Raw Politics

On this week's Raw Politics podcast: Why some in National behave like they lost instead of likely won; Plus, will a new govt temper its hardest instincts and should we ditch MMP? The post-election blame game has surfaced, but strangely it's mainly on the right, with defeated National Party MPs and an official criticising aspects of their party's performance. The Raw Politics team this week has the...

This week on the Raw Politics podcast: the major parties and blocs are locked in a wrestling hold and no one will tap out A deadlock on the night, or a counter-intuitive moment of clarity from New Zealand voters. Today, the Raw Politics panel discusses what could be possible on election night. Two polls have the major parties and the left and right blocs in effective ties, but with days of voting...

This week on the Raw Politics podcast: what's all this talk about an election overhang? Plus the Greens, the quiet giant of this campaign Will the campaign for an overhang in Parliament – basically enlarging the House under MMP to inflate one side's chances of success – save the incumbent centre-right coalition? Today, the Raw Politics panel discusses the campaign for an overhang, what it means, a...

This week on the Raw Politics podcast: One last chance to hear the wisdom and biting analysis of the great Sam Sachdeva as he signs off after a decade with Newsroom With 16 days until polling day, can the major parties and their minor partners put Opportunity back into its bottle and jam the cork shut tight? Today, the Raw Politics panel discusses National's efforts to talk Opportunity's polling n...

This week on the Raw Politics podcast: a major star in a minor debate, Labour’s rising star, and old political stars sharing the campaign limelight New Zealanders watched a remarkable political moment this week, with the emergence of Opportunity leader Qiulae Wong as a stand out in the televised debate between minor party leaders. Today, the Raw Politics panel discusses Wong’s moment and the flip...

This week on the Raw Politics podcast: can Luxon find his debate A-game, fiscal holes swallowing everyone, and relief at NZ First's party list Does it matter who's the better talker in a leaders' debate? Does even one vote move into the correct column on November 7?  Today, the Raw Politics panel discusses not only the aftermath of Chris Hipkins' anointed 'win' in the first big TV debate with Chri...

This week on the Raw Politics podcast: voters get their last look at the books, will strategic voting help or harm National, plus Opportunity’s bottom lines The big reveal is over and the economy might well get a lot better a lot more quickly than thought, but might it be too late for voters doing it tough? Today, the Raw Politics panel discusses what we can read into the pre-election economic and...

This week on the Raw Politics podcast: Are dirty politics happening before our eyes? Bouquets and brickbats for Parliament; and the Hager book assessed How big a deal for voters is the latest string of misleading, dirty and sometimes AI-generated attacks from across the political spectrum? And might they backfire? Today, the Raw Politics panel discusses false claims, out-of-context footage, AI slo...

This week on the Raw Politics podcast: Is National and Labour's dominance over? Politicians get desperate on supermarkets; plus what to do about the police Are we at the end of days for the dominance by two big anchor parties in our governments, or will normal order be restored once things get back to ... normal? Today, the Raw Politics panel discusses Labour and National's combined polling being...

This week on the Raw Politics podcast: Labour’s search for its second wind, hands up for a public supermarket, and Paris in election time Eight weeks until the election and Labour gets shocked out of its sleepwalk to possible defeat. Today, the Raw Politics panel discusses how Labour can and will react to one, yes, one poll placing it at 25.9 percent public support but its own internal polling obv...

This week on the Raw Politics podcast: the coalition eyes drastic change in the public service, Te Pāti Māori eyes drastic change in our constitution, plus why health imperils every government The Government's making no secret of its plan to cull, reshape and redirect government departments and ministries if it gets a second chance after November 7. Today, the Raw Politics panel discusses the scal...

The country’s two biggest political parties found common ground this week not once, but twice. Well, kind-of, temporarily, with not much grace or real commitment. Today, the Raw Politics panel discusses Labour’s decision to back National’s bill on limiting social media access for under 16s, and Labour’s grudging acceptance of a move to force a legislative cap on council rates. Join senior politica...

The election is 78 days away so it’s over time to start tuning in to what’s going on in the world of politics. Our Raw Politics podcast is here to help. From today, Raw Politics returns every Friday to dissect the major issues in politics and the political strategies playing out around them. Today, join senior political reporter Marc Daalder and associate editor Sam Sachdeva at Parliament and News...

On this week’s Raw Politics podcast: We honour the standout performances and policies, good and bad, of this year, plus make our predictions for 2025 Four different MPs are nominated by our four Raw Politics panelists for the honour of standout politician of 2024 – and consensus is hard to come by for many of our other accolades. The Raw Politics podcast weighs the good and bad for 2024 – leaders,...

This week on the Raw Politics podcast: what voters want on climate change policy, will ministers ditch the foreshore repeal, plus Ayesha Verrall's faux pas Climate change is hard and changing New Zealanders' attitudes and behaviour seems harder still for this Government and its predecessors. Should the coalition accept that's the reality and go slow and low in its ambitions for change? The Raw Pol...

This week on the Raw Politics podcast: Remembering Nikki Kaye, assessing the Labour Party one year on, and Christopher and Winston's nostalgia trip on foreign affairs Labour's MPs and party members gather in Christchurch this weekend, a year after a humiliating defeat took them from the historic, first majority MMP government into the wilderness, watching a centre-right coalition dismantle their l...

This week on the Raw Politics podcast: The hikoi’s over, now for a half year of claim and counterclaim, dissent and debate. Plus: NZ speaks out of both sides of its mouth at COP29. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon did not meet the Treaty Principles Bill hikoi crowd, sees “nothing” of merit in the Act-proposed law but the Parliament his Government dominates will spend six months debating a “divisiv...

On this week’s Raw Politics podcast: The Act and Māori parties at point-blank range, plus the risk of the Crown apology petering out Parliament saw two historic days this week, one of great solemnity and unity, the other a raucous and high-stakes stand-off between political foes over the Treaty of Waitangi. Raw Politics looks first at the volatile reception for Act’s Treaty Principles Bill at its...

This week on the Raw Politics podcast: David Seymour floats a new law labelled the single greatest breach of the Treaty of Waitangi. Plus political editor Laura Walters joins us from the US. Each time the tide comes in, it comes further up the beach. Well, that appears to be the Act Party’s strategy launching its Treaty Principles Bill in Parliament with not a single vote in support of it passing...

This week on the Raw Politics podcast: Who’s closing it out best ahead of next week’s US election; Act’s education wins; plus relaxing the checks on your new house The end of the country, or the end of its democracy. That’s what the two camps are predicting if their candidate doesn’t win the US presidential election next week. Raw Politics, from the great safety of half a world away, weighs in on...

This week on the Raw Politics podcast: This Govt was going to be push localism but is instead pushing in on cities and regions. Plus: Time for the Greens to rediscover the environment. And what's cooking with Brooke van Velden? Both Wellington and Otago councils lost a little of their political souls this week as the coalition Government grabbed control of the local levers of power. Raw Politics a...

This week on the Raw Politics podcast: There were two scandals over abuse of kids in state care - one was run from some of the highest offices in the land. Plus, the new NZ First party, polls and Nimbys vs the fast-track One of the biggest political and government scandals in NZ history - the abuse of thousands of children in state care - will soon be subject to a formal Crown apology. Raw Politic...

This week on the Raw Politics podcast: We mark one year since the election by rating the parties, MVPs and duds, and weighing their risks and opportunities for the next two years. Next week marks 12 months since the election that ejected the left from power and ushered in Christopher Luxon’s three-headed coalition of the right. Newsroom political editor Laura Walters, senior political reporter Mar...

In this week's episode of Raw Politics: the Prime Minister declares himself wealthy and sorted, Darleen should say goodbye even though she's Green, plus a bad retweet. Chris Luxon can't win. When he owns seven houses he's a capitalist rack renter. When he sells some of them he's exploiting Government policy changes and saving on tax. Newsroom political editor Laura Walters, senior political report...

This week on Raw Politics: Are we being governed now by a cadre of middle managers? People who won't stay in their lanes but need to be dipping into the detailed operations of government agencies and making the small decisions, well. Newsroom senior political reporter Marc Daalder, Newsroom national affairs editor Sam Sachdeva and co-editor Tim Murphy discuss the coalition's forked tongue approach...