Raw Politics

This week on the Raw Politics podcast: Are dirty politics happening before our eyes? Bouquets and brickbats for Parliament; and the Hager book assessed

How big a deal for voters is the latest string of misleading, dirty and sometimes AI-generated attacks from across the political spectrum? And might they backfire?

Today, the Raw Politics panel discusses false claims, out-of-context footage, AI slop and campaign disinformation which is happening even before we get into the official election campaign period

Join senior political reporter Marc Daalder and associate editor Sam Sachdeva at Parliament and Newsroom co-editor Tim Murphy in Auckland as the panel asks if two examples of ads that National has been pulled up on, and ongoing allegations between parties, matter at the ballot box.

The panel also offers bouquets and brickbats for the just-concluded Parliament and a debating chamber riven by indiscipline, falling standards and a Speaker exhibiting inconsistent rulings.

Our third topic is Dirty Work, the latest book by Nicky Hager released this week. It is the third of a trilogy which actually feels a bit like two-and-a-half books. While it makes a range of allegations, it is lighter on evidential documentation and detail, and slimmer in volume, than his earlier investigative works.

Finally, we offer recommendations for you to read, watch or listen to over your weekend:
 
Sam: Newsroom's Dave Williams' comprehensive two-part inquiry into the Taxpayers' Union from back in 2023.

Tim: The latest Ipsos Issues Monitor, out Friday, continues the trend of Labour outpointing National on all of the top six issues of concern to the public, including the economy. National wins favour for the seventh most important issue, law and order.

Marc: Kate Newton of RNZ's scoop on the Govt denying a law change to allow a start-up to dump particles in NZ oceans 

Raw Politics will be available wherever you get your podcasts at the end of each week, and to watch on YouTube.

This week on the Raw Politics podcast: Is National and Labour's dominance over? Politicians get desperate on supermarkets; plus what to do about the police

Are we at the end of days for the dominance by two big anchor parties in our governments, or will normal order be restored once things get back to ... normal?

Today, the Raw Politics panel discusses Labour and National's combined polling being stuck down below 60 percent and whether the two 'major' parties will soon just be two of five or six parties of varying strength.

Join senior political reporter Marc Daalder and associate editor Sam Sachdeva at Parliament and Newsroom co-editor Tim Murphy in Auckland for analysis of the reasons behind National and Labour's decline.

The panel also examines National's radical, interventionist plan to force NZ-owned grocery co-operative Foodstuffs to carve itself up into separate businesses to compel competition in the supermarket sector - while leaving Australian-owned corporate Woolworths exempt.

Our third topic is the ongoing series of controversies involving our police department, from its top executives to its high profile, flawed pursuit of Tom Phillips and his children and then the peculiar political attacks against a top officer who decided to stand for Labour.

Finally, we offer recommendations for you to read, watch or listen to over your weekend:

Sam: Fact-checking Farmer Kev and Landlord Larry: Do Opportunity’s tax tales stack up? – Emma Ricketts, Stuff

Tim: David Williams' Newsroom electorate profile of Christchurch Central, where the Greens are getting serious and the majors are nervous

Marc: Why rebuilding after climate disasters is no longer enough – David Wallace-Wells, NY Times

Raw Politics will be available wherever you get your podcasts at the end of each week, and to watch on YouTube.

This week on the Raw Politics podcast: Labour’s search for its second wind, hands up for a public supermarket, and Paris in election time

Eight weeks until the election and Labour gets shocked out of its sleepwalk to possible defeat.

Today, the Raw Politics panel discusses how Labour can and will react to one, yes, one poll placing it at 25.9 percent public support but its own internal polling obviously drifting lower as well.

Join senior political reporter Marc Daalder and associate editor Sam Sachdeva at Parliament and Newsroom co-editor Tim Murphy in Auckland for analysis of Labour’s acknowledged shift on to the front foot and concentrating on its policies now rather than its years of “oppositional” politics.

The panel also examines a steady strengthening of the Greens’ polling and the party’s bold – and much criticised on the right – policy to create a state-owned supermarket chain by forcing the two big players to give up stores and distribution centres across the country. Is it a Soviet-style dead hand of government or a breakthrough?

Our third topic is the politics of climate change. A big conference this week brought the main parties to the same stage and indirectly led to sharp accusations from Labour over “National and its mates” wanting to withdraw NZ from the Paris climate agreement, and an aggressive denial.

Finally, we offer recommendations for you to read, watch or listen to over your weekend:

Tim: An important interview on Stuff by Patrick Gower with the family of the man who died in a bathroom at the waiting room of Waikato Hospital’s A&E earlier this year.

Marc: The NZ Herald’s team coverage of the Government’s late Thursday dump of its documents related to the development of the May Budget.

Sam: Analysis of Labour new AI policy, by Newsroom’s own Fox Meyer

Raw Politics will be available wherever you get your podcasts at the end of each week, and to watch on YouTube.

This week on the Raw Politics podcast: the coalition eyes drastic change in the public service, Te Pāti Māori eyes drastic change in our constitution, plus why health imperils every government

The Government's making no secret of its plan to cull, reshape and redirect government departments and ministries if it gets a second chance after November 7.

Today, the Raw Politics panel discusses the scale of the planned abolitions, mergers and straight out headcount cuts ministers want to line up through 2027 and beyond.

Join senior political reporter Marc Daalder and political editor Laura Walters at Parliament and Newsroom co-editor Tim Murphy in Auckland for analysis of the radical overhaul planned for the public service in a potential second term. 

The panel also examines Te Pāti Māori's plans for constitutional reforms and paramountcy of the Treaty and how big an appeal its announcements will have among Māori voters, with the risk of likely coalition partner Labour copping any electoral backlash from voters on the general roll. 

Our third topic is the perennial political landmine of the health system, a threat to the prospects of any government. While National and Labour feud over the number of additional nurses in the system under this administration, real world events like a death in an A&E waiting room and a hospital's nurses declaring a state of emergency have the potential to derail any minister's bid to talk up health investments. 

Finally, we offer recommendations for you to read, watch or listen to over your weekend: 

Marc: Azaria Howell of Newstalk ZB's scoop on the Brian Roche cutting the public service letter.
 
Laura: Māni Dunlop of Te Ao Māori News' in-depth explainer on TPM’s bottom lines, where other parties sit, and the history and future of constitutional reform

Tim: Our own Marc Daader's magisterial piece on Newsroom on the latest UN environment report: Global warming will pass 1.5C - what are you going to do about it?

Raw Politics will be available wherever you get your podcasts at the end of each week, and to watch on YouTube.

The country’s two biggest political parties found common ground this week not once, but twice. Well, kind-of, temporarily, with not much grace or real commitment.

Today, the Raw Politics panel discusses Labour’s decision to back National’s bill on limiting social media access for under 16s, and Labour’s grudging acceptance of a move to force a legislative cap on council rates.

Join senior political reporter Marc Daalder and associate editor Sam Sachdeva at Parliament and Newsroom co-editor Tim Murphy in Auckland, for analysis of the two big blue-red (purple) agreements of this campaign.

Both big parties have correctly read the public mood in belatedly proposing, then agreeing to back at the outset, a social media ban. Polls show support for measures to protect young people from social media harm.

The rates cap probably has strong public support as well – who wouldn’t want increases in their rates bills forced under 4 percent? But that policy is fraught with risks for both reducing council services to the public and cutting local government’s investment in maintenance and infrastructure.

Our third topic is the National Party’s walking away from a Government-Auckland Council deal to “explore” an accomodation bed levy to fund tourism promotion, events and infrastructure. Such 30-year-deals are often all talk and this one is already fraying after just four months.

Finally, we offer recommendations for you to read, watch or listen to over your weekend:Marc: Our Newsroom colleague Andrew Bevin’s story on the under-funded wildlife hospitals on the frontline of the bird flu outbreak.Sam: Henry Cooke’s profile of a legend of political journalism Richard Harman, in The Post

Tim: Phil Smith of RNZ’s excellent piece analysing the number of extra nurses added under this Government.

Raw Politics will be available wherever you get your podcasts at the end of each week, and to watch on YouTube.