Duncan Garner - Editor In Chief

Duncan Garner takes aim at the growing fight over Santana Minerals’ proposed gold mine in Central Otago, after Ngāi Tahu opposed the project following reports of a $180 million figure being discussed.

Duncan argues this is no ordinary consent battle. He says it goes to the heart of whether New Zealand is still a place where major projects can get built, investors can have certainty, and high paying regional jobs can actually exist.

ACT MP and undersecretary Simon Court joins the show to discuss the Santana mine, the RMA changes coming through Parliament, and whether the Government’s reforms will stop what he calls “shakedowns” in the planning system.

Duncan also shares the story of a local business owner giving up on New Zealand and heading to Australia to try his luck in the mines.

Is this about protecting the environment, or has the system tipped too far? And if New Zealand keeps making it this hard to build, who will be left to pay the bills?

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Winston Peters has just pulled a classic Winston move. By leaking sensitive emails and blindsiding Christopher Luxon, it looks like he’s trying to get himself kicked out of the coalition to play the martyr. We dive into why Luxon didn’t pull the trigger and what this means for the government's stability.

We break down the coalition cracks and the $180 million gold mine standoff, and Maurice shares his frustration at seeing elected councillors outvoted by board members who don't have to face the ballot box. It is a deep dive into the accountability crisis currently hitting New Zealand's local and national politics.
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This one goes straight at the uncomfortable bit: what happens when the people who demand accountability suddenly go very quiet?

Duncan is joined by commentator and comms specialist Ani O’Brien, who broke the story about Maiki Sherman, Lloyd Burr, and an incident the New Zealand media had allegedly known about for over a year. The question isn’t just what was said, it’s why so many people who knew did nothing.

Together, Duncan and Ani dig into the Press Gallery, media hypocrisy, legal threats, public trust, and whether New Zealand journalism has become too cautious, too cozy, or just too scared of its own shadow.
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This one hits different. Because it is not theory, it is lived experience.

Duncan sits down with firefighters Steve Devine and Dave Phillips to hear directly from the frontline. What they describe is a system going backwards. Ageing trucks breaking down on the way to fires. Stations closed for years. Equipment that is outdated. And a workforce stretched thin while still fighting for fair pay and proper support.

But it goes deeper than that. The conversation turns to cancer risk, mental health, and the reality of what firefighters carry home after every shift. From traumatic callouts to the lack of formal support, this is the side of the job most people never see.

There is frustration, there is anger, and there is a clear message. This is not just about firefighters. This is about public safety, and right now, they say New Zealand is more exposed than people realise.
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Something is badly wrong when firefighters are among the lowest-paid people inside the very service they keep alive.

On the Slam Dunc, Duncan Garner takes aim at Fire and Emergency New Zealand’s pay priorities, questioning why frontline firefighters are still fighting for better pay, safer staffing, reliable trucks and proper gear while management layers and board fees keep climbing. From the CEO’s salary to six-figure corporate roles, Duncan asks the obvious question: why are the people running into burning buildings earning less than the people sitting behind desks?

We also hear listener feedback on immigration, school zoning pressure in Auckland, and the need to bring people with us when policy decisions reshape communities. It’s blunt, uncomfortable, and exactly the sort of conversation New Zealand needs to have.
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