Public Interest

By Public Interest

Making sense of politics, power and the economy in Aotearoa NZ. Independent, accessible, audience-funded.

Episodes

In Brief: Max Harris on Labour, Rogernomics and the 2026 election
This week Labour unveiled its candidate list for the 2026 election, with lawyer, activist and writer Max Harris among the most prominent new additions. In this conversation, Harris discusses why he chose Labour, whether the party has moved beyond the legacy of Rogernomics, his long-shot campaign to flip Tāmaki, and what he believes is at stake in this year's election. Also in the conversation: universalism, public ownership, Te Tiriti, and the magic of door-knocking.
26 min
Undercurrents: Who really benefits from tough on crime?
Why do politicians keep promising to be "tough on crime" when the evidence says it doesn't make us safer?This week on Undercurrents, Ollie Neas is joined by author of The Valley Asher Emanuel and lawyer and activist Gabriella Brayne to unpack the gap between public perception and the reality of New Zealand's criminal legal system. From penal populism and media moral panics to housing, inequality and colonisation, this is a conversation about who really benefits from law-and-order politics.
58 min
In Brief: A landmark corruption scandal? Bryce Edwards on the climate lobbying cover-up
The climate lobbying scandal has rapidly become one of the biggest political stories of the year. Bryce Edwards joins Public Interest to unpack the revelations surrounding Z Energy, Fonterra, the Mike Smith climate case, and the bigger questions about corporate influence, transparency, and who really gets access to political power in New Zealand.
27 min
In Brief: What the government doesn’t want you to know about Budget 2026
The government says Budget 2026 is about responsible economic management: tighter spending, lower debt, and a return to surplus. But what if the problem with New Zealand's economy isn't what we've been told it is?In this episode of In Brief, Ollie Neas is joined by political economist Tayla Forward to unpack the ideas behind the Budget. They discuss debt, deficits, bond markets, tax reform, public investment, and whether the government's focus on fiscal restraint risks deepening New Zealand's economic decline.Is this really fiscal responsibility – or managed decline?
17 min
Undercurrents: Can the climate movement fight back?
For a moment in 2019, it felt like something was changing as millions around the world took to the streets demanding climate action. But seven years on, emissions continue to rise, fossil fuel expansion is back on the agenda, and a new authoritarian politics committed to extraction is gaining ground globally. So how do we build a climate movement capable not just of protesting collapse – but of winning transformative change?In this episode of Undercurrents, Ollie Neas speaks with climate justice organiser India Logan-Riley and journalist Simon Wilson about the state of climate politics in New Zealand – from the legacy of the school strikes through to the coalition government’s rollback of environmental protections, the rise of direct action movements, and the challenge of building mass political power for a just transition.
56 min
In Brief: Inside the fight over outsourcing in Wellington
Wellington’s councils are under immense pressure. Rates are rising, infrastructure is failing, and public trust in council delivery has been badly damaged by a string of high-profile controversies.But what if the problem isn’t that councils are doing too much, but that they’ve spent decades giving away the ability to do things themselves?In this interview, Public Interest speaks with Unions Wellington secretary Ashok Jacob about the new ‘Wellington Works’ campaign to bring Wellington City Council services back in-house.The discussion covers outsourcing, Wellington Water, public ownership, council governance, and why battles over who controls infrastructure are becoming some of the defining political fights in the capital.
20 min
In Brief: What the end of fees-free means for NZ’s polytechs and unis
The coalition Government’s decision to scrap the fees-free tertiary education scheme has sparked a fierce debate about student debt, access to university, and the future of public education in New Zealand.In this interview, Public Interest speaks with Tertiary Education Union president Ti Lamusse about what the change means for students, and why he believes the controversy points to a much deeper crisis across the tertiary sector.We discuss:Why the Government says fees-free failed• Whether student debt is really a barrier to studyThe growing financial pressure on universities and polytechnicsCourse cuts, job losses and campus closuresThe long-term impact of student debt on young peopleWhether free tertiary education could return to the political agenda
16 min
Undercurrents: Who broke NZ's health system? Rob Campbell and Justine Sachs talk with Ollie Neas
New Zealand's health system is supposed to be based on a simple idea: care based on need, not wealth. But today that model is under growing pressure as senior doctors warn of a "death spiral" – one that could leave NZ with a two-tier system, where wealth determines who gets treated and when. So who broke New Zealand’s healthcare system? What is replacing it? And who is fighting to save it? We unpack these questions and more in the latest episode of Undercurrents, featuring Rob Campbell, the former chair of Te Whatu Ora, and Justine Sachs, a union organiser in the health sector – in conversation with Ollie Neas.
60 min
Undercurrents: Who's to blame for the energy crisis?
It’s been two months since the US and Israel launched their war on Iran, triggering an Iranian retaliation which has resulted in the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, sending global oil prices through the roof. Here in New Zealand, fuel prices are smashing records amid an already brutal cost of living crisis. But this crisis didn’t come out of nowhere. How did we get here? Who’s to blame? And what do we do to make sure we never end up here again?
55 min
Undercurrents: Why is Luxon's government so unpopular?
Never before in New Zealand history has there been a one-term National government. But this year might be different. If the opinion polls are to be believed, the National-Act-NZ First coalition government led by Christopher Luxon could be headed toward what would be a historic loss at the general election in November.So, what’s really going on here? Why is the government so unpopular? And what does the left need to do to seize the moment?We unpack these questions and more in our first episode of Undercurrents, where you'll hear from Kassie Hartendorp, Jack McDonald and Justine Sachs – in conversation with Ollie Neas.
63 min

Public Interest

Episodes

In Brief: Max Harris on Labour, Rogernomics and the 2026 election

Undercurrents: Who really benefits from tough on crime?

In Brief: A landmark corruption scandal? Bryce Edwards on the climate lobbying cover-up

In Brief: What the government doesn’t want you to know about Budget 2026

Undercurrents: Can the climate movement fight back?

In Brief: Inside the fight over outsourcing in Wellington

In Brief: What the end of fees-free means for NZ’s polytechs and unis

Undercurrents: Who broke NZ's health system? Rob Campbell and Justine Sachs talk with Ollie Neas

Undercurrents: Who's to blame for the energy crisis?

Undercurrents: Why is Luxon's government so unpopular?

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Episodes

In Brief: Max Harris on Labour, Rogernomics and the 2026 election

Undercurrents: Who really benefits from tough on crime?

In Brief: A landmark corruption scandal? Bryce Edwards on the climate lobbying cover-up

In Brief: What the government doesn’t want you to know about Budget 2026

Undercurrents: Can the climate movement fight back?

In Brief: Inside the fight over outsourcing in Wellington

In Brief: What the end of fees-free means for NZ’s polytechs and unis

Undercurrents: Who broke NZ's health system? Rob Campbell and Justine Sachs talk with Ollie Neas

Undercurrents: Who's to blame for the energy crisis?

Undercurrents: Why is Luxon's government so unpopular?

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