Raw Politics
Raw Politics is a weekly political podcast from New Zealand news outlet Newsroom. Each Friday, political reporters Laura Walters, Tim Murphy, Marc Daalder and colleagues dissect the week's big issues and scrutinize politicians' performances in a lively 20-minute show. The program aims to take listeners inside the political scene and encourages audience questions by email.
Episodes
Raw Politics is back: 11 weeks of tax attacks ahead
The election is 78 days away so it’s over time to start tuning in to what’s going on in the world of politics.Our Raw Politics podcast is here to help. From today, Raw Politics returns every Friday to dissect the major issues in politics and the political strategies playing out around them.Today, join senior political reporter Marc Daalder and associate editor Sam Sachdeva at Parliament and Newsro
Raw Politics picks the best and worst of 2024 – and 2025
On this week’s Raw Politics podcast: We honour the standout performances and policies, good and bad, of this year, plus make our predictions for 2025Four different MPs are nominated by our four Raw Politics panelists for the honour of standout politician of 2024 – and consensus is hard to come by for many of our other accolades.The Raw Politics podcast weighs the good and bad for 2024 – leaders, n
Throwing in the towel on climate and the foreshore
This week on the Raw Politics podcast: what voters want on climate change policy, will ministers ditch the foreshore repeal, plus Ayesha Verrall's faux pasClimate change is hard and changing New Zealanders' attitudes and behaviour seems harder still for this Government and its predecessors. Should the coalition accept that's the reality and go slow and low in its ambitions for change?The Raw Polit
Labour's year of living anonymously
This week on the Raw Politics podcast: Remembering Nikki Kaye, assessing the Labour Party one year on, and Christopher and Winston's nostalgia trip on foreign affairsLabour's MPs and party members gather in Christchurch this weekend, a year after a humiliating defeat took them from the historic, first majority MMP government into the wilderness, watching a centre-right coalition dismantle their le
Six months in a leaky Bill
This week on the Raw Politics podcast: The hikoi’s over, now for a half year of claim and counterclaim, dissent and debate. Plus: NZ speaks out of both sides of its mouth at COP29.Prime Minister Christopher Luxon did not meet the Treaty Principles Bill hikoi crowd, sees “nothing” of merit in the Act-proposed law but the Parliament his Government dominates will spend six months debating a “divisive
MPs face-off over the Great Divide
On this week’s Raw Politics podcast: The Act and Māori parties at point-blank range, plus the risk of the Crown apology petering outParliament saw two historic days this week, one of great solemnity and unity, the other a raucous and high-stakes stand-off between political foes over the Treaty of Waitangi.Raw Politics looks first at the volatile reception for Act’s Treaty Principles Bill at its fi
Act finally gets its shot at the Treaty
This week on the Raw Politics podcast: David Seymour floats a new law labelled the single greatest breach of the Treaty of Waitangi. Plus political editor Laura Walters joins us from the US.Each time the tide comes in, it comes further up the beach. Well, that appears to be the Act Party’s strategy launching its Treaty Principles Bill in Parliament with not a single vote in support of it passing l
America’s final election?
This week on the Raw Politics podcast: Who’s closing it out best ahead of next week’s US election; Act’s education wins; plus relaxing the checks on your new houseThe end of the country, or the end of its democracy. That’s what the two camps are predicting if their candidate doesn’t win the US presidential election next week.Raw Politics, from the great safety of half a world away, weighs in on th
Send in the Crown(s)
This week on the Raw Politics podcast: This Govt was going to be push localism but is instead pushing in on cities and regions. Plus: Time for the Greens to rediscover the environment. And what's cooking with Brooke van Velden?Both Wellington and Otago councils lost a little of their political souls this week as the coalition Government grabbed control of the local levers of power.Raw Politics ask
Shame on them all
This week on the Raw Politics podcast: There were two scandals over abuse of kids in state care - one was run from some of the highest offices in the land. Plus, the new NZ First party, polls and Nimbys vs the fast-trackOne of the biggest political and government scandals in NZ history - the abuse of thousands of children in state care - will soon be subject to a formal Crown apology.Raw Politics
A year on the Right’s track
This week on the Raw Politics podcast: We mark one year since the election by rating the parties, MVPs and duds, and weighing their risks and opportunities for the next two years.Next week marks 12 months since the election that ejected the left from power and ushered in Christopher Luxon’s three-headed coalition of the right.Newsroom political editor Laura Walters, senior political reporter Marc
Luxon's wealthy, get over it
In this week's episode of Raw Politics: the Prime Minister declares himself wealthy and sorted, Darleen should say goodbye even though she's Green, plus a bad retweet.Chris Luxon can't win. When he owns seven houses he's a capitalist rack renter. When he sells some of them he's exploiting Government policy changes and saving on tax.Newsroom political editor Laura Walters, senior political reporter
When ministers know best
This week on Raw Politics: Are we being governed now by a cadre of middle managers? People who won't stay in their lanes but need to be dipping into the detailed operations of government agencies and making the small decisions, well.Newsroom senior political reporter Marc Daalder, Newsroom national affairs editor Sam Sachdeva and co-editor Tim Murphy discuss the coalition's forked tongue approach
National's hard-ass golden boy
This week on the Raw Politics podcast: Is the Minister of the Week, Paul Goldsmith, an ideologue? Plus, awkward business closures for the coalition and Chris Hipkins' leadership.Newsroom senior political reporter Marc Daalder, Newsroom Pro managing editor Jonathan Milne and co-editor Tim Murphy discuss the minister's harder line push this week on laws cracking down on gangs, changing his mind to a
How do you solve a problem like David Seymour?
In this week's episode of Raw Politics, Christopher Luxon must wake up some days with the Sound of Music song of exasperation playing in his head. How does he deal with the problem of ACT leader David Seymour and his will-o-the-wisp coalition contrarianism?Newsroom political editor Laura Walters, senior political reporter Marc Daalder and co-editor Tim Murphy discuss Seymour's carefully calibrated
A humble Seymour and overspun Simeon
In this week's episode of Raw Politics, we discuss the response of our political leaders to the demands of the week-long tangihanga for Kiingi Tuheitia.Newsroom political editor Laura Walters, senior political reporter Marc Daalder and co-editor Tim Murphy discuss how coalition leaders faced the Kiingitanga movement and wider Māoridom at a time of acute political sensitivities.Then, the panel pull
Arrested development and misbehaviour
This week, Raw Politics looks at the coalition's all-consuming commitment to development, from the fast-track to energy to infrastructure.Newsroom political editor Laura Walters, senior political reporter Marc Daalder and co-editor Tim Murphy examine the breadth and pace of the blizzard of development initiatives that could change what and how the country builds in the short and long term.Then, th
Number's up for Luxon, and Hipkins
This week, Raw Politics discusses Christopher Luxon the wannabe details man, Chris Hipkins the nowhere man and David Seymour the man with 91 highly paid new staff.Newsroom political editor Laura Walters, senior political reporter Marc Daalder and co-editor Tim Murphy first assess the Prime Minister's repeated instances of misusing, misquoting or misunderstanding numbers, facts and comparisons.The
The Govt's 'mission accomplished' moment
In this week's episode of Raw Politics, we discuss if ministers crowing about the drop in interest rates deserve all, much or any of the political praise.Newsroom senior political reporter Marc Daalder, political reporter Emma Hatton and co-editor Tim Murphy weigh the coalition's claims to having started to beat the ravages of a high cost of living.We also assess this week's two big restructures o
Politicians need a treaty on the Treaty
Another week, another series of hot political issues involving policies affecting Māori and the Treaty of Waitangi.This week, Raw Politics looks at why the Government is pushing ahead 'at pace' with such a broad range of measures looking to change the accepted status of the Treaty in laws and in public services.Newsroom political editor Laura Walters, senior political reporter Marc Daalder and co-
This Govt's big vulnerability
This week, Raw Politics examines what has become a regular point of weakness for the coalition and asks why National, Act and NZ First can't seem to get on top of the health system's political risks.--------Recommendations:Marc: David Williams' Newsroom story disclosing finance minister Nicola Willis overruled advice on a South Island waste-to-energy facility.Tim: Another in-house one here, for La
Apologising through action, not words
This week on the Raw Politics podcast: Financial woes at Health New Zealand and the Royal Commission report challenges the Government’s gang crackdown-------------------Recommendations:Sam: Analysis from Derek Cheng at the NZ Herald on how the Royal Commission’s recommendations will clash with the Government’s prioritiesLaura: Marc Daalder’s reporting on why the Government’s renewable energy promi
To cut Orr not to cut
This week on the Raw Politics podcast: The Government drops a new climate plan and inflation falls faster than expected-------------------Recommendations:Emma: The exclusive TVNZ interview with Darleen Tana, where she claims she's been silenced and isolated but doesn't give straight answers to big questionsMarc: A scoop from his hated rival, RNZ climate correspondent Eloise Gibson, on the Governme
Greens and Peters defy political gravity
On this week’s Raw Politics podcast: Why the Greens' annus horribilis hasn't sunk them in the polls, plus Biden, Peters, Luxon, ageing and diplomacy-------------------Recommendations:Laura: The scoop from The Post on the leaked internal safety bulletin that shows Aratere crew couldn’t turn off its autopilot (as Winston Peters kinda suggested)Tim: RNZ political reporter Anneke Smith's scoop obtaini
The Government's big purge
On this week's episode of the Raw Politics podcast: Who might be next as the cleanout of senior public servants and directors gathers momentum.-------------------Recommendations: Emma – a piece from Australia's ABC: Disability organisations 'on life support' say budget cuts will force them to wind back servicesTim – Our Newsroom foreign affairs editor Sam Sachdeva’s analysis of just what important
The glasses clink in the coalition bunker
In this week’s episode of Newsroom’s weekly politics podcast, we ask who needs evidence for policies, we talk ferries and pull apart the latest polls-------------------Recommendations:Marc – A telling article from the US on Heatmap about that country’s troubles building one big power line:Laura – An Associated Press backgrounder on what led to thousands storming Kenya’s Parliament in what started
A-listers only for hustler Luxon
In this week’s episode of Newsroom’s weekly politics podcast, we look at the PM’s foot-in-mouth over low-level business types, scrutinise Scrutiny Week and work out what species we should pay up to save-------------------Recommendations:Tim – A good look in The Guardian at the political weaponising of videos of Joe Biden – and Donald Trump to a degree – looking old and bewilderedMarc – The New Yor
A one-term government?
In this week’s episode of Newsroom’s weekly politics podcast, we look at the chance of a Labour rebound, NZ's climate retreat and problems for Act.-------------------Recommendations: Laura – A documentary from the late Stuff Circuit team on Chinese interference in New ZealandTim – An American corporate/conservative view on the import of the European elections, by Gerard Baker, ex editor of the Wa
What’s really going on with Te Pāti Māori
In this week’s episode of Newsroom’s weekly politics podcast, we look at the allegations against Te Pāti Māori over the misuse of personal data, and unpick the party’s political strategy.-------------------Recommendations: Tim – Professor Chris Jackson’s commentary for Newsroom on the flaws in the Government’s failed promise to fund 13 new cancer drugs from this Budget.Marc – Bill McKibben’s lates
Nicola prescribes a tummy tuck
In this week’s episode of Newsroom’s weekly politics podcast, we peer over a fiscal cliff and search for the hits and misses of Budget 2024.-------This week's recommendations: Laura - Joel MacManus' hilarious Spinoff Budget debate sketch from the HouseMarc - Tim Murphy's view on Newsroom of Nicola Willis' big Budget speechTim – Tova O'Brien's story from the Budget lock-up revealing Willis overstat
Is that a tax boost in your pocket?
National promised a “back pocket boost” when it unveiled a tax package before the election, and now in Government in tough economic times its Budget next week will sort the easy promises from reality.The tax bracket changes and other in-work and family payment adjustments might need to land with a thump rather than a flutter for hard-pressed Kiwi households – but that isn’t easy to achieve.-------
Crime and (perceptions of) conflict
In this week’s episode of Newsroom’s weekly politics podcast, the Press Gallery office patches in the Christchurch studio to discuss a big law and order announcement and Shane Jones’ undeclared dinner.---------------------Read more:Jones’ undeclared dinner had two more mining industry attendees https://newsroom.co.nz/2024/05/15/jones-undeclared-dinner-had-two-more-mining-industry-attendees/ Mega-p
The return of... Raw Politics (SEASON 2)
Exhausted by the general election campaign, horrified by the twilight zone of coalition negotiations, distracted by the silly season and waiting for the honeymoon to begin, Raw Politics has been in hibernation since October.From today, we’re back. Our weekly political video show and podcast returns for a second season, and in a week with ups and downs for almost all the parties in Parliament.With
Haere Ra to all that
This week on the Raw Politics podcast: How good a PM might Christopher Luxon be, why Chris Hipkins shouldn't think of quitting, the Greens and Te Pāti Māori the big winners, and silence from Winston.Raw Politics signs off for 2023 with our panel's take on the government that might emerge from an election that had something for everyone, other than the Labour Party.Some raw takes: National's victor
Best and worst of the campaign
This week on the Raw Politics podcast: The final polls and what to expect on Saturday evening, plus how long it might take for a new government, and our nominations for best and worst political plays, and individual performers.It's almost time for a curtain call.The Raw Politics season nears its end, with the penultimate episode trying to make sense of the latest polls and how that will affect the
Winston’s late insurance policy
This week on the Raw Politics podcast: We ask if Covid and isolation has sucked the life out of Labour and Chris Hipkins' campaign, we wonder if fringe parties might do a deal to send their voters to NZ First and ask what's been eating National campaign chair Chris Bishop.Every week, Newsroom editors and political journalists talk through the big issues and scrutinise politicians’ performances in
Act and NZ First grab the steering wheel
This week on the Raw Politics podcast: We look at what common wins might await New Zealand First and Act if National needs them both post-election; Plus How good are the Greens in the polls, and do overseas votes count for much?Much of the focus of the political week has been on the three parties of the centre-right bloc, given National's Christopher Luxon accepting he might have to negotiate post
Hipkins' strange failure to fire
This week on the Raw Politics podcast: We ask why Labour leader Chris Hipkins has failed to fire, as his party would have hoped, in this campaign so far. Plus: this week's debate, the latest polls and how relatively good economic news changes things in the run-up to election day.Every week, Newsroom editors and political journalists talk through the big issues and scrutinise politicians’ performan
What pricked Act's bubble?
This week on the Raw Politics podcast: Who to believe over the state of the nation's books, and why the public might not even care; Plus What's eating the Act Party as its historic highs in the polls fade at a critical time?Both major political parties used the opening of the books this week to claim that their theories on the state of our economy and their solutions deserve your vote. Things are
Things get personal
This week on the Raw Politics podcast: Lame attack ads, how the infiltration the Labour campaign launch backfired, who's got all the money and how are they spending it - and why did Christopher Luxon discard his ceremonial Pasifika necklace?One week down in the election campaign proper, and the Raw Politics panel looks at who's got off to the best start.The two main parties got diverted almost fro
Let the campaign begin!
This week on the Raw Politics podcast: Tax, fiscal holes, and disinformation. Plus: With just 43 days until the election, how is the campaign shaping up?Raw Politics ponders how National’s $14.6 billion tax plan landed both politically and in real terms for those who will benefit from the proposed tax relief. Then we cast forward to the campaign launches this weekend in Auckland where Labour and N
Labour’s underdog needs some bite
This week on the Raw Politics podcast: The latest 1News poll confirms Labour really is the underdog now. Plus: Will National's 'diverse' party list lead to a diverse caucus after the election?Raw Politics tries to make sense of a wild political week in which a senior National MP threw in the towel with some glancing blows and faint praise, one of his colleagues was found guilty of being "objective
The only numbers that matter now to Hipkins
This week on the Raw Politics podcast: What's wrong with Labour governing by focus group, if its GST and parental leave policies help it win back support? And National is about to release its party list for the election with little room to diversify its team.Raw Politics pulls back the curtains on Labour's blitz of populist policy announcements - to discover that while they're 'in it for you', the
Politicians and things we'll never see
This week on the Raw Politics podcast: Why is it so hard to believe any party when they promise tens of billions of spending in NZ over many decades? And, we ask if it really matters to get to 100 percent renewable energy in this country.Raw Politics takes on two big, bold but unlikely spending goals outlined by the Government this week - the multi-billion dollar plan for cross-harbour tunnels in
What the heck's Labour holding back?
This week on the Raw Politics podcast: National rolls out its tried, trusted – and a bit exaggerated – spend-up on roads, Labour promises to patch things up, and the polls reflect a new reality with NZ First.Raw Politics drives over National's future roads of national significance and analyses why the party keeps going back to that policy well, election after election. There must be polling data b
The ghosts of ministers past
This week on the Raw Politics podcast: What are the longer-term ramifications for Labour of minister Kiri Allan's arrest and resignation? Plus a big reversal on climate policy, and how to handle opinionated public board members.Raw Politics examines how the Kiri Allan saga leaves Labour this close to the election. Newsroom co-editor Tim Murphy suggests it might be a point where a shapeless campaig
Tragedy prompts a temporary truce
Raw Politics examines how our political leaders responded to the highly public tragedy in central Auckland and how long they will be able to refrain from arguing about blame and recriminations.The Prime Minister, Leader of the Opposition and party leaders in the House concentrated, correctly, on condolences to those who had lost family in the double killing and shooting of seven others. They expli
Life, death and Labour ruling out taxes
This week on the Raw Politics podcast: Two polls show different fortunes for the major parties but still a tight election, and Labour steps away from the ledge on a wealth and capital gains tax.Raw Politics is out a day early for the long Matariki weekend, with in-depth discussion on the latest polling and the impacts on Labour of its half-hearted dalliance with a wealth and capital gains tax.What
Can the Greens save the left?
This week on the Raw Politics podcast: Can the Greens save Labour and the left bloc between now and the election, and Mr Hipkins goes to Brussels.On the eve of the Green Party's annual meeting, the Raw Politics team looks at its leader James Shaw, its policies so far and what it might do to bolster the left bloc's chances of retaining power.This time a year ago Shaw faced an effective vote of no c
When 'robust' is just too robust
This week on the Raw Politics podcast: Another week, another two ministerial issues for Chris Hipkins, plus: is Labour's funding for universities too little, too late, and are there votes in National's criminal sentencing plans?Political editor Jo Moir is in China and national affairs editor Sam Sachdeva is in Europe, so this week Tim Murphy is joined by senior political writer Marc Daalder and Th
Bonfire of the ministers
This week on the Raw Politics podcast: Are the wheels falling off the Labour light rail car, is the government's battery running low or is a fatalism at work leading to the run of ministerial errors and embarrassments.The Raw Politics team tries to fathom the strange cases of Michael Wood, Stuart Nash and their errant colleagues who have inexplicably started to drag down their new leader and gover
The 'fart now, pay later' edition
This week on the Raw Politics podcast: Has National and the country given up on farm emissions? When does Labour throw a punch? And more from the whiny, wet, negative land called NZ.The Raw Politics team is joined by Newsroom senior political writer Marc Daalder this week, just in time to discuss National's big call to delay making farmers pay for agricultural emissions and to weigh up whether NZ
Labour's free range ministers
This week on the Raw Politics podcast: Whatever did Chris Hipkins do to deserve the absent-minded, busy, superior minister Michael Wood, and which electoral reforms deserve to be adopted.The Raw Politics team shakes its collective head at Transport Minister Michael Wood and wonders what he could possibly have been thinking to land his leader in a political bushfire so close to an election. Wood's
A race relations muddle and housing feud
This week on the Raw Politics podcast: National struggles to deal with race relations and Labour and National fall out over housing density - plus the risk of a caucus breakdown for ACT.The Raw Politics team takes a look at how National's leader and MPs are dealing with questions at public meetings that have a race relations element to them and whether it's a problem for other parties too.We also
Luxon, Hipkins reveal themselves & generative AI in politics
This week on the Raw Politics podcast: The leaders front up - Chris Hipkins to his party's annual congress for the first time, and Christopher Luxon to a nationwide 'back on track' roadshow; Plus the risks of AI in political advertising.The Raw Politics team marks a couple of election year milestones: the governing party's annual meeting and the start of the National Party leader's national speaki
Labour rebrands itself, Luxon’s business whispers
Labour rebrands as 'The Chris Hipkins Government', Christopher Luxon faces a tired old rumour mill - and a Budget that makes small points well.Every Friday, Jo Moir, Sam Sachdeva and Tim Murphy talk through the big issues and scrutinise politicians’ performances in a lively 25-minute show aiming to take viewers and listeners inside the actions and motivations of our elected leaders.Moir is Newsroo
Budget billions, Act and a coalition of chaos
This week on the Raw Politics podcast: Grant Robertson's eye-of-a-needle Budget narrow political options, plus Act's disciplined caucus amid chaos.The politics is raw and so is the pre-Budget analysis this week - as we take a Budget-adjacent look at what lies in store for the country and the parties next week.The Finance Minister Grant Robertson is already signalling a uniquely difficult setting f
An out-of-party experience
This week on the Raw Politics podcast: How the defection of a minister changes political equations for the election and coalition building, the endless nothingness of the republican debate and a futile Act in Tamaki.Meka Whaitiri's waka jumping from Labour to Te Pāti Māori was a political play in two acts.Act 1 was her dramatic and emotional announcement at her home marae, signalling in great har
Greens eat themselves
This week on the Raw Politics podcast: What's eating the Greens, in what should be a big year for them? And Jo Moir tells us how Chris Hipkins came across as our chief statesman on his Aussie trip.The Green Party was supposed to be releasing its final party list on Friday, but it's riven with caucus dissension and gossipy emissions to media. Raw Politics this week hears what's going wrong and how
Making kids less dumb, National's shame
On this week's Raw Politics video and podcast: Why the flurry of activity by the Government on school achievement and education reforms? And how does National ever get control over its scandal-prone candidate list? All of a sudden, Labour is changing its policies on schools and student achievement. The Raw Politics panel analyses its two announcements to recruit more teachers for Years 4 to 8, and
National’s fitness to govern, and rebranding Three Waters
It's six months exactly until New Zealanders go to the polls. We've heard a lot this year about Chris Hipkins' Labour Party, with National largely shaded. But how prepared, in policy and capability, is Christopher Luxon's team to possibly take power after October 14?The panel also weighs whether renaming and renumbering the entities in the water reform programme will help the Government shift the
Goodbye Jacinda, hello recession?
This week the team reflect on Jacinda's valedictory speech, break down the OCR changes and examine whether the recent changes to lobbying rules actually make a difference.Raw Politics is Newsroom's election year weekly video podcast, with Tim Murphy, Jo Moir and Sam Sachdeva. Every Friday, near the end of the political week, the three will dissect the big issues and put politicians’ performances u
Stuart Nash getting sacked, Jacinda's valedictory speech and more
Welcome to Raw Politics. Today Newsroom launches our new, election year weekly video podcast, with Tim Murphy, Jo Moir and Sam Sachdeva.Every Friday, near the end of the political week, the three will dissect the big issues and put politicians’ performances under the microscope in a lively 20 minute show aiming to take viewers and listeners inside the beltway.This week we discuss Stuart Nash's pol
