Podcasts about prime minister christopher luxon

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has been fielding questions about New Zealand's relationship with the Cook Islands as his government cuts nearly $20 million in funding to our Pacific neighbour. Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters confirmed the funding freeze after the Cooks signed partnership agreements with China without consulting New Zealand. Deputy political editor Craig McCulloch spoke to Lisa Owen from Shanghai.

Statistics Minister Shane Reti has announced that the Census form will be scrapped and instead replaced with smaller surveys and administrative data. Earlier this week, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon expressed openness to reducing sick leave entitlements. And tensions between Israel and Iran continue to escalate as Israel's war on Gaza continues, threatening global security. For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, Wire Host Caeden spoke with Deputy Leader Carmel Sepuloni about both of these topics.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon recently spoke to media saying that the government would announce reforms to the Holidays Act that would impact sick leave entitlements for part time workers. Under the suggested changes, sick leave entitlements would be processed under an accrual system, meaning that part-time workers working half the hours of their full-time counterparts may only earn half of their previously entitled sick leave. In that same week, a directive was recently given to Te Whatu Ora - Health NZ to give private hospitals 10-year outsourcing contracts to perform elective surgeries. And earlier this week Associate Education David Seymour announced a review of the funding for early childhood education. For our weekly Catchup with the Green Party, Oto spoke to MP Ricardo Menendez-March about all of these issues.

Mark Mitchell's hoping to broaden relations with China in his role of Minister for Ethnic Communities. He's in the Chinese economic capital of Shanghai with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon. Mitchell's meeting with the Kiwi business delegation today to plan out what they want to achieve. He told Mike Hosking trade, food, and education are on the agenda. Mitchell says they're all ambassadors for New Zealand, aiming to solidify a relationship with China. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon departs early tomorrow morning for China, leading a business delegation to Shanghai, where he hopes to boost the country's profile as a tourism and education destination. He'll also meet with president Xi Jinping. So what is he hoping to achieve on the trip? Also, Luxon hinted this morning at possible changes to legislation surrounding sick leave entitlement. Could the government revert back to the five days sick leave that was in place prior to the last government changing the law? Newstalk ZB political editor Jason Walls joined Nick Mills for the Beehive Buzz. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Huge numbers are rolled into Fieldays in Hamilton as it kicked off, and it's expected many dairy farmers especially will be feeling flush. A record farmgate price for the 2024 to 2025 season combined with the government's move to allow farmers to deduct 20 percent off new farm equipment from their taxable income means the rural sector is looking in good shape. The Minister of Agriculture also announced a four million dollar boost to rural wellbeing and Prime Minister Christopher Luxon added that he wants farmers to know they are "deeply loved" by the government. Alexa Cook reports.

The Green party recently made renewed calls to the government to sanction Israel for its illegal occupation of Palestine following the seizure of the Madleen, a vessel that aimed to deliver food and medical aid to Gaza. The vessel, which was en route to Gaza, was intercepted in the Mediterranean by the Israeli Defence Forces before being rerouted to Israel with all those on board, among whom was Swedish activist Greta Thunberg. Earlier this week, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Immigration Minister Erica Stanford recently announced the Parent Boost Visa, part of the government's self-described commitment to supporting parents living overseas to visit and stay with their families here in Aotearoa. And, over in the United States, 2000 National Guard troops and 700 Marines have been deployed to Los Angeles in response to protests opposing the city's recent immigration raids. For our weekly catchup with the Green Party, Oto spoke to MP Ricardo Menendez March about all of these issues

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is involved in a tit for tat with climate change scientists over plans to lower the country's methane target. Climate change correspondent Eloise Gibson reports.

From September, parents of citizens and residents will be able to get a five-year visa allowing them to come and go, with an option to extend for a further five. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon spoke to Corin Dann.

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

Over 25 international climate change scientists have written an open letter to Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, calling out the Government for "ignoring scientific evidence" and urging it to "deliver methane reductions that contribute to the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees." Climate change correspondent Eloise Gibson spoke to Corin Dann.

The government's making big changes to WorkSafe, the agency tasked with keeping workers safe including shifting in priorities from enforcement to giving advice. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

Christopher Luxon says the Government's making its expectations clear when it comes to behaviour in social housing. Kāinga Ora is formally warning seven times as many tenants as it was last financial year. It's evicted 63 tenants in 10 months for disruptive behaviour. The Prime Minister told Mike Hosking the enforcement action is sending a clear message about what is and isn't acceptable. He says it's a privilege to be in a state house funded by the taxpayer, and unruly behaviour isn't okay. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It was round two of a war of words between Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Wellington mayor Tory Whanau this week – the PM criticised the council heavily appearing on Wellington Mornings. and Tory hit back by saying Luxon should focus on his own "chaotic coalition". Is this the behaviour we expect from either of these leaders? Also, there are potentially hundreds of kids in New Zealand born to overstaying parents who are in hiding. In one case, a 19-year-old born in NZ to overstaying Indian parents has never had an education, hasn't seen a doctor since he was 10 and has been in hiding for nearly two decades - all because he was born here out of his control. Do we need to consider bringing back birthright citizenship? To answer those questions, Nick was joined by broadcaster Mark Sainsbury and Iron Duke Partners director Phil O'Reilly. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Christopher Luxon remains hopeful the latest cut in the OCR isn't the last. The Reserve Bank's dropped the Official Cash Rate 25 basis points to 3.25%, and is now forecasting it will reach a low of 2.9 percent in December. But the Monetary Policy Committee wasn't able to reach a unanimous decision to cut the cash rate. The Prime Minister told Mike Hosking Acting Governor Christian Hawkesby is dealing with a period of global uncertainty. He says there's a huge amount of volatility that Hawkesby is navigating, but the economy is turning a corner. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"We expect our police to tackle crime everywhere," that said by Prime Minister Christopher Luxon as he and the Police Commissioner moved to reassure the public about a new police directive that's sparked confusion and concern. The directive told officers not to investigate allegations of shoplifting below $500. While petrol drive offs below $150 and online scams under $1000 would also not be investigated. Finn Blackwell reports.

Finance Minister Nicola Willis talks to Mike Hosking about the week's big issues after the budget announcement last week. Health New Zealand's aiming to perform more than 30-thousand elective surgeries by June 2026 by outsourcing more straightforward cases to private hospitals. Willis says getting doctors and specialists on longer term contracts will get more people the care they need sooner. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon last week announced his intention to raise the retirement age. Willis says no discussions have taken place yet, but says the Government would need to be upfront with their plans. "At some point, a future government is either going to have to slap a lot more tax on people or it's going to have to front up to whether the settings can be tweaked a little bit," she says. LISTEN ABOVE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Budget didn't bring any changes to the pension - but Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has doubled down on his support for raising the age. Luxon and his soon-to-be Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour, are on the same page when it comes to raising the pension age to 67, but Seymour says Winston Peters is standing in the way of changes. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government unveiled their latest Budget last week - and it's prompted divided responses across both sides of the political aisle. The Finance Minister described her second Budget as 'No BS', while Prime Minister Christopher Luxon labelled it the 'Growth Budget'. Meanwhile, the opposition has been quick to take aim against it, with Labour and the Greens lambasting the KiwiSaver changes and the sanctions against teenagers on JobSeeker. NZ Herald political reporter Adam Pearse unpacked the 'mixed' responses to the Budget. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Yesterday's budget confirmed there will be no changes to superannuation. Means testing for KiwiSaver input's in, but nothing for super. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon reaffirmed his party's support for raising the retirement age to 67. But his deputy and coalition partner Winston Peters doesn't agree. Associate Finance Minister and ACT Party leader David Seymour talks to Heather du Plessis-Allan about the idea. LISTEN ABOVE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Political parties are preparing for what could be a protracted debate tomorrow surrounding the proposed penalties for three Te Pāti Māori MPs. Parliament's Privileges Committee recommended the party's co-leaders be suspended for an unprecedented 21 days for breaking the rules with a haka. MPs will tomorrow consider the proposal - but the Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said he's not willing to compromise. Deputy political editor Craig McCulloch spoke to Lisa Owen.

The Parliamentary debate of unprecedented suspensions handed down to three Te Pāti Māori MPs has the potential to bring the House to a grinding halt ahead of Thursday's Budget. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

The Green Party's budget plan has been called 'Marxist' by NZ First Leader Winston Peters and 'clown show economics' by Prime Minister Christopher Luxon. Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

National has announced it is stepping up its commitment to pursue a ban on social media for under-16s. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon spoke to Corin Dann.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is in studio with Mike Hosking to discuss all the big issues of the week. The Government's announced plans to work on restrictions banning social media use by those under 16. ACT isn't supporting the bill, but the Prime Minister says that could be changing. "They sort of started to shift their position a little bit on the weekend, which is good," he said. The Prime Minister discusses the war in Ukraine after talking with leaders on the issue recently. He says Russia started the war, and they can finish it. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon discusses all this and more with Mike Hosking. LISTEN ABOVE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government's scraped the bottom of the barrel to find more money for the upcoming Budget. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon's promising an extra $400 million for maintaining and upgrading assets, on top of the already projected $3.6 billion. He says he wants to prioritise growing the economy. Infrastructure New Zealand Policy Director Michelle McCormick told Mike Hosking things are looking up after the investment summit earlier this year. She says things are happening in the background, including creating a more positive investment environment. McCormick says that while it's breadcrumbs, it's positive news. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australians have re-elected Labor Party leader Anthony Albanese as their country's Prime Minister in a landslide win that has left plenty of soul searching for the opposition National - Liberal coalition. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is live in studio with Mike Hosking to talk the big issues of the week. Luxon has confirmed the plan to commit $12 billion to defence, backing the decision for five marine helicopters. He says the defence plan will make New Zealand well connected to global partners. The Prime Ministers disagreeing with his soon-to-be Deputy Prime Minister, saying he doesn't think New Zealand has too many ministers. "It's not about the number of ministers, it's actually about the size of the ministries that are supporting those ministers and more importantly, the effectiveness of them." Luxon has spoke with re-elected Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese after a hugely successful win for the Labor Party on Saturday. He says despite differing views, the two have a 'great friendship.' LISTEN ABOVE OR WATCH BELOW See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Thousands gathered at the Vatican at the weekend to mourn the late pope, who led the Catholic Church for 12 years before his death last week. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon was at the funeral and he spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says incomplete or wrong information from the IRD is to blame for shortfalls in the Government's FamilyBoost scheme. The tax rebate of up to $75 per week was initially touted as a $249-million-a-year handout to help with covering childcare costs. Only 1.2% of eligible families received a full subsidy. Christopher Luxon talks to Luxon about the shortfall, his experience at the Pope's funeral and time commemorating Anzac Day. LISTEN ABOVE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

First to the UK where Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is wrapping up his visit there UK before he travels on to Turkey for the ANZAC commemorations. Reporter Soumya Bhamidipati spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 23rd of April, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has met with Sir Keir Starmer, signing a new weapons deal. NZ First are occupying themselves with gender issues, trying to follow the UK Supreme Courts decision - we talk to Suzanne Levy from Speak up for Women about the bill. Mark Mitchell and Ginny Anderson discuss conscience votes and request a special shoutout 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.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has met with King Charles III at Buckingham Palace in London, just hours after the death of Pope Francis. Luxon confirmed he spoke to the King about the death of the Pope during his meeting, but would not divulge further details. A spokesperson for the Prime Minister said Luxon “enjoyed discussing New Zealand issues with the King”. Luxon said discussions with British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer in coming days will revolve around the Ukraine-Russia war and trade. He and Starmer will travel to meet New Zealand soldiers who are training Ukrainian troops. “I certainly welcome any efforts around just and lasting peace for Ukraine … we'll keep discussing options about being involved in peacekeeping support once the conflict concludes. “We, as a small country with limited resources a long way away, aren't going to be the ones to end that war, obviously … but, regardless, we stand beside our set of values which we think Ukraine, Zelensky, embodies.” Luxon said trade would also be a hot topic given the UK had recently become NZ's seventh-largest trading partner. “We just need to keep pushing forward on it and keep pushing food and beverage and tourism.” King Charles had a busy few days ahead of Luxon's arrival, with various Easter-related events. Late last week, he attended the annual Maundy Service, during which he awarded gifts to individuals in recognition of outstanding Christian service. Maundy Thursday takes place on the Thursday prior to Easter and commemorates the Washing of the Feet and the Last Supper of Jesus Christ. On Easter Sunday, Charles was joined by other members of the royal family at St George's Chapel in Windsor for a traditional church service. In his Easter message, the King said: “The abiding message of Easter is that God so loved the world – the whole world – that He sent His son to live among us to show us how to love one another, and to lay down His own life for others in a love that proved stronger than death. “There are three virtues that the world still needs – faith, hope and love. ‘And the greatest of these is love'. It is with these timeless truths in my mind, and my heart, that I wish you all a blessed and peaceful Easter.” Luxon met with the King for the first time at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Samoa in October. The Prime Minister gave away little about what the pair discussed during that meeting, but said it was obvious King Charles had a “deep, deep affection for New Zealand” and was “very knowledgeable about a number of issues”. “It was a very natural conversation; it was just the two of us sitting outside and having a chat on a couple of seats.” This is Luxon's first visit to the UK as Prime Minister. He touched down late on Sunday night (NZT). Ahead of the trip, Luxon highlighted that trade was likely to be a key talking point. “New Zealand is a champion for free trade, and I look forward to talking to Sir Keir Starmer about what our countries can do together to support the rules-based trading system,” Luxon said. “The UK is one of NZ's closest and most trusted partners, and, for many Kiwis, it is where they base themselves on their OE. The UK is also important to NZ's prosperity. Our exports there grew by more than 20% in 2024 and are still growing.” Two-way trade with the UK, which NZ signed a free-trade agreement with in 2022, was worth $7.27 billion in the year ending December 2024, making it our seventh-largest trading partner. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says it is the agriculture sector that's pulling New Zealand out of a recession. Luxon spoke about the success agriculture was seeing on a trip to Taranaki on Thursday where he met with local businesses and trades. He said agriculture was the 'backbone of New Zealand' and praised how much it generated for the nation. The Country's Jamie Mackay explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Last week amid retaliatory tariff hikes between the US and China, the New Zealand Prime Minister made several calls to world leaders to discuss global trade. Foreign Minister Winston Peters took aim at this on Friday, pointing out that Christopher Luxon neglected to consult him about the calls. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

On today's episode, the Prime Minister Christopher Luxon responds to comments from Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters criticising the PM for calling Trump's tariffs a trade war, the government is proposing changes to driver's licence tests, a 13-year-old girl was trafficked into slavery in New Zealand, the Blues women have created history by winning back to back Super Rugby Aupiki titles, and we cross the Tasman to get the latest from Kerry-Anne Walsh.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says he has been talking to Iwi leaders about how to better investment for the past 12 months. It comes as one of the country's wealthiest iwi, Waikato-Tainui makes the biggest investment since Treaty settlement 30 years ago. On Friday Waikato-Tainui announced a partnership with global investment firm Brookfield to develop an inland port in Waikato that services more than half of the country's GDP. The port, Ruakura Superhub, is connect to the country's two largest commercial ports, Auckland and Tauranga. The Prime Minister talks to Mike Hosking about Māori investment, the significant Sealord loss, reaction to Winston Peter's 'hysterical' claims, and more. LISTEN ABOVE OR WATCH BELOW See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Donald Trump's 10 percent tariff on New Zealand goods has officially taken effect. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon spoke to Corin Dann.

On today's episode, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon discusses Trump's tariff on New Zealand, more than 50 countries have contacted US President Donald Trump to try to negotiate following the sweeping tariffs he announced last week, the Defence Force is changing entry requirements to try and increase recruitment numbers, Liam lawson has finished 17th in the Japanese Grand prix, and one of the world's biggest planes has taken off from Auckland airport.

The government says it's keeping all options open to shake up the supermarket sector. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon spoke to Corin Dann.

The Government says all options are on the table as Nicola Willis issues a six-week consultation to ensure 'all options are exhausted.' The announcement has been met with disappointment by Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says the six-week period is reasonable. "Maybe other governments in the past haven't actually thought about things or been prepared to go as as deep as what we're proposing, but I think it's a good thing," he said. LISTEN ABOVE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Prime Minister says his government will put an end to "busy bodies weaponising the Resource Management Act". Cabinet has signed off on the high-level design of a new system, having repealed the former government's reforms in late 2023. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon spoke to Corin Dann.

On today's episode, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon joins us to discuss changes to the RMA, there are concerns from hospital specialists over plans to outsource procedures to the private sector, an 11-year-old was mistaken for a 20-year-old and admitted to a mental health facility, the All Whites have qualified for the 2026 World Cup, and an early painting by Goldie has sold for nearly $90,000.

In a bid to knock it out out of the park on a trade trip to India the government is using a not so secret weapon; Cricket Diplomacy. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon pledged to get a free trade deal with the nation of almost 1.5 billion people in his first term. He is now on a charm offensive in India along with a delegation of Ministers, trade experts and business leaders. But in a nation where cricket is pratically a religion the most recognisable people in the entourage are cricketing gods Black Cap Ajaz Patel who grew up in Mumbai and former top batsman Ross Taylor. Ross Taylor told Lisa Owen when his country asked him to help out he said yes.

China's Ambassador to New Zealand has questioned Prime Minister Christopher Luxon off the back of his trip to India, saying it's not sensible to promote a relationship with one nation if it damages another.

Dr Michael De Percy is a Senior Lecturer in Political Science at the University of Canberra. He graduated from both the Australian National University and the Royal Military College, Duntroon. He was also appointed to the Australian Research Council's College of Experts in 2022. Sound interesting? I can only say that if he'd been my lecturer at ANU, I might well have chosen a different career path. We have an excellent Mailroom with Mrs Producer and finish with a critique of Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, courtesy of Amy Brooke. File your comments and complaints at Leighton@newstalkzb.co.nz Haven't listened to a podcast before? Check out our simple how-to guide. Listen here on iHeartRadio Leighton Smith's podcast also available on iTunes:To subscribe via iTunes click here See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is currently in New Delhi, meeting with government officials ahead of negotiating a trade deal with India. A free trade deal between New Zealand and India was part of the Prime Minister's election promises for his first term. School lunch provider Libelle Group, who were contracted to deliver 125,000 school lunches daily, has gone into liquidation. And Labour MP Camilla Belich's bill to make wage theft a crime has passed it's third reading in Parliament. For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, Wire Host Caeden spoke to Deputy Leader Carmel Sepuloni about all of these topics.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has had to wind back expectations over the timeline for a trade deal with India after a burst of overenthusiasm overnight. Deputy political editor Craig McCulloch reports.

Beginning near the start of February this year, the government's new school lunch program has faced criticism after criticism since its introduction. From supply issues to quality and quantity concerns to dietary considerations and heating issues, the program has had its fair share of teething issues.  Now the government claims these issues have been ironed out, others continue to arise. Libelle, one of the school lunch providers contracted by the School Lunch collective recently went into liquidation. Two weeks ago, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon also told parents concerned with the program to “go make a marmite sandwich.” Also in politics this past week we've seen Labour MP Camilla Belich's private members bill passed by all parties excluding National and ACT. The Crimes (Theft by employer) amendment bill would move wage theft from a civil issue to a criminal issue, which National says is unnecessary and time consuming. In our weekly catchup with National's Tom Rutherford, Wire host Castor asked about each of these issues, starting with school lunch program concerns.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon was fielding questions about the embattled school lunches programme at his weekly post-cabinet press conference. Deputy political editor Craig McCulloch spoke to Lisa Owen.