Q+A with Jack Tame

The representative of the Iranian government in New Zealand says the small Pacific nation is now seen as a country that supports unilateral military action, having refused to condemn the United States' actions on the world stage. After weeks of fighting, and days after ceasefire negotiations began, Jack sat down with Iranian ambassador Reza Nazar Ahari to discuss when the Strait of Hormuz will re-...

When Anna Breman became New Zealand's Reserve Bank Governor in December of 2025, she promised greater transparency in how the bank makes monetary policy decisions. Formerly First Deputy Governor at Sweden's Riksbank, Breman took over the reins of New Zealand's central bank after a year of high-profile resignations and criticism from central government. After holding the OCR at 2.25 percent this we...

NZ’s foreign policy response to Iran falling short: Labour The government is breaking with long-held norms in foreign affairs in how it is approaching the Iran crisis, says Labour’s new foreign affairs spokesperson Vanushi Walters. She tells Q+A that the government must be stronger in standing up for human rights and international law, and sets out what she’d do differently. The AI startup that co...

Tuvalu is one of the world’s smallest countries, facing some of the world’s most challenging crises. The low-lying atoll nation faces huge threats from climate change, particularly rising sea levels, and many of its citizens are considering taking up the option of leaving. At the same time, Tuvalu’s diplomatic relationship with Taiwan leaves it increasingly isolated among its neighbours. Join Jack...

Amid the disruption being caused by AI, the legal profession could see massive changes in the next few years. Leading the charge is Ivo, whose founder Min-Kyu Jung spoke to Q+A about the potential for AI to take a much greater role how lawyers operate. The Kiwi former lawyer also talked about why getting massive scale in tech isn’t possible in New Zealand, forcing a move to Silicon Valley. Join Ja...

ReWiring Aotearoa CEO Mike Casey joins Q+A to talk about what the fuel crisis means for the future of energy, and why attention is increasingly turning towards electrification, rather than relying on precarious fossil fuel supply chains. Join Jack Tame and the Q+A team and find the answers to the questions that matter. Made with the support of NZ on Air.

The government is breaking with long-held norms in foreign affairs in how it is approaching the Iran crisis, says Labour’s new foreign affairs spokesperson Vanushi Walters. She tells Q+A that the government must be stronger in standing up for human rights and international law, and sets out what she’d do differently. Join Jack Tame and the Q+A team and find the answers to the questions that matter...

“Extreme risk”. How Iran war exposes NZ’s national security vulnerabilities The world has fundamentally changed, and New Zealand is not yet grappling with what that means for our national security, says Retired Major-General John Howard. After a distinguished 40 year career in the military, Howard is now speaking out about what the war in Iran represents, the limits of New Zealand’s military capab...

World leading urban planner Alain Bertaud speaks to Q+A about his vision for how cities should be allowed to develop through organic choices and markets, rather than central planning. Bertaud is renowned for his work in cities around the world, and famous for long walking tours of cities to get a sense for them. He has been in Auckland as a guest of the NZ Initiative, and intends to walk as much o...

The world has fundamentally changed, and New Zealand is not yet grappling with what that means for our national security, says Retired Major-General John Howard. After a distinguished 40 year career in the military, Howard is now speaking out about what the war in Iran represents, the limits of New Zealand’s military capabilities, and the lack of strategic thinking around our military and economic...

Nicola Willis: How petrol will be prioritised in worst-case scenarios Finance minister Nicola Willis spoke to Q+A about how the war in Iran and unfolding fuel crisis could affect New Zealand in worst case scenarios, including if there are widespread cancellations of deliveries on force majeure grounds. She discussed how the government is considering prioritisation if that happens. She also discuss...

Nuclear risk rises: Why Iran war is so dangerous for the world With the United States and Israel claiming their attack on Iran is to prevent the Islamic Republic getting their hands on a nuclear weapon, can war be used to stop countries getting nukes? And why has Iran been attacked while North Korea – a nuclear armed state – has been left alone? Amid the world descending into conflict, more countr...

Q+A covers the dramatic developments in the Middle East overnight, with claims that Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been killed in American and Israeli airstrikes. What are the chances this leads to regime change in Iran? And were the strikes legal? Q+A speaks to Otago University professor Robert Patman, and 1News US correspondent Logan Church. Gary Stevenson: Harsh warning for fu...

Infrastructure: How we need to change our choices Te Waihanga Infrastructure Commission CEO Geoff Cooper joins Q+A to lay out the details of a sweeping new report into how New Zealand chooses to build and maintain infrastructure, with major recommendations that could make politicians uncomfortable. Human rights expert: Putting pressure on Israel, Iran, China Former executive director of Human Righ...

Will government get India trade deal in the bag? Trade minister Todd McClay joins Q+A for an in-depth discussion of the free trade agreement with India, as Labour releases a letter outlining their conditions on what might be needed for them to consider voting for it. It comes amid tensions in the government over the deal, with NZ First leader Winston Peters raising concerns about what the deal wil...

Former foreign minister Phil Goff tells Q+A that he thinks New Zealand has failed to adequately stand up for this country’s values in the face of Donald Trump, in particular taking aim at foreign minister Winston Peters, who sacked him as ambassador to the UK. Join Jack Tame and the Q+A team and find the answers to the questions that matter. Made with the support of NZ on Air. Will economy struggl...

Exclusive interview: Former Police Commissioner Andrew Coster resigned as the head of the Social Investment Agency this week, after a scathing report from the Independent Police Conduct Authority. . Coster and several other former senior officers were singled out for mishandling sexual misconduct complaints regarding former Deputy Commissioner Jevon McSkimming, who was subsequently found to be acc...

With Labour's finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds, defence expert Sam Roggeveen, and ACT list MP Simon Court. Next Sunday is Q+A's last episode of the year.

A visiting defence and foreign policy expert is urging New Zealand to rethink how we prioritise defence spending, arguing we should draw inspiration from the Australian echidna – a small but spiky animal. . Sam Roggeveen, a programme director at the Lowy Institute in Australia, came to New Zealand as a guest of Victoria University’s Centre for Strategic Studies. . He says the future of defence of...

In her speech to Labour Party faithful this week, finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds doubled-down on her pledge to balance the books. But Edmonds has set herself stricter rules to achieve it, meaning Labour has to go further than the current Government is promising when it comes to revenue and/or spending cuts. Q+A's Jack Tame sat down with Edmonds to ask what choices she'd make.

With Regulation Minister David Seymour, Halter CEO Craig Piggott, and National MP for Port Waikato Andrew Bayly.

Over subsequent Parliaments, ACT has tried to pass a version of the Regulatory Standards Bill — with limited success, until now. Deputy Prime Minister and Regulation Minister David Seymour explains how he thinks the bill will work. Q+A questions him about his selection of principles, whether the Government follows its own ideas of good regulation, and some legal uncertainties created by the bill....

FULL INTERVIEW: Since founding Halter as a 22-year-old in 2016, Kiwi CEO Craig Piggott has built the company into the darling of the New Zealand agriculture tech sector. . The company's latest funding round valued Halter at more than NZ$1.5 billion. They're expanding their virtual fencing technology rapidly into new markets. . Does New Zealand have the support systems in place to foster more succe...

With Police Minister Mark Mitchell, Ngāti Kahungunu chair Bayden Barber, new Opportunities leader Qiulae Wong, and NZ First MP Andy Foster.

The political outfit formerly known as The Opportunities Party is continuing to chase the 5% MMP threshold to enter Parliament. . It's been almost a decade now since the party burst into the political scene, in its early days bankrolled by rich-lister and philanthropist Gareth Morgan who positioned it as a vehicle for "evidence-based" policy that's neither firmly right nor left. . Q+A meets Opport...