Election 2023

The Police Minister says bolstering the police force will help New Zealand tackle a complex crime situation. Labour has promised 300 more cops over four years if re-elected. It's on top of about 1800 more staff coming on board since Labour won the 2017 election. Police Minister Ginny Andersen says it will make a material difference. "Those extra police officers mean that when people call the phone...

This week on Behind the List, Newstalk ZB's Senior Political Correspondent Barry Soper digs into the first week of the Election 2023 campaign.  He speaks to both Labour and National's Campaign Chairs, Megan Woods and Chris Bishop.  Soper challenges Woods over Labour's misinformation this week and questions Bishop on National's claim this is the most negative campaign in modern history.  The season...

Newstalk ZB Political Reporter Sophie Trigger joins Nick Mills on the Beehive Buzz. This week she discusses how each major party is performing in the lead up to the 2023 election, the reaction to the CTU attack ads on Christohper Luxon, and an ongoing Trade Dispute between Canada and New Zealand which has now been resolved. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Now this is more like it team!     Leaders of Labour, National, and the Green Party all pledged last night to build at least another 1000 state houses a year in Auckland, if they win the election, in whatever configuration. Prime Minister Chris Hipkins, National’s deputy leader Nicola Willis, the Greens Co-leader Marama Davidson were guests at the launch in Māngere of Te Ohu Whakawhanaunga Tāmaki...

My policy of the week, and this may or may not become a thing for the next couple of weeks depending on the quality of what we see, goes to Act and their productivity ideas.   That’s not to say a tunnel in Wellington isn't a solid idea, but it's not hard to announce a tunnel.   Productivity is one of the great handbrakes on allowing this country to be great. We have talked about it for years and f...

Labour's defending its plan to grow the economy, saying it's about capitalising on strengths rather than playing the same old tune.   The five point plan includes growing an export-led country, boosting renewable energy, enhancing tourism, and focusing on sustainable agriculture technology.   Labour Finance spokesperson Grant Robertson told Mike Hosking that New Zealand's always been an export nat...

Tonight on The Huddle, Jack Tame from ZB's Saturday Mornings and Q&A and Ben Thomas from Ben Thomas PR joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more! Chris Hipkins has had to apologise for the actions of another MP, this time Willie Jackson. Jackson claimed ACT and National would get rid of the minimum wage. Is Labour's campaign out of control? Labour has laid out a...

ANZ economists are warning that taxpayers may have to cover the extra interest accumulated on Government debt. If the Treasury has to issue more bonds than the market wants, the price of the bonds will fall, and their yields will rise- which will cost taxpayers. NZ Herald Wellington business editor Jenee Tibshraeny says the Government is bringing in less tax revenue that expected as the economy sl...

Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has laid out a five-point economic strategy for Labour's third term in Government- if the party's re-elected. Hipkins promised he'll lead a delegation to India to foster relations and eventually establish a trade deal. $100 million will also be spent on Venture Capital Fund for investment in agri-tech, to encourage innovation. ZB senior political correspondent Barry So...

National's Nicola Willis is promising a 'competitive, cost-effective' scheme that will benefit Kiwi motorists. Leader Chris Luxon is pledging to deliver 10,000 EV chargers over the next 4 years, at a cost of $257 million. National also seeks to dump Labour's clean car discount scheme. Nicola Willis says National will collaborate with the private sector to deliver a competitive bidding process that...

Willie Jackson maintains he's not deliberately disseminating disinformation - but says everyone's having an election year biffo. During a debate last night, Senior Labour Minister Jackson incorrectly maintained ACT and National planned to abolish the minimum wage. Jackson later clarified he was being facetious. He said he was in the heat of the moment, though he also agrees Kiwis should be aware o...

An economic commentator says Labour's economic policy is big on aspiration, but lacks specifics and understanding. Their five-point election plan to grow the economy includes the PM heading to India in the first 100 days to foster relations. It would also invest $100 million in agri-tech and boosting tourism. Former Reserve Bank economist Michael Reddell says it doesn't deal with the big issues we...

Federated Farmers says it's concerned about the Ministry for the Environment handing out money to encourage participation in reform of the Resource Management Act. The advocacy group claims it's been offered $600,000 over three years to fund submissions and appearances at hearings. Spokesperson Mark Hooper says it's a high price tag and the timing doesn't make sense. "Why try and push this through...

Infrastructure NZ CEO Nick Leggett and Wellington Gold Awards Director John Dow join Nick Mills on the Business Panel. Together they discuss up the upcoming election and what businesses want from the next Government, National wanting to start construction on a second Mount Victoria tunnel in their first term, and the Shelly Bay development being gone with the wind. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/...

National Party Leader Christopher Luxon is in Christchurch as part of the campaign and joined John MacDonald live in studio. They discussed the social investment fund, how will that help the likes of the homeless on Colombo Street. Is National's Tax Policy as transparent as it should be? And what will he do about the health system should he be elected into Government? LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.c...

As much as things change, the more they stay the same   We have already witnessed one of the election's major lessons - Government's lose the vote, Opposition's don’t win them.   We vote on the vibe, on a mood and the specifics are wasted on the engaged and the wonks.   Labour and their mates have worked very hard since last week to try and undo National's tax policy, but they have failed. The evi...

MPs Megan Woods and Mark Mitchell joined the Mike Hosking Breakfast to wrap the week's political news. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Trish Sherson from Sherson Willis PR and Hauraki's Matt Heath joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more! The latest Roy Morgan poll has ACT shooting up to 18 percent and Labour down to 24 percent, giving a Nats/Act coalition the chance to govern. If true, this is a real downer to Labour, right? National is promising another tunnel through Moun...

A fiery start to the campaign season, as political leaders addressed prospective voters at a BusinessNZ-hosted conference. Luxon assured business leaders he would treat them 'like adults' as he criticised Labour's ongoing relationship with the sector. Hipkins, speaking after Luxon, defended the Government’s choppy economic record and claimed Labour's 'economic fundamentals were in good shape.' ACT...

ACT and National are on track to govern while Labour slumps to a new low, according to a new poll. The latest Roy Morgan survey shows ACT has surged by 4 points to 18 percent, catching up to National's 31, down 2.5 percent. Labour's taken a fall- their support dropped a further 2 percent to 24. ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says the Roy Morgan poll is often dismissed in the lead-up...

There's renewed debate over whether an Independent Costings Watchdog is needed to verify election promises. Labour, National and the Greens have all shown support for the idea. The Taxpayers' Union's Jordan Williams says an office separated from the Government of the time is needed to verify each party's election promises for the sake of democracy. "So we don't end up like the situation where we u...

ACT says it isn't taking anything for granted, despite a staggering leap in a new political poll. The Roy Morgan survey puts it up 4 points to 18 percent - their highest result since December 2021. National is down 2.5 points to 31 percent, but can govern with ACT - while Labour has slumped to a historic low of 24 percent. ACT leader David Seymour says Roy Morgan was the most accurate in the last...

National's promising shovels in the ground in its first term for a second Mount Vic tunnel- if it gets the top job after the election. Infrastructure spokesperson Chris Bishop says they'll get consents fast tracked. He says it's good for buses, cars, walking, cycling, and it will decongest Wellington. National says alongside upgrades to the Basin Reserve, it'll cost $2.2 billion dollars. The propo...

Behind the List with Barry Soper is a weekly interview-based podcast that will get you behind the newsmakers of Election 2023. Newstalk ZB’s Senior Political Correspondent Barry Soper has been involved in political coverage since the 1970s, featuring as Newstalk ZB’s political editor for many years after joining the station and press gallery in 1980. Soper will use his years covering politics to g...

03 September 2023: Last week Hamish Williams and psychotherapist Kyle MacDonald asked listeners what they wanted to know from politicians about their parties' mental health policies. This week, six of these questions are answered by the six major political parties. With thanks to NZ on Air. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.