The Iron Duke Podcast

This week on the Iron Duke Podcast, Jesse and Ben discuss what has been a big two weeks for the Coalition - in particular the growing tension between the National Party and New Zealand First. 

This week we return back to our standard format of peaks/pits, hots/nots. We discuss how Tova O'Brien is two-for-two on her new weekly segment with Prime Minister Luxon, the mining royalties for regions policy proposal, and the moralaties around banning greyhound racing. 

Continuing a run of ‘special episodes’, Jesse and Ben unpack the National Party’s ministerial reshuffle - the winners, the losers, and what it signals about the Government’s direction. Who knows, there may even be a couple of Easter Eggs in there too if you listen closely... 

This week we discuss the latest health sector results - which are surprisingly positive - as well as the latest on the emerging fuel crisis and how the Government and Reserve Bank is reacting to it. Note, listeners may need to turn volume up as we have an audio malfunction this week. 

This week on the poddy, the team break down the Government’s response to the fuel security crunch (and why our earlier calls are holding up), the proposed Datagrid investment in Southland, and how enabling transport tech could quickly turn into a mass-surveillance political hot potato.

This is our second in a round of special episodes on what is happening in Iran and how it is affecting us at home in New Zealand. This time around, we dive into Luxon's tough week at work with the media and discuss how this all may play out when it comes to election time. 

A special episode on what is happening in Iran and what this means for us at home in New Zealand. Note, this was recorded on the afternoon of Tuesday 3 March. The Iron Duke Podcast will continue to monitor the situation. Until then, we will see you next week. 

Double trouble this week with Jesse & Ben going head-to-head - discussing the critters in our rock pools, what this LNG stuff is all about, whether we care about the State of Origin, and the Inquiry into the RBNZ's monetary policy decision from the pandemic period.

Welcome back to 2026 — and it’s election year! This week we cover some of the big trends to watch, including the economy, privacy, and artificial intelligence. We also venture some hot takes on how the year will shake out. In a nutshell: Ozempic will ruin everything. 

This week we're joined by the big cheese himself - Phil O'Reilly. Join us as we whiz through the year in policy and politics.

For the Iron Duke Podcast's penultimate episode for the year of 2025, the team discuss whether our long summer break is too long, whether the RMA reform consultation period will not be long enough, and the state of the darn New Zealand media. The more positive stories of the day include the potential of growth of our economy going from green shoots to shrubs, Wellington Regional Council launching its own ticketing system and the role that solar panels can play for improving the resilience of our rural communities. Tune in next week for our final episode with a long-time-no-see special guest. 

Welcome to your weekly roundup of the biggest stories shaping New Zealand’s political and policy landscape. This week, we dive into the Green Party’s bold move on mining consents and what it means for investment confidence, dissect the Supreme Court’s game-changing ruling on Uber drivers and the ripple effects for the gig economy, and go inside the explosive police corruption report that’s rocking trust in law enforcement. We’ll also break down the government’s shift on clean car standards and what it means for EVs, give you the latest on Wellington’s big tunnel news, and unpack the ongoing drama within Te Pāti Māori. From constitutional controversy to quickfire takes on sustainability and party polls, we’ve got your peaks, your pits, and plenty in between.

We're back for another week of the Iron Duke podcast! We cover off the latest unemployment figures, the criticism the government is facing over its economic policies, new guidelines on carbon removals were praised and have a hearty debate over the potential for nuclear energy. That's before things get a tad touchy over everyone's favourite November affair... Fireworks

A week is a long time in politics! We're back running you through The Maori Party's internal strife, including allegations of overspending and misconduct. The potential impact of a Chinese invasion on Taiwan's TSMC - a key chip manufacturer for AI companies like NVIDIA. And of course, a good debate was to be had on the highly anticipated Labor Party policies, including that narrow capital gains tax to fund free GP visits.

This week we give Henry a break, while Jesse and Ben, along with ring-in international correspondent Maddy, delve into local body elections, the challenges of youth unemployment policies, implications of low voter turnout, the impact of centralization on local governance, and the controversial new parental income test for jobseeker support. The episode wraps up with what the gentlemen deem a critical topic - the importance of wearing ties in Parliament.

Welcome back to another episode of the Iron Duke Podcast. Our peaks this week include the well-overdue announcement of who our new RBNZ Governor will be, the opening of oil and gas exploration applications, and Brooke van Velden’s reforming of the Holiday Act. Our pits this week felt rather dire, including Treasury’s Long Term Fiscal Statement (it's not looking great), the outdated and expensive National Ticketing Solution, and the results from Mood of the Boardroom. 

This week on the Iron Duke Podcast we discuss our peaks, including the Government pouring in some more funding for bolstering major events in New Zealand, Kāinga Ora selling up their top tier Herne Bay villas and new theories coming out about how we can detangle the web of government agencies and ministerial portfolios. Our pits include the dire Q2 GDP stats, the assassination of Charlie Kirk and the subsequent reaction from around the world, and it's almost that frustrating time of year - daylight savings… tune in and we will see you next week. 

Another big episode as a podcasting team of four. This week we take you through changes in animal safety, the big sell off of New Zealand dairy brands, a new route to get more rich listers moving in next door, Peeni Henare's thoughts on gang patches, our thoughts on the big pay day for government board directors, Air New Luxon's chats with the Reserve Bank Governor, the usual yap about super markets and a new CONTENTIOUS topic has just dropped... cancelling Picton for Clifford Bay. 

This week we are delighted to have the newest voice of the Iron Duke Podcast with us, Ben Craven. His soothing voice and hot, sometimes justified, takes fit in well. In this episode we discuss peace talks, RUCs, electorates, education and the removal of te reo from easy reading books, more building and construction reform and New Zealand’s funky control towers.

This week on the Iron Duke Podcast we talk about the end of modern learning environments, some positive progress on NCEA results, the announcement of the Tāmaki Makaurau by-election date, the for some reason spicy topic of gene technology, further severe weather events and how we are responding to them and the not-so-good unemployment rate for younger people.

This week on the Iron Duke Podcast we discuss our peaks of the week, including the Government’s newly amended Family Boost for childcare policy, the revolutionary AI plan, and the charities that receive funding from crime proceeds. Our pits of the week include Oriini Kaipara seeking the TPM candidacy in Auckland’s Tāmaki Makaurau electorate, Chippy having a crack at the media for being bias, and how little the powers are for our bravest security guards.

Back after a little a post-Live Podcast hiatus. Our highs of the week are the new 24/7 telehealth service, Gensis energy looking to build another peaker plant and the harsher penalties for those who assault first responders. Our lows of the week include the Government banning all international online betting sites, potential removal of regional councils and who is pooing in school water supply? 

This week, we bring to you the live recording of the Iron Duke Podcast. Jesse, Maddy, and Henry dive into an interactive discussion with a live audience at the Wellington Club, tackling some of today’s big public policy challenges: the New Zealand energy system, social media, and superannuation.Note: Our mics couldn’t catch everything, so some audience questions and comments may be a little faint.

This week the team takes you through their peaks and pits of the week. This week we discuss Karen Chhour’s advocacy of safety measures for pets living in households with domestic violence, New Zealand’s first private Building Consent Authority and the post Budget 2025 polls, facial recognition in supermarkets, the future of hydrogen and a potential ban on fireworks.

Did the Budget cut deep enough?  The Iron Duke Podcast takes you through Budget 2025. The goods, the bads and the uglies.

This week on the Iron Duke Podcast we take you through our peaks including the Government’s new public EV charging infrastructure programme, the Australian election and the Crown now covering the fee to renew licenses for teachers. Our pits are Trump cutting off the universities/colleges, the conclusion of the Early Childhood Education review and the striking of 5000 doctors across the country.    

This week the Iron Duke team take you through Luxon’s speech on free trade, the shopping list for New Zealand’s new defence spending, Andrew Little entering the race for the Wellington Mayoralty, local government amalgamations, an update on Trump tariffs and this week’s spicy content – pregnant people…

All three of your favourite podcasters are back in the studio this week. Making us smile this week are the (marginally) improved education attendance stats, Nicola Willis threatening to drop the hammer on our uncompetitive supermarket duopoly and the King of Rail Winston Peters announcement regarding the Cook Strait ferries. The not so good include Trump breaking records with his approval ratings, LIBERATION DAY and Tamatha Paul’s comments about the poor old beat cops.  Once again, let us know if you are keen to come to our first LIVE PODCAST event and you may be able to wrangle yourself some free tickets.

Welcome back! This week the team discuss HealthNZ running their financials through a singular spreadsheet, the initial outcomes of Luxon’s Investment Summit, how New Zealand is ascending the rankings in best places to live as an expat, Labour’s continuous flip flop in view on public-private partnerships, the cat fight between Mayor Tory Whanau and Luxon and the the latest results of the Performance of Services index. We also give you the inside scoop on our first LIVE PODCAST event – listen in to see how you can get yourself some free tickets.

After a patchy start to the year, the Iron Duke podcasters are back in the studio giving you a run down on the latest in the world of policy and politics. We discuss Luxon’s mighty Investment Summit, the new Government Procurement Rules, school lunches, the wild west of online gambling and the not so flash looking polls for the Nats. See you next week!

After an unintended hiatus, Jesse and Henry are back with another episode of the Iron Duke Podcast. Given it seems like so much has happened in the last few weeks, we run you through the latest and greatest with Trump, Germany’s 2025 election, the Cook Islands, Chinese warships and (ex)Minister Andrew Bayly. A big episode today to get you all back on track with what is happening in the world of policy and politics.  

Happy New Year listeners and welcome back to another season of the Iron Duke Podcast. It’s good to be back.  We kick the year off with a download on Trump’s first week back in power, how DeepSeek has taken the AI world by storm, political chat around a potential privatisation of state assets, how the Government’s push to get digital nomads visiting New Zealand, the reversal of speed limits and the 80th  Anniversary of the Liberation of Auschwitz. The trio also pose a question to listeners around whether there would be interest in a monthly 45min deep dive into a single policy and politics topic – let us know!

To wrap up the year, the Iron Duke Studios team unravel all that was the year of 2024. 

A Jesse and Henry special this week while Maddy is abroad. We discuss Luxon’s performance and the changing priorities as the Coalition Government passes their first year in power, the benefits and future of the Healthy Homes programme, how maybe things are not quite as great over in Australia as some of our peers make out, and the latest in Auckland with Brown vs Brown.

Your Iron Duke trio are joined today by Jamie Miller, a former Executive Director and expert campaigner for the Republican Party in Florida. Jamie is also an author and continues to write on the Reasonable Arguments Substack. We discuss with our first ever international guest what happened in the US election, including on the ground insights from Florida, where Trump succeeded, where the Democrats lost it and what this all means going forward.

All three podcasters are back in Iron Duke Studios to discuss the latest in policy and politics from New Zealand and around the world. We discuss our highs of this week including the Government’s formal apology to those abused in state care, the not-so-bad change in the unemployment rate and the rallying US share market. Getting us down include Trump’s clean sweep and potential first policies, the introduction of the Treaty Principles Bill to Parliament and the latest in the IRD data breach.

2024 US PRESIDENTIAL SPECIAL – votes are still being counted, but we have a clear winner. President Donald Trump will become the first to win non-consecutive terms since the 19th century. Jesse and Henry discuss what has happened, how it happened, possible implications going forward for the next four years, and the biggest winners and losers of this outcome. Tune in so you can keep up with all the presidential chat down at the pub on Friday night - no doubt we will be back again next week with some extended details too.

Get ready to learn more about space than you ever thought you needed to know! Also on this week's episode, Henry has an alarming Ozempic hype segment, we talk the Labour party, the banking review, silly thoughts on taking GST off sunscreen and builders self certification.

Another hefty week in policy and politics in New Zealand and around the world. The Iron Duke Studio trio peaks of the week include the end (hopefully) of the Darleen Tana saga and now Golriz appealing her shoplifting conviction, the US presidential election coming in hot and how the candidates are lining up in the polls, and David Seymour’s controversial potential success over the school lunches reform. Getting us down this week includes Central Government’s failing of promised localism agenda with the WCC intervention and preventing Otago from implementing their own fresh water plan, plus the Minister Andrew Bayly dilemma.

After an unintended hiatus, the Iron Duke trio is back in the studio to bring you your weekly recap of all things policy and politics. We discuss the newly appointed and well awaited Public Service Commissioner, the checks and balances of the building and construction reform and the latest polls which are a bit dire for some. Then we end with the never-ending Wellington Councillors debacle with threats of Central Government intervention, Foodstuffs’ latest approach of attacking the methodology used to prove New Zealand has a grocery pricing problem and the sinking of our Navy ship HMNZS Manawanui.

Jesse and Henry carry us through this week alone as Maddy tries out working from home, just as the luxury is being ripped from the hands of public servants across the land. They take us through the state of AI - regulation and its role in education and some classic Jesse Corlett energy chat.

This week the team at Iron Duke Studio’s take you through the pushbacks against the Government’s reversal of speed limit reductions, the US election debate and the ever demising poll results for Chris Hipkins. Henry also gives his take on the Government’s loose approach to regulating AI, Jesse is pleased that he will no longer waste those heartfelt expired gift cards, and Maddy gives us a run down on her infatuation of the Polkinghorne case. Enjoy.   

Another week, another podcast in Iron Duke Studios. Our peaks this time round include the latest global developments in AI, capital gains tax being back on the table with the opposition as well as the latest riveting ANZ Business Confidence Survey. The pits this week include protests following France’s appointment of the new Prime Minister, our poor podcast timing with the US presidential debate and schools having to send kids home due to teacher shortages.

The Iron Duke Studio’s trio take you through some of their ups and downs in New Zealand and around the world from the past week. Our peaks include the new alcohol laws being implemented by Auckland Council, the approach to infrastructure that the country is looking to take and finally someone explains how the mighty Paralympics actually work! But we always have our pits… this week we discuss what is happening with the infamous Let’s Get Wellington Moving project and the Golden Mile, the Treasury’s boss leaving and her last hurrah as well as the 2024 Annual Grocery Report from the Commerce Commission.  

This week we take you through everything local government with the mystical Regional Deals and Luxon’s ‘mean’ speech, as well as some classic policy wonk action with the Fast-Track Bill changes and how the Government plans on solving our domestic energy shock. We also dive into some international waters with a US election update and the mighty AB’s playing over in Johannesburg.

Power bills, interest bills, grocery bills, they're all ramping up! This week we talk all things needed for a competative market. We also cover off the fraudulent ways people are getting kids into good schools and the heat Kamala Harris is bringing to the presidental race.

The team at Iron Duke Studios runs you through some of their highs and lows from the last seven days in the world of policy and politics. Maddy goes back-to-back with another week of fun Olympic facts, Henry outlines the Government’s new Climate Emissions Tool for manufacturers and Jesse gives us the downlow on Minister Erica Stanford’s new way to teach math to school kids. The lows include the UK riots, tension between MPs, as well as a recap of what’s happening in Venezuela and the New Zealand energy crisis.

Your favourite policy and politics podcast rounds out July with a sporting special in appreciation of the 2024 Paris Olympics kicking off. The team also cover the regulating of the online casino market, the future for nuclear power, rising social licence issues with tourism across the globe and the not-so-democratic election in Venezuela. The release of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care marks one of the darkest days in history for New Zealand – we begin to scratch the surface of this harrowing and in-depth report to finish.

Your weekly policy and politics commentators are back in Iron Duke Studios. The team dive full noise into the IT sector with a debrief on what happened with the global CrowdStrike outage and New Zealand might finally be following suit with open banking. They discuss Kamala Harris taking over from Sleepy Joe, the Tauranga City election, the Health NZ takeover and the dire times of New Zealand’s energy sector. A mighty week of content!

Straight from Iron Duke Studios –  Jesse, Maddy and Henry take you through the big news in the US with Trump being shot and his confident selection of JD Vance for VP. We also discuss the latest Emissions Reduction Plan from the Government, the continuation of the Darleen Tana Saga, some interesting speed camera policy and New Zealand’s poor OECD stats.