Had enough of the same old news spin? So has Duncan Garner.

Duncan Garner talks to the biggest names in NZ politics and newsmakers everyday

Duncan tackles the stories that matter to Kiwis, chats with the folks behind the headlines, and isn't afraid to have a chuckle when something tickles his funny bone. It's journalism with a dash of good humour.

Duncan Garner

Over fifteen years after twenty-nine men died unnecessarily in the Pike River mine, we still do not have real accountability. Former lawyer Christopher Harder has spent six years and eleven thousand unpaid hours fighting to uncover the truth behind the unlawful deal that dropped charges against the mine's boss. We look at the hidden documents that could change everything.

Who Dropped The Pike River Charges? Christopher Harder Reveals Hidden Documents

Labour has snuck out a policy to ditch national reading, writing, and maths assessments in primary schools, and Education Minister Erica Stanford is furious. Parents want to know where their kids are at, but Labour wants to scrap the tests and hand control back to the unions. We catch up with Erica to find out why this sneaky move is a massive step backwards for our kids.

Labour Ditching Reading & Maths Exams? Erica Stanford Exposes Sneaky Policy

The media is in a slow-motion car crash, and Stuff just made a massive, controversial play. Longtime political commentator and PR man Matthew Hooton is the new editor of The Post in Wellington. He is blunt, he openly hates public servants, and he is definitely not going quietly. We sit down with David Farrar to ask: Is this a masterstroke or absolute madness?

David Farrar on Matthew Hooton: Will He Save or Destroy The Post?

National promised us a leaner state with 8,200 public service job cuts, but the latest numbers show the bureaucracy is actually blowing out. In just three months, nearly 1,000 new full-time positions were added to the core public service. We look at how this hiring spree breaks government promises, impacts the budget surplus, and why the numbers just do not match the political spin.

NZ Public Service Job Growth: The Real Numbers Behind Government Job Cuts

Nicola Willis goes on the offensive to smoke Labour out over a massive $18.2 billion fiscal hole. We pull apart their shaky new public transport policy after a painful interview exposed numbers that simply do not stack up. Plus, former lawyer Christopher Harder joins us ahead of Wednesday to break down shocking allegations of a top-level conspiracy and doctored documents over Pike River.

Nicola Willis Exposes Labour’s Massive $18 Billion Budget Hole

A brand new political poll is out, and the numbers are completely locked in stone. We ask if Labour has peaked and whether the Opportunities Party can actually break the five percent threshold this time around. Plus Duncan, Ani O'Brien, and Maurice Williamson dissect Labour's new list and look at the real numbers behind their massive transport announcement.

Panel: NZ Election Poll 2026: What is Happening with Labour this Week?

The latest Taxpayers Union Curia poll has dropped, and while Labour is technically ahead, they are losing the argument. Duncan breaks down why Chris Hipkins is stuck in the doldrums and failing to win trust when it matters most. Plus, we take a look at the public transport policy that is falling apart under intense scrutiny.

Warning for Chris Hipkins: New Poll Shows Labour Already Peaked?

Duncan stands up in court to face the music after getting caught driving 12 days short of his suspension ending. He takes full responsibility for getting the timeline wrong but calls out the breathless media coverage. Plus, we look at how confusing NZ license laws are and why rural Kiwis get hammered harder.

'I was wrong' - The Full Story Behind the Court Verdict

The Justice Select Committee finally reported back on the coward punch legislation, and it is a massive letdown. Despite big promises to get tough on one-punch thugs, they completely failed to recommend mandatory minimum sentences. We talk to Mike Angove from the Walk Without Fear Trust about how everyday Kiwis have been handed a complete pup by parliament.

Coward Punch Law: Paul Goldsmith Challenged Over Weak Coward Punch Sentences

Labour's new party list is out, and it looks less like a fresh start and more like a job protection scheme for politicians who have already been rejected by the public. We break down the lineup with pollster David Farrar to see who is safe and who got sidelined. Plus, we look at a staggering $230,000 advisor role at ACC that proves the message about government spending cuts is clearly not getting through.

Labour List 2026: Chris Hipkins Chooses Job Protection Over Fresh Talent

The word racist is being thrown around far too easily these days, and it is quickly becoming completely meaningless. Tainui leader Tukoroirangi Morgan is labeling this the most racist government ever, claiming National is stripping away Māori rights at the Waitangi Tribunal. But has he suffered a massive memory fade? We look at the actual facts of what has been lost.

We’re Throwing the Word Racist Around Too Easily

Tainui leader Tukoroirangi Morgan has claimed at the Waitangi Tribunal that Christopher Luxon's National-led government is the most racist New Zealand has ever seen. Duncan Garner says it is time to call this out and hold Tuku's feet to the fire because the claim simply doesn't survive contact with reality.

To call this political landscape the most discriminatory in our history means completely forgetting the past. We look back at the Foreshore and Seabed legislation under Helen Clark's Labour government, which actually stripped Māori of their legal rights to have customary claims tested in court. That was real discrimination that fractured relationships and birthed the Māori Party.

This current government continues to fund Māori language education, kura kaupapa schools, Te Māngai Pāho, housing projects, and fully protects the budget for Te Matatini while other departments face massive cuts. Disagree with co-governance debates all you want, but calling this racial persecution is ridiculous.

THE "MOST RACIST GOVERNMENT EVER"? GIVE ME A BREAK.

National is finally closing the loophole that allows unelected members of the public to get voting rights on council committees. Local Government Minister Simon Watts has moved to stop it, but let’s be honest, it’s the bare minimum. We talk to ACT MP Cameron Luxton, who drafted the original bill months ago, about why National took so long to protect our democracy.

ACT MP Cameron Luxton On National Copying His Bill To Stop Unelected Votes

Chris Hipkins has repeatedly said ministers were not told about key health concerns around the Covid vaccine rollout for 12 to 15 year olds.

But a new tranche of official papers appears to move the timeline back.

Duncan Garner has covered this issue before. This episode is the update. The new documents suggest Hipkins may have been closer to the information than previously understood, including a vaccine ministers meeting on August 13, 2021, which he chaired, and later references to myocarditis risk being removed from official communications.

Aly Cook joins Duncan to walk through the latest paperwork, what it shows, what remains unanswered, and why she believes it goes directly to Hipkins’ credibility.
This is not about being pro vaccine or anti vaccine. It is about trust, transparency, and whether New Zealand parents were given the full picture.

Watch the full episode and tell us what you think.

New Covid Papers Suggest Hipkins Did Know

What is really going on at the Far North District Council?

Duncan Garner is joined by councillor Davina Smolders, who says major governance changes are being pushed through without proper public scrutiny. She raises concerns over unelected iwi representatives getting voting rights on a council committee, ratepayer-funded requests, new Mana Whakahono ā Rohe agreements, and language recognising Ngāpuhi sovereignty.

Smolders says another five agreements could be signed soon and argues the public deserves to know exactly what these deals mean before they are locked in.

Duncan asks the big questions. What power do these agreements actually create? Why has there been no proper consultation? And when will the Government step in?

Far North Council’s Sovereignty Agreements Exposed 

The government wants us to think they are being caring but responsible with this budget, but the economists aren't buying it. We look past the 30 press releases to find out what this means for your back pocket. From a sneaky new banking tax on savers to kicking real savings down the road, we break down why the math just doesn't add up.

NZ Budget 2026: Nicola Willis Debt Curve Exposed

The dust is settling on Budget 2026, and we are digging past the political marketing to look at the real maths. Nicola Willis delivered a masterclass in selling a narrative, but when you look closely at the numbers, things look incredibly heroic. We break down the magic show, look at the massive debt track, and reveal the inexplicable cuts hidden deep in the police budget.

NZ Budget 2026 Marketing Over Maths: Nicola Willis, and the Surplus

It is Budget Day in New Zealand, and we are looking at the brutal truth behind the numbers. Nicola Willis says the adults are back in charge of the books, but is this just creative accounting? We look at how banking public service cuts, before they even happen, are the only reason we are getting back to surplus.

Budget Day 2026: The Truth Behind Nicola Willis’s Fudget Budget

We are told the country is broke, and every day Kiwis need to tighten their belts ahead of the budget. Yet Social Development Minister Louise Upston is claiming over $1,000 a week in taxpayer-funded allowance for a Wellington apartment she owns outright. It is completely legal, but it fails the sniff test. We break down the political hypocrisy.

Welfare Minister Under Fire For Claiming $52k Accommodation Allowance

Labour wants New Zealanders to buy into a massive new Future Fund, but they refuse to tell us what assets are actually in it until after the election. Chris Hipkins claims voters do not want the details, but we think you deserve transparency when billions of dollars are on the line. Plus, researcher Aly Cook joins the show with a paper trail that completely challenges Hipkins' timeline on what he knew about youth vaccine risks.

WHY IS LABOUR HIDING ITS POLICY, OR HAS IT NOT DONE THE HARD WORK?

On the podcast today, Duncan looks into New Zealand’s staggering government spending. With another massive budget rolling out, why hasn't this government made the tough decisions to effect meaningful change? Duncan, Ashley Church, and Maurice Williamson break down our addiction to taxpayer cash, a bloated public service, and why the politicians are too terrified to rein it in.

NZ Budget Rhetoric: Spending Addiction Unmasked

We are diving deep into a massive local issue that could break the back of New Zealand’s business. A local tribe in Tauranga is demanding up to half a billion dollars in compensation over the expansion of the Port of Tauranga. Duncan chats with Regional Development Minister Shane Jones about whether national infrastructure is being held to ransom and what this means for our economy.

“$450 MILLION FOR ONE HAPŪ?” - Port of Tauranga Dispute

Labour is playing a dangerous game of politics by camouflaging six months out from the election. Chris Hipkins and Carmel Sepuloni are refusing to front with any concrete policy, hoping voters will forget six years of failure. Plus, we reveal the exclusive results from our editor-in-chief poll on the proposed public service job cuts

Can Labour Stay Silent and Hide Six Months Out From the Election?

The sky is not falling in, but the public service is finally getting a much-needed reset with eight thousand workers set to go. Duncan breaks down why this is a serious correction to a problem that exploded under the previous government. Plus, Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour joins the show to explain why these budget savings are locked in and what it means for the future of Wellington.

David Seymour on Why 15000 Public Servants Have to Go

Duncan Garner - Labour’s $18b problem just got real

Duncan Garner - I drove suspended and got it wrong - here's the full story

`Duncan Garner - Coward Punch Reform Is Gutless Political Tokenism

Duncan Garner: Stop Calling Everything Racist

Duncan Garner: This Budget Exposes A Government That Waited Too Long

Duncan Garner: Labour Wants A Blank Cheque For Power

National Has Become Labour With Better Slogans

Duncan Garner: Tauranga Hapū Holding Port Expansion To Ransom

Duncan Garner: Labour Can’t Hide Forever

Duncan Garner: Wellington’s Job-For-Life Fantasy Is Over

Duncan Garner: National’s Public Service Cuts Promise Is A Rerun

Duncan Garner: Winston’s BNZ Dream Is Economic Nonsense

Duncan Garner: Ngāi Tahu Must Answer The Money Question

Duncan Garner: Labour’s Coalition Problem Is Now Unavoidable

Santana Gold Mine: A $180 Million Tax on Doing Business

OPINION: Deliver Fuel Relief Now. Or Be Gone by November

OPINION: If National Won’t Move on Luxon, They’ll Wear the Loss

28%: The Poll That Could End Christopher Luxon

OPINION: Is It Time to Ban Kiwi Teens from Social Media? Absolutely

OPINION: The real threat to Māori is mass immigration - why not challenge it

OPINION: Time to say yes to an Auckland waterfront stadium and scrap Eden Park 

OPINION: Polls show support for treaty referendum - will Luxon buckle?

OPINION: Luxon’s 'record-breaking' investment hasn’t solved hospital struggles

OPINION: 8000 more Kiwis on the dole in three months - Luxon's blaming Labour?

Government meetings are normally recorded.

Cabinet is minuted. Cabinet committees are minuted. Select committees are minuted.

But Duncan Garner says this vaccine ministers meeting was not.

Aly Cook says it was hard to find, not properly recorded in the diaries, and raises serious questions about what the public was told.

This is about trust, transparency and accountability.

Full episode on rova.

Why Was This Meeting Not Minuted?

The story the rest of the media is too afraid to do, the immigration scam that is locking out young kiwi's from the workplace.

The Stolen Jobs of Young New Zealanders

Select Banning the Homeless? Have We Lost Our Minds?!

SLAM DUNC:The NCEA has been a giant failed experiment, affecting 170,000 kids yearly for over two decades. It's time to hold those responsible accountable. Check out the podcast for the full Slam.  Watch the full episode on YouTube or listen at @rova.nz or wherever you get your podcasts.

We have aleady let our next generation down

The former head boy of Ashburton College has been a broadcasting legend since he was just 17! He made a splash on What Now? alongside Cath McPherson, keeping Kiwi kids entertained four years.

Si became a beloved voice of the More FM family for over two decades before taking a six-year detour into the world of talkback radio. Now, he’s back where he belongs, bringing the fun and familiarity you know and love.

Simon Barnett

More FM's Simon Barnett opens up about his grief and challenge of faith following his wife's death a year ago.

Listen to more episodes 

Adult Contemporary

More FM

'She was my soulmate'

Slam Dunc: Chris Luxon is in La-La Land! Catch the full episode on rova or wherever you get your podcasts and watch LIVE 7pm weekdays.

Chris Luxon is in La-La Land

Slam Dunc: What is TJ Doing? Catch the full episode on rova or wherever you get your podcasts and watch LIVE 7pm weekdays!

What is TJ Doing?

The Gang Patch Ban came into effect today - how's it going to go? Catch the full episode on rova or wherever you get your podcasts and watch LIVE 7pm weekdays!

The Gang Patch Ban

Albany Senior High School's Principal, Claire Amos, says yes.

Should Teachers be Paid $120,000 a Year?

Are parents responsible for their kids' screen time... And should we be more stern with our kids?

Are Parents to Blame for This?

The common goal for Pakeha, for Māori, for Pacific, for Asian, and for all New Zealanders must be our collective prosperity.  Only we can get ourselves out of this backwards mess, so we need to have a rethink.

Stop the Race Debate New Zealand

At a time when many New Zealand households can't afford to heat their homes, combined, the top four gentailers made a whopping $2.7 billion in operating profits.  We are being royally screwed.

We Are Being Royally Screwed by NZ Power Companies

Married at First Sight Expert, Jo Robertson, joined me on the podcast today to provide a solution to Aotearoa’s porn problem. And let me tell you, all parents need to listen to this episode…"

Parents Need to be Aware of This

On the Panel this week, I chatted with Holly Bennett and Mark Richardson about people’s reactions to the Budget that came out this week. 

Should the Māori Party Have Their own Parliament?

Carolyn Young from Retail NZ says 32% of retailers aren't optimistic they'll be here this time next year.  ""It is really grim right now,"" she tells me.

12,000 Businesses Could Disappear by 2025

230 jobs are gone because the country has failed to produce affordable electricity. Three small towns and hundreds of families got the gut-wrenching news on Tuesday. 

What a disaster for Aotearoa.

Another 230 Jobs Gone in NZ

Christopher Luxon is walking a tightrope on Māori issues...

What is the Problem with Māori Wards?

Are Dogs the New Kids?

What can I say... I'm just a really good friend.

I Help Mark Richardson Pay His Bills

Mr Peacock, be careful hurling rocks at the glass house - because we have the actual receipts.

What on Earth were RNZ Thinking?!

I received some, let's say, constructive criticism from a TikTok viewer last week... so I have invited them on the show to share their thoughts.

Let's Address the Criticism

TikToker 'Contraversial Kiwi' confronts me about why I called supermarket thieves 'arrogant entitled pricks'.

Contraversial Kiwi Confronts Duncan Garner

Formally loyal cops who refuse to speak out, let alone resign and leave New Zealand, have had enough.

Are NZ Police Being Ripped Off?

Last week, TikToker 'The Contraversial Kiwi' joined the pod to discuss everything supermarket-related, including their security guards...

Shane Jones on Mining Extortion and the "Butter Chicken Tsunami"

Episode Notes