Focus on Politics
Weekly insight into the political issues that matter from RNZ's gallery team.
Episodes
In Focus on Politics, RNZ deputy political editor Craig McCulloch sits down with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon to reflect on his first year in charge.
Mark this up as a moment in history - as Parliament held court to one of the largest protests it has ever seen - more than 42,000 people descending on the capital - to close out a nine day hīkoi that travelled across the motu. They rallied in opposition to the government's agenda for Māori, but chiefly the Treaty Principles Bill, championed by ACT's leader David Seymour. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon decided against meeting the ...
Tens, if not hundreds of thousands, of survivors tuned into this week's Crown apology for abuse in care. They came looking for meaningful words and a plan for restitution. The government delivered a sincere apology but survivors will have to wait until 2025 for a new redress scheme.
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.
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 go...
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 ...
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.
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 con...
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 ...
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 ...
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 i...
Between 2019 and 2023, groceries went up in price by more than any other common household bill. High hopes were placed on new Grocery Commissioner Pierre van Heerden to boost competition, but he says the current tools are still not enough. In Focus on Politics this week, RNZ's Deputy Political Editor Craig McCulloch digs into the first report card from the Grocery Commissioner - and considers what is to come.
Tributes are flowing from across Aotearoa and around the world after Kiingi Tuuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII died early on Friday morning. Moe mai raa e te kiingi. It ends a fortnight in which the question of whether Māori ceded sovereignty - a question as old as the Treaty itself - saw the major parties in Parliament taking stronger positions in the debate than ever before.
"It was never ceded, legally or legitimately&qu...
In the pouring rain and whipping winds, politicians arrived at Ngāruawāhia's Tūrangawaewae marae for te Koroneihana, the 18th anniversary of the Māori King's coronation. The typically apolitical event was instead this year full of challenges to the government and the man at the top, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon.
"You may have coalition mates but that only lasts three years, te ao Māori are forever" - Rahui Papa
In this...
With Parliament in recess this week, the coalition used the clear air to clear the decks, rattling through a laundry list of announcements - congestion charging, genetic engineering, and two separate ministry overhauls. But the announcement the government tried hardest to highlight was its new hardline approach to welfare.
"We will do everything - everything that we can - to support people off welfare and into work and ultimat...
In this week's Focus on Politics, Political Reporter Lillian Hanly examines the coalition policy of repealing section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act, and the resulting backlash.
"I don't know why we ended up going to select committee if there was no intention to listen to the experts" - Tracey Martin
The repeal of Section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act was front and centre at Parliament this week, with former Minister...
In this week's Focus on Politics, Political Reporter Giles Dexter speaks with Chlöe Swarbrick after the Green Party's AGM about the challenge she gave members to go through some growing pains, and the ongoing fallout of the Darleen Tana party-hopping saga.
"We are going through growing pains, I think that we are needing to constantly look at ourselves" - Chlöe Swarbrick
The Green Party is trying to find ways to grow fo...
In this week's Focus on Politics, Political Reporter Anneke Smith speaks to Aaron Smale and explores the initial response to New Zealand's inquiry on abuse in care.
"Maybe the government just needs to listen" - Aaron Smale
The Royal Commission of Inquiry's report into abuse in state and faith-based care unveiled this week lays bare an ugly history, offering damning evidence and denouncing leaders for silencing or igno...
In this week's Focus on Politics, Political Reporter Anneke Smith looks at why New Zealand's ability to meet its climate targets is on shaky ground.
"The projections for 2050 show, at this point, we won't be net zero by then" - RNZ climate change correspondent, Eloise Gibson
The government's draft emissions reduction plan - out this week - puts New Zealand's ability to meet its climate targets in jeopardy.
T...
In this week's Focus on Politics, Political Reporter Giles Dexter looks at Australia backtracking on its commitment to New Zealand over 501 deportations.
"It's been pure politics. And it's been an unedifying spectacle" - Greg Barns, Australian Lawyers Alliance
New Zealand has been hit by a 501 boomerang, with Australia backtracking this month on its commitment around deportations.
As successive Prime Ministers sw...
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