Politics Central

This week on Politics Central, University of Otago politics expert Robert Patman reflects on the second anniversary of the Russia-Ukraine war and weighs in on what more can be done. Later, Police Minister Mark Mitchell makes a case for the Government's proposed legislation targeting gang patches.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New legislation the Government hopes will curb gang crime could be written in a matter of weeks. But we'll have to wait until at least the end of the year to see the ban on insignia pass into law. The legislation also looks to stop criminal gangs from gathering in groups, by giving police the right to issue dispersal notices. Non-consorting laws will stop specified members from associating or comm...

Western leaders have touched down in Kyiv, to meet Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in the two year anniversary of war with Russia. The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission, estimates more than 10,000 Ukrainian civilians, including 528 children, have died in two years. Otago University Politics professor Robert Patman, says the conflict seems to have arrived at a stalemate. Patman says Ukrai...

Labour has slammed the Government's plans to shake up sex education in schools. National and New Zealand First have agreed to refocus the curriculum on 'academic achievement and not ideology' as part of their coalition agreement. Labour's launched a petition to protect the guidelines, saying removing them will discourage conversations around sexuality, consent and gender. Labour's Education spokes...

There's belief the Government will hit their 100 day plan target. Prime Minister Chris Luxon celebrated what they've done in the first 81 days in today's State of the Nation speech, including abolishing Three Waters, banning cell phones in class and bringing back 90 day trials. But Herald Deputy Political Editor Thomas Coughlan says some of the remaining 49 points shouldn't be rushed. "Particularl...

Christopher Luxon gave his State of the Nation speech in Auckland, setting out his vision for the country and promising to be 'straight up' with Kiwis about the nation's 'fragile' situation. NZ Herald deputy political editor Thomas Coughlan joins to discuss. Later, National's coalition agreement with New Zealand First makes changes to the sex education curriculum. It will focus on "academic achiev...

ACT have had a dramatic increase in their polling since the election in November. Tim Beverage spoke to ACT leader David Seymour to understand why. ALSO As War in Ukraine continues to be a stalemate and US funding to the region seems in jeopardy. Tim Beverage speaks to Strategic Analysist Paul Buchanan to discuss the long term implications for the war.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener fo...

A law professor says New Zealand's deployment of troops to the Red Sea is a good first step. The Government last week announced six Defence Force personnel would be deployed to support military action against Houthi militants. Waikato University law professor Alexander Gillespie, says our actions are justified, but we need to be wary of possible escalation. "One of the risks right now is that it a...

Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka is confident Waitangi Day commemorations won't turn ugly. The Government will be welcomed to Waitangi on Tuesday, while opposition parties have been visiting over the course of the weekend. Some MPs used their visit to hit out some of the Government's policies they deem anti-Māori, with Labour's Kelvin Davis describing the Government as spiders, and a den of...

Developments in the Middle East are growing as the UK and US militaries both launched a third round of joint attacks on the Houthis in Yemen in response to the Iran-aligned group's ongoing attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea. International Law Professor Al Gillespie, joins the Weekend Collective to discuss how U.S. strikes align with international law. Plus, we ask Al how New Zealand fits i...

The Government recently scrapped plans that would allow 16-year-olds to vote in local elections. Local Government Minister Simeon Brown says they will not be entertaining the previous Government's voting age bill - calling it a costly distraction. Minister Brown says local Governments need to focus on fixing their own infrastructure issues rather than pushing this legislation through.  "There's a...

David Seymour says he wants the Treaty of Waitangi made clear for everyone. The ACT Party leader is hoping to introduce his Treaty Principles Bill by May. Seymour has given his State of the Nation speech today, and that legislation made up a large part of it. He says the Treaty has not been clearly defined. "People say- don't mess with the Treaty. Well I'm sorry, but people have been messing with...

This week on Politics Central, David Seymour addressed his State of the Nation Speech and claimed New Zealand has gotten more divided as a nation- where people are unable to discuss ideologies without being shut down immediately. Later, Local Government Minister Simeon Brown explains why he scrapped the previous Government's bill to lower the voting age to 16 in local elections. LISTEN ABOVE See o...

Former MP Golriz Ghahraman resigned last week following allegations of shoplifting, sparking a debate on the mental health of politicians. Is mental health just a PR tool for getting out of a sticky situation? Commentator Peter Dunne seems to think this is the case for younger MPs. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s been a big week in politics, as a host of Labour's policies have been tipped on the scrap heap as the new coalition Government starts passing laws at pace. Finance Minister Nicola Willis joins the Weekend Collective to share who her politician of the year is, as well as what we can expect from the mini-budget. Plus, Jason Walls joins the show to discuss the key moments from the year that's be...

The decision to scrap Wellington's major infrastructure project is coming as no surprise. In a joint statement, the Government, Wellington City Council and the regional council announced they'd agreed to dissolve the plans, making way for projects including the Basin upgrade and a second Mt Victoria Tunnel. The Golden Mile plans will remain solely with the city council. Newstalk ZB Political Edito...

The Finance Minister says New Zealanders will have a chance to take a good-look at how the economy is faring this week. Nicola Willis will release the new Government's mini-budget on Wednesday. Treasury will also release its half-yearly set of economic forecasts. Willis says they want to clearly show people where the challenges are, and how they will respond. "I want them to know that it's tough,...

The new Government has got a big week ahead, as it races to get its 100-day plan well underway. The first Question Time last week saw the battlegrounds drawn and Labour taking Opposition for the first time in years. Newstalk ZB's political editor Jason Walls says he expects the amendments to the Reserve Bank's mandates to show up on Tuesday's order paper. He says the Labour Government made the Ban...

This week on Politics Central, ZB political editor Jason Walls joined the show to chat about the new faces in Parliament, the Government's 100-day plan, and the theatrics of   Te Pati Māori. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The new Government has poured cold water on the proposed Lake Onslow pumped hydro scheme. The hydro-lake development was proposed by the previous Government, as a backup renewable energy reservoir. Energy Minister Simeon Brown has announced they're pulling the plug on the project, because it was pouring money down the drain at a time when we need to be reining in spending. "We actually think the m...

Prime Minister Chris Luxon has outlined the first moves the newly-formed Government plans to take. Under the 49-day action plan, Fair Pay Agreements, Three Waters, the Auckland Regional Fuel Tax, and smokefree legislation are all set to be scrapped. Political commentator Peter Dunne says Winston Peters' controversial comments have left an impact on Luxon's first week in power- and discredit him as...

The new Government confirmed its plan for its first 100 days, which includes enacting 49 key changes including the scrapping of the   Fair Pay Agreement legislation, Three Waters, and the latest smoke-free laws. Peter Dunne joins the Weekend Collective to give his take. Later, The Minister for Energy and Transport Simeon Brown explains why the Government has chosen to scrap the $ 16 billion Lake O...

This week on Politics Central, Nicola Willis joins the show to explain why she has the political chops to be our new Finance Minister- and how her English Literature degree plays into that. Later, ACT Leader and incoming Minister for Regulation David Seymour explains what his new roles entail- and why so many public sector jobs need to be slashed. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for priva...

The incoming Minister for Regulation is promising to make real change. ACT Leader David Seymour picked up the role during coalition negotiations alongside Associate Health and Education ministerial roles. Seymour says there's a 'disease of over-regulation' plaguing New Zealand. "We'll change the way Government regulates, delete a lot of bad regulation and start getting people spending more time pr...

Nicola Willis says her new Social Investment Minister role will be about spending earlier to prevent future harm. Willis will hold that role alongside Finance, and Associate Climate Change. She says the Government has real power to intervene early, to prevent dysfunction which has negative consequences for the child. "To stop that child from ending up ram raiding, to stop that child ending up as a...