Politics Central
Newstalk ZB serves up what you need to know, on all things politics at home, and abroad. The show reviews, previews, analyses and challenges the biggest political issues of the week, with all the big players.
Episodes
New Zealand has just over 50 days worth of petrol, and a week less of diesel, while the war in Iran wages on.
The closure of the Strait of Hormuz continues to impact the global oil supply, and the countries we generally import oil from are considering closing up shop on exports to ensure their own security.
LISTEN ABOVE
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Prices are up at the pump, auto shops are selling out of jerry cans, and we've seen the reports of thousand litre IBC tanks being filled up at BP.
It's raised the question around whether the closure of Marsden Point has been more harmful to New Zealand's fuel security that we had initially realised.
New Zealand would still be reliant on imports to meet fuel needs, but having the ability to import crude oil rather than j...
The Prime Minister's leadership within his own party is being questioned after he didn't fare well in a Taxpayers' Union poll this week.
It has National down 2.9 points to 28.4% - but most notably, it suggests that the centre-left bloc could form a government in November. It'll be very tight though, with 61 seats for the left and 59 for the right.
Luxon sits at 21% for preferred prime minister, while Hipkins is at 22.7%...
One week on, the war in Iran is progressing by the day.
In the latest, the United States are gearing up to potentially send ground troops into Iran, Australia is considering whether they should send in troops, and New Zealand supports the US but won't involve itself any further.
LISTEN ABOVE
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Government has highlighted issues within the KiwiSaver Act that have prevented a number of Kiwis from using their accounts to buy a home.
Many workers in rural areas, like farm workers, rural police and teachers, are often required to live in housing provided by their employer - which stops them from being able to withdraw their KiwiSaver for a first home as they're unable to live in it.
These issues have also stopp...
A joint US–Israeli strike on Iran overnight has triggered retaliatory missile attacks from Tehran, raising fears of a wider regional escalation.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in the strikes - a claim Iran denied until half an hour ago, with officials saying he was “safe and sound” and “actively commanding the field”.
International reaction has been mixed, with some governments condemning the strikes, other...
On Saturday Donald Trump announced a 10% levy on all goods coming into the US in response to the Supreme Court ruling his other tariffs unconstitutional.
The new global tariffs were updated to 15% on Sunday.
Economist Cameron Bagrie joined Tim Beveridge to talk about the implications for kiwi businesses.
LISTEN ABOVE
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On Sunday the Government announced a plan to grant police the power to issue move-on orders to help deal with disorderly and dangerous behaviour in public places.
The move-on orders apply to anyone displaying disorderly or intimidating behaviour, impeding someone entering a business, breaching the peace, begging, rough sleeping, and behaviour indicating an intent to inhabit a public place.
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith joine...
Labour is hesitant to put their support behind an India FTA without the government meeting certain conditions.
It says free trade is a net positive, but agreements shouldn't cause harm to New Zealand - which is what we risk with this FTA.
LISTEN ABOVE
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
ACT Party leader David Seymour delivered his State of the Nation address this morning.
He says this government is on track to produce positive change, but it's not happening as quickly as it could be.
ACT says there are three ways to break our country's slump: equal rights, positive thinking, and a smaller government.
LISTEN ABOVE
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Moa Point has been testing as non-compliant for all but two months of the last two years.
The signs were there, but no one seemed to raise concern before the wastewater plant started pumping raw sewage into the south coast of Wellington.
LISTEN ABOVE
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
From today, New Zealanders will be able to get prescriptions that won't need to be renewed through their GPs for a whole year.
The change will impact those with long-term conditions like asthma and epilepsy.
GPs will decide on a case by case basis whether it's safe to prescribe a medication for the full 12 months, and patients will no longer have to see their GP every 3 months for a new script.
LISTEN ABOVE
See omn...
It's Waitangi Day this Friday and after opting to spend the day at a marae in Akaroa last year, this year Christopher Luxon will be in town to meet with iwi.
A recent RNZ-Reid poll found 62% of kiwis think it's important for the prime minister to be in Waitangi for Waitangi Day, but previous PMs have all had different approaches.
Ngapuhi chairperson Mane Tahere joins to preview the week ahead.
LISTEN ABOVE
See omny...
A man who snatched a 3-year-old girl from a Rotorua daycare centre with the intention to rape her will be released from jail in just over six weeks after serving one year in jail.
His release comes under strict conditions including six months of standard release conditions, and he must adhere to other special conditions set out in his probation report.
This case has raised questioins around sentencing discounts going too far,...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour has welcomed provisional Term 4 attendance data, which shows attendance rates were higher than any Term 4 since 2022.
Data shows that in Term 4 of 2025, 57.3% of students attended school regularly, which is an increase from 56.4% in Term 4 of 2024.
He told Tim Beveridge that although the numbers are promising, there is still more work to be done.
He said that it's not just about gett...
The victims of an unprovoked attack on an Auckland train line late last year are speaking out, describing injuries and a lingering fear of using public transport.
It’s yet another reminder of the safety concerns many New Zealanders have at the back of their minds the next time they step onto a bus or train.
Auckland Transport data shows hundreds of violent incidents across public transport services in the two years to November 2025...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is set to give his State of the Nation Address tomorrow and being an election year, it'll be an important one.
The National Party will be trying to recover from their recent polling, while kiwis will be looking for some desperately needed economic recovery.
Health may also be one to keep an ear out for, after Finance Minister Nicola Willis said she'll be looking to shake up funding in th...
This year's international politics have been unstable to say the least.Trump's Tariffs, Gaza, Ukraine and the Epstein Files have been gifts that keep giving...or not.
But closer to home we've managed to dodge declarations of war. However, there's still lots to reflect on and discuss.
Former Speaker of the House Sir Lockwood Smith and Auckland Councilman Richard Hills join Tim Beveridge to wrap the year's politics, and give an insig...
Nato chief Mark Rutte warns Western allies to prepare for war with Russia.
He said that within the next five years, Nato countries will need to be prepared for a scale of war that hasn't been seen since our grandparents or great-grandparents.
Donald Trump is due to meet with Volodymyr Zelenskyy shortly regarding a peace deal.
And the U.S. is keeping very busy as they've also seized an oil tanker off the coast of V...
It's been a week of back and forth for the Taxpayers' Union and the Finance Minister.
Nicola Willis has challenged Union chair and former finance minister Ruth Richardson to a debate, which was met with a sweet treat sent to Nicola and media.
LISTEN ABOVE
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Popular Podcasts
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show. Clay Travis and Buck Sexton tackle the biggest stories in news, politics and current events with intelligence and humor. From the border crisis, to the madness of cancel culture and far-left missteps, Clay and Buck guide listeners through the latest headlines and hot topics with fun and entertaining conversations and opinions.
The Dan Bongino Show delivers no-nonsense analysis of the day’s most important political and cultural stories. Hosted by the former Deputy Director of the FBI, former Secret Service agent, NYPD officer, and bestselling author Dan Bongino, the show cuts through media spin with facts, accountability, and unapologetic conviction. Whether it’s exposing government overreach, defending constitutional freedoms, or connecting the dots the mainstream media ignores, The Dan Bongino Show provides in-depth analysis of the issues shaping America today. Each episode features sharp commentary, deep dives into breaking news, and behind-the-scenes insight you won’t hear anywhere else. Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-dan-bongino-show/id965293227?mt=2 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4sftHO603JaFqpuQBEZReL?si=PBlx46DyS5KxCuCXMOrQvw Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/bongino?e9s=src_v1_sa%2Csrc_v4_sa_o