Podcast appearances and mentions of thomas coughlan

Now I mentioned Thomas Coughlan's excellent piece in the Herald yesterday. He looked at the costings for Labour's policies so far. He got the Treasury costings for them, got Nicola Willis, the Finance Minister's accusations about lack of detail, crunched it right down to give us the best possible chance of getting a real world look at the numbers and whether Labour will be able to afford the policies. It is well worth a read if you haven't already. We'll talk to Thomas tomorrow about the importance of costing all of the parties' different promises. It's not just Labour's, it's just that they've released probably the most policy thus far, shockingly, given how late they were to the party. But all the mainstream media seem to be producing excellent analyses of the different parties' pledges and promises, and we have to read them as we go up to the election. It is so important that we know what we're voting for, what the implications will be if our party of choice is elected. And it doesn't really matter whether you're voting out of self-interest, what's in it for me, whether you're voting for tomorrow's New Zealanders, you have to understand what you're voting for, how it will be paid for, how far in the future the payments are going to be if it's a very expensive promise and pledge, what the bottom lines are. We have to know what we're voting for. Radio New Zealand's looked at the different new taxes being proposed by different parties. Basically, they've looked at the capital gains tax from Labour with comment from economists. They've looked at the land value tax from the Opportunity Party and the Green Party's capital acquisition tax, which is essentially an inheritance tax. And oops on the accounting error from the Greens. What's $800 million here and there, really? Not a great start, but there we go. Newsroom has an opinion piece from Sir Geoffrey Palmer and Andrew Butler claiming that the current Government has enacted laws far too quickly with inadequate consultation or analysis before they're enacted. And they have exhorted people to ask the different parties before the election what the party's attitude is towards the taking of urgency on legislation. The present coalition government has taken record amounts, they say, of urgency and has also avoided select committee scrutiny altogether on some important bills. That's where you get to ask questions of it and test the bill, really. And it's true that the coalition National government has passed more than 90 unique bills using parliamentary urgency since coming to office, nearly half of all the bills passed. Palmer and Butler have a point that it is not good for democracy when the normal protocols are bypassed. But Sir Geoffrey has either forgotten or learned from his mistakes – he was a senior member of the fourth Labour Government, which accorded urgency to a total of 152 bills. Of that total, 107 passed through all the stages under urgency during their term. The paper that the bills were written on was coming off and before the ink was even dry, people were voting on them. Sir Geoffrey is no stranger to urgency and perhaps he's learned that it's wiser to take time before you pass laws. There's a lot that we can do to keep ourselves informed. There's a lot that we can do to understand the implications of what we're voting for. There's a lot that we can do to make politicians more accountable. But what the politicians are relying on is that this stuff is really hard, and it is. And they're making it even harder. Both Labour and the Coalition Government have been very slow to respond to requests for official information. Some of it is vexatious, some of the requests are vexatious and just designed to really annoy and take up the time of the people in charge, but a lot of it is not. It is hard to find the information, to get the information, to compare the information with other information from different agencies and then be able to form a conclusion from it. It's really difficult. But our media's trying to do that on our behalf, and I think thus far they are doing a pretty good job. The politicians and the public service are relying on people to be as complacent as possible. Too busy, too busy working hard, too busy working hard with the kids. You do the thinking for me, you make the decisions for me, and then we moan when we don't like them. I mean, you look at Sir Keir Starmer – gone. Six Prime Ministers in Britain since Brexit because people don't like the news that they're getting. They want somebody to tell them it's going to be all right, and it's not. The world is in a parlous state, and we either have to cut our spending dramatically, and this is the Western world over, or increase taxes or some other way of revenue, getting revenue. It's really difficult. And so we have to know what we're voting for. The onus is on us starting from this election onwards to be informed as we possibly can. Democracy, from the Greek, rule by the people. Let us put the 'demos', the people, back into democracy. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A major overhaul of social housing will see costs for renters going up. From next April, 30 percent state tenants' income will go into rent - up from 25 percent, about $31 dollars more a week. That'll be re-invested into increasing the Accommodation Supplement. Housing Minister Chris Bishop says the Government wants to reduce social housing costs, saying it's not getting bang for buck on what it spends. NZ Herald political editor Thomas Coughlan explained further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If an election were held today, the coalition Government would likely be returned to power and not by a narrow margin. A new NZ Herald–Motu Research Poll of Polls model suggests the Government has an 88.3% chance of winning a second term, with support across National, Act and New Zealand First holding steady. NZ Herald political editor Thomas Coughlan joins The Front Page to talk through the latest results, and how Winston Peters could once again be kingmaker come November 7.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's concerns about what the Government's latest pre-Budget announcement means for students. Winston Peters told Newstalk ZB on Friday that they'd get rid of the final free year of tertiary education, and Finance Minister Nicola Willis has confirmed it. She says they will have more to say on it in due course. NZ Herald political editor Thomas Coughlan says it's likely the Government isn't thrilled with Peters leaking these details - and it wasn't pre-authorised by Willis or anyone else. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Slightly more than six months before voting day, two of the country's astute political journalists give us their opinions on the lie of the land Guyon Espiner and Thomas Coughlan on coalition partnerships, economic headwinds and burying a leadership crisisFind The Detail on Newsroom or RNZGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

At the end of each week, Mike Hosking takes you through the big-ticket items and lets you know what he makes of it all. The India FTA: 8/10 Got there at last. Todd McClay is signing and Labour's on board. How hard did it ever have to be? Labour and the FTA: 3/10 You knew they would blink. But it was either pathetic games or an inability to make a decision, both of which should give you pause for thought this election. NZ First and the FTA: 2/10 "Butter chicken tsunami" is low rent. It's base level muck. We deserve better but that's what you get, and you get it every three years, and some people never learn. Christopher Luxon: 8/10 Thomas Coughlan called it well. It was a "baller move" and it paid off. The Christchurch stadium: 9/10 A facility that will be used in anger this weekend and a representation of a city that knows what success looks like. LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A dog's breakfast. That's the only way I can describe the National Party's handling of the speculation over Christopher Luxon's leadership. Because “nothing to see here” never works. What's more, I just don't believe what they're saying. Luxon called the confidence vote yesterday and came out of the caucus meeting saying he had the backing of his MPs and that was that. He wouldn't answer any questions from reporters after he read out his statement. But he did take the opportunity to fire a broadside at them, saying he was disappointed with the recent media coverage and wouldn't be engaging in “speculation and rumour”. But, as the likes of Thomas Coughlan from the NZ Herald have been quick to point out, this wasn't made up by reporters. What was reported was what was actually happening. National MPs talking out of school. Telling the media what they really think of Luxon. Not that we should be surprised by this misguided attack on the media. Because the reason this has been such a dog's breakfast, is that the party and its leader have been in complete denial. Especially, since last Friday.That was when the NZ Herald first reported on party whip Stuart Smith having no luck reaching his leader to tell him that some of his MPs weren't happy with his performance. And it got really weird yesterday when Smith himself - who had told One News on Monday night that he was definitely going to be at yesterday's caucus meeting providing the storm in Wellington didn't muck up his travel plans - was a no-show. He said on Monday night he'd been trying to fly to Wellington but had been delayed by the weather. But he did intend to get to the capital on Tuesday morning. Then next morning, he announced in a statement issued by the Prime Minister's office that he wouldn't be attending because he had a “longstanding personal appointment”. I'm sorry. But that's just nonsense. Because, if you're the party whip, it's your job to be at caucus meetings and you don't go making longstanding personal appointments that clash with the caucus schedule. What's more, this is the guy who was saying on Monday night he'd be there. Then he wasn't. Because of this longstanding appointment. This is the sort of Keystone Cops stuff that might be acceptable from an opposition party, but not from a party in government. A party in government that has never been shy of picking holes in Jacinda Ardern's promise that her government was going to be the most open and transparent government in the history of governments. It wasn't, of course. But how rich of National to criticise Labour and be just as smoke and mirrors on it. Because, for me, this isn't just about the National Party. This is about the government. It's not just about a party leader. It's about the Prime Minister. That's why “nothing to see here” doesn't cut it. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Prime Minister says he'll comment no more on speculation about his leadership - calling it a media soap-opera - after saying his job's safe. Chris Luxon delivered a prepared statement to media, revealing he's backed by his Caucus, saying it passed a formal motion of confidence at today's three-hour meeting. NZ Herald political editor Thomas Coughlan unpacked the 'unusual' circumstances behind this release. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

President Catherine Connolly is to convene the Council of State for the first time over the newly-passed International Protection Bill. For more on this Anton spoke to Cathal Malone, Immigration lawyer and Head of Legal Research at Thomas Coughlan and Co Solicitors.

After hearing Chris Bishop on Newstalk ZB this morning, there are two things about the National Party and its leader that I am in no doubt about. I am in absolutely no doubt that Christopher Luxon has to stand down before he's pushed. I'm also in no doubt that, if that happens, National will be toast in this year's election. But, when you weigh it up, there's no way this speculation and doubt about the prime minister of our country can continue. And that's the key point here. We're not just talking about a party leader. We're talking about the prime minister.And how can we take a government seriously when its own MPs don't take their leader seriously? NZ Herald political editor Thomas Coughlan is reporting today that Christopher Luxon is expected to face the most difficult two weeks of his leadership when Parliament returns next week. He's reporting that Luxon is up to his old trick of covering his ears and not listening to what people are saying.With National's Kaikoura MP Stuart Smith, who is also National's party whip, unable to reach Luxon in the week before Easter to tell him about ructions in the National Party caucus. Being the party whip, Stuart Smith is obliged to tell the party leader if drums are beating and MPs aren't happy with their leader. But he couldn't reach Luxon. Or, more to the point, Luxon didn't want to hear from him. Because, as Thomas Coughlan is reporting, if the two had spoken, it would have likely led to a caucus meeting, which could have led to a change in leader. So Christopher Luxon was avoiding Stuart Smith to stop a certain chain of events from happening.Which Chris Bishop kind-of denied when he spoke to Mike Hosking, but he was a million miles away from being anything close to convincing. Bishop is due to front again with Jack Tame on TV this weekend. His boss will be hoping for a more ringing endorsement than this morning's failed attempt. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

President Catherine Connolly is to convene the Council of State for the first time over the newly-passed International Protection Bill. For more on this Anton spoke to Cathal Malone, Immigration lawyer and Head of Legal Research at Thomas Coughlan and Co Solicitors.

The story that has made the front page of the Herald this morning and dominated the conversation was the leadership of Prime Minister Christopher Luxon. He is facing what party insiders describe as “the most difficult fortnight of his leadership”, with growing speculation about his support within National's caucus as Parliament returns next week. Sources say that the whip, Stuart Smith, tried to present Christopher Luxon with evidence that caucus backing for his leadership had weakened. He tried to do that before Easter, but Christopher Luxon did not want to hear this. They did not have the meeting. It's understood those who believe Luxon should step aside might act in the next two weeks, although a formal leadership challenge or confidence vote is still seen as unlikely. Instead, the preferred option amongst critics appears to be having a good old chat with Christopher Luxon with evidence of his diminished support within his caucus, and that might prompt him to resign or step aside and bring about a change of leader. Now, if that doesn't happen, a challenge could follow, but there's no declared challenger at this stage. All of this is at a critical time. Parliament's back for a short sitting block before recessing again ahead of the Budget. Here comes the Budget. Political analysts say removing a Prime Minister during the Budget period risks destabilising the Government. So it's this next fortnight or not, because after that we're into Budget time and that would be even worse for National. National Minister Chris Bishop, who has been widely rumoured as a potential contender, was on the radio with Mike Hosking this morning. He came on to talk about the changes to the Warrants of Fitness, but instead he got a little surprise of talk of a coup. Chris Bishop described the situation as “untidy and unhelpful”. He said there's no leadership challenge underway, and he said he will not be the National leader before the election. But the general consensus to that interview was that he was being a little shifty, and he knows a lot more than he was letting on. How could he not know the feeling in the caucus? He's around there the whole time. How could he not know that three guys had actually come to Thomas Coughlan? But he claimed he didn't. Furthermore, can I just remind you that Chris Bishop is scheduled for an interview with Jack Tame on Q&A on Sunday, so you know this issue is going to continue bubbling away. Behind the scenes, tensions were already evident before Parliament recessed. We reported, everybody reported, that Christopher Luxon faced pressure from within caucus during the final sitting week and he ended up reshuffling the party, hopefully to stabilise it, but look at this, it's still rumbling on. When party whip Stuart Smith got ghosted by Christopher Luxon, he ended up raising all his concerns with deputy leader Nicola Willis instead. We've got a poll out right now and those numbers are adding to the pressure. National is currently sitting well below Labour and another major poll is due next week. So, all eyes are now on the coming days and how Christopher Luxon and his senior colleagues respond. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A new poll out today spells a storm brewing for National. The Taxpayers’ Union Curia poll has shown National drop nearly three-points to 28.4% -- the lowest poll for the party since it formed a Government in 2023. It’s while Labour is up 0.3 points to 34.4% - The Greens are up to 10.5%, NZ First are down to 9.7%, ACT up to 7.5%, and Te Pāti Māori up to 3.2 percent. This all means that if an election was held today, the centre-Left bloc could form the next government, although by a pretty small margin. The situation is being compared to National’s performance in the 2020 election, where the party suffered one of the worst election losses in its history. Today on The Front Page, NZ Herald political editor, Thomas Coughlan, is with us to break down what the numbers mean, and who could be on the chopping block. 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.

There's growing speculation as Labour appears to be mulling over their Reserve Bank policy ahead of the election. The previous Labour Government changed the bank's remit, ordering it to focus on keeping inflation low - and ensuring maximum employment. The current Government scrapped the changes. NZ Herald political editor Thomas Coughlan explained what Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds could be considering. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Do you think there is anyone in New Zealand who believes the Government's line that it's a coincidence the findings of its inquiry into the Reserve Bank's COVID-19 response will be released a few weeks before the election? As the NZ Herald's political editor, Thomas Coughlan, puts it: the inquiry will ask the right questions at the wrong time. Because this has election campaigning written all over it. The official line is that the review is being done to “identify any lessons New Zealand could learn to improve the response to future major events”. But how credible is that, given the findings of the inquiry will be released just weeks before this year's election? Not very, according to Labour leader Chris Hipkins, who's saying today: “If this is a genuinely independent review that provides some lessons learned, it could be useful. But doing it right in the middle of an election campaign suggests that's not Nicola Willis' primary motivation here.” And he's spot on. Because it's not. The Government's primary motivation is to spend half a million dollars of taxpayer money on a report that is going to come out at the pointy end of the election campaign, which will do one of two things. It will either rip into the Reserve Bank in the way the Government hopes it will. So it can then say to voters, “do you really want the last lot who let the Reserve Bank get away with this trainwreck back in charge of the economy?” Or, the report will be a bit soft - not quite what the Government wants - but will still give it bragging rights about looking to learn from past mistakes. Unlike Labour, who it will accuse of not having the guts to front up to the COVID-19 Royal Commission of Inquiry. So it's going to be a win-win - especially for National. I think this would have way more credibility if the Government had come out yesterday and said it was launching the inquiry but the findings wouldn't be released until after the election. For the benefit of whoever the government of the day is after the election. If it had done that, I would have had no problem with the timing. Instead, this inquiry - which, in itself, is fully justified - is at risk of looking like nothing more than taxpayers coughing-up for the National Party's election campaign. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A pilot programme began a month ago, which armed Gardaí with tasers, and they haven't yet fired them.The programme was fast tracked because of fears over increased attacks on Gardaí and antisocial behaviour, and the pilot started with a view to a full roll out.Jim Ryan is a retired Garda in Cork and Cathal Malone is Head of Research at Thomas Coughlan & Co Solicitors. They join Ciara to discuss.

The Prime Minister says voters shouldn't expect any big election promises this year, as the Government looks to keep the books in order. Chris Luxon's given his State of the Nation speech in Auckland before 600 business leaders. Luxon declared the economic recovery is here, and pointed to Kiwisaver, RMA and education reforms as this year's policy planks. NZ Herald political editor Thomas Coughlan says the Government's dialled back the rhetoric this time round, as part of a 'low risk, low reward' strategy. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Last year ended with a promise of the largest economic reform in a generation. It's when the Government unveiled its radical overhaul of resource management laws, which aims to cut the number of consents currently required by 40 to 50%. Led by RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop, the move will see the decades-old RMA replaced with two laws – one focused on planning, and the other on environment protection. They’re due to be passed by the end of this year, and operational by 2029. But what does it all mean? And why has it taken so long to detangle this convoluted law if so many people agreed it needed to be done? Today on The Front Page, Herald political editor, Thomas Coughlan, is with us to break it down. 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.

New Zealand politics has been a whirlwind this year with RBNZ drama, Te Pati Māori's meltdown, the Treaty principles bill, and local body elections. 2026 will be another big year in New Zealand politics as parties gear up for the general election which will take place sometime in the second half of the year. Political correspondent Thomas Coughlan share shares with Francesca Rudkin with predictions of strategies and successes. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's a stunt, performative politics, a farce, a side show, a distraction from the HYEFU and quarterly GDP results being released this week… goodness me, the thought of a debate between our current Finance Minister, Nicola Willis, and a previous Finance Minister, Ruth Richardson, caused quite a stir this week, didn't it? Politics is, by its nature, a contest of ideas and values, so why are we afraid of a little debate? We see performative debate taking place in the House on a regular basis? Dare I say it - but with all the hype, maybe people will watch this one. I like that Finance Minister Nicola Willis isn't quietly counting down the days until the Christmas break to slink away and hope the fudge campaign, devised by the Taxpayers Union, will slowly slip from our minds after a bevy and BBQ or three. In his column in the NZ Herald this week, Mathew Hooton said that whoever advised Finance Minister Nicola Willis to challenge her predecessor Ruth Richardson, now the chair of the Taxpayers Union, to a debate should be sacked. I wonder whether Willis, an experienced debater, came up with the idea herself. Hooton has a point - it's potentially a lose-lose situation. Richardson is going to be cast as a member of the hard-nose right happy to inflict misery on people to achieve fiscal consolidation, and Willis could be a sitting duck depending on the HYEFU and quarterly GDP results released next week. But do we want politicians who are always thinking about themselves, take a strategic approach and craft their messaging to avoid transparency, or would you prefer a Finance Minister prepared to openly discuss one of the main issues concerning New Zealanders today - the state of the economy - with someone who is trying to undermine her? The NZ Herald's political editor, Thomas Coughlan, does an excellent job of explaining what's behind this situation in his article titled Ruth Richardson v Nicola Willis - the facts behind the argument. Essentially, after a financial crisis or shock it is accepted that Governments spend more to get through - and that the books end up in a bit of mess - but once the economy has ‘restarted' and we're on the other side of the shock, fiscal consolidation kicks in, and budgets tighten so the country is ready for the next financial shock. What is to be debated is whether the current coalition is moving fast enough when it comes to this fiscal consolidation. Will we be ready for the next financial shock? We know we have challenges ahead - with two of the known ones being our aging population's impact on our health system and the increased cost of superannuation. Do we increase taxes? Reduce spending and inflict the social costs of austerity? Or do we risk taking a slower approach to getting back on track, with less negative impact on our communities? As long as it's a civil one - it sounds like something worth debating. But it needs to be a debate which doesn't get personal, nasty or derogatory. One in which each debater expresses their values and the reasoning behind their approach, backs their thinking with evidence and outlays a long term vision for New Zealand. This is the kind of discourse we should be having. Let's get an independent economist to run it - and get on with it. If nothing else - it could be highly entertaining, something we could all do with at this point in the year. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Labour is hosting a conference in Auckland this weekend, with speculation rising around the potential for new policy announcements from the opposition. And expelled Te Pāti Māori MP Tākuta Ferris has called on Labour to show 'strategic restraint' in Māori electorates, as he believes it's the best way to unseat the current government. Thomas Coughland told Heather duPlessis-Allan that it's an 'interesting strategy', and one that has the potential to backfire. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Strong signals from the Government suggesting the rights and privacy of the children will be paramount in the Tom Phillips inquiry. Police shot the fugitive dead in September after he was on the run with his kids in the Waikato bush for four years. NZ Herald political editor Thomas Coughlan explained what this case could uncover. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government recently unveiled their plans to make changes to local Government, and it's prompted additional speculation. It's proposing replacing the country's 11 regional councils with boards made up of local mayors. NZ Herald political editor Thomas Coughlan speculated about some further changes. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government's proposing to abolish regional councils, and replace them with boards made up of mayors from the region's city and district councils. The proposals would deliver the most significant reforms to local Government since 1989. NZ Herald political editor Thomas Coughlan says more details will be revealed later down the line. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chris Luxon says National's KiwiSaver election pledge will be a bottom line in coalition negotiations. National's announced plans to lift default contributions to six percent by 2032. Employer contributions would increase by half a percent from 2029. NZ Herald political editor Thomas Coughlan says most of the policy is sound, but he raised concerns over some employers taking the increases out of their workers' pay checks. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ireland may need to consider changes to asylum and immigration rules on foot of tougher changes being brought in by the British government. That's the warning from Minister Justice Jim O'Callaghan. This comes as coalition leaders met last night to sign off on a further tightening of migration rules, relating to the criteria for family reunifications.Ciara discusses this further Cathal Malone Immigration lawyer and Head of Legal Research at Thomas Coughlan & Co Solicitors.

There's discussion over Andrew Coster's future with the police following a bombshell report. An IPCA report came out earlier in the week, revealing senior police staff had failed to properly investigate a complaint against then-Deputy Commissioner Jevon McSkimming. The report implicated Coster, as well as other senior leaders. NZ Herald political editor Thomas Coughlan unpacked the ongoing discussions. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cathal Malone, Head of Legal Research, Thomas Coughlan & Co, Solicitors

To give us some context around what's happening, Emile Donovan speaks to political editor at the NZ Herald, Thomas Coughlan. 

Te Pāti Māori MP Tākuta Ferris is standing by his controversial social media comments, according to recent reports. Ferris posted a video this week defending a previous post saying it was unacceptable for people of other ethnicities to campaign to take a Māori seat from Māori. NZ Herald political editor Thomas Coughlan says this has caused some tension within the party, as some fellow MPs have raised concerns about these comments. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former Labour Cabinet Minister turned NZ First supporter, Stuart Nash, has quit his job after a comment about women. RNZ reports Nash has resigned from recruitment firm Robert Walters, after a remark about womens' bodies on the Platform. The agency launched a formal review over the comments, which it said were made in a personal capacity, and were deeply inappropriate and didn't reflect the values or standards of the business. NZ Herald political editor Thomas Coughlan says Nash's comments are likely to negatively effect his chances within NZ First, given leader Winston Peters isn't a fan of bad language. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There has been an increase in the number of International Protection applicants entering the work force, according to a new study from the Central Statistics Office. The report also noted that non-Irish nationals, which include a number of International Protection applicants, accounted for 21 per cent of all employment in Ireland in the second quarter of this year .We discuss further with Cathal Malone, Immigration lawyer and Head of Legal Research at Thomas Coughlan and Co Solicitors.

Chris Luxon is defending saying Israel's leader has 'lost the plot' in the face of pushback. The Prime Minister criticised Benjamin Netanyahu over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where people are starving. Israel's Deputy Foreign Minister responded that Luxon can't comprehend the challenges of facing Hamas. NZ Herald political editor Thomas Coughlan says Luxon's put his own views out there - in a change of pace from factoring in Winston Peters and David Seymour. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After Tánaiste Simon Harris' calls for asylum seekers with jobs to pay towards their accommodation, Kieran was joined by Cathal Malone of Thomas Coughlan & Co Solicitors to learn what asylum seekers actually get when they arrive in the country.Today, Cathal returns to discuss what rights someone has after they have been granted asylum.

Tánaiste Simon Harris has been calling for asylum seekers with jobs to pay towards their accommodation – adding that he expects the Government to introduce a means test for people living in international protection.Cathal Malone of Thomas Coughlan & Co Solicitors joins Kieran to discuss this, and what asylum seekers are entitled to when they arrive in the country.

Chris Hipkins won't commit to appearing before the second phase of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into New Zealand's Covid response. The Labour leader earlier said the terms of reference for the second stage - which is currently underway - provide a platform for conspiracies. NZ Herald political editor Thomas Coughlan says Hipkins has some good points - but the Government at the time did make decisions that intruded on people's rights. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former broadcaster and journalist Oriini Kaipara is putting her name forward to be Te Pāti Māori's Tāmaki Makaurau candidate after Takutai Tarsh Kemp died, triggering a by-election. Kaipara has an extensive broadcasting background and has worked for Mai FM, TVNZ, Māori TV and Newshub - where she presented the Saturday morning politics-heavy show The Nation. NZ Herald political editor Thomas Coughlan says nominations close this afternoon, with more to be revealed in the coming days. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A promise the Government's focusing on delivery this quarter, as it gives itself a shorter list. The Prime Minister has released his Q3 action plan - laying out goals of repealing the oil and gas ban, banning prisoner voting, as well as passing changes to the RMA and looking into supermarket competition. This plan has 28 key points,10 less than the last one. NZ Herald political editor Thomas Coughlan unpacks the list further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Labour leader Chris Hipkins raised a few eyebrows after he offered his theory about why ram-raids don't get as much media coverage anymore. In an earlier interview on ZB's Wellington Mornings, Chris Hipkins claimed NZME's 'Tory owners' decided not to put ram-raids on the front page anymore - in order to put the National Party in a better light. NZ Herald political editor Thomas Coughlan says data shows ram-raids have dropped significantly over the last year. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Wednesday, 2 July 2025, Donald Trump says Israel has agreed to a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza. International relations expert Stephen Hoadley has his doubts and says this is a very different situation to the war with Iran. The Government's chief victims adviser Ruth Money explains why she wants an end to jury trials in sexual assault cases. Relationship and parenting expert Jo Robertson says we used to be too loose with sleepovers and explains the test you should apply when deciding whether your kids should be allowed to stay somewhere overnight or not. The Herald's Thomas Coughlan responds to Labour's Chris Hipkins' claim that ramraids have vanished from the frontpage because of "NZME's tory owners". Plus, the Huddle debates whether we're being too harsh on rich people trying to crack down on their helicopter pads - or whether it's un-neighbourly to have one land at your house. 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.

Finance Minister Nicola Willis has announced that former acting Reserve Bank Governor Grant Spencer has been appointed to the central bank's board. Spencer retired from the Reserve Bank in 2018, after he was deputy Governor and head of financial stability from 2007 to 2017. He was acting Governor over the six months to March 2018. NZ Herald political editor Thomas Coughlan unpacks what Nicola Willis is indirectly saying through this announcement. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Prime Minister is talking up our economic prospects - in challenging global times. He's just returned from meeting leaders in China and Europe, as mid-east tensions reached boiling point. Chris Luxon says we are throwing everything at boosting trade links so we can continue to grow. NZ Herald political editor Thomas Coughlan discussed further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Parliament adjourned early today, after marking the death of Te Pāti Māori's Takutai Moana Natasha Kemp. Kemp died aged 50 following kidney disease. NZ Herald political editor Thomas Coughlan says this came as a shock - with tributes coming in from many key politicians. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Can New Zealand plug its infrastructure gap by adopting spatial planning systems - or funding investment through user-pricing? They're among ideas mooted in a 30-year infrastructure investment draft, proposed by the Infrastructure Commission. NZ Herald political editor Thomas Coughlan explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Prime Minister is pushing for diplomacy and trade in China - as he visits with ministers and senior business leaders. Discussions will be held on boosting education and tourism, including attempting to attract more international students to New Zealand. NZ Herald political editor Thomas Coughlan says the Government could look at making visa changes to make it easier on Chinese tourists. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prime Minister Chris Luxon claimed today that changes were coming to existing sick leave terms. In 2021, Labour and the Greens doubled statutory sick leave from 5 to 10 days as part of their response to the Covid-19 pandemic. Christopher Luxon said Workplace Relations Minister Brooke van Velden is working on new changes - but it prompted concerns from some. NZ Herald political editor Thomas Coughlan explained further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sara Firth, Foreign Correspondent based in Washington // Cathal Malone, Head of Legal Research, Thomas Coughlan & Co, Solicitors // Cormac Savage, from Co. Down, student in Harvard.

Questions to Ministers NANCY LU to the Minister of Finance: What are the Government's fiscal intentions and objectives? Rt Hon CHRIS HIPKINS to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all his Government's statements and actions? DAN BIDOIS to the Minister of Transport: What announcements has he made regarding rapid transit in Auckland? Hon CARMEL SEPULONI to the Minister for Women: Does she agree with the statement on the Ministry for Women website that "The majority (80%) of the gender pay gap is driven by harder to measure factors like conscious and unconscious bias and differences in choices and behaviours"; if so, how has this shaped her advocacy? CARL BATES to the Minister of Justice: How is the Government progressing with its plan to restore law and order? Hon MARAMA DAVIDSON to the Prime Minister: E tautoko ana ia i nga korero me nga mahi katoa a tona Kawanatanga? Does he stand by all of his Government's statements and actions? Hon BARBARA EDMONDS to the Minister of Finance: Does she agree with Associate Finance Minister David Seymour that "I actually think that Brooke van Velden has saved the taxpayer billions. She's saved the Budget for the Government"; if so, what are the savings from the changes to pay equity? Dr VANESSA WEENINK to the Minister for Mental Health: What recent announcement has he made about supporting Women's Refuge through the Mental Health and Addiction Innovation Fund? CHLÖE SWARBRICK to the Prime Minister: E tautoko ana ia i nga korero me nga mahi katoa a tona Kawanatanga? Does he stand by all of his Government's statements and actions? Hon JAN TINETTI to the Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety: Does she agree with Thomas Coughlan of the New Zealand Herald, who said about her changes to pay equity legislation that "It is deeply wrong that Parliament can take away that work in a matter of hours"; if not, why not? MARIAMENO KAPA-KINGI to the Minister for Children: Does she stand by her statement that "increased reporting also shows that people feel like they can report their concerns to Oranga Tamariki or other government agencies and that these reports are being captured and actioned"? TANYA UNKOVICH to the Minister for Regional Development: What reports has he seen on regional development in Northland?

Cathal Malone, Head of Legal Research, Thomas Coughlan & Co. Solicitors // Michael McDowell, Independent Senator

Greetings, my spectral spectators!