Dr Ayesha Verrall has only been in Parliament since 2020, but after a few years as an MP, she is now a key part of Labour's frontbench, holding the Health portfolio, alongside Research, Science and Innovation.  Both portfolios have been hot topics of discussion in recent weeks, from controversies around health targets and the exit of Rob Campbell as Te Whatu Ora chair, to backlash from some sectors over the inclusion of Mātauranga Māori in science education.  The Minister joins Thomas today to discuss her career and those recent issues - and a surprising revelation about being struck by lightning! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Getting an annual budget across the line is no easy task for mayors, with councillors acting as both their caucus and opposition, not to mention the public consultation process. Baldwin Boyle Group and a Heart of the City board member Chamanthie Sinhalage-Fonseka says mayors lead the direction of budgets and often go through them line-by-line with senior council officers before the draft version is tabled. Auckland Council is facing an almost $300 million shortfall. Residential rates will rise by a net average of 5.66 per cent. Christchurch City Council is looking at a similar rates increase of 5.58 per cent. Meanwhile, Wellington City Council’s proposed rates increase is more than double that.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Reserve Bank made headlines this week by raising the official cash rate by 50 basis points despite the impact of Cyclone Gabrielle.The OCR now sits at 4.75 per cent, its highest level since 2008, and the impact of this will eventually feed into the economy as fixed mortgage rates expire.Speaking to Thomas and NZ Herald Wellington Business Editor, Jenée Tibshraeny, Deputy Reserve Bank Governor Christian Hawkesby admits that getting the balance right in the fight against inflation can be tricky.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Judith Collins got a big promotion last month in the National portfolio reshuffle - but the resignation of a certain Prime Minister a few hours later dominated the news cycle. In her return to On the Tiles, Collins talks to Thomas about her new portfolios, why she keeps lasting in politics after 21 years, and her thoughts on Ardern's resignation and Chris Hipkins. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Auckland has faced devastating flooding over the last week, but as much attention has been on the response of Mayor Wayne Brown as it has been on the damage. Senior NZ Herald writer David Fisher this week added to the discourse after revealing messages Brown sent tennis colleagues that criticised the media. Fisher joins Georgina Campbell this week to discuss Brown's response to the floods, his leaked messages, and why his response to the flooding has proved so controversial. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It has been a hectic and surprising start to the political in New Zealand since Jacinda Ardern's shock resignation as Prime Minister last week. A new PM has already been sworn in, with Chris Hipkins and deputy Carmel Sepuloni now leading the charge for the party to remain in power in October's election. This week, Thomas is joined by Newstalk ZB political editor Jason Walls to recap their shock at the resignation, what Ardern's legacy will be, and the reset and reshuffle Labour now has to contend with. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In a shock announcement, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has said that she will be stepping down on February 7th.  This means she will not be standing again as leader of the Labour party, and will not contest the next election.  Thomas is on the ground in Napier this week covering the Labour and National Party caucuses and was able to share his initial thoughts on the news with The Front Page's Damien Venuto. More analysis - plus a new Prime Minister to discuss - next week when On the Tiles properly returns! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Parliament has wrapped for the year and our politicians are on their summer breaks, and it will likely be the only respite they get before the election campaigning gets underway in 2023.  For the final episode of the year, Thomas is joined by Henry Cooke, author of the Museum Street newsletter to discuss the winners and losers of politics in 2022, and turn an eye towards 2023 and which MPs may go, which may get promoted, and the big question - who will come out on top in the election? On the Tiles will return in late January. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you’ve struggled to catch your bus on time in recent weeks, you are not alone. A shortage of 800 bus drivers across the country has led to a national public transport crisis, and prompted the chairs of Auckland Transport, Environment Canterbury, and Greater Wellington Regional Council to write to Transport and Immigration Minister Michael Wood urging a review. This week, Georgina is joined by Greater Wellington Regional Council Chairman Daran Ponter to discuss what has led to the crisis, how public transport operates between central and local government, and what effects changes recently announced by Wood will have.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The year is nearly over but that's not slowing things down at the Beehive. In a return to the panel discussion, Thomas is joined this week by NZ Herald Wellington business editor Jenee Tibshraeny and Newsroom political editor Jo Moir to discuss the last week in politics, including the ongoing Three Waters debates, Jacinda Ardern's end of year interviews, potential political retirements, the TVNZ-RNZ merger, and how the country's finances are looking at the end of the year. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.