Focus on Politics

Fresh off a trip to the United Nations General Assembly leaders' week, the foreign minister Winston Peters is defending New Zealand's support for a resolution calling for Israel to leave occupied Palestinian territories within 12 months. That decision raised some eyebrows back home, as it was out of step with our Five Eyes partners, and Act leader David Seymour believes it was a big enough change...

Casey Costello is the Smokefree Minister accused of helping Big Tobacco - something she strongly denies. The pressure on her has only grown amid questions about the advice she's relied on to push through tax cuts on heated tobacco products. In Focus on Politics this week, RNZ deputy political editor Craig McCulloch lays out the latest revelations surrounding New Zealand's Smokefree strategy as ove...

In December last year the Coalition government pulled the pin on the Interislander ferry replacement project, saying it was time to get real about what had been a significant budget blowout from $700m to about $3b. More than 10 months on, Cabinet has yet to discuss what will replace the project due to coalition disagreement about the best solution, as the ageing current fleet faces maintenance dif...

The coalition campaigned on a return to law-and-order with a hardline approach emphasising personal responsibility and a crackdown on gangs. Nearly a year in power, many of the numbers seem to be going the wrong way - but statistics on crime and policing are notoriously difficult to draw conclusions from. In this week's Focus on Politics, Deputy Political Editor Craig McCulloch assesses how the go...

Two mill closures in the central North Island this week leave at least 230 people out of work, devastating the local economy. Much of the blame has been placed on power prices and the gentailers raking in big profits. Political Reporter Russell Palmer looks into how the government responded and what the Electricity Authority plans to do next time there's a dry year. The audio for this episode has...

Between 2019 and 2023, groceries went up in price by more than any other common household bill. High hopes were placed on new Grocery Commissioner Pierre van Heerden to boost competition, but he says the current tools are still not enough. In Focus on Politics this week, RNZ's Deputy Political Editor Craig McCulloch digs into the first report card from the Grocery Commissioner - and considers what...

Tributes are flowing from across Aotearoa and around the world after Kiingi Tuuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII died early on Friday morning. Moe mai raa e te kiingi. It ends a fortnight in which the question of whether Māori ceded sovereignty - a question as old as the Treaty itself - saw the major parties in Parliament taking stronger positions in the debate than ever before. "It was never...

In the pouring rain and whipping winds, politicians arrived at Ngāruawāhia's Tūrangawaewae marae for te Koroneihana, the 18th anniversary of the Māori King's coronation. The typically apolitical event was instead this year full of challenges to the government and the man at the top, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon. "You may have coalition mates but that only lasts three years, te ao Māori ar...

With Parliament in recess this week, the coalition used the clear air to clear the decks, rattling through a laundry list of announcements - congestion charging, genetic engineering, and two separate ministry overhauls. But the announcement the government tried hardest to highlight was its new hardline approach to welfare. "We will do everything - everything that we can - to support people of...

In this week's Focus on Politics, Political Reporter Lillian Hanly examines the coalition policy of repealing section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act, and the resulting backlash. "I don't know why we ended up going to select committee if there was no intention to listen to the experts" - Tracey Martin The repeal of Section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act was front and centre at Parlia...

In this week's Focus on Politics, Political Reporter Giles Dexter speaks with Chlöe Swarbrick after the Green Party's AGM about the challenge she gave members to go through some growing pains, and the ongoing fallout of the Darleen Tana party-hopping saga. "We are going through growing pains, I think that we are needing to constantly look at ourselves" - Chlöe Swarbrick The Green Pa...

In this week's Focus on Politics, Political Reporter Anneke Smith speaks to Aaron Smale and explores the initial response to New Zealand's inquiry on abuse in care. "Maybe the government just needs to listen" - Aaron Smale The Royal Commission of Inquiry's report into abuse in state and faith-based care unveiled this week lays bare an ugly history, offering damning evidence and deno...

In this week's Focus on Politics, Political Reporter Anneke Smith looks at why New Zealand's ability to meet its climate targets is on shaky ground. "The projections for 2050 show, at this point, we won't be net zero by then" - RNZ climate change correspondent, Eloise Gibson The government's draft emissions reduction plan - out this week - puts New Zealand's ability to mee...

In this week's Focus on Politics, Political Reporter Giles Dexter looks at Australia backtracking on its commitment to New Zealand over 501 deportations. "It's been pure politics. And it's been an unedifying spectacle" - Greg Barns, Australian Lawyers Alliance New Zealand has been hit by a 501 boomerang, with Australia backtracking this month on its commitment around deportatio...

In this week's Focus on Politics, Deputy Political Editor Craig McCulloch takes a closer look at National's broken cancer commitment - and considers how the government could put it right. "Every minute counts in the battle against cancer" - Christopher Luxon (21 August 2023) Government ministers hoping to bask in a post-Budget glow this week have instead been trying to tamp down the back...

In this week's Focus on Politics, RNZ Deputy Political Editor Craig McCulloch examines the first Budget of the coalition government. "This year's Budget is the clean-up job New Zealand needs" - Nicola Willis At last, the tax cut tease is over, the full details on full display. The Budget's headline was only ever going to be tax cuts - and they arrived almost exactly as promised...

In this week's Focus on Politics, Political Reporter Anneke Smith explores the government's fast-track legislation and the responses to it. "Inclusion of ministerial override is an overreach and dangerous" - Helmut Modlik A law giving ministers sweeping powers to greenlight infrastructure projects has attracted a wave of criticism and responses at select committee. With ministers beginni...

In Focus on Politics, political reporter Katie Scotcher looks at the latest funding boost for the Defence Force and how much more investment is needed. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

In Focus on Politics, RNZ deputy political editor Craig McCulloch chews over the coalition's school lunch announcement, as well as the opposition's somewhat muted reaction. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

In Focus on Politics, RNZ's deputy political editor Craig McCulloch whips through a whirlwind week at Parliament. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Successive governments have claimed crack downs on youth vaping but retailers are flouting the law, with just one prosecution on the books. Retailers have until the end of the year to phase out single-use products, but academics say MPs' fears vape manufacturers will just adapt are justified. In this week's Focus on Politics, Political Reporter Anneke Smith looks at concerns vape manufacturers wil...

As global tensions escalated this week, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon was touring South East Asia, strengthening defence and security ties. Back home, his government was accused of drifting away from New Zealand's independent foreign policy. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon "Together we are committed to stepping up our defence relationship" - Christopher Luxon As global tensions escal...

Andrew Hoggard might be new to Parliament, but he's certainly not new to New Zealand's screens and airwaves. The Manawatū dairy farmer was president of Federated Farmers from 2020 to 2023, and one of the more prominent critics of the previous government's agricultural policies. In this week's Focus on Politics, RNZ Political Reporter Giles Dexter sits down with new MP - and new minister - Andrew H...

Public Service Targets are set for a comeback but with job cuts looming over ministries and agencies, unions fear public servants are only being asked to do more with less. Originally introduced by the John Key National government, the targets have led to improvements in the past - but that experience shows there are also risks. In this week's Focus on Politics, Political Reporter Giles Dexter loo...

New Zealand must pull its weight on defence and security, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says in a sit-down interview with RNZ, after talks with both India and China. While trade was a driving force behind those engagements, it is clear tension points - like the South China Sea, and potential involvement in AUKUS - are becoming more central to foreign policy discussions in the Indo-Pacific. In th...