Gone By Lunchtim‪e‬ The Spinoff

New Zealand’s leading political podcast pivots to true crime this week to investigate the disappearance of political commentator Ben Thomas from Twitter. Where did he go – and what’s he been doing with all his hot takes on The Bachelorette NZ?


Also discussed in this week’s episode: the latest short, sharp three-day lockdown, the ongoing Covid response and the need for specialist MIQ facilities, trans-Tasman relations, raising benefit levels and the great parliamentary neckwear debate of 2021.
 
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As news reaches Gone By Lunchtime that it’s already the second month of the year, The Spinoff’s political podcasting triumvirate sits down to study the 2021 tea leaves. On the agenda in this episode: The National Party cautions against taking the bait while chewing furiously on a rusty hook; a big week for Māori seats and Māori wards; Waitangi Day commemorations; Ben’s grand plan to abolish all councils; Damien O’Connor’s big moment in the Chinese and Australian media; and the roadmap/cycleway laid out in the Climate Change Commission report.
 
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Gone By Lunchtime is taking a break over summer, so we're republishing some of our favourite episodes of 2020. This week: the one where everybody was really, really tired.


First released October 18, 2020.


It's the morning after a very successful election night for Labour, and a pretty good one for the Greens too – especially in Auckland Central, where Chlöe Swarbrick looks to have turned the electorate green for the first time. She joined the Gone By Lunchtime trio in the studio the morning after to talk the campaign, election night and the cannabis referendum, and get some advice from Annabelle's mum (Sandra Lee, Auckland Central MP 1993-1996).


Also on this rare Sunday edition of the pod: What will Labour do with its historic victory? Is there a place for the Greens? What happens to National after their annus horribilis? And what is Winston Peters' legacy?
 
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Gone By Lunchtime is taking a break over the summer holidays. We'll be back in the new year, but until then we're we're republishing some of our favourite episodes of 2020. This week: Mervmania hits the election campaign trail.


First released August 11, 2020.


With 39 days to go until New Zealand goes to the polls, talkback caller 'Merv' has lit up the election campaign, delivering a deeply unmellow curtain-raiser to the National Party's Auckland Central candidate selection. Plus: the Labour launch, NZ First's terrible poll, and what is Gerry Brownlee playing at?
 
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Gone By Lunchtime is taking a break over the summer holidays. We'll be back in the new year, but until then we're we're republishing some of our favourite episodes of 2020. This week: Simon Bridges opens up on his time as National Party leader.


First released July 31, 2020.


For the third Politics in Pubs event, recorded live at Meow in Wellington, former National Party leader Simon Bridges joins Danyl Mclauchlan to talk the events of 2020, what the role of the opposition leader is in a time of national crisis is, what he thinks of the election campaign so far, the challenges facing New Zealand politics... and of course baby yaks.
 
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Gone By Lunchtime is taking a break over the summer holidays. We'll be back in the new year, but until then we're we're republishing some of our favourite interviews of 2020. This week: relive the 53-day reign of Todd Muller as National Party leader.


First released July 14, 2020.


At 7.30am, just 53 days after he replaced Simon Bridges as leader of the National Party, Todd Muller announced his immediate resignation from the job.


How did it come to this, and who is likely to emerge as the new leader, with less than 10 weeks to an election? Will deputy Nikki Kaye be promoted by caucus tonight? Is it Judith Collins' time? Can Simon Bridges complete the great arc of redemption? What about Gerry Brownlee or Mark Mitchell?


Or maybe just chuck a baby yak in charge.
 
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