Podcast appearances and mentions of stuart nash

Join Wallace for New Zealand's most explosive 30 minutes of politics. He is joined by panellists Andrea Vance, Chris Carter and Corin Dann. Tonight on The Whip we look at the continuing saga of Christopher Luxon's leadership of the National Party, he's survived another challenge, but can the party reconstruct itself leading into the election? Then, the Whip looks at the latest polls and what they say about where the vote will go. Wallace and the panellists also discuss Chris Hipkin's ruling out of NZ First as a governing partner and, apparently, not ruling out Opportunity. Then, Stuart Nash says he thought Chris Findayson was a friend, Findlayson says that's not the case? How do you work out who is actually a friend in politics?

The government is celebrating more families benefiting from its Family Boost scheme. It comes as the National party announced it will extend paid parental leave to 30 weeks if re-elected into government, and follows the scathing response to comments by Stuart Nash about National MP Katie Nimon's paid parental leave. Political reporter Lilian Hanly spoke to Melissa Chan-Green.

Kathryn, Lianne and Ben discuss recent events in politics including Stuart Nash's resignation as a NZ First candidate. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

The National Party has promised to gradually extend paid parental leave from 26 to 30 weeks by 2029 if re-elected. That would see the entitlement lift to 27 weeks in next year’s Budget, before rising again in the following two Budgets. The announcement came days after NZ First candidate Stuart Nash resigned his candidacy after calling National MP Katie Nimon lazy for taking leave after having a baby. But, some commentators have said the plan doesn’t go far enough. Today on The Front Page, military veteran, leadership expert and founder of #workschoolhours movement, Dr Ellen Joan Ford joins us to unpack what the policy could mean for families, employers, and the wider debate about who should pay for it. Follow The Front Page on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. You can read more about this and other stories in the New Zealand Herald, online at nzherald.co.nz, or tune in to news bulletins across the NZME network. Host: Chelsea DanielsEditor/Producer: Richard MartinProducer: Jane YeeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on the Tuesday Wire... For Dear Science this week, we chat with our expert, Dr Cushla McGoverin, about a new giant salamander that lived over 3 million years ago being described in Japan, fungi which can eat polystyrene and how sperm whales sleep vertically.  For our weekly catchup with the National Party, news director Castor spoke with MP Ryan Hamilton about comments by Stuart Nash and New Zealand's climate targets. Host Thomas spoke to PSA National Secretary Fleur Fitzsimons about the employment leave bill and the 200,000 workers it might make worse off. And Producer Liam spoke to Dr Kerry McInerney, a computer science lecturer from the University of Auckland, about public perceptions towards AI Data Centres in New Zealand.

Ben Thomas and  Lianne Dalziel on the resignation of Stuart Nash as a NZ First candidate and National's paid parental policy.

This week on the Sunday panel, director at 818 Chris Henry and partner at Freebairn and Hehir Liam Hehir joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! Stuart Nash has stepped away from NZ First after accusing Napier MP Katie Nimon of being lazy - and copping backlash from all sides of the political aisle. Are we surprised about this? Do we think this is the right call? National recently announced that if they got re-elected, they'd gradually extend paid parental leave to 30 weeks by 2029, with a longer-term goal of reaching 40 weeks. Do we think this is a good idea? Is National taking advantage of the Stuart Nash controversy? There's a new trend - dopamine apps let you fill out a food delivery order or an online shopping cart without delivering anything. But do we think this is a good idea? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

National says its paid parental leave policy was already in the works, despite recent comments from Stuart Nash accusing one of its MPs of being lazy. Nash resigned from NZ First after it was revealed he called Napier MP Katie Nimon the “laziest MP” for taking time off to have a baby. National has today announced, if elected, it'll extend leave entitlements to 30 weeks by 2029, with a longer-term goal of reaching 40 weeks. Finance Minister Nicola Willis joined Tim Beveridge to explain further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Labour MP Arena Williams and National MP James Meager join Tova O'Brien to discuss the big stories of the week, including Stuart Nash's election-killing comments on maternity leave, what local investment in data centres should look like, and their future ambitions for leadership. 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.

Chlöe Swarbrick: Greens want one-year ban on AI data centres The Greens have announced an election campaign policy to put a one-year moratorium on the consenting and building of AI data centres in New Zealand, citing a need to put in place strong regulations before the emerging tech industry can have irreversible impacts on the country's natural resources. Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick joins Tova O'Brien, and also discusses the party's energy and tax policies. Does the deepfake bill go far enough? First-term ACT MP Laura McClure captured headlines by holding up an image in parliament that appeared to show her naked: the image was a deepfake. She is the backer of a bill that would explicitly criminalise the creation and distribution of pornographic deepfakes, after hearing the stories of Kiwi women who were victimised by AI-generated images. Up-and-comers talk Stuart Nash, smartphone ban, and their leaders Labour MP Arena Williams and National MP James Meager join Tova O'Brien to discuss the big stories of the week, including Stuart Nash's election-killing comments on maternity leave, what local investment in data centres should look like, and their future ambitions for leadership. Does NZ need move-on orders? "No" says former judge Anthony FitzGerald served as a judge for 27 years and has seen first-hand the fortunes of Auckland's homeless caught in the justice system. This week he appeared before a parliamentary select committee to oppose the Government's move-on orders legislation. He joins Tova O'Brien to explain why he thinks communities and businesses are being misled about move-on orders as a solution to antisocial behaviour. 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.

Stuart Nash appears to be calling time on his political career, ruling out any form of comeback. Nash has apologised to Napier MP Katie Nimon, after calling her 'lazy' for taking maternity leave. The controversy, which included MPs calling Nash sexist, prompted the former Labour cabinet minister to withdraw as NZ First's Napier candidate. Newstalk ZB political reporter Azaria Howell says Stuart Nash already had a controversial reputation, and he's been warned in the past before this incident. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stuart Nash thought he'd found a political lifeline with New Zealand First. Instead, one text message triggered another spectacular downfall. RNZ deputy political editor Craig McCulloch breaks down the week. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Our political correspondent talks about the controversies surrounding Stuart Nash, Shane Jones and Paul Henry.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Labour has completely lost the plot over Paul Henry playing a classic radio game on Hauraki. Calling a joke a genuine death threat is bloody ridiculous, especially when Chris Hipkins has played the exact same game himself. Plus, Stuart Nash gets dumped by NZ First before election day, and we break down a mad week in Kiwi politics with Maurice Williamson and Ashley Church. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Now it's just over three months till the election. It is a really important election. New Zealand is struggling to get back on its feet economically. A lot of Kiwis are hurting, and they've been hurting for a long, long time. And they have to decide between a party that gives them stuff, “Oh look, we've got free stuff for you," or a party that is promised to fix things, “Hey, we're in charge here," but is still in the process of fixing things and hasn't fixed a great deal yet, “Oh, it takes time.” Or even whether they should give their vote to a shiny new party, “Hi, we're from TOP," utterly unproven, has some interesting takes on taxing the rich, but hey, at least it's not National or Labour, stuff National or Labour. I'll go with that nice girl in that shiny party that may well end up taking your land off you, but hey ho, there we go, at least it's not National or Labour. There is a lot to think about. There's a lot to consider, there's a lot to discuss, there are policies to pick apart, but instead we've spent a week of the 12 weeks we have left until the election fixated on stupid, crass, dumb stuff that politicians and would be politicians say. Should be a new media segment: Dumb Stuff Politicians Say. The media and the public are to blame equally. The media gets clicks on the website and eyes on social media and calls on talkback. Makes it easy, don't even have to work for them. The public can have a knee jerk reaction, “Oh, that's shocking," and an immediate opinion, “What a terrible person," without having to do the hard work of reading through policies and analysis of policies. And as expected, it didn't take Paul Henry long to be at the centre of a row when he was the guest of Radio Hauraki yesterday morning. JEREMY WELLS: Quick game of shoot, shag, marry. Chris Luxon, Chris Hipkins, and Winston Peters. Who are you shooting? Who are you shagging? Who are you marrying? PAUL HENRY: I mean, you know, you've got to shoot Hipkins, haven't you? WELLS: Okay, so Hipkins is no more. MANAIA STEWART: There's your headline. HENRY: Yeah, I'm shagging Winston. WELLS: And you're marrying Luxon. AYESHA VERRALL: That is absolutely inappropriate and these things do have to be called out because we can't just let death threats go in our political conversation. There are nutters out there who feed off these sorts of things and one day, you know, we can be in the situation which the UK is in where members of Parliament lose their lives. Oh, Ayesha Verrall, cool your jets. That was Ayesha on with my colleague Nick Mills in Wellington when she'd learned that Paul Henry had played shoot, shag, marry on Radio Hauraki. Death threats. The righteous indignation from Labour seems a bit OTT given Chris Hipkins participated in a similar game on The Project some years ago, except then as it was called kick, kiss, or marry. In 2023 Chris Hipkins said he would kick David Seymour, kiss Prime Minister Christopher Luxon to get it over and done with quickly, and marry Te Pāti Māori co leader Rawiri Waititi. Kick David Seymour! He's advocating violence! He wants people to hurt the ACT Leader! No, he doesn't. And nor does Paul Henry want to kill Chris Hipkins. They all just participated in a dumb media game and after Albanese got caught up in the shag, marry, date, and Kylie Minogue and all the trouble he got into with that, I'm sure we'll see cross party support from politicians of every hue and every party that they never play that stupid, stupid game in the media ever again. I mean, you heard one of the Hauraki hosts saying, “Oh, there's your headline," and it was. Then you've got the National Party who have got party-wide outrage after Stuart Nash's comments on Katie Nimon and saying, “Oh, she's bloody lazy," inferring she shouldn't have taken so much maternity leave or parental leave. Now, the social media post from every Nat you've never heard of decrying the comments, and deploring them, and the like could be seen as the Nats quite rightly looking after and supporting one of their own, or it could be seen as a party-wide instruction to shriek your outrage across every media outlet because we're polling badly with women and we want to show women that we love them really, it's just that the country can't afford the pay equity legislation that Labour promised the women. We've got Shane Jones and his knee pads comments and for all his purple prose, his grandiloquence, his circumlocution, his sesquipedalian tendencies, he's just as smutty as the next guy, loves a double entendre. But really, the column inches generated and the time wasted by that comment are just grist to his mill. This is what New Zealand First thrives on: agitate and offend people, then leap back decrying them all as “wokesters” and say, “Ugh, New Zealand First is here to man up, hey! You'll be able to knee pad your way around the bloody morning tearoom when New Zealand First is in power! Hey! Don't you worry about that!" I mean, it's just nonsense. Absolute nonsense. There are columns in the newspaper, there are columns online, there are radio programs where you can discuss in detail the policies of the different parties and how they'll impact on New Zealand now and in the future. But people don't read them. We can show you the figures. And that's people. That's the audience. They click on the knee pads, they click on Katie Nimon, they click on Paul Henry and the shoot, shag, marry. They do not click on Treasury's analysis of the Green Party's tax policy – well they do, but not in as nearly the same numbers. So it's on all of us, except not really us because we do talk policy more than your average radio program and you as the audience who make us the number one rating show do read, do absorb, do analyse the policies more than the average member of the public. But honestly, given that this is one of the most important elections we've got coming up, this is what's dominated the headlines for a week. We do get the government we deserve when shoot, shag, marry is the most read column for the week with 12 weeks to go for an election. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On Friday Faceoff this week, Nick was joined by Infrastructure NZ CEO Nick Leggett and ex Wellington City Councillor Tim Brown. Given both have experience as elected members of councils in the region, they gave their thoughts on Wellington's amalgamation discussion ahead of next month's submission deadline. They also discussed the scrutiny around politicians Stuart Nash and Paul Henry following comments made during the week, and the revelation the new Tiaki Wai water agency has hired an army of PR staff. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mums of parliament have united against Stuart Nash, the New Zealand First candidate who was forced to resign. The former Labour Cabinet minister labelled his rival Napier candidate lazy after taking time away from Parliament to look after her newborn. MPs who've had babies while representing their electorates say they're anything but. Political reporter Lauren Crimp has more.

Welcome to the politics group chat - Afternoons' chance to discuss the issues that have cropped up this week ...with Jesse in the Auckland studio is comedian and commentator Tim Batt .. political scientist Dr Lara Greaves and from Feilding, screenwriter and Free Speech Union member Dane Giraud. Today we're looking at whether it's okay for non Māori to give their children a Māori name, the under 16 social media ban, why making workers turn on their camera in a Zoom call can be disability discrimination and of course Stuart Nash.

Under normal circumstances, if I was a Prime Minister, I'd avoid the dumb brigade. In general terms they preside in music radio and/or on podcast platforms. It is the arena of numbnut behaviour, it's always a trap. Anthony Albanese found this out a few weeks ago when he was offered an option of who to shag or marry and ended up bumbling through an answer that suggested he would shag Kylie Minogue and that the Rabbitohs were an aphrodisiac. He almost immediately apologised, as he should have. Paul Henry suggesting he would shoot Chris Hipkins is our new version as of yesterday. This came off the back of the Stuart Nash mess (for the record, a completely different set of circumstances) and what appears to be a newfound desire to be “outraged”. Labour is “outraged”. My fear this election campaign is there is more where this came from. Nash is an idiot with form and his comments weren't funny, or even in the entertainment realm. Henry, who also has form but in the “this could be funny, or could be a bridge too far” category, gets away with it this time because of the setting i.e. a music radio station looking for giggles, and also because Labour need to be careful with their “outrage” habit. Henry also gets away with it because he currently is merely a citizen. It will be different, potentially, if he is an MP and even more different if he is a Cabinet minister. Albanese didn't get away with it because he isn't funny at the best of times, just looked like a dirty old man and, more importantly, because he is a Prime Minister and Prime Ministers need to be beyond reproach. Citizens can do what they like but MPs need to be one rung up from that. Cabinet ministers need to be pretty squeaky clean and Prime Ministers need to be saint-like, artificially so, hence we don't attract normal people to represent us anymore. Labour need a sense of humour and the ability to manufacture their outrage at opportune times, not anytime. It is still only July and I'm over this election and it hasn't even started. Henry will be back for more of this, I wouldn't rule Michael Laws out of saying something random, Shane Jones is building a head of steam, and my bet is that before November 7th someone we haven't even thought of will end up doing something weird, creepy, or mental. All I can say is, be patient. It's only just begun. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Friday has arrived, which means it's time for Kate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson to Wrap the Week that Was with Mike Hosking. They discussed the Commonwealth Games, which have officially gotten underway, Stuart Nash and the comments that lead to him resigning from NZ First, and Labour's response to Paul Henry's answer in a game of ‘shoot, shad, marry' on Radio Hauraki. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Friday 24th of July, NZ's Chef de Mission Nigel Avery speaks on the Commonwealth Games from Glasgow. Netball NZ Chair Alastair Carruthers discusses the sad state of the organisation's finances and poor viewing numbers – so what is the future of the sport? Kate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson talk the Commonwealth Games, emojis telling you to slow down, Stuart Nash, and Paul Henry as they Wrap the Week. 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.

Tonight, on The Panel, Wallace Chapman is joined by panellists Tim Wilson and Jo McCarroll. First up, in a whirlwind week for colourful political language, New Zealand First candidate Stuart Nash has resigned after calling a National MP lazy for taking maternity leave. So where is the line for what political figures can or can't say? Then, power prices have surged by 12 percent in the last year - Consumer NZ lead researcher Rebecca Styles explains why.

New Zealand First has swiftly picked a new candidate for Napier after the resignation of Stuart Nash. Te Kira Lawrence, who was previously announced as the Party's East Cape candidate, will now stand in Nash's place. Stuart Nash resigned from New Zealand First last night, after a text was revealed where he called Napier MP Katie Nimon the laziest MP he'd ever come across, for taking leave after having a baby. Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says politics is a 'rough-and-tumble' game, but it's surprising National stepped in over this matter. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stuart Nash is out of politics for good after another massive, self-inflicted wound. After falling out of Cabinet under Labour and trying to rebuild his career with Winston Peters and New Zealand First, Nash lasted just one week before sending a text to former National minister Chris Finlayson criticizing a local Napier candidate. We look at how Winston Peters acted quickly to force him out, why Christopher Luxon ruled him out of Cabinet, and how Nash repeatedly ruined his own political comebacks through a lack of discipline and poor judgment. Plus, we speak with Mark Hooper, a Taranaki farmer with Federated Farmers, about the government stepping in to halt iwi co-governance agreements with local councils. We discuss what needs to replace these agreements under the new planning rules, the high costs and delays of cultural impact assessments for regular landowners, and why New Zealand needs a transparent, high-trust planning system that works for all farmers and ratepayers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The NZ First deputy leader is not backward in coming forward on emissions targets. But does he have a selective memory when it comes to some of the policy u-turns of the past? Plus, we get his thoughts on knee pads and Stuart Nash.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Right, is it just me, or is there anyone else out there who thinks it's mighty rich of New Zealand First to force Stuart Nash to resign, given the candidates and MPs they have defended for some of the most outrageous things they have said? Is it not rich that Shane Jones was on the radio saying, "Mm, yeah, sensible for Stuart Nash to have resigned," when he is the guy who referred to the Prime Minister needing to get out the kneepads for Narendra Modi when he visited, and he is the guy who used the phrase "butter chicken tsunami"? Now, I was aware of what was happening about 7pm on Wednesday. What was going on was basically that New Zealand First told Stuart Nash that he needed to quit or be fired. He tried to fight his corner but he was unable to do so and he was basically told that was the end of it. I have to be honest, I was really surprised by this. If this were any other party, it'd be fine, but it's New Zealand First. It feels off-brand for New Zealand First. This is a party that's made a virtue of resisting the wokesters and resisting the mainstream media. And then, the minute the wokesters and the mainstream media get upset at Stuart Nash, New Zealand First doesn't even hold its line for 12 hours. It just folds immediately. I mean, that has got to shake the confidence of voters who are attracted to New Zealand First because they think the party is going to provide some sort of bulwark against the creep of political correctness and so-called wokeness. Apparently not. They will fold within 12 hours. Now, I can only guess at why New Zealand First has folded on Nash and not on Jones. I'm guessing it's because there are more women voters in New Zealand than there are Indian voters. I'm guessing it's because Winston Peters prides himself personally on chivalry towards women and this would actually personally offend him. I'm guessing it's because Nash was already on his last chance after the "What is a woman?" thing and the aggro texts to Todd McClay. I'm guessing it's because Nash was not going to win the seat of Napier anyway so this gets New Zealand First out of an embarrassing defeat by a woman who's apparently distracted by her toddler. Because otherwise, immediately agreeing with the wokesters and the mainstream media does seem like quite a weird thing for New Zealand First to do, don't you think? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand First Deputy Leader Shane Jones says it's a sad outcome for Stuart Nash to give up his candidacy. Nash has resigned - after outcry over revelations he'd called his Napier opponent MP Katie Nimon lazy, for taking leave after having a baby. Leader Winston Peters announced the party has accepted Nash's offer to quit. Jones says Nash did an honourable thing - to avoid distracting from the election. "But look, it's not the end of the life for Stuey, he's got a lot more to offer in a variety of other contexts." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Thursday, 23 July, 2026, we ask New Zealand First deputy leader Shane Jones if Stuart Nash's criticism of a rival taking maternity leave really was a resignation-level offence. We talk to the brother of builder Michael McGrath, murdered by his childhood friend David Benbow in 2017, about the no body, no parole bill. One Year Out author Charlotte Bell tells us about her story of getting sober. And on The Huddle, Oscar Kightley and David Farrar on whether too much has been made of ACT candidate Paul Henry's "shoot, shag or marry" radio gag. 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, Kiwiblog writer and Curia pollster David Farrar and artist and local Government politician Oscar Kightley joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! Paul Henry has copped some backlash from Labour after saying he'd shoot Chris Hipkins as part of a risqué radio game. Does this really count as a death threat - or is Labour making a big deal about an innocuous comment? Stuart Nash has resigned following his controversial comments about Katie Nimon's parental leave. Was this the right call? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week the Gals talk about kneepads, Stuart Nash, planning and resource management reform and a whole range of election policies.    Yass Queen to the European Athletics and the European Broadcasting Union and Beehave Mate to US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth.    Question Time: Who would replace Luxon if he was rolled? And who would replace Hipkins?

Leighton 'Uncle Tics' Clarke and Josh 'the Tourette's Barber' Hughes join us tonight LIVE at 9pm to talk about life with Tourette's and Felix Shaw's petition to "Recognize Tourette Syndrome as a government-funded disability in Aotearoa" as it's currently not seen in law as a disability in Aotearoa NZThe ACT Party is accusing Labour of "manufactured outrage" after it complained about new candidate Paul Henry's participation in a risqué radio game. "People want politicians who are real," ACT leader David Seymour said. "Not ones that pretend to be outraged." In the past, David Seymour was very keen to be offended when TVNZ Breakfast shot salt at a Trump doll. Hypocrisy?Kieran McAnulty and Chris Bishop were on TVNZ's Breakfast show this morning talking about Stuart Nash's history of awful behaviour. They also then covered off how with that history, NZ First still saw fit to have him as one of their candidates and took a moment to mention the other NZ First MPs who have also said some shocking things but seem to be safe in Luxon's cabinet++++++++++++++++++++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/

On the Matt Heath and Tyler Adams Afternoons Full Show Podcast for the 23rd of July 2026, the Stuart Nash mess raises questions over using private communications publicly. Then another question that got the calls flowing - would anyone notice if NZ disappeared? And to finish - Ayesha Verrall is not impressed by Paul Henry's answer when playing a game of shoot, shag or marry on Hauraki Breakfast. 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.

Dear oh dear oh dear oh dear. You do have to wonder whether Stuart Nash is employable in this country. He might have to head over to Oz and join forces with Tory Whanau – they can set up their own consultancy on what not to do if you want a job in the public eye. For those who don't know, and I can't imagine there's anyone in the country who doesn't, but let's recap: Stuart Nash has resigned as a New Zealand First candidate after yet another ill-advised reckon came back to bite him in the bum. In a late-night social media post – and therein lies the problem, I think. There is no good that comes from being out late after midnight. There is no good that comes from social media posts after 5pm. But in this case, he said the backlash over his comments had become a significant distraction, so he was resigning as the candidate for New Zealand First. He had accused National's Napier MP, Katie Nimon, of being lazy. She had taken maternity leave. He was responding to Chris Finlayson's positive comments about Nimon in Finlayson's podcast. In a late-night social media text, Nash sent the text to Finlayson and it read: “Katie took nine months off on full pay, went back for a week, then took another month off. Laziest MP I've ever come across. Nice woman, ill-suited to the rigours of being an electorate MP." In fact, Nimon had 10 weeks of parental leave and was back at work as an electorate MP. She spent six months away from Wellington but working from her electorate office. If Nash's comment was a one-off, it could perhaps, with generous interpretation, be explained away. But Nash has form. In mid-March 2023, Nash resigned as Minister of Police following revelations he asked the then Police Commissioner Andrew Coster to appeal a decision Nash felt was too light. You can't do that as a Minister – you have to remain neutral. Later in March, he made remarks on Newstalk ZB calling for a murder suspect to be imprisoned. At the time, the murder suspect was facing trial, hadn't yet been convicted. This is basic law 101 He has a law degree. He was Minister of Police. This is stuff he should know, and it just hands the opposition ammunition. Then, third strike and you're out, he contacted the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment to advocate for a migrant health professional. So, ministerial interference. You can't do that. In response, Hipkins demoted Nash to the bottom of the cabinet rankings as a final warning, but declined to strip him of his remaining cabinet portfolios until it was revealed that Nash had emailed two of his donors, who were commercial property owners, about a commercial rent relief policy that cabinet was discussing, which is in direct contravention of the cabinet manual, which says you can't talk about things that are discussed around the cabinet table. It is basic stuff if you want to do the job. Basic, basic stuff. Chris Hipkins said, “Right, Nash has got to be stripped of his ministerial portfolios." He'd given him enough rope, he'd subsequently hung himself. He decided not to stand for Labour, or Labour decided not to have him, which gave him free rein to express whatever he wanted to say. And off he went onto an internet radio station, The Platform, and when asked for the definition of a woman, said it's a “person with a p***y and a pair of t***s”. He was working for a recruitment company, a serious recruitment company involving serious professionals. There might be some workplaces where that kind of thing is perfectly acceptable, but not at Robert Walters. He was shown the door forthwith, and he also resigned from the board of the New Zealand Taxpayers' Union. This is not an "oh my goodness, how on earth did that happen?" You know that he's a loose cannon. You know that he says oiky, oafish comments that are then ammunition for opposition parties. And it's his indiscretion. Why would you send a text like that to a former National MP who's a very sort of moderate, sensible person who is quite likely to take offence? If he thinks Katie Nimon is the bee's knees, he's going to be rightfully annoyed when Stuart Nash sends him a text like that in the middle of the night. What surprises me is that New Zealand First took him on in the first place. They knew he was an indiscreet oik – he was exactly what was written on the can. You got what you expected, surely. But it's his lack of judgement and his indiscretion that makes him really ill-suited to standing for any kind of public office. He can't just do a Michael Laws and go from Parliament to regional councils to Parliament. No. Indiscreet, hopeless. Heather had a hot take on it, saying that if you are an electorate MP, you have to get back to work. You shouldn't be mucking around taking as much maternity, parental leave as you're legally entitled to. If you've been elected and your name is on the door, you should be back at work straight away. I disagree with her, respectfully. Being a politician is hard work. It is a lot of travel, it's a lot of slogging around. It's not the same as being a radio host. I think if the parental leave exists, every employer, every voter knows that there is the possibility that if you employ or elect a young person of childbearing age, and that includes a man up until about —God, Mick Jagger's still churning them out, isn't he?— 80, there is a possibility they can take parental leave, male or female. I think it's really, really hard work and she was right to take the time off that she did. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's Politics Thursday and Nick Mills is joined in the studio by Labour MP Ayesha Verrall and National MP for Otaki Tim Costley to dive into the political issues from the week. Starting with the resignation of NZ First candidate Stuart Nash after incorrect claims were made about National MP Katie Nimon in a text message. Nash claimed she was the "laziest MP" and made false comments around her parliamentary leave for the birth of her son. Do our politicians think it was an offence worth resignation? Also, ACT candidate Paul Henry comments in a radio interview - was this possibly inciting violence? Then the Golden Bay Cement plant $60 million pay out, and an informative discussion about the mental health system for our youth. Are we too reliant on antidepressants, and what led our kids to need them so regularly? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand First's Stuart Nash is in trouble again for his comments about women. Politicians from across Parliament are outraged after the Napier candidate accused his competition of being lazy for taking maternity leave. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon reckons Mr Nash is channelling the online manosphere, while Nicola Willis says his attitude belongs in the 1920s. Political reporter Russell Palmer has more.

New Zealand First candidate, Stuart Nash has united nearly all of Parliament against him, with MPs denouncing his latest comments as misogynistic, sexist and derogatory. Late last night New Zealand First leader Winston Peters said he had accepted Nash's resignation. Deputy political editor Craig McCulloch spoke to John Campbell.

Waikato Hospital hit by major IT outage; Craig McCulloch on Stuart Nash's resignation; An update on Middle East conflict with BBC's Frank Gardner; Paediatricians push for funded RSV vaccine; Joan Mackenzie on Whitcoulls' Top 100 books

On today’s show: (00:00) Jono auditions for a brand new role as New Zealand’s very own “Town Pryor” (08:20) Megan discovers the stain-removing wipes every woman needs in her handbag (11:40) Ben’s wife accidentally takes a steak knife and half a persimmon through airport security (36:10) Jono gets stopped in the supermarket to give pie-making advice and now he’s second-guessing everything (20:20) Ben reluctantly joins Snapchat and immediately starts ruining his daughters’ streaks (33:10) The Stuart Nash maternity leave controversy sparks a chat about jobs people wrongly think are easy (42:00) Megan’s farming game obsession escalates as real money starts disappearing into virtual tractors, mines and shipping routes Join the Itty Bitty Hitty Committee HERE!Instagram: @THEHITSBREAKFASTFacebook: The Hits Breakfast with Jono, Ben & MeganSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

THE BEST BITS IN A SILLIER PACKAGE (from Thursday's Mike Hosking Breakfast) Well, Just About/Saving the World Still a Bit Tricky/The Rich Don't Like Paying More Tax/Nash Never Stops Nashing/Putting Glorit On the MapSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stuart Nash has blasted National MP Katie Nimon, claiming she took nine months leave after giving birth - and is the 'laziest MP' he's ever come across. Nash made the claim in a text to former MP Chris Finlayson, who shared it on his podcast. Nimon, who's facing Nash in the Napier electorate this election, says she only took six months away from Parliament, and continued working full time in her electorate. Newstalk ZB reporter Azaria Howell says Nash's comments have sparked backlash, with Prime Minister Chris Luxon labelling the comments 'sexist'. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

National MP Katie Nimon says she'd hate women being put off becoming a politician if parents weren't welcome in Parliament. NZ First Napier candidate Stuart Nash sent a text calling opponent Nimon one of the laziest MPs he'd come across, and claimed she'd taken nine months off on full pay. Nimon went on Parliamentary leave last year, days before giving birth. She says she took 10 weeks off, then returned to electorate work, and was back in Parliament after six months. She says MPs countrywide take time off. "We don't want to make anyone thinking that they're doing that job that they can't take time with their family." Nash says he has real respect for any working parent raising a newborn alongside a demanding job. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Wednesday, 22 July, 2026, netball's ANZ Premiership is thrown into more doubt. We talk to Stars general manager Jane Bennett about staff contracts ending in a matter of days. Post Primary Teachers Association president Chris Abercrombie explains why barely half of students are passing NCEA numeracy tests. Napier MP Katie Nimon responds to accusations by New Zealand First rival Stuart Nash that she's lazy for taking months of maternity leave. And on The Huddle, Jack Tame and Maurice Williamson on whether they're surprised P pipes are being sold in stores. 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 Jack Tame from ZB's Saturday Mornings and Q&A joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! Stuart Nash has copped some backlash after criticising opponent Katie Nimon over her move to take a few months off after giving birth. Was this out of line? Is the ANZ Premiership over and done? We've heard three teams have have been told their contracts end in a matter of days. Are we worried about this? The Government will be launching a review after meth pipes were spotted in retailers. What do we make of this? Should we be concerned? Did One News get it wrong in putting so much FIFA World Cup final coverage ahead of Ryan Fox's Open win? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Finance Minister Nicola Willis joins Nick Mills in the studio to talk Stuart Nash, $60 million handouts and inflation. Minister Willis shares her thoughts on Stuart Nash's comments which lead to his resignation from NZ First. She talks about the implications of his claims naming the text "sexist remarks from a dinosaur". Fletcher's Golden Bay cement plant receives a $60 million hand out from the government. What went into this decision and what other handouts does this open the door for? Willis also gives her thoughts on the inflation rate of 4.1%, which is the highest in two years. Plus have National gone back on their promises that they would have construction started on the second Mt Vic Tunnel within their first term? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Politicians across the spectrum are expressing disgust at NZ First candidate Stuart Nash as he attacks his National Party opponent in the Napier electorate for taking maternity leave - naming her as the “laziest MP I have ever come across”. Christopher Luxon called it "sexist" and Chris Bishop said the comments from Nash were “disgusting”Finance Minister Nicola Willis says while inflation has been largely driven by fuel prices, rates are also an issue that needs attention and she, and National, are trying to sell the idea that it wasn't for the external pressures like the closure of the Strait of Hormuz then inflation would only be at 2.9%...funny I can't remember National giving Labour a pass on external pressures and allow them to celebrate what inflation WOULD BE if it wasn't for COVID.The Climate Change Commission has found New Zealand is not on track to meet domestic climate change targets, but the Prime Minister says he disagrees. Mr. Luxon said that his Government would respond to the Commission's latest emissions monitoring report, but “our position is really clear ... we're on track to deliver EB budget 1, EB budget 2. There'll be more work for EB budget 3, but we're on track to deliver net zero and we might even deliver it a little earlier”++++++++++++++++++++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/

Let me hit you with absolutely the weirdest political news of the day. Michael Laws, it's being reported, is going to announce he's running for New Zealand First. The '90s called and want their man back. It's not a good move for New Zealand First, it's a bad move. Michael Laws is trouble. He was trouble in the National Party when he was an MP. He was trouble in New Zealand First when he was an MP. He was trouble at Radio Live. He was trouble when he was Mayor of Whanganui. He is trouble right now in his role on the Otago Regional Council. He's a really, really smart guy, don't get me wrong, but he is not the guy New Zealand First should be trying to bring on board if they want to convince voters they are capable of running this country. Michael Laws is not their guy. He is fringe. He's been running a show on a media outlet - no disrespect to it - that has a very small audience of loyal followers and to everybody else it looks a bit weird and fringe. New Zealand First's biggest challenge right now is to appear credible because they really, really want to be supersized in this coalition. And if you believe the rumours going around, Winston Peters wants to finally, after all these years, have a crack at being Prime Minister. A few weeks and months ago, that kind of seemed possible because they'd captured the zeitgeist. They were promising bold policies that were cutting through to a large group of voters who had become incredibly frustrated by the normal run of things - run-of-the-mill politicians, policies, parties and so on. But in the past few weeks, that momentum seems to have evaporated and things have got a little bit weird, haven't they? Winston might have pushed it a bit far with the infighting involving his colleagues and the anti-Indian document, which seems to have given him what he wanted, yet now he's complaining about it and narking on us to the Indians. Then you've got the Michael Laws announcement which, if it happens, is going to double down on that weirdness. Taine Randell was a great get for New Zealand First. Stuart Nash was a good get for New Zealand First. But Michael Laws is a bad get because he brings the whole party down by association. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We ask NZ First’s candidate for the Napier seat why he’s changed camps.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jamie Mackay talks to Stuart Nash, Stephen Guerin, Smiley Barrett, and Todd Clark. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former Labour Cabinet Minister Stuart Nash says he's found his true home in New Zealand First. He's contesting the Napier electorate for the party this election - against National's Katie Nimon. Nash had to lay low last year after getting in hot water for making vulgar comments about women. He's taken aim at his former party, and claims NZ First is the only party that stands up for hard workers. "This is the party that works hard to celebrate success, it stands up for those that work the hardest as opposed to complain the loudest." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, I am pleased to welcome The Honorable Stuart Nash, CEO and Founder of Nash Kelly Global, a bespoke consultancy that specializes in facilitating New Zealand permanent residency and resettlement through the country's Golden Visa program. Stuart was a senior Cabinet Minister for 5.5 years in the Ardern Administration and launched New Zealand's Golden Visa (or as it is titled: the Active Investor Plus Visa) in September 2022 as Minister of Economic Development. His portfolios included Minister of Police, Economic Development, Small Business, Tourism, Revenue, Forestry, and Fisheries. Before politics, Stuart worked in senior and general management roles in both the private and public sector. For those in our audience who have not kept close tabs, Stuart updates us on the latest developments in New Zealand and describes how the social, economic, and political environment has developed in recent years. Stuart led the team that created and launched New Zealand's Golden Visa program – the Active Investor Plus Visa. He describes the program and its unique features and attractions, commenting on what makes New Zealand an attractive destination for wealthy individuals and families looking for alternative residence jurisdictions. Stuart offers some practical tips for families and family offices that are looking at New Zealand as a jurisdiction, providing useful pointers on some of the basics on how to set up their life there, including things like housing, education, health insurance, and others. For those who are interested to explore residency or citizenship in New Zealand, Stuart has a number of suggestions on how to get started and paints a picture of the different services and options available, including those offered by his firm, Nash Kelly. Enjoy this insightful conversation with one of the pioneers of the golden visa programs that are attracting families and their family offices to New Zealand.