Focus on Politics

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The big political issues unpacked every week.

6 DAYS AGO

Trump triumph touches NZ shores

Mark this one down in the history books: Donald Trump, on his way back to the White House after a nail-biter race for the American presidency. No doubt the ramifications will be momentous for the United States - but what for New Zealand? RNZ deputy political editor Craig McCulloch breaks down the consequences.

16 min
1 NOV

Minister Chris Penk lays foundations for self-certified building scheme

The government wants to speed up house building, aiming to allow builders to sign off their own work. It would be a risk-based approach, only used for straightforward jobs or by trusted groups - and paired with harsher penalties for rule-breakers. In Focus on Politics this week, RNZ Political Reporter Russell Palmer sits down with Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk to nail down some details and his thinking around the government's self-certification scheme aimed at getting homes built faster.

16 min
25 OCT

Scandals dog National, the Greens while New Zealand First takes aim at Labour

Multiple parties brushed up against scandal this week as National struggled to defend a bumbling minister and the Greens farewelled a rogue MP. Meanwhile New Zealand First and Labour were at loggerheads over an alleged conflict of interest. It all played out in the same week the Government intervened at Wellington City Council - trying to sort out the capital kerfuffle. Deputy political Craig McCulloch looks back at a busy week in politics.

16 min
18 OCT

Wellington woes - government threatens council intervention

Wellington City Council has been under scrutiny this week, with the coalition government threatening to intervene. Last week, the capital's councilors voted to stop the sale of its 34 percent stake in the Wellington Airport. The decision has left the council's Long Term Plan in limbo - its investment plan for the next ten years. Political reporter Lillian Hanly breaks down the capital kerfuffle.

16 min
10 OCT

Winston Peters bangs drum on UN veto reform

Fresh off a trip to the United Nations General Assembly leaders' week, the foreign minister Winston Peters is defending New Zealand's support for a resolution calling for Israel to leave occupied Palestinian territories within 12 months. That decision raised some eyebrows back home, as it was out of step with our Five Eyes partners, and Act leader David Seymour believes it was a big enough change in position to warrant having a conversation at Cabinet - but that did not happen. Political editor Jo Moir sat down with Peters this week and began by asking whether he left New York this year feeling anymore hopeful for change at the United Nations.

16 min
4 OCT

Tobacco debate getting heated at Parliament

Casey Costello is the Smokefree Minister accused of helping Big Tobacco - something she strongly denies. The pressure on her has only grown amid questions about the advice she's relied on to push through tax cuts on heated tobacco products. In Focus on Politics this week, RNZ deputy political editor Craig McCulloch lays out the latest revelations surrounding New Zealand's Smokefree strategy as overseen by the minister and NZ First MP Casey Costello.

16 min
27 SEPT

Interislander ferry's future adrift amid coalition indecision

In December last year the Coalition government pulled the pin on the Interislander ferry replacement project, saying it was time to get real about what had been a significant budget blowout from $700m to about $3b. More than 10 months on, Cabinet has yet to discuss what will replace the project due to coalition disagreement about the best solution, as the ageing current fleet faces maintenance difficulties. In this week's Focus on Politics, Political Editor Jo Moir examines the government's rocky relationship with its Cook Strait crossing.

16 min
20 SEPT

Tough-on-crime talk becomes a numbers game

The coalition campaigned on a return to law-and-order with a hardline approach emphasising personal responsibility and a crackdown on gangs. Nearly a year in power, many of the numbers seem to be going the wrong way - but statistics on crime and policing are notoriously difficult to draw conclusions from. In this week's Focus on Politics, Deputy Political Editor Craig McCulloch assesses how the government's tough-on-crime crusade is going, and what's ahead.

16 min

See All (185)

The big political issues unpacked every week.

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Focus on Politics

Trump triumph touches NZ shores

Minister Chris Penk lays foundations for self-certified building scheme

Scandals dog National, the Greens while New Zealand First takes aim at Labour

Wellington woes - government threatens council intervention

Winston Peters bangs drum on UN veto reform

Tobacco debate getting heated at Parliament

Interislander ferry's future adrift amid coalition indecision

Tough-on-crime talk becomes a numbers game

About

Information

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Focus on Politics

Episodes

Trump triumph touches NZ shores

Minister Chris Penk lays foundations for self-certified building scheme

Scandals dog National, the Greens while New Zealand First takes aim at Labour

Wellington woes - government threatens council intervention

Winston Peters bangs drum on UN veto reform

Tobacco debate getting heated at Parliament

Interislander ferry's future adrift amid coalition indecision

Tough-on-crime talk becomes a numbers game

About

Information

More From RNZ News

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