Thoughts on Politics

Who do you think you are, and does it decide how you vote?

Andrew Urquhart explores identity and politics with policy analysts, theologians, practitioners and everyday New Zealanders. He asks which groups we belong to, from iwi and hapū to whānau, culture and church, and whether those groups shape the way we vote.

Contributors weigh up the history of tribal voting in New Zealand, from class-based loyalties under first past the post to the more fragmented MMP era. One analyst argues voters are now less loyal to parties but more tribal about ideology, and warns of a growing habit of treating opponents as evil rather than simply wrong. Others question single-issue voting, unpack the compromises Christians face when no party matches all their values, and reflect on why every vote carries the same mana.

Episode 1 of 5, asking what's broken in Aotearoa New Zealand, whether politics can fix it and who's fit for the job ahead of Election 2026.

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