The Good Oil

Cam Slater finally sits down with legendary political journalist Barry Soper for a wide-ranging, no-holds-barred conversation about Barry’s new book, the 12 Prime Ministers he’s covered, and what politics really looks like from the inside.

Barry opens up about the catastrophic loss of his personal archives (a staff member “tidied” several thousand pages of notes going back to Roger Douglas) and how that forced him to write the book as pure memory. They then dive deep into the characters:

Key timestamps:

• 00:05:49 – Muldoon: the little grunter, Think Big, the schnapps election, and why Barry has revised his opinion of him

• 00:19:50 – Jacinda Ardern: five years of close observation, “kindness,” the performative nature of her leadership, and the movie that confirmed everything

• 00:24:00 – Chris Hipkins: the man trying to distance himself from the very government he was central to

• 00:26:00 – Helen Clark: despised her politics, admired her ability and leadership style

• 00:34:38 – Jim Bolger: the man who came to Barry’s wedding and quietly rolled Jim McClay

• 00:43:00 – Winston Peters: the most consummate politician Barry has worked with, his coalition strategy, and why small parties usually get smothered

• 00:49:00 – The Trevor Mallard wine prank and the Annette King flowers saga

• 00:51:30 – Why Luxon is largely misunderstood and what he actually needs around him

It’s funny, blunt, and full of the kind of stories you only get from someone who has been in the room for decades. No political tome — just two old hands telling it straight.

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Cam welcomes Tameem Barakat, founder of The Centrist, for a deep and personal conversation.

The episode opens with the ritual humidor check — this week featuring the La Ora Family Creed Foete Sol Toro from Canteros.nz — before Tameem tells his story. Born and raised in Vancouver, BC, Tameem has Egyptian and Italian-Jewish heritage. His parents married in 1960s London when class and education mattered more than religion. He recounts watching hours of CNN Headline News as a child, his early obsession with politics, and how his mixed background gave him a unique lens on the Middle East.

Tameem explains why he chose music with a political edge early in his career (inspired by Bob Dylan, Public Enemy, and others) rather than love songs, and how he eventually transitioned into writing and founding The Centrist. The pair discuss the backlash he’s received, including Martyn Bradbury calling the site a “hate blog,” Tameem’s view that the Overton window has shifted dramatically left, and why centrism is now treated as extreme.

The conversation moves into COVID-era New Zealand — Tameem’s move from Canada during the pandemic, MIQ experiences, the wage subsidy, vaccine passes, and his view of Jacinda Ardern as a “shabby little dictator.” They also cover media propaganda, free speech, the difference between criticising governments and antisemitism, and why Tameem believes ideas should matter more than identity.

A candid, wide-ranging interview that gives listeners the full picture behind one of New Zealand’s most discussed new platforms.

Key sections include:

• 01:52 – 09:55 – Tameem’s background and family story

• 10:00 – 15:12 – Music career and early political writing

• 22:00 – 29:10 – The move to New Zealand and MIQ experience

• 32:00 – 45:00 – COVID policies, vaccine passes, and a direct assessment of Jacinda Ardern

• 55:00 – 01:08:00 – In-depth discussion on Israel/Palestine and the Overton window

• 01:09:20 – 01:19:00 – How The Centrist was founded during lockdown

• 01:34:00 – 01:45:00 – Racism accusations from the left and closing thoughts

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Buckle up for a no-holds-barred chat with Elliot Ikilei from Hobson's Pledge. We dive into his wild ride from a chaotic upbringing – solo parents on both sides, teenage drugs, booze, and rebellion – to finding faith at 25 and turning it all around through youth work. Elliot pulls no punches on the bad cases that broke him, the wins that fueled him, and why Hobson's Pledge is battling what he calls "tribal separatism" in NZ. From government overreach to cultural division, we cover the fight for equality, the Treaty mess, and why the left's playbook is failing. If you're sick of the spin, this episode cuts through the crap. Listen now – and join the pushback. 

Timestamps:

00:00 - Intro & Cigar Review (Canteros.nz) 

01:07 - Welcome & Guest Introduction 

02:24 - Elliot’s Personal Background: From Chaos to Christianity

06:11 - The Shift: Family Structure vs Colonisation Narrative 

08:00 - Journey into Politics & Conservative Party Years 

13:25 - Critique of Luxon & Hipkins Leadership 

18:22 - COVID Authoritarianism & Jacinda Ardern 

30:00 - The Reality of Jacinda’s “Kindness” 

38:00 - Parliament Protest & Political Loyalty 

43:08 - Joining Hobson’s Pledge & The “Racist” Label 

50:00 - Media Bias & Independent Media 

58:00 - Stochastic Terrorism & Demonisation of Opponents 

01:05:00 - Posie Parker, Brian Tamaki & Man Up 

01:15:00 - Foreign Policy: China in the Pacific & Fiji 

01:22:54 - 2026 Election Outlook & NZ First Surge 

01:32:13 - Hobson’s Pledge Wins & Closing Thoughts

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Cam sits down with the man causing absolute chaos in Māori social media circles — the guy they call Shubz.

After years of watching his people get failed by the very organisations claiming to represent them, Shubz decided enough was enough. What started as live streams on TikTok has turned into a full-frontal assault on iwi elites, unaccountable millions in Treaty settlements, and the “you’re not Māori enough” gatekeeping that shuts down anyone who steps out of line. 

In this wide-ranging conversation they cover: 

- His grandmother’s influence and growing up around politics 

-  Why so many Māori are still conditioned to believe Labour is the only option

- The “waste of Māori blood” attack on Winston Peters and what it really reveals

- The disconnect between the loud activist class and ordinary Māori on the ground

- How Alfred Ngaro’s story convinced him National wasn’t the enemy he’d been told

 00:00 – Welcome & Cigar Review (Perdomo Legacy Connecticut Grand Belicoso) 

03:40 – Introducing Shubz 

06:30 – How Shubz went from live streamer to poking the Māori elite 

11:20 – “You’ve come out of nowhere and caused a fair bit of ruckus” 

15:50 – Growing up around politics, seeing the hypocrisy first-hand 

22:10 – Grandmother’s influence and standing up for the people 

28:40 – The “waste of Māori blood” comment to Winston Peters 

34:50 – Alfred Ngaro’s story and being told he was “in the wrong party” 

41:30 – Why Labour is still pushed as the only option for Māori 

48:15 – Iwi elites, funding that never filters down, and real injustice 

55:40 – The disconnect between activist class and ordinary Māori 

1:02:00 – Final thoughts and where this goes from here

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The Tyrannosaurus Machine: Nathan Smith on Cancellation, Media Lies, and the "Shadow Map" of Power

Former journalist and political insider Nathan Smith joins Cam Slater to pull back the curtain on how the machinery of power actually works. From the "Tyrannosaurus" media narrative that fuels public cancellations to the concept of "Love Speech"—the unregulated PR manipulation that runs our newsfeeds—this is a masterclass in seeing through the establishment's funhouse mirror.

We also go global: Why the "Iran is winning" narrative is a fantasy, how the Middle East conflict is actually a proxy for China's energy security, and the "Permanent Government" of bureaucrats who wait out elected politicians.

Featuring Dunbarton Dondurma cigars from Canteros.nz (http://canteros.nz/).

00:00 - Cigar Review & Introduction

01:12 - The Cancellation Story: Tyrannosaurus vs Lizard

06:14 - Behind the Curtain: Business & Politics

10:07 - The Tyrannosaurus Machine: Puppet Masters

17:08 - Love Speech vs. Hate Speech: The PR Game

28:30 - The Shadow Map of NZ Politics

32:41 - Middle East Reality Check: Iran & Israel

42:58 - The China Play: Oil, Resources, and Proxy Wars

53:42 - Military Capability: US Dominance & Grey Zones

01:04:12 - The Expert Problem: Credentialism & "Beijing Bob"

01:13:08 - The Permanent Government: Bureaucracy vs Voters

01:21:58 - Local Politics Reality Check: Luxon & The Machine

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