Politics Central

Experts believe Prime Minister-elect Chris Luxon should've been at the APEC Summit in San Francisco. Days of meetings involving ministers and world leaders were ultimately dominated by a meeting between US president, Joe Biden, and China’s Xi Jinping. Caretaker trade minister Damien O'Connor represented New Zealand at the event, due to a Government not yet being formed. Former intelligence and def...

Government forming talks will continue this week, as Chris Luxon's been unable to reach a consensus on a number of key issues this weekend. The incoming Prime Minister met with Winston Peters this afternoon, and has spoken with David Seymour over the phone. Despite insisting good progress is being made, Luxon says there are three final issues proving to be the sticking points. ZB political editor...

This week on Politics Central, Jason Walls recapped the ongoing coalition negotiations and shared his predictions for who will be assigned those top ministerial positions.  Later, Dr Paul Buchanan joins the Weekend Collective to share his insight into the importance of APEC and what we can expect from Biden's meeting with Xi. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An international law professor is weighing in on claims Hamas is using schools and hospitals to fire against Israel. Sydney University's professor Ben Saul says Hamas is obligated not to locate military amongst civilians, which is difficult as most of Gaza is an urban area. Professor Saul says regardless of where Hamas is firing from, it doesn't absolve Israel of its obligation to take sufficient...

It's been 28 days from the 2023 election and one week since the final results were counted- and coalition talks are carrying on. Chris Luxon and National will need NZ First and ACT to help form a new Government, after the special votes were weighed up. Electoral law expert Graeme Edgeler says other Governments have taken extra time to get established, and that this isn't an isolated case. "It real...

It's been almost a month since the 2023 general election, and because of the special votes, and errors made by the Electoral Commission we still don't have our new Government formed. Barrister and electoral law expert Graeme Edgeleshares his take on whether this electoral system needs to change to speed things up. Later, United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and Counter-terrorism Profe...

A former Attorney General has faith the parties set to form the incoming Government will get over their differences. The final election result shows National will need ACT and New Zealand First, if it wants to govern. ACT leader David Seymour and New Zealand First's Winston Peters butted heads repeatedly during the campaign. But Former National MP Chris Finlayson says they have plenty of overlap i...

ACT's David Seymour says the final election results haven't changed his relationship with Winston Peters- but it's their job to make it work now voters have decided. National and Act now need New Zealand First to form a Government after National lost two seats in the special vote counts. Seymour says he'd reached out to New Zealand First before that, but they haven't heard back. "I think now they'...

On Friday, the final election results were announced and NZ First brought in 8 seats and the ACT Party got 11. How will these coalition agreements go? To give us his insight, Former Attorney General Chris Finlayson joins the Weekend Collective. Later, David Seymour tells us what his bottom lines are- and why he hasn't changed his option of Winston Peters. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener f...

Is Winston Peters senile or cynical? Political commentator Matthew Hooton explains why Peters is unfit to be in government. Plus, Dr Paul G. Buchanan joins us to give his insight on Israel-Hamas war and why there might be no end in sight. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Israeli Defence Force is warning citizens in Gaza to evacuate to the south. The IDF has apparently dropped flyers in the Sabrah neighbourhood warning people to flee urgently. It's while the US military is sending more missile defence systems to the Middle East, and placing additional troops on a 'prepare-to-deploy' notice. Otago University international relations professor, Robert Patman says...

Phone calls and negotiations behind the scenes, as National and ACT look set to form the next Government. With the special votes yet to confirm the make-up of the Beehive, both parties are likely to need New Zealand First in a three-way majority arrangement. Former National MP Steven Joyce, was part of talks in 2017, when Winston Peters eventually sided with Labour and Jacinda Ardern. He says it's...

This week on Politics Central, Steven Joyce weighs in on the key challenges impacting Luxon and National in forming a Government, particularly in negations with their coalition partners. Later, Professor Robert Patman provides an update on the Israel-Gaza war and how the US can navigate its involvement.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 2020 the Labour Government won 65 seats, with National taking only 33.   The tides well and truly changed last night at the 2023 election, and to wrap it all New Zealand Herald's Thomas Coughlan joined Tim Beverage on the Weekend Collective.   Plus, on Saturday, a major setback to the country's efforts for reconciliation with its First Peoples. Australia rejected a proposal to recognise Indigen...

There’s confidence that indigenous rights aren't dead-in-the-water in Australia after the Voice referendum was defeated.   It sought to change the constitution to recognise the First Peoples of Australia, by establishing a body called the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice.   All states voted no, with ACT the only region to vote yes.   Australian Correspondent Murray Olds said that despit...

Claims National is trying to scare people away from voting for New Zealand First. The party has released messaging warning that there's a real possibility of a second election if they can't get a coalition deal across the line with Winston Peters party. ZB Political Editor Jason Walls says they're bluffing and that it would be incredibly unlikely. He believes a move like that could frustrate the e...

Gunmen from the Palestinian group Hamas have rampaged through Israeli towns and left a trail of destruction. Over 300 have died in the attack, and dozens have been wounded and taken hostage in by far the deadliest day of violence in Israel in decades. Israel has launched air strikes in response, and its Prime Minister says his country is at war. University of Otago Politics and International Relat...

The Hamas surprise attack out of Gaza stuns Israel and leaves hundreds dead in fighting. Professor of politics and director of international studies at the University of Otago, Robert Patman, joined the Weekend Collective to give his insight. Plus, with just a week away from the general election Jason Walls joins us to wrap up how the campaigns have gone.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener...

A change of date could be on the cards for Chris Hipkins' next head-to-head with National's Chris Luxon. The pair were due to take part in a leaders' debate hosted by The Press on Tuesday, but Hipkins has Covid and is isolating. The paper's owner, Stuff, is now working through contingency plans, including alternative dates for the face-off. Labour's Grant Robertson says if someone was needed to st...

Winston Peters has a fiery interview with Jack Tame, National announces their 100-day plan, the Green Party are convinced their wealth tax will work and Chris Hipkins gets Covid days before the election- Peter Dunne joins the Weekend Collective to give his take on the week in politics. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Winston Peters has a fiery interview with Jack Tame, National announces their 100 day plan, and The Green Party are convinced their wealth tax will work- Peter Dunne joins the Weekend Collective to recap this weekend in politics. Later, Grant Robertson provides an update into Chris Hipkins' health, and what that means for upcoming debates. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy infor...

Same policy, slightly different flavour under National, Labour, ACT, and the Greens. All 4 parties have unveiled new tweaks to existing immigration laws, and Labour is looking to boost struggling sectors with changes to the Green List and Recovery Visa extensions. 17 new roles will be added to the list and the RSE worker cap will increase by 500. Labour's Immigration Spokesperson Andrew Little say...

Immigration Minister Andrew Little revealed yesterday that the Government will make immediate changes and tweaks to the Green List, seasonal employment, and compliance visits.  Seeing the RSE cap will increase by 500 spots for the coming summer, he joins the Weekend Collective to discuss the reason for the quick changes. Plus, Simeon Brown talks about how National wants to increase the speed limit...

The National Party wants to change the balance when it comes road safety. If elected, National would return many state highways to 100 kilometres per hour from 80 and many local roads to 50. The Kapiti Expressway and Transmission Gully would be bumped up to 110 - as would the Puhoi to Warkworth motorway if it's safe to do that. Public Service Spokesperson Simeon Brown says speed limits around scho...

Labour's Cabinet turned down a proposal to stop funding gangs. The National Party's revealed the then-Justice Minister Kiri Allan lodged the proposal to end contracts with gangs in July. Cabinet didn't agree, which National says is another example of Labour being soft on crime. National's spokesperson for Public Service, Simeon Brown, says it's a waste of taxpayer money. "And what we see the Mongr...