Focus on Politics
Episodes
Focus on Politics: The Political Road to Waitangi
10 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
RNZ Political Editor Jane Patterson looks at the political lead up to the official Waitangi commemorations.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more de...
Focus on Politics: Reflecting on March 15
11 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
New Zealand prepares for a shake-up after the Royal Commission report into the March 15 attacks.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
Focus on Politics: China-Australia clash
04 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
RNZ political editor Jane Patterson asks: has NZ damaged its relationship with China over the row with Australia?Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for m...
Focus on Politics: Robertson vs. Orr
28 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The Government has been under pressure after ruling out any tax changes to dampen housing demand. Finance Minister Grant Robertson has now recruited t...
Focus on Politics: A housing market aflame
20 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The housing market continues to defy predictions of a post-Covid slump, with prices hitting new records around the country and RNZ Political Editor Ja...
Focus on Politics: Leaving behind Oranga Tamariki
13 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Footage of the attempted removal of a Maori newborn propelled Oranga Tamariki into the spotlight, making it one of the most fraught and challenging ar...
Focus on Politics: A Full Cabinet
06 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
While all eyes may be on the volatile US election fallout, the NZ Prime Minister has spent the week quietly assembling her second term government. RNZ...
Focus on Politics: Referenda Madness
30 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The people have spoken. The provisional referendum results are in. And it's two very different tales on euthanasia and cannabis. RNZ Deputy Political ...
Focus on Politics: The Campaign Mop Up
23 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
A thumping Labour win and a National humiliation. RNZ deputy political editor Craig McCulloch checks in with the rest of the gallery team to dissect t...
Focus on Politics: Campaign Week Five
09 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
RNZ Political Editor Jane Patterson catches up with the rest of the political team as the election creeps closer.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for m...
Focus on Politics: Campaign Week Four
02 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
A poll, policy, debates and Serious Fraud Office charges - it was a big week on the campaign trail. RNZ senior political reporter Jo Moir catches up w...
Focus on Politics: Campaign Chat
25 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
RNZ's political team gets together for a wrap-up of the week on the campaign trail.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
Focus on Politics: Grim reading
18 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It was a horror week of economic news as the Government opened the books ahead of the election. RNZ Political Editor Jane Patterson breaks down the nu...
Focus on Politics: Campaign Week One
11 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The Covid campaign kicked off proper this week and it was Labour's tax plan front and centre. RNZ deputy political editor Craig McCulloch talks to the...
Focus on Politics: The Green School Fiasco
06 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
What seemed at first to be a minor misjudgement ballooned into a major scandal for the Green Party co-leader James Shaw this week, with each day bring...
Focus on Politics: Mandatory mass masking
28 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Cabinet has agreed to make masks mandatory on public transport at any time the country is in level 2 or above. The move was prompted by the transmissi...
Focus on Politics: False-start to the Campaign
23 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The election has been postponed by a further four weeks and will now be held on October 17. The decision to change the election ultimately falls on th...
Focus on Politics: Into the Campaign
07 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The parliamentary term is over and the campaign begins.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
Focus on Politics: Polls, Policies and Political spats
31 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It was a week of poll results - some the Opposition accepted - others they would not. But with the election just seven weeks away there was also polic...
Focus on Politics: Scandals and Sackings
24 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Focus on politics, looks at another week of scandals, sackings and forced resignations.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
Focus on Politics: Collins takes control
17 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It was a week of turmoil and tumult for the Opposition with a host of resignations and a reshuffle. And it all ended with an outcome many in the Natio...
Focus on Politics: Leaks, escapees and resignations
10 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Parliament was in recess this week, but that didn't stop politicians dominating the headlines. The week started with a confession and ended with anoth...
Focus on Politics: A World in Lockdown
03 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Global travel restrictions forced by Covid remain a fact of life.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
Focus on Politics: Bloomfield vs Clark
26 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It doesn't take long for things to unravel when the public gets a whiff of incompetence. This week the breakdown between Health Minister David Clark a...
Focus on Politics: Breakdown at the Border
19 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
A border botch-up this week saw two Covid-19 cases slip through the cracks, shattering public confidence in the quarantine scheme. It sent the Governm...
Focus on Politics: An eye on the purse strings
12 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
New Zealand has averted a health crisis, but could be headed for an economic downturn. RNZ Political Editor Jane Patterson talks to Finance Minister G...
Focus on Politics: A Creaking Coalition
05 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
RNZ Political Editor Jane Patterson asks what toll the looming election is taking on the government's creaking coalition.Go to this episode on rnz.co....
First week for new National Party leader
29 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
New National leader Todd Muller talks about the leadership spill, his caucus and the upcoming election. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more detai...
Focus on Politics: Unprecedented Times
20 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"In unprecedented times, you make unprecedented decisions" - Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern New Zealand has closed its borders. Mass gatherings have be...
Focus on Politics: Covid-19 and economic turmoil
13 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The global coronavirus outbreak has continued to escalate this week with the World Health Organisation officially declaring Covid-19 a pandemic. But a...
Focus on Politics: Covid-19 reaches NZ
06 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
New Zealand has moved into a new phase of its coronavirus response with the first cases of Covid-19 being confirmed in the country. RNZ deputy politic...
Focus on Politics: Alarm over Covid-19
29 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The world has reacted with alarm as the coronavirus causes increasing disruption to individuals and companies around the globe, and is now putting pre...
Focus on Politics: Serious Fraud Office investigations
21 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This week Independent MP Jami-Lee Ross was named as one of the four people facing charges in relation to two 100 thousand dollar donations made to the...
Focus on Politics: SFO looks at NZ First Foundation
14 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
A political grenade has been lobbed into election year with the secretive NZ First Foundation facing investigation by the Serious Fraud Office over th...
Focus on Politics: Waitangi 2020
07 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Political parties defend their record on Maori issues at election year Waitangi commemorations.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
Focus on Politics: The Big Infrastructure Spend-Up
31 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Government splashes the cash on infrastructure to kick off election year.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details
Focus on Politics: Māori politics in election year
25 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The start of the political year begins with a sharp focus on what Government has (or has not) delivered for MaoriGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for m...