Three prime ministers, four ministerial scandals, one general election and a three-way coalition: New Zealand's political landscape has been well and truly shaken up in 2023. In this week's Focus on Politics, Political Reporter Katie Scotcher takes a look back on what was a turbulent year at Parliament and on the campaign trail. "What we have achieved together, I think, is historic" - Christopher Luxon Three prime ministers, four ministerial scandals, one general election and a three-way coaliti...
Dec 22, 2023•17 min•Ep. 148
Summary "The adults are back in charge and New Zealanders say to the last lot good riddance" - Nicola Willis A host of Labour's policies have been tipped on the scrap heap this week as the new coalition starts passing laws at pace. The financial fisticuffs have begun opening bouts too ahead of next week's mini-Budget, with the Interislander ferry upgrade in dire straits and new figures pointing to a gloomy economy. Listen to the full podcast The week began with a bang: Winston Peters in the hot ...
Dec 15, 2023•16 min•Ep. 147
The resumption of Parliament this week has been underlined by outcry from Māori, soon matched by fury within the debating chamber. With just two weeks before the Christmas break and Waitangi Day fast approaching on the other side, the government will have plenty to work through. In this week's Focus on Politics, Deputy Political Editor Craig McCulloch examines the start of the 54th Parliament and the racially charged indignation that heralded it. Protesters from the "National Māori Action Day" m...
Dec 08, 2023•17 min•Ep. 146
The new government's first week in office saw it get straight to work, setting high expectations and unveiling its 100-day plan - but it's not exactly been smooth sailing. Fixing the economy and making a material difference for New Zealanders is a hefty workload for a Cabinet which has so far been dogged by distractions - driven partly by new Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters. In this week's Focus on Politics, Political Reporter Katie Scotcher looks back at the coalition's first week in power...
Dec 01, 2023•16 min•Ep. 145
When ACT's Brooke van Velden won the Auckland seat of Tamaki at the election, it was a triumph of shrewd campaigning. But it was also a failure for Christian conservatism in mainstream politics. In this bonus episode of Focus on Politics, Susie Ferguson takes a close look at the meaning of Tamaki. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
Nov 27, 2023•22 min•Ep. 144
It took 40 days and 40 nights - but at long last, the country knows what its new government will look like. New Zealand's first-ever three-way coalition: National, ACT and New Zealand First finally signing on the dotted line in the ultimate Black Friday deal. In this week's Focus on Politics, Deputy Political Editor Craig McCulloch examines the coalition deals and the personalities behind them. "What we have achieved together, I think, is historic" - Christopher Luxon It took 40 days and 40 nigh...
Nov 24, 2023•16 min•Ep. 144
After its most successful election - taking all but one of the Māori seats - Te Pāti Māori is amping up for the next three years as "the only true opposition". It's a dramatic turnaround for a party dumped out of Parliament entirely in 2017, but co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer says that was a critical part of the party's growth. They are also looking ahead to their next generation of leaders, she says, and plans are afoot to shake Parliament up and normalise it for Māori. In this week's Focus on...
Nov 17, 2023•16 min•Ep. 143
With National's potential partners ACT and NZ First finally getting together in Wellington this week, a sense of momentum is building for the trio to form a government. Labour's Chris Hipkins meanwhile has survived a vote on his MPs' endorsement of him as leader with Carmel Sepuloni taking the deputy leadership as the party prepares for opposition. In this week's Focus on Politics, Political Editor Jane Patterson examines politicians' progress towards the incoming government and opposition. "We'...
Nov 10, 2023•17 min•Ep. 142
The final act of the 2023 election has reset the calculus, blowing apart National's dream scenario and driving up the price for forming government. With NZ First's support now a requirement, Winston Peters is sure to demand more in negotiations. In this week's Focus on Politics, Political Editor Jane Patterson speaks to Deputy Political Editor Craig McCulloch, analysing the state of play after the final election result. Main image "We will now crack on with the clarity that we have" - Christophe...
Nov 03, 2023•16 min•Ep. 141
After a devastating collapse in their vote on election night, the Labour Party is examining what went so wrong and who is best to lead them from the opposition benches. Current and former MPs alike are calling for a wider refocusing on the party's values and relationships to avoid the kind of fracturing that often so plagues parties banished from government. In this week's Focus on Politics, Political Reporter Katie Scotcher explores the challenge Labour faces in rebuilding after its clear elect...
Oct 27, 2023•16 min•Ep. 140
The battle for the hearts, minds and votes of New Zealanders is over - nearly - with the preliminary results on Saturday putting National in a position to form the next government and Labour consigned to the opposition benches. National's exact path to government is not fully clear, and depends on the final vote count. Even so, it's far preferable to the position Labour's in, having to put on a brave face despite anger and recriminations at the result. In this week's Focus on Politics, Political...
Oct 20, 2023•17 min•Ep. 139
It has been a rollercoaster campaign, fiscal fights, feisty debates - all with the aim of taking the government benches. In Focus on Politics this week, a look at the campaign as it all comes down to the voters. "I would say the Labour campaign has been a game of two halves" - Katie Scotcher It's the eve of the official day of polling in New Zealand - and where are the votes going to fall? It has been a rollercoaster campaign, full of fiscal fights and feisty debates - all with the aim of taking...
Oct 13, 2023•17 min•Ep. 138
TVNZ's multi-party debate this week illustrated key features of this election campaign: the minor parties' rising popularity, and the complicated role of NZ First. With polls they would need Winston Peters, National and ACT have been continuing to talk down his appeal - but it remains preferable to defeat. In Focus on Politics this week, RNZ deputy political editor Craig McCulloch dissects the past week, speaking to Guyon Espiner alongside RNZ and NBR political editors Jane Patterson and Brent E...
Oct 06, 2023•16 min•Ep. 137
Call this the week of Winston Peters - with the New Zealand First leader, riding a wave of renewed relevancy. In not one, but two TV polls, New Zealand First featured above that critical 5 percent threshold - and furthermore in that most pivotal of spots - necessary for National to form a government. In Focus on Politics this week, RNZ deputy political editor Craig McCulloch breaks down the latest week of the election campaign, a week where Winston Peters came to the fore. "In the end, the voter...
Sep 29, 2023•16 min•Ep. 136
The minor parties gave glimpses of their own cooperation styles at the Newshub Nation Powerbrokers' debate, while polls continued to signal Labour on the downturn. GDP numbers also showed no recession for New Zealand, although inflation remains high. This week's Focus on Politics is RNZ's roundtable discussion covering the major happenings of the 2023 election campaign. RNZ political editor Jane Patterson, deputy political editor Craig McCulloch, and Newsroom and Stuff political editors Jo Moir ...
Sep 22, 2023•17 min•Ep. 135
The second week of the election campaign has been all about the economy. There was the pre-election opening of the books, with National's tax plans and Labour's spending coming under fire. This week's Focus on Politics is RNZ's roundtable discussion covering the major happenings of the 2023 election campaign. Political editor Jane Patterson, political reporter Katie Scotcher, and NZ Herald's political editor and deputy political editor Claire Trevett and Thomas Coughlan spoke to Morning Report h...
Sep 15, 2023•19 min•Ep. 134
One week into the official election campaign and the hyperbole is flying thick and fast. Distractions persisted throughout the week, with protesters at the major parties' campaign launches, outrage over advertising, and MPs spreading blatant misinformation. This week's Focus on Politics is RNZ's first roundtable discussion covering the major happenings of the 2023 election campaign. Political editor Jane Patterson, deputy political editor Craig McCulloch, and political reporter Anneke Smith spok...
Sep 08, 2023•16 min•Ep. 133
The Parliamentary term came to an end this week after a tumultuous term, and Labour and National's election campaigns are launching this weekend - with just six weeks remaining before the big day. Knowing voters will ultimately decide their future, the parties spoke about their position and plans for the coming campaign - and considerations for any negotiations afterwards. In this week's Focus on Politics, RNZ's political team speaks to each party in Parliament about their strategy for the campa...
Sep 01, 2023•16 min•Ep. 132
The government's pointed to vapes as a key weapon in the war against cigarettes. In the rush to reach its smokefree targets, however, there are fears the horse has bolted - with children exposed to a whole new addiction. In this week's Focus on Politics, Political Reporter Giles Dexter explores the conflicting priorities that meant Labour's vaping regulations may have come too late. "This was a sluggish government response," - Health Coalition Aotearoa co-chair Boyd Swinburn The government's poi...
Aug 25, 2023•15 min•Ep. 131
Set the table for bread and butter - or in this case, fruit and veg: Labour fired its opening election campaign salvo on Sunday with a starkly populist pitch for tax-free produce. The party is pushing ahead with the pre-announced policy despite hiccups in the reveal and near-universal opposition from experts - including in its own ranks: a clear sign the party is putting polling ahead of principle. In this week's Focus on Politics, Deputy Political Editor Craig McCulloch assesses the political c...
Aug 18, 2023•16 min•Ep. 130
ACT has not only held onto the 10-fold increase in voter support it enjoyed last election, it's maintained a stable caucus and gained further traction. With polls anticipating an even bigger stable of MPs after October, the minor party is lining up for a potentially major say in the shape of the next government. In this week's Focus on Politics, Political Reporter Anneke Smith interviews the top six on the ACT Party's list, asking about their priorities for the power they could wield. ACT's lead...
Aug 11, 2023•16 min•Ep. 129
With recent polling giving both major parties cause for concern and the election less than three months away, the countdown is on - and the policies are starting to roll out. Labour has launched accusations of fiscal mismanagement over one of National's this week, but had to defend against the same after worsening economic forecasts. In this week's Focus on Politics, Political Editor Jane Patterson tallies the numbers on Labour and National's economic claims and electoral chances. "There is no c...
Aug 04, 2023•16 min•Ep. 128
Tragic circumstances putting a halt to the political career of one of Labour's rising stars, East Coast MP Kiri Allan, was just the start of the party's headaches this week. Along with speculation over its tax plans and signs of caucus disunity, leader Chris Hipkins is left with an incredible challenge to refocus Labour on the fast-approaching election. In this week's Focus on Politics, Political Reporter Anneke Smith examines the sudden resignation of a minister and the implications for Labour ...
Jul 28, 2023•16 min•Ep. 127
In Focus on Politics, RNZ deputy political editor Craig McCulloch breaks down Labour's law-and-order week and the tragic events which brought it to an end. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
Jul 21, 2023•16 min•Ep. 126
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson says this election is the final chance to avoid the worst impacts of climate change, curb environmental degradation, and reduce inequality. Following bruising internal ructions over the past year, they will need to use this weekend's AGM to redirect supporters' frustration over lack of climate action into an increased vote. In this week's Focus on Politics, Political Reporter Giles Dexter sits down with Greens co-leader Marama Davidson ahead of the party's A...
Jul 07, 2023•15 min•Ep. 125
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins' week-long trip to China centred on a meeting with China's President Xi Jinping, one of the world's most powerful men. Amid tense geostrategic conditions and with a trip to NATO in Europe looming, the stakes were sky high - but his diplomatic dance with the dragon was largely a success. In this week's Focus on Politics, Political Reporter Katie Scotcher analyses the success of Prime Minister Chris Hipkins' first big overseas trips. Prime Minister Chris Hipkins meets ...
Jun 30, 2023•16 min•Ep. 124
Politicians went head to head on health equity this week, with opposition parties making a concerted effort to paint a waitlist prioritisation tool as discriminatory. With accusations flying from both sides of the House, an expert says the clinician-designed tool is in fact a way of correcting bias in the health system, and politicians are just looking for votes. In this week's Focus on Politics, Political Reporter Anneke Smith examines how ethnicity is a factor in health, and how that spilled i...
Jun 23, 2023•16 min•Ep. 123
In this week's Focus on Politics, RNZ Political Editor Jane Patterson takes a look at the fight for the rural vote, and the politics around the Emissions Trading Scheme. In this week's Focus on Politics, RNZ Political Editor Jane Patterson takes a look at the fight for the rural vote, and the politics around the Emissions Trading Scheme. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
Jun 16, 2023•16 min•Ep. 122
Two senior ministers have this week been under pressure for breaking rules in place to ensure ministerial transparency and accountability. Political reporter Katie Scotcher examines the fall out. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
Jun 09, 2023•16 min•Ep. 121
Warnings from those behind artificial intelligence (AI) technology have made lawmakers around the world take notice. The tech sector itself is engaged with the government and is considering six cornerstone principles as the basis of a digital strategy, but there appears to be little urgency from ministers - and no sign of any concrete action before October's general election. In this week's Focus on Politics, Political Editor Jane Patterson explores the world of Artificial Intelligence and looks...
Jun 02, 2023•16 min•Ep. 120
