The Leighton Smith Podcast

On this week's podcast: Professor James Allan last guested in podcast 160. The subject was He Puapua. He returns to discuss our election, Jordan Peterson, The Voice, and Trumps legal challenges. Jim encourages any so-called conservative parties to “fight the culture wars”. Has any party in New Zealand got the required courage? Is there “weaponised collusion” between The White House and the DOJ? An...

On this week's podcast: Stephen Jennings is a Kiwi expat. His first job after university was with Treasury in 1984, a noted time of economic and political change. Jennings life has centred around change ever since. Working in Australia and NZ, followed by London and in 1992, Moscow until 2013. Now he’s building cities in Africa. His critique of New Zealand’s ongoing malaise needs to be heard befor...

On this week's podcast: Turbo-charged by Covid-19 and a poverty of basic intelligence, common sense and irreparably bad ideas, the New Zealand health care system is in dire straights. We are in crisis, and, as a result, it is at the forefront of election issues. Emeritus Professor Des Gorman levels his sights on the issues and how to resolve them; especially the increasing shortage of GP’s. We pay...

On this week's podcast: Sir Ian Taylor is having an interesting life. Born in Northland, raised in what today would be considered poverty, he graduated in law, became a television performer and a singer in a band; today he is a massively successful businessman. A Labour supporter over 50 years of voting, he is now less than impressed. And like many countrymen he doesn’t know how he’s going to vote...

On this week's podcast: London, is it still the Holy Grail for NZ expats? After 5 years in the “mother city” Christian Smith shares his thoughts and experiences with Leighton (yes, they are closely related). The cost of living, work, play, travel, advantages and otherwise, post covid and Brexit. A great discussion. Normal transmission resumes next week when Leighton and Mrs Producer return. File y...

On this week's podcast: When we interviewed Stephen Soukup in podcast 179, Jacinda Ardern still “had gas in the tank”, and Labour still had high hopes for this years election. Soukup's book “The Dictatorship of Woke Capital; How Political Correctness Captured Big Business” exposed the absurdities adopted by many international and local companies to the detriment of investors and customers alike. S...

On this week's podcast: On October 5, 2022, in Podcast 175, we spoke with two insightful guests. Both were then and are now relevant to the state of the local economy and international balance of power. Dr Eric Crampton, Chief Economist at the NZ Institute spoke on productivity in the economy. Professor Salvatore Babones addressed “Putins Brain” as Russian Intellectual Alexander Dugan has been des...

On October 5, 2022, in podcast 175 we spoke with two insightful guests. Both were then and are now relevant to the state of play locally and internationally. Dr Eric Crampton, Chief Economist at the New Zealand Initiative addressed the paucity of productivity in NZ. Associate Professor Salvatore Babones from the University of Sydney resonates on Alexander Dugan, otherwise nominated as Putin’s Brai...

On this week's podcast: Lord Jonathan Sumption was appointed to the Supreme Court of the U.K. in 2012, following a career as a respected and highly regarded Q.C. and historian. In high demand as a Lecturer he has travelled the world enlightening audiences on various matters, ie; the law, constitutions, history and social matters. Described as “the Brain of Britain” this discussion displays Sumptio...

On this week's podcast: Is the Indigenous Voice Australia's Treaty of Waitangi moment? There are differences. If the forthcoming referendum is successful, how will it affect government and life in Australia? The debate is splitting the country. If passed, the Voice will likely lead to separatism and bitterness, not reconciliation. From the Menzies Research Centre and The Australian, Nick Cater ana...

On this week's podcast: Every election in the last two or three decades has been "the most important ever.” I believe 2023 most certainly is. Democracy is under grave threat. Many talk of this being the last chance of redemption. Newstalk ZB Senior Political Correspondent Barry Soper guests, and shares some brutal but honest truths. We also comment on New Zealand’s woke Health system and why Ameri...

On this week's podcast: Ramesh Thakur, Emeritus Professor of the Crawford School of Public Policy. He has held academic appointments in Fiji, New Zealand (Otago), Canada and Australia. He has also worked at the U.N. We traverse covid, the U.S. 2024 election, the W.H.O., climate, and the assault on liberties, freedoms and human rights. We discuss the threat to the hippocratic oath via government ma...

On this week's podcast: In January 2022, Judge Anthony Willy wrote a magnificent article called “Marxism - It Couldn’t Happen Here, Could It?” He guested in Podcast 142 on Feb 9, of last year. Eighteen months later, he returns to update his thoughts. His concern for NZ democracy has increased, and in the lead-up to what he calls “the most important event in our history” he expresses that concern w...

On this week's podcast: State education has been in a void in New Zealand for a number of years. After spending some time as a world leader, the education field has been ploughed with incompetence. In all but a few schools. NCEA has failed, and the restructuring currently being attempted will also fail. Rangitoto Principal, Patrick Gale, explains why the country's largest school is rejecting NCEA...

On this week's podcast: He arrived in Australia from London, at age twelve with his parents. They were a poor family. But Maurice Newman graduated from the University of Sydney with a degree in Economics. He spent forty years in stockbroking and related areas. His list of positions included Chairmanships of Banks, a University, the Stock Exchange, and other political and charity achievements. We d...

On this week's podcast: In a world of lies, scepticism is your friend. David Bell is a Public Health Physician and biotech consultant in global health. What he has to say should be heard by every thinking person in this country, and every other “free” state on the planet. As the World Health Organisation meets to convince countries to endorse changes to it’s original purpose, Dr Bell warns that “t...

On this week's podcast: Patrick Basham, founder of The Democracy Institute in Washington DC, has been in Istanbul during the recent Turkish election. He spoke with us upon his return to Washington about the changes an Erdogan loss would bring to one of the worlds most pivotal countries. We talked about the 2024 race for the U.S. presidency; is Trumps second term inevitable? And, as Patrick is Brit...

On this week's podcast: "Covid-19 was not merely an epidemiological crisis; it was an economic, social and moral crisis that required multidisciplinary expertise to assess and address different facets throughout the pandemic.” Auckland University Professor Ananish Chaudhuri assesses what happened, and how we can be better prepared for the inevitable next pandemic. We are in receipt of another subm...

On this week's podcast: Deception of the unaware is a great partnership in the hands of the dishonest. Think AI and modern technology. Executive Director of the Maxim Institute, Tim Wilson, analyses the ability of AI to both entertain and deceive. “With a general election imminent, we need to think seriously about the effects of AI and digital manipulation in New Zealand. Democracy, to operate wel...

On this week's podcast: Long time educationalist, Alwyn Poole, pulls no punches discussing the downside of New Zealand education. While wanting New Zealand youth to experience the pinnacle of standards, he recognises the challenges and impediments confronting that achievement. This is an interview that all New Zealand parents should hear, share it wide. Where did every new education and social fad...

On this week's podcast: Science is in trouble. Facts have taken a back seat to ideology, and political activism masquerades as scholarship. We live in an age of increasing unreason. Can science be saved? John Staddon, Professor of Biology and Psychology and “battle-scarred” by decades of experience, urges scientists to resist the demands for their unconditional surrender. We take a look at the Bid...

On this week's podcast: AUKUS - the joint project by the US, the UK and Australia, to provide nuclear powered submarines to the Australian navy. Undersea security is increasingly important, think Nordstream. Alessio Patalano, Professor of War and Strategy in East Asia, Kings College, London, guests with personal insight, and we begin with what’s in it for New Zealand. And, of course, The Mailroom...

On this week's podcast: New Zealand is confronted with numerous serious issues; economic, financial, social, governance, and more. From the New Zealand Initiative, Executive Director Oliver Hartwich analyses what’s wrong and what needs to be done. Starting with the Public Service and Education. We make comment on woke banking stupidity, and brainwashing versus critical thinking. And we take you to...

On this week's podcast: An independent writer, statistician, scientist, consultant and author of EVERYTHING YOU BELIEVE IS WRONG. A PhD in Mathematical Statistics: now an Uncertainty Philosopher, Epistemologist, Probability Puzzler, and Unmasker of Over-Certainty. An MS in Atmospheric Physics, and Bachelors in Meteorology & Maths. Meet William M Briggs, who spent time with me discussing things...

On this week's podcast: “The last three years has been a wonderful time, because it has brought everything into perspective”. Rodney Hide in todays podcast. That statement has a very broad perspective, and we target some of the most important issues confronting New Zealand today. We have a response to a letter in last weeks Mailroom from the former National Party MP, as requested. Ian Wishart quer...