Election 2026: The Front Bench

Every Monday until the election The Front Bench will take on the biggest talking points of the election campaign. Heather du Plessis-Allan, Newstalk ZB Senior Political Correspondent Barry Soper, Sherson Willis' Trish Sherson and Childfund CEO Josie Pagani have the insight and analysis as the campaign rolls on. 

In the first edition of The Front Bench for Election 2026, the panel gives their take on which party is being the mo...

Election 2026 is set to be one of the most important in recent memory.  

To cut through the spin – join Newstalk ZB’s The Front Bench to get to the heart of the issues that matter most. 

Heather du Plessis-Allan, Barry Soper, Josie Pagani and Trish Sherson thrash out the big political issues in the lead up to Election 2026. There's no holding back, no topic off limits, and no rules in this rapid-fire, highly o...

Every Monday until the election, The Front Bench will take on the biggest talking points of the election campaign. Heather du Plessis-Allan, Newstalk ZB Senior Political Correspondent Barry Soper, former Business NZ CEO Phil O’Reilly and Auckland Councillor Richard Hills have the insight word and analysis. 

This week the The Spinoff’s Editor-at-Large Toby Manhire steps in for Barry Soper.

Our expert panel discusses...

Every Monday until the election, The Front Bench will take on the biggest talking points of the election campaign. Heather du Plessis-Allan, Newstalk ZB Senior Political Correspondent Barry Soper, former Business NZ CEO Phil O’Reilly and Auckland Councillor Richard Hills have the insight word and analysis. 

This week, the The Spinoff’s Editor-at-Large Toby Manhire steps in for Barry Soper.

Our expert panel discusse...

Every Monday until the election The Front Bench will take on the biggest talking points of the election campaign. Heather du Plessis-Allan, Newstalk ZB Senior Political Correspondent Barry Soper, former Business NZ CEO Phil O’Reilly and Auckland Councillor Richard Hills have the insight word and analysis. 

This week, the Executive Director of the Taxpayer’s Union Jordan Williams steps in for Barry Soper.

Our expert...

Every Monday until the election, The Front Bench will take on the biggest talking points of the election campaign. Heather du Plessis-Allan, Newstalk ZB Senior Political Correspondent Barry Soper, former Business NZ CEO Phil O’Reilly and Auckland Councillor Richard Hills have the insight word and analysis. 

This week, NZME Editor-at-Large Shayne Currie steps in for Barry Soper.

The panel discuss ACT’s campaign laun...

Every Monday until the election The Front Bench will take on the biggest talking points of the election campaign. Heather du Plessis-Allan, Newstalk ZB Senior Political Correspondent Barry Soper, former Business NZ CEO Phil O’Reilly and Auckland Councillor Richard Hills have the insight word and analysis. 

The Act Party has thrown a potential cat amongst the pigeons by threatening it may only enter a confidence deal with...

Every Monday until the election The Front Bench will take on the biggest talking points of the election campaign. Heather du Plessis-Allan, Newstalk ZB Senior Political Correspondent Barry Soper, former Business NZ CEO Phil O’Reilly and Auckland Councillor Richard Hills have the insight word and analysis. 

The attack ads are already being published, with the CTU going after Chris Luxon on the front page of the Herald and...

Election 2023 is set to be one of the most important in recent memory.  

To cut through the spin – join Newstalk ZB’s The Front Bench to get to the heart of the issues that matter most. 

Heather du Plessis-Allan, Barry Soper, Phil O’Reilly and Richard Hills thrash out the big political issues in the lead up to Election 2023. There's no holding back, no topic off limit...

Labour's number two Kelvin Davis is getting strong backing for the job of Deputy Prime Minister, even from those in other political parties.
The Māori Party's Rawiri Waititi, who has very likely secured the party's comeback seat in Parliament, says he would expect "nothing less" than for Davis to be appointed Deputy Prime Minister.
Speaking of the wider Labour caucus, he says Māoridom will be expecting nothing less than for t...

There are just five days to go until Election Day, and things are heating up on the campaign trail!
Tune in today for the final Front Bench - Heather du Plessis-Allan, Barry Soper, Trish Sherson and Chris Carter thrash out the big political issues in the lead up to Vote 2020. There is no holding back, no topic off limits, and no rules in this rapid-fire, highly opinionated election podcast.
In today's topics, National has gon...

Heather du Plessis-Allan, Barry Soper, Trish Sherson and Chris Carter thrash out the big political issues in the lead up to Vote 2020. There's no holding back, no topic off limits, and no rules in this rapid-fire, highly opinionated election podcast.
National leader Judith Collins has gone to great lengths to make sure people understand she is a woman of faith. Things ramped up yesterday when Collins went to vote at a churc...

Join Heather du Plessis-Allan, Barry Soper, Trish Sherson and Chris Carter thrash out the big political issues in the lead up to Vote 2020. There's no holding back, no topic off limits, and no rules in this rapid-fire, highly opinionated election podcast.
This week, the panel discusses the polls and what they mean for Judith Collins and National, Winston Peter's Orewa speech, and Labour's pledge to keep Tiwai Smelter open - with...

National's momentum has slowed after its $4 billion blunder.
The Party's promise to claw back $19.1 billion by ending Super Fund contributions was wrong - because Treasury's Pre-election Economic and Fiscal Update only showed $15 billion.National Finance spokesperson Paul Goldsmith called it an "irritating mistake".
Bu NewstalkZB Political Editor Barry Soper told Heather du Plessis-Allan it's more than that.
"They model t...

Catch live action of the second instalment of The Front Bench. Every Monday until the election, The Front Bench will take on the biggest talking points of the election campaign.
Heather du Plessis-Allan, Newstalk ZB political editor Barry Soper, PR whizz and former Act Party press secretary Trish Sherson and former Labour Party minister Chris Carter have the insight word and analysis.  There's no holding...

Labour is backing calls to make Matariki a public holiday.
It would work out a winter date starting in 2022, to celebrate our national identity, cultures and traditions - and boost tourism and hospitality.
Waitangi Day was the last public holiday introduced - nearly 50 years ago.
Matariki - which heralds the start of the Maori New Year - would take the number of public holidays in New Zealand to 12 - counting regional anni...