Duncan Garner - Editor In Chief

The TOP party is surging in the polls and closing in on parliament, and it's not hard to see why. Kiwis are feeling the pinch right now and the frustration with our broken systems is reaching a boiling point. We are watching power bills climb by twelve percent while massive infrastructure projects get flipped and flopped by successive governments. This has opened a massive door for alternative ideas as voters look for a way out of the usual political gridlock. In this episode, We sit down with leader Qiulae Wong to look at their radical tax reset and see if they can actually break the mold. Get in touch with Duncan - [email protected] and join us on the socials. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Greens want us all to pay more tax, but nothing is stopping them from voluntarily paying more right now. Their co-leaders get paid $200,000 each courtesy of the taxpayer, yet they build policies around hunting down everyday Kiwis who work hard to get ahead. We talk to our panel, Janet Wilson and Ashley Church, about fiscal holes, political survival, and why the latest wealth tax policy is built on pure envy. Get in touch with Duncan - [email protected] and join us on the socials. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The latest 1News Verian poll should send an absolute chill through both Labour and National headquarters. Together, the two major parties command just 61 percent of the vote, their lowest combined support since MMP began in 1996. Voters are sick of the same old cautious management and are walking straight into the arms of the smaller parties. We dig into the numbers with Jordan Williams from the Taxpayers’ Union to ask why New Zealanders have had a gutful of the political duopoly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The latest 1News Verian poll should send an absolute chill through both Labour and National headquarters. Together, the two major parties command just 61 percent of the vote, their lowest combined support since MMP began in 1996. Voters are sick of the same old cautious management and are walking straight into the arms of the smaller parties. We dig into the numbers with Jordan Williams from the Taxpayers’ Union to ask why New Zealanders have had a gutful of the political duopoly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We have a massive $120.6 million cash injection on the table for our struggling community GPs, and a group of Māori health providers has flatly rejected it. Why? Because the government updated the funding formula to focus entirely on health needs, deprivation, and rural isolation rather than race. I ask how funding people based on how sick they are is a step backwards. It sounds like total common sense to me. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Greens are back-pedalling on their tax policies, but are they still dreaming? We dive into the wealth tax reality, the sudden push for compulsory KiwiSaver, and why our public service seems to be actively working against government plans. Duncan, Ani, and Ashley break down the major ideological battles dominating New Zealand right now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We are finally seeing a pushback against the absurd woke compliance industry that has crept into our workplaces and professional regulators. Why should a real estate agent or nurse risk losing their livelihood over a lawful opinion? ACT leader David Seymour joins us to break down his new legislation aimed at stopping ideological gatekeeping. Plus, we look at public service growth and whether the economy is turning a corner. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Parliament burned through more than $200 million in 2025, and domestic travel alone cost taxpayers $3.4 million in just nine months. While everyday Kiwis are tightening their belts through a cost-of-living crisis, politicians are living in a false reality. We chat with Ella Dixon from the Taxpayers’ Union about the shocking double standards and the lack of political restraint. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Over fifteen years after twenty-nine men died unnecessarily in the Pike River mine, we still do not have real accountability. Former lawyer Christopher Harder has spent six years and eleven thousand unpaid hours fighting to uncover the truth behind the unlawful deal that dropped charges against the mine's boss. We look at the hidden documents that could change everything. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Labour has snuck out a policy to ditch national reading, writing, and maths assessments in primary schools, and Education Minister Erica Stanford is furious. Parents want to know where their kids are at, but Labour wants to scrap the tests and hand control back to the unions. We catch up with Erica to find out why this sneaky move is a massive step backwards for our kids. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The media is in a slow-motion car crash, and Stuff just made a massive, controversial play. Longtime political commentator and PR man Matthew Hooton is the new editor of The Post in Wellington. He is blunt, he openly hates public servants, and he is definitely not going quietly. We sit down with David Farrar to ask: Is this a masterstroke or absolute madness? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

National promised us a leaner state with 8,200 public service job cuts, but the latest numbers show the bureaucracy is actually blowing out. In just three months, nearly 1,000 new full-time positions were added to the core public service. We look at how this hiring spree breaks government promises, impacts the budget surplus, and why the numbers just do not match the political spin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nicola Willis goes on the offensive to smoke Labour out over a massive $18.2 billion fiscal hole. We pull apart their shaky new public transport policy after a painful interview exposed numbers that simply do not stack up. Plus, former lawyer Christopher Harder joins us ahead of Wednesday to break down shocking allegations of a top-level conspiracy and doctored documents over Pike River. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A brand new political poll is out, and the numbers are completely locked in stone. We ask if Labour has peaked and whether the Opportunities Party can actually break the five percent threshold this time around. Plus Duncan, Ani O'Brien, and Maurice Williamson dissect Labour's new list and look at the real numbers behind their massive transport announcement. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The latest Taxpayers Union Curia poll has dropped, and while Labour is technically ahead, they are losing the argument. Duncan breaks down why Chris Hipkins is stuck in the doldrums and failing to win trust when it matters most. Plus, we take a look at the public transport policy that is falling apart under intense scrutiny. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Labour is promising a massive public transport cap for 1.3 million Kiwis, but they claim it only costs 65 million bucks. The math does not stack up, and the front bench cannot show their workings. Plus, Education Minister Erica Stanford joins us to explain how she took school property away from an incompetent Ministry of Education to build basic, warm classrooms without the architectural vanity projects. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duncan stands up in court to face the music after getting caught driving 12 days short of his suspension ending. He takes full responsibility for getting the timeline wrong but calls out the breathless media coverage. Plus, we look at how confusing NZ license laws are and why rural Kiwis get hammered harder. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Justice Select Committee finally reported back on the coward punch legislation, and it is a massive letdown. Despite big promises to get tough on one-punch thugs, they completely failed to recommend mandatory minimum sentences. We talk to Mike Angove from the Walk Without Fear Trust about how everyday Kiwis have been handed a complete pup by parliament. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Labour's new party list is out, and it looks less like a fresh start and more like a job protection scheme for politicians who have already been rejected by the public. We break down the lineup with pollster David Farrar to see who is safe and who got sidelined. Plus, we look at a staggering $230,000 advisor role at ACC that proves the message about government spending cuts is clearly not getting through. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The word racist is being thrown around far too easily these days, and it is quickly becoming completely meaningless. Tainui leader Tukoroirangi Morgan is labeling this the most racist government ever, claiming National is stripping away Māori rights at the Waitangi Tribunal. But has he suffered a massive memory fade? We look at the actual facts of what has been lost. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tainui leader Tukoroirangi Morgan has claimed at the Waitangi Tribunal that Christopher Luxon's National-led government is the most racist New Zealand has ever seen. Duncan Garner says it is time to call this out and hold Tuku's feet to the fire because the claim simply doesn't survive contact with reality. To call this political landscape the most discriminatory in our history means completely forgetting the past. We look back at the Foreshore and Seabed legislation under Helen Clark's Labour government, which actually stripped Māori of their legal rights to have customary claims tested in court. That was real discrimination that fractured relationships and birthed the Māori Party. This current government continues to fund Māori language education, kura kaupapa schools, Te Māngai Pāho, housing projects, and fully protects the budget for Te Matatini while other departments face massive cuts. Disagree with co-governance debates all you want, but calling this racial persecution is ridiculous. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

National is finally closing the loophole that allows unelected members of the public to get voting rights on council committees. Local Government Minister Simon Watts has moved to stop it, but let’s be honest, it’s the bare minimum. We talk to ACT MP Cameron Luxton, who drafted the original bill months ago, about why National took so long to protect our democracy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chris Hipkins has repeatedly said ministers were not told about key health concerns around the Covid vaccine rollout for 12 to 15 year olds. But a new tranche of official papers appears to move the timeline back. Duncan Garner has covered this issue before. This episode is the update. The new documents suggest Hipkins may have been closer to the information than previously understood, including a vaccine ministers meeting on August 13, 2021, which he chaired, and later references to myocarditis risk being removed from official communications. Aly Cook joins Duncan to walk through the latest paperwork, what it shows, what remains unanswered, and why she believes it goes directly to Hipkins’ credibility. This is not about being pro vaccine or anti vaccine. It is about trust, transparency, and whether New Zealand parents were given the full picture. Watch the full episode and tell us what you think. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is really going on at the Far North District Council? Duncan Garner is joined by councillor Davina Smolders, who says major governance changes are being pushed through without proper public scrutiny. She raises concerns over unelected iwi representatives getting voting rights on a council committee, ratepayer-funded requests, new Mana Whakahono ā Rohe agreements, and language recognising Ngāpuhi sovereignty. Smolders says another five agreements could be signed soon and argues the public deserves to know exactly what these deals mean before they are locked in. Duncan asks the big questions. What power do these agreements actually create? Why has there been no proper consultation? And when will the Government step in? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The government wants us to think they are being caring but responsible with this budget, but the economists aren't buying it. We look past the 30 press releases to find out what this means for your back pocket. From a sneaky new banking tax on savers to kicking real savings down the road, we break down why the math just doesn't add up. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A special weekend episode of Duncan Garner: Editor in Chief, with two sharp cuts from two very different conversations. First, Duncan talks to Aly Cook about documents she says raise serious questions about the youth Covid vaccine rollout, myocarditis safety information, and what Labour ministers knew at the time. The central question is blunt: if key safety information was kept out of public communications, were parents ever given the full picture? Then Ashley Church and Maurice Williamson join Duncan for a Budget 2026 breakdown. Maurice digs into the numbers and questions whether the Government’s spending forecasts stack up, especially around police funding. Ashley looks at the politics of the Budget and whether National has finally read the room. This episode is about trust, transparency, spending, debt, police, and whether voters are being told the truth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The dust is settling on Budget 2026, and we are digging past the political marketing to look at the real maths. Nicola Willis delivered a masterclass in selling a narrative, but when you look closely at the numbers, things look incredibly heroic. We break down the magic show, look at the massive debt track, and reveal the inexplicable cuts hidden deep in the police budget. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It is Budget Day in New Zealand, and we are looking at the brutal truth behind the numbers. Nicola Willis says the adults are back in charge of the books, but is this just creative accounting? We look at how banking public service cuts, before they even happen, are the only reason we are getting back to surplus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We are told the country is broke, and every day Kiwis need to tighten their belts ahead of the budget. Yet Social Development Minister Louise Upston is claiming over $1,000 a week in taxpayer-funded allowance for a Wellington apartment she owns outright. It is completely legal, but it fails the sniff test. We break down the political hypocrisy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The cost of living crisis is keeping families awake at night all across New Zealand. Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick steps into the studio with me to look at the massive gap between the rich and the poor, the reality of loan sharks targeting vulnerable Kiwis, and why she thinks our current economic model needs a total shakeup. Chlöe shares her personal journey with financial stress and explains why she believes the system is rigged against regular workers. This episode was made possible thanks to our friends at enable.me Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Labour wants New Zealanders to buy into a massive new Future Fund, but they refuse to tell us what assets are actually in it until after the election. Chris Hipkins claims voters do not want the details, but we think you deserve transparency when billions of dollars are on the line. Plus, researcher Aly Cook joins the show with a paper trail that completely challenges Hipkins' timeline on what he knew about youth vaccine risks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the podcast today, Duncan looks into New Zealand’s staggering government spending. With another massive budget rolling out, why hasn't this government made the tough decisions to effect meaningful change? Duncan, Ashley Church, and Maurice Williamson break down our addiction to taxpayer cash, a bloated public service, and why the politicians are too terrified to rein it in. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We are diving deep into a massive local issue that could break the back of New Zealand’s business. A local tribe in Tauranga is demanding up to half a billion dollars in compensation over the expansion of the Port of Tauranga. Duncan chats with Regional Development Minister Shane Jones about whether national infrastructure is being held to ransom and what this means for our economy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Labour is playing a dangerous game of politics by camouflaging six months out from the election. Chris Hipkins and Carmel Sepuloni are refusing to front with any concrete policy, hoping voters will forget six years of failure. Plus, we reveal the exclusive results from our editor-in-chief poll on the proposed public service job cuts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The sky is not falling in, but the public service is finally getting a much-needed reset with eight thousand workers set to go. Duncan breaks down why this is a serious correction to a problem that exploded under the previous government. Plus, Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour joins the show to explain why these budget savings are locked in and what it means for the future of Wellington. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today on the podcast, we look at the government's latest promise to cut down the size of the public service. Duncan breaks down why this feels like a rerun and questions if it highlights a first-time failure. Plus, Education Minister Erica Stanford joins us to discuss her major curriculum reforms and new primary school funding. We also check out your feedback on Winston Peters' big policy bombs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Winston Peters is back in the headlines with a couple of massive policy ideas, but we reckon he is only half right. While making KiwiSaver compulsory is a smart move that is long overdue to fix our retirement time bomb, his plan to buy back the BNZ for billions is total nostalgia dressed up as economic policy. Maurice Williamson and Ashley Church join us to break down the madness. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We dig into a private Ngāi Tahu newsletter that Duncan says is full of corporate puffery designed to hide the truth about a $180 million mining standoff. Plus, Maurice Williamson and Jordan Williams join us to talk about the latest "too close to call" polls, why Aucklanders are facing record rate hikes, and if the government has the guts to be ruthless in the upcoming budget. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We are on a collision course with a massive 30 billion dollar problem. Duncan and economist Ed McKnight look at the uncomfortable truth about our retirement age and why it might have to hit 72 just to keep the lights on. They also discuss why no real change can happen while Winston Peters is in the room. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The latest political polls are out, and they are looking incredibly tight. Duncan breaks down why the chances of a hung parliament are rising and what a potential "three-headed monster" on the left would look like for your back pocket. We also catch up with Taupō District Councillor Christine Rankin to talk about the toxic state of co-governance and why she thinks the current government needs to find a backbone. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Te Pāti Māori is in total collapse, and we are witnessing the most rapid exit of a political movement in New Zealand history. Duncan breaks down the internal warfare and ego-driven leadership that squandered an extraordinary platform. We also catch up with pollster David Farrar to talk about Winston’s rise, Luxon’s personal numbers, and the recent scandal that rocked the Press Gallery. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duncan is opening up for the first time about what really happens behind the scenes at Parliament. He takes a deep dive into the exit of former TVNZ political editor Maiki Sherman and why he thinks she has been held to a completely different standard than anyone else. Duncan shares stories of his own 17 years in the press gallery to show how the rules really work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ani O’Brien joins Duncan to talk about the fallout from her reporting on former TVNZ political editor Mikey Sherman. She opens up about the brutal online backlash and why she is finally taking action against the trolls. We also dig into the toxic culture of the press gallery and why our state broadcaster might be fundamentally broken.= Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The gloves are coming off, and the coalition discipline is starting to fray in public. With the budget just weeks away, we are entering an unusually long and brutal campaign season. Duncan breaks down the latest poll of polls and asks the tough questions about National’s identity. Maurice Williamson and Janet Wilson join us to discuss whether New Zealanders actually feel better off today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duncan and the panel dive into the massive reaction following our interview with Chlöe Swarbrick. We hear from Andrew, a Dunedin business owner who says politicians are trading on "vibes" while real people pay the price. Plus, we discuss the government scrapping the BSA and the growing calls for a social media ban for under-16s. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’re diving deep into the state of New Zealand Politics. Duncan questions why we’re importing thousands of workers while 215,000 Kiwis sit on Job Seeker support. It’s lazy policymaking that leaves taxpayers picking up the bill while businesses avoid training locals. Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick joined us to discuss a very different path forward. She’s backing a wealth tax on the "tippy top" 3% of New Zealanders to fund income tax cuts for the other 91%. The ambition from the Greens is clear; they aren't content being the junior partner anymore. Chlöe has her sights set on the Finance Minister role, promising to "electrify everything" to bring down power bills and take a tougher stance on corporate profits. Whether New Zealanders are ready for such a radical shift in the tax system remains the big question for the upcoming election. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duncan sits down with Resources Minister Shane Jones to pull apart the reality of our new trade ties with India. We ask why New Zealand is pledging $30 billion in investment offshore while our own schools and roads are falling apart. Shane also weighs in on the Santana Gold Mine standoff and his plan to "incinerate" Treaty references that he says are holding our economy back. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Duncan takes a deep dive into the anatomy of the New Zealand media and why trust in legacy outlets is hitting new lows. He stayed silent on the story for so long. Duncan also addresses allegations made in Barry Soper’s new book, pointing out what he claims are significant omissions regarding the veteran journalist's own past. We are also joined by ACT Leader and Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour to discuss the party's latest immigration strategy. Seymour explains the push for a five-year welfare stand down for new residents and the introduction of an infrastructure levy to ensure migrants contribute to the country's growing needs. We also touch on the rising numbers of unskilled workers and the pressure on Auckland's infrastructure and schools. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duncan Garner takes aim at the growing fight over Santana Minerals’ proposed gold mine in Central Otago, after Ngāi Tahu opposed the project following reports of a $180 million figure being discussed. Duncan argues this is no ordinary consent battle. He says it goes to the heart of whether New Zealand is still a place where major projects can get built, investors can have certainty, and high paying regional jobs can actually exist. ACT MP and undersecretary Simon Court joins the show to discuss the Santana mine, the RMA changes coming through Parliament, and whether the Government’s reforms will stop what he calls “shakedowns” in the planning system. Duncan also shares the story of a local business owner giving up on New Zealand and heading to Australia to try his luck in the mines. Is this about protecting the environment, or has the system tipped too far? And if New Zealand keeps making it this hard to build, who will be left to pay the bills? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Winston Peters has just pulled a classic Winston move. By leaking sensitive emails and blindsiding Christopher Luxon, it looks like he’s trying to get himself kicked out of the coalition to play the martyr. We dive into why Luxon didn’t pull the trigger and what this means for the government's stability. We break down the coalition cracks and the $180 million gold mine standoff, and Maurice shares his frustration at seeing elected councillors outvoted by board members who don't have to face the ballot box. It is a deep dive into the accountability crisis currently hitting New Zealand's local and national politics. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices