Focus on Politics

Minor parties plot major influence on election year

19 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The leaders of ACT, New Zealand First, Te Pāti Māori, and the Green Party sit down with RNZ's press gallery team to share their thoughts on 2025, an...

Luxon and Hipkins give election-year teaser

12 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

RNZ's political team sits down with the leaders of the two major parties - National's Christopher Luxon and Labour's Chris Hipkins - to reflect on 202...

Councils prepare to tighten belts with rates relief in sight

05 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The government is telling councils to 'live within their means' and is introducing a rates cap. It's popular with ratepayers who have seen their bills...

How the council 'reset' aims to spur amalgamations

28 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Just six weeks after voters elected new regional councillors, their jobs now hang in the balance after a government proposal to abolish them. But do t...

Coalition tempers ACT’s influence on gun laws

21 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Arms Act has been home to New Zealand's gun laws since 1983, though it's had many, many iterations. The coalition has now overhauled the legislati...

IPCA bombshell forces reckoning at top of police

14 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The IPCA's blistering report has torn open a years-long saga of misconduct and misplaced loyalty. In Focus on Politics, RNZ acting political editor Cr...

Introducing: Politics NZ

13 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

If you follow New Zealand politics, you'll want to follow Politics NZ. Get Nine to Noon Politics, The Whip, Morning Report's politicians panel, Focus ...

From reset to regret: Te Pāti Māori at war

07 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Te Pāti Māori’s internal conflict has exploded into full public view. RNZ acting political editor Craig McCulloch unpacks how the turmoil unfolded...

Leaked and launched: Labour debuts its tax plan

31 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

RNZ acting political editor Craig McCulloch takes a look at Labour's long-awaited tax plan and the old ghosts now stirring.Go to this episode on rnz.c...

Strike and counter-strike: the pitch for public sympathy

24 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The largest strike in decades swept the country this week - or at least tried to, as wild winds blew away rallies. Behind the picket lines, the gove...

Farmers celebrate as coalition slashes methane target

17 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Political reporter Anneke Smith looks into the government's plans to soften its targets for methane emissions - and what the farming and scientific co...

Questions linger after Te Pāti Māori reset

10 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Te Pāti Māori has regrouped after the death of an MP, a confronting outburst about multiculturalism and a key ally - Toitū Te Tiriti - severing all...

Energy tweaks expose electoral live wire for National

03 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In Focus on Politics this week, the government's struggle to convince with its big energy announcement augurs a stormy election season ahead. With Nat...

Promises of transparency from new Reserve Bank governor

26 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A new Reserve Bank governor has been appointed, and Dr Anna Breman is well aware her first task will be to rebuild transparency and accountability at ...

Poll paints picture of discontent

19 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The latest RNZ-Reid Research poll showed a deadlocked Parliament and some uninspiring results for Christopher Luxon and Chris Hipkins. The public is i...

Coalition partners jostle for votes as polls predict tight race

12 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

There were plenty of political attacks flying around New Zealand First's annual general meeting last weekend and it's government partners weren't spar...

Coalition cracks door open to foreign buyers

05 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The door to foreign home ownership was slammed shut by the Labour-New Zealand First coalition in 2018. Now, a slight tweak cracks it open for wealthy ...

Tāmaki Makaurau by-election

29 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Labour's Peeni Henare and Te Pāti Māori's Oriini Kaipara are vying for the Māori seat made vacant by the shock passing of Takutai Tarsh Kemp. The c...

Coalition hopes for a winter thaw after OCR cut

22 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The coalition is under pressure from the cost-of-living crisis, with job losses, soaring food prices and a construction slowdown hitting hard. This we...

The state of the opposition

15 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

With political polls predicting a knife-edge election, what is the opposition promising, how could all three parties work together, and who's really i...

NCEA gets failing grade from government, but has it done its homework?

08 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In Focus on Politics, the government's long-expected rework of NCEA morphed into a full replacement - at least, that's how the prime minister sold it....

NZ resists global push to recognise Palestinian state

01 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

As global powers like France, the UK and Canada move to recognise Palestine, New Zealand is increasingly finding itself out on its own. Opposition par...

Butter battle fizzles as cost of living war drags on 

25 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The debate over butter prices has National on the back foot, and the party is accusing the opposition of having no ideas - a seeming reversal from abo...

ACT’s rallying cry meets reality check

18 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

ACT launched its annual rally with a nod to coalition unity - but its leader David Seymour quickly stirred discord with a fiery letter to the United N...

Regulatory Standards Bill gets its week of scrutiny

11 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A select committee has heard thirty hours of submissions on David Seymour's Regulatory Standards Bill. The vast majority were opposed, but the ministe...

Moe mai rā: Takutai Tarsh Kemp laid to rest

04 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In Focus on Politics this week, RNZ's Tuwhenuaroa Natanahira goes to Opaea Marae, just north of Taihape, as Te Pāti Māori MP Takutai Tarsh Kemp is l...

The United States strikes Iran

27 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The United States enters the war between Israel and Iran, and the world calls for de-escalation. By the end of the week there's a ceasefire between th...

Meth use and organised crime in New Zealand

13 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Methamphetamine use has exploded over the past year and the government is "actively" looking at ways to respond. At the same time, Associate Police an...

Coalition turfed out in latest RNZ Reid-Research poll

06 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The latest RNZ-Reid Research Poll shows the left-bloc would have enough seats to govern. Is this a punishment for the pay equity changes? And what abo...

Trading places: Seymour steps up, Peters gears up

30 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In Focus on Politics, RNZ deputy political editor Craig McCulloch sits down with the incoming and outgoing deputy prime ministers to mark the historic...

A Budget of give and take, cuts and credits

23 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In Focus on Politics this week, the coalition debuts its second Budget - taking the knife to numerous government programmes in order to boost health, ...

From urgency to uproar: a House of Chaos?

16 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In Focus on Politics, RNZ's deputy political editor Craig McCulloch walks through the week at Parliament, a week featuring C-bombs and unprecedented p...

Pay equity shake-up: billions saved, trust lost

09 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In Focus on Politics, RNZ Deputy Political Editor Craig McCulloch breaks down the government's shock shake-up of the pay equity regime - the changes, ...

The pros and cons of public-private partnerships

02 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The coalition is pushing for more public-private partnerships (PPPs) in an effort to boost infrastructure investment. Political reporter Anneke Smith ...

Defence Capability Plan spend-up shows the new strategic normal

11 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The government has finally released its Defence Capability Plan, with phrases like 'enhanced lethality' and 'force multiplier' laying bare how much th...

Razor-sharp race in first RNZ-Reid Research poll

04 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The new RNZ-Reid Research Poll shows the political race has tightened since the election, but the coalition parties are still holding on to a slim lea...

Politics and the police

28 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

There was outrage from across the political spectrum this week, following comments by Green MP Tamatha Paul about police beat patrols making people fe...

Government ups engagement with India, United States during global volatility

21 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In Focus on Politics, Anneke Smith examines the Prime Minister’s performance in India and takes a look at what the Foreign Affairs Minister got out ...

The beleaguered school lunches programme battles through another week

14 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In Focus on Politics, RNZ's political editor Jo Moir breaks down a bad poll for the coalition, and the ongoing fallout from the school lunches program...

The impact of tougher access to emergency housing.

07 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Housing advocates and those supporting homeless youth say it's now near impossible to get into emergency housing. The coalition celebrated reducing th...

Winston Peters' takes NZ's defence and security concerns direct to Beijing

28 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In Focus on Politics, RNZ's political editor Jo Moir takes a look at New Zealand’s relationship with China as three Chinese warships sit off the coa...

Shaken trust in the public service's data safeguards

21 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A damning report has found the safeguards government agencies have to protect data they share with third party providers to be sorely lacking, and wid...

Why the coalition's squabbles are likely to escalate

14 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Facing falling poll numbers and focusing squarely on growth, the prime minister's agenda this week has faced multiple distractions - and they all seem...

Waitangi Day from the Treaty Grounds

07 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Focus on Politics, Lillian Hanly goes to Waitangi and experiences the manaakitanga, the politics, and the ceremony of New Zealand's nat...

Oral submissions begin on the Treaty Principles Bill

31 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

ACT leader David Seymour’s Treaty Principles Bill is being considered by the Justice Select Committee. It received an unprecedented number of writte...

2024 in Politics: Change, Challenge, and Chuckles

19 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The end-of-year has arrived, and with it, the traditional suite of end-of-year reviews and thinkpieces. RNZ deputy political editor Craig McCulloch lo...

All aboard the Winston Peters' rail mission

13 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In Focus on Politics, RNZ's political editor Jo Moir sits down with new Minister for Rail Winston Peters to discuss the future of the Interislander fe...

Scrutiny week's political fireworks: is it all just for show?

06 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

They call it scrutiny week at Parliament - a prolonged political prosecution - where the opposition is given the opportunity to grill ministers and de...

The Coalition's First Year: Compromise and Controversy

29 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In Focus on Politics, RNZ deputy political editor Craig McCulloch sits down with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon to reflect on his first year in char...

Hīkoi mō Te Tiriti arrives at Parliament

22 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Mark this up as a moment in history - as Parliament held court to one of the largest protests it has ever seen - more than 42,000 people descending on...

Crown apologises as Cabinet mulls 'complex' redress for abuse in care

15 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Tens, if not hundreds of thousands, of survivors tuned into this week's Crown apology for abuse in care. They came looking for meaningful words and a ...

Trump triumph touches NZ shores

08 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Mark this one down in the history books: Donald Trump, on his way back to the White House after a nail-biter race for the American presidency. No doub...

Minister Chris Penk lays foundations for self-certified building scheme

01 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The government wants to speed up house building, aiming to allow builders to sign off their own work. It would be a risk-based approach, only used for...

Scandals dog National, the Greens while New Zealand First takes aim at Labour

25 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Multiple parties brushed up against scandal this week as National struggled to defend a bumbling minister and the Greens farewelled a rogue MP. Meanwh...

Wellington woes - government threatens council intervention

18 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Wellington City Council has been under scrutiny this week, with the coalition government threatening to intervene. Last week, the capital's councilors...

Winston Peters bangs drum on UN veto reform

10 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Fresh off a trip to the United Nations General Assembly leaders' week, the foreign minister Winston Peters is defending New Zealand's support for a re...

Tobacco debate getting heated at Parliament

04 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Casey Costello is the Smokefree Minister accused of helping Big Tobacco - something she strongly denies. The pressure on her has only grown amid quest...

Interislander ferry's future adrift amid coalition indecision

27 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In December last year the Coalition government pulled the pin on the Interislander ferry replacement project, saying it was time to get real about wha...

Tough-on-crime talk becomes a numbers game

20 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The coalition campaigned on a return to law-and-order with a hardline approach emphasising personal responsibility and a crackdown on gangs. Nearly a ...

Mill closures put spotlight on power prices, profits and planning

13 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Two mill closures in the central North Island this week leave at least 230 people out of work, devastating the local economy. Much of the blame has be...

Not-so-super markets? Commissioner warns of slow progress

06 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Between 2019 and 2023, groceries went up in price by more than any other common household bill. High hopes were placed on new Grocery Commissioner Pie...

Sovereignty debate sees major parties weighing in for first time

30 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Tributes are flowing from across Aotearoa and around the world after Kiingi Tuuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII died early on Friday morning. Moe mai...

Coalition positions on Treaty principles crystallise at Koroneihana

23 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In the pouring rain and whipping winds, politicians arrived at Ngāruawāhia's Tūrangawaewae marae for te Koroneihana, the 18th anniversary of the Mā...

Green for go for coalition's new beneficiary traffic light system

16 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

With Parliament in recess this week, the coalition used the clear air to clear the decks, rattling through a laundry list of announcements - congestio...

7AA repeal: Why ACT's policy faces heartfelt resistance

09 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Focus on Politics, Political Reporter Lillian Hanly examines the coalition policy of repealing section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act, ...

Swarbrick opens up about a tense AGM and the Green dream

02 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Focus on Politics, Political Reporter Giles Dexter speaks with Chlöe Swarbrick after the Green Party's AGM about the challenge she...

Abuse in care report delivers survivors' demands for justice

26 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Focus on Politics, Political Reporter Anneke Smith speaks to Aaron Smale and explores the initial response to New Zealand's inquiry on ...

Coalition's climate plan falls short of targets

19 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Focus on Politics, Political Reporter Anneke Smith looks at why New Zealand's ability to meet its climate targets is on shaky ground.&q...

501 deportations: The thorn in the Trans-Tasman relationship returns

14 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Focus on Politics, Political Reporter Giles Dexter looks at Australia backtracking on its commitment to New Zealand over 501 deportatio...

"Every minute counts" in National's cancer commitment clean-up

07 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Focus on Politics, Deputy Political Editor Craig McCulloch takes a closer look at National's broken cancer commitment - and considers h...

Careful cuts with little room for error: Willis' first Budget

31 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Focus on Politics, RNZ Deputy Political Editor Craig McCulloch examines the first Budget of the coalition government."This year&#x...

Fast Track bill hits hurdles of public outrage

24 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's Focus on Politics, Political Reporter Anneke Smith explores the government's fast-track legislation and the responses to it."Inclu...

Focus on Politics for Friday 17 May 2024

17 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In Focus on Politics, political reporter Katie Scotcher looks at the latest funding boost for the Defence Force and how much more investment is needed...

Lunch cuts and cut lunch for secondary schools

10 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In Focus on Politics, RNZ deputy political editor Craig McCulloch chews over the coalition's school lunch announcement, as well as the opposition's so...

Sideshows overshadow substance at Parliament

03 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In Focus on Politics, RNZ's deputy political editor Craig McCulloch whips through a whirlwind week at Parliament.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for m...

Vaping regulations battle 'immeasurably harder' under coalition - campaigner

26 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Successive governments have claimed crack downs on youth vaping but retailers are flouting the law, with just one prosecution on the books. Retailers...

Luxon boosts defence amid rising global tensions

19 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

As global tensions escalated this week, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon was touring South East Asia, strengthening defence and security ties. Back h...

From lobbyist to legislator: Andrew Hoggard's vision for reform

12 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Andrew Hoggard might be new to Parliament, but he's certainly not new to New Zealand's screens and airwaves. The Manawatū dairy farmer was president ...

Aim and fire? Public service targets return amid job cuts

05 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Public Service Targets are set for a comeback but with job cuts looming over ministries and agencies, unions fear public servants are only being asked...

Winston Peters navigates troubled waters with India, China

22 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

New Zealand must pull its weight on defence and security, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says in a sit-down interview with RNZ, after talks with both...

Labour prepares to be prepared for power

15 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Humiliated and humbled in last year's election, Labour has spent its first months back in opposition licking its wounds. At the party's caucus retreat...

Clock stops on coalition's urgency-filled 100-day plan

08 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The House has been in full swing for four weeks, with MPs sitting long hours as the government pushes through legislation under urgency to complete it...

When no news is bad news

01 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Summary"To axe the whole news division, that's huge and I'm really deeply shocked by it" - Mark JenningsIn a devastating blow to N...

Fa'anānā Efeso Collins' death brings unity in grief

23 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Parliament was brought to a standstill on Wednesday, with politics set aside after the sudden and shocking death of first-term Green MP Fa'anānā Ef...

Councils get their Three Waters wish - but will they regret it?

16 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The coalition has ticked off another objective - repealing the troubled Three Waters programme - but in doing so may have just delayed the bigger prob...

Government faces the music at Waitangi

09 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This year's record-breaking Waitangi celebrations drew 80,000 people to the Treaty grounds over four days, half that on Waitangi Day alone. With the ...

Shaw's message for his successor as he prepares to bow out

02 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Green Party co-leader James Shaw talks about his decision to step down, his time in the role, and the message he has for whoever succeeds him. James S...

Luxon fronts fierce criticism from Māori ahead of Waitangi

26 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Coming hot on the heels of last weekend's Hui-aa-Motu and the Rātana celebrations, Waitangi Day this year promises to be highly emotive and political...

A year of political turmoil comes to an end

22 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Three prime ministers, four ministerial scandals, one general election and a three-way coalition: New Zealand's political landscape has been well and ...

Peters defies opposition as repeals and rollbacks roll on

15 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Summary"The adults are back in charge and New Zealanders say to the last lot good riddance" - Nicola WillisA host of Labour's policies ...

Māori dissent sets the scene as Parliament returns

08 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The resumption of Parliament this week has been underlined by outcry from Māori, soon matched by fury within the debating chamber. With just two week...

Distractions assail coalition as it lays out ambitious agenda

01 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The new government's first week in office saw it get straight to work, setting high expectations and unveiling its 100-day plan - but it's not exactly...

Bonus episode: The meaning of Tāmaki

27 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

When ACT's Brooke van Velden won the Auckland seat of Tamaki at the election, it was a triumph of shrewd campaigning. But it was also a failure for Ch...

Coalition deals signed and sealed, now it's time to deliver

24 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It took 40 days and 40 nights - but at long last, the country knows what its new government will look like. New Zealand's first-ever three-way coaliti...

Te Pāti Māori plans for future as it reflects on success in Māori seats

17 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

After its most successful election - taking all but one of the Māori seats - Te Pāti Māori is amping up for the next three years as "the only true ...

Coalition talks pick up pace behind closed doors

10 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

With National's potential partners ACT and NZ First finally getting together in Wellington this week, a sense of momentum is building for the trio to ...

Peters' stock rises on final vote count, how much will Luxon pay?

03 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The final act of the 2023 election has reset the calculus, blowing apart National's dream scenario and driving up the price for forming government. W...

Labour faces vexed reset and return to opposition

27 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

After a devastating collapse in their vote on election night, the Labour Party is examining what went so wrong and who is best to lead them from the o...

Election results in a clear winner, a clear loser, a complex path to power

20 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The battle for the hearts, minds and votes of New Zealanders is over - nearly - with the preliminary results on Saturday putting National in a positio...

On the campaign trail, final week: The highs and lows

13 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It has been a rollercoaster campaign, fiscal fights, feisty debates - all with the aim of taking the government benches. In Focus on Politics this wee...