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The Good Oil
The Good Oil episodes
- Episode 36 - Alan Roth-Snir
Welcome to Episode 36 of The Good Oil Podcast. Cam Slater sits down with Alon Roth, Israel's Ambassador to New Zealand, for a candid and insightful conversation.
Born in Haifa in 1961, Ambassador Roth shares his journey from engineering studies and IDF service to a 40-year diplomatic career spanning Cameroon, the European Union, Jordan, London, Norway, Iceland, and now New Zealand.
The discussion covers the transformative Abraham Accords, the psychological toll of decades of rocket attacks on Israeli civilians, the barbarity of the October 7 massacre, and the failure of much of the Western media — including in New Zealand — to present the full picture. Roth addresses double standards, antisemitism, and the resilience of Israeli society.
They also explore Israel's extraordinary innovation in water management, agriculture, health tech, and high-tech, and the potential for deeper cooperation with New Zealand and Pacific nations like Fiji through knowledge-sharing rather than aid dependency.
A must-listen for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of Israel, the Middle East, and why a positive agenda of cooperation offers the best path forward.
- 00:00 – Cigar review: Leaf by Oscar Valladares 10th Anniversary Crayola Toro
- 01:12 – Welcome and introduction of Ambassador Alon Roth
- 02:17 – Roth's background: Born Haifa 1961, family, moving around Israel, IDF infantry officer
- 04:46 – Entering the Foreign Ministry in 1986/87
- 05:13 – Postings: Cameroon (most meaningful – aid & cooperation), EU/Brussels/Strasbourg, Jordan (peace experience), London, Norway/Iceland, now NZ (first Pacific posting)
- 09:07 – Impressions of New Zealand after 18 months
- 10:44 – Retirement plans and family
- 11:55 – Abraham Accords, direct flights, new Middle East cooperation (trend vs point)
- 16:10 – Hamas miscalculation on Oct 7; Abraham Accords held
- 19:30 – Living under rocket fire for 20 years; Iron Dome; sheltered rooms
- 23:13 – Psychological burden on Israelis, personal stories as a father
- 26:26 – Kibbutz residents who helped Gazans but were massacred/kidnapped on Oct 7
- 29:57 – No Gazans helped hostages; comparison to WWII resistance
- 32:16 – Denials of atrocities; Hamas bodycam footage; double standards
- 36:24 – Media bias in NZ; disregarding Israeli evidence
- 41:58 – Antisemitism, Christchurch Call hypocrisy (Israel excluded)
- 46:38 – Historical antisemitism and current trends
- 58:59 – UNRWA, incitement in textbooks
- 01:00:40 – Arab Israelis in society; no apartheid (judges, doctors, cafes in Jaffa)
- 01:07:46 – Israeli innovation (water recycling, drip irrigation, desalination, medical tech)
- 01:14:35 – Potential for NZ-Israel cooperation in tech & youth innovation
- 01:18:02 – Opportunities in the Pacific (Fiji embassy, water-from-air, expertise transfer)
- 01:27:05 – Fiji connection via peacekeeping and Christian affinity
- 01:35:44 – Diversity in Israeli society (Orthodox & gay beaches side-by-side, melting pot)
- 01:37:49 – Closing: Positive agenda of cooperation
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1 hr 39 min - Episode 35 - Marewa Glover
Professor Marewa Glover joins Cam Slater to expose the India-NZ Free Trade Agreement as colonisation by stealth. They break down weaponised racism smears, Auckland’s rapid demographic shifts, youth joblessness, incompatible values, and why Kiwis must protect their culture. Hard-hitting truth on bureaucracy, public health grift, and nicotine pouches. Episode 35 of The Good Oil Podcast.
Key Moments & Timings (hh:mm:ss)00:00:03 – 00:01:40: Intro, theme, and cigar review (CLE Aura Classic Natural Toro)00:01:40 – 00:03:30: Welcome to Episode 35 with Professor Marewa Glover + submission on India FTA00:03:30 – 00:08:00: Racism redefined – biological inferiority vs weaponised smears to silence concerns00:08:00 – 00:13:30: Auckland’s visible changes, ethnic enclaves, and the fear of being “overrun”00:13:30 – 00:20:00: Three forms of colonisation (force, treaty, stealth) – FTA as stealth invasion00:20:00 – 00:28:00: Bureaucratic sabotage, fifth columnists, and public health lobby attacks00:28:00 – 00:35:00: Europe/UK warnings, rapid social change causing anxiety and loss of belonging00:35:00 – 00:42:00: Kiwi youth locked out of jobs, minimum-wage migrants, broken social contract00:42:00 – 00:50:00: Ethnic clustering (Long Bay, Dominion Rd), pace of change too fast for communities00:50:00 – 01:00:00: Incompatible values – child marriage stats (222 million girls in India), caste, low law compliance01:00:00 – 01:10:00: High-trust NZ vs competitive cultures, building code/bypass examples, Japan model01:10:00 – 01:25:00: Political infiltration risks, pro-rata immigration limits, protecting Kiwi culture01:25:00 – 01:35:00: Nicotine pouches/snus discussion, tobacco control failures and grift01:35:00 – 01:55:00: Call to wake up & speak up, final thoughts, outro
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1 hr 55 min - Episode 34 - Billy Brown
Billy Brown is a Māori/Moriori man from North Canterbury who left school at 13 with dyslexia and built himself from the ground up on work ethic and accountability. He argues that New Zealand is a genuine meritocracy — not a racist country — and that the biggest thing holding Māori back in 2026 isn't colonisation, it's the victim politics of Te Pāti Māori. He calls out iwi elites extracting hundreds of millions in "taniwha tax" from mining and infrastructure projects as extortion, and argues National and Labour are functionally identical managers of managed decline. He backs NZ First as the only real alternative.
On the economy, Brown wants New Zealand to dig: coal, oil, gas, rare earths. He calls out Green hypocrisy on electrification — you can't power everything while blocking every dam and mine — and points to the Think Big era as proof that long-term infrastructure investment works. He's scathing about the red tape strangling construction and the political class of career politicians who've never used their hands.The conversation ranges wide: New Zealand needs a bigger Pacific footprint or China fills the vacuum; Bainimarama's Fiji has lessons for us on constitutional reform and one-nation politics; the civil service blob is the real government and changing the party in power changes nothing until ministers are willing to appoint and sack their own people. On COVID, another inquiry won't get anywhere — the system prevents it.He closes with a simple pitch: voters are sick of being lied to. Any politician promising to fix New Zealand in three years is lying. The honest message is we're fixing it for our grandkids, not ourselves. Plain speakers, not riddle speakers.CHAPTER TIMINGS
00:02:00 Prosperous NZ = good for Maori00:03:14 Background — dyslexia, left school at 1300:04:29 Upbringing in Kaiapoi00:05:31 His father's work ethic00:07:25 The only person who will save you is yourself00:08:52 Free speech — it's not 2020 anymore00:09:22 Racist abuse from Maori toward Maori00:11:22 Is NZ racist? Two Maori Deputy PMs00:12:39 The only thing holding Maori back is themselves00:13:02 Te Pāti Maori's victim business model00:15:02 Leadership is sitting at the table00:15:45 The Treaty — three articles, no principles00:16:58 Property rights vs holding NZ to ransom00:17:16 The taniwha tax — $350M, $150M, $100M00:18:46 Billy T. James was ahead of his time00:20:07 Ngai Tahu — settlement should draw a line00:21:14 Santana mine — opposed only when demands weren't met00:23:09 If it's so tapu why is it $150M?00:24:01 Extortion is extortion00:25:01 Better model: royalties, equity, labour hire00:25:43 Sea Lord — are Maori on the boats?00:26:41 Iwi corporates — no long-term people plan00:28:09 Hapu farm — gates used as hangi pits00:30:51 Moriori — not Maori, completely different00:31:45 1835 — stolen ship, genocide at the Chathams00:33:05 Rewriting Moriori history00:33:22 Maori are not indigenous00:34:26 Cultural evolution — can't be stuck00:37:12 We're just Kiwis00:37:20 Coming back after COVID — a divided country00:39:22 National and Labour — a tissue's worth of difference00:40:07 Labour has abused Maori votes for 100 years00:41:02 Ardern split the country00:41:39 Why Billy backed NZ First00:41:54 NZF at 20% changes everything00:42:25 National's hatred of Peters — 30 years in the DNA00:42:51 National manages the decline, nothing more00:43:15 Dig the coal00:43:36 Waitaha Dam — the treaty or the frog?00:47:58 Electrify everything, build nothing — Green hypocrisy00:48:28 EVs — expensive, grid can't cope00:49:47 NI-SI cable at capacity — $2B to fix00:50:19 EVs export our problems overseas00:50:55 Ditch net zero — dig oil, gas, rare earths00:51:16 Real wins: clean water, ban microplastics00:52:05 Lake Rotorua nitrates — a fixable problem00:53:14 Not feeling good. Feeling smug.00:53:27 Who votes Green?00:53:48 NZ was an economic powerhouse in the 50s00:55:08 Kiwi innovation killed by red tape00:55:26 Road cones — 15% of a tender is compliance00:56:36 Whangaparaoa tollway: 6 years for 5km00:57:05 Otiha Valley busway — moved the bottleneck 4km00:58:32 Think 12-24 years, not election cycles00:59:06 Think Big — all opposed, all essential00:59:41 Without Think Big: $10 a litre01:00:31 NZ's Pacific footprint — stop lecturing01:01:01 China filling the vacuum01:03:29 Bainimarama — NZ boycotted, China moved in01:06:28 Fiji's income: remittances and UN soldiers01:15:06 One nation, one people01:16:40 Frank's downfall — AG corruption01:18:55 Should NZ become a republic?01:19:42 The treaty blocks a republic01:20:21 Bill of Rights should be primary legislation01:21:01 Another COVID inquiry won't get anywhere01:21:47 River of filth — we remember01:22:00 We're changing managers, not government01:22:44 The blob in action: the vape ban01:25:08 Drain the swamp or nothing changes01:25:54 Ministers need to appoint and sack01:26:28 The mandarins — never held accountable01:27:35 Willis's advisors were Robertson's advisors01:28:57 The PSA — two messages, one Labour candidate01:29:50 Labour: 40,000 more civil servants, worse services01:30:20 Whanau Ora — Maori health didn't improve01:30:52 Cigars, nicotine, strong men01:31:38 Strong men, strong families, strong economy01:32:27 Labour tells Maori they're feeble01:33:40 National: remove Maori seats and I'll lose mine01:35:02 Labour now represents elites, not workers01:35:29 Winston rode a horse to school. Hipkins went to Wellington.01:36:12 Everyday Kiwis back in Parliament01:38:12 Luxon — rehearsed, empty01:39:30 Plain speakers not riddle speakers01:40:38 Fixing it for your grandkids
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1 hr 43 min - Episode 33 - Barry Soper
Cam Slater finally sits down with legendary political journalist Barry Soper for a wide-ranging, no-holds-barred conversation about Barry’s new book, the 12 Prime Ministers he’s covered, and what politics really looks like from the inside.
Barry opens up about the catastrophic loss of his personal archives (a staff member “tidied” several thousand pages of notes going back to Roger Douglas) and how that forced him to write the book as pure memory. They then dive deep into the characters:
Key timestamps:• 00:05:49 – Muldoon: the little grunter, Think Big, the schnapps election, and why Barry has revised his opinion of him• 00:19:50 – Jacinda Ardern: five years of close observation, “kindness,” the performative nature of her leadership, and the movie that confirmed everything• 00:24:00 – Chris Hipkins: the man trying to distance himself from the very government he was central to• 00:26:00 – Helen Clark: despised her politics, admired her ability and leadership style• 00:34:38 – Jim Bolger: the man who came to Barry’s wedding and quietly rolled Jim McClay• 00:43:00 – Winston Peters: the most consummate politician Barry has worked with, his coalition strategy, and why small parties usually get smothered• 00:49:00 – The Trevor Mallard wine prank and the Annette King flowers saga• 00:51:30 – Why Luxon is largely misunderstood and what he actually needs around himIt’s funny, blunt, and full of the kind of stories you only get from someone who has been in the room for decades. No political tome — just two old hands telling it straight.
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1 hr 9 min - Episode 32 - Tameem Barakat
Cam welcomes Tameem Barakat, founder of The Centrist, for a deep and personal conversation.
The episode opens with the ritual humidor check — this week featuring the La Ora Family Creed Foete Sol Toro from Canteros.nz — before Tameem tells his story. Born and raised in Vancouver, BC, Tameem has Egyptian and Italian-Jewish heritage. His parents married in 1960s London when class and education mattered more than religion. He recounts watching hours of CNN Headline News as a child, his early obsession with politics, and how his mixed background gave him a unique lens on the Middle East.Tameem explains why he chose music with a political edge early in his career (inspired by Bob Dylan, Public Enemy, and others) rather than love songs, and how he eventually transitioned into writing and founding The Centrist. The pair discuss the backlash he’s received, including Martyn Bradbury calling the site a “hate blog,” Tameem’s view that the Overton window has shifted dramatically left, and why centrism is now treated as extreme.The conversation moves into COVID-era New Zealand — Tameem’s move from Canada during the pandemic, MIQ experiences, the wage subsidy, vaccine passes, and his view of Jacinda Ardern as a “shabby little dictator.” They also cover media propaganda, free speech, the difference between criticising governments and antisemitism, and why Tameem believes ideas should matter more than identity.A candid, wide-ranging interview that gives listeners the full picture behind one of New Zealand’s most discussed new platforms.
Key sections include:• 01:52 – 09:55 – Tameem’s background and family story• 10:00 – 15:12 – Music career and early political writing• 22:00 – 29:10 – The move to New Zealand and MIQ experience• 32:00 – 45:00 – COVID policies, vaccine passes, and a direct assessment of Jacinda Ardern• 55:00 – 01:08:00 – In-depth discussion on Israel/Palestine and the Overton window• 01:09:20 – 01:19:00 – How The Centrist was founded during lockdown• 01:34:00 – 01:45:00 – Racism accusations from the left and closing thoughts
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1 hr 46 min - Episode 31 - Elliot Ikilei
Buckle up for a no-holds-barred chat with Elliot Ikilei from Hobson's Pledge. We dive into his wild ride from a chaotic upbringing – solo parents on both sides, teenage drugs, booze, and rebellion – to finding faith at 25 and turning it all around through youth work. Elliot pulls no punches on the bad cases that broke him, the wins that fueled him, and why Hobson's Pledge is battling what he calls "tribal separatism" in NZ. From government overreach to cultural division, we cover the fight for equality, the Treaty mess, and why the left's playbook is failing. If you're sick of the spin, this episode cuts through the crap. Listen now – and join the pushback.
Timestamps:
00:00 - Intro & Cigar Review (Canteros.nz)
01:07 - Welcome & Guest Introduction02:24 - Elliot’s Personal Background: From Chaos to Christianity06:11 - The Shift: Family Structure vs Colonisation Narrative08:00 - Journey into Politics & Conservative Party Years13:25 - Critique of Luxon & Hipkins Leadership18:22 - COVID Authoritarianism & Jacinda Ardern30:00 - The Reality of Jacinda’s “Kindness”38:00 - Parliament Protest & Political Loyalty43:08 - Joining Hobson’s Pledge & The “Racist” Label50:00 - Media Bias & Independent Media58:00 - Stochastic Terrorism & Demonisation of Opponents01:05:00 - Posie Parker, Brian Tamaki & Man Up01:15:00 - Foreign Policy: China in the Pacific & Fiji01:22:54 - 2026 Election Outlook & NZ First Surge01:32:13 - Hobson’s Pledge Wins & Closing Thoughts
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1 hr 36 min - Episode 30 - Shubz
Cam sits down with the man causing absolute chaos in Māori social media circles — the guy they call Shubz.
After years of watching his people get failed by the very organisations claiming to represent them, Shubz decided enough was enough. What started as live streams on TikTok has turned into a full-frontal assault on iwi elites, unaccountable millions in Treaty settlements, and the “you’re not Māori enough” gatekeeping that shuts down anyone who steps out of line.
In this wide-ranging conversation they cover:
- His grandmother’s influence and growing up around politics- Why so many Māori are still conditioned to believe Labour is the only option- The “waste of Māori blood” attack on Winston Peters and what it really reveals- The disconnect between the loud activist class and ordinary Māori on the ground- How Alfred Ngaro’s story convinced him National wasn’t the enemy he’d been told00:00 – Welcome & Cigar Review (Perdomo Legacy Connecticut Grand Belicoso)03:40 – Introducing Shubz06:30 – How Shubz went from live streamer to poking the Māori elite11:20 – “You’ve come out of nowhere and caused a fair bit of ruckus”15:50 – Growing up around politics, seeing the hypocrisy first-hand22:10 – Grandmother’s influence and standing up for the people28:40 – The “waste of Māori blood” comment to Winston Peters34:50 – Alfred Ngaro’s story and being told he was “in the wrong party”41:30 – Why Labour is still pushed as the only option for Māori48:15 – Iwi elites, funding that never filters down, and real injustice55:40 – The disconnect between activist class and ordinary Māori1:02:00 – Final thoughts and where this goes from here
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1 hr 35 min - Episode 29 - Nathan Smith
The Tyrannosaurus Machine: Nathan Smith on Cancellation, Media Lies, and the "Shadow Map" of Power
Former journalist and political insider Nathan Smith joins Cam Slater to pull back the curtain on how the machinery of power actually works. From the "Tyrannosaurus" media narrative that fuels public cancellations to the concept of "Love Speech"—the unregulated PR manipulation that runs our newsfeeds—this is a masterclass in seeing through the establishment's funhouse mirror.
We also go global: Why the "Iran is winning" narrative is a fantasy, how the Middle East conflict is actually a proxy for China's energy security, and the "Permanent Government" of bureaucrats who wait out elected politicians.
Featuring Dunbarton Dondurma cigars from Canteros.nz (http://canteros.nz/).
00:00 - Cigar Review & Introduction
01:12 - The Cancellation Story: Tyrannosaurus vs Lizard
06:14 - Behind the Curtain: Business & Politics
10:07 - The Tyrannosaurus Machine: Puppet Masters
17:08 - Love Speech vs. Hate Speech: The PR Game
28:30 - The Shadow Map of NZ Politics
32:41 - Middle East Reality Check: Iran & Israel
42:58 - The China Play: Oil, Resources, and Proxy Wars
53:42 - Military Capability: US Dominance & Grey Zones
01:04:12 - The Expert Problem: Credentialism & "Beijing Bob"
01:13:08 - The Permanent Government: Bureaucracy vs Voters
01:21:58 - Local Politics Reality Check: Luxon & The Machine
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1 hr 36 min - Episode 28 - Alfred Ngaro
In this episode of The Good Oil, Cam Slater sits down with former National MP Alfred Ngaro. This isn't a standard political interview; it's an autopsy of the modern New Zealand political machine.
Ngaro provides a rare insider's perspective on the shift from the "Old School" politics of John Key and Winston Peters to the "Managerial" era of Christopher Luxon and the "Performative" era of Jacinda Ardern.
Chapters:00:00 — Cigar Review & Introductions02:10 — Alfred's Journey: From National MP to the "Wave of Red"04:10 — The "Uninspiring" Prayer: How Alfred caught John Key's eye08:40 — The "Labour Tattoo": Dismantling the Pasifika-Labour Monolith13:40 — Cultural Capital: Moving from state dependency to transactions16:20 — "No White Knights": The grandmother's wisdom on opportunity18:40 — Entrepreneurship in Decile 1 Schools: Breaking the factory mindset20:40 — The Israeli Model: Why existential pressure drives innovation25:20 — The "Feminization" of Education: From woodwork to "technology blocks"31:00 — The Visionaries: Why Winston Peters is the consistent outlier42:30 — The Flag Referendum: Where John Key lost his confidence52:00 — The "Performative" PM: Deconstructing Jacinda Ardern's brand57:00 — The Deal that Wasn't: Why Bill English failed Winston Peters1:01:00 — The "Sloppy" Leader: A critique of Christopher Luxon's style1:13:00 — The "Wombles" of the Opportunities Party: Why small parties fail1:16:00 — The Compassionate Side of Winston Peters
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1 hr 39 min - Episode 27 - Eeryk McRae
In Episode 27 of The Good Oil Podcast, Cam chats with social commentator Eeryk McRae.
Passionate, articulate, and politically sharp, Eeryk tackles government overreach, the rise of young voices in online political discourse, and the state of modern debate.
He’s critical of the left without drifting to the far-right, bringing a fair, intelligent perspective to a fast-moving conversation that covers politics, culture, and the changing shape of public discussion.
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1 hr 40 min
About The Good Oil
From the publisher's feed
Political and news commentary with a New Zealand flavour hosted by New Zealand's multi award-winning number podcaster and blogger. Cam Slater doesn’t do quiet and, as a result, he is a polarising,…
controversial but highly effective journalist who takes no prisoners. Love him or loathe him, you can’t ignore him.