The Hoon

The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts Bernard Hickey & Peter Bale talking about the week’s news with regular and special guests, including:

Robert Patman on the week in geopolitics, including the latest from Donald Trump over Gaza and Ukraine.

Health expert and author David Galler on health funding cuts, Health NZ’s restructures and the dangers of privatisation.

The Hoon’s podcast version above was recorded on Thursday night during a live webinar for over 200 paying subscribers and was produced and edited by Simon Josey.

The video above was added after the email was sent to all subscribers.

The Hoon won the silver award for best current affairs podcast in this year’s New Zealand Podcast awards.

(This is a sampler for all free subscribers and anyone else who stumbles on it. Thanks to the support of paying subscribers here, we’re able to spread my public interest journalism here about housing affordability, climate change and poverty reduction other public venues. Join the community supporting and contributing to this work with your ideas, feedback and comments, and by subscribing in full.)

Ngā mihi nui.

Bernard

The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts Bernard Hickey & Peter Bale talking about the week’s news with regular and special guests, including:

* Cathrine Dyer on Donald Trump’s first executive orders to reverse Joe Biden’s emissions reductions policies and pull the United States out of the Paris Agreement (again). She also highlighted the UK Institute and Faculty of Actuaries landmark report published last week: ‘Planetary Solvency – finding our balance with nature.’ It estimated the global economy could face a 50% loss in GDP between 2070 and 2090, unless immediate policy action on risks posed by the climate crisis is taken;

* Washington DC-based correspondent Elaine Monaghan on Trump’s inauguration, his early actions, the rise of the broligarchs and the role of media and journalism in responding to (and creating) Trump. I referred to Judd Legum’s launch this week on Substack of Musk Watch as an example of how journalists were responding independently to the crisis in ‘big’ media; and,

* New Zealand Association of Scientists Co-President Dr Lucy Stewart commenting on the Government’s announcement yesterday of major reforms of the Government-funded science sector. Comments from scientists and others on the reforms are summarised here at the Science Media Centre and she referred to Peter Gluckman’s official Science System Advisory Group report: ‘An architecture for the future’ in our discussion. The reforms were based on this report.

The Hoon’s podcast version above was recorded on Thursday night during a live webinar for over 200 paying subscribers and was produced and edited by Simon Josey.

The video above was added after the email was sent to all subscribers.

The Hoon won the silver award for best current affairs podcast in this year’s New Zealand Podcast awards.

(This is a sampler for all free subscribers and anyone else who stumbles on it. Thanks to the support of paying subscribers here, we’re able to spread my public interest journalism here about housing affordability, climate change and poverty reduction other public venues. Join the community supporting and contributing to this work with your ideas, feedback and comments, and by subscribing in full.)

Ngā mihi nui.

Bernard

Last night I spoke about the second inauguration of Donald Trump with Peter Bale in a ‘pop-up’ Hoon live video chat on the Substack app on phones.

Here’s the summary of the lightly edited video above:

* Trump's actions signify a shift away from international law.

* The imposition of tariffs could lead to increased inflation in the US.

* Media trust is at an all-time low, affecting public perception.

* The withdrawal from the Paris Agreement has significant global implications.

* Economic unpredictability is a major concern for New Zealand.

* Journalism faces a crisis of credibility and relevance.

* Social media's role in shaping political narratives is critical.

* The need for in-depth journalism is more pressing than ever.

* New Zealand must navigate complex trade relationships carefully.

* The political landscape is changing rapidly, requiring adaptive strategies.

Thank you Dr Bex, Joell Delamere, Kate, Philip Twycross, and many others for tuning into my live video with Peter Bale! Join me for my next live video in the app.

The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts Bernard Hickey & Peter Bale talking about the year’s news with:

* Cathrine Dyer on climate. Her book of the year was Tim Winton’s cli-fi novel Juice and she also mentioned Mike Joy’s memoir The Fight for Fresh Water. Cathrine’s person of the year was David Seymour.

* Robert Patman on geopolitics. His book of the year was Terence O’Brien’s Consolations of Insignificance: A New Zealand Diplomatic Memoir, which was also Helen Clark’s book of the year, and Robert’s person of the year was Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur for the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

* Helen Clark on geopolitics and local politics. Her person of the year was Donald Trump.

* Elaine Monaghan on US politics and geopolitics. Her book of the year was Marsha Linehan’s memoir Building a Life Worth Living. Her person of the year was Mazen al Hamada, a Syrian activist who was tortured by the Syrian regime, left Syria in 2013, returned four years ago, was captured, tortured again and killed just before the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad. ABC

* Josie Pagani on geopolitics and local politics. Here book of the year was Tony Blair’s On Leadership and her person of the year was fictional UK Labour MP Fiona Wilson. UK Press Association

* Peter Bale book of the year was Richard Flanagan’s memoir Question 7 and his person of the year was Gisèle Pelicot, the French woman who came forward to testify in the rape trial of her husband, Dominique Pelicot, who was jailed last night for 20 years. The Guardian

* Bernard Hickey’s podcast of the year was The Spinoff’s Juggernaut podcast on the fourth Labour Government by Toby Manhire & Te Aihe Butler. His person of the year was Simeon Brown in Aotearoa, and Donald Trump internationally.

Each of the panellists and hosts also gave their predictions for 2025 near the end. Listen to the podcast to find out what they were. :)

The Hoon’s podcast version above was recorded on Thursday night during a live webinar for over 200 paying subscribers and was produced and edited by Simon Josey.

The Hoon won the silver award for best current affairs podcast in this year’s New Zealand Podcast awards.

This was the last Hoon for 2024. Our first Hoon of 2025 will be on Thursday, January 23 (not not January 16 as mentioned in the podcast), although this could change with events…dear boy.

(This is a sampler for all free subscribers and anyone else who stumbles on it. Thanks to the support of paying subscribers here, we’re able to spread my public interest journalism here about housing affordability, climate change and poverty reduction other public venues. Join the community supporting and contributing to this work with your ideas, feedback and comments, and by subscribing in full.)

Ngā mihi nui.

Bernard

The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts Bernard Hickey & Peter Bale talking about the week’s news with:

* Cathrine Dyer on the Government’s inadequate final emissions reduction plan and pro-business climate appointments;

* Robert Patman on the lightening overthrow of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria and what might happen next in Ukraine as the world’s diplomats, traders and markets brace for Donald Trump’s re-inauguation on January 10.

The Hoon’s podcast version above was recorded on Thursday night during a live webinar for over 200 paying subscribers and was produced by Simon Josey.

The Hoon won the silver award for best current affairs podcast in this year’s New Zealand Podcast awards.

This is the second-to-last Hoon for 2024. Our special last edition of the year is on December 19 and will include our regulars Cathrine Dyer and Robert Patman, plus special guests Helen Clark and Josie Pagani. Our first Hoon of 2025 will be on Thursday, January 23.

(This is a sampler for all free subscribers and anyone else who stumbles on it. Thanks to the support of paying subscribers here, we’re able to spread my public interest journalism here about housing affordability, climate change and poverty reduction other public venues. Join the community supporting and contributing to this work with your ideas, feedback and comments, and by subscribing in full.)

Ngā mihi nui.

Bernard

The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts Bernard Hickey & Peter Bale talking about the week’s news with:

* Cathrine Dyer on Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay saying New Zealand would not buy emissions credits overseas, effectively admitting we’ll renege on our Paris commitments. (RNZ)

* Robert Patman on the Israel vs Gaza/Iran/Lebanon and Ukraine/Nato vs Russia/North Korea conflicts, Donald Trump’s transition and whether New Zealand joins AUKUS, including Labour’s pledge to pull out if National takes New Zealand in.

* Special guest Troy Baisden, the Co-President of the NZ Association of Scientists, on the Government’s shock decision on Wednesday to completely stop funding pure science research in humanities and social sciences via the Marsden fund.

The Hoon’s podcast version above was recorded on Thursday night during a live webinar for over 200 paying subscribers and was produced by Simon Josey.

The Hoon won the silver award for best current affairs podcast in this year’s New Zealand Podcast awards.

(This is a sampler for all free subscribers and anyone else who stumbles on it. Thanks to the support of paying subscribers here, we’re able to spread my public interest journalism here about housing affordability, climate change and poverty reduction other public venues. Join the community supporting and contributing to this work with your ideas, feedback and comments, and by subscribing in full.)

Ngā mihi nui.

Bernard

The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts Bernard Hickey & Peter Bale talking about the week’s news with:

* Robert Patman on the Israel vs Gaza/Iran/Lebanon, Ukraine/Nato vs Russia/North Korea and whether NZ joins AUKUS;

* Special guest Community Housing Aotearoa CEO Paul Gilberd talking about the Community Housing Provider (CHiPs) sector’s hopes for a Government guarantee to unleash thousands of new homes with fund from KiwiSaver and pension funds here.

The Hoon’s podcast version above was recorded on Thursday night during a live webinar for over 200 paying subscribers and was produced by Simon Josey.

The Hoon won the silver award for best current affairs podcast in this year’s New Zealand Podcast awards announced yesterday.

(This is a sampler for all free subscribers and anyone else who stumbles on it. Thanks to the support of paying subscribers here, we’re able to spread my public interest journalism here about housing affordability, climate change and poverty reduction other public venues. Join the community supporting and contributing to this work with your ideas, feedback and comments, and by subscribing in full.)

Ngā mihi nui.

Bernard

The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts Bernard Hickey & Peter Bale talking about the week’s news with:

* Robert Patman on the US Presidential elections, Israel vs Gaza/Iran/Lebanon, Ukraine/Nato vs Russia/North Korea and whether NZ now joins AUKUS;

* Special guest Helen Clark on the issues above, plus dramas in the UN, the hikoi this week, the media and politics and her own experience with Foreshore & Seabed.

* Special guest Susan St John on the letter from 15 economists calling on the Government to suspend its austerity programme, and whether the NZ Super Fund should have to pay tax.

The Hoon’s podcast version above was recorded on Thursday night during a live webinar for over 200 paying subscribers and was produced by Simon Josey.

(This is a sampler for all free subscribers and anyone else who stumbles on it. Thanks to the support of paying subscribers here, we’re able to spread my public interest journalism here about housing affordability, climate change and poverty reduction other public venues. Join the community supporting and contributing to this work with your ideas, feedback and comments, and by subscribing in full.)

Ngā mihi nui.

Bernard

The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts Bernard Hickey & Peter Bale talking about the week’s news with:

* The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer on the latest climate news, including from COP29 this week;

* Robert Patman on the US Presidential elections, Israel vs Gaza/Iran/Lebanon, Ukraine/Nato vs Russia/North Korea and whether NZ now joins AUKUS.

* Special guest Elaine Monaghan on Donald Trump’s win in the US Presidential elections. She is a professor of practice in journalism at Indiana University in Bloomington, and contributed to Reuters coverage of Ukraine, having long been a Reuters correspondent in Moscow, Kyiv and Washington. She was also a correspondent for The Times in Washington and co-authored the 2006 book On the Brink: An Insider's Account of How the White House Compromised American Intelligence.

* Special guest David Tong, Global Industry Campaign Manager at Oil Change International, speaking from COP29 in Baku.

The Hoon’s podcast version above was recorded on Thursday night during a live webinar for over 200 paying subscribers and was produced by Simon Josey.

(This is a sampler for all free subscribers and anyone else who stumbles on it. Thanks to the support of paying subscribers here, we’re able to spread my public interest journalism here about housing affordability, climate change and poverty reduction other public venues. Join the community supporting and contributing to this work with your ideas, feedback and comments, and by subscribing in full.)

Ngā mihi nui.

Bernard

The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts Bernard Hickey & Peter Bale talking about the week’s news with:

* The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer on the latest climate news, including how Donald Trump’s re-election and sweep of the Congress changes the equations;

* Robert Patman on the US Presidential elections, Israel vs Gaza/Iran/Lebanon, Ukraine/Natio vs Russia/North Korea and whether NZ now joins AUKUS.

* Special guest Elaine Monaghan on Donald Trump’s win in the US Presidential elections. She is a professor of practice in journalism at Indiana University in Bloomington, and contributed to Reuters coverage of Ukraine, having long been a Reuters correspondent in Moscow, Kyiv and Washington. She was also a correspondent for The Times in Washington and co-authored the 2006 book On the Brink: An Insider's Account of How the White House Compromised American Intelligence.

* Special guest CTU Chief Economist Craig Renney on this week’s cost of living figures, jobs figures and Budget figures in Aotearoa.

The Hoon’s podcast version above was recorded on Thursday night during a live webinar for over 200 paying subscribers and was produced by Simon Josey.

(This is a sampler for all free subscribers and anyone else who stumbles on it. Thanks to the support of paying subscribers here, we’re able to spread my public interest journalism here about housing affordability, climate change and poverty reduction other public venues. Join the community supporting and contributing to this work with your ideas, feedback and comments, and by subscribing in full.)

Ngā mihi nui.

Bernard