Duncan Garner - Editor In Chief

Duncan is opening up for the first time about what really happens behind the scenes at Parliament. He takes a deep dive into the exit of former TVNZ political editor Maiki Sherman and why he thinks she has been held to a completely different standard than anyone else. Duncan shares stories of his own 17 years in the press gallery to show how the rules really work. Learn more about your ad choices....

Ani O’Brien joins Duncan to talk about the fallout from her reporting on former TVNZ political editor Mikey Sherman. She opens up about the brutal online backlash and why she is finally taking action against the trolls. We also dig into the toxic culture of the press gallery and why our state broadcaster might be fundamentally broken.= Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The gloves are coming off, and the coalition discipline is starting to fray in public. With the budget just weeks away, we are entering an unusually long and brutal campaign season. Duncan breaks down the latest poll of polls and asks the tough questions about National’s identity. Maurice Williamson and Janet Wilson join us to discuss whether New Zealanders actually feel better off today. Learn mo...

Duncan and the panel dive into the massive reaction following our interview with Chlöe Swarbrick. We hear from Andrew, a Dunedin business owner who says politicians are trading on "vibes" while real people pay the price. Plus, we discuss the government scrapping the BSA and the growing calls for a social media ban for under-16s. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’re diving deep into the state of New Zealand Politics. Duncan questions why we’re importing thousands of workers while 215,000 Kiwis sit on Job Seeker support. It’s lazy policymaking that leaves taxpayers picking up the bill while businesses avoid training locals. Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick joined us to discuss a very different path forward. She’s backing a wealth tax on the "tippy t...

Duncan sits down with Resources Minister Shane Jones to pull apart the reality of our new trade ties with India. We ask why New Zealand is pledging $30 billion in investment offshore while our own schools and roads are falling apart. Shane also weighs in on the Santana Gold Mine standoff and his plan to "incinerate" Treaty references that he says are holding our economy back. Learn more about your...

In this episode, Duncan takes a deep dive into the anatomy of the New Zealand media and why trust in legacy outlets is hitting new lows. He stayed silent on the story for so long. Duncan also addresses allegations made in Barry Soper’s new book, pointing out what he claims are significant omissions regarding the veteran journalist's own past. We are also joined by ACT Leader and Deputy Prime Minis...

Duncan Garner takes aim at the growing fight over Santana Minerals’ proposed gold mine in Central Otago, after Ngāi Tahu opposed the project following reports of a $180 million figure being discussed. Duncan argues this is no ordinary consent battle. He says it goes to the heart of whether New Zealand is still a place where major projects can get built, investors can have certainty, and high payin...

Winston Peters has just pulled a classic Winston move. By leaking sensitive emails and blindsiding Christopher Luxon, it looks like he’s trying to get himself kicked out of the coalition to play the martyr. We dive into why Luxon didn’t pull the trigger and what this means for the government's stability. We break down the coalition cracks and the $180 million gold mine standoff, and Maurice shares...

This one goes straight at the uncomfortable bit: what happens when the people who demand accountability suddenly go very quiet? Duncan is joined by commentator and comms specialist Ani O’Brien, who broke the story about Maiki Sherman, Lloyd Burr, and an incident the New Zealand media had allegedly known about for over a year. The question isn’t just what was said, it’s why so many people who knew...

This one hits different. Because it is not theory, it is lived experience. Duncan sits down with firefighters Steve Devine and Dave Phillips to hear directly from the frontline. What they describe is a system going backwards. Ageing trucks breaking down on the way to fires. Stations closed for years. Equipment that is outdated. And a workforce stretched thin while still fighting for fair pay and p...

Something is badly wrong when firefighters are among the lowest-paid people inside the very service they keep alive. On the Slam Dunc, Duncan Garner takes aim at Fire and Emergency New Zealand’s pay priorities, questioning why frontline firefighters are still fighting for better pay, safer staffing, reliable trucks and proper gear while management layers and board fees keep climbing. From the CEO’...

New Zealand needs more people to roll up their sleeves, and Duncan is making the case pretty clearly: this is one of the simplest ways to save a life. Scott Sinclair from NZ Blood joins Duncan to explain the difference between blood, plasma and platelets, why red cell levels are low, and why common blood types like O positive and A positive are especially needed. They also dig into the growing dem...

The government says they aren’t intervening in the Far North, but we’ve seen the letters that say otherwise. Officials are at the table, reporting back to Wellington, and the pressure is mounting. We dive into the co-governance creep National promised to stop and ask why they’re still being so soft. Plus, the panel reacts to Winston Peters’ most brutal tweet in 40 years. Join this channel to get a...

We are looking at the massive gold mine project in Central Otago that is currently stalled. Is it a fair deal for iwi or a massive tax on business? Act MP Simon Court joins us to discuss why this veto culture needs to end before we lose all our investors to Australia. Plus, your feedback on media bias and the latest in Parliament. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What happens when an old regulator tries to police a media world that’s already moved on? We get stuck with a fight over The Platform’s Sean Plunket, the BSA, free speech, and whether broadcasting rules still make sense when podcasts and radio start crossing over. In this episode, Duncan digs into the complaint over Plunket’s “mumbo jumbo” comment, and why the real issue might be the Platform’s li...

Christopher Luxon is under fire, and his leadership is being questioned by his own team. Duncan has three clear steps for the Prime Minister to reset his government and survive this slump. We also highlight why Minister Simon Watts is avoiding the tough questions on our show, and answer your feedback on iwi settlements. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is the National Party in a death spiral? Duncan sits down with Ani O'Brien and Jordan Williams to dissect the latest polling numbers and the growing pressure on Christopher Luxon. With the election just six months away, we ask the hard questions about leadership, strategy, and whether a change at the top is the only way forward for the party. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/ad...

National is stuck in the twenties, Winston Peters is rising fast, and the pressure on Christopher Luxon is no longer background noise. In this episode, we break down the latest polling and what it really means for National heading into an election. Is this just a rough patch, or something deeper? And more importantly, can the party actually win with Luxon still leading? We’re joined by Maurice Wil...

Duncan dives into a major shift happening right now in the Far North District Council. They have held an extraordinary meeting to give full voting and speaking rights to unelected iwi and hapu members. We look at what this means for local democracy and whether shared governance works when there is no shared electoral accountability to the ratepayers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megapho...

This country runs on diesel and without it we come to a halt. Duncan is joined by Peter Williams and Ani O'Brien on the panel, to break down the massive spike in fuel costs and why the government is caught between a rock and a hard place. We also look at the rising tensions in Northland over co-governance and whether the public service is still too bloated. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit...

What happens when a council stops looking like democracy and starts looking like intimidation? That’s where we begin today, as Duncan digs into the government’s warning to the Far North District Council and asks whether local democracy is being pushed off course. Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour joins us to talk through the claims, the growing pressure on the government, and what happens when e...

Winston Peters is absolutely launching in the polls, and the panel wonders if National is simply conceding the ground. Meanwhile, Duncan gets a blunt "F off" from Far North Mayor Moko Tamihere after asking about unelected seats on council committees. We also dive into the $4 petrol crisis and why the Reserve Bank is warning of heavy headwinds this winter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit me...

We are diving into a shocking breakdown of local democracy today. Duncan shares a blunt, two-word email from Far North Mayor Moko Tepania that has left us gobsmacked. After serious allegations about unelected influence at the council table, the Mayor was offered a right of reply. His response? A personal "f off". We ask if it is time for the government to step in. Learn more about your ad choices....

Winston Peters is back, and he is not just making up the numbers. With a massive surge to 13.6 percent in the latest poll, the New Zealand First leader is eyeing up the top job while National and Labor drift. We also dive into the co-governance rows erupting in Hastings and the Far North, where local councillors say democracy is being pushed aside for unelected boards. Learn more about your ad cho...