Public Interest

The coalition government is radically reshaping New Zealand’s education system –overhauling the curriculum, scrapping NCEA, re-establishing charter schools and much more. It says the reforms are needed to reverse declining achievement, but critics warn a broader ideological project is at work. Ollie Neas speaks with teacher and PPTA national executive member Clare Preston and Dr Shannon Walsh, an...

Why is the government pushing health and safety reforms that even many businesses oppose? Journalist Rebecca Macfie joins Public Interest to unpack the coalition's Health and Safety Amendment Bill, the myths about "red tape", and why she believes New Zealand is forgetting the lessons of Pike River.

The government is backing down on the most controversial part of its proposed conservation reforms. But Forest & Bird says the Conservation Amendment Bill still poses serious risks. Ollie Neas speaks with national conservation advocate Bianca Ranson about what the U-turn means, what remains in the bill, and why the fight over New Zealand’s conservation estate is far from over.

In the face of a sweeping assault on workers’ rights, New Zealand’s unions seem to have found renewed confidence. But are we witnessing a genuine union revival, or is this just a blip in a longer story of decline? In this special live edition of Undercurrents , recorded in partnership with the Fabian Society, Ollie Neas is joined by New Zealand Council of Trade Unions President Sandra Grey and uni...

The NBR's annual Rich List has revealed that the wealth of New Zealand's richest 134 people has surged from $102 billion to $129 billion in just one year. So why are the rich getting richer so much faster than everyone else? Ollie Neas is joined by researcher and journalist Max Rashbrooke to discuss the latest Rich List, inherited wealth, billionaires, tax, unions, democracy, and what a mo...

This week Labour unveiled its candidate list for the 2026 election, with lawyer, activist and writer Max Harris among the most prominent new additions. In this conversation, Harris discusses why he chose Labour, whether the party has moved beyond the legacy of Rogernomics, his long-shot campaign to flip Tāmaki, and what he believes is at stake in this year's election. Also in the conversation:...

Why do politicians keep promising to be "tough on crime" when the evidence says it doesn't make us safer? This week on Undercurrents , Ollie Neas is joined by author of The Valley Asher Emanuel and lawyer and activist Gabriella Brayne to unpack the gap between public perception and the reality of New Zealand's criminal legal system. From penal populism and media moral panics to housing, inequality...

The climate lobbying scandal has rapidly become one of the biggest political stories of the year. Bryce Edwards joins Public Interest to unpack the revelations surrounding Z Energy, Fonterra, the Mike Smith climate case, and the bigger questions about corporate influence, transparency, and who really gets access to political power in New Zealand.

The government says Budget 2026 is about responsible economic management: tighter spending, lower debt, and a return to surplus. But what if the problem with New Zealand's economy isn't what we've been told it is? In this episode of In Brief, Ollie Neas is joined by political economist Tayla Forward to unpack the ideas behind the Budget. They discuss debt, deficits, bond markets, tax r...

For a moment in 2019, it felt like something was changing as millions around the world took to the streets demanding climate action. But seven years on, emissions continue to rise, fossil fuel expansion is back on the agenda, and a new authoritarian politics committed to extraction is gaining ground globally. So how do we build a climate movement capable not just of protesting collapse – but of wi...

Wellington’s councils are under immense pressure. Rates are rising, infrastructure is failing, and public trust in council delivery has been badly damaged by a string of high-profile controversies. But what if the problem isn’t that councils are doing too much, but that they’ve spent decades giving away the ability to do things themselves? In this interview, Public Interest speaks with Unions Well...

The coalition Government’s decision to scrap the fees-free tertiary education scheme has sparked a fierce debate about student debt, access to university, and the future of public education in New Zealand. In this interview, Public Interest speaks with Tertiary Education Union president Ti Lamusse about what the change means for students, and why he believes the controversy points to a much deeper...

New Zealand's health system is supposed to be based on a simple idea: care based on need, not wealth. But today that model is under growing pressure as senior doctors warn of a "death spiral" – one that could leave NZ with a two-tier system, where wealth determines who gets treated and when. So who broke New Zealand’s healthcare system? What is replacing it? And who is fighting to save it?  We unp...

It’s been two months since the US and Israel launched their war on Iran, triggering an Iranian retaliation which has resulted in the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, sending global oil prices through the roof. Here in New Zealand, fuel prices are smashing records amid an already brutal cost of living crisis. But this crisis didn’t come out of nowhere. How did we get here? Who’s to blame? And what...

Never before in New Zealand history has there been a one-term National government. But this year might be different. If the opinion polls are to be believed, the National-Act-NZ First coalition government led by Christopher Luxon could be headed toward what would be a historic loss at the general election in November. So, what’s really going on here? Why is the government so unpopular? And what do...