Podcasts about prime minister christopher luxon

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon spoke to Morning Report.

The Government will today reveal its back down on controversial Auckland housing intensification plans amid fierce public criticism. New planning rules would currently allow another 2 million homes in Auckland. But last month the Government announced it'll water down the rules with an announcement expected this afternoon. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon told Kerre Woodham a balance needs to be struck. He says Auckland has to grow with affordable housing, but quite rightly some Aucklanders have said they don't want big buildings next to their homes. He's also allaying concerns about a proposal for a $9 toll on Auckland's Harbour Bridge. The Infrastructure Commission recommended tolling the existing bridge, and second new crossing, to reduce construction costs on the Crown. But Luxon told Woodham it's only an idea. He says the Government hasn't decided whether it'll be a new bridge or a tunnel yet, and decisions on how to fund it will come later. He says tolls are the only way to pull forward the development of new roads, faster. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon spoke to Morning Report.

We thought we'd start with Eden Park given that the number of concerts allowed annually at the Auckland stadium will almost triple. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown, and Nick Sautner, CEO of Eden Park, among others, confirmed the details of a State of Origin fixture at a press conference at Eden Park this morning, along with the news that Eden Park will host up to 12 large concerts, 20 medium sized concerts per year on any day without having to go through the hoops of resource consent. At the moment, they can host 12 concerts and they can't be from more than six different artists or acts. So Ed Sheeran does two nights or the Hot Wheels does two days, but it can only be six artists or acts. Nighttime sport will also be allowed on any day including Sundays as long as the games finish by 10 30 And the first State of Origin match outside Australia in 40 years. That must have taken some negotiating. It is a lot and it's very exciting for Auckland and indeed for New Zealand. It's expected the State of O will attract more than 10,000 international visitors from Australia and when they come, they spend. The changes to Eden Park's rules and settings follow an investigation into whether the current rules for the park as set down under the Auckland Unitary Plan are limiting economic growth. And Chris Bishop said the investigation had found that, well, yes indeed, the rules are overly restrictive, out of step with modern stadium use, and are directly constraining economic activity. Eden Park CEO Nick Sautner says Eden Park has shown it's more than capable of hosting big events and he's pleased the government's giving them the opportunity to make the most of the stadium. This weekend we've got the Edinburgh Tattoo. The Premier of Queensland came out yesterday and said $39 million of economic benefit. Jehovah's Witness delivered 3.5 million visitors to Auckland and New Zealand. So we are a strategic asset for New Zealand and a community asset for Auckland. I do want to acknowledge the community. We have over 97% support. This has been about engaging with the community, transparency, and also careful event management. Yes, so you can understand why he's excited. You can understand why a lot of promoters, festival goers, sports fans are excited. But I do feel for the residents who bought their homes in the area knowing what the rules were at the time they bought the houses. Now they have seen the rules change. But so many people around the country have seen their neighbourhoods change around them. They are not isolated in this. People who bought a home with a lovely house next door, one careful set of neighbours, all of a sudden it's a great big housing development and where there was one house there are now 12 That is a big change for a neighbourhood. Nothing stays the same. It makes absolutely no sense to have a stadium that is only used a few times a year. And I'd go further and say it's immoral to have that amount of land, prime land in the inner city, being underutilised. If you are not going to use it as a stadium, then have the trust give it over to the government and build a Kāinga Ora housing development, put more people into homes in a prime position next to work, near play. You can't have a stadium sitting there doing nothing. That makes no sense at all. And if you've got a motivated trust and a motivated CEO that wants to do as much as they possibly can, and they have contorted themselves trying to come up with different ways to make use of the stadium. Art in the Park, beautiful event, not a traditional use for a sports stadium, but a successful one. There are so many ways to use the stadium. I accept that there will be much more disruption for those who have bought there, and for those who bought when the rules were what they were, I can understand why you'd be a bit grumpy. Nick says 97% of the community's on board, which is a pretty good stat if that is so. You can't hold back that kind of economic growth, that kind of success, that kind of feel good atmosphere because 3% of the neighbourhood's grumpy and doesn't want to share. I'd love to hear your thoughts on this. If your neighbourhood has changed and the rules have changed around you, can you understand the concerns that a few of the residents might have? For those who live in and around the area, is it going to be a win for you if you're a business? If you're a resident, can you put up with it for the sake of the wider good? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This year at Big Gay Out, politicians will be permitted to speak again at the mainstage, despite not being allowed last year. Politicians and their parties have had a complicated history at the event, most recently with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon leaving after being harassed by protestors at the event in 2024.  Big Gay Out has also been the site of other significant political action, including the Green Party's 2021 petition to ban conversion therapy.  To discuss the decision and the importance of linking queer events with politics, News Director Castor spoke to Communications and Advocacy manager at the Burnett Foundation, Kirk Serpes. Big Gay Out is on this Sunday 15th February at Coyle Park. 

Parliament's wading into debate whether a levy the Government announced yesterday is indeed a levy, or in fact a tax. The so-called 'levy on electricity' will fund building an LNG import terminal. Labour was quick to label this a 'gas tax', but Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Energy Minister Simon Watts maintained this project would bring down people's power bills. Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper unpacked today's discussions in Parliament. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon spoke to Morning Report.

A number of politicians, including Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour, were heckled during Waitangi speeches with conflicts surrounding treaty principles interpretations remaining the primary contention point. Although, Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka says that, despite the evident tension, progress is being made. "We attended the National Iwi Chairs from a couple of days ago on Wednesday, and there's a real constructive and positive vibe, and appetite to do things together," he told Andrew Dickens. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The National Iwi Chairs Forum has unanimously backed a High Court challenge from Hauraki iwi Ngāti Manuhiri against the Governments Marine and Coastal Area Act passed last year. The Act makes it harder for Māori groups to win customary title; a move the government says restores the legislation to its "original intent". The forum is meeting at Waitangi this week and will tomorrow meet with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon. Māori News journalist Pokere Paewai spoke to Lisa Owen from Waitangi.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon spoke to Morning Report.

For review:1. President Volodymyr Zelensky on Jan. 30 rejected the Kremlin's proposal for holding talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow but signaled readiness for a meeting in a more appropriate format.2. It was Vladimir Zelensky who insisted on a personal meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, not the other way around, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov recalled at a news briefing, commenting on statements from Kiev about its desire to host a Russia-Ukraine summit.3. Speaking at the White House on Thursday, President Trump said he asked Russian President Putin not to fire on Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, “and the various towns for a week and he agreed to do that.”4. Satellite images show activity at two Iranian nuclear sites bombed last year by Israel and the United States that may be a sign of Tehran trying to obscure efforts to salvage any materials remaining there.5. US President Donald Trump on Friday confirmed he has had dialogue with Iran, as The New York Times reported he was considering potential raids by American troops on facilities within the Islamic Republic.6. US President Donald Trump said Friday he had given Iran a deadline to make a deal, as Washington moved significant military assets to the Middle East ahead of a potential strike on the Islamic Republic.7. New Zealand has decided against accepting US President Donald Trump's invitation to join his Board of Peace, New Zealand's Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says.8. The US State Department has approved more than $6.5 billion in potential military sales to Israel in three separate contracts, the Pentagon says.The US State Department approved a potential sale of Joint Light Tactical Vehicle and related equipment for an estimated cost of $1.98 billion, and another sale of AH-64E Apache Helicopters for $3.8 billion, the Pentagon says in separate statements.A third military contract was also awarded for $740 million to provide Namer armored personnel carrier power packs & integrated logistics support.9. The Syrian government and Kurdish forces declared a ceasefire deal on Friday that sets out a phased integration of Kurdish fighters into the state, averting a potentially bloody battle and drawing US praise for a “historic milestone.”10. Norway selected Hanwha Aerospace's Chunmoo multiple launch rocket system over prominent Western competitors for its ground-based long-range precision fires system. The 19 billion Norwegian kroner (around $2 billion) deal includes 16 launch systems and an unspecified “larger number of missiles” across three range variants, including the 500-kilometer (310-mile) range. 11. The Senate passed the $838.7 billion fiscal 2026 defense spending bill today, after Democrats and the White House reached a deal to largely avert a government shutdown.

Tonight, on The Panel, Wallace Chapman is joined by Penny Ashton and Patrick Phelps. First up, with the recent fatal weather dis related disasters in the North island we have to ask: does our emergency planning match the frequency and extremity of events? The Panel talks to Richard Adams, the founder and director of Taskforce Kiwi, an organisation that offers completely voluntary support in emergencies. Then, the Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has declined Donald Trump's offer for New Zealand to join the Board for Peace. The Panel mulls over the pros and cons of the decision - should we have taken the seat at the table?

Tonight on The Huddle, Jordan Williams from the Taxpayers Union and Jack Tame from ZB's Saturday Mornings and Q&A joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! Judith Collins today confirmed she was retiring from politics - will we miss her? Will New Zealand politics be different without Ju-Co around? Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has sunk to his lowest popularity in the past year, with a leaked poll showing more voters disapprove of him than approve. What can the Government do differently here? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Last week, following weather warnings and torrential rain, slips across the Coromandel and  Bay of Plenty wreaked havoc, cutting off communities, damaging houses, and worst of all, taking lives. At the base of Mauoa, Mount Maunganui, a slip hit a council-owned campsite, claiming six lives and now eyes are turning towards how a tragedy like this could be prevented in future. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon was among the world leaders offered membership on Trump's post conflict government body, the board of peace. The board has received scathing criticism for including people under investigation for war crimes and failing to have a representative voice for the Palestinian people. Luxon has, in turn, received criticism for not ruling out the invitation. Finally, the New Zealand Defence Force has begun to incorporate uncrewed vehicles and drones as it moves into a new era of increased defence spending For our weekly catchup with the Green Party, Wire host Manny spoke with MP Ricardo Menéndez March about Luxons refusal to rule out joining Trump's board of peace, and the New Zealand Defence Forces incorporation of drones but began with asking him about the fatal slip in Tauranga,  

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.

And here we all are, another summer, and while for many people it was fun in the sun and family catchups, for others it was dealing with floods and landslides. Specialised crews are still working, and will be working for some time yet, on recovering the bodies of the missing Mount Maunganui campers. Families are mourning the loss of a Welcome Bay grandmother and grandson killed in another Bay of Plenty landslip, and around the country communities are dealing with being cut off from main thoroughfares and facing lengthy drives to access any kind of amenities, probably counting their lucky stars that their family members are not among the dead and injured from this year's summer storms. It's horrifying, but it's not unexpected, is it? Ever since humans have attempted to tame the environment around them, they've had to deal with the fact that often they will come off second best. So, do we need to rethink how and where we build our communities? It's the definition of madness to do the same thing over and over again and expect different results, and yet that is what we do. Cabinet's meeting this morning and Prime Minister Christopher Luxon told Mike Hosking they'd be discussing the hundreds of millions of dollars needed to fix major roading damage from this year's summer storms. Last year they met to discuss the hundreds of millions of dollars that would be needed to fix roads, the year before that they needed to fix kilometres of roads around the country, and that too would cost hundreds of millions of dollars. A large part of the Waioeka Gorge, which connects Gisborne and Bay of Plenty, will be closed for several weeks to clear slips from the roads. Farmers in the region are calling for a plan B and a more resilient road network because they say they can't handle being cut off from the rest of the country every 18 to 36 months. There are some communities that are looking at other options, rather than rebuilding every time there are floods and doing that every 18 to 36 months. You've got the town of Westport that's looking at a long-term managed retreat strategy, where they're not going to build a new town per se, but gradually any new projects will be built on higher, safer ground away from the severe flood risk, and there'll be plans for a new hub and infrastructure to encourage gradual relocation over generations. There's also a proposal to shift Kumeū's town centre over a number of years. That was tabled by the Auckland Council around about this time last year. A proposal to shift Kumeū and Huapai area because it has a repeated history of flooding, and yes, you can pay the higher insurance rates and you can rebuild and do it again and again, but why would you if there is an alternative? Infrastructure proposals are also being put forward, but a number of community leaders are saying it's pointless, it's putting your finger in the dyke. The better option is to concede defeat and build somewhere else. Certainly there are ways to mitigate damage from flooding and landslips, there are ways of predicting which areas are more prone to flooding and landslips, technology's improving all the time. In some instances though, do we just need to acknowledge that we are no match for the power of nature, concede defeat and step away? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon spoke to Morning Report.

NZ First leader Winston Peters is questioning whether New Zealand should continue to fund the World Health Organisation; Travel agents are worried British-New Zealand dual nationals may get turned away at the airport or UK border when new passport rules come into force; Prime Minister Christopher Luxon spoke to Morning Report; Rescue crews have halted recovery efforts at the Mount Maunganui landslide overnight after workers spotted potential instability in the slip; Economists say it might be time to recalibrate our expectations for inflation and interest rates following higher-than-expected inflation figures on Friday.

On the Matt Heath and Tyler Adams Afternoons Full Show Podcast for the 23rd of January 2026 - more from Mt Maunganui and the rescue attempt continues, we check back in with NZ Herald reporter Michael Morrah before an official update from Prime Minister Christopher Luxon. Then a dog attack on a tourist couple prompts some good chat about how to deal with canine agression. And to finish - Spending time with children - is there such a thing as too much? Get the Matt Heath and Tyler Adams Afternoons Podcast every weekday afternoon on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A long runway for an economic recovery is thought to be the main reason for a November election. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon's set November 7th as election day – the latest election since 2008. Early voting will open on October 26, with final results due in early November. Political Commentator Liam Hehir told Andrew Dickens that the Government's hoping that if they have as much time as possible, people will start to feel more confident regarding the economy. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Election Year is off and running with Christopher Luxon's State of the Nation address. We should know the election date later this week. What we do know is the theme of National's campaign: “Fixing the basics and building the future”. Not a shock. It's a variation of the way they've positioned themselves for a while. The party that concentrates on the need to haves and not the nice to haves - Labour trashed the economy in six years with their spending, we're the guys who'll fix it up. But the real question is what are they fixing and what are they building. Treasury's figures from the Half Yearly Economic and Fiscal Update delivered just before Christmas, show the Government has both cut capital expenditure since its election and lowered forecasts for new spending. Capex fell by $6 billion between the 2023/24 and 2024/25 fiscal years, and spending was $1.6 billion less in 2024/25 than was budgeted. There's not a lot of fixing of leaky hospitals and rickety courtrooms going on. And yet despite that, their spending has gone up. And that's because the big ticket items like benefits and pensions have gone up, and so have costs in services like education and health. So there's not a lot of invigorating news in the near future. Our fundamentals will remain unchanged. The great hope is that private sector just gets on with it understanding the limits to our capacity. And so we get back to the unofficial slogan: "Vote for us, we're not as bad as the other lot". See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is set to give his State of the Nation Address tomorrow and being an election year, it'll be an important one. The National Party will be trying to recover from their recent polling, while kiwis will be looking for some desperately needed economic recovery. Health may also be one to keep an ear out for, after Finance Minister Nicola Willis said she'll be looking to shake up funding in the next budget. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We've got some Christmas messages from the political leaders at Parliament to bring you throughout the programme. First up we have the Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, and Labour leader, Chris Hipkins.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon spoke to Morning Report.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon spoke to Morning Report; It's the network that first gave us internet on our cellphones, but over the weekend providers began the slow process of turning it off; The Motor Trade Association says the Government has got it wrong with proposed changes to the Warrant of Fitness system, and is urging motorists to have their say. Police will begin testing drivers for illegal drugs in the Wellington District today.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon spoke to Morning Report; The police minister is rejecting claims he knew more about the Jevon McSkimming situation, than he let on; Netflix seems poised to acquire Warner Brothers and all its assets in a deal worth almost $144 billion; The All Whites are set to face Belgium, Egypt and Iran during the group stages of the 2026 FIFA World Cup; We crossed the ditch to Canberra to talk to our correspondent Kerry-Anne Walsh.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon spoke to Morning Report.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Friday 5th of December, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon joined Mike to wrap the year before he takes off on holiday. They also exchanged gifts, and both of them were hugely impressed with each other's loot. And for the final time of the year, Kate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson Wrapped the Week, talking about the gift exchange and Mike's reaction. 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.

‘Tis the season for the annual swapping of gifts between the Prime Minister and broadcaster Mike Hosking. For Prime Minister Christopher Luxon the festive season has begun with meal tray tables bearing the longtime broadcaster's face, after the pair exchanged gifts in a Christmas tradition that dates back several years. As for Hosking, he'll leave the Newstalk ZB studio today with a bespoke calendar with a range of dates highlighted, from sports events to Parliament's Question Time and random world elections. “I get a lot of unsolicited advice when I'm in Parliament during question time. So, I've marked out in green all the times that you can give me that unsolicited advice,” Luxon said. “And then the other two big interests in your life are obviously F1 and the Warriors games, so they're all mapped out there on the planner. And then sometimes you love to give a bit of esoteric advice to the listeners around sort of the Cameroonian election that might be taking place. So, down this side, I've just given you a list of random world elections.” Luxon also gave the broadcaster two wine glass rubber lanyards, briefly alarming Hosking as he unwrapped his gift, which was “only for you and [wife] Kate”, Luxon said. “Oh my Lord, what is it?” Hosking replied before the Prime Minister revealed the lanyards were bought at Ikea after the Swedish giant opened its first New Zealand store in Auckland yesterday. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Newstalk ZB host Mike Hosking after the pair exchanged Christmas gifts on the Mike Hosking Breakfast this morning. Photo / Cameron Pitney “I was the first person in the country to make a physical purchase in the store at Ikea. And I bought Mike ... wine glass lanyard[s], because as he ponders his estate ... him and Kate go wandering around and they often have a glass of wine in hand. “As you've got older, I don't want you to trip and fall, because that'd be a real problem.” You can listen here to the exchange. The tray tables were inspired by a comment Luxon made this year about him and wife Amanda eating dinner on their laps while watching Netflix. “Stop eating dinner on your knee, it's not healthy”, Hosking scolded the Prime Minister. “All I ask of you when you're sitting with that on your lap looking at me … is not to spill your food.” The Prime Minister described the trays as having “lovely wood surrounds” and the image of Hosking as being “very wistful”. “It's ponderous and thoughtful,” Hosking said. “The question I'm asking you with my eyes is, ‘Do you really think you'll win the election next year?'” The Government has been struggling in the polls as economic challenges continue, with Luxon himself the subject of ongoing speculation that his leadership may face a challenge from within his own party. But the Prime Minister's response was to the point. “Oh hell yeah, don't you worry about that.” ‘The Complete Guide to Surviving a Mike Hosking Interview' Last year, after Luxon's first full year in the top job, Hosking gave the Prime Minister a gift he described as “one of one” and a “prototype”. It was a book titled “The Complete Guide to Surviving a Mike Hosking Interview”, which Luxon described as “genius”. Luxon gave Hosking a Christmas card with a family photo on it and some “furikake seasoning,” a Japanese seasoning typically made with toasted sesame seeds and nori. “People like me, who are men of the people, just use salt, I mean, I come from a very humble background,” Luxon said. “This is what really posh people do.” “Absolutely love it,” Hosking said in response to the gift. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon on Newstalk ZB's Mike Hosking Breakfast with host Mike Hosking in October. Photo / Mike Hosking Luxon also gave Hosking a “special energy Voost” that was described as “posh Berrocca”. Former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern also exchanged gifts with Hosking during her time leading the country. This included in 2018 a framed photo given to Hosking of the pair riding Lime scooters together and, in exchange, a T-shirt with a picture of Hosking holding a vacuum cleaner. Broadcaster Mike Hosking proudly wearing his Christmas gift from Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern - a T-shirt immortalising a verbal stoush between the pair. Photo / Supplied The following year Ardern – who in 2021 would cancel her regular weekly interview on the Mike Hosking Breakfast – gave the broadcaster a T-shirt showing the pair mid-verbal stoush and with the slogan “I heart Tuesdays”. “This could go wrong,” Hosking then said as he prepared to give Ardern her gift, a miniature “one-off Mike Hosking vacuum cleaner”. “And I don't want you to think it's a sexist gift either because … no one loves to vacuum more than me.” Broadcaster Mike Hosking gifts Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern a miniature vacuum cleaner in their annual gift exchange in 2019. In 2020, Ardern pranked Hosking by gifting him a Labour billboard featuring the ZB host alongside the Prime Minister herself, a present she said Hosking will grow to love as the years roll on. “Do you want me on board? Have you seen my magnetism as a vote-getter?” Hosking joked. Ardern then unwrapped two presents from Hosking, one for daughter Neve and one for herself. Hosking gave Neve a Mickey Mouse soft toy with Neve's name engraved before pranking Ardern back with his own gift to her, a series of face masks with his face printed on the front. “When I first opened it, I briefly worried it was a g-string,” Ardern said. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper talked to Heather du Plessis-Allan about today's political hot topics. Expelled MP Mariameno Kapa-Kingi was heard by Justice Radich in the Wellington High Court in regard to her interim injunction against Te Pāti Māori president John Tamihere. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon attended the IKEA opening in Auckland today. And, head of the Justice Ministry, Andrew Kibblewhite, defended Sunny Kaushal's work as chairman of the Ministerial Advisory Group (MAG) for victims of retail crime, including more than $227K in pay and a $3200 morning tea. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon spoke to Morning Report.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon spoke to Morning Report; Doctors will be able to apply for loans of up to half a million dollars to buy into or start a practice under a proposed policy from Labour; From today, a group of patients with breast and lung cancer will be the first to be able to receive taxpayer-funded medicine in private clinics; Plans to reopen the abandoned Waiwera Hot Springs in North Auckland will move ahead today - with the team behind the revival lodging resource consents; We crossed the ditch to Canberra to talk to our correspondent Kerry-Anne Walsh.

The days of regional councils could soon be over. It's understood the Government will announce a proposal for a local government shake-up later this afternoon. It comes after Prime Minister Christopher Luxon hinted on Sunday that a major reform is coming. Earlier this year, regional development minister and New Zealand First deputy leader Shane Jones told a forum there was "less and less of a justifiable purpose" for keeping regional government once the RMA reforms went through. Which got us thinking about regional councils and their purpose... To help explain that and what today's announcement could be, political reporter Russell Palmer joins me.

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

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon spoke to Morning Report.

National is proposing to raise Kiwisaver contributions to a combined 12% by 2032 - bringing it in line with Australia; Newly re-elected Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown says his second term will be focused on boosting the region's economic growth, making the CBD more inviting, and securing a city deal; Prime Minister Christopher Luxon spoke to Morning Report; We crossed the ditch to Canberra to talk to our correspondent Kerry-Anne Walsh.

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

Lara phones in for a chat with Rosetta and Milly about Prime Minister Christopher Luxon's comments that rising prison populations are a "good thing". Whakarongo mai nei!

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon spoke to Morning Report; The number of Chinese tourists travelling to New Zealand has remained well below pre-Covid levels, despite a strong recovery from countries like Australia and the United States; Ousted Te Pati Maori MP Mariameno Kapa-Kingi has called a hui for this weekend, where she wants an explanation from the party's executive about her expulsion; Police are still searching for the body of a child who died alongside two other children and an adult in a house fire just south of Sanson.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon spoke to Morning Report.

During an interview with the ‘Morning Report', Prime Minister Christopher Luxon confirmed that orders for the homeless in Auckland's CBD to move on were “definitely a consideration”. He later stated, that “Aucklanders don't feel safe going into the central city”, and both Central government and Auckland Council are considering how they can move homeless people out of the CBD ahead of summer.  This follows previous reports that the Government was considering a rough sleeping ban for central Auckland. This news comes as Stats NZ released their annual unemployment figures this week. The results show that national unemployment has risen to a nine-year high at 5.3%, with the New Zealand youth taking most of the damage. For our weekly catchup with The Green Party, Wednesday Wire Max spoke to MP Ricardo Menendez March, to discuss the new unemployment figures released last week. They also spoke about the Government's new action plan to combat methamphetamine use. But first, they discussed what The Green Party thought about the Government's plan to decrease homelessness in the Auckland CBD

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon spoke to Morning Report.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon spoke to Morning Report; The government has extended its pause on funding to the Cook Islands - bringing the total to $30 million over two years; The government has released a new multi-ministry action plan to fight what it describes as the scourge of methamphetamine; Among those attending COP30 is a group of rangatahi Maori known as Te Kahu Pokere, the first iwi-mandated Maori youth delegation to ever attend the global conference; Hybrid work policies are in the spotlight at the moment, with ACC being taken to the Employment Relations Authority over a recent change to its work from home policy.

Measles cases continue to climb as health authorities work to stamp out the outbreak of the higly-contagious virus. In response Te Whatu Ora has launched a measles immunisation week this week, to try to curb the spread. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon spoke to Corin Dann.

On today's episode, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon joins us for his weekly chat; The number of known measles cases in the country has climbed to 17, with new cases confirmed in Wellington and Auckland over the weekend. The Silver Ferns head to Scotland for their Northern Tour this week, but they'll be without their veteran coach Noeline Taurua, despite her recent reinstatement; And it's Monday, so we cross to Australia to speak to Kerry-Anne Walsh.

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

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon spoke to Morning Report's Corin Dann.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon spoke to Morning Report's Corin Dann; PPTA President Chris Abercrombie spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss about an open letter issued by the government ahead of mega strike action; A hunt is underway after priceless jewels were stolen from the Louvre in Paris, in a brazen daylight robbery; National MP, Catherine Wedd has introduced a private members bill to restrict social media for under sixteen year olds; Billy Halloran, a Kiwi athlete is recovering in hospital after he was attacked by a bear while out running in Japan.

The government has recently announced that 18-to-19-year-olds whose parents earn $65,528 annually will no longer be eligible for Jobseeker Support. The Government estimates that 4300 young people would become ineligible under this new policy. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says these changes to Jobseeker Support eligibility are “tough love” and that he did not want the government to “send a message to young people” that 18-to-19-year-olds could “just drift into welfare and that's it”. For our weekly catchup with the ACT Party's Simon Court, News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host Joel spoke to him about this topic. They also discussed the government saying they would amend the Policing Act to guarantee police have the power to collect intelligence through means of photographing and videoing potential perpetrators. But first, they discussed the changes to the Jobseeker benefit.

The review prompted by the scandal surrounding ex-Beehive press secretary Michael Forbes has found that the police should have alerted the government earlier under the "no surprises" convention. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon ordered the "deep dive" in June after Forbes quit his office due to revelations he had covertly recorded audio of Wellington sex workers. Acting political editor Craig McCulloch spoke to Lisa Owen.