The Iron Duke Podcast

This week Greg Harford, CEO of RetailNZ, who walks us through the harrowing state of retail right now. We cover off what should have been the biggest news story of the week; the Salvation Army's State of the Nation report. We give a more nuanced view on what was the biggest news story of the week; the anti-mandate protest. Of course it wouldn't be a weekly recap without touching on Covid...

This week we have the hugely aspirational Vic Crockford, CEO of Community Housing Aotearoa, join us to discuss the state of community housing and what more can be done to be helping those in need of warm, dry, affordable housing. It wouldn't be a week in review if we didn't discuss Covid, so of course we touch on the protest too, as well as the polls and rent controls.

This week we welcome LinkedIn certified 'funny economist', John Ballingall of Sense Partners to talk us through how the economy is shaping up, labour shortages and the latest free trade agreement. We cover off the OECD's economic update for little ol'NZ, we (kind of accurately) predict the border reopening, explain the big methane announcement and yet again one of us decides to...

We're joined by Kirk Hope, CEO of BusinessNZ in our first episode of 2020 Part III. We chat the price of food, international tensions and all things omicron - RATS, masks, isolation and red light settings.

In our final episode of the year we sit down with Iron Duke Partners Managing Director Phil O'Reilly to try answer the question, what the hell happened in 2021? Quarter by quarter we take you through some of the years biggest political and policy moments from here and around the globe. We'll be back in 2022 with more weekly round ups and great guests.

Our guest this week needs no introduction, after a phenomenal 7 years at the helm of the Department of Conservation, Lou Sanson joins us for one of our most inspiring conversations so far. We also cover off the traffic light change, the boycott of Beijing, rising house prices and a new report into the increasing social divisions in the wake of the vaccine mandate.

This week we celebrate our rural sector, chat expensive coffees, talk about the Nats peculiar reshuffle, and new Covid medication. We also chat with Nicola Nation CEO of the Akina Foundation about some of the good things that capitalism brings and what impact you can have through simply buying stuff.

This week we're joined by Simon Arcus, CEO of Business Central and the Wellington Chamber of Commerce to chat all things Wellington. We cover gun violence, let's get Wellington Moving (again) and to top it all off, the rise of the blue phoenix - Mr Air New Luxon

This week we look at why supermarkets charge so much for food  with guest Katherine Rich, CEO of the Food and Grocery Council. We also cover the controversial Groundswell protest, the end of the MIQueue, Vaccine passes, and do some trainspotting along the way.

This week we're joined by Dr Bryce Wilkinson of the New Zealand Initiative to discuss his latest report Walking the path to the next global financial crisis. Is the next GFC really just around the corner? Should kiwi's be battening down the hatches?   We recap the alert level change, vaccine certificates, the productivity commission report and Tuesday's protest right here in the Cap...

We welcome Brad Olsen, Principal Economist and Director of Infometics to chat all things inflation. We also cover off level 3.2, Let's Get Wellington Moving, James Shaw's cop announcement, a new ministry and the unworthy winner of bird of the year.

A Covid heavy episode this week. We focus on vaccines and booster shots with Iron Duke advisory board member, futurist and epidemiologist Melissa Clark-Reynolds. Also covered off is the traffic light system, the Nats economic plan, vaccination numbers and the Auditor Generals enquiry in to MIQ. Note this was recorded prior to MIQ changes.

This week we are joined by climate change, sustainability and social procurement expert, Louise Aitken. Louise is the former CEO of the Akina Foundation and shares her thoughts on how businesses need to step up in doing their part for the climate. We also discuss the bipartisan housing announcement, the vaxathon, impending alert level changes and inflation.

This week we are joined by Castalia’s Andreas Heuser to discuss the government’s controversial three waters reform and what this means for you. We also look into issues around compulsory vaccines, uncertainty about schools reopening, private MIQ schemes, and a peculiarly timed review of our electoral system.

Welcome to the Iron Duke Podcast - your weekly round up of all things policy and politics. For our first episode we have Managing Director Phil O'Reilly with us to chat about the governments change in Covid strategy and what it means for both business and Aotearoa New Zealand more broadly. We cover off vaccine rates, the need for vaccine targets, the shared home ownership scheme and some worr...