Yours Politically - Sanjesh Narain

Barbara Edmonds described the Government’s Budget as “disappointing” during an interview with Radio Tarana host Sanjesh Narain.

Edmonds said the Budget had “failed New Zealanders” and criticised its overall direction and priorities. When asked to summarise the Budget in one word, she responded: “disappointing.”

NZ First party leader- Winston Peters has been publicly distancing Christopher Luxon and the government from some key economic and immigration decisions as the 2026 election campaign starts to take shape.

On the Budget, Peters has argued the government made the “wrong choices” and suggested a budget surplus should already have been achieved rather than pushed further out. Debate around the latest Budget has exposed tensions inside the coalition, especially between NZ First and National over spending priorities and superannuation policy.  

Speaking to Radio Tarana host Sanjesh Narain -Peters has also strongly opposed any increase to the superannuation age or cuts to pension entitlements. He recently described protecting superannuation as a “top line” issue for NZ First, not just a negotiable coalition point.  

On immigration, Peters says NZ First is “not anti-immigration” but wants what he calls “focused” or “targeted” immigration — bringing in workers for genuine shortages rather than relying on large-scale migration to drive economic growth. NZ First has repeatedly criticised what it calls “loose” or “mass” immigration settings.  

This positioning appears aimed at separating NZ First from National and ACT before the election, while still remaining part of the coalition government. Political commentators in New Zealand have noted that coalition parties are increasingly differentiating themselves publicly as campaigning intensifies.  

Labour leader Chris Hipkins says he is willing to work with parties that share common ground with Labour. Speaking to Radio Tarana host Sanjesh Narain, Hipkins said Labour has performed well in consecutive polls because the government has failed to deliver on its promises.

The Labour leader also said New Zealand needs a capital gains tax. He argued that while the government may have secured an uninterrupted fuel supply, concerns remain that it has failed to help households and businesses struggling with high fuel costs.

Although Hipkins criticised David Seymour and ACT’s proposed “immigration policy", he said he supports the idea of a citizenship test.

ACT MP-Dr Parmjeet Parmar has defended her party’s immigration policy.

Speaking to Radio Tarana host Sanjesh Narain, Dr Parmar said there are certain requirements migrants must fulfil if they want to call New Zealand home.

She said migrants seeking New Zealand citizenship should first understand New Zealand’s values.

Meanwhile, Dr Parmar also revealed that she continues to receive threats and abusive messages.

Carmel Sepuloni, deputy leader of New Zealand Labour Party, has pushed back on proposals for a c citizenship test, saying she doesn’t see the need for such a change.

In an interview with Radio Tarana host Sanjesh Narain, Sepuloni questioned the reasoning behind introducing a formal test for prospective citizens. Her comments reflect a broader debate in New Zealand about immigration policy and how citizenship requirements should evolve.

Minister Louise Upston joins Radio Tarana's Sanjesh Narain in this latest podcast.

She talks about recent attacks by Iran on UAE and what further impact it will have on global fuel supply and what does it mean for NZ’s fuel security? Is the current fuel crisis affecting tourism industry and what is your take on ACT’s immigration policy? How would you describe Shane Jones “Butter Chicken” Tsunami comments? Are these comments racist ? She also talks about benefits of INDIA-NZ FTA.

Mark Mitchell, New Zealand’s Police and Emergency Management Minister, spoke to Radio Tarana to provide an update on flooding in Wellington.He said the government response is ongoing and urged residents to stay informed, but reassured the public that the situation is being actively managed.Mitchell also dismissed concerns about a potential leadership challenge within the New Zealand National Party, saying such speculation should not distract from emergency response efforts and other issues affecting kiwis.During the interview, he criticised a controversial haka directed at ACT MP Dr Parmjeet Parmar, describing it as inappropriate, and also took aim at Shane Jones over his widely criticised “Butter chicken tsunami” remark.

Immigration officers will soon have the power to ask suspected overstayers for identification in homes and workplaces.The government said it was closing a compliance gap in the deportation system, while critics argued it was a step towards the immigration conditions that had allowed the Immigration and Customs Enforcement [ICE] raids seen in the United States.  In September last year, the New Zealand government announced a suite of immigration settings changes aimed at strengthening deportation levers. Among them was giving immigration officers the power to ask for identity-based information from individuals they suspected were in breach of their visa conditions.The Green Party's immigration spokesperson Ricardo Menéndez March said these ICE raids did not happen overnight. "They were enabled by American politicians slowly allowing their immigration officials to have more powers to search, to detain and to target migrant communities.

Interview with ACT MP Dr Parmjit Parmar.

Dr parm has written to the immigration minister seeking changes to the parent Category Visa application. 

Labour's Immigration spokesperson Phil Twyford speaks to Tarana on topics ranging from Economy to Immigration.