With the passage this week of a draconian death penalty law that is effectively designed only to apply to Palestinians, more people around the world than ever are noticing that Israelis are in a very dark place.
New Reserve Bank Governor Anna Breman would’ve been hoping for a less eventful backdrop to just her third Monetary Policy Committee meeting scheduled for 8th April. Instead, the US and Israel’s reckless barbarism in the Middle East has thrown the global economy into a rapid tailspin of stagflation, with New Zealand’s already sluggish economic recovery now facing surging oil prices, uncertain fuel supplies, severely disrupted trade flows, and all the domestic economic disruption which inevitably follows.
We think it is important to note that all organisations (and organisers!) will mess up at some point; what matters is the willingness to repair and grow.
When Hipkins was accused of bad behaviour by his ex-wife, my first response to his teary face on the news was lol, I hate that guy–the same thing I always feel. It’s maddening to watch people stubbornly forget that Labour’s unprecedented majority win involved folding against Covid, faffing around with the most timid reforms possible, and handing power to the most unpopular National-led government in decades.
Honouring, activating, and even understanding Te Tiriti o Waitangi is not the orthodoxy in our current political environment. The past two and a half years have seen a barrage of attacks on both Te Tiriti o Waitangi as the founding partnership agreement of this country, and on how Te Tiriti o Waitangi functions in practice in organisations like Health New Zealand and Oranga Tamariki, the two largest single employers of social workers in the country.
On the day that 16 people were killed with brutal violence at Bondi Beach, 9 people were added to the death toll of brutal violence in Gaza. One fact is news that has reverberated globally for weeks. One fact means almost nothing to the world. One fact has seen politics and laws debated. The other will change nothing. One fact will be weaponised. One fact will be brushed aside.
There is a distinction between going out to eat, and being fed. The former, for me, is something active that you do as a diner – you might dress up, head out, and spend your hard-earned money at any one of the thousand restaurants that the city has to offer.
In the immediate aftermath of violent attacks, social media often fills the information vacuum before verified facts are available. That space is increasingly occupied by AI-generated deepfakes and manipulated “breaking news” content designed to mislead, inflame, and spread fear.
We speak with Jen Shields about the ideologically motivated, against all evidence, decision by the National coalition government to effectively ban puberty blockers specifically for trans children.
The New Zealand Government has been sitting on its hands when it comes to Palestine, leaving many wondering why it has abandoned its independent foreign policy along with its principles and robust support for international law.
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Coalition ministers Chris Bishop and Simon Watts unveiled plans earlier this week to force councils to amalgamate within 3 months, or that the government will do it for them.
Wellington was hit with severe flooding Monday this week, with little warning and widespread damage. A ($100k) mayoral recovery fund has been created, and a red and yellow-sticker wave is expected as the city picks up the pieces.
Luxon has again been subject to another ‘coup’ rumour, with leaks to the press announcing at most 2 weeks before action against him. Luxon was 40 minutes late to a press conference on Friday, before fending off questions about him allegedly ghosting the National whip and saying he doesn’t need to check if the National caucus has his support.
Foreign Minister Peters visited Washington this week, meeting with top US officials like Marco Rubio to discuss the NZ-US relationship, the war on Iran, critical minerals, and the Pacific. Peters refused to comment on Trump’s threat hours before the meeting to annihilate the entirety of Iranian civilisation.
The ongoing war on Iran and the wider economic effects are continuing to be felt in New Zealand, as the conflict seems to prolong if not worsen. Despite a NATO statement listing New Zealand as one of 22 countries “coming together” to “implement [Trump’s] vision” of opening the Strait of Hormuz, the government says it has not made any commitment to the illegal war so far.
As the Israeli-US war on Iran continues and oil prices continue to skyrocket, concerns about New Zealand’s domestic supply continue to grow. Gas stations have begun to run out more regularly, and the government has rolled out a Level 1-4 plan ranging from “Minor” to “Severe” in the case of further disruption.
The economic impacts of the Israel-US war on Iran continue to be felt in New Zealand, with more concern over how fuel prices could impact New Zealand’s economy in the coming weeks (or months).
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, the main story this week has been the US-Israel war on Iran and the subsequent Iranian strikes on Israel and US assets in the region. The domestic response from the coalition government has been marked by a muddled endorsement from Luxon at a press conference earlier this week, and fears that a prolonged war could greatly affect the New Zealand economy through energy and supply chain disruption.
The coalition government announced on Monday nationwide plans to give police the power to issue "move on" orders, forcing rough sleepers and beggars out of public spaces with the threat of a $2,000 fine or 3 months prison.
Housing Minister Chris Bishop has announced a long-rumoured U-turn on Auckland's upzoning policy after pressure from Cabinet, slashing the number of dwellings Auckland Council must plan for from a (potential) 2 million down to 1.6 million.
The team has been let loose to create chaos this week. We discuss Education reforms, the recently announced citizenship test, Local Government reforms, BSA disestablishment, and a quick check in on UK politics and Starmerismo.
Multiple justifications for the illegal war of aggression on Iran have been put forward by the US and Israel: from supporting Iranian protesters, to regime change, to preventing nuclear weapons, to reopening the Strait of Hormuz—a waterway that was already open prior to the war. Many of these talking points have been repeated by the NZ government.
Our Prime Minister seems to have a different position to our government and Foreign Minister on the biggest political issue - Israel & USA's war on Iran. Meaningful Members' Bills in parliament are a breath of fresh air. The right wing attack Maiki Sherman for saying slurs at the Finance Minister's event. Trump racks up a third assassination attempt.
The aims of the illegal war waged by the US and Israel in Iran seem to be failing, but does this indicate a failure of Empire? We discuss the differences between the US as a state, the Empire as a system and the ways seemingly disastrous failures, past and present, have tended to consolidate power for those at the top, rather than lead to significant imperial decline.
We talk to Cindy Baxter from Kiwis Against Seabed Mining (KASM) about the history of of seabed mining applications over the last decade, the lobbying by the extractive industry and the ways that activists are trying to fight back.
A quick Iran update, including the response here in NZ and the pressure developing on Luxon following poor polling and internal leaks. NZ media continues to boosterise failed tech and the Waitangi Tribunal is calling for a halt to curriculum changes.
How should we respond to the US-Israel war on Iran? Join us to discuss what’s driving the war, how the NZ govt has responded to date, and what we in Aotearoa can do to support the Iranian people and bring an end to the war.
We host Green MP Teanau Tuiono to discuss the positions of the NZ government, the War on Iran, geopolitical tensions and great power rivalry, the Pacific, military spending and what 'independent foreign policy' means in 2026.
Josephine and Kieran host Dr Jeremy Moses to discuss the upcoming protest 'No more wars: A national day of Action' which is going to be held in various parts of the country on April 11.
We talk Cabinet Shuffle and National Party machinations, NZ First got their anti-trans bill drawn from the ballot, greyhound racing is being banned, and we round up the global situation.
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