Podcast appearances and mentions of Phil Goff

Join Wallace for New Zealand's most explosive 30 minutes of politics. He is joined by panellists Stephen Parker, Holly Bennett and Phil Goff. Being discussed tonight: The Greens up and National treading water in some new polls: what does this bode for the election? Immigration Minister Erica Stanford blasted her ministry saying officials "deliberately withheld" information from both her and the previous Labour government: does this suggest a oversight crisis in the public service? Almost all of parliament has backed the 30 year Infrastructure plan and the surprise appointment of lobbyist Matthew Hooton to the role of editor of the Post.

Don't you think it's a bit rich of Nicola Willis to be criticising Labour when, last election, she did exactly what she's accusing Labour of doing? Keeping us in the dark. Every politician is guilty on this front. Which is why I'm right behind the idea being floated by economist Cameron Bagrie today. He's saying that we need to set-up an independent outfit that would help us decide whether what politicians are promising stacks up financially. But let me take you back to the last election. When National was promising tax cuts and saying they were going to be paid for by taxing rich foreigners buying houses here. The party said it was going to get $740 million from the foreign house buyers and, because of that, we were going to pay less tax. And, pretty much straight away, economists and tax experts were poo pooing the idea. Which had us all wanting National to say who gave it advice that this was going to work, when everyone else seemed to think it wouldn't. And what was National's response? Not telling you. I do remember Nicola Willis saying she'd resign if the tax cuts weren't delivered. But she wouldn't - and Christopher Luxon wouldn't - give the type of detail she's now accusing Labour of hiding from us. Which economist Cameron Bagrie says could all be avoided if we had an independent fiscal watchdog, separate from Treasury. He's saying today: “We saw this in 2017, 2020, 2023. One side has a crack at the other in regards to making their numbers stack up. We've been here before. Not surprising.” It was happening way before 2017. Remember in 2011, when there was a pre-election debate in Christchurch, and John Key trotted out the line, which some people think won him the election. “Show me the money,” he said to Phil Goff, who was the Labour Party leader at the time. Fifteen years on, the only thing we can still rely on are the numbers and costings trotted out by the politicians. Labour's public transport policy is an example. They say $65 million and we'll be in bus heaven. I'm not convinced. Maybe I would be if we had this independent outfit Cameron Bagrie is calling for today. Just like we would have had numbers rather than the “just trust us” we got from National at the last election over the foreign buyers tax coviering the cost of you and I paying less PAYE. But we didn't. We thought it was smoke and mirrors. And that's what it turned out to be. Just like Labour's promises and the $18 billion Nicola says isn't accounted for. If we had more transparency, we wouldn't have to rely on politicians on one side telling us we can afford whatever they're promising and politicians on the other side saying no, we can‘t. To give Nicola Willis credit. She has been a fan previously of some sort of way to cost-out party policies. In fact, she wanted to see a publicly-funded outfit that would have done the numbers and worked-out the actual cost of election policies. Or election promises. It had the potential to work-out whether all the talk we get from political parties before an election stacks up. It didn't happen, though. Because ACT and NZ First wouldn't let it happen. But I think we deserve this kind of transparency. In think an agency separate from Treasury that would tell us exactly how things are on the fiscal front, would be brilliant. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Join Wallace for New Zealand's most explosive 30 minutes of politics. He is joined by panellists Andrea Vance, Phil Goff and Tuwhenuaroa Natanahira. On the slab for discussion today: the government's public service cuts; Winston Peters and the resurrection of the BNZ, the NCEA replacement and the return of grades; regulations minister David Seymour says the country's regulators is a "twisted spaghetti" and is the government walking a tightrope between Crown and Maori relations?

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Tuesday, 12 May, 2026, we ask Transport Minister Chris Bishop how we can afford a second Auckland Harbour crossing. The Police Association president tells us how angry officers are about a pay offer. We hear from Sir Graham Henry on how happy he is to come out of retirement to be an All Blacks selector. And on The Huddle, Maurice Williamson and Phil Goff discuss what's wrong with UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer. Get the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast every weekday evening on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Auckland councillor Maurice Williamson and former Auckland mayor Phil Goff joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! Can Auckland afford a second Harbour crossing? Chris Bishop has said we'll hear more about it in the coming months, but is this just an election promise? Can Keir Starmer bounce back from the local election drubbing? Should he resign? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I can't wait to get onto Auckland's CRL. I can't wait to check out the overly grand stations. And I can't wait to experience moving around our city in a way residents of other modern cities around the world have been doing for decades. More so, I can't wait to see if it does what it was intended to do - transform the city's rail network from a "one-way cul-de-sac" into a two-way through-system, designed to double the network's capacity and improve accessibility across the region. It's been a monster of a ride getting this underground railway built, and yes it's costs a bundle, but I was intrigued this week that those most vocal about the decision making and costs are the people responsible for the project. Good on former CRL boss Sean Sweeney for coming out and calling it how he sees it. We need people with experience expressing views on how we do things in this country. Sweeney oversaw the CRL, and its many cost increases and associated challenges for six years, and admits he would do things differently if he had his time again. He feels the main issue with the CRL was that it was over-specified. It's not just the CRL, he also thinks the Christchurch stadium could have been built for less. As much as Cantabrians are enjoying the stadium, I'm sure there are many who feel the same way. Building infrastructure is a bit like buying a house. When you buy you're convinced you're being ripped off and then 7-10 years later you're generally pretty happy with the price and capital gain. I'm sure that over the next 10, 20, 100 years we'll feel pretty pleased with ourselves for future proofing these investments: a platform long enough to cope with extra train carriages in anticipation of Auckland's population growth, and a roof on Christchurch's stadium. Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop took the opportunity to reinforce National's ‘fiscally responsible' stance by ordering a review into the build, while still trying to stay positive about a project which will open on his watch. It was a bit of a headline grab. An effort to look proactive in response to the criticism. But anything that costs $5.5 billion, and was as difficult and disruptive as the CRL has been, should be reviewed and learnt from. Preferably before we launch into a second Auckland Harbour crossing. Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown also piped up, expressing his long held view on the cost of the CRL, saying the project was “set up poorly” and he would take a tougher approach to projects. But weirdly, I don't hear Aucklanders talking about it the same way as those who were or are involved in it. Remember City Rail Link Limited was formed between the National Government and the Phil Goff-led Auckland Council in 2017 to jointly fund and oversee it through to completion. Both local and central Government are responsible for this project. While the CRL has been a torturous affair, especially for those living, working or trying to run a business around its construction, most locals just want it to open, for it to make a fundamental change to how we get around our clogged up city, and can't wait to give it a try. Spending $2 billion more on the CRL is worth a discussion, but maybe we need to keep it in perspective. Superannuation currently costs the country over $24 billion annually and is estimated by Treasury to cost over $45 billion in 10 years. The reluctance of political parties to thoughtfully address this is neglectful. So, enjoy the fancy infrastructure where you can, there's unlikely to be much more on the way. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Phil Goff joins the show to unpack the significance of the NZ–India free trade deal and the work behind getting it across the line.

A war of words has broken out between coalition partners National and New Zealand First. Phil Goff, who was in government with Winston Peters, spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

Police assistant commissioner discusses rise in fuel theft; Wilson Parking NZ CEO speaks to John Campbell; Westpac CEO discusses danger of AI deepfakes on social media; Phil Goff discusses National and New Zealand First tensions; Some Mokau businesses say they're on the brink of closure

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Tuesday, 21 April, 2026, Christopher Luxon wins a confidence vote on his leadership at the National Party caucus. We ask if he'll last until the election. A police boss tells us how successful a crackdown on retailers selling nitrous oxide, known as nangs, has been. A climate science expert says the technology is there to better forecast weather disasters. And on The Huddle, Maurice Williamson and Phil Goff on whether Luxon did the right thing with his leadership vote. Get the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast every weekday evening on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, former Auckland mayor Phil Goff and Auckland Councillor Maurice Williamson joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! Did Luxon do the right thing in calling the leadership vote? Do we think he's safe in his seat for now? What about after the election? Shane Jones' infamous 'butter chicken' comments - what do we make of this? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Tuesday, 31 March, 2026, New Zealand Herald senior reporter David Fisher says he's amazed it took so long to quash David Tamihere's double-murder convictions. We talk to Iran's ambassador to New Zealand about Donald Trump's threat to "obliterate" his country's energy sites. A public health physician has issues with a study linking vaping to lung and oral cancer. And on The Huddle, Trish Sherson and Phil Goff debate the Greens refusing to run a sex worker as a candidate. Get the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast every weekday evening on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Trish Sherson from Sherson Willis PR and former Auckland mayor Phil Goff joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! David Tamihere's murder conviction got quashed by the Supreme Court today. What do we think this says about New Zealand's justice system? Should we be concerned? The Greens have recently declined a former sex worker's candidacy, prompting speculation and debate. What do we make of this? Trump has been ramping up his threats against Iran if a ceasefire deal isn't reached shortly. This has prompted some backlash - what do we think? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are hopes thawing our frosty relationship with the Cook Islands shouldn't be too tough for the Foreign Minister. Winston Peters is meeting Prime Minister Mark Brown on his home turf after an Auckland meeting last month. Relations have been tense since the Cooks didn't consult with New Zealand on a partnership deal with China, despite our free association arrangement. Former Foreign Affairs Minister Phil Goff told Ryan Bridge Peters should have the upper hand. He says Brown has an election this November and it's really unpopular among Cook Islanders to think they'd lose their New Zealand passports. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Tuesday, 24 March, 2026, help for families feeling the pinch at the petrol pump - we talk to the Finance Minister about $50 a week relief. Our youngest female cabinet minister tells us why she's leaving politics. An increase in prize money for Lotto Powerball - but it'll be harder to win it. And on The Huddle, Maurice Williamson and Phil Goff are in agreement - on Donald Trump's war in Iran. Get the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast every weekday evening on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Auckland councillor Maurice Williamson and former Auckland mayor Phil Goff joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! The Iran conflict continues for another week - do we think Donald Trump is right that talks are taking place? Or do we think this is an exaggeration? The Government has announced their fuel relief package. Plenty of people aren't happy with it, what do we think? Is the Government right to make it small-scale? ACT deputy leader Brooke van Velden has revealed she plans to step away from politics. What do we make of this? Has she made the right move? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 4th of March, the tourism sector is a major force, with spending and jobs both rising. Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters speaks on meeting Javier Milei in Argentina and his thoughts on the situation in Iran and criticism from Helen Clark and Phil Goff. Mark Mitchell and Ginny Andersen talk about Kiwis stuck in the Middle East and balancing the books on Politics Wednesday. Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Tuesday, 3 February, 2026, we talk to a former CIA officer about the US war in Iran - and how the conflict is growing. The Children's Minister tells us why there'll be another boot camp for young offenders. A new take on cell-phones - we hear from an advocate of putting a phone in every prison cell. And on The Huddle, Phil Goff and Maurice Williamson battle it out over the fighting in the Middle East. Get the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast every weekday evening on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Auckland Councillor Maurice Williamson and former Auckland mayor Phil Goff joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! Prime Minister Chris Luxon has copped some backlash over his non-committal response to the crisis in the Middle East. Who's to blame here? How bad does this look in an election year? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are we still living in the same country that told America what to do with its nuclear-powered and nuclear-armed ships? Are we still living in the same country that declared itself a nuclear-free zone? Which had Washington throwing its toys and telling us that it wouldn't be sharing intelligence with us if its ships weren't welcome. But that didn't put us off and the no nukes policy has been in place ever since. That was back in 1984. Fast-forward to 2026 and it is a completely different story. Which is why we've got former foreign affairs minister Phil Goff saying today that Christopher Luxon and Winston Peters are scared of US president Donald Trump. He says the Government's response to US and Israel attacking Iran has been “weak and uncertain”. Which it has. Not only that. Phil Goff is also saying today that New Zealand no longer has the courage to speak freely on international matters. He says the Government knows full well that Donald Trump's claim he was just responding to an imminent threat from Iran is nonsense. Fake news. Phil Goff says the Government also knows full well that the attacks on Iran are illegal. But it's too scared to say so because it's worried about what reaction it might get from, as Goff puts it, a president who is “volatile, unpredictable and vindictive”. He's not getting any argument on the volatile and unpredictable bit from former defence minister Wayne Mapp, who says that's exactly why the Government should be careful what it says. Because Trump is contrary and you never know what he's going to do. Wayne Mapp says: “You do something that really upsets President Trump, you're likely to be slapped with a 10 percent, 20 percent, 30 percent tariff.” And he says the way the Government is handling things protects New Zealand's interests. I disagree. Because, if we want to be an independent, confident country, we have to take a stand on things - just like we did back in the 1980s with the nuclear thing. Christopher Luxon's background as a CEO is his undoing in situations like this. Because chief executives are terrified of chaos. They like to have all their ducks lined-up before they make a decision or before they take a position on something. They are the people who run everything past HR and the legal team because uncertainty is no friend of your chief executive. So, of course, Christopher Luxon is going to say wishy-washy things like New Zealand “acknowledges” the attacks on Iran. Of course, he's going to say it's up to the US and Israel to determine whether the attacks are legal or not, because they're the ones with all the information in front of them. Anyone expecting anything different is dreaming. And, because of that, Phil Goff is right. We are running scared and we have lost the courage to speak freely on international matters. Courage we used to have in spades. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Prime Minister's being accused of playing politics over Iran. Christopher Luxon says the Government will make a decision very shortly on whether to designate Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist entity. Former Foreign Minister Phil Goff told Ryan Bridge if Luxon wanted to take a stand, he should have done it already, as moving now would look opportunistic. He's questioning why the Government's treating Iran differently than countries like Russia, and thinks we need consistency. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Thursday, 19 February, 2026, Chris Bishop on the Government's backdown on two million houses for Auckland. A relaxing of rules around serving alcohol at community and sports clubs. Why grocery tourism is becoming a popular pursuit for holidaymakers. And on the Huddle, Phil Goff and David Farrar lament the Government ditching a referendum on a four-year term. Get the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast every weekday evening on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Govt has announced today it is looking for interested parties to build a Liquid Natural Gas Facility to boost NZ's power reserves for dry winters.Tama Potaka sits down with Mihi Forbes on MATA, questioned on whether or not National has been part of fueling racism in NZ by supporting bills such as the Treaty Principles Bill.Phil Goff kicks off this year's Q+A show, with bold commentary on how little NZ is doing to stand up to the Trump regime and instead siding up next to America.++++++++++++++++++++Like us on Facebook.com/BigHairyNetwork Follow us on Twitter.com/@bighairynetworkFollowing us on TikTok.com/@bighairynetworkSupport us on Patreon www.patreon.com/c/BigHairyNewsCheck out our merch https://bhn.nz/shop/Donate to our work https://bhn.nz/shop/donation/

Former foreign minister Phil Goff tells Q+A that he thinks New Zealand has failed to adequately stand up for this country's values in the face of Donald Trump, in particular taking aim at foreign minister Winston Peters, who sacked him as ambassador to the UK. 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. Will economy struggling or surging change the election? With the state of the economic recovery looming as a crucial election issue, Q+A is joined by NZIER's Christina Leung, and Brad Olsen from Infometrics, to discuss whether the economy will recover before November. 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. Adrian Rurawhe: TPM “not the party Tariana Turia started” Departing Labour MP Adrian Rurawhe joins Q+A to reflect on his achievements and regrets in politics, what Labour could have done better in government, and his concerns about the direction of Te Pāti Māori, which he was involved in the initial formation of. He also reflects on his time as Speaker, and the desire he had to always be fair to both government and opposition. 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. How mediation services should be changed Q+A dives into the Members Bill ballot to hear from National MP Carl Bates, who wants to change how mediation services work, and establish a register of mediators the public can access. 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.

Those opposing our FTA with India have got be guilty of economic treason, don't they? We're a small trading nation with lots of food, and world markets who need our red meat and our milk. The closer the country, the better. The higher-value-add, the better. And the sugar on top is tariff-free access, so our competitive advantaged producing the world best dairy and sheep and beef, and Kiwifruit, can all me admired and loved by the word at a reasonable price. When Helen Clark and Phil Goff signed the deal in Beijing back in 2007, two-way trade was $8. It's now $41-billion. It's now our largest trading partner. We are on the cusp of another bonanza just like with a country much bigger and meddle class about the crack on. It's to come the third largest economy in the world. However, some kiwi politicians believe this is somehow a bad thing. That selling our best produces to other countries at cheaper prices, unencumbered another' tax regime, how is that not a good idea? Why because we may have take an 1700 Indians on working visas coming here? So what. They work hard, they hussle. They don't piss around fishing at the beach or sitting on the couch when they should be working. Migrants do the jobs iwi's feel they're too posh to do in society. It's hard work. Honest work. And it needs to be done. Why not let people who want to work, work. And you don't, you don't get anything. Fish till your hearts content. But this country should be filled with ambitious people who want to make the most of it. That's what FTAs do and I can't understand people don't it.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand is going to sign this free trade deal with India. The massive boost we got and still enjoy from Phil Goff's signing of the China FTA is still very much fresh in mind. Hipkins sounds pretty upbeat about it, with a few questions to be asked, but he says caucus will look at it and make a decision. Of course, it'll need support across the aisle because NZ First isn't keen. The Europeans have just done a massive deal with Delhi overnight. Ursula von der Leyen is in India, getting the red carpet treatment from Modhi. Combined they make up 25% of the world's GDP and the market size? Two billion people. They've been negotiating for years and years, but finally have a deal, in part because of a Trump's tariffs but also because India has managed to secure protections for dairy. They say Delhi "has prudently safeguarded sensitive sectors, including dairy…”. We generally treat trade as a bipartisan issue and there's little reason to think this deal will be any different - barring any major red flags with the details, many of which we the public don't know yet but that the Opposition's being consulted on. But if that checks out, it's probably going to be a rubber stamp. After all, we're like the world's FTA cheerleaders. We basically go round international meetings with a clipboard trying to sign people up. We now have 70% of our global trade covered by FTAs. It's reasonable to only expect that will increase. And perhaps easier once Trump leaves office, too.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Trish Sherson from Sherson Willis PR and former Auckland mayor Phil Goff joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! Donald Trump sparked some outrage following his criticism of allied efforts, including New Zealand, in Afghanistan. Were his comments out of line? New Zealand Rugby has unveiled their updated criteria for a new All Blacks coach - applicants must be from New Zealand and have international head coaching experience? Do we think this is the right move? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Monday, 26 January, 2026, we explore how long Mount Maunganui's likely to remain off-limits in the wake of the landslide. Interim New Zealand Rugby boss Steve Lancaster gives us details of the search for the next All Blacks coach. An entrepreneur outlines how he'd give Auckland's CBD a makeover. And on The Huddle, Phil Goff and Trish Sherson have harsh words for Donald Trump's criticism of allied efforts, including New Zealand, in Afghanistan. Get the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast every weekday evening on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're back baby, Pat and Chewie are LIVE from 9pm with some updates on 2026, where we are heading, what we are up to and how we are looking to effect a change in 2026.Phil Goff joins us LIVE tonight at 9pm to talk about his comments on the weekend accusation that Foreign Minister Winston Peters failed to stand up for New Zealand soldiers after US President Donald Trump said allied troops "stayed a little back" during the war in Afghanistan. In a sharply worded Facebook post on Saturday, the former high commissioner to the United Kingdom said Peters' silence in response to Trump's remarks was "deafening".A man who was shot dead by federal agents in Minneapolis has been identified by his family as 37-year-old intensive care nurse Alex Pretti. He has been described as an avid outdoorsman who loved mountain biking and is understood to have joined protests after Renee Good, also 37, was shot dead by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent in her car earlier this month.We'll take a look at the tragedy at Mt Maunganui, the lives that have been lost, and the messaging from the PM of how important addressing climate change is...while this government hinders as much as possible effective policies to address climate issues.++++++++++++++++++++Like us on Facebook.com/BigHairyNetwork Follow us on Twitter.com/@bighairynetworkFollowing us on TikTok.com/@bighairynetworkSupport us on Patreon www.patreon.com/c/BigHairyNewsCheck out our merch https://bhn.nz/shop/Donate to our work https://bhn.nz/shop/donation

Phil Goff agrees with the Christchurch City Council's response to a Government proposal of capping rates to no more than 2 to 4 percent per year. Goff says the Government is not performing in lowering the cost of living, but a rates cap is not the right answer. The former Mayor of Auckland told John MacDonald the Government sees local councils as an "easy target". Christchurch City Council has responded to the Government's proposal, saying that while they support a prudent approach to managing rates, the cap as currently designed is “unrealistic and unworkable”. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight, live from Revelry bar on Ponsonby Road Auckland, the Panel comes to your ear holes for a riveting hour of pub politics and current affairs. Joining Wallace for a look at some of the year's biggest issues is Heather Roy (ex ACT MP), Holly Bennett (former advisor to Minister Paul Goldsmith and founder of kaupapa Maori government relations firm Awhi), Phil Goff (former Auckland mayor) and Simon Wilson (senior writer NZ Herald). In this first hour the Panel discusses the brand-new reform of the Resource Management Act; a look at Auckland and the year out biggest city has endured; what's happened in education and how educators have been hit with a wave of new curriculum and after five years is New Zealand ready to decriminalise drugs?

Join Wallace for New Zealand's most explosive 30 minutes of politics. He is joined by panellists Toby Manhire, Andrea Vance and Phil Goff. Tonight, they discuss the fallout from the ICPA investigation into how police handled allegations against former Deputy Commissioner Jevon McSkimming; the spectre of asset sales; Te Pati Maori's rocky week and is woke back?

Tonight on The Huddle, former Auckland mayor Phil Goff and Conor English from Government relations firm Silvereye joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! US president Donald Trump recently unveiled a 20-point peace plan for Gaza. Do we think Hamas will agree to this? Could this be a gamechanger - or just another plan that goes nowhere? Should Kāinga Ora have negotiated better to get more for the Dixon Street apartments in Wellington? The CTU is calling for electricity generators to be returned to public ownership ahead of the Government's big energy announcement. What do we make of this? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Thomas Scrimgeour from the Maxim Institute and former Auckland mayor Phil Goff joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! The GDP results are in, and they're worse than predicted. Are we surprised by this development? Does the Reserve Bank need to try harder to fix this? Should Nicola Willis resign? Self-driving Teslas have officially launched in New Zealand. What do we make of this? Should we be worried? Jimmy Kimmel's show has been pulled following some comments he made about Charlie Kirk's assassination. Is this an overreach? Did Kimmel deserve to get sacked? New data reveals one in three young men feel gender equality has gone too far. What makes our young men feel like this? Can something be done about it? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Peeni Henare - Tamaki Makaurau by-election candidate - tackles voter struggles, community heartbreak, and a few laughs about his beloved Warriors. Then, it’s into the political arena with a star-studded panel debating three hot-button issues: the Government’s bold plan to sell citizenships to mega-wealthy foreigners, Auckland’s crumbling economy and homelessness crisis, and the global uproar over Israel’s actions being declared genocide. Powered by Waatea News.

Stuart Nash turning up at the conference over the weekend - that was quite a coup for New Zealand First. Now, clearly what New Zealand First is trying to do is emulate what Reform - Nigel Farage's party - in the UK is doing. If you've been following what they're up to, they have had a huge number of politicians defect to Reform. And every single time it happens, the news media covers it and it makes Reform look like the party with the momentum. That is what New Zealand First is trying to do. That's why you had both Stuart Nash, formerly of Labour, and Harete Hipango, formerly of National, at the conference over the weekend. Now, despite the circumstances of Stuart leaving Parliament, he's actually a really big defection from Labour because he's a very capable politician. He managed to turn Napier into a red seat in 2014, despite the popularity of the Key Government at the time. He was one of the few ministers in the Ardern administration that voters on the right actually had time for. He is, and I think that's because he's a proper centrist in the Labour Party - not crazy left like a lot of them are, a little bit more to the right - which is why he's probably going to find a better home for himself in New Zealand First than the Labour Party of 2025. Now, I don't know if Labour realizes what they've lost with Stuart Nash leaving. I mean, of course, he's really been out of Labour since the moment Chippy fired him, but I don't think they even realized then what they'd lost because they haven't replaced him. And what I mean by that is they haven't gone looking for another true centrist politician. Back in the day, Labour had heaps of them. They had Phil Goff, David Shearer and just going back through time - Richard Prebble, Roger Douglas, Mike Moore - it wasn't that unusual to have a good little centrist or righty sitting in the Labour Party. Now, name one for me. I mean, you might have once been able to say Chippy, but he's allowed himself to be pulled so far to the left, I'm not sure you could call him a centrist anymore. Now, you cannot, as a Labour Party, win over the centre voter if you do not have politicians that the centre voter likes. And Stuart Nash, I think, was probably the last one of them. I would say: total coup for New Zealand First. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So here's a little bit of happy news for anyone still feeling injustice over the petty way that Trevor Mallard turned the sprinklers on the Parliamentary protesters and made everything worse - he is coming home from his plum job in Ireland as the ambassador. As Winston Peters says, quoting The Seekers - the carnival's over. And it's a good job too, because it was always deeply unfair that Mallard could behave like a child and basically torment fellow Kiwis, and then be rewarded by his mates with a job that was funded by Kiwis. Now Winston's trying to spin this like he's bringing Trevor Mallard home early. He's actually not really at all. Trevor's due home in January. It's understood that he's gonna be back in November. Whoop dee doo- two months early in a three-year term is hardly a punishment or a massive recall, isn't it? I mean, if Winston wanted to bring him home early, he could have brought him home at any point in the last two years that he's been the Foreign Minister. But I will agree with Winston on something here, which is that I think we have got to stop appointing politicians to diplomatic jobs. He says full stop - I say as a reward. I still think that there will be some politicians who are exceptional and who deserve these jobs because they would do an excellent job representing us. And I've always thought it was a pity that Helen Clark never got a posting overseas. But often, they're just lousy at it, aren't they? I mean, Phil Goff stuffed up. He had to come back. Jonathan Hunt embarrassed us by wanting to claim the pension in the UK when he was already on a very good wicket from us. Kevin Rudd - the Australian version of all of this - got sent to Washington by the Aussies and then embarrassed them by posting weird stuff about Trump before Trump became President again, then having to go back through his social medias and delete it all. Being a politician doesn't necessarily make these people good diplomats, and Trevor Mallard is absolutely an example of that. He has never been accused of being diplomatic. In my opinion, the only reason that he ever got this gig in Ireland is because his daughter lives in Ireland, and because he was some sort of an avuncular figure to Grant and Jacinda and Chippy, who were in Government when he was appointed. That is not a good reason to send someone to an Ambassador's job. It's not a good reason to get a job that you and I are paying for. So as Winston says, carnival's over - good thing too. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Tuesday 12th of August, New Zealand is considering recognising a Palestinian state. Does it matter? Will it change the war? Former Foreign Affairs Minister Phil Goff weighs in. Christchurch has been confirmed as the host of the 2026 Super Round – NZR boss Mark Robinson discusses the decision. Country music star Lainey Wilson is on her way to New Zealand for the first time next year, and chatted exclusively with Mike. Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A critical decision lies before New Zealand on whether to recognise Palestinian statehood. Australia's pledged to recognise Palestine at the UN General Assembly in September, following suit with countries like France, Canada, and the UK. Our Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed we will reach a formal decision next month. Former Foreign Minister Phil Goff told Mike Hosking the move would send a message to Israel its action is unacceptable, and would affirm the Palestinian people's rights to a homeland. He says it supports a two state solution, which New Zealand backs and which Israel itself agreed to more than 30 years ago. Goff says it's a measure we should take, but it won't resolve the appalling things happening to the Palestinian people. He says New Zealand should be doing more to back up its words with action, as we tend to talk-the-talk without having the guts to do anything about it. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Jordan Williams from the Taxpayers' Union and former Auckland mayor Phil Goff joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! Wellington Council has voted down a proposal to build a fence around its waterfront. Do we think this was the right move? High gas prices are set to bring down another company - this time it's fertiliser manufacturer Ballance. How many more of these incidents can our economy take? What can we do to stop this? It's been revealed the Government spent too much during the Covid-19 pandemic, according to new reports. What do we make of this? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wallace Chapman and the Politics Panel discuss and analyse the main political stories of the day. He is joined this week by RNZ's Corin Dann, the NZ Herald's Fran O'Sullivan and former government minister Phil Goff. On the slate today: Nicola Willis says Kiwis are not getting a raw deal from high butter prices (after meeting the CEO of Fonterra); Defence Minister Judith Collins told a crowd of graduating Army recruits last week that they should prepare for "combat"; just 38 percent of respondents to a Talbot Mills poll say the government deserved a second term; is the government using locla councils as a whipping boy and National seems to have found a bright spot in one area of it's party policy: Education.

Tonight on The Huddle, former High Commissioner to the UK and former Auckland mayor Phil Goff and Thomas Scrimgeour from the Maxim Institute joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! Sky TV has bought Three for $1. What do we make of the deal? What does this mean for the future of the industry? New Zealand has joined the international calls for an end to the ongoing war in Gaza - but do we need to let actions follow words? A new Talbot Mills poll reveals the majority of the nation thinks the country is on the wrong track, and half of NZ First's voters think National doesn't deserve to be re-elected. Do you think we're looking at a one-term Government? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Phil O'Reilly from Iron Duke Partners and former Auckland mayor Phil Goff joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! Modern parents are sceptical of sleepovers as awareness of sexual harm rises. How do we square this circle? There is now a push for Auckland Council to ban private choppers in residential areas altogether following the ongoing Mowbray saga. Are people being too harsh about this? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sacked diplomat Phil Goff is revelling in his freedom to denounce the US President telling an Auckland University audience Donald Trump is an abusive bully and that New Zealand is behaving like an enabler. Felix Walton was there.

The former New Zealand High Commissioner to the United Kingdom Phil Goff was sacked from his job as a diplomat for publicly questioning Donald's Trump understanding of history. The Foreign Minister Winston Peters wasted no time sacking him saying he wasn't paid to "free think." Goff is doubling down on his criticism, likening President Trump to a school yard bully nobody challenges and accusing of him of lying about Russia's war on Ukraine. Phil Goff spoke to Lisa Owen.

New Zealand's former high commissioner to the United Kingdom, the former Labour Party leader Phil Goff, has doubled down on comments that led to his sacking last month. Goff spoke to Corin Dann.

Morse code transcription: vvv vvv New Zealand fires UK envoy Phil Goff over Trump comments Sheer panic as child killed by car on Kendal sports pitch Glastonbury 2025 Olivia Rodrigo, Charli XCX and The 1975 to headline Stamp duty What is it, how much is it and how is it changing Assisted dying debate The UKs real problem with palliative care Scientists discover new part of the immune system US confirms direct talks with Hamas over Gaza hostages Worst train companies to be named and shamed European leaders gather for special defence council in Brussels Home buyers race to beat stamp duty rise

Phil Goff remaining as High Commissioner to the United Kingdom has been labelled "untenable" by the Foreign Minister, after comments criticising Donald Trump. Political reporter Russell Palmer has more.

Political Editor Jo Moir spoke to Lisa Owen about the resignations of Reserve Bank head Adrian Orr and Air New Zealand CEO Greg Foran, as well as the sacking of UK High Commissioner Phil Goff.

Former Prime Minister Helen Clark has accused the Government of being "super-sensitive to the Trump administration", following Phil Goff's sacking. RNZ political editor Jo Moir spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.