Duncan Garner - Editor In Chief

Debbie Ngarewa-Packer dropped the C-bomb and got booted from Parliament, while Willie Jackson followed right behind her. We ask whether it’s a genuine double standard or pure political theater from Te Pāti Māori. Plus, National is threatening to forcibly break up the supermarket duopoly. We look at whether Nicola Willis has abandoned core party principles just to chase a short-term electoral bounce. Retail NZ Chief Executive Carolyn Young, Jordan Williams, and ex-National MP Maurice Williamson join the show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Three years of cost-of-living pain, and what do we get? Election-year gimmicks. National wants to forcibly break up Foodstuffs, Labour wants to cap profits, and the Greens want the state behind the checkout. We look at why none of these political fixes will lower your grocery bill, and share a devastating message from a Kiwi who has lost all faith in our nation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The latest rolling polls show both major parties stuck in the 20s, with voters turning away from the standard blue-versus-red match-up. National’s lost ground, Labour hasn't gained it, and the minor parties are now calling the shots. Duncan Garner, Ani O'Brien, and Ashley Church break down why MMP fragmentation could derail election night. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Every time Willie Jackson opens his mouth, Labour drops in the polls. From co-governance to spending and failing to explain his own party's capital gains tax policy, Willie has become a walking liability. Does Chris Hipkins actually have authority over his own party? Plus, we talk to the Cannabis Clinic about how new roadside drug testing is catching out Kiwis using legal, prescribed medication. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

British author, academic, and free speech advocate Andrew Doyle joins Duncan Garner in the studio while on tour with the Free Speech Union to deliver an urgent warning to New Zealand. Looking at the United Kingdom as a cautionary tale, Andrew breaks down staggering stats from a recent Big Brother Watch report revealing 62,000 arrests for offensive speech between 2021 and 2025. That is roughly 30 people a day arrested for opinions, online posts, and even satirical jokes. Duncan and Andrew dive into the chilling reality of non-crime hate incidents, police ideological training, and how police guidelines are shifting away from fundamental equality before the law. They examine real-world cases, including comedy writer Graham Linehan’s arrest at Heathrow Airport by armed officers over Twitter posts, and a former police officer fined for a satirical meme. Andrew warns that expanding protected characteristics to include religious belief in New Zealand could severely compromise satire, parody, and free thought. Is New Zealand already setting up the framework to head down the exact same path? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wellington ratepayers are shelling out $280,000 for a Chief Māori Officer, which is $78,000 more than the city’s mayor takes home. Over in the regional council, there is another executive doing the same work for over $200,000. We look at why ratepayers are funding duplicate bureaucracy in a cost-of-living crisis and ask where the actual outcomes are. Former minister Maurice Williamson and Ani O'Brien join the show to break down council spending. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aucklanders are getting hammered by rates, congestion, and failing infrastructure, yet Auckland Transport is advertising for a Head of Māori Outcomes reporting straight to the CEO. A passenger is a passenger, and standard public transport should deliver one service for everyone. We look at how bloated public sector bureaucracy keeps expanding while the basics remain broken. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We take a look at the extraordinary entry numbers coming out of Otago Medical School. Around 90% of Māori applicants receive offers compared to just 31% in the general category, turning away candidates with superior grades. David Seymour joins us after being briefed on a secret report into race-based admissions. He says it fails to justify the policy, so why won't the government release it to the public? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Winston Peters has just thrown a hand grenade into the superannuation debate. New Zealand First wants to change the rules so that from 2029 you must be a New Zealand citizen to qualify for NZ Super. Right now, permanent residents can get it after meeting residency requirements. We speak with New Zealand First candidate Craig Stobo about why they are pushing for this change and whether our current welfare model is sustainable. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Greens want to spend $6 billion on a government-owned supermarket chain, acquiring 120 stores to give us cheaper groceries. But is KiwiMart a genius fix or an expensive fantasy? We break down why forcing private businesses out won't magically lower your checkout bill. Plus, Retail NZ’s Carolyn Young joins us to reveal the real costs, huge legal risks, and what this means for Kiwis. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This election is starting to look less like two competing visions and more like a choice between dumb and dumber. National’s telling us to wait while spending $20 billion more than Labour’s last budget, but Labour is turning up with an uncosted $21 billion shopping list. Chris Hipkins refuses to show us the money, Willie Jackson says they didn't spend enough, and everyday Kiwis are left carrying the bill. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A real estate agent with a 30-year career faces a lifetime ban for refusing to take a compulsory 90-minute course on tikanga Māori. She lost her license not for misconduct, but for holding firm to her personal beliefs. We ask when regulators got the power to take away a person's right to work over a compulsory course. Plus, interest rates go up again. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Labour has a massive problem 10 weeks out from the election. Between ditching fuel tax increases, entertaining pay equity claims, and relying on capital gains tax that will not bring in revenue for years, their numbers just do not add up. We look at how Willie Jackson is pouring fuel on the fire by telling unions Labour was too conservative on spending, completely torpedoing Chris Hipkins' message. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Willie Jackson just let the cat out of the bag on co-governance. Labour hasn't dropped the policy; they are just planning to rebrand it under a new name to avoid scaring voters. We break down what this deceit means for middle New Zealand, why Chris Hipkins seems unable to control his Māori caucus, and how voters are reacting as National and Labour lock into a dead heat. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

An elected representative in the Far North gets voted off a major committee after challenging council decisions and raising questions on co-governance. Far North District Councillor Davina Smolders joins us to explain how she was ambushed, denied natural justice, and shut down during debate. We ask where the government is on local democracy and why elected members are being punished for doing the job ratepayers voted them to do. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Opportunities Party just backed away from their controversial tax policy, admitting a minor party can't force through massive economic shifts. We break down what this tax reset means for homeowners, farmers, and your back pocket. Plus, our panel tackles National's strict no-new-taxes stance, the push for council rate caps, and why level crossings are about to gridlock Auckland traffic. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We have been given exclusive access to the raw data showing how kids are doing at every high school across the country. The numbers have been crunched, and it turns out over 13,000 kids leave school every year without a single qualification. Socioeconomic gaps are widening, and boys are falling way behind girls. Educationalist Alwyn Poole joins us to break down what is going wrong and who needs to fix it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Opportunity Party leader Qiulae Wong joins us for a 30-minute interview on TOP’s radical tax reset. TOP wants to fund a $19,000 universal basic income by heavily taxing land, but it could drop house values by 15%. Is this an economic gamble New Zealand cannot afford? We break down the policy, Christopher Luxon ruling them out, and what this means for homeowners. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The government has introduced a bill banning social media for under-16s, and it is about time. Big tech platforms care about eyeballs and profits, not the health and safety of our kids. With one in three NZ teenagers spending five-plus hours a day scrolling, we ask why the two main parties must unite to pass this law. Minister Erica Stanford joins Duncan to break it down. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chris Hipkins says Labour will balance the books, but he will not tell us how he pays for his promises until later in the year. Meanwhile, National claims to cut costs, yet they are spending $20 billion more than Labour did. Jordan Williams from the Taxpayers' Union joins Duncan to break down why neither side’s numbers add up. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices