RNZ News

•

Channel • 14 Shows

News

News

Updated daily
News

News

Weekly series
Government

Government

Updated 1 day ago

News

News

Updated daily
News

News

Updated daily
Business

Business

Updated daily
News

News

Updated daily
Government

Government

Updated 1 day ago
Society & Culture

Society & Culture

Complete series
News

News

Updated 20 hr ago

17/12/2021

An end-of-year chat with the minor party leaders

In Focus on politics, RNZ's political team catch up with the minor party leaders to discuss 2021, potential allies, and Covid-19. RNZ's political team catch up with the minor party leaders to discuss 2021, potential allies, and Covid-19. With much of the political year focused on the Covid-19 response, Labour and National have soaked up much of the attention, but the minor parties have still played a role. ACT has been soaking up some of National's lost support, the Greens have had to forge their own path despite having two ministers in government, and Te Pāti Māori has been rebuilding its identity in its first year back in Parliament after a term out in the cold. Listen to the full interview This week, ACT's David Seymour, the Green Party's Marama Davidson and James Shaw, and the Māori Party's Debbie Ngarewa-Packer and Rawiri Waititi spoke to RNZ, reflecting on 2021. Read more: A sit-down with Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern A sit-down with National leader Christopher Luxon "We live to ensure New Zealand has the best policy" - David Seymour Seymour came under fire this year for sharing a priority vaccine code, which allowed Māori and Pacific people to get vaccinated at Whānau Ora locations without booking ahead. It was a move widely criticised by medical professionals and politicians but Seymour says his position has been "completely vindicated" and he still stands by sharing the priority code. "We shouldn't be racially profiling people. Most people want a more inclusive New Zealand and if we're going to do intervention on social services - and we do need to give people more equal opportunity - then we're going to have to target a lot better, using better data rather than somewhat lazily targeting people based on ethnic groupings." David Seymour ACT has been on a steady rise in political polls this year, the latest Newshub Reid-Research result giving them 16 percent, which Seymour attributes to his party listening to people and coming up with solutions. "We don't just sort of sit there and throw rocks. We say 'well, actually, if you want a better tomorrow and you vote for ACT here are the kinds of things that we would bring to the table'. I think based on the feedback I get, people appreciate listening, and solutions." "We wanted to make sure we had an equity lens" - Marama Davidson and James Shaw While ACT has capitalised on the National Party's soul-searching, the Green Party has struggled to cut through under the shadow of Labour. … Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

17/12/2021

•

16 min
30/05/2025

Trading places: Seymour steps up, Peters gears up

In Focus on Politics, RNZ deputy political editor Craig McCulloch sits down with the incoming and outgoing deputy prime ministers to mark the historic handover. David Seymour is vowing to keep speaking freely, while an unshackled Winston Peters shifts into campaign mode. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

30/05/2025

•

16 min
02/12/2022

Tagata o te Moana for 3 December 2022

Pacific fisheries observers will be redeployed from next month. Niue officially confirms there's Covid-19 community transmission for the first time. And later on, we talanoa with Aivale Cole, who sung the Samoan national anthem for the Rugby League World Cup final. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

02/12/2022

•

31 min
04/02/2022

Border breakthrough: Ending the siege of Fortress New Zealand

In today's Focus on Politics podcast, Deputy Political Editor Craig McCulloch recounts the siege of Fortress New Zealand and reckons with its reconnection to the world. "It's time to move forward together, safely" - Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern Fortress New Zealand - the 'hermit kingdom' - is soon to be no more. For almost two years, Aotearoa has been cut off - foreigners for the most part have been barred entry, with returning New Zealanders having to complete a stay in government-run managed isolation and quarantine (MIQ). Limited capacity has at times made it near impossible for some New Zealanders to come home, eventually leading to the online lottery system. That situation was brought into stark relief this week by Charlotte Bellis, a pregnant Kiwi journalist stuck in Afghanistan, who published an open letter in the Weekend Herald detailing her struggle to return home. Listen to the full interview The extreme border measures have undoubtedly saved lives and secured New Zealand's relative freedom from the virus. But they have also curtailed the freedoms of those wanting to come here and caused tremendous heartbreak for families cut off and citizens stranded. As epidemiologist Michael Baker acknowledged, with Omicron expected to spread widely within the country, the hard border would become harder to justify. "Once we get to the point of having thousands of Omicron cases a day in New Zealand, MIQ's role is very different," Prof Baker says. Read more: Opposition parties take contrasting views on border re-opening plan Power Play: MIQ soon to be a thing of the past but Covid wounds run deep Dates for NZ's border reopening confirmed Vaccine booster interval shortened to three months Pregnant journalist Charlotte Bellis offered a place in MIQ Afghan women say they wouldn't be afforded the same rights as pregnant NZ journalist under Taliban Ministers swiftly moved into clean-up mode. On Tuesday, Cabinet met to discuss its timeline for phasing out MIQ. On Wednesday, booster dose eligibility was expanded to an extra million New Zealanders by shortening the interval after the second dose. And on Thursday, Ardern delivered a speech in Auckland detailing the five-stage reopening plan: 11.59pm 27 February: Self-isolation opens for New Zealanders and eligible travellers coming from Australia 11.59pm 13 March: Open to New Zealanders and eligible travellers from the rest of the world; skilled workers earning at least 1.5x median wage; working holiday visas… Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

04/02/2022

•

16 min
20/03/2024

Waiting weeks for urgent debates

Urgent Debates are granted or denied by Speakers. Most are denied. This week a Speaker's ruling moved the goal posts for that allowance, a lot. If you're familiar with stories from The House you'll know that we regularly mention that, against all appearances, governments in New Zealand are subordinate to parliaments. You might even say we bang on about it. To recap: Parliament has a variety of jobs. It provides an executive, it passes laws, permits and approves revenue and spending, and generally keeps a close eye on what that executive (the government) gets up to. Government's in their turn, often seem to struggle with this arrangement. They often forget they're not the boss and regularly resent or avoid scrutiny. It's an eternal tug-of-war. The Beehive wrapped up by its big brother, Parliament. There are many ways that Parliament attempts to maintain reasonable scrutiny of the Executive, for example by asking thousands of written questions (which are mostly answered by the government ministries). Also by asking oral questions, though some executive members have new and creative definitions for 'answer'. A lot of oversight is done via select committee processes. Particularly the regular Estimates and Annual Reviews processes, which are mammoth undertakings. There are also the usual debates and discussions in the House, and occasional extras like ministerial statements and urgent debates. The rare debate This article is about that last category - the urgent debate. Much requested, seldom approved and given a ruling this week, maybe even less frequent in future. Parliament's rules especially allow for Urgent Debates to be requested so long as the Speaker agrees the proposal meets three criteria: It must be "a particular case of recent occurrence", it must be a matter of administrative or ministerial responsibility, and it must "require the immediate attention of the House and the Government." In short, it must be recent, be the government's problem, and be worth the time. Urgent debates are requested a lot more often than they are allowed. Over the previous five parliaments only 17.8% of requests were allowed. Some Speakers are more generous than others so the per parliament numbers vary quite a lot. The graph below gives numbers by parliament, not by Speaker. The Speakership changed hands mid-parliament in January 2013 (Lockwood Smith replaced by David Carter), and in August 2022 (Trevor Mallard replaced by Adrian Rurawhe). … Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

20/03/2024

•

5 min
18/05/2024

Tagata O Te Moana for 18 May 2024

We go behind the causes of the New Caledonian violence, ....highlight the commemorations of the arrival of the first indentured Indian labourers in Fiji 145 Years ago...the building of the biggest double hulled waka in Fiji ....these and other stories on Tagata o te Moana. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

18/05/2024

•

30 min
17/05/2021

Focus on Politics: Race Relations

Race relations have been a flash point for conflict and reconciliation in NZ politics over the years. National leader Judith Collins reignited the fire this week with her speech to party faithful. RNZ Political Editor Jane Patterson has this week's Focus on Politics. RNZ Political Editor Jane Patterson Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

17/05/2021

•

16 min
05/12/2020

Tagata o te Moana for 5 December 2020

Ava ceremony offers glimpse at aspirations of NZ's Pasifika MPs; A call for Pasifika victims of abuse to seek Royal Commission of Inquiry; Several of the Pacific region still contending with concerning covid-19 figures; UN disturbed by violence in West Papua; NZ opens up pathway for trial shipments of Tongan watermelon; Cook Islanders walk around Rarotonga to promote healthy lifestyle; PNG Supreme Court to decide on political standoff; Lack of awareness, stigma hinder HIV fight in Pacific; Pacific peoples urged to take ownership of new data hub. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

05/12/2020

•

32 min
11/07/2025

Regulatory Standards Bill gets its week of scrutiny

A select committee has heard thirty hours of submissions on David Seymour's Regulatory Standards Bill. The vast majority were opposed, but the minister insists it's a valuable tool for transparency. In this week's Focus on Politics, political reporter Giles Dexter looks at the various criticisms and defences of the legislation, and what impact its passing might have. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

11/07/2025

•

16 min
03/12/2024

Scrutiny week - peek-a-boo reporting in Health

Scrutiny Week is underway with annual reviews of government entities with multi-billion dollar budgets. Also underway are political games you would never dare try in your own performance review. Exhibit A is Shane Reti facing Ayesha Verrall in the Health Committee. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

03/12/2024

•

6 min

RNZ News podcasts are here to help you understand the world and the issues that matter. Listen to daily news podcast The Detail, New Zealand's most listened-to ongoing podcast; delve into news from across the Pacific; stay up to date with Business, Sport and Rural news; and listen to parliament in session. Follow RNZ on socials @rnznewzealand and listen live on radio at 101FM, stream at rnz.co.nz or on the RNZ app.