Episodes

  • Hīkoi mō Te Tiriti arrives at Parliament

    Hīkoi mō Te Tiriti arrives at Parliament
    Nov 22 2024
    Mark this up as a moment in history - as Parliament held court to one of the largest protests it has ever seen - more than 42,000 people descending on the capital - to close out a nine day hīkoi that travelled across the motu. They rallied in opposition to the government's agenda for Māori, but chiefly the Treaty Principles Bill, championed by ACT's leader David Seymour. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon decided against meeting the organisers, saying they were affiliated to Te Pāti Māori. RNZ Political Reporter Lillian Hanly takes a look back at the largest protest at Parliament in a generation.
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    16 mins
  • Crown apologises as Cabinet mulls 'complex' redress for abuse in care

    Crown apologises as Cabinet mulls 'complex' redress for abuse in care
    Nov 15 2024
    Tens, if not hundreds of thousands, of survivors tuned into this week's Crown apology for abuse in care. They came looking for meaningful words and a plan for restitution. The government delivered a sincere apology but survivors will have to wait until 2025 for a new redress scheme.
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    16 mins
  • Trump triumph touches NZ shores

    Trump triumph touches NZ shores
    Nov 8 2024
    Mark this one down in the history books: Donald Trump, on his way back to the White House after a nail-biter race for the American presidency. No doubt the ramifications will be momentous for the United States - but what for New Zealand? RNZ deputy political editor Craig McCulloch breaks down the consequences.
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    16 mins
  • Minister Chris Penk lays foundations for self-certified building scheme

    Minister Chris Penk lays foundations for self-certified building scheme
    Nov 1 2024
    The government wants to speed up house building, aiming to allow builders to sign off their own work. It would be a risk-based approach, only used for straightforward jobs or by trusted groups - and paired with harsher penalties for rule-breakers. In Focus on Politics this week, RNZ Political Reporter Russell Palmer sits down with Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk to nail down some details and his thinking around the government's self-certification scheme aimed at getting homes built faster.
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    16 mins
  • Scandals dog National, the Greens while New Zealand First takes aim at Labour

    Scandals dog National, the Greens while New Zealand First takes aim at Labour
    Oct 25 2024
    Multiple parties brushed up against scandal this week as National struggled to defend a bumbling minister and the Greens farewelled a rogue MP. Meanwhile New Zealand First and Labour were at loggerheads over an alleged conflict of interest. It all played out in the same week the Government intervened at Wellington City Council - trying to sort out the capital kerfuffle. Deputy political Craig McCulloch looks back at a busy week in politics.
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    16 mins
  • Wellington woes - government threatens council intervention

    Wellington woes - government threatens council intervention
    Oct 18 2024
    Wellington City Council has been under scrutiny this week, with the coalition government threatening to intervene. Last week, the capital's councilors voted to stop the sale of its 34 percent stake in the Wellington Airport. The decision has left the council's Long Term Plan in limbo - its investment plan for the next ten years. Political reporter Lillian Hanly breaks down the capital kerfuffle.
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    16 mins
  • Winston Peters bangs drum on UN veto reform

    Winston Peters bangs drum on UN veto reform
    Oct 10 2024
    Fresh off a trip to the United Nations General Assembly leaders' week, the foreign minister Winston Peters is defending New Zealand's support for a resolution calling for Israel to leave occupied Palestinian territories within 12 months. That decision raised some eyebrows back home, as it was out of step with our Five Eyes partners, and Act leader David Seymour believes it was a big enough change in position to warrant having a conversation at Cabinet - but that did not happen. Political editor Jo Moir sat down with Peters this week and began by asking whether he left New York this year feeling anymore hopeful for change at the United Nations.
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    16 mins
  • Tobacco debate getting heated at Parliament

    Tobacco debate getting heated at Parliament
    Oct 4 2024
    Casey Costello is the Smokefree Minister accused of helping Big Tobacco - something she strongly denies. The pressure on her has only grown amid questions about the advice she's relied on to push through tax cuts on heated tobacco products. In Focus on Politics this week, RNZ deputy political editor Craig McCulloch lays out the latest revelations surrounding New Zealand's Smokefree strategy as overseen by the minister and NZ First MP Casey Costello.
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    16 mins