The pod returns next week with a very special episode from Waitangi - and Māori distrust of the government higher than at any point since the foreshore and seabed legislation 20 years ago. We'll be bringing you the latest from the commemorations of the signing of Te Tiriti O Waitangi, including interviews with key political players, expert analysis and, of course, celebrating Te ao Māori.

We're easing into the holiday period by asking some of our political heavyweights what they're giving Kiwis for Christmas. Plus, Tova recaps the tumultuous year that was, and Stuff political editor Luke Malpass predicts what to expect in 2024.

The relationship between Māori and the Government is at its most strained since the Foreshore and Seabed dispute two decades ago. In a week marked by protests across the country and controversy on day one of the 54th Parliament, we talk to Waitangi National Trust chair and iwi leader Pita Tipene, and new Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith, about the Government's Māori policy agenda.

To smokefree or not smokefree? That is the question our guests grapple with on the pod this week, as the world reacts to the shock decision by our new Government to repeal legislation that would have phased out cigarette sales in New Zealand. We talk to a public health professor who offers an evidence-based debunking of the justifications offered by the new National-led Government - and the consultant involved in a report that rejected Labour's case for introducing the laws in the first...

The speeches of Christopher Luxon, David Seymour and Winston Peters at the ceremony to confirm New Zealand's first coalition government featuring three partners in Cabinet.

The wait for a coalition agreement goes on. But whatever the deal, the major sticking points cut to the heart of what makes our modern democracy. From tax and the Treaty to the relationship between the PM and their Deputy, even judicial independence, this is big picture stuff. So we invited some big brains to explain why it all matters - and point out some potential pitfalls for Christopher Luxon and co.

With all three coalition partners railing against bloated bureaucracy, more than 60,000 core public servants might well be wondering what the new government means for job security. In this episode, exclusive news of looming redundancies in one department, an interview with someone working at another large agency about what it’s like being a political football and invaluable insights from our former top public servant Iain Rennie.

When you want to predict the future, sometimes it pays to look to the past - especially when Winston Peters continues to be one of our most influential political figures, more than four decades after entering Parliament. So, we talked to Jim Bolger and Helen Clark - two Prime Ministers who worked with Winston in Government. We wanted a steer on what he’s like, how he negotiates - and what Christopher Luxon should be wary of.

During a late-night call to Toronto, Tova gets the former three-time Prime Minister's take on Labour's 2023 drubbing - and whether Chris Hipkins is the right person to take on National at the next election.

Who needs the oh-so-quiet leaders of the political parties vying to form a government? After some intense negotiations (completed in a day or two - just saying), we’ve summoned our very own official unofficial alternative coalition of National, ACT and NZ First former leadership to give you the inside running, the scoop, the tea - or at least the most informed outsider takes we could find - on the coalition talks. Powerhouse political panellists Simon Bridges, Heather Roy and Ron Mark join...

Last week's pod focused on the situation in Israel and Palestine. We spoke to former CNN correspondent Arwa Damon and historian and former Israeli ambassador to the United States, Michael Oren. This is a bonus, previously unreleased excerpt from our interview with Michael - a kind of potted history of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, or what he called “about 3000 years in a nutshell”.

In this episode, we're turning our focus to the war in Israel and Gaza. Tova is joined by former CNN senior international correspondent Arwa Damon who urges all of us (especially the media) not to oversimplify what is an extraordinarily complicated story. Tova also speaks with Michael Oren, a renowned historian who is also a former Israeli Ambassador to the United States. He joins us from Tel Aviv, where he is living out of a bomb shelter.  A warning - this episode contains discussion about...

At last, the moment some of you may have been waiting for, Aotearoa’s most potentially prestigious political ceremony: The first of at least one Poli Awards. Or, as they’re affectionately known in Poliwood, The Polis. Join host Tova O'Brien and a cast of national treasures, including Sir John Key, Helen Clark, Paddy Gower and Tom Sainsbury, for a glittering extravaganza honouring those who made a lasting impact on 2023's battle of the ballot box.

With the dust settling on election night, National and ACT are still weighing up whether they need Winston Peters and New Zealand First to confirm an durable coalition. Tova talks to big hitters from the six key parties and hears fears over civil unrest amid the celebrations.

Still weighing up where to stick your ticks? Allow Tova's resident audio wizard Connor Scott to assist. He's compiled some highlights - and quite possibly lowlights - from the campaign trail. Happy voting!

With Winston Peters timing his race down the home straight like a political thoroughbred, all bets appear off for those hoping for a decisive election result on the night. Labour campaign chair Megan Woods and her National counterpart Chris Bishop discuss their parties' efforts on the trail, and how Peters was able to get back in the saddle.

Tova talks to National Party candidate Greg Fleming about JH Aotearoa, the Christian camp/adventure experience he founded, and the views of its original founding organisation JH Ranch California. The US organisation's statement of faith now says homosexuality is a “sinful perversion”, listed alongside sex with animals or a relative.

Race-based allegations, more candidate Twitter woes and a "bonkers" coup conspiracy theory rebutted. After talking to National's possible coalition partners last week, it's the turn of the Greens and Te Pāti Māori. Respective co-leaders James Shaw and Debbie Ngarewa-Packer also explain why they're confident of getting a wealth tax past Chris Hipkins.

Comments by New Zealand First candidate Rob Ballantyne were described as racist by both Chrises in the Newshub leaders' debate. In his only interview since, Ballantyne told Tova the comments were taken out of context. Here's the full interview, and the speech they were from.

With polls predicting that Winston Peters will - once again - hold the whip hand after election day, ACT leader David Seymour and NZ First's Shane Jones are pushed on how the parties could possibly work together in government - given they can’t stand each other - and what they're doing about conspiratorial candidates. Warning: A short section discusses mental health and suicide. For free help, text or call 1737, 24 hours.

Sixteen-year-old Maddie Hall died in March this year after more than 100 visits to hospitals and A&Es. Her death is a suspected suicide. Her parents Gareth and Leanne share Maddie's story in the hope of changes to our broken mental health system. Warning: Discusses mental health and suicide. For free help, text or call 1737, 24 hours.

There are two serious contenders vying to be the next finance minister. Would they land you with a meat tax, a sugar tax, a capital gains tax, a tax-free income threshold? We hit Labour’s Grant Robertson and National’s Nicola Willis with a quick and dirty round of tax attack quickfire.

It’s the cost of living election, so who do you trust to make things better? Tova interviews the two candidates for the job, asking Grant Robertson to defend his legacy and Nicola Willis to explain her promises.

Prime Minister/Labour leader Chris Hipkins is in the studio for an extended interview on key election issues, broken promises and a revelation about his party's internal polling.

Introducing Stuff's whip-smart new political podcast, hosted by Tova O'Brien and featuring Luke Malpass and Andrea Vance.