The Front Page

October 11: Chris Hipkins and Christopher Luxon have faced the Herald's PM Job Interview to test their skills for the country's top job, as they continue their final days of campaigning ahead of Election Day. And NZ Herald senior writer Simon Wilson joins the podcast to dissect the races for Epsom and Tamaki that are seeing potential coalition partners National and Act go head to head.  Host: Hami...

Aotearoa is still picking up the pieces from Cyclone Gabrielle, and with a long dry summer ahead, 2023 will surely be remembered as the year climate change truly came knocking. So where has it been this election cycle? After floods and storms claimed homes and lives earlier this year, it seemed like all our political leaders were on the same page. But as the months wore on, the focus shifted to th...

October 10: A shock death on the campaign trail has revealed some of the more interesting elements of our electoral law, sparking a by-election to take place next month, as well as spotlighting the complex overhang rule that can increase the size of our Parliament. To explain what these laws means, and the Sainte-Laguë method that determines Parliament's makeup, we hear from lawyer Graeme Edgeler...

For much of the election campaign, the focus has been solely on domestic issues, with questions around foreign policy during televised debates quickly shut down.   That changed this weekend after Palestinian militants  attacked settlements in southern Israel, killing hundreds, taking hostages, and sparking harsh retaliation from Israel.  As our politicians exchanged back and forths about the crisi...

October 9: We are just five sleeps away from Election Day, but some parties are already discussing a second election. Thomas Coughlan joins to dissect if those concerns are valid, and previews the final week of the campaign. Plus, a shock death on the campaign trail has sparked a by-election. And Georgina Campbell joins to discuss what could happen in Hutt South and Ōhāriu. You can experience the...

The old saying goes that money can’t buy you happiness – but it turns out, if you do rely on what’s in your wallet to keep you happy, you're going to need a lot of it.   Recently released analysis has suggested that a Kiwi family needs a household income of just shy of $200,000 to hit that point, with those in Auckland facing a higher price point on the road to contentment.   But that figure is ro...

October 6: NZ Herald political reporter Adam Pearse joins the podcast to discuss the latest debate between the minor parties, and the growing tension between Act and NZ First. And speaking of minor parties, Newstalk ZB Christchurch reporter Georgia O'Connor-Harding joins to discuss the race for Ilam, which has garnered national attention due to TOP's Raf Manji making a strong fight for the seat to...

Billions of dollars are spent on our benefit system every year. And every election, politicians debate fiercely about where we should be cutting or increasing contributions to make the system fairer.  This topic is incredibly fraught given that some of the population will invariably be unemployed or simply unable to work at any given point. And as we’ve seen with the Reserve Bank’s moves this year...

October 5: The battle over National's tax policy came up again today thanks to new analysis, while allegations of candidates being targetted resurfaced as well. And Georgina pops up to analyse the race for Wellington Central and Rongotai - two seats the Greens hope to take from Labour. Host: Hamish Fletcher Producer: Ethan Sills See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On October 14th it won’t just be the people of Aotearoa heading to the ballot box. Australians will be taking part in a referendum over whether their government should introduce an advisory group which would consult on legislation affecting Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islanders.  Should the Indigenous voice to parliament be passed, Australia’s constitution will be updated, and future...

October 4th: As the main parties move on from the debate over a debate, the tension turns towards National's promise to cut the Regional Fuel Tax in Auckland - something Auckland's Mayor doesn't want. Plus, Labour targets the Defence Force as Act targets red tape, and some unwanted analysis from one of the world's top banks. Plus, NZ Herald writer David Fisher joins to go inside the race for North...

Nearly 600,000 rental properties across New Zealand are home to 1.3 million tenants.  The relationship between those renters and landlords hangs in the balance.   Under the current Labour Government, we’ve seen a number of strong protections come in to give renters more certainty.   But now, both National and Act are promising to reverse some of those restrictions and in doing so return more power...

October 3: The political discourse today was dictated by the ongoing argument about The Press debate, and who has said what from both parties. And NZ Herald senior writer Simon Wilson joins to discuss the races for Auckland Central and Mt Albert - two electorates the Greens hope will be theirs come Election Day. Host: Hamish Fletcher Producer: Ethan Sills  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy i...

Crime in Aotearoa has dominated our political debate in the lead-up to the election. Every party has a view on what should be done about law and order, but these views don’t always align with what experts say. NZ Herald senior politics writer Derek Cheng has taken a close look at the crime policies of all the major parties and spoken to leading experts who argue that what we need to see transforma...

October 2nd: There are less than two weeks to go until Election Day, and one of our leaders is down with Covid. NZ Herald deputy editor Thomas Coughlan joins Georgina to discuss what it means for Labour now that Chris Hipkins is out with Covid, and how this has led to an argument about debate schedules. Plus, manifestos and priorities are released, and Winston Peters sparks headlines for the wrong...

Two of our biggest cities are facing tough budget decisions. Both Auckland and Wellington need to save money and raise more funds to pay for everything. It means both cities are facing the prospect of cutting services or large-scale plans – or, for Auckland at least, major rate rises in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis.   So how did Wellington and Auckland get into such a financial mess? And...

September 29th: National finally released its fiscal policy today, and it has already sparked strong words from Labour. And claims of race-baiting take up oxygen on the campaign trail. Deputy political editor Thomas Coughlan joins us again to dissect the fiscal policies, and also recaps the 21st edition of Mood of the Boardroom. Host: Hamish Fletcher Producer: Ethan Sills Editor: Paddy Fox See omn...

Prominent business leaders have had their say on what they think of the current Government and those vying to take over.  The Herald’s Mood of the Boardroom is back for its 21st year, and this time the survey has recorded the pulse of the executive suite on the eve of Aotearoa’s general election.  There are strong suggestions that business leaders want change, and that’s bad news for Labour and th...

September 28: In a bumper episode of On the Campaign, Georgina is joined first by NZ Herald editor at large Shayne Currie to discuss the Newshub leaders' debate and which leader came out on top - and which answer sparked the worst response from the crowd. And then she talks with Wellington reporter Melissa Nightingale about the latest Parliament protest. Plus, new policies from Act, a commitment f...

It’s been a year since retail giant Costco first opened its doors in west Auckland.   From day one, shoppers quickly streamed in to buy plus-size versions of everything, and that hype has not died down 12 months later.  The arrival of Costco came with the promise of greater competition and more diverse shopping options. But has the firm actually delivered on those? And will the success of Costco s...

September 27: Labour has released their fiscal policy detailing how they will pay for things - and took aim at National in the process. And as the second televised debate goes to air, the focus turns to advanced and early voting - NZ Herald head of data Chris Knox joins to discuss the stats and what influence those early decisions have.  Host: Hamish Fletcher Producer: Ethan Sills See omnystudio.c...

As the Hollywood writer’s strike prepares to come to an end, another key part of the entertainment industry is weighing up industrial action.  Reality TV has become the default option for plugging programming gaps caused by strike action. Now cast and crew members are starting to shine a light on how they are treated behind the scenes, and the level of compensation offered for turning their person...

September 26: All parties dipped their toes into the policy announcement pool today, with National targeting beneficiaries, Labour boosting Pharmac, and Greens supporting new families.  Plus, NZ Herald business editor at large Liam Dann joins to discuss a financial debate he moderated and how Grant Robertson and Nicola Willis are performing on the campaign.  Host: Georgina Campbell Producer: Ethan...

New Zealanders love their houses – and that love can sometimes see them getting ripped off.  Two cases reported on by the NZ Herald in recent weeks have highlighted cases where home buyers have purchased their dream homes on false pretences, in both cases related to misleading information about moisture levels. So what exactly happened in these cases, how were the people found out, and what does i...

September 25: A busy weekend of policy announcements preceded one of the most important weeks of the campaign, with advanced voting starting overseas and early voting kicking off from next week. Today, Hamish is joined by deputy political editor Thomas Coughlan for his analysis of the latest policy announcements, the significance of this week, and what to make of Christopher Luxon's decision about...