Politics Central

Labour's Cabinet turned down a proposal to stop funding gangs.

The National Party's revealed the then-Justice Minister Kiri Allan lodged the proposal to end contracts with gangs in July.

Cabinet didn't agree, which National says is another example of Labour being soft on crime.

National's spokesperson for Public Service, Simeon Brown, says it's a waste of taxpayer money.

"And what we see the Mongrel Mob doing is peddle meth and misery- they're not out there to try and help people become better and get off drugs. It's completely opposed to what they do."

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The ACT Party's campaign took an unexpected turn this afternoon, but leader David Seymour says it's good that his party is being noticed.

Four protesters managed to get past security and heckle Mr Seymour as he gave his speech.

He had to raise his voice several times to drown them out, saying the protesting was a sign his party is successful.

ZB political editor Jason Walls says other parties have had similar problems with hecklers.

"It just goes to show that the people that are disrupting these events have no interest in actually debating ideas- they just want the spotlight on them."

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Labour has released the first ever 'Women’s Manifesto', National still won't release the numbers on their tax policy, and this week brings the first of the leaders debates.

To give his astute insight, Jason Walls joins the Weekend Collective.

Later, National's Simeon Brown reveals that Chris Hipkins’ Cabinet considered whether to stop Government contracts involving funding for gangs in July and deliberately chose to keep doing so.

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National has announced it plans to bring back health targets, if the party gets into power come October.

Leader Chris Luxon confirmed the party would bring back targets - including for emergency departments, with 95 percent of patients to be admitted, discharged or transferred within six hours.

There are also new targets to quash wait times for specialist assessment and surgery, but no percentage figures have been committed to.

Health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti says targets will focus attention and funding to better serve the public- and clinicians agree.

"There's no simpler way to put it- when you set a target, you have a requirement to hold yourself accountable, you hold providers accountable, you hold the system accountable. At the end of the day, that's what politicians should be doing."

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The ACT Party think they have a solution to the problem to the New Zealand housing crisis, Resource Management and housing consenting. ACT's Todd Stephenson joins the Weekend Collective to tell us how they're going to do it.

Plus, The National Party have set out their 5 targets for improving the New Zealand health sector. Dr Shane Reti explains what these are, and how they're going to reform.

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The campaign season is under way, with both Labour and National launching their newest schemes in front of prospective voters.

Labour yesterday unveiled their plan to introduce free dental care, including check-ups, X-rays and basic work, for under-30s.

And earlier, National detailed their eight-point plan promising to tackle inflation, boost academic achievement, restore law and order and reduce healthcare wait times.

Both parties also experienced attempted disruptions from fringe party Freedoms NZ, led by Brian Tamaki.

ZB political editor Jason Walls recaps the weekend's events.

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The Labour Party launched their election campaign on Saturday, where they were joined by former Prime Minister Helen Clark to announce their free dental care policy.

The National Party had their eight-point campaign launch today, but were disrupted by Brian Tamaki's Freedom NZ protesters. 

Ignoring the protests, which party came out on top this weekend?

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Donald Trump's day trip to an Atlanta jail could have strengthened his campaign to be the Republican Party's Presidential candidate for 2024.

He handed himself into Georgia's Fulton County Jail on Friday, facing charges alleging he headed a scheme to overturn the 2020 USA election results.

He's the first US President to have a police mug shot taken.

But Otago University International Relations Professor Robert Patman says Trump continues to overshadow other Republican candidates.

"If you look at the CBS News poll, Trump now has the largest lead in the Republican Primary, garnering the support of 62 percent of likely voters."

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ACT leader David Seymour has fired back against Chris Hipkins' warning about the Opposition parties.

The Prime Minister ruled out working with NZ First, accusing Winston Peters of making trans people the enemy in this campaign.

He's also called out Seymour's 'chilling' joke about Pasifika communities and noted some National MPs celebrated the roll-back of abortion rights in the US.

David Seymour says this is proof that Hipkins and Labour are unable to run on their own 'disastrous' record.

"He's decided that his best hope of getting another few years in the Beehive is to go with a more aggressive and negative style of politics that we've seen. I don't think it'll work for him."

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Chris Hipkins has ruled out working with NZ First and taken aim at the "coalition of chaos", that would be ACT and National. So what does David Seymour think of this?

Plus, what on earth is going on in the USA with former US President Donald Trump?

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