Duncan Garner - Editor In Chief

What happens when a council stops looking like democracy and starts looking like intimidation? That’s where we begin today, as Duncan digs into the government’s warning to the Far North District Council and asks whether local democracy is being pushed off course.

Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour joins us to talk through the claims, the growing pressure on the government, and what happens when elected representatives say they’re being frozen out or threatened. We also get into the wider question here: who gets to make decisions in New Zealand, and how far ministers should go when councils appear to be losing control.

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Winston Peters is absolutely launching in the polls, and the panel wonders if National is simply conceding the ground. Meanwhile, Duncan gets a blunt "F off" from Far North Mayor Moko Tamihere after asking about unelected seats on council committees. We also dive into the $4 petrol crisis and why the Reserve Bank is warning of heavy headwinds this winter.

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We are diving into a shocking breakdown of local democracy today. Duncan shares a blunt, two-word email from Far North Mayor Moko Tepania that has left us gobsmacked. After serious allegations about unelected influence at the council table, the Mayor was offered a right of reply. His response? A personal "f off". We ask if it is time for the government to step in.

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Winston Peters is back, and he is not just making up the numbers. With a massive surge to 13.6 percent in the latest poll, the New Zealand First leader is eyeing up the top job while National and Labor drift. We also dive into the co-governance rows erupting in Hastings and the Far North, where local councillors say democracy is being pushed aside for unelected boards.

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Duncan sits down with Far North District Councillor Davina Meads for a sobering look at what she calls "co-governance on steroids." From unelected representatives outvoting elected officials to serious questions about financial accountability and personal safety, Davina shares her front-row seat to a system she believes is drifting away from democratic principles. We ask if the government is doing enough to step in.

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The BSA has just scored the home goal of the century. By trying to bring the entire internet under its 1989 jurisdiction, they might have just signed their own death warrant. Duncan is joined by Annie O’Brien and Morris Williamson to pull apart this massive overreach, National’s disastrous new poll numbers, and whether a Cabinet reshuffle can actually save Luxon’s leadership.

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We are facing an energy crisis, and the paper trail is brutal for both sides of the house. Duncan dives into the decisions that left New Zealand vulnerable to diesel disruptions until 2028. From scrapped reserves to the latest Roy Morgan poll showing National at a record low, we look at what happens when leadership chooses hope over a plan.

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Duncan is fired up today over the latest numbers showing the public service is actually growing instead of shrinking like National promised. Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour joins us to talk about the looming winter fuel crisis and why he thinks we need fewer ministers at the top to finally get spending under control. Plus, we look at the rise of petrol drive-offs.

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Duncan makes a blistering case for why Chris Hipkins must resign as Labour leader following revelations about COVID vaccine advice for teenagers. We dive into whether it was gross incompetence or a deliberate cover-up. Plus, the panel discusses the growing fuel crisis and why domestic flights are being grounded while international travel takes priority.

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We were told we had 11 days of diesel left before the country ground to a halt, only for MBIE to admit they got the numbers completely wrong 24 hours later. Duncan is joined by Maurice Williamson and Ani O’Brien to rip into the bureaucracy, the widening wage gap with Australia, and whether Chris Hipkins has some serious explaining to do over his vaccine comments.

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