Public Interest

Public Interest
  • 5.0 (13)
  • Politics
  • Updated Twice Weekly

Making sense of politics, power and the economy in Aotearoa NZ. Independent, accessible, audience-funded.

  1. In Brief: Government backs down on conservation land. Is the fight really over?

    4 days ago

    In Brief: Government backs down on conservation land. Is the fight really over?

    The government is backing down on the most controversial part of its proposed conservation reforms. But Forest & Bird says the Conservation Amendment Bill still poses serious risks. Ollie Neas speaks with national conservation advocate Bianca Ranson about what the U-turn means, what remains in the bill, and why the fight over New Zealand’s conservation estate is far from over.

    20 min
  2. Undercurrents: Are the unions back?

    5 days ago

    Undercurrents: Are the unions back?

    In the face of a sweeping assault on workers’ rights, New Zealand’s unions seem to have found renewed confidence. But are we witnessing a genuine union revival, or is this just a blip in a longer story of decline? In this special live edition of Undercurrents, recorded in partnership with the Fabian Society, Ollie Neas is joined by New Zealand Council of Trade Unions President Sandra Grey and union organiser Justine Sachs to discuss the state of the union movement, the future of organised labour, and what it would take to build a workers' movement capable of transforming Aotearoa.

    1 hr
  3. In Brief: What does the Rich List say about New Zealand?

    19 June

    In Brief: What does the Rich List say about New Zealand?

    The NBR's annual Rich List has revealed that the wealth of New Zealand's richest 134 people has surged from $102 billion to $129 billion in just one year. So why are the rich getting richer so much faster than everyone else? Ollie Neas is joined by researcher and journalist Max Rashbrooke to discuss the latest Rich List, inherited wealth, billionaires, tax, unions, democracy, and what a more equal economy might look like. Also: join us in Wellington next Wednesday (24 June) for a talk on the future of the union movement, in collaboration with the Fabian Society. See our Instagram page for more details.

    28 min
  4. In Brief: Max Harris on Labour, Rogernomics and the 2026 election

    13 June

    In Brief: Max Harris on Labour, Rogernomics and the 2026 election

    This week Labour unveiled its candidate list for the 2026 election, with lawyer, activist and writer Max Harris among the most prominent new additions. In this conversation, Harris discusses why he chose Labour, whether the party has moved beyond the legacy of Rogernomics, his long-shot campaign to flip Tāmaki, and what he believes is at stake in this year's election. Also in the conversation: universalism, public ownership, Te Tiriti, and the magic of door-knocking.

    26 min
  5. Undercurrents: Who really benefits from tough on crime?

    10 June

    Undercurrents: Who really benefits from tough on crime?

    Why do politicians keep promising to be "tough on crime" when the evidence says it doesn't make us safer? This week on Undercurrents, Ollie Neas is joined by author of The Valley Asher Emanuel and lawyer and activist Gabriella Brayne to unpack the gap between public perception and the reality of New Zealand's criminal legal system. From penal populism and media moral panics to housing, inequality and colonisation, this is a conversation about who really benefits from law-and-order politics.

    58 min
  6. In Brief: A landmark corruption scandal? Bryce Edwards on the climate lobbying cover-up

    3 June

    In Brief: A landmark corruption scandal? Bryce Edwards on the climate lobbying cover-up

    The climate lobbying scandal has rapidly become one of the biggest political stories of the year. Bryce Edwards joins Public Interest to unpack the revelations surrounding Z Energy, Fonterra, the Mike Smith climate case, and the bigger questions about corporate influence, transparency, and who really gets access to political power in New Zealand.

    27 min
  7. In Brief: What the government doesn’t want you to know about Budget 2026

    29 May

    In Brief: What the government doesn’t want you to know about Budget 2026

    The government says Budget 2026 is about responsible economic management: tighter spending, lower debt, and a return to surplus. But what if the problem with New Zealand's economy isn't what we've been told it is? In this episode of In Brief, Ollie Neas is joined by political economist Tayla Forward to unpack the ideas behind the Budget. They discuss debt, deficits, bond markets, tax reform, public investment, and whether the government's focus on fiscal restraint risks deepening New Zealand's economic decline. Is this really fiscal responsibility – or managed decline?

    17 min
  8. Undercurrents: Can the climate movement fight back?

    26 May

    Undercurrents: Can the climate movement fight back?

    For a moment in 2019, it felt like something was changing as millions around the world took to the streets demanding climate action. But seven years on, emissions continue to rise, fossil fuel expansion is back on the agenda, and a new authoritarian politics committed to extraction is gaining ground globally. So how do we build a climate movement capable not just of protesting collapse – but of winning transformative change? In this episode of Undercurrents, Ollie Neas speaks with climate justice organiser India Logan-Riley and journalist Simon Wilson about the state of climate politics in New Zealand – from the legacy of the school strikes through to the coalition government’s rollback of environmental protections, the rise of direct action movements, and the challenge of building mass political power for a just transition.

    56 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
13 Ratings

About

Making sense of politics, power and the economy in Aotearoa NZ. Independent, accessible, audience-funded.

Information

  • Creator
    Public Interest
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    13
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Public Interest
  • Show Website
    Public Interest

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