Caucus

Caucus episodes:

• 10.20.2023

  The four Cs that cost Labour and how National nicked Auckland

  A mood for change swept National & friends into power, so this season's final Caucus breaks down the numbers, unpacks the swing in Auckland, & looks at the coalition niceties. And the team opens their envelopes to check their predictions.

  
• 10.12.2023

  Long pants, Lazarus Peters, missing bits, & winners & losers

  Wrapping up Election 2023, there's still plenty to play for ahead of election day. We review the highs and lows of Election 2023, unpack National's 'Winston Strategy', consider the missed opportunities and pick the seats to watch.

  
• 10.05.2023

  National and Labour's broken bungy and why we all need to grow up

  Grumpy voters, crimes against candidates, desperate parties, unsophisticated MMP strategies and the return of John Key. As the campaign peaks, so does the tension.

  
• 09.28.2023

  What do you do with a problem like Winston?

  National's decision to form a government with New Zealand First as "as a last resort" is both a plea and a warning. What might a "cocktail" with ACT and NZF taste like? Could Luxon hold it together? And is NZF a racist...

  
• 09.21.2023

  The electorate swing, Labour limbo and Luxon-Hipkins two-step

  Chris Hipkins needs a new song and dance routine and fast, or he could be doing the limbo and losing the next generation of Labour's leaders.

  
• 09.14.2023

  National, ACT & NZ First: Delivering the sun or just beach cricket?

  Multiple polls point to a change of government. Is National passing the sniff test? Do voters really want ACT's 'real change' or a handbrake? We ask what a centre-right government might look like.

  
• 09.06.2023

  A campaign of fear and loathing? Nah, the facts matter more

  Should we be worried about the election campaign going negative? Or is the greater worry party leaders who can't get their facts straight?

  
• 08.31.2023

  Money or the bag: Major parties crashing into the centre

  National’s tax plan is a clever political document but raises questions about “heroic” numbers. We look at how much government spending doesn’t change and what’s up for grabs in coalition deals. Plus a quick visit to Ilam and Epsom.

  
• 08.24.2023

  ACT hits fawke in the road, Labour falls, National stalls

  ACT endures scrutiny, Shane Jones impersonates Julie Andrews and we recall 1999, while Lacklustre Luxon and Ho Hum Hipkins fail to inspire.

  
• 08.17.2023

  National's yin and yang v Labour's frugal fear factor

  Analysis: With little money in the government's coffers heading into Election 2023, the Caucus podcast looks at how the two main parties plan to use fear, frugality and friendliness to win your vote.

  
• 08.10.2023

  Campaigns rev into gear over climate, dentalcare and cellphones

  Get your teeth into the big announcements on climate change, cellphones and teeth. Caucus debates the BlackRock deal, China, free dentalcare affordability and teachers as the "phone police"

  
• 08.03.2023

  Missing in Action: Kingmakers, popular leaders, tax policy & something to believe in

  The election is just two months away. 10 weeks. 72 days. Caucus returns looking at what's distinct about this campaign - no kingmaker, missed opportunities, weaker majors and stronger minor parties,

  
• 10.22.2020

  Explaining The Red Tide: Kiwis hug Jacinda back as Labour breaks records

  The crew open their envelopes and reveal their picks, as they make sense of Labour's govern-alone victory, National's much-needed rebuild, the return of te Pati Maori and the Greens' delight in the face of powerlessness

  
• 10.15.2020

  Wealth, weight, winners and the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard

  Two days out, we hear surprise calls on wealth taxes and obesity and the Caucus crew debate the seats to watch, highs and lows, winners and losers. And we put our picks in an envelope.

  
• 10.08.2020

  Collins & Peters on thin ice as Ardern finds her feet

  The New Zealand First Foundation in court, Judith Collins pays a price on Ponsonby Rd, Jacinda Ardern finds some form & a chance for Te Pati Maori.

  
• 10.01.2020

  Collins goes vote plucking, while Peters makes 'last stand'

  Caucus rates a fired-up leaders' debate as Collins looks to bring voters 'home', while Winston Peters rages as he's 'exonerated'.

  
• 10.01.2020

  Collins goes vote plucking, while Peters makes 'last stand'

  A lively second leaders' debate finally fires up the campaign as Collins looks to bring voters 'home', while Winston Peters is furious as he's 'exonerated'.

  
• 09.24.2020

  Sending out the political assassins as National shoots itself in the foot

  With eight days, 18 hours, two minutes and 10 seconds until voting starts, party leaders are calling up hit-jobs as they scrap for their political lives. Plus, the debate debacles, ACT's rise and National's steady run of own goals.

  
• 09.17.2020

  Gulliver's Election... and is Labour angling to govern alone?

  Welcome to the recession, with giant debt, spending and unemployment that make previous campaigns look like Lilliput. How are New Zealand First are trying to recover & does Labour really want to govern alone?

  
• 09.10.2020

  Timid tax, debating debates and say hello to Kinder Collins

  Labour's tax policy is tentative, but is it also 'right for right now'? And is it negotiable? Judith Collins' policy releases point to less Crusher, more Kinder. Plus, how to mess up TV debates and the Matariki mood.

  
• 09.03.2020

  The naughty prefect and the 'single source of truth'

  Greens leader James Shaw has been under the cosh for his Green School decision, but what's going on behind the scenes and will it cost votes? Social media rears it's sulky head, vaccination lies and debate over 'the single source...

  
• 08.27.2020

  Lockdown let-downs, leg-ups & two swing seats

  As Auckland struggles through a "tricky" extended lockdown, who are the political winners & losers? We debate covid fatigue, who's won from the wage subsidies (hint: not women) and two up-for-grabs electorates - Ōhāriu and Whanganui.

  
• 08.20.2020

  Test fail: Is Labour bordering on trouble?

  Parties try to look tough as border policies are rolled out, Labour fails its testing test and what are the implications of delaying the election?

  
• 08.13.2020

  'Didn't that escalate quickly?'

  What impact will the return of Covid in the community have on Election 2020? Plus Gerry Brownlee's conspiracies, Labour's Ardern-astic launch, and Merv & Mellow in Auckland Central

  
• 08.13.2020

  Holding title Ep2

  What impact will the return of Covid in the community have on Election 2020? Plus Gerry Brownlee's conspiracies, Labour's Ardern-astic launch, and Merv & Mellow in Auckland Central

  
• 08.06.2020

  This election is brought to you by the letter C

  Caucus returns for Election 2020 talking about the state of the parties, Covid debt and problems with our political culture.

  
• 07.21.2020

  We're Coming Back

  The election's getting close and that can only mean one thing… Caucus is coming back. Presented by Guyon Espiner, Lisa Owen, Tim Watkin and Scott Campbell.

  
• 09.28.2017

  Coalition negotiations, THAT press conference & the supermarket dash

  In our 13th Caucus, it's negotiation time. So we look at Winston Peters' post-election posturing, 'constitutional conventions' and what New Zealand First needs from the next three years. Plus, we unpack the election results and what they mean for the parties.

  
• 09.28.2017

  Coalition negotiations, THAT press conference & the supermarket dash

  In our 13th Caucus, it's negotiation time. So we look at Winston Peters' post-election posturing, 'constitutional conventions' and what New Zealand First needs from the next three years. Plus, we unpack the election results and what they mean for the parties.

  
• 09.20.2017

  How to win elections & influence things

  In our 12th Caucus, we make the big calls two days from E-Day. What are the scenarios that could lead to forming a government, a last look at the polls & debates, & our highs and lows from the campaign

  
• 09.14.2017

  Tax attacks & the price of Winston

  In this week's Caucus, Lisa Owen, Tim Watkin and Guyon Espiner discuss the fallout from Labour's sudden tax u-turn, the volatility of polls and the cost and bottom-lines of Winston Peters

  
• 09.06.2017

  The truth hole, debates in the dock & what a government looks like

  In the 10th episode of Caucus, the podcast team discuss why both National and Labour seem to be having trouble with their sums, and why it's time to ask the minor parties what they really want.

  
• 08.30.2017

  Where's Winston: Super stuff-ups & inside the leaders debates

  In our ninth Caucus, it's all about Winston - his Super spin, bottom lines and how he chooses coalition partners. But it's also about the scrap for the family vote and what it's really like behind the scenes at a...

  
• 08.24.2017

  Everybody was PREFU fighting...

  This week, Lisa, Tim and Guyon on how PREFU has changed the campaign, how Dunne's departure may signal a changing of the generations, and how the minor parties want to change the conversation.

  
• 08.17.2017

  Aus Wars, The Empire Taxes Back & The Return of the Parker

  This week, National starts its fight back as Bill English goes to boot camp, Jacinda Ardern negotiates her first international stoush and Grant Robertson opens the door to a Capital Gains Tax.

  
• 08.09.2017

  How Metiria Turei saved the Labour Party

  In this week's Caucus, the team discuss the Green Party strategy that may have (inadvertently) saved Labour. Was it OK to put Metiria Turei under such scrutiny? What next for the Greens?

  
• 08.02.2017

  The Jacinda Effect: What’s really changed?

  In this week's Caucus, it's all about Jacinda. Labour's late leadership change has turned Election 17 on its head. But can Labour seize the moment and how will other parties respond?

  
• 07.26.2017

  Dirty(ish) deals, the nerdy truth about immigration & poverty… & more Metiria

  In the fourth episode of Caucus, Guyon Espiner, Lisa Owen and Tim Watkin discuss Bill English's Epsom and Ohariu urges, whether the Greens are losing control, the link between New Zealand First's vote and immigration, plus the Perry incomes report.

  
• 07.19.2017

  Tax & spend, Māori seats and the confessions of a co-leader

  In our third Caucus, Labour's fiscals, Winston's growing spending tab, who wants the Māori seats, what a Green Party voter looks like and whether it's OK for Metiria Turei to have deceived WINZ (oh, and the Greens' actual family policy!).

  
• 07.12.2017

  Fighting for families and the Greens' secondary explosive device

  In our second Caucus meeting, we talk about Barry Coates being "nuanced when he should have been unequivocal" on coalition agreements, as well as the battle over National and Labour's families packages.

  
• 07.06.2017

  Coalition building and bashing

  In the first episode of Caucus, the team discuss who's making nice with whom, the return of Shane Jones, a Greens apology, Todd Barclay implications and Māori Party-Labour fisticuffs.