Focus on Politics Podcast
1) Tāmaki Makaurau by-election
Labour's Peeni Henare and Te Pāti Māori's Oriini Kaipara are vying for the Māori seat made vacant by the shock passing of Takutai Tarsh Kemp. The contest is shaping up as one of a proven track record ...Show More
2) Coalition hopes for a winter thaw after OCR cut
The coalition is under pressure from the cost-of-living crisis, with job losses, soaring food prices and a construction slowdown hitting hard. This week brought some policy changes and a Reserve Bank ...Show More
3) The state of the opposition
With political polls predicting a knife-edge election, what is the opposition promising, how could all three parties work together, and who's really in charge on that side of the house? In Focus on Po...Show More
4) NCEA gets failing grade from government, but has it done its homework?
In Focus on Politics, the government's long-expected rework of NCEA morphed into a full replacement - at least, that's how the prime minister sold it. Teachers and students alike are uncertain about t...Show More
5) NZ resists global push to recognise Palestinian state
As global powers like France, the UK and Canada move to recognise Palestine, New Zealand is increasingly finding itself out on its own. Opposition parties say it's time to act, but the coalition is ho...Show More
6) Butter battle fizzles as cost of living war drags on
The debate over butter prices has National on the back foot, and the party is accusing the opposition of having no ideas - a seeming reversal from about this time in the last Parliamentary term. While...Show More
7) ACT’s rallying cry meets reality check
ACT launched its annual rally with a nod to coalition unity - but its leader David Seymour quickly stirred discord with a fiery letter to the United Nations. In Focus on Politics this week, RNZ acting...Show More
8) Regulatory Standards Bill gets its week of scrutiny
A select committee has heard thirty hours of submissions on David Seymour's Regulatory Standards Bill. The vast majority were opposed, but the minister insists it's a valuable tool for transparency. I...Show More
9) Moe mai rā: Takutai Tarsh Kemp laid to rest
In Focus on Politics this week, RNZ's Tuwhenuaroa Natanahira goes to Opaea Marae, just north of Taihape, as Te Pāti Māori MP Takutai Tarsh Kemp is laid to rest. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for mor...Show More
10) The United States strikes Iran
The United States enters the war between Israel and Iran, and the world calls for de-escalation. By the end of the week there's a ceasefire between the two nations, but it remains unclear what damage ...Show More