Duncan Garner - Editor In Chief

Nicola Willis has walked straight into a political trap, and tonight we get into why it matters. The finance minister didn’t just respond to a provocation from the Taxpayers’ Union and Ruth Richardson, she elevated them, turning a sideshow into a headline feud. We break down why that was a rookie mistake, and what she should have done instead. Then Chris Bishop joins us to unpack the biggest RMA s...

This one might just be the poll that flips the script. National’s finally seeing results after a long, flat year, Labour’s had a bump too, and the left… well, that’s another story altogether. The Greens face-plant, Te Pāti Māori collapses to 1 per cent, and voters look like they’ve simply walked away. We dig into why this shift matters, how economic optimism is creeping back in, and why Christophe...

We’ve seen some wild housing stories over the years, but this one takes the cake. In today’s episode, we break down the quiet Kāinga Ora deal that handed almost 20 state houses to Tainui for $10 million… and then locked every non-iwi Kiwi out of buying them. No tender. No open market. No chance for anyone else. Duncan unpacks why this long-standing treaty clause is suddenly being used at scale, wh...

Are we actually getting the truth about the state of New Zealand’s finances? Today we dig into what the government says it’s cutting, what it’s really spending, and why the numbers simply don’t stack up. Net debt is rising, weekly borrowing continues, and the tough calls we were promised still haven’t shown up. Ashley and Maurice jump in with their usual firepower, breaking down everything from th...

Andrew Coster’s exit should’ve been simple. Instead, we’ve ended up paying for a slow, messy departure that highlights everything broken about accountability inside the public service. Today we break down what really happened behind the scenes, how Coster fought to stay on full pay, and why his golden handshake feels like an insult to taxpayers and to the woman failed by police leadership. We dig...

This one has everything. Politics, pressure, and a school lunch saga that went seriously sideways. Today we unpack the spectacular backfire that’s dominated the headlines, after principal Peggy Burrows tried to pin spoiled lunches on David Seymour’s free school meals programme… except the facts didn’t land where she hoped. We run through what actually happened, why the provider’s records tell a to...

We knew the rates cap was coming, but no one expected the government to drag it out this long. On today’s episode, we dive into the plan to finally rein in council rate hikes… in 2029. That’s six years after National took office. People need relief right now, not in the next political lifetime. Duncan reckons it’s a great policy torpedoed by hopeless timing, and Jordan Williams from the Taxpayers’...

We’ve got a Code Blue on our hands. Today we dive into the explosive claims from a senior health leader who says our hospitals are so stretched they’d be treated like a patient in full emergency mode. We talk about why Kiwi-trained nurses are being left on the bench while overseas staff walk straight into jobs, and why the system feels like it’s working against its own people. Chris Luxon also giv...

It makes no sense at all. We are crying out for nurses yet freezing out the ones we just trained. Duncan asks why we are pushing young talent to Australia when our hospitals are desperate. Plus the media ignores a massive win in maths because it doesn't fit the negative vibe. And is the PM actually in trouble? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This one kicked off with a simple question: if Christopher Luxon really was facing a leadership challenge, who would you want running the National Party? So we put it to our YouTube audience, and nearly a thousand of you delivered a fascinating result. Chris Bishop edged out Erica Stanford by just a single point, with Luxon miles back and Nicola Willis taking a real hammering. Duncan digs into why...

This one’s a powder keg. Duncan takes aim at the government’s overhaul of the Hauraki Gulf, where so-called high protection areas somehow still allow commercial operators and Māori customary fishers in… while shutting out everyday recreational fishers. It’s a setup that feels unequal, looks unequal, and is being sold as “protection” even though the sea only gets half of it. And heading into summer...

Questions around a coup to roll National leader and Prime Minister Christopher Luxon have been swirling. When a first-term PM is already denying leadership moves, things aren’t exactly humming. Duncan gets into what’s real, what’s noise, and why National insiders are quietly asking when, not if, the pressure really lands. Then, he sits down with Qiulae Wong, the brand-new leader of The Opportunity...

New Zealand’s plasma supply is under pressure, with demand for lifesaving plasma-based treatments rising sharply. Duncan Garner speaks with NZ Blood’s Scott Sinclair about the growing reliance on imported American plasma, and the risk that poses if overseas supply tightens. A new plasma-focused centre on Constellation Drive aims to boost donations, but New Zealand still needs thousands more regula...

Christopher Luxon has finally swung for something big, and tonight we get stuck into what his KiwiSaver overhaul really means. After months of beige policy and quiet corridors, the Prime Minister has dropped a long term plan to lift contributions to a combined 12 per cent. It’s ambitious, it’s overdue, and it’s got everyone talking. We break down why Luxon’s suddenly found his spine, whether this...

Winston Peters has detonated the week’s political story, promising to repeal the government’s new Regulatory Standards Bill. ACT’s David Seymour instantly shouted that Winston is eyeing up Labour. Really? We dig through what’s real, what’s theatre, and what’s pure Winston. Spoiler: it’s mostly Winston being Winston. Duncan breaks down how this bill really came about, why ACT demanded it, and why N...

On the podcast, we get stuck into the big question everyone’s asking - how long can this government keep blaming the last one? David Seymour joins us to talk through the state of the economy, why the recovery feels so slow, and why voters seem to have run out of patience. We dig into whether Labour really left the cupboard bare, or whether National and Co. raised expectations too high and too fast...

The Greens’ new mining policy isn’t just bold. Duncan calls it what it is - reckless economic sabotage. In today’s episode, he breaks down exactly what it would mean if a future government tore up mining permits that companies had already spent years and millions securing. Investor confidence falls through the floor, regions lose jobs, and Kiwi workers head to Australia because the opportunities h...

The latest Ipsos Issues Monitor has smacked National clean in the face, and Duncan is fired up. This isn’t just a bad poll. It’s voters across the country saying they’re worse off, still struggling with the basics, and not buying what National’s selling. A 3.9 out of 10 performance score is more than rough. It’s a warning shot. Ani O’Brien joins Duncan to unpack why cost of living sits at the top...

Te Pāti Māori is in free fall. That is the only honest way to describe what has happened inside the party this week. The sackings of two MPs look unconstitutional, the process looks stitched up, and dozens of people who should have voted never even had the chance. Members have contacted us directly and their message is clear: the party has been swallowed by one man’s network. Today Duncan breaks d...

Duncan unpacks a brutal week for New Zealand Police and digs into a new Talbot poll showing Labour unexpectedly edging ahead of National, shifting the political mood. He argues the government is losing trust through over-promising and under-delivering, while Labour suddenly has momentum to convert. Ashley Church and Maurice Williamson join the panel to analyse the fallout. Learn more about your ad...

On the podcast, Duncan reacts sharply to the explosive IPCA report, saying senior police in New Zealand engaged in outright corruption and a blatant cover-up of Jevon McSkimming’s behaviour, leaving public trust shattered. He calls for prosecutions, compensation, and a full clean-out of Police HQ. Duncan then switches gears, interviewing Max Rashbrooke about compulsory KiwiSaver for kids and why e...

On the podcast, Duncan Garner blasts New Zealand Police leadership after the IPCA’s explosive report into deputy commissioner Jevon McSkimming’s behaviour and the subsequent high-level cover-up. Garner calls it “corruption at the very top”, demanding prosecutions and cultural reform. Police Minister Mark Mitchell weighs in, admitting the executive’s conduct was “atrocious”. Learn more about your a...

On the podcast, Duncan dives deep into the chaos at Te Pāti Māori, believing the party is imploding, with the expulsion of two MPs exposing deep division, shaky leadership, and panic rather than unity. He says the co-leaders appear out of their depth, trying to present control while the party fractures and risks losing Māori voters. Duncan also takes aim at Labour’s vulnerability and questions tal...

On the podcast, Duncan opens with what he describes as the Great Kiwi Job Scam, arguing that migration policy is locking young New Zealanders out of entry-level work, while the country becomes a training stopover for people heading to Australia. Then, he is joined by Ashley Church and Rawdon Christie on the Monday panel to talk changes within Te Pāti Māori, and much more. Learn more about your ad...

Alright, I’ve heard some dumb ideas in my time, but this one might take the cake. The Government’s actually floating the idea of banning people from rough sleeping in our city centres — banning homelessness. Then they deny it. Then they confirm it. Then they back-pedal. It’s like watching a policy written on a napkin after a long lunch. But here’s the real issue — you can’t solve homelessness by h...