The Trans Tasman Pol Pod Episode 11

The Government went into overdrive to hype up the city deal it has agreed with Auckland, but Mayor Wayne Brown is less impressed, saying the best Auckland has achieved is it might prevent stupid ideas from being implemented by the Government. The Green Party says while it is relieved the cause of the recent 'boil water' notice in Auckland was easily addressed, more action is needed to deal with the regular and widespread contamination of drinking water elsewhere in the country. Emergency Management Minister Mark Mitchell and Chris Luxon again helped prove the Government has the chops in a crisis, with their calm and considered approach to the “cyclone” Vainunu situation. BusinessNZ and leaders across the export sector are calling on all political parties to back the India FTA, warning the country cannot afford to miss a major economic opportunity.Associate Education Minister David Seymour has been talking up the “success” of the Charter school programme he has championed. He's pushing data showing there are 1,471 students enrolled in 16 charter schools – a microscopic proportion of the close to 860,000 students enrolled in schools across the country. Te Pāti Māori has expressed deep concerns the Electoral (District Boundaries) Amendment Bill will restrict the representation of Māori roll voters until 2032 and beyond if it is not amended. And with the Iran war dragging on and the global situation more tense than it has been for years, foreign policy is a crucial issue. I'm joined now by Labour's Vanushi Walters, the party's Foreign affairs and intelligence agency spokeswoman: