Duncan Garner - Editor In Chief

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

This one goes straight at the uncomfortable bit: what happens when the people who demand accountability suddenly go very quiet?

Duncan is joined by commentator and comms specialist Ani O’Brien, who broke the story about Maiki Sherman, Lloyd Burr, and an incident the New Zealand media had allegedly known about for over a year. The question isn’t just what was said, it’s why so many people who knew did nothing.

Together, Duncan and Ani dig into the Press Gallery, media hypocrisy, legal threats, public trust, and whether New Zealand journalism has become too cautious, too cozy, or just too scared of its own shadow.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This one hits different. Because it is not theory, it is lived experience.

Duncan sits down with firefighters Steve Devine and Dave Phillips to hear directly from the frontline. What they describe is a system going backwards. Ageing trucks breaking down on the way to fires. Stations closed for years. Equipment that is outdated. And a workforce stretched thin while still fighting for fair pay and proper support.

But it goes deeper than that. The conversation turns to cancer risk, mental health, and the reality of what firefighters carry home after every shift. From traumatic callouts to the lack of formal support, this is the side of the job most people never see.

There is frustration, there is anger, and there is a clear message. This is not just about firefighters. This is about public safety, and right now, they say New Zealand is more exposed than people realise.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices