Politics Central

After saying he would prefer not to have to impose tariffs on China, Donald Trump has imposed tariffs on Mexico, Canada, and China.

China came out the best of the three, with 10% rate on all imports, while Mexico and Canada were hit with a 25% rate across most imports.

This will likely mean an increase in prices for U.S. consumers, and a potential for New Zealand to step up exports. 

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The government has announced plans to double New Zealand's mineral exports to $3 billion in the next ten years. 

The Critical Minerals List now includes 37 minerals, after the addition of gold and metallurgical coal. 

NZ First's Shane Jones also took aim at big banks limiting lending to the fossil fuels industry, noting his support for the Australian Liberal-National Opposition's attempts to force banks to back the sector. 

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ACT Party leader David Seymour gave his State of the Nation speech this week, hot on the heels of Prime Minister Christopher Luxon's. 

He covered everything from tax cuts to the End of Life Choice Act - but a key point stuck out to many of those listening...

If the soon-to-be Deputy Prime Minister is hardly on the same page as the rest of the coalition, how can we trust that they are operating efficiently?

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The latest Taxpayers' Union-Curia Poll has the Labour Party up 4.0 points at 30.9%, while National sinks 4.6 points to 29.6%.

Although dropping 2.2 points, ACT is still ahead of the Greens, at 10.8% and 9.5% respectively. 

Perhaps the most concerning for the National Party, 39% said the country was moving in the right direction, while 53% said it was moving in the wrong direction. 

Regardless, Christopher Luxon still leads significantly as preferred prime minister. 

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2024 marks this coalition Government's first year in power, and will be one to remember. 

They got straight to work repealing and introducing legislation, some being so controversial they triggered unprecedented responses in the way of protests. 

Gang patches were banned, the first youth offender bootcamp trial was completed; this year truly had a bit of everything. 

Former Speaker of the House and National MP, Lockwood Smith, and former Prime Minister Helen Clark join Tim Beveridge to wrap the year in politics. 

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This week on Politics Central, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts opens up about the Government's new action plan set to increase the use of hydrogen energy 

Later, Fleur Fitzsimmons from the PSA addresses the backlash towards the Government's new working-from-home policies.

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The Greens have today unveiled their new Emissions Reduction Plan, and taking a hit at the current Government's plan while they're at it. 

They claim their plan would reduce carbon emissions more than five times the Government's draft Emissions Reduction plan by 2030. 

Some of the proposed policies include the reintroduction of the clean car discount, clean heating subsidies for rooftop solar, and reinstating the oil and gas ban.

Green Party MP Steve Abel joins with more. 

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Two participants of the youth offender bootcamp were missing after attending a tangi. 

Police were responding to a carjacking in Hamilton when they found the two teens, who now look to be in some legal trouble. 

The first youth to go missing was on bail following a court hearing, and was to be accompanied by two Oranga Tamariki stadd. 

The Labour Party's Police Spokesperson Ginny Andersen joins with her take. 

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The Labour Party have just wrapped up their AGM in Christchurch, where they had some big decisions to make. 

The party has been in conversation about whether a capital gains tax would be on the cards for the next election, and what that may look like. 

Labour leader Chris Hipkins joins with more. 

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The Government has released Phase One of the Covid inquiry - all 700 pages of it.

Here are some key points: 

• There was an issue with focusing on people's health rather than all aspects of their lives. 
• Vaccine requirements were too broad and were in place for too long. 
• Ardern's "single source of truth" comment was found unhelpful.

Former Director-General of Health Sir Ashley Bloomfield joins with his thoughts.

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