Cross Party Lines

• Police Culture, Wishful Climate Policy and TPU vs Nicola Willis

  Hosted by Phil Goff and Chris Finlayson with Sam Collins, Cross Party Lines unpacks the week in New Zealand politics so that you don’t have too and featues the kind of cross-partisan honesty you won’t get anywhere else.In Episode 6:* Police culture under the microscope — After Andrew Coster’s high-profile interview, Phil and Chris go deeper into the real issue: hierarchy, silence, and why junior officers rarely challenge senior ranks. And while Ministers Mitchell and Hipkins dispute what they were told, Phil and Chris share lessons on how to protect yourself when your only “record” is memory * The centre-right’s climate dilemma — Scrutiny Week revealed uncomfortable truths about the coalition’s climate direction. Phil and Chris contrast New Zealand’s choices with Australia’s centre-right meltdown, Turnbull’s warning about “groundhog day” and what a rational, evidence-driven conservative climate policy should be made of.* The Taxpayers’ Union vs Nicola Willis — A rare case of “right-on-right violence.” Why the campaign is happening, how coalition politics limits any finance minister’s dogma, and what Labour must be careful not to overstep as 2026 creeps closer.Cross Party Lines exists to lift political literacy and bring reasoned democracy back into the mainstream.New episodes every Tuesday. If you’re enjoying the show, follow and share — it genuinely helps grow the kōrero. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit crosspartylines.substack.com

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• Regional Council Chaos, Tax Promises and Party Conferences

  Hosted by Sam Collins, Phil Goff and Chris Finlayson, Cross Party Lines breaks down the week in New Zealand politics so you don’t have to — with genuine cross-partisan insight.In Episode 5:* Regional Council Reform — National’s plan to abolish regional councils and replace them with mayor-led boards lands with a thud. Phil and Chris unpack what’s sensible, what’s risky and why reform without groundwork is a recipe for chaos.* The UK Budget Blowback — UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves breaks Labour’s “no new taxes” promise, what can Barbara Edmonds and Nicola Willis learn? And is Brexit still the anchor dragging the whole ship down?* The NZ Labour Party Conference — A surprisingly upbeat weekend for Labour. What Chris Hipkins and Barbara Edmonds got right, and did it go down well with the public?Plus: Air New Zealand’s declining brand loyalty, Beethoven’s Ninth, Boris Johnson’s minimum-wage blunder, and why populism is reshaping democracies faster than institutions can keep up.Cross Party Lines exists to lift political literacy and bring good-faith conversation back to Kiwi politics.New episodes every Tuesday. Follow the show and share it with a friend — it genuinely helps grow the kōrero. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit crosspartylines.substack.com

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• KiwiSaver Policy, Leadership Wobbles and Trumpian Shifts

  Hosted by Sam Collins, Phil Goff and Chris Finlayson, Cross Party Lines unpacks the week in New Zealand politics so you don’t have to. Each episode gives you clear, cross-partisan insight from two political heavyweights who’ve sat inside Cabinet rooms, campaign buses and coalition negotiations.In Episode 4:* KiwiSaver, finally taken seriously — National kicks off its 2026 campaign with a plan to lift contributions to 12%. Phil and Chris unpack whether it’s bold enough, what Australia gets right and why tax incentives and loopholes could make or break the scheme for workers and businesses .* Is Luxon really on the ropes? — Leadership speculation ramps up as polls stumble. Phil and Chris draw on decades of political history to explain when a coup becomes inevitable, when it doesn’t and why changing leaders rarely saves any government.* Trump’s “peace plan” for Ukraine — Why the proposed deal reads like a Kremlin wish list, what it would mean for Europe and why appeasement never stops aggression. A wide-ranging, fiery discussion that moves from Crimea to Congress to Chatham House.Plus: lessons from door-knocking, why authenticity beats spin-doctors every time and a few personal stories that only Goff and Finlayson could tell.Cross Party Lines exists to lift NZ’s political literacy and restore constructive conversation in an age of noise.New episodes every Tuesday. If you’re enjoying the show, follow and share — it genuinely helps grow the kōrero. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit crosspartylines.substack.com

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• Winston Breaks Rank and Why 'Boring' Legislation Matters

  Hosted by Sam Collins, Phil Goff and Chris Finlayson, Cross Party Lines breaks down the week in New Zealand politics from both sides of the aisle - with clarity, context and a little humour.In this week’s episode:* Winston Peters breaks ranks — Why the Deputy PM is publicly contradicting his own coalition, what’s driving it, and what the Cabinet Manual has to say about it.* The McSkimming scandal — What the case reveals about structural weaknesses in police systems, what resources and new oversight do we need?* The Regulatory Standards Bill — It passed its third reading last week, but what does it really do? Phil and Chris unpack the implications, the ideology and why parts of the old Legislation Act were working just fine before being pulled apart.New episodes every Tuesday. If you’re enjoying the show, share it with a friend — it genuinely helps grow the conversation. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit crosspartylines.substack.com

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• *BONUS EP* Australia's Forgotten Constitutional Coup

  Fifty years ago today, Australia’s Governor-General sacked Prime Minister Gough Whitlam - an act that stunned a democracy and reshaped political convention forever.In this Cross Party Lines bonus episode, Phil Goff and Chris Finlayson revisit that extraordinary day - the personalities, the chaos, and the what-ifs that still echo across the Tasman. From Whitlam’s defiance to New Zealand’s own 1984 near-miss under Muldoon and Sir David Beattie, this is a gripping reminder that even in stable democracies, the rules only hold if we agree to play by them.Follow Cross Party Lines wherever you get your podcasts — and tell us on Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok what historic moments you’d like Phil and Chris to unpack next. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit crosspartylines.substack.com

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