Podcast appearances and mentions of Winston Peters

An International Relations Expert says the Prime Minister will set the record straight in China regarding the pause on Cook Island aid funding. Foreign Minister Winston Peters has put millions of dollars in developmental aid on hold - saying trust needs to be restored. The island nation signed a comprehensive strategic partnership with China, without reference to New Zealand, despite our two countries' official special relationship. International Relations Expert Robert Patman says the timing of his current visit to China, isn't great. He says he's sure Luxon will make the point the Cook Islands were informed well before this visit. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Foreign Minister is urging New Zealanders in Iran and Israel to get out of what he calls the "arc of danger" - as the conflict in the Middle East escalates. Winston Peters spoke to Corin Dann.

Tonight on The Panel, Wallace Chapman is joined by panellists Jo McCarroll and Rajorshi Chakraborti. They discuss why police are paid to train, but healthcare workers and other professions are not and they return to the Israel and Iran conflict which Winston Peters today called the worst state of world affairs since the Cuban missile crisis.

The US has criticized New Zealand for banning two Israeli Ministers. Winston Peters has decided to jump on the bandwagon with allies such as Australia and Canada by banning Israel's finance minister and national security minister from entering the country. But the US has denounced these sanctions and said that New Zealand should focus on Hamas instead. International relations professor Robert Patman talks to Ryan Bridges about the situation and what can be expected from both sides going forward. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The recommended suspension for Te Pāti Māori MPs, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer, Rawiri Waititi, and Hana Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke, over the MP's haka in Parliament during the first reading of the Treaty Principles Bill last year. Co-leaders Ngarewa-Packer and Waititi will be suspended from the House for 21-days, with Maipi-Clarke facing a seven day suspension. This is Parliament's harshest sanctions in the country's history. Prior to this, the longest suspension an MP had faced in Parliament was three days. The debate had previously been delayed so that the MPs could participate in the Budget debate — however, both co-leaders were not present at the debate. During the debate MP Tākuta Ferris said that the debate was not about the haka, but at the heart, it was the House continuing to ignore Te Tiriti o Waitangi and Māori sovereignty, and that the “racism” in the House is hardly being hidden. For our weekly catch-up, News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host, Joel, spoke to Te Pāti Māori's Takutai Kemp about the suspension, and what's next for the party. They also discussed NZ First Party Leader Winston Peters' comments regarding Waititi's moko, referring to the MPs moko kanohi as “scribbles”. He was asked to apologise by the Speaker, which he did. But first, they discussed the suspension of the MPs.

David Seymour has been sworn in as Deputy Prime Minister as per coalition agreements. He will be taking over from NZ First Leader, Winston Peters. During his first speech as Deputy Prime Minister, Seymour said that the ACT Party would be “Labour's worst nightmare”. News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host, Joel, spoke to Michael Swanson — a PHD Candidate in New Zealand Politics from the University of Otago about what this will mean heading forward, what the role of deputy is, and if this will have an impact on the re-election of the current coalition government.

This week on the Monday Wire: For our weekly catch up with Te Pāti Māori's Takutai Kemp, News and Editorial and Monday Wire Host Joel speaks to her about the proposed suspension of Te Pāti Māori MPs Debbie Ngarewa-Packer, Rawiri Waititi, and Hana Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke standing, and NZ First Party Leader, Winston Peters' comments about Waititi's moko kanohi during the debate. For our weekly catch up with the ACT Party's Simon Court, they speak to him about David Seymour being sworn in as Deputy Prime Minister, Seymour's claims that bots drove fake submissions against the Regulatory Standards Bill, and the proposed suspension of Te Pāti Māori MPs being held. They speak to Margaret Mutu — a Professor of Māori Studies at the University of Auckland about the suspension of Te Pāti Māori MPs and her concerns around the ruling. Joel speaks to Michael Swanson — a PhD Candidate in New Zealand Politics at the University of Otago, about ACT Party leader, David Seymour, about being sworn in as Deputy Prime Minister, and if this will impact how the current government operates. And Producer Samantha speaks to Renee Hosking, the lead medical student researcher at the University of Otago about a study showing that a large proportion of vape juice packaging misstates the nicotine content present. Whakarongo mai

In the absence of Winston Peters, we yarn to the 2023 Young Farmer of the Year about Fieldays and the wind up of the 24/25 dairy season.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Te Pāti Māori co-leaders and one of its MPs are beginning their suspension from Parliament after unprecedented punishments against them were confirmed. New Zealand First leader Winston Peters spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

Winston Peters is accusing Don Brash and Helen Clark of "relevance deprivation syndrome", after their criticism of his approach to China. The former National and Labour leaders are warning the Government that it could be putting our largest trading relationship at risk by aligning too closely with the US. Brash believes that it is unwise to shift priority from China to the US given the current tension between the two superpowers. Peters says he stands by the government's independent foreign policy, and he sees no value in indulging in tired arguments from former politicians. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Well that was as chaotic as you'd expect. I caught the first half of Parliament's debate on the haka-gate: Winston Peters went full attack dog, Willie Jackson fought back, Waititi brought a noose into the chamber, and Adrian Rurawhe, former Speaker and Labour MP, had the most sensible and respectable take of the debate. I've had the pleasure of interviewing him a few times. He's a humble, quiet and observant sort of guy. He's quick to a smile and enjoys a good argument. Not that you could hear it in the House yesterday. Loads of interjecting. Lots of noise. Adrian gets respect because he shushed his own Labour colleagues while he was up on his feet. He made two decent points. 1. The Privileges Committee is meant to be bipartisan. The fact this punishment was not, is a bad thing. Why? Because now it's open season, governments —of any persuasion— can weaponize its punishments against their political opponents. This is not a good thing. As he points out, this was the government punishing MPs, not the Parliament. Which it ought to be. Herein lies the problem with Parliament these days - there is no agreed standard of behaviours that's universal to all MPs. Getting physically up in somebody's grill is considered okay by some. The House is meant to be about what comes out of your mouth, not how close another MP is to it. 2. Rurawhe scolded the Māori Party for not apologising for their bad behaviour. He spoke of his cousin Dame Tariana Turia. She never skipped a vote, worked hard for her people and spoke on every bill before the House. The question really is whether Te Pati Māori actually wants to be in Parliament or whether it wants a separate one. If it wants the latter, which its website says it does, and doesn't turn up half the time or gets suspended for breaking rules, you've got to ask yourself why they're there in the first place. All in all, aside from Adrian's wise words, there's a few hours wasted the House won't get back. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two new polls have different results - one with the current government in power, the other showing the opposition in power. But is Labour actually ready for government - and does the party have decent relationships with potential coalition partners? To answer those questions, Labour leader and Remutaka MP Chris Hipkins joined Nick Mills in the studio. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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.

Honestly, I don't know why we report on polls. Seriously, I don't know why I'm even talking about them myself, but it's really ripped my nightie overnight. They're so frustrating, and because media companies commission them, it makes the media look like master manipulators. This is from 1News last night (I didn't watch 1News, obvs) but this is from their website – both National and Labour have slid in the latest 1News-Verian poll, while New Zealand First have moved to their strongest position in eight years. If an election were to be held today, the right bloc of National, ACT, and New Zealand First would have 63 seats —enough to form a coalition— while the left bloc of Labour, the Greens, and Te Pati Māori would have 58 seats. So that's from 1News and their Verian poll. This is from Radio New Zealand – after the budget and pay equity changes, the left bloc would have the support to turf the coalition out of power, the latest RNZ-Reid Research poll shows. The preferred Prime Minister and leadership ratings are also bad news for the government, with the exception of Winston Peters, who's seen his highest results since 2017. The ratings of the government's general performance have also continued to slide, with Labour, the Greens and Te Pati Māori all gaining compared to the previous poll, they would have a majority with 63 seats between them, compared to the coalitions 57. A direct opposite of what 1News-Verian said. How can this be? And it's always headline news. You've got 1News talking about the right bloc being able to hold on to power, but only just, and look out. You've got RNZ crowing about the fact that the coalition government would be turfed out of power with the left gaining hold. And both lead with it, and it leaves me scratching my head and doubting both of them. How do you imagine the pollsters collect their data? Random phone calls of 1000 people? No, no, no. It's far more tricky than that, and they put it in every story. It must be an obligation on the part of the media company to say how the data was collected. From TVNZ: Between May 24 and May 28, 1002 eligible voters were polled by mobile phone (500) and online, using online panels (502). What are online panels? Are they things you sign up to yourself? Who knows? The maximum sampling area is approximately plus 3.1%. Party support percentages have been rounded up or down to whole numbers. The data has been weighted to align with Stats NZ population counts for age, gender, region, ethnic identification and education level. So what does that mean? If I'm a numpty, am I worth 2 points as opposed to somebody who leaves school worth NCEA and that's worth one? What does that mean? If I'm 18 and I respond, does that mean because there are fewer 18 year olds who respond, does it mean that my reckon is worth double that of somebody who's 50+. How can you weight the information? And not all 18 year olds think the same way. If you're looking at ethnic identification, not all Māori, not all Pakeha, not all Pasifika, not all Chinese people, think the same way. The sample for mobile phones is selected by random dialling using probability sampling. Online sample is collected using an online panel. So that's from 1News. This is from RNZ: This poll of 1008 people was conducted by Reid Research using quota sampling and weighting to ensure representative cross section by age, gender and geography. The poll was conducted through online interviews between the 23rd and 30th of May 2025, has a maximum margin of error of +/- 3.1%. I'm of a mind to never discuss the polls again. The statisticians and the research pollsters and the companies all say, oh, no, no, no, it's terribly scientific. Is it really? When you've got two polls conducted over the same time, presumably using the same scientific methods, coming up with two completely different results. If the polls were scientific, surely you'd see a consensus of opinion. You wouldn't go sniffing like a truffle hunter looking for respondents that agree with your particular version of the way things should be. It's like you're researching into an echo chamber. It's not worth the time and the money. If this is what RNZ is spending their money on, given that they are funded by the taxpayer, I'd rather they spend it on training up young reporters or allowing a veteran reporter to spend some time doing some investigative journalism, rather than coming up with a poll that supports their worldview. And which is in direct contrast to the other taxpayer funded organisation, which is kind of paying its way at the moment, which is 1News. What is the point? How on earth can we take them seriously when they come up with completely different results and when all the data is weighed, quotas are taken, samplings adjusted. It's an absolute crock. The emperor is stark naked and shouldn't be taken seriously at all. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're officially in the second half of the term, a milestone marked by the historic handover of the hallowed deputy prime minister amulet from Winston Peters to David Seymour.  The moment comes with pageantry, a flurry of interviews and a pair of new polls, which deliver intriguing, and sometimes divergent results. Toby Manhire, Annabelle Lee-Mather and Ben Thomas pore over the results and what they mean for the parties and the politicians in the post-budget, post-pay-equity-reshape wash-up. Plus: Jim Bolger and Jacinda Ardern have boh been in the headlines in recent days. What do these returns tell us about the performance of their Chris-themed successors? And Chris Bishop found himself in a media moshpit after the Aotearoa Music Awards for calling the Stan Walker parade "crap" and earning the most painful denunciation imaginable: being called a dickhead by New Zealand treasure Don McGlashan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New Zealand has a new Deputy Prime Minister as of today, with the out-going Deputy, Winston Peters handing over after 18 months in the role, and the in-coming Deputy David Seymour taking the baton for the rest of the term. 

In Focus on Politics, RNZ deputy political editor Craig McCulloch sits down with the incoming and outgoing deputy prime ministers to mark the historic handover. David Seymour is vowing to keep speaking freely, while an unshackled Winston Peters shifts into campaign mode. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

This weekend marks the last day of Winnie and the first day of David Seymour as the Deputy Prime Minister. Now, mostly I don't actually care. I mean, I largely agree with Jim Bolger's assessment and, and obviously, happy 90th birthday to Jim for tomorrow. The role doesn't actually mean very much. It's symbolic. It doesn't carry any particular power other than really just letting you know who's second in command. But it feels like an appropriate time just to take a moment to acknowledge, because we don't do this very often, that it's actually very nice, isn't it, to have both of these two men in government right now, if only to give the Nats a little bit of a push along, you know, to actually do things from time to time. Winston strikes me right now as the right man for the right job for right now. Don't you think? With all this nutty stuff that's going on in the world, his huge previous experience as a foreign minister, I think, is reassuring. I feel like it's not going overboard to say that I trust his instincts in the job. When he gets angry with Israel, you know, it's not for politics, it's not for performance. It's because he's actually angry with Israel. Given his experience, that would be warranted. On David Seymour, if there's one thing that we can truly thank him for right now, it's shifting the Overton window so that we can, and now do debate things like the treaty principles. The Overton window is the available, is the, it covers the stuff that we feel comfortable talking about in the media and in society. He has shifted that, so principles are now firmly within the Overton window and we talk about it, and we should be able to debate it, because they should not be taboo. Things that have as much impact on our economy and our society and our lives as treaty principles, and as on our private property as well, should be up for discussion without critics of those things being labelled racist. And it is squarely because of ACT's policies that those discussion, those discussions are now out in the open. Now, I don't really expect very much to change after the weekend other than maybe we'll see more of both men, more of David Seymour because he'll be the deputy, and more of Winston because he'll not be the deputy, which means that he can act up a little bit, maybe. But either way, I think it's not a bad thing to have both of them in there at the moment, is it?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Political Editor Jason Walls talks to Heather du Plessis-Allan about the week that was. This week an internal police memo was leaked, which explained their plan to cease investigations on shoplifting allegations below $500. Have we got to the bottom of it? Winston Peters "permanently" ruled out working with Labour leader Chris Hipkins. Jason Walls explains how Peters left himself some "wiggle room" in doing so. LISTEN ABOVE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A New Zealand foreign minister's visited Nepal for the first time, more than 70 years since our countries were linked following the ascent of Mt Everest. Winston Peters flew from Kathmandu to the Everest region on Thursday, where he toured a school and a hospital created by the charity Sir Edmund Hillary founded in the 1960s. Sir Edmund Hillary's grandson Alexander Hillary joined him and he speaks with Heather du Plessis-Allan now. LISTEN ABOVE.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

David Seymour will tomorrow become New Zealand's deputy Prime Minister, taking over from Winston Peters' as part of the coalition agreement. But how much will change with him as second in command? Newstalk ZB Political Editor Jason Walls talks to Heather du Plessis-Allan about the appointment, and the ACT MP calling on other politicians to support her bill. LISTEN ABOVE.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

David Seymour has vowed to keep speaking freely as he takes over as deputy prime minister - while an unshackled Winston Peters shifts into campaign mode - with a plan to avoid another handover next term. Deputy political editor Craig McCulloch reports.

Winston Peters will tomorrow undertake the first ever visit to Nepal by a New Zealand Foreign Minister. It coincides with the anniversary of Tenzing Norgay and Sir Edmund Hillary's ascent of Mount Everest 72 years ago. But New Zealand Nepal Chamber of Commerce President Raj Maharjan told Jesse he hopes future talks will focus more on a mutually beneficial trade relationship.

I think Winston Peters ruling out ever going into coalition with Chippy after the next election is actually more significant than many people will realize. Because Winnie was actually Chippy's only credible path back to being prime minister again. Without Winnie, Chippy is completely stuffed, because the alternatives are not real options. The alternatives are: One - being in a coalition with a couple of loony parties, which centre voters are absolutely not going to go for. So you can forget about that. The other is that Labour is returned as a majority Government again, which is, after what happened last time, not going to happen for a very long time again. So basically, there is no way back for Chippy. He will not be Prime Minister after 2026, if ever. Now a lot of people would say to me at this juncture - well of course not, National were always going to win the next election anyway, so this is just a completely spurious argument. But I would say to you is - Labour's chances are actually a little bit better than you might think, because what we have right now is hardly a wildly popular Government. These guys were elected, remember, telling us they were going to turn this economy around. 18 months later, they have not turned this economy around. 18 months later, we are still in the economic doldrums. We are yet to see a vision, economically, from the coalition Government, the right track, wrong track indicator that comes out in multiple polls now is heavily negative for this Government. Thousands of people are voting with their feet and leaving the country altogether. People vote with their hip pocket, right? Forget about everything else. If you just look at the economy, that is your greatest determiner of what happens at the election. People vote with their hip pocket - and right now, the hip pocket is suffering, it is not looking good for the economy. But also, there should be a target right now on Chippy's back in Labour, because Winnie's problem is not with Labour. Winnie's problem is with Chris Hipkins, which means a different leader and Winston Peters is back in the game as a possibility for Labour. Now that requires Labour to roll Chris Hipkins and then their chances are good again. However, that requires Labour actually realizing that they need Winston Peters to form a coalition Government after 2026 - and that requires them also realizing there is no way they can coalesce with the Māori Party because most voters are allergic to the shenanigans that that party get up to. But I don't think Labour is smart enough to realize that yet, do you? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Labour's leader thinks talk of potential coalitions is premature. New Zealand First leader and veteran politician Winston Peters has ruled out working with Labour post next election if Chris Hipkins is still in charge. Peters has described a potential trio of Labour, the Greens, and Te Pati Māori as a 'woke circus'. Chris Hipkins says Labour will set out bottom lines before the election. He's taken the chance to take a swipe at the Coalition. "We're not just going to allow the smaller parties to call all the shots in the way that Christopher Luxon and the National Party currently are doing." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former Labour MP Stuart Nash has suggested the party needs to have some conversations about its future. NZ First leader Winston Peters has ruled out working with Labour after the 2026 election if Chris Hipkins is still in charge. Nash says this doesn't necessarily mean Peters has ruled out working with Labour - and the party will need to make some big decisions. "You go into politics to be in Government - so it is a really interesting dilemma. Now it may be that the situation doesn't arise, but I can see a situation where the Labour caucus has to make a very important decision." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Slam Dunc from S4 Episode 79: Do Job Recruiters Need to Treat People Better? Watch the full episode here: https://youtu.be/62IeVIxZmzA PLUS… New episodes 7pm weekdays! Website: https://www.rova.nz/home/podcasts/duncan-garner---editor-in-chiefInstagram: @DuncanGarnerpodcast TikTok: @DuncanGarnerpodcast

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Tuesday, 27 May 2025, Police Minister Mark Mitchell fronts up on the show to calm some nerves. Retailers are worried about a police memo that indicated police won't investigate shoplifting below a certain value. Tragedy in Palmerston North where a teenager has died after a run it straight type event. But is a ban the answer to preventing more harm? Labour leader Chris Hipkins responds to Winston Peters ruling out any NZ First-Labour coalition as long as Hipkins is the leader. Does that mean his days as party leader are numbered? Plus, the Huddle debates *that* shove from the French president's wife that was caught on camera. 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.

Today on the show... Should you be sacked for protesting in front of a politician? The thought is chilling. If you call Winston Peters a 'f**king moron' to his face on your way to work what should happen? Well for the man that did that this week- I'd say they're about to sack him. The Free Speech Union says that’s wrong. Education Partnerships Manager Nick Hanne joins me to discuss. Website: https://www.rova.nz/home/podcasts/duncan-garner---editor-in-chiefInstagram: @DuncanGarnerpodcast TikTok: @DuncanGarnerpodcast

A Deputy Prime Minister swap is on the cards this week. NZ First leader Winston Peters and ACT Party leader David Seymour are sharing the role as part of the Government's coalition agreement. Peters serves as the Deputy until Saturday this week. Seymour says he's already filled in the role before. "It doesn't actually change my job day-to-day, it means I'll spend a bit more time covering for Chris if he's out of Wellington or out of the country." 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 Editor Jason Walls talks to Heather du Plessis-Allan about the week that was. What were the highs and lows of budget day? The debate about the punishment for three Te Pāti Māori MP's begun ... but didn't head anywhere quickly. And Winston Peters had an argy-bargy run in with a member of the public. LISTEN ABOVE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Unprecedented punishments imposed on Te Pāti Māori MPs, and the scramble to avoid banning them from the budget debate, is top of the agenda this week. Annabelle Lee-Mather, Ben Thomas and Toby Manhire assess the fallout, before rewinding to last week's theatrical parliamentary controversy, all of which stemmed from a C-word in a newspaper column, and led Winston Peters, doyen of parliamentary decorum, to deplore a “House of Chaos” (by which he did not mean the popular monthly techno night at Firecrackers nightclub in Ashburton). All of that, plus: we exclusively read the full text of tomorrow's 2025 budget. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A Wellington worker's heated exchange with Winston Peters at a very public press conference has landed him hot water with his employer, who happens to do a fair bit of work for the government. The heckler was wearing a lanyard that identified his employer as engineering company Tonkin and Taylor. It raises a heap of questions about what people can and can't say when they are off the clock. Employment law specialist Jennifer Mills spoke to Lisa Owen.

After days being berated for deploying the c-word, Andrea Vance was named political journalist of the year. Meanwhile Stuff took on Stuff, and Winston Peters' pre-Budget announcement went off the rails at a railway station Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Winston Peters is doubling down on criticising a passer-by who heckled him yesterday after an announcement on rail funding. Environmental and engineering firm Tonkin + Taylor says it's looking into a report a man wearing a staff lanyard swore at the minister. The Minister said he doesn't care if he loses his job. Newstalk ZB political editor Jason Walls explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Free speech advocates says Tonkin + Taylor doesn't need to apologise for an employee allegedly heckling the Deputy Prime Minister. A man appearing to be wearing a company lanyard yelled and swore at Winston Peters after an announcement on rail funding at Wellington's train station. The engineering firm has since apologised and says it'll investigate. The Free Speech Union's Nick Hanne says there's a line between work and personal expression. "This is an issue that isn't actually directly related to the work that their employee does - and of course to what they do as a company - so it just seems like complete over-reach." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Was Tonkin + Taylor right to apologise to Winston Peters for the employee heckling him? Of course they were! They don't want to be associated with this kind of behaviour. The guy was wearing their work lanyard, it clearly identified him as a staffer and I had his name and photo land in my inbox at 4:41 yesterday afternoon. Which is to say - people had already figured out who he is and who he works for. And if Tonkin + Taylor said nothing, rightly or wrongly, - there would be people who would assume they were fine with his behaviour or shared his views. So it was a reputational risk for them to remain quiet. And they were right to publicly distance themselves from him - and an apology to Winston Peters seems like a perfectly reasonable way of doing it. Also, it's perfectly reasonable for them to call Mr Bollocks into the office and remind him not to embarrass them while he's wearing a work lanyard. I think that seems fair. But I think that's where it has to end. The Free Speech Union raises some decent points - he should not be punished or fired for it, he's entitled to his views and he's entitled to make a dick of himself in his own time if he wants to, which he clearly does. His free speech should be defended, but so should the free speech of his chief executive, who didn't like what she saw and wanted to say she was sorry on behalf of her company. Free speech cuts both ways. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Wednesday, 21 May 2025, is international pressure on Israel having an effect? Sky News Middle East correspondent Alistair Bunkall tells Heather so far no aid has got through to starving people in Gaza. The Revenue Minister explains why the Government will no longer try to make big tech companies like Google and Meta pay more tax. Sad news as iconic Auckland retailer Smith & Caughey announced it will close forever after trying to save its business for over a year. Plus, the Huddle debates whether Tonkin & Taylor should sack the naughty employee who had a very public go at Winston Peters. 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, Conor English from Government relations firm Silvereye and broadcaster Mark Sainsbury joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! Should Tonkin + Taylor sack the staffer who was caught heckling Winston Peters? Waitakere Hospital ED raised some eyebrows when they started handing out vouchers for patients to go to urgent care clinics. What do we make of this? It's Budget Day tomorrow - what do we hope to get out of it? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An employee of Tonkin and Taylor was caught on camera actively heckling coalition leader Winston Peters earlier this week. Now, his job could be at risk. Leading employment lawyer Barbara Buckett is here to lay down the law on it all with Emile Donovan.

Hints the foreign buyer ban could be lifted, but not yet. OneRoof reports rumours have been swirling with some agents telling them politicians had told them a decision to reverse the 2018 Labour policy was imminent. Act leader David Seymour and New Zealand First MP Andy Foster were mentioned, but both deny any confirmed changes. Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters told Mike Hosking it will not be in tomorrow's budget, but it won't be too long before there's an announcement. When it comes to the man who interrupted a rail announcement, Peters doesn't care if he loses his job. He and Chris Bishop faced multiple hecklers at Wellington's train station yesterday while unveiling Government funding of rail. The end of the media stand-up was derailed by an employee from the environmental and engineering consultancy Tonkin and Taylor. The man was reportedly wearing a company lanyard at the time. Peters told Mike Hosking it's now an employment matter. He says the behaviour is disgraceful, and he won't put up with it inside or outside of Parliament. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 21st of May, Privileges Committee Chair Judith Collins discusses the adjournment of the vote regarding the suspension of the Te Pati Māori MPs. Mike digs into what exactly it is that Winston Peters doesn't like about foreign business investors being allowed to buy houses that are priced out for the vast majority of New Zealanders. Mark Mitchell and Ginny Andersen do Politics Wednesday and discuss gifts to MPs, the debate, or lack thereof, in the House, and the Budget. 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.

The Prime Minister says his Government is calling out bureaucrats falling foul of the government's expectations. It comes off the back of Winston Peters expressing his criticism of Māori targeted hires, after a government job was advertised as a “tikanga lead” to promote Māori customs, principles and values in the Māori policing unit. Luxon discusses whether the reason NZ First is seeking changes to the regulatory standards bill is because they have problems internally. The Government is officially announcing its budget on Thursday, after a series of pre-budgets announcements have been made, including multi-million-dollar funding to the film industry and urgent care facilities across the country. Mike Hosking questions where the money's coming from. Prime Minster Christopher Luxon and Mike Hosking talk all this and more. LISTEN ABOVE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I asked Judith Collins yesterday, just what has become of us? The “us” I was referring to is this country. But I amended that in my mind yesterday afternoon when I read the first review of Jake Tapper's book on Joe Biden. What's become of all of us, is now the question. "Biden didn't recognise George Clooney at a fundraiser", was your headline. Tapper is making money out of a book on a subject he should have been all over four years ago, but wasn't. Most of the American media in particular weren't. They knew Biden was what he was, but it didn't seem to matter then. But now that they can make a buck, it's a story. This was raised at the White House correspondents dinner, so it's not like they aren't aware of how this looks. Jacinda Ardern falls into the same category – destroy the country, run away to Boston, write a book and collect the money. It's shocking. Jannik Sinner, the tennis player in name, and act. He meets the Pope, having cut a deal with the doping authorities not to miss any majors and return to his home tournament a hero. And the daddy of them all is the current American President. He offers White House tours and a dinner if you buy his crypto. How is this possible? He tells you "it's a good time to buy" before he makes an announcement that he knows will move the markets. No one is seemingly doing anything about it. He is about to collect a plane for God's sake! That is quite obviously illegal, and yet, who is it that is going to do something about it? Winston Peters had his head in his hands when Brooke let the big word fly, and he lamented the lack of standards. All around us are seemingly new norms. There are more and more indicators that what was once the right way to go about business now doesn't matter. Punishments that once addressed indiscretions are now laughed at or negotiated away. Moral fibre that kept you on the straight and narrow is not just gone, but jettisoned and replaced by contempt and arrogance. If the President of America can bribe your crypto purchases, while flying on an illegal plane, former leaders can profit from negligence, and the Fourth Estate can pretend to be unbiased while ignoring the news and then cash in on their ineptitude, is it any wonder more and more of us long for the good old days? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Has the House of Representatives devolved into a House of Chaos? That's the charge from the Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters - who's decrying flagrant rule-breaking and recent explicit language in the debating chamber. It comes as Te Pati Maori MPs brace for a potentially unprecedented punishment - the prospect of being barred from Parliament for up to three weeks. But it's not locked in yet. Deputy political editor Craig McCulloch reports.

Winston Peters says behaviour in Parliament has become degrading. It comes after a recommendation three Te Pati Māori MPs be suspended for their haka in the house, and Minister Brooke van Velden said the c-word. Yesterday he launched a broadside on X against the actions taken in Parliament, saying the House of Representatives has become a House of Chaos. The Deputy Prime Minister told Mike Hosking standards have slipped, and it's the Speaker's job to rein it in. He says the rot started under former Speaker Trevor Mallard, when he loosened dress standards. “As Steven Maharey, the former MP and Minister from Palmerston North said, once you let down dress and other standards, everything else will be let down as well and to be debased – and that's exactly what's happened.” LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Friday 16th of May, yet another pre-Budget announcement – $275 million for the new Social Investment Agency headed up by Andrew Coster. Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters laments the declining standards of Parliament and politicians. Kate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson talk a new product from Fonterra, Mike's endless golf stories, and whether Mike's a bully or not 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.

KiwiRail says the move to retire the rail enabled Aratere is aimed at preparing the port for the two new, larger ferries which will enter service in 2029. Minister for Rail Winston Peters spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

The PM's speech and free-trade phone tree with like-minded leaders in response to Trump's tarrif binge impressed many commentators, but not all of them: leading pundit and deputy prime minister Winston Peters was indignant and he said so. Christopher Luxon said it was media beatup, but was he right? Should he have consulted more thoroughly with his foreign minister? Should his foreign minister have slapped him down in public? Was Peters right that it was too early to be assembling pro-free-trade coalitions? Was he right that there was too much bellicose language being used? And how much of all this is about domestic, rather than global, politics? Toby Manhire, Annabelle Lee-Mather and Ben Thomas assemble to tackle these questions and more such as: is there more than idle speculation and scuttlebutt to snap election chat? And what is up with the indefatigable Mr Peters' (happy 80th birthday, by the way!) latest salvo in the anti-woke culture wars, seeking to “define ‘woman' and ‘man' in law”? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices