Public Interest

Epizode

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  Undercurrents: Is big agriculture holding New Zealand hostage? 07.08.2026 1h 8min

  Is farming really the backbone of the New Zealand economy? In this episode of Undercurrents, Ollie Neas speaks with freshwater ecologist Dr Mike Joy and economist Dr Geoff Bertram about the rise of intensive dairying, the political influence of the agricultural sector, and the environmental costs that have been pushed onto the public. They explore why farming's changing place in the economy, why meaningful reform has proved so difficult, and whether New Zealand's attachment to the "backbone" myth is holding us back. So, is big agriculture holding New Zealand hostage?
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  In Brief: Why are we panicking about superannuation? 31.07.2026 24min

  A growing chorus of voices is arguing that New Zealand simply cannot afford universal superannuation any longer. But is this true? In this episode of Public Interest, Ollie Neas speaks to economist Dr Bill Rosenberg about whether New Zealand really has a superannuation crisis. They discuss the affordability of NZ Super, the case for and against means testing and raising the retirement age, the influence of the private retirement savings industry, and why the biggest long-term threat to retirement security may not be demographics at all.
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  In Brief: Abby Martin on Earth’s Greatest Enemy 27.07.2026 23min

  The climate crisis and war are usually treated as separate issues. Journalist Abby Martin argues they're inseparable. In this episode, Ollie Neas speaks to Martin about her new documentary, Earth's Greatest Enemy, the US military's environmental footprint, the links between militarism and the fossil fuel economy, and why military emissions remain absent from global climate targets.
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  Undercurrents: Who really pays for inflation? Geoff Bertram Part 2 22.07.2026 52min

  How should governments respond when prices rise – and who bears the cost? In part two of this special two-part episode of Undercurrents, Ollie Neas talks to economist Geoff Bertram about the politics of inflation, the Reserve Bank's reliance on interest rates, and why the burden of bringing inflation down often falls on ordinary households. We also explore inequality, taxation and what a different approach to economic policy might look like.
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  Undercurrents: Why is New Zealand so expensive? Geoff Bertram Part 1 22.07.2026 45min

  Why is life becoming more expensive? Politicians often blame inflation, global shocks or government spending. But what if the roots of New Zealand's cost of living crisis run much deeper? In part one of this special two-part episode of Undercurrents, Ollie Neas speaks with Dr Geoff Bertram about how decades of deregulation, privatisation and growing monopoly power have reshaped New Zealand's economy – and why many households now pay more for the things they can't do without.
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  In Brief: How the media reached crisis point 19.07.2026 44min

  Newsrooms are shrinking, public media is facing renewed political attacks, and ownership of commercial media is becoming increasingly concentrated. So what does this mean for our democracy?Ollie Neas speaks with media scholar Peter Thompson about the state of New Zealand's media, the future of RNZ and public broadcasting, the politics of media reform, and why a strong, independent fourth estate matters now more than ever.
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  In Brief: Is Christchurch about to privatise its port? 12.07.2026 22min

  A proposal to lease the operation of Lyttelton Port to a consortium led by global ports giant DP World has raised concern over the future of one of Christchurch's most valuable public assets. In this episode of In Brief, Ollie Neas speaks with Mark Wilson, Lyttelton branch secretary of the Rail and Maritime Transport Union, about what the proposal involves, and why unions are warning of potential job losses, weaker public accountability and profits flowing offshore.
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  Undercurrents: What’s the government’s real education agenda? 08.07.2026 55min

  The coalition government is radically reshaping New Zealand’s education system –overhauling the curriculum, scrapping NCEA, re-establishing charter schools and much more. It says the reforms are needed to reverse declining achievement, but critics warn a broader ideological project is at work. Ollie Neas speaks with teacher and PPTA national executive member Clare Preston and Dr Shannon Walsh, an honourary research associate at the University of Auckland, about what is really driving the reforms and what is at stake for New Zealand's schools.
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  In Brief: What’s behind the health and safety reforms nobody wants? 03.07.2026 29min

  Why is the government pushing health and safety reforms that even many businesses oppose? Journalist Rebecca Macfie joins Public Interest to unpack the coalition's Health and Safety Amendment Bill, the myths about "red tape", and why she believes New Zealand is forgetting the lessons of Pike River.
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  In Brief: Government backs down on conservation land. Is the fight really over? 26.06.2026 19min

  The government is backing down on the most controversial part of its proposed conservation reforms. But Forest & Bird says the Conservation Amendment Bill still poses serious risks. Ollie Neas speaks with national conservation advocate Bianca Ranson about what the U-turn means, what remains in the bill, and why the fight over New Zealand’s conservation estate is far from over.
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  Undercurrents: Are the unions back? 25.06.2026 59min

  In the face of a sweeping assault on workers’ rights, New Zealand’s unions seem to have found renewed confidence. But are we witnessing a genuine union revival, or is this just a blip in a longer story of decline? In this special live edition of Undercurrents, recorded in partnership with the Fabian Society, Ollie Neas is joined by New Zealand Council of Trade Unions President Sandra Grey and union organiser Justine Sachs to discuss the state of the union movement, the future of organised labour, and what it would take to build a workers' movement capable of transforming Aotearoa.
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  In Brief: What does the Rich List say about New Zealand? 19.06.2026 27min

  The NBR's annual Rich List has revealed that the wealth of New Zealand's richest 134 people has surged from $102 billion to $129 billion in just one year. So why are the rich getting richer so much faster than everyone else? Ollie Neas is joined by researcher and journalist Max Rashbrooke to discuss the latest Rich List, inherited wealth, billionaires, tax, unions, democracy, and what a more equal economy might look like.Also: join us in Wellington next Wednesday (24 June) for a talk on the future of the union movement, in collaboration with the Fabian Society. See our Instagram page for more details.
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  In Brief: Max Harris on Labour, Rogernomics and the 2026 election 13.06.2026 25min

  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.
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  Undercurrents: Who really benefits from tough on crime? 10.06.2026 57min

  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.
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  In Brief: A landmark corruption scandal? Bryce Edwards on the climate lobbying cover-up 03.06.2026 26min

  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.
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  In Brief: What the government doesn’t want you to know about Budget 2026 29.05.2026 16min

  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?
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  Undercurrents: Can the climate movement fight back? 26.05.2026 56min

  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.
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  In Brief: Inside the fight over outsourcing in Wellington 21.05.2026 20min

  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.
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  In Brief: What the end of fees-free means for NZ’s polytechs and unis 13.05.2026 15min

  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
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  Undercurrents: Who broke NZ's health system? Rob Campbell and Justine Sachs talk with Ollie Neas 12.05.2026 59min

  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.