Marama Davidson, Green Party co-leader and social justice advocate, discusses a proposed super-rich tax, the KiwiMart supermarket plan, Palestine, donations and possible cooperation with National. Commerce Commission chair John Small, an economist specialising in competition policy, reveals the scale of bid-rigging in public contracts. The programme also explores a tight Māori electorate race and why Auckland could decide the election.
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Wellbeing Investment Can Drive Productivity
Davidson argues public investment can create the conditions for entrepreneurship rather than competing with private investment.
She points to hungry children, unstable housing and under-resourced hospitals as barriers to productivity.
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KiwiMart Promises Competition Without A Savings Figure
KiwiMart would acquire up to 120 stores and distribution centres to create a government-backed third supermarket competitor.
The Greens promise affordability but cannot provide an average household saving figure.
insights INSIGHT
The Supermarket Savings Math Remains Unclear
The proposed 13% market share is intended to pressure the supermarket duopoly through affordability-focused competition.
Jack Tame calculates that eliminating $365 million in excess profits would save shoppers only about $1.32 weekly.
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Marama Davidson on Greens' super-rich tax, KiwiMart, and working with National
After scandal and tragedy saw five Green MPs leave parliament before the end of the term, the Green Party 'reset' in late 2025. Now, the Greens are polling higher than their 2023 general election result and are campaigning to keep their historic three electorate seats.
Their KiwiMart policy - a government owned supermarket chain introduced to break up the Foodstuffs and Woolworths duopoly - promises lower grocery prices, but they won't be drawn on a dollar figure saving. And while a wealth tax has been rubbished by both National and Labour, making it unlikely to become government policy, an Ipsos survey found two thirds of New Zealanders support it.
Co-leader Marama Davidson joins Q+A for the first leader interview this election season.
Commerce Commission boss reveals $360 million bid-rigging problem
A Commerce Commission investigation into government procurement has indicated nearly one million dollars a day in public spending is lost through bid-rigging practices. Chair John Small says these contracts can go unnoticed, and it takes whistle-blowers inside the offending firms calling out anti-competitive behaviour in order for any action to be taken.
John Small joins Jack Tame to explain the Commission's findings and to reflect on an election period dominated by competition policy, especially around supermarkets.
Election 2026: The 'lucky' electorate with a four-way race
After a dramatic year of internal party turmoil, voters in New Zealand's northern-most Māori seat will have the choice of four high-profile candidates come November: incumbent and former Te Pāti Māori candidate Mariameno Kapa-Kingi of the newly-formed Te Tai Tokerau Party, Te Pāti Māori's new candidate Aperahama Edwards, Labour's Willow-Jean Prime, and the Green Party's Huhana Lyndon.
Reporter Whena Owen heads up north to meet them.
Election 2026: How Auckland holds the keys to the next parliament
Auckland alone provides $172 billion of GDP and accounts for 37 percent of New Zealand's economy. It's little wonder then that political parties of all stripes will be wanting to convince the city's 1.1 million voters that they have the best vision for the future of the country.
1News business correspondent Jason Walls reports.
Join Jack Tame and the Q+A team and find the answers to the questions that matter. Made with the support of NZ on Air.
Q+A with Jack Tame