Intriguing how when it comes to a fossil fuel project, NatACTs can grasp the logic that increasing public spending on infrastructure in the short term can result in future savings for the public;

https://www.rnz.co.nz/podcast/focusonpolitics?share=9fff2be2-c439-4427-93bc-2c43daf79584

A shame they didn't apply that logic to;

* canning prescription charges
* EV subsidies
* iRex
* hospital rebuilds
* public housing builds
* National Resilience Fund
* etc

... and particularly in this case climate change mitigation.

#podcasts #RNZ #FocusOnPolitics #NZPolitics

"Councils will meet [the state-imposed rates cap], because they would be required to meet it under legislation. It will mean that we are saying no to our communities more often, and it will mean that we are deferring projects that they wanted to see go ahead.

But that might be ok, if it means they've got more money in their back pocket, because their rates bills aren't rising at such a significant rate.

#Tamah Alley, 2025

https://www.rnz.co.nz/podcast/focusonpolitics?share=3ca9302f-cf98-42e3-b73c-a13df8cd06a5

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#podcasts #RNZ #FocusOnPolitics

"I tried, I'm disappointed too, but I wasn't prepared to hold up the entire Arms Act [rewrite] to fight over it, when there's a good win for everybody in it."

#NicoleMcKee, 2025

https://www.rnz.co.nz/podcast/focusonpolitics?share=cf65a0e8-c8c6-43a1-82a3-0d61c93372a4

I've made some very strong criticisms of this firearms industry lobbyist turned ACT MP. But credit where credit is due; this is a really generous and pragmatic way for a politician to describe not getting exactly what they wanted from a bill.

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#podcasts #RNZ #FocusOnPolitics #GunLaws

"All Labour has done is chosen a group of people that can be marginalised and be taxed without - they hope - fear of electoral retribution."

#MattBall, NZ Property Investors Federation, 2025

https://www.rnz.co.nz/podcast/focusonpolitics?share=72dfab42-b0de-46f3-9958-29494bf53211

You mean Māori? Beneficiaries? Women getting pay equity? Unionised workers? Trans people? Oops, sorry, he's taking about *Labour* there. My bad.

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#podcasts #RNZ #FocusOnPolitics #CGT #NZPIF

The Tories are virtue signalling around climate policy to shore up their rural vote;

https://www.rnz.co.nz/podcast/focusonpolitics?share=0fdf10db-6e5c-4b60-a29d-0acfd02449e0

But considering all the things they could have done - and that ACT and Winston First would have done given the chance - what they've done is pretty weak tea. Which suggests a significant majority of kiwis support strong climate protection policy, and NatACT First know it.

#podcasts #RNZ #FocusOnPolitics #ClimateChange #AgriculturalEmissions

Political talking points - or "key messages" as Nicky Hagar called them in The Hollow Men - are a cancer on political communication. Expressly designed to allow politicians to make public statements without actually *saying* anything.

There's some great examples in yesterday's FOP on RNZ, where CLuxon and Rimmer vomited up and ate the same verbal hairballs they've been retaining since 2023;

https://www.rnz.co.nz/podcast/focusonpolitics/2025/FOCUSDISCONTENT

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#podcasts #RNZ #FocusOnPolitics #TalkingPoints #KeyMessages

People talking about fixing an economy that's bleeding out, with more cutting of regulation and public spending, is like a doctor proposing to save a person who's bleeding out, by doing more bloodletting.

https://www.rnz.co.nz/podcast/focusonpolitics?share=3bb48a4d-e5cb-4fd1-bd2b-209f8458de06

#podcasts #RNZ #FocusOnPolitics

Wow, the world is really waking up to the reality of Bibi's New Clothes;

https://www.rnz.co.nz/podcast/focusonpolitics?share=36b614ea-2ca6-43a1-a900-293694ea3e30

Intriguing to compare the rhetoric that led up to Irish independence with the rhetoric around the recognition of Palestinian statehood. Right down to the way they used the IRA as an excuse to refuse independence. Avoiding talks for handover to a transitional government by accusing people involved of being with the IRA ("we don't negotiate with terrorists")

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#podcasts #RNZ #FocusOnPolitics