On the Tiles

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.

A report into the shady world of political donations has found that many donors enjoy access to politicians in exchange for the money they give to political parties. Money for Something, a report by Max Rashbrooke and Lisa Marriott into political donations, spoke to eight donors about their reasons for donating to political parties. Donors were granted anonymity in the report, allowing them to speak frankly about what they expected for their money. Rashbrooke joins Thomas today to discuss what they learned from the report and what they want changed around donor laws. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It has been six weeks since Wayne Brown won the Auckland mayoralty, and he has dominated local government headlines since then. He has come in with promises and pledges to shake up the Super City, and has taken aim at the council-controlled organisations, while facing a difficult financial situation.  In the new monthly edition of On the Tiles: Local Edition, Georgina Campbell talks to NZ Herald Auckland reporter Bernard Orsman, who has had some rare conversations with Wayne Brown, to discuss the first few weeks of Brown's new role and the challenges he faces in the months ahead. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Most of us would have noticed that the price of everything has gone up. Interest rates, mortgages and inflation are making headlines daily. The Reserve Bank has been in the spotlight for much of this, with opposition MPs and some commentators blaming the central bank for some of the issues we've seen, and a recent monetary policy review on their policies under Covid has added to that criticism.  To discuss this, Thomas is joined by NZ Herald Wellington business editor Jenee Tibshraeny to talk to former Deputy Reserve Bank Governor, Grant Spencer, to get his perspective on what the Reserve Bank got wrong during the pandemic, what a central bank should stand for, and if parties should be discussing tax cuts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This weekend will see Labour Party members, MPs and minister - as well as Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern - gather in Auckland for the party's annual conference. It has the scene of many dramatic political events in the past, but as the party looks to try and stay in power next year, will it be a quieter affair or  Thomas is joined by former Labour Party minister, MP and President, Ruth Dyson, to discuss what the conferences are really like, what will be top concerns and priorities, and what a change in voting habits means for the big parties. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The votes have been counted across the country, and many cities in New Zealand will have new mayors running things this week. For the final episode of On the Tiles: Local Edition, Georgina Campbell is joined by Thomas Coughlan, Simon Wilson and Michael Sergel to dissect the results in the major cities and what the shakeups mean for them, as well as how things turned out for the country's smaller centres. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Thomas Coughlan introduces a guest podcast from Bernard Hickey's The Kākā. Just before local body elections close Hickey speaks to NZ Herald senior writer Simon Wilson about the potential makeup of the new council and the attributes of mayoralty contenders Efeso Collins and Wayne Brown.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the sixth episode of On The Tiles - Local Edition, Georgina Campbell has updates on low voter turnout, drama in Auckland's race, and the abuse at debates in Wellington. Newstalk ZB's Pierre Nixon joins the podcast to chat about former National MP Nick Smith's return to politics. Georgina also speaks to Local Government New Zealand President Stuart Crosby about public transport and how councils can get on top of bus cancellations.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.