, I thought, “Why would you change course now?” For me, there is a lot not to like about the current government. Despite what it says, I think it has a general disdain for people who are down on their luck. ACT, especially. And that doesn't sit well with me. Then there's all the culture war nonsense pushed by NZ First. Making English an official language. Laws to define what a woman is. Proving you're Kiwi enough to live here. So there's a long list of all the things I don't like about the current government. But you've got to give them credit for the state of the books. So do I think they deserve another term? Based on yesterday's results, I would say yes. Reluctantly. But there's another reason too. I think Labour has blown it and doesn't deserve to be back in government. I've got no idea what they've been doing these last three years. It seems that Chris Hipkins thinks all he has to do is start swearing in speeches and get fired up during interviews and he'll be Prime Minister again. He's dreaming. And the state of The Government's books could be the final straw. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's an irony to this latest poll which won't be lost on Labour. It is, of course, one poll and should be read as such. The big parties are getting smaller, and the smaller parties are getting bigger. This trend will reverse course a bit on polling day because not everyone who's polled bothers to vote and not everyone who votes is polled. But the fact the Greens have half the support of Labour and would wield significant power in a government is no good thing for the centre vote Labour has been pushing for. Every time a poll has Labour slumping and its coalition partners rising, the chances of Chlöe Swarbrick getting the Finance portfolio and tax hikes becoming a real thing also go up. This is not good for Hipkins, because those scenarios scare away the centre voters he and the Nats are desperately trying to attract. You are the company you keep, and if the company you keep says "comrade" a lot, it can be off-putting to people who don't. The opposite logic but same problem applies to the right. Right voters don't so much want a right-wing government as they loathe the idea of another left-wing one. They worry about borrowing, ill-disciplined spending, and an interest bill that's now the fourth biggest line-item on the Government's books. If an engineered overhang could stop that from happening, they might ignore John Key and split their votes. Sure, you'd lose a few star ministers, but better an ACT or NZ First minister around a cabinet table the Coalition still runs than no seats around a table they don't. This is one poll and should be taken with a grain of salt. But at this stage of the cycle, polls can start to dictate voter behaviour. Especially if you're thinking about voting strategically. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I'm all for pay equity for women, but. Which I'll get to. First, though. At a public meeting in Christchurch last night, Labour leader Chris Hipkins was asked what the most important thing a Labour-led government would do for girls and women. He said reversing last year's pay equity changes. And that he would do it within his government's first 100 days in office. He said: "I think probably the most reprehensible thing I have seen in my time as a member of Parliament was the Government's decision last year with no notice, with no warning, with no consultation, to pass under urgency a law that cancelled pay equity for tens of thousands of women." I agree with him there. The way it played out was appalling. There were about 180,000 workers with pay equity claims underway. They were all dismissed pretty much overnight under urgency. Hipkins went on to say: "I want to give you a reassurance that within the first 100 days we are back in Government we will reverse that change." Adding that care and support workers will be first in the queue, because he says they have waited long enough. That's because when the coalition rushed through its pay equity changes, and there were those tens of thousands of workers with pay equity claims underway, about 80,000 of them were care and support workers. It was May last year when the Government announced it was pulling the plug on any existing claims and was going to make it harder for any future claims to get through. Saying it was doing it because the pay equity rules were “muddied and unclear”. The truth was, it was doing it to save $12.8 billion and save Nicola Willis' skin. Because it was just days out from the Budget. ACT leader David Seymour was even crowing that Brooke van Velden had single-handedly rescued the Budget. So it was smoke and mirrors and, the way it was done, was an absolute shocker. I'm all for pay equity. I find it so dismissive of people who say “Oh yeah, equal pay and all that but, sorry girls, we just can't afford it.” So no argument from me that something needs to be done to make good for that appalling move by National, ACT and NZ First. But I can't support the way Chris Hipkins wants to go about it. And, instead of the usual 100 days' nonsense, I want to see this thing looked into properly. I want to see a thorough select committee process, or something similar, used to get the facts. Which would then allow an approach to be developed to sort out real inequities in a realistic way. So it's a yes from me. But do it properly. Don't rush it. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hey, how's it going? We look back on a September of notable anniversaries. The relative rise of The Opportunities Party. The rapid disintegration of NZ First inductees. Statesman Luxon, Sheeran and scandal at the Winter Olympics. Bumper music Maseille - This Dream of Mine CZARFACE, Frankie Pulitzer & Method Man - Mad Technology THE BOBBY LEES - New Self

There's a belief New Zealand First's proposal to slash the tax rate for small businesses could make a positive difference to our business landscape. The party's promising to lower the tax rate from 28% to 20% for firms with turnover under $30 million. Its estimated cost is about a billion dollars a year. BusinessNZ Chief Executive Katherine Rich told Kerre Woodham it would apply to a majority of our businesses. She says it would need to be researched for implementation, but it's bold and could transform business in New Zealand LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The political parties have pressed go on their election campaigns and every morning from now until November 7th, we'll have a full smorgasbord of party promises to pick over. Lucky, lucky us. Of course, most of them aren't worth the paper they're printed on. The minor parties have the luxury of promising you a pony and a castle and fairy bread for the rest of your life, then when it comes time to stump up after the election, they'll be all, "Oh, soz, we really wanted to, but those mean Nats/Labourites wouldn't let us. Sorry." So everything you hear, take with a grain of salt. And everything the two main parties promise, ask yourself how they expect us to pay for it, because they won't be paying for it out of their party war chests. We will be. You and me. So when the policies come out from National and Labour, think like a supermodel – one of the OG supermodels, Linda Evangelista, famously said, "I don't get out of bed for less than $10,000 a day." And that was back in the 80's, that would be serious coin now. Ask yourself when you hear the policies promised by National and Labour, "is this worth me getting out of bed for to do a full day's work and pay my taxes?" Back to the breakfast buffet of election promises. New Zealand First says it will cut the tax rate for small businesses by almost a third, from 28 to 20% The reduced rate would apply to companies with a turnover under $30 million, which sounds like small businesses are pretty big businesses. They say, New Zealand First, it will cost a billion dollars, but that will be more than returned with increased productivity, long term investment, and increase in labour demand, employment, and wages. But what would you do if your tax was cut by 8%? Where would you put that extra money? Because it comes back to the reason why you started your own business, became your own boss. Is it to be the next Bill Gates? There are a number of you that I've talked to over the years who could grow your businesses, but you don't want the hassle. You could take on more staff, but you don't want to. Once your business gets to a certain turnover, you want to kick back and enjoy life, coach the kids' sport, take time off during the holidays. It's the batch, the boat, the BMW mentality. You have enough for the life you want to live. You don't want to invest in new capital or more staff or do more hours or pack your bags and head overseas and hustle for the next contract. Why? You've achieved a level of comfort that you're happy with. You don't want to be a billionaire. What does success look like to you? If you became your own boss, if you set up your own business, what was that for? To give you freedom? To give you independence? To make a fortune? If New Zealand First got this one over the line in a coalition agreement with National or Labour, what would you do with that extra 8%? Do like New Zealand First believes you will, reinvest it back in the business? Or would you use it to just live your best life, get there faster? And I'd love to know the motivation behind setting up your own business. For the people who've phoned me over the years, it's been about lifestyle, about making your own choices, making your own decisions. It's not been about chasing the buck, but I'd love to hear from you. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's a belief New Zealand First's proposal to slash the tax rate for small businesses could make a positive difference to our business landscape. The party's promising to lower the tax rate from 28% to 20% for firms with turnover under $30 million. Its estimated cost is about a billion dollars a year. BusinessNZ Chief Executive Katherine Rich told Kerre Woodham it would apply to a majority of our businesses. She says it would need to be researched for implementation, but it's bold and could transform business in New Zealand LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The political parties have pressed go on their election campaigns and every morning from now until November 7th, we'll have a full smorgasbord of party promises to pick over. Lucky, lucky us. Of course, most of them aren't worth the paper they're printed on. The minor parties have the luxury of promising you a pony and a castle and fairy bread for the rest of your life, then when it comes time to stump up after the election, they'll be all, "Oh, soz, we really wanted to, but those mean Nats/Labourites wouldn't let us. Sorry." So everything you hear, take with a grain of salt. And everything the two main parties promise, ask yourself how they expect us to pay for it, because they won't be paying for it out of their party war chests. We will be. You and me. So when the policies come out from National and Labour, think like a supermodel – one of the OG supermodels, Linda Evangelista, famously said, "I don't get out of bed for less than $10,000 a day." And that was back in the 80's, that would be serious coin now. Ask yourself when you hear the policies promised by National and Labour, "is this worth me getting out of bed for to do a full day's work and pay my taxes?" Back to the breakfast buffet of election promises. New Zealand First says it will cut the tax rate for small businesses by almost a third, from 28 to 20%. The reduced rate would apply to companies with a turnover under $30 million, which sounds like small businesses are pretty big businesses. They say, New Zealand First, it will cost a billion dollars, but that will be more than returned with increased productivity, long term investment, and increase in labour demand, employment, and wages. But what would you do if your tax was cut by 8%? Where would you put that extra money? Because it comes back to the reason why you started your own business, became your own boss. Is it to be the next Bill Gates? There are a number of you that I've talked to over the years who could grow your businesses, but you don't want the hassle. You could take on more staff, but you don't want to. Once your business gets to a certain turnover, you want to kick back and enjoy life, coach the kids' sport, take time off during the holidays. It's the batch, the boat, the BMW mentality. You have enough for the life you want to live. You don't want to invest in new capital or more staff or do more hours or pack your bags and head overseas and hustle for the next contract. Why? You've achieved a level of comfort that you're happy with. You don't want to be a billionaire. What does success look like to you? If you became your own boss, if you set up your own business, what was that for? To give you freedom? To give you independence? To make a fortune? If New Zealand First got this one over the line in a coalition agreement with National or Labour, what would you do with that extra 8%? Do like New Zealand First believes you will, reinvest it back in the business? Or would you use it to just live your best life, get there faster? And I'd love to know the motivation behind setting up your own business. For the people who've phoned me over the years, it's been about lifestyle, about making your own choices, making your own decisions. It's not been about chasing the buck, but I'd love to hear from you. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

NZ First want taxes slashed for small and medium businesses in order to increase productivity. The party will campaign on lowering the rate from 28 percent to 20 - for businesses turning over less than $30 million dollars. Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says there's a case for making this change, as Australia tried something similar for small to medium enterprises. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

NZ First want taxes slashed for small and medium businesses in order to increase productivity. The party will campaign on lowering the rate from 28 percent to 20 - for businesses turning over less than $30 million dollars. Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says there's a case for making this change, as Australia tried something similar for small to medium enterprises. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A former Costco NZ boss is mostly on-board with National's election Foodstuff break-up plan to drive down grocery prices, but he likes some Labour ideas, too. National and NZ First want to split Pak'n Save from New World and Four Square. Labour's pledging to split Foodstuffs' and Woolworths' retail and wholesale interests. Patrick Noone says he'd add some Labour policies to National's. "The unfair contracts should be ended, I think that's straightforward common sense. Junk fees - banned, that should be done as well. And smaller supermarkets can have guaranteed access to wholesale supply, absolutely." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Every major political player suddenly wants to take a wrecking ball to the supermarkets, but is any of it actually going to make your weekly shop cheaper? We break down the sudden wave of political panic six weeks out from the election. Plus, NZ First leader Winston Peters joins us to defend his supermarket policy, lay out his plan to buy back the BNZ, and explain why he refuses to work with Labour again. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A former Costco NZ boss is mostly on-board with National's election Foodstuff break-up plan to drive down grocery prices, but he likes some Labour ideas, too. National and NZ First want to split Pak'n Save from New World and Four Square. Labour's pledging to split Foodstuffs' and Woolworths' retail and wholesale interests. Patrick Noone says he'd add some Labour policies to National's. "The unfair contracts should be ended, I think that's straightforward common sense. Junk fees - banned, that should be done as well. And smaller supermarkets can have guaranteed access to wholesale supply, absolutely." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rosetta catches up with our political commentator, Lara Greaves, to discuss Nicky Hager's new book, NZ First's 'Make NZ Healthy' plan, and recent policy annoucements regarding the country's supermarket duopoly! Whakarongo tonu mai!

Supermarket owners are fighting back as they find themselves firmly in the sights of almost all political parties. To recap, National and NZ First want to break up the Foodstuffs co-operative, while the Greens want to kickstart a government-owned supermarket. Labour has announced plans to split Foodstuffs’ and Woolworths’ retail and wholesale arms, alongside measures to ban price gouging. Now, a concerted campaign from Foodstuffs supermarket owners is underway. Clare Gallagher from New World Kawerau joins The Front Page to discuss. Follow The Front Page on the iHeart App, 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/Producer: Katie BradfordProducer: Jane YeeEditor/Producer: Richard MartinSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oh the irony. In the same week we got all that hot air about supermarkets and co-operative bust-ups, we got the food price index out of the stats department. And as much as you may like to deny it, argue about it, or ignore it, these are statistics. They are not reckons, or supermarket isle chatter, or lazy street-side vox pops for the TV. Food went up 1.9% annually, which if you remember the previous annualised number being 1.9%, means it's flat. Month on month it's flat and annually it's up 1.9%. In other words it's not an issue and certainly not the issue the complainers and activists and politicians make it out to be. There is a very clear differentiation between what we would like to pay, or what we perceive to be acceptable, and what is really going on. Fruit and vegetables went down. They went backwards, as in they are cheaper. The biggest increase which added to the overall figure was restaurant and takeaway meals, an easily avoided cost if cost is your main food gripe. At the pricey end was meat, poultry and fish, which went up a bit over 3%. By the way rent, as in houses, was flat for the year. In other words there's no cost of living issue there. Yes it's a separate category, but nevertheless it's another reminder that not everything is up and up a lot and therefore worth getting angsty about. If you really want to get wound up, guess what power prices did? They went down. The point of all this is reality is not always what you think it is, or would like it to be. The food story has become a soap opera and that's why we got the nonsense from the politicians last week, captured by the consultants who poll people and say thing like "do you think food is too expensive?". Of course the answer is yes. "Are you paying too much?" Answer - yes. The next step is meeting over the campaign. Then the next step is we're breaking up supermarkets and we're banning price gouging, even though it's not real and most likely won't happen. More importantly it won't actually solve anything because the facts show there was nothing to solve. What drove it was mood, driven by perception, and you can rarely fix perception. Especially if you don't want it fixed.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

KiwiSaver members are generally told the earlier you start, the better. National and NZ First want to get babies going from birth with kickstart payments in their accounts. But there are concerns about a forgotten cohort. Money correspondent Susan Edmunds spoke to Guyon Espiner.

Labour leader Chris Hipkins says smaller parties shouldn't be able to veto National and Labour working together, as he eyes greater bipartisanship. This term, the two major parties have sided together on issues like the Indian free trade deal, a social media ban for under-16s, and modern slavery legislation. Hipkins told Kerre Woodham there's more work to do on issues like infrastructure and climate change. He says it's a bottom line for him that minor parties can't veto any bipartisan work, which he says ACT and NZ First have threatened to do this term. Hipkins is also confident the party will be able to find enough GPs to cover its three free visits policy, should it win government. The party's promising three free visits a year, funded through its capital gains tax on residential and commercial property. The Labour Leader told Woodham the number of medical graduates will rise in the coming years, and the party needs to attract them into primary care. He says the party will offer low interest loans to help graduates buy a stake in local GP practices. He also says GPs will be recruited from overseas, and his Government will grow the number of nurses able to prescribe medications. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Each Tuesday here on Afternoons we play You're the Judge where you, our audience, get to chime into someone else's dilemma. This week Billy wants our advice on what to do if he and his new girlfriend are politically opposed - he votes NZ First and she is Greens voter! Send us your thoughts on 2101 or email jesse@afternoons.co.nz [picture id="4K06BN3_getty_images_f84knUj__Q_unsplash_jpg" crop="16x10" layout="full"]

It's been a bumpy few years for the Māori language in New Zealand (or is that Aotearoa?). Liam Rātana, Ātea editor at the Spinoff Ātea, joins Toby to walk through the various measures pursued by the Act, NZ First and National parties – and what impact that has had on the broader tide.Plus: In How Good, Alex Casey gives her verdict on new NZ film Mum, I'm Alien Pregnant.At Large with Toby Manhire is produced by Te Aihe Butler, Jin Fellet and The Spinoff. Read more at ⁠thespinoff.co.nz⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Association of Migration and Investment Conference is going on right now prompting significant political debate about immigration policy ahead of the election. NZ First wants to restrict birthright citizenship and prevent asylum seekers from accessing work, while Labour wants to introduce a citizenship pathway for children born to undocumented parents and a longer permanent residency process. ACT would change New Zealand's residence system by removing the existing Permanent Resident Visa category, whereas the Greens want to end 12-month stand-down periods requiring workers to leave the country between visas, and allow migrant workers to change jobs. Current Immigration Minister Erica Stanford told Andrew Dickens that National's policy will be revealed soon, and it will be 'more of the same that you've seen in the last 3 years.' LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The NZ First leader and former Deputy PM comments on two big issues facing farming: the Paris Accord and the pricing of agricultural emissions. He also denies that his proposed nationalisation of BNZ is a “hair-brained” policy and reflects on 9/11, 25 years on.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Join Wallace for New Zealand's most explosive 30 minutes of politics. He is joined by panellists Annabelle Lee-Mather, Jonathan Milne and Peter Dunne. On the show tonight: Chris Hipkins new shocking poll result, should Labour give him the heave-ho?; the Greens supermarket policy is to spend billions to create a viable, state-run alternative in the market place, is this even possible?; how can political parties hoover up the youth vote?; and Winston Peters called music group Kneecap "low IQ weasels", little did he know NZ First had used a Kneecap song in a video for social media.

Winston Peters has just thrown a hand grenade into the superannuation debate. New Zealand First wants to change the rules so that from 2029 you must be a New Zealand citizen to qualify for NZ Super. Right now, permanent residents can get it after meeting residency requirements. We speak with New Zealand First candidate Craig Stobo about why they are pushing for this change and whether our current welfare model is sustainable. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There's agreement migrants' access to superannuation needs to change, but not in the way New Zealand First is proposing. The party wants it to be subject to citizenship from 2029. It says superannuation for migrants who become residents aged 50 or older - now costs more than a billion dollars a year. Immigration expert and Woburn International CEO, June Ranson, says these are often highly skilled workers who should still get something when they reach retirement. "Where your problem lies - if those people that come in, and they're being sponsored by family members and they do not work, they've never worked." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Opportunity's not letting polling figures get it down. The latest Taxpayers' Union-Curia poll has the Party slipping below the Parliament threshold - on 4.5 percent. National leads at 29, Labour's down to 25.9, but the Greens have climbed to 13.9, ACT is at 10.5 percent and NZ First is on 8.4. Opportunity leader Qiulae Wong says they'll keep working to earn Kiwis' trust. "If we can't get anywhere with that largest party, if they're not going to agree to those things, then we will go and speak to the next largest party." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on the Huddle, Trish Sherson from Sherson Willis PR and Josie Pagani from Child Fund joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! NZ First's Winston Peters has indicated NZ Super should be restricted to citizens only. Do we see this winning votes - or is this a step too far? Should immigrants who've worked and contributed still be given something? The latest Taxpayers' Union-Curia poll shows Labour has dropped to 25.9 percent - the lowest result for them since 2024. Should Labour and Hipkins be worried? Do we see these results improving? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this special Election 2026 debate, hosted at the Morrinsville Rugby and Sports Club, Jack Tame is joined by NZ First's Mark Patterson, Greens' Steve Abel, National's Todd McClay, Labour's Jo Luxton, ACT's Andrew Hoggard, and Opportunity's Daniel Eb, in front of a live audience of Morrinsville locals, to tackle the biggest issues facing rural and regional New Zealanders today. Candidates share their ideas around the future of dairy farming, New Zealand's Paris Accord targets, gene editing technology, pest control, rural health outcomes and more. Te Pāti Māori was invited to attend, but they were unable to due to conflicting commitments at Koroneihana. Join Jack Tame and the Q+A team and find the answers to the questions that matter. Made with the support of NZ on Air.

Should young farmers be able to dip into their Kiwisaver to buy their first farm? How would the government support livestock farmers if a foot-and-mouth outbreak erupted? Is New Zealand too reliant on Elon Musk's Starlink for rural connectivity? Locals at Q+A's Rural Issues Debate in Morrinsville ask these questions and more to the panel of candidates: NZ First's Mark Patterson, Greens' Steve Abel, National's Todd McClay, Labour's Jo Luxton, ACT's Andrew Hoggard, and Opportunity's Daniel Eb. Catch the full debate on Q+A's YouTube page, or at TVNZ+. Te Pāti Māori was invited to attend this debate, but they were unable to due to conflicting commitments at Koroneihana. Join Jack Tame and the Q+A team and find the answers to the questions that matter. Made with the support of NZ on Air.

The prediction we made some weeks back over fast-track housing is starting to come true. Fast-track in and of itself is working. The Tauranga Port has the green light after literally years of regulatory BS that had it tied up in court, going nowhere. If you put RMA v fast-track, then fast-track wins hands down and our country will be better for it. But housing is becoming political. The latest situation is in Waimauku. In Pukeatua they want 1600 homes. A petition has been signed by hundreds, furious at what they see. It joins Delmore in North Auckland, Pegasus in Christchurch, and the Arrowtown development, all of which have the same blueprint – a lot of houses and angry locals. Obviously, you can lay the charge of nimbyism, and in some cases it may well be true. The very thing that stopped so much progress is back for more under new rules: moaning locals. Shane Jones has spotted it though he argues, and I think correctly, that what NZ First had envisaged was more infrastructure, not so much housing. What this country needs is more bridges and roads and mines and factories. Yes, it needs houses, but not in the same proportion. Mayors have now joined forces and are after change, and if you want to look at this purely from a political point of view, then the Government would be wise to listen. Somewhere between the neighbours hating everything new and a Delmore with 1000 houses getting wastewater trucked out until 2050, is an answer. But it can't be so hard to shift housing out of fast-track and leave it for the big stuff. I think Chris Bishop gets it as well. The fact Pegasus in Christchurch never actually got to an expert panel tells you he sees the trouble ahead. If Delmore can be given the go ahead then why would Pegasus not? Well, problem solved by never giving it to the panel in the first place. Fast-track needs, apart from anything, reputational heft. It needs to be seen to be doing good. Housing clearly is getting in the way. Sort it now and save yourself a headache post-election. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Leader of the House Louise Upston is saying 'no deal' to Labour's offer to support National's Bill to ban social media for under-16s - to let it pass its first reading this term. ACT and NZ First have refused to support it, meaning it needs votes from the left bloc to pass. Labour's in favour, but asked National to schedule a first reading pre-election before Parliament dissolves. Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says Labour's trying to play politics, given their changing stance on the bill. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A new law has been drafted to ban social media for under-16s in New Zealand. Robbie Nicol joins Toby to answer all the big questions. Which platforms meet the definition of “social media”? How will it be enforced? When will the rules kick in? And is it really a government bill? Winston Peters doesn't think so. We work through some of the objections, from NZ First, Act, the Greens and Labour. (Since this podcast was recorded, Labour has announced it will support the bill on first reading, and urged the government to proceed before the election.)Plus, in How Good, Alex Casey sings the praises of Lynda Topp on Guy Montgomery's Spelling Bee.At Large with Toby Manhire is produced by Te Aihe Butler, Jin Fellet and The Spinoff. Read more at ⁠thespinoff.co.nz⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tonight on The Huddle, Tim Wilson from the Maxim Institute and artist and local Government politician Oscar Kightley joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! What did we make of the Independent Police Conduct Authority's ruling on the Tom Phillips shooting? Could this have ended any other way? Te Pati Māori is trying to engineer an overhang, and Don Brash is suggesting it by saying National should campaign for electoral seats, while ACT and NZ First go for the party vote. Is this in the spirit of MMP? What do we make of this? Is Harry and Meghan's return to the UK an admission of failure? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I have been surprised, and not surprised, by two aspects of the Opportunity Party. 1) I'm not surprised by the media's fascination, 2) I am surprised at the amount of angst shown by people increasingly alarmed at the prospect they may be heading for Parliament and some sort of influence. The media, and especially digital media, sadly require these days astonishing amounts of content for the constant churn appetite that they, ironically, have created and so a shiny new political party was always going to get plenty of attention. But I have never seen the angst this party has created among those who write, text, and talk to me. Small parties have come and gone; Social Credit, Values, the Alliance Party, various forms of the Māori Party, United – they've all had a burst of sunlight. United got the worm and flew for a while but even in its original guise as TOP, they never came close to the noise the Opportunity Party creates at the moment. Here is the good news —unless you are an actual fan of theirs— they will get a level of exposure that will ultimately see them combust. Even Helen Clark on social media yesterday called it fantasy dressed as policy. The leader of the party appeared on Q&A and got roasted. Every time she fronts, as articulate as Ms Wong may be, a new chink in the Opportunity armour is exposed. The latest is this mad board overruling elected MPs. Now, far from being frightening, this is all good stuff. This is democracy in action. There is nothing to be fearful of here. Knowledge is always power and in this case the knowledge is what leads to Opportunity most likely not getting across the 5%. This country is not up for upheaval. We don't want, or vote for, upheaval. We vote for variations of what we get sick of, hence bits of National morph into NZ First or ACT, and bits of Labour turn into the Greens, or Alliance, or United. Opportunity is a lab experiment, hence the media interest and alarmism. They are not serious people. Helen Clark sees it, I see it, Luxon saw it when he ruled them out. By November 7th enough of the rest will see it as well. So relax. As you were. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Christopher Luxon first survived a vote of confidence among National MPs in April, Act leader David Seymour said at the time he was pleased to see the party stable and "drawing a line under any trouble they may have had." Fast forward 4 months, and the Prime Minister's leadership is being tested again. He's survived another vote of confidence. Just like the last one, National's coalition partners, ACT and NZ First, were watching on. ACT leader and Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour spoke to Melissa Chan-Green.

In an announcement without warning, Labour's leader Chris Hipkins has finally ruled out working with New Zealand First in any government he leads. Deputy political editor Craig McCulloch spoke to Melissa Chan-Green.

Was Hipkins ruling out NZ First really a decision, or an announcement, or even a story? Peters, of course, ruled Labour out a long time ago. I've been surprised by the number of people who text me telling me not to be so naïve. I'm told Peters is not to be trusted. I take Peters at his word though. He says a lot of random and increasingly clickbait-y stuff, but he doesn't straight up and down deceive. So when you take Hipkins ruling out Peters and add it to Peters ruling out Hipkins, can we assume all the conspiracy theorists can now go focus on something new? The trouble now for Labour is the math. As the Herald's Poll of Polls very clearly shows, there is virtually no pathway to office under current numbers. It's also fair to suggest that as people digest the Opportunity Party, they either reject them because they're mad, or they bleed votes off Labour and possibly the Greens. It's just a reshuffling of the “higher tax and more socialism” brigade. Either way, it doesn't grow the pie. Last week's poll is proof of it. Labour didn't tumble the same way Opportunity didn't double their support. Hipkins is most likely right that the poll is rogue, which is why yet again, we don't trust one-off polls. What the Government have in their favour is three solid, viable parties. The left have two – Labour and the Greens, and the third is a shadow of what it once was or could have been. If they're lucky, they may cobble together a seat or two electorally, but that'll be about it. With National on 30% and two parties at 8% or above, that's government. With Labour on 30% and even the Greens on 10%, they're still 10% short and the Māori Party don't make up the difference. Even though it was never real, mathematically NZ First gave Labour the potential of the numbers and the threat of the possibility. So as we sit here in early August with 88 days to go, short of some level of upheaval, collapse or resurgence for the ages, Hipkins is like a shag on a rock. He's got him and one and a bit options. It's not a government. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Politicians across party lines are calling for an end to stop-start infrastructure investments. Labour, National, the Greens, NZ First and ACT met last night at Stuff and Engineering NZ's Big Infrastructure Debate. Anya Fielding reports.

Politicians across party lines are calling for an end to stop-start infrastructure investments. Labour, National, the Greens, NZ First and ACT met last night at Stuff and Engineering NZ's Big Infrastructure Debate. Anya Fielding reports.

Last week, NZ First leader Winston Peters made derogatory comments towards Green Party MP Lawrence Xu-Nan. The comments echoed racist stereotypes about immigrants and led to strong backlash from members of the public and politicians across parliament. This is not the first example of discriminatory comments from NZ First politicians this year. Candidate Stuart Nash spouted misogynistic rhetoric about National MP Katie Nimon earlier this year, and Deputy Leader Shane Jones made some derogatory comments about Indian migrants even earlier in the year. While MPs continue to call out these comments, little is being done to actually respond to them, especially as ACT and National continue to support NZ First in power. Also this past week saw the Ministry for Regulation advising that legalising plug-in solar could provide significant benefits. While plug-in solar rarely generates enough electricity to power a home, it can alleviate power costs especially in sunny months, reducing the burden on households and the electrical grid.  For this week's catchup with ACT's Simon Court, News Director Castor asked about each of these issues, beginning with NZ First leader Winston Peters' comments.

New Zealand First has announced a policy to pay parents $5000 a year for the first three years of a child's life, for up to three children per family. Party Leader Winston Peters says the cash will encourage Kiwis to have more kids, and counter declining birthrates. Massey University's Professor Paul Spoonley is an expert in the demographics and social change and spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

There has been mixed reaction to the government's response to the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Covid-19 response, with NZ First calling it "pathetic" and Labour calling it a distraction. But the government has accepted "in some form" all of the 63 recommendations, promising key advice will be made public within five working days in future pandemics. Political reporter Lillian Hanly has more.