Caucus

A mood for change swept National & friends into power, so this season's final Caucus breaks down the numbers, unpacks the swing in Auckland, & looks at the coalition niceties. And the team opens their envelopes to check their predictions. By Tim Watkin Watch the video version of the episode here Analysis - Election 2023 is done but certainly not dusted. Our 54th parliament has been chosen and Nati...

Wrapping up Election 2023, there's still plenty to play for ahead of election day. We review the highs and lows of Election 2023, unpack National's 'Winston Strategy', consider the missed opportunities and pick the seats to watch. By Tim Watkin Watch the video version of the episode here Analysis - What was National thinking? In Caucus this week, Guyon Espiner, Tim Watkin, Julian Wilcox and Lisa O...

Grumpy voters, crimes against candidates, desperate parties, unsophisticated MMP strategies and the return of John Key. As the campaign peaks, so does the tension. By Tim Watkin Watch the video version of the episode here In Caucus this week, Julian Wilcox, Lisa Owen, Guyon Espiner and Tim Watkin look at the angry mood of the campaign. Candidates are suffering unacceptable threats from the public....

National's decision to form a government with New Zealand First as "as a last resort" is both a plea and a warning. What might a "cocktail" with ACT and NZF taste like? Could Luxon hold it together? And is NZF a racist party? By Tim Watkin Watch the video version of the episode here This week's Caucus looks at Christopher Luxon's landmark call to open the door to forming a government wit...

Chris Hipkins needs a new song and dance routine and fast, or he could be doing the limbo and losing the next generation of Labour's leaders. By Tim Watkin Watch the video version of the episode here Analysis - Another poll, another 27 for Labour. It was July the last time one of the reputable TV company polls had Labour's poll percentage starting with a three, so the limbo question is now be...

Multiple polls point to a change of government. Is National passing the sniff test? Do voters really want ACT's 'real change' or a handbrake? We ask what a centre-right government might look like. By Tim Watkin Watch the video version of the episode here Analysis - David Seymour is usually more a talker than a fighter, an ideas man; but he's been flexing his political muscles during this elec...

Should we be worried about the election campaign going negative? Or is the greater worry party leaders who can't get their facts straight? By Tim Watkin Watch the video version of the episode here Analysis - It's been all about the fear and loathing in campaign land this week, with every party accusing another of negativity, lies and the inability to run even the Venezuelan economy. The oft-f...

National's tax plan is a clever political document but raises questions about "heroic" numbers. We look at how much government spending doesn't change and what's up for grabs in coalition deals. Plus a quick visit to Ilam and Epsom. By Tim Watkin Watch the video version of the episode here Analysis - National's tax plan released this week was one of the big set pieces left in the Election 202...

ACT endures scrutiny, Shane Jones impersonates Julie Andrews and we recall 1999, while Lacklustre Luxon and Ho Hum Hipkins fail to inspire. By Tim Watkin Watch the video version of the episode here Analysis - A new 1News Verian poll shows it is an uphill battle for the centre-left bloc, while ACT starts to feel the pressure of wanting to be treated like a big party. Does it risk blowing up like a...

With little money in the government's coffers heading into Election 2023, the Caucus podcast looks at how the two main parties plan to use fear, frugality and friendliness to win your vote. By Tim Watkin Analysis: Labour's campaign strategy of stinginess has started to take shape, as it rolled out tax and welfare policies this week. Labour's big reveals - taking the GST off fruit and veg...

Get your teeth into the big announcements on climate change, cellphones and teeth. Caucus debates the BlackRock deal, China, free dentalcare affordability and teachers as the "phone police" By Tim Watkin Drivers, start your engines. The campaign seemed to get into gear this week with the government making a number of announcements that looked to have at least one eye on the October election. Is th...

The election is just two months away. 10 weeks. 72 days. Caucus returns looking at what's distinct about this campaign - no kingmaker, missed opportunities, weaker majors and stronger minor parties, By Tim Watkin The campaign proper is still weeks away, but the campaign in real terms is already in full swing. So Caucus is back. What marks out Election 2023 as different so far? The Caucus team - Ju...

The crew open their envelopes and reveal their picks, as they make sense of Labour's govern-alone victory, National's much-needed rebuild, the return of te Pati Maori and the Greens' delight in the face of powerlessness By Tim Watkin Watch the video version of the episode here Through the past three years, as grief and crises have hit New Zealand, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has reached out and...

Two days out, we hear surprise calls on wealth taxes and obesity and the Caucus crew debate the seats to watch, highs and lows, winners and losers. And we put our picks in an envelope. By Tim Watkin Watch the video version of the episode here Whenever Sir Edmund Hillary was asked about whether he thought George Mallory might have beat him to the top of Mt Everest in the 1920s, he would point out t...

The New Zealand First Foundation in court, Judith Collins pays a price on Ponsonby Rd, Jacinda Ardern finds some form & a chance for Te Pati Maori. By Tim Watkin Watch the video version of the episode here National's not having the week Judith Collins would have prayed for. After a couple of strong debate performances and some solid policy releases, some National MPs were starting to dare to...

Caucus rates a fired-up leaders' debate as Collins looks to bring voters 'home', while Winston Peters rages as he's 'exonerated'. By Tim Watkin Watch the video version of the episode here You could almost see the basket in Judith Collins' arm during last night's Newshub Leaders' Debate, as she went merrily about her business picking fruit from the voter tree. Praise farmers and reas...

With eight days, 18 hours, two minutes and 10 seconds until voting starts, party leaders are calling up hit-jobs as they scrap for their political lives. Plus, the debate debacles, ACT's rise and National's steady run of own goals. By Tim Watkin Watch the video version of the episode here As the clock ticks down on this year's election campaign, the guns are coming out. I know, the usual poli...

Welcome to the recession, with giant debt, spending and unemployment that make previous campaigns look like Lilliput. How are New Zealand First are trying to recover & does Labour really want to govern alone? By Tim Watkin Watch the video version of the episode here After a week of heavy policy releases where the major parties have clung to the political centre like a limpet to a life raft, we&#x2...

Labour's tax policy is tentative, but is it also 'right for right now'? And is it negotiable? Judith Collins' policy releases point to less Crusher, more Kinder. Plus, how to mess up TV debates and the Matariki mood. By Tim Watkin It was one of the big unanswered questions every political junkie was waiting for. No, not National's Infrastructure Bank. Definitely not a new public holiday. Thou...

Greens leader James Shaw has been under the cosh for his Green School decision, but what's going on behind the scenes and will it cost votes? Social media rears it's sulky head, vaccination lies and debate over 'the single source of truth'. Plus, is Winston Peters in cabinet or not? By Tim Watkin It's a rule of the playground, probably even at a Green School. Naughty kids can get away with th...

As Auckland struggles through a "tricky" extended lockdown, who are the political winners & losers? We debate covid fatigue, who's won from the wage subsidies (hint: not women) and two up-for-grabs electorates - Ōhāriu and Whanganui. By Tim Watkin It's been a tricky week for the country, especially the third of all New Zealanders living under lockdown level 3 in Auckland. And it's turned...

Parties try to look tough as border policies are rolled out, Labour fails its testing test and what are the implications of delaying the election? By Tim Watkin These are testing times for New Zealanders, as Auckland spends two weeks at level three. But news over the past week that the testing at our borders has fallen far short of what the government promised has put Labour on the back foot and o...

What impact will the return of Covid in the community have on Election 2020? Plus Gerry Brownlee's conspiracies, Labour's Ardern-astic launch, and Merv & Mellow in Auckland Central. By Tim Watkin Campaigns suspended just as they began. Election day in doubt. And - following the 'words beginning with C' theme from last week's Caucus podcast - heated debate over conspiracies and const...

Caucus returns for Election 2020 talking about the state of the parties, Covid debt and problems with our political culture. By Tim Watkin Campaigns. Culture. Character. And perhaps most of all, Covid-19. As the House rises today and politicians hit the road to pitch their woo to voters, those issues will be front of mind for the candidates. They were also where the new season of politics podcast...

The election's getting close and that can only mean one thing... Caucus is coming back. Presented by Guyon Espiner, Lisa Owen, Tim Watkin and Scott Campbell. The election's getting close and that can only mean one thing... Caucus is back. And this election RNZ journalists Guyon Espiner, Lisa Owen and Tim Watkin are joined by former Gallery reporter turned strategic consultant Scott Campbell....