Public Interest

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...