In December last year the Coalition government pulled the pin on the Interislander ferry replacement project, saying it was time to get real about what had been a significant budget blowout from $700m to about $3b. More than 10 months on, Cabinet has yet to discuss what will replace the project due to coalition disagreement about the best solution, as the ageing current fleet faces maintenance difficulties. In this week's Focus on Politics, Political Editor Jo Moir examines the government's rock...
Sep 27, 2024•16 min•Ep. 179
The coalition campaigned on a return to law-and-order with a hardline approach emphasising personal responsibility and a crackdown on gangs. Nearly a year in power, many of the numbers seem to be going the wrong way - but statistics on crime and policing are notoriously difficult to draw conclusions from. In this week's Focus on Politics, Deputy Political Editor Craig McCulloch assesses how the government's tough-on-crime crusade is going, and what's ahead. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for mo...
Sep 20, 2024•16 min•Ep. 178
Between 2019 and 2023, groceries went up in price by more than any other common household bill. High hopes were placed on new Grocery Commissioner Pierre van Heerden to boost competition, but he says the current tools are still not enough. In Focus on Politics this week, RNZ's Deputy Political Editor Craig McCulloch digs into the first report card from the Grocery Commissioner - and considers what is to come. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details...
Sep 06, 2024•16 min•Ep. 176
Tributes are flowing from across Aotearoa and around the world after Kiingi Tuuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII died early on Friday morning. Moe mai raa e te kiingi. It ends a fortnight in which the question of whether Māori ceded sovereignty - a question as old as the Treaty itself - saw the major parties in Parliament taking stronger positions in the debate than ever before. "It was never ceded, legally or legitimately" - Indigenous rights and constitutional law expert Claire Charters He tai...
Aug 30, 2024•16 min•Ep. 175
In the pouring rain and whipping winds, politicians arrived at Ngāruawāhia's Tūrangawaewae marae for te Koroneihana, the 18th anniversary of the Māori King's coronation. The typically apolitical event was instead this year full of challenges to the government and the man at the top, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon. "You may have coalition mates but that only lasts three years, te ao Māori are forever" - Rahui Papa In this week's Focus on Politics, Deputy Political Editor Craig McCulloch examine...
Aug 23, 2024•16 min•Ep. 174
With Parliament in recess this week, the coalition used the clear air to clear the decks, rattling through a laundry list of announcements - congestion charging, genetic engineering, and two separate ministry overhauls. But the announcement the government tried hardest to highlight was its new hardline approach to welfare. "We will do everything - everything that we can - to support people off welfare and into work and ultimately a better life for themselves and for their families." - Christophe...
Aug 16, 2024•16 min•Ep. 173
In this week's Focus on Politics, Political Reporter Lillian Hanly examines the coalition policy of repealing section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act, and the resulting backlash. "I don't know why we ended up going to select committee if there was no intention to listen to the experts" - Tracey Martin The repeal of Section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act was front and centre at Parliament this week, with former Minister in charge of the legislation Tracey Martin telling the government to rethink i...
Aug 09, 2024•16 min•Ep. 172
In this week's Focus on Politics, Political Reporter Giles Dexter speaks with Chlöe Swarbrick after the Green Party's AGM about the challenge she gave members to go through some growing pains, and the ongoing fallout of the Darleen Tana party-hopping saga. "We are going through growing pains, I think that we are needing to constantly look at ourselves" - Chlöe Swarbrick The Green Party is trying to find ways to grow for the future, while doing its best to leave this year's problems in the past. ...
Aug 02, 2024•16 min•Ep. 171
In this week's Focus on Politics, Political Reporter Anneke Smith speaks to Aaron Smale and explores the initial response to New Zealand's inquiry on abuse in care. "Maybe the government just needs to listen" - Aaron Smale The Royal Commission of Inquiry's report into abuse in state and faith-based care unveiled this week lays bare an ugly history, offering damning evidence and denouncing leaders for silencing or ignoring survivors for decades. The government has promised to listen, but how it r...
Jul 26, 2024•16 min•Ep. 170
In this week's Focus on Politics, Political Reporter Anneke Smith looks at why New Zealand's ability to meet its climate targets is on shaky ground. "The projections for 2050 show, at this point, we won't be net zero by then" - RNZ climate change correspondent, Eloise Gibson The government's draft emissions reduction plan - out this week - puts New Zealand's ability to meet its climate targets in jeopardy. That was the key takeaway for RNZ's climate change correspondent Eloise Gibson, who pored ...
Jul 19, 2024•16 min•Ep. 169
In this week's Focus on Politics, Political Reporter Giles Dexter looks at Australia backtracking on its commitment to New Zealand over 501 deportations. "It's been pure politics. And it's been an unedifying spectacle" - Greg Barns, Australian Lawyers Alliance New Zealand has been hit by a 501 boomerang, with Australia backtracking this month on its commitment around deportations. As successive Prime Ministers swapped sports jerseys and talked up the special relationship, the issue of people in ...
Jun 14, 2024•16 min•Ep. 168
In this week's Focus on Politics, Deputy Political Editor Craig McCulloch takes a closer look at National's broken cancer commitment - and considers how the government could put it right. "Every minute counts in the battle against cancer" - Christopher Luxon (21 August 2023) Government ministers hoping to bask in a post-Budget glow this week have instead been trying to tamp down the backlash to a big broken promise. The clock is now ticking for the coalition to correct its failure to fund 13 pot...
Jun 07, 2024•16 min•Ep. 167
In this week's Focus on Politics, RNZ Deputy Political Editor Craig McCulloch examines the first Budget of the coalition government. "This year's Budget is the clean-up job New Zealand needs" - Nicola Willis At last, the tax cut tease is over, the full details on full display. The Budget's headline was only ever going to be tax cuts - and they arrived almost exactly as promised. Finance Minister Nicola Willis kept her promise, but will voters thank her? The tax package was almost identical to wh...
May 31, 2024•16 min•Ep. 166
In this week's Focus on Politics, Political Reporter Anneke Smith explores the government's fast-track legislation and the responses to it. "Inclusion of ministerial override is an overreach and dangerous" - Helmut Modlik A law giving ministers sweeping powers to greenlight infrastructure projects has attracted a wave of criticism and responses at select committee. With ministers beginning to soften their language, the bill could yet see changes before progressing through Parliament. The governm...
May 24, 2024•16 min•Ep. 165
In Focus on Politics, political reporter Katie Scotcher looks at the latest funding boost for the Defence Force and how much more investment is needed. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
May 17, 2024•16 min•Ep. 164
In Focus on Politics, RNZ deputy political editor Craig McCulloch chews over the coalition's school lunch announcement, as well as the opposition's somewhat muted reaction. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
May 10, 2024•16 min•Ep. 163
In Focus on Politics, RNZ's deputy political editor Craig McCulloch whips through a whirlwind week at Parliament. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
May 03, 2024•16 min•Ep. 162
Successive governments have claimed crack downs on youth vaping but retailers are flouting the law, with just one prosecution on the books. Retailers have until the end of the year to phase out single-use products, but academics say MPs' fears vape manufacturers will just adapt are justified. In this week's Focus on Politics, Political Reporter Anneke Smith looks at concerns vape manufacturers will find loopholes in new regulations. Associate Health Minister Casey Costello accepts compliance fig...
Apr 26, 2024•16 min•Ep. 161
As global tensions escalated this week, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon was touring South East Asia, strengthening defence and security ties. Back home, his government was accused of drifting away from New Zealand's independent foreign policy. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon "Together we are committed to stepping up our defence relationship" - Christopher Luxon As global tensions escalated this week, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon was touring South East Asia, strengthening defence and securi...
Apr 19, 2024•16 min•Ep. 160
Andrew Hoggard might be new to Parliament, but he's certainly not new to New Zealand's screens and airwaves. The Manawatū dairy farmer was president of Federated Farmers from 2020 to 2023, and one of the more prominent critics of the previous government's agricultural policies. In this week's Focus on Politics, RNZ Political Reporter Giles Dexter sits down with new MP - and new minister - Andrew Hoggard, to discuss the suite of reviews and replacements he's been tasked with. "This is a governmen...
Apr 12, 2024•16 min•Ep. 159
Public Service Targets are set for a comeback but with job cuts looming over ministries and agencies, unions fear public servants are only being asked to do more with less. Originally introduced by the John Key National government, the targets have led to improvements in the past - but that experience shows there are also risks. In this week's Focus on Politics, Political Reporter Giles Dexter looks at the impending comeback of Better Public Services targets, one of the points in the government'...
Apr 05, 2024•16 min•Ep. 158
New Zealand must pull its weight on defence and security, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says in a sit-down interview with RNZ, after talks with both India and China. While trade was a driving force behind those engagements, it is clear tension points - like the South China Sea, and potential involvement in AUKUS - are becoming more central to foreign policy discussions in the Indo-Pacific. In this week's Focus on Politics, Political Editor Jo Moir sits down with Foreign Minister Winston Peters...
Mar 22, 2024•16 min•Ep. 157
Humiliated and humbled in last year's election, Labour has spent its first months back in opposition licking its wounds. At the party's caucus retreat this week - a gathering of its MPs at a remote location to strategise for the year ahead - it promised a comeback. In this week's Focus on Politics RNZ deputy political editor Craig McCulloch takes a look at the difficulties and dilemmas facing Labour as it readjusts to life in opposition. Main image "We're looking forwards rather than backwards" ...
Mar 15, 2024•16 min•Ep. 156
The House has been in full swing for four weeks, with MPs sitting long hours as the government pushes through legislation under urgency to complete its 100-day plan. What's in it? Did the government achieve it all? And how will the plan hold in six, 12 or even 18 months? In this week's Focus on Politics, Political Reporter Anneke Smith examines the 100-day plan and the fanfare for it by the coalition government. "We told you what we're gonna do, we've done it, and now we're telling you what we'v...
Mar 08, 2024•16 min•Ep. 155
Summary "To axe the whole news division, that's huge and I'm really deeply shocked by it" - Mark Jennings In a devastating blow to New Zealand's media landscape, Newshub appears set to shut down by the end of June. The response from politicians has been varied, and while some are looking for solutions in the industry it seems too late to rescue the company from financial ruin. Listen to the full podcast Hundreds of staff - journalists, camera operators, editors, producers - learned of the propos...
Mar 01, 2024•16 min•Ep. 154
Parliament was brought to a standstill on Wednesday, with politics set aside after the sudden and shocking death of first-term Green MP Fa'anānā Efeso Collins. A champion for his people, a tireless advocate, a good man - such were the tributes as Parliament mourned the loss of one its own. In this week's Focus on Politics, Deputy Political Editor Craig McCulloch marks the death of Green MP Efeso Collins, pulling together the tributes and reflections shared this week by those whose lives he touch...
Feb 23, 2024•16 min•Ep. 153
The coalition has ticked off another objective - repealing the troubled Three Waters programme - but in doing so may have just delayed the bigger problem for another day. In this week's Focus on Politics, Deputy Political Editor Craig McCulloch tests the temperature as the coalition moves to repeal and replace Labour's water reforms. "This is what councils across the country said they wanted" - Simeon Brown The coalition has ticked off another objective - repealing the troubled Three Waters prog...
Feb 16, 2024•16 min•Ep. 152
This year's record-breaking Waitangi celebrations drew 80,000 people to the Treaty grounds over four days, half that on Waitangi Day alone. With the dust settling on the event's biggest turnout in decades, the sense of unity and anger among many Māori will linger long after the Treaty Principles legislation is gone. In this week's Focus on Politics, Political Reporter Anneke Smith examines the coalition government's performance at a Waitangi Day for the history books. "They can feel a movement h...
Feb 09, 2024•16 min•Ep. 151
Green Party co-leader James Shaw talks about his decision to step down, his time in the role, and the message he has for whoever succeeds him. James Shaw this week announced he was stepping down after nine years as Green Party co-leader. "Know why you are here... be really clear about what the difference is that you want to make with your time and the role" - James Shaw It was one of Parliament's worst kept secrets, and on Tuesday morning it was made official. After nine years co-captaining the ...
Feb 02, 2024•16 min•Ep. 150
Coming hot on the heels of last weekend's Hui-aa-Motu and the Rātana celebrations, Waitangi Day this year promises to be highly emotive and political. The government's policies have prompted calls for resilience and resistance, and a dramatic show of unity from much of Māoridom. In this week's Focus on Politics, Deputy Political Editor Craig McCulloch assesses the coalition's response to the challenge laid down by many in Māoridom, as the political year gets back under way. A collage showing Kii...
Jan 26, 2024•16 min•Ep. 149
