Duncan Garner - Editor In Chief

This one lit a fire.

We dig deeper into the India free trade deal and the uncapped student numbers that have sparked huge backlash. An immigration insider speaks out about fraud, weak controls, and the real pressures being felt on housing, jobs, and schools. It’s raw, detailed, and confronting.

We also break down the first major poll of the year, and it’s a warning sign National voters should not ignore. Labour leads, New Zealand First is surging, and the government is bleeding support in places it cannot afford to lose. The panel unpacks why expectations haven’t been met and why that disappointment matters.

Plus, Ashley Church and Maurice Williamson join Duncan to talk leadership, broken promises, co-governance frustration, housing policy, and why Winston Peters is finding his moment again. A big, wide-ranging conversation about politics, trust, and what voters are really saying.
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Duncan Garner goes straight at a deal most people weren’t watching. Just before Christmas, New Zealand quietly agreed to a free trade deal with India. On paper it’s being sold as a win. In reality, there’s a clause that changes everything.

For the first time, New Zealand has agreed to uncapped numbers of Indian students. No ceiling. No off switch. Full work rights during and after study. We dig into why Winston Peters is openly opposing the deal, why he’s calling it reckless, and why this could become a major election-year fight.

We look at what this means for young Kiwis already struggling to find work, pressure on housing and infrastructure, and whether New Zealand has signed away control of its own immigration settings. This isn’t about race. It’s about public policy, sovereignty, and decisions made behind closed doors that could shape the country for decades.
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The election date is locked in and the gun has officially been fired. November 7 is now circled, but as we head into campaign mode, the biggest issue facing New Zealand is still being quietly ignored.

Chris Hipkins delivers a State of the Nation with no new policy and plenty of familiar lines. Duncan argues the real problem isn’t revenue, tax or spending. It’s courage. National superannuation is now swallowing nearly 18 percent of government spending, yet no major party is willing to confront what comes next.

We also check in with Federated Farmers president Wayne Langford to see how rural New Zealand is really tracking. For the first time in a long while, farmers are doing well. Commodity prices are strong, debt is coming down and confidence is returning. So how would a change of government affect them, and does it even matter when most of their product is sold offshore?
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Christopher Luxon had the stage, the timing, and the attention. Election year. State of the Nation. A chance to set the agenda. And yet, nothing new landed.

We unpack why the Prime Minister’s speech felt safe, steady, and completely underwhelming. From cost of living pressures and power prices to debt, borrowing, and that familiar “green shoots” language, Duncan asks the question many households are already asking around the kitchen table. Are we actually better off?

Joining the discussion are Ashley Church and Ani O’Brien, who bring sharply different perspectives on strategy, substance, and whether this was deliberate discipline or a missed opportunity. There’s debate around fiscal discipline, KiwiSaver changes, housing, local government, and the political risks of playing it too safe when voters are still hurting.

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After two years of talk, the granny flat breakthrough is finally here. You can now build a 70 square metre flat in your backyard without resource consent or a building consent. It’s a big shift, and one that could unlock thousands of homes across the country.

On this episode, Duncan breaks down why this reform matters, how it cuts straight through council red tape, and why it could be one of the most practical housing changes in years. This podcast was the first to reveal the policy back in 2024, and now it’s officially in play.

Duncan is joined by Shane Jones, who explains how the change came together, why trusting licensed builders is key, and what it means for families, Māori landowners, and regional New Zealand. There’s also a wider conversation about housing supply, infrastructure, mining, fishing, and the cultural shift needed to get this country building again.

Jones also talks about his desire to strike a mining deal with US President Donald Trump.
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