Gone By Lunchtime: Recent Episodes
The Spinoff
A New Zealand politics podcast hosted by The Spinoff's Toby Manhire with Annabelle Lee-Mather and Ben Thomas.
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A big day in the 2023 campaign as Treasury opens up the books and sets out the pre-election fiscal update. Toby Manhire is joined by When the Facts Change host, Kākā pilot and sage of the political economy Bernard Hickey to explain what the Prefu reveals, how New Zealand's numbers compare internationally and what it means for the financial scrap playing out between National and Labour. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The state of the campaign, the struggling Chrises and the electorate battles to watch are all on the agenda as Toby Manhire, Annabelle Lee-Mather and Ben Thomas take the stage at the Word Christchurch festival. Joining the trio is Lianne Dalziel, former cabinet minister and Christchurch mayor, to share her thoughts on the Labour campaign, the Christchurch electorates to watch and the local-central balance. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
A new poll lays bare National's ascendancy and the scale of Chris Hipkins' challenge. Is it about Labour's strategy, the state of the economy, or Christopher Luxon polishing his act? Toby Manhire, Annabelle Lee-Mather and Ben Thomas assess the state of play with just over 50 days to the election. Plus: David Seymour's Guy Fawkes fantasy and Te Pāti Māori candidate Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke, who is on course to become the youngest MP since James Frederick Stuart-Wortley in 1853. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Will all the good polling in the world make up for the lampooning of Labour's big policy on GST and fruit and vegetables? Will Ben Thomas's coconut with a straw be exempt? Ben, Annabelle Lee-Mather and Toby Manhire discuss Chris Hipkins' launch into campaign mode, Grant Robertson's Damascene moment, and whether the initiative was seized back with a kindergarten launch of paid partner parental leave. Plus: Are we on the cusp of something special (in 2026)? Has Act revealed its worry about NZ First with a weird Winston Peters attack ad? Does the Robertson-Willis "liar" stuff point to a relentlessly belligerent campaign? How about those Greens? How about National's pledge to ban cellphones in schools? And should Sam Uffindell be appointed groceries commissioner? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The man who managed five National election campaigns joins Toby Manhire to talk about his new book, about going from Mr Fix It to Phone-a-friend, the National meltdown, the secrets to campaigning and working with the public service, and his encounters with fiscal holes, Eminem, a phallic squeaky pecker, and an MP who made headlines for talking about his testicles. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Chris Hipkins sits down with Toby Manhire for a wide-ranging interview spanning his political foundations, the record of the Labour government after two terms, coping with a string of ministerial scandals, and what to expect in the campaign to come. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Join Annabelle Lee-Mather, Ben Thomas and Toby Manhire in a deep dive into the holes of the emerging campaign. Is it time for a costings unit to stop the fiscal squabbles? Is Labour on the brink of reviving its GST-free fruit and vegetable policy, what does that mean for boondoggles and beetroot? What sticks out in the freshly announced Labour list, and how can Chris Hipkins halt the party's bad momentum. And why is Christopher Luxon refusing to state clearly whether National would work with NZ First to form a government? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
New Zealand woke to news this morning that cabinet minister Kiri Allan had resigned and will face charges for careless driving and resisting arrest after crashing her car last night. Toby Manhire recounts what we know so far, and reflects on Allan's extraordinary political story. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Chris Hipkins has dashed the hopes of some of his most senior colleagues and Labour progressives by burying the prospect of a wealth tax or new capital gains tax under his leadership. Is that a surprise, and what does it say about the state of the party and the campaign, wonder Ben Thomas, Annabelle Lee-Mather and Toby Manhire. Also on the list in a busy patch of pre-campaign activity: Labour launch a slogan and a week of law and order policy; National growls at potholes and offers KiwiSaver solutions to rental bonds; the Greens pledge to return stolen Māori land; the Dawn Raids report that made the apology ring hollow; and the major parties on course for their worst combined result since 2002. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Kiri Allan is under pressure over her relationships with staff – what exactly is she accused of and does it add up to a serious controversy? Toby Manhire, Ben Thomas and Annabelle Lee-Mather size up the pressure on the minister, and the poly-distractions confronting Chris Hipkins. Also this week: the National Party doubles down on law and order as it targets 45%; the prime minister walks the tightrope in China before setting off for a Nato summit in Lithuania; and what is the mood on the ground in one of the most exciting electorate battles, Ikaroa-Rāwhiti? Plus: your plucky political podcasters debate who has correctly counted the number of days to the election – Toby Manhire or Mike Hosking? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The Spinoff editor Madeleine Chapman has just returned on the NZDF workhorse from covering Chris Hipkins' big week in China. She sits down with Toby Manhire to describe the scene in the Great Hall of the People, how Hipkins managed the tricky political challenges from Xi Jinping to Kiri Allan, and the prime minister's suboptimal approach to snacking. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
As PM Hipkins leads a big delegation for a big week in China, Toby Manhire is joined by Newsroom's national affairs editor Sam Sachdeva (author of The China Tightrope: Navigating New Zealand's relationship with a world superpower) to discuss the state of the relationship, the shifting fault lines and the tripwires Chris Hipkins needs to avoid as he prepares to meet President Xi Jinping. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Nothing says election year quite like writ day, rosettes and pledges to crack down on gangs. Annabelle Lee-Mather, Ben Thomas and Toby Manhire look at the debate around the influx of gang members and police to Ōpōtiki. Also on the agenda: it's officially a recession - what kind of political weight does that carry? National embraces GMO and abandons He Waka Eke Noa as it attempts to wrench the rural vote back from Act - does it risk alienating voters in the middle? Plus: the Green Party's tax policy, the resignation or not of Meng Foon and the question that goes to the zeitgeist: have we, as Christopher Luxon says, really become a "very negative, wet, whiny, inward-looking" country? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The review of electoral laws calls for wide-ranging changes, across the voting age, thresholds and donations. It also prompted derision from the likes of Mike Hosking, David Seymour and Winston Peters. Panel chair Deborah Hart joins Toby Manhire to explain the thinking behind the recommendations, and responds to the critics. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Teenager Michael Wood's purchase of Auckland airport shares, and his failure to get rid of them as transport minister, have left Chris Hipkins with another big headache. Toby Manhire, Annabelle Lee-Mather and Ben Thomas assess the mess and its implications. Plus: Simeon Brown and the many intersections of the National Party position on te reo and road signs; a Voyager media award for the Birkenhead Bowling Club interrogators; Christopher Luxon snookered on contraception fees while Labour goes full panto with Handmaid's Tale allusions; and all the big calls from the electoral review panel – are they right, and to they stand a chance of coming to pass? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
As Reserve Bank governor Adrian Orr paints a gruesome picture for the year ahead, Ben Thomas, Annabelle Lee-Mather and Toby Manhire ask what it means for the election ahead. Plus: National kills its tax cut darling, Christopher Luxon stumbles on super numbers, the boot camp brouhaha, Winston Peters’ break from tradition, and an extended constitutional corner in which the GBL team impersonate public law intellectuals and assess the entrenchment malarkey and the supreme court ruling on the voting age.
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Five years ago, three would-be MPs accepted invitations from The Spinoff to write diaries chronicling their efforts. Five years on, in a special live event made possible by Spinoff Members, Kiritapu Allan, Erica Stanford and Chlöe Swarbrick talk candidly with Toby Manhire about that incredible 2017 campaign, and their extraordinary first five years in parliament.
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As Labour lurches from upbeat conference to buzzkill poll, Ben, Annabelle and Toby look at how they’re changing their tactical approach to National. Plus: Jacinda Ardern’s verbal salvo at the banks, the Adrian Orr war of independence and David Parker launches a ream raid on the RMA.
As the Labour Party gathers in Auckland for its annual conference, Annabelle Lee-Mather, Ben Thomas and Toby Manhire assess the impact of the just-passed fair pay agreement legislation, the likely fate of three waters, and the great National repeal agenda, as well as whether National's own tax cut plans will survive to the election. With a byelection in Hamilton West less than a month away, what do the lineups tell us, and who has most to lose? Plus: All the juiciest gossip about precisely when, where and why Jacinda Ardern maybe definitely will resign.
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Earlier this year, former Christchurch councillor Raf Manji became the third leader of the Opportunities Party. In this GBL special, fresh from the unveiling of a tax overhaul policy, Manji tells Toby Manhire why he took on the new job, how he hopes to win the seat of Ilam, why he doesn’t want to be part of government, and just how he feels about cats.
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To cap off a tremendous Escape Festival in Tauranga, Minister Jan Tinetti and the incoming mayor of Rotorua, Tania Tapsell join the GBL trio of Toby Manhire, Annabelle Lee-Mather and Ben Thomas before a live audience. On the agenda: the meaning of the local elections, the kind of election to expect in 2023, some wild predictions and which hat will Jan Tinetti wear?
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A whistle-stop tour of the biggest and most surprising results in the 2022 local body elections, from south to north, with The Spinoff’s local election squad of Toby Manhire, Shanti Mathias and Stewart Sowman-Lund. Plus: what message do they send as a whole to Jacinda Ardern and the Labour government, the role three waters played, and what to do about another dismal turnout.
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After 40 years and 14 election campaigns, Phil Goff is departing politics. He completes his farewell tour in a discussion with Toby Manhire, spanning his early years as a long haired, idealistic activist and being at the controversial cabinet table with David Lange and Roger Douglas and later with Helen Clark. Plus: his time as mayor of Auckland, whether local government needs an overhaul, and what's next.
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Ben, Annabelle and Toby huddle around the new TVNZ/Kantar numbers to warm their frostbitten fingers. What does it mean for the year to election day, who will be happiest, and, for the first time ever in political punditry they ask: Can Winston Peters be written off? Plus: Is Christopher Luxon onto a winner on tax attack, was the Sam Uffindell report sufficiently transparent, and is the Public Service Commissioner’s investigation into potential Nanaia Mahuta conflicts necessary – or even overdue?
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On their 18th hour queuing outside Westminster Hall, Toby Manhire, Annabelle Lee-Mather and Ben Thomas pause to discuss the death of Queen Elizabeth II, the accession of KC3 and what it means for Aotearoa and the national appetite for going republic.
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No, KC3 is not on the pod, but we have the next best thing: Otago University professor and royal correspondent Andrew Geddis, in conversation with Toby Manhire following the death of Queen Elizabeth after 70 years on the throne. What is the monarch’s role in New Zealand’s political apparatus? Can the head of state intervene in our stuff? And what might the accession of Charles mean for the republican cause?
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The "squeezed middle" payment was meant to be a political circuit breaker, but it's left the government on the defensive. Annabelle Lee-Mather, Ben Thomas and Toby Manhire speak on what went wrong and the demands for an apology - does the scramble to explain adding GST on KiwiSaver fees just add to a sense that they're not in control of the story? Plus: Slán leat to Trevor Mallard and kia ora to new speaker Adrian Rurawhe, the potential for Brian Tamaki's new Freedom NZ political project, and Marama Davidson gets grief for use of the C-word (chocolate).
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In a special episode to mark the publication of his book Yes, Minister, the former National cabinet minister talks to Toby Manhire about the Key years, the state of the National Party, the colleagues he’d admired and those he loathed. He reflects on his role in building and promoting principles of Crown-Māori co-governance, his time as attorney general, and why he lived in terror of winning an electorate seat.
Plus, Finlayson on:
- Religion and politics.
- The disgraces of Boris Johnson, Scott Morrison and Donald Trump.
- Why just one paragraph for his former press secretary Ben Thomas?
Two junior MPs, one new and the other very new, have become the centre of political attention in the last 10 days. Both have been suspended from their party caucus. Ben Thomas, Annabelle Lee-Mather and Toby Manhire examine the allegations by Labour's Sharma, the extraordinary way it played out and Jacinda Ardern's response. And what of National's Uffindell? Should he be punished for an assault more than 20 years ago, has he atoned and how did Christopher Luxon deal with it? Plus: what do the cases together tell us about the culture in the parties and the strange workplace of parliament?
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Our biggest city is gearing up for its fifth Super City election, and the golden-voiced Todd Niall – formerly of RNZ and now senior Auckland reporter for Stuff – has seen them all. He joins Toby Manhire to discuss the leading contenders for the office some call the country’s second most important elected role, including Efeso Collins, Leo Molloy, Viv Beck and Wayne Brown, who have recent been joined by two unexpected candidates: John Palino (of Florida) and Lisa Lewis (of Hamilton).
Plus: How does 2022 compare with previous campaigns? Why are turnout numbers so risible? And what can a mayor actually hope to achieve?
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The Spinoff’s local election coverage is public interest journalism funded through NZ On Air
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The Green Party AGM voted to make James Shaw reapply for his job, but so far his only challenger is Ron, aka Re-open Nominations. Toby, Annabelle and Ben ask what it means for the party. Plus: Thousands of people around the world have been given $350 they don’t deserve by the NZ government – is this a big cock-up or a big beat-up? Is enough being done to close the gaping loophole exposed in political donations law? And a comprehensive history of Ben Thomas’s political career.
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Guardian journalist Richard Adams joins Toby Manhire to recount the scandals and fabrications of "a government run by journalists" and assess the contest for a new Conservative leader and prime minister. Also: the state of the Labour opposition, and what Christopher Luxon and New Zealand can learn from the English education system.
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The hell years of National since John Key's departure are revisited in jaw-dropping detail in Andrea Vance's new book. In a special edition of Gone By Lunchtime, she talks to Toby Manhire about the revelations, and whether Christopher Luxon can consign the bad times to history.
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The Rats are back: Annabelle Lee-Mather and Ben Thomas have been released from isolation and there’s a lot to catch up on. With Toby Manhire, they discuss the surging winter COVID wave, the new measures and the health system; what Jacinda Ardern achieved at Nato, the EU and in Australia; and Christopher Luxon’s own trip abroad and his response on abortion and policy as MP Simon O’Connor cheers the Roe v Wade overturn. And there’s more: Te Pāti Māori’s AGM and the petition on Te Matatini funding, plus Act’s conference and David Seymour’s demands for the first 100 days of a National-Act government.
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Is a plasterboard shortage turning into a political crisis? Annabelle Lee-Mather, Ben Thomas and Toby Manhire unholster the tape measure. Plus: Who were the winners and losers in Tauranga’s byelection, Jacinda Ardern heads to Europe to speak at Nato, all the ups, downs and sleights of hand in a “minor” cabinet reshuffle, and the legacy of Trevor Mallard.
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In this bonus episode, Toby Manhire talks to former Green MP Gareth Hughes about his new book on Jeanette Fitzsimons, a giant of green politics in New Zealand. They talk about her role in the Values, as co-leader of the Greens and within the Alliance in the formative years of MMP. Plus: what does he make of the Green Party in 2022?
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Ben Thomas, Annabelle Lee-Mather and Toby Manhire dress head to toe in union jacks to assess Jacinda Ardern's US visit and the furious Chinese response to her joint statement with Joe Biden on the Pacific. Plus: the prime minister returns to sobering domestic polls, a word for Queen Elizabeth, and the prospects of a King Charles.
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In a globetrotting edition of our politics podcast, Toby, Annabelle and Ben look at the Australian election and its meaning for New Zealand, Jacinda Ardern's trip to the United States, and how much hinges on a meeting with Joe Biden. Plus: A look back at last week's budget and the so-called "squeezed middle", electoral reform, and the NZ on Air funded Chlöe Swarbrick doco.
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Toby Manhire (Gone By Lunchtime; Auckland studio) and Bernard Hickey (When The Facts Change; parliament studio) join forces for a budget reaction crossover special.
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Will Grant Robertson pull a cost of living rabbit out of the hat? Toby Manhire, Annabelle Lee-Mather and Ben Thomas talk budget day, the big emissions reduction plan, Te Pāti Māori and an early burst of coalition negotiations. Plus: can Jacinda Ardern forgive Trevor Mallard's trespasses, and what is the speaker playing at?
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In this bonus extra pop-up edition of GBL, Toby Manhire calls AAP NZ correspondent Ben McKay, currently watching the campaign from Tasmania, for the latest on the race. Can Anthony Albanese’s Labor dethrone Scott Morrison’s Coalition? Will the ‘teal wave’ crash ashore? How does Australia’s electoral system work? And just how different is Australia’s media and political culture to Aotearoa’s?
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Five months in, how is the new National leader faring? Annabelle Lee-Mather, Ben Thomas and Toby Manhire give their verdicts. Plus: the Rotorua representation bill, grounded kiwis and existential kiwifruit garnish Ardern’s trip abroad.
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As NZ dispatches a 1969 Herc, 59 personnel and “lethal aid” cash to support Ukraine, how big a shift is it in our contribution? Plus: will fair pay agreements be this government’s biggest achievement? What is Ashley Bloomfield’s legacy? What is Louisa Wall up to? And a word on Moana Jackson.
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Vaccine mandates, passes and other restrictions are all on the way out. But our Covid numbers are worse than they've ever been. Leading pundit-podiologists Annabelle, Ben and Toby do the maths. Plus: David Seymour and Act call for a referendum on Māori co-governance, Louisa Wall quits parliament, and a Solomon Islands defence deal with China causes alarm.
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The morning after announcing he's quitting politics, former National leader and self-proclaimed “regular dickhead” Simon Bridges joins Gone By Lunchtime in a candid conversation to explain the decision and his future plans – and reflect on the people "who exploded on me".
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Annabelle and Toby are joined by The Spinoff’s political editor Justin Giovannetti to talk about the latest from the parliamentary occupation and the government's response. Did Jacinda Ardern get it right? Was Chris Luxon right to diagnose a New Zealand divided? And should the action be called “an anti-mandate protest” or is it something else? Also: the dramatic wave of omicron washing across the country, Ashley Bloomfield’s mea culpa on a big overestimation of PCR test lab capacity and the New Zealand response to Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.
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As the anti-mandate occupation of parliament grounds enters its ninth day, Toby, Annabelle and Ben ask: just who are the protesters? Have the police got the response right? What about Trevor Mallard? And is it a good idea to engage? Plus: The latest from the Auckland mayoral race.
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Annabelle, Ben and Toby celebrate their sixth year of close pod contact. Jacinda Ardern's opening up speech, reviewed. The Bellis saga, assessed. RATs, digested. The polls, examined. And Ben's Covid test result, revealed.
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Gone By Lunchtime is taking a short break over summer. We'll be back with new episodes soon, but until then here's one of our favourites from 2021.
From November: Judith Collins is out as leader of the opposition after a spectacularly messy 24 hours of politics. But who’ll replace her? The Gone By Lunchtime team assembles for an emergency edition of the podcast.
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Gone By Lunchtime is taking a short break over summer. We'll be back with new episodes soon, but until then here's one of our favourites from 2021.
From October: Annabelle, Ben and Toby spend 24 hours Zorbing the length of the country in the cause of vaccination and political commentary. On the agenda: what comes after elimination, the vaccine rollout, and MMP at 25.
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Gone By Lunchtime is taking a short break over summer. We'll be back with new episodes soon, but until then here's one of our favourites from 2021.
From March: Join Toby Manhire, Annabelle Lee-Mather and Ben Thomas as they discuss Labour’s now week-old housing package, the National caucus's fluoride vote, Christopher Luxon, travel bubbles, Police 10-7 and more.
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Hosted by Gone By Lunchtime’s Toby Manhire and featuring representatives from The Real Pod, The Fold, Nē? and Dietary Requirements, SUPERPOD 2021 is the crossover podcast event we’ve been waiting all year for. Join us as we relive the highs and lows and heroes and villains of the longest, shortest year in living memory.
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As the sun sets on 2021, Toby, Annabelle and Ben are joined by a cast of very special guests with a crop of hard-boiled good-time questions for the inaugural Gone By Lunchtime Christmas quiz.
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In a Gone By Lunchtime exclusive the identity of the new National Party leader can finally be revealed. Who is Christopher Luxon, what kind of job does he have in front of him now, how has he performed in his first 24 hours as leader of the opposition, is Nicola Willis a good choice as deputy, will we see any signs of Luxonmania at the polls – and what now for Judith Collins and Simon Bridges?
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Judith Collins is out as leader of the opposition after a spectacularly messy 24 hours of politics. But who’ll replace her? And what about all the other quite important things this saga has overshadowed? The Gone By Lunchtime team assembles for an emergency edition of the podcast.
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Gone By Lunchtime is back in the socially distanced studio this week and the vibe is roughly akin to a Peter Sinclair hosted TVNZ panel show from the 1970s. Topics of conversation include the changes to borders, restrictions, mandates, numbers (both vaccine and poll), Kiwi Christmas and how Annabelle’s house is being reclaimed by local pigeons.
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Toby, Annabelle and Ben meet via Zoom under alert level three step one to discuss the newly announced traffic light system, vaccine rates, mandates, MIQ, housing policy... and how Annabelle rescued a pigeon.
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Annabelle, Ben and Toby spend 24 hours Zorbing the length of the country in the cause of vaccination and political commentary. On the agenda: what comes after elimination, the vaccine rollout, and MMP at 25.
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New Zealand’s main opposition parties (and Sir John Key) have released their master plans for what to do about Covid-19 in the past week. Toby, Annabelle and Ben weigh them up in this late night lockdown edition of Gone By Lunchtime. Also: vaccination rates, MIQ, air-fryers.
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Annabelle, Ben and Toby set their Zoom backgrounds to Wānaka, take on the role of the official opposition, and ask how long Judith Collins can survive – all while defeating delta with nothing but celery and refried beans.
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From deep within the level four fortress, Toby, Annabelle and Ben discuss a terrorist attack in Auckland, what's next in the Covid response, and Judith Collins losing the plot. Plus: wtf was David Seymour thinking?
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The Gone By Lunchtime team enters the second week of lockdown with another late night Zoom edition of the pod. In this episode: vaccines, tests, case numbers, locations of interest, elimination strategy, the border, The Croods.
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Less than 24 hours into level four, the Gone By Lunchtime team assembles over Zoom for one of their famed late night lockdown pods. On this episode: the inevitable return of Covid in the community, the Skegg report, vaccine hesitancy, Afghanistan, Winston Peters and a snub from Simon Bridges.
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What links Labour's poll drop, the Covid response, Judith Collins' challenges, Mātauranga Māori and a proliferation of professors? Vibes. Annabelle Lee-Mather, Ben Thomas and Toby Manhire return with New Zealand's most reverberating analysis.
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Ben, Toby, and special guest star Mihingarangi Forbes demand all the debates and debate all the demands. In this episode: The farmers’ howl of a protest! The Mongrel Mob and meth programmes! David Seymour's successes! Fish + chips + communism! Freedom Day in England!
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In another triumph of love speech over hate speech, Annabelle, Ben and Toby discuss Covid, vaccines and roadmaps, the three waters reform, Willy Jackson’s UNDrip response, the National Party purge and the malice that lives in Ben’s soul.
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After an eight month absence, the Winston Peters bus burst back out of the barn at the weekend. How did he do, and where is he going? Plus: the electric car rebate row, "legitimate" utes, the vaccine roll-out and heated development battles in Wellington and Waiheke.
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It's been another week of National making headlines for the wrong reasons, with Nick Smith, Jake Bezzant and Paul Goldsmith making life difficult for Judith Collins. Plus: the Climate Commission's final report lands, bridges, bike lanes and roads, and the ScoMo-Jacinda Queenstown summit.
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In this once-in-a-generation edition of Gone By Lunchtime, Annabelle, Ben and Toby assess last week's benefit-boosting budget, chew over plans for unemployment insurance, discuss the immigration "reset", and ask: is David Seymour now the leader of the opposition?
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After a big week for pay, Annabelle, Ben and Toby discuss the public sector pay freeze-not-freeze and the less heralded but bigger deal that is the fair pay agreement. They're joined, too, by "the masked podder", who may or may not be Mihingarangi Forbes, to discuss the He Puapua report and Judith Collins' "segregation" claims.
Gone By Lunchtime couldn’t be made without the support of The Spinoff Members. Find out how to join at members.thespinoff.co.nz
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In this special pink moon edition of the podcast, Toby, Annabelle and Ben discuss the government’s recently announced health reforms, National’s race-baiting response, Nanaia Mahuta’s China speech and big hopes for her review of local government. Ben also goes in big time on the major celebrity beef (allegedly) between Jacinda Ardern and Selena Gomez.
Gone By Lunchtime couldn’t be made without the support of The Spinoff Members. Find out how to join at members.thespinoff.co.nz
After an impeccably-observed 45 minutes of silence for the Duke of Edinburgh (edited out of this version), the Gone By Lunchtime team get on to discussing the latest big stories in New Zealand politics. In this episode: the temporary ban on arrivals from India, the Māori Party’s donations strife, drug policy and leadership ructions in the National Party.
Gone By Lunchtime couldn’t be made without the support of The Spinoff Members. Find out how to join at members.thespinoff.co.nz
Join Toby Manhire, Annabelle Lee-Mather and Ben Thomas as they discuss Labour’s now week-old housing package, the National caucus's fluoride vote, Christopher Luxon, travel bubbles, Police 10-7 and more.
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Gone By Lunchtime briefly pauses Rocking the Dock to discuss the latest poll results and other highlights from the fortnight in New Zealand politics.
On this week’s episode: The latest 1 News Colmar Brunton poll results and the death of landline polling; Jacinda Ardern quitting her weekly Mike Hosking radio slot; the National Party review under lock and key and the push for diversity in candidates; Covid lockdown 4.0 for Auckland and how that was handled; the vaccination roll-out announced and lessons from Hui polling on Māori attitudes to vaccines; and a thorough grilling of Annabelle and Ben for their podcasting betrayals.
New Zealand’s leading political podcast pivots to true crime this week to investigate the disappearance of political commentator Ben Thomas from Twitter. Where did he go – and what’s he been doing with all his hot takes on The Bachelorette NZ?
Also discussed in this week’s episode: the latest short, sharp three-day lockdown, the ongoing Covid response and the need for specialist MIQ facilities, trans-Tasman relations, raising benefit levels and the great parliamentary neckwear debate of 2021.
Ben Thomas, Annabelle Lee Mather and Toby Manhire kick off the year in political podcast punditry, taking on the major parties, Waitangi plans, councils, and the whopping great climate report.
As news reaches Gone By Lunchtime that it’s already the second month of the year, The Spinoff’s political podcasting triumvirate sits down to study the 2021 tea leaves. On the agenda in this episode: The National Party cautions against taking the bait while chewing furiously on a rusty hook; a big week for Māori seats and Māori wards; Waitangi Day commemorations; Ben’s grand plan to abolish all councils; Damien O’Connor’s big moment in the Chinese and Australian media; and the roadmap/cycleway laid out in the Climate Change Commission report.
Gone By Lunchtime is taking a break over summer, so we're republishing some of our favourite episodes of 2020. This week: the one where everybody was really, really tired.
First released October 18, 2020.
It's the morning after a very successful election night for Labour, and a pretty good one for the Greens too – especially in Auckland Central, where Chlöe Swarbrick looks to have turned the electorate green for the first time. She joined the Gone By Lunchtime trio in the studio the morning after to talk the campaign, election night and the cannabis referendum, and get some advice from Annabelle's mum (Sandra Lee, Auckland Central MP 1993-1996).
Also on this rare Sunday edition of the pod: What will Labour do with its historic victory? Is there a place for the Greens? What happens to National after their annus horribilis? And what is Winston Peters' legacy?
Gone By Lunchtime is taking a break over the summer holidays. We'll be back in the new year, but until then we're we're republishing some of our favourite episodes of 2020. This week: Mervmania hits the election campaign trail.
First released August 11, 2020.
With 39 days to go until New Zealand goes to the polls, talkback caller 'Merv' has lit up the election campaign, delivering a deeply unmellow curtain-raiser to the National Party's Auckland Central candidate selection. Plus: the Labour launch, NZ First's terrible poll, and what is Gerry Brownlee playing at?
Gone By Lunchtime is taking a break over the summer holidays. We'll be back in the new year, but until then we're we're republishing some of our favourite episodes of 2020. This week: Simon Bridges opens up on his time as National Party leader.
First released July 31, 2020.
For the third Politics in Pubs event, recorded live at Meow in Wellington, former National Party leader Simon Bridges joins Danyl Mclauchlan to talk the events of 2020, what the role of the opposition leader is in a time of national crisis is, what he thinks of the election campaign so far, the challenges facing New Zealand politics... and of course baby yaks.
Gone By Lunchtime is taking a break over the summer holidays. We'll be back in the new year, but until then we're we're republishing some of our favourite interviews of 2020. This week: relive the 53-day reign of Todd Muller as National Party leader.
First released July 14, 2020.
At 7.30am, just 53 days after he replaced Simon Bridges as leader of the National Party, Todd Muller announced his immediate resignation from the job.
How did it come to this, and who is likely to emerge as the new leader, with less than 10 weeks to an election? Will deputy Nikki Kaye be promoted by caucus tonight? Is it Judith Collins' time? Can Simon Bridges complete the great arc of redemption? What about Gerry Brownlee or Mark Mitchell?
Or maybe just chuck a baby yak in charge.
Pour yourself some eggnog and join the hosts of The Spinoff’s podcast network for our annual Superpod round up of the year that was.
Representing Gone By Lunchtime, Dietary Requirements, The Real Pod, Papercuts, The Fold and On The Rag our hosts dive into the key events, issues, heroes and villains of 2020.
From National’s botched election campaign to Ben Thomas’ take on TikTok, via the collapse of Bauer, the rise of oat milk, with a detour through controversial frozen grapes and Simon’s Sausage Spot, there’s something for everyone in this year’s Superpod. Featuring special guests producer T and Covid-19.
The prime minister drops in for a chat with Toby Manhire in a scoop-filled bonus episode of Gone By Lunchtime.
When Jacinda Ardern looks back on the year 2020, what one day stands out in her memory? And when she slides open the lid of a dairy freezer this summer, what ice cream will she be reaching for? Find the answers to these questions and more in this end of year special.
Fresh from the Press Gallery Christmas Party, Annabelle Lee-Mather, Toby Manhire and Ben Thomas convene for the final time in 2020 to recap the year in New Zealand politics.
What do Jacinda Ardern, Chlöe Swarbrick, David Seymour, Labour’s Covid-19 response, the Maori Party’s return to parliament, National’s Todd Muller era, that disastrous campaign day on Ponsonby Road, Winston Peters and the Bad Boys of Brexit all have in common? They’re all solid SEO terms, and they’re all up for discussion in Gone By Lunchtime’s recap of all the biggest winners and losers and movers and shakers from the year in New Zealand politics.
Join the three-headed politics podcasting hydra as they look back on the last 12 months, relive all their social gaffes from the Press Gallery Christmas Party and decide what they want to put in The Spinoff Aotearoa 2020 Time Capsule.
On the eve of the opening of the 53rd parliament of New Zealand, Toby Manhire, Annabelle Lee-Mather and Ben Thomas dress up as Black Rod.
As 120 familiar and fresh faces swarm upon the tropical paradise of Wellington for a brand new parliament, the Gone By Lunchtime trio ruminate on the politics to come.
What state is the National opposition in after an AGM that saw Peter Goodfellow hang on to the presidency despite his party's dismal election? Was he right about the celebrity tyranny of Jacinda Ardern, or was John Key more on the money in urging his kinfolk to examine their own shortcomings?
How susceptible, meanwhile, is the majority Labour government as house prices continue to soar into the stupidsphere?
Plus: Rawiri Waititi and outdated oaths, Stuart Nash and tourist poo, and an incoherent bit about fireworks.
Toby Manhire, Annabelle Lee Mather and Ben Thomas return, electrolytes replenished after the election marathon, to assess the newly-announced Labour cabinet and more.
It’s been 17 days since the election, and about 24 hours since the Labour announced the composition of its new cabinet. Really wanted to do a Nothing Compares 2 U reference there but just couldn't get it to work.
Anyway, the important thing is Gone By Lunchtime is back and fully revitalised with a raft of new cabinet appointments to discuss, not to mention the Green-Labour agreement and the fate of the referenda.
Was Kelvin Davis right to turn down the role of deputy PM? Did Ben actually manifest Ayesha Verrall’s ministerial appointment? Is Jan Tinetti real? And whatever happened to TrueBliss? All these questions and more answered – or at the very least asked – on this week’s Gone By Lunchtime.
Greens MP Chlöe Swarbrick joins Annabelle Lee Mather, Ben Thomas and Toby Manhire to pick over the remains of election night in a special Sunday edition of Gone By Lunchtime.
It's the morning after a very successful election night for Labour, and a pretty good one for the Greens too – especially in Auckland Central, where Chlöe Swarbrick looks to have turned the electorate green for the first time. She joined the Gone By Lunchtime trio in the studio the morning after to talk the campaign, election night and the cannabis referendum, and get some advice from Annabelle's mum (Sandra Lee, Auckland Central MP 1993-1996).
Also on this rare Sunday edition of the pod: What will Labour do with its historic victory? Is there a place for the Greens? What happens to National after their annus horribilis? And what is Winston Peters' legacy?
The Bulletin's Alex Braae, fresh from his tour of Aotearoa, joins Toby Manhire to reveal what he witnessed on the road in this special pre-election bonus episode of Gone By Lunchtime.
For 40 days and 40 nights (roughly, who's counting) Alex Braae packed up his Bulletin in his old kit bag, threw it in the back of a Jucy van and toured the country to take the campaign pulse.
He joins Toby Manhire for a special bonus edition of Gone By Lunchtime to discuss the mood of the nation beyond the main centres, the small parties' prospects and the seats he's fizzing about watching on Saturday night.
Annabelle Lee-Mather, Ben Thomas and Toby Manhire gather around the giant orb of truth for the last time before polls close to assess the parties' campaigns, select the seats they'll be drooling over, and put their pundit reputations on the line by predicting the final election outcome.
We're leaving together. But still it's farewell. And maybe we'll come back, to earth, who can tell?
After a long, fascinating, long, intriguing and long campaign, the Gone By Lunchtime triumvirate size up the main parties' campaigns, nominate some of the seats they'll be watching closely on election night, and foolishly issue predictions for the outcome.
Featuring a special cameo by Sandra Lee.
Annabelle Lee-Mather, Ben Thomas and Toby Manhire assess the Press debate in Christchurch, National's leaky redux, the advance voting surge and the rest of the big stories with a week and a half to go.
In 10 short days the skies will clear and for a few blessed hours the only hint of politics will be dogs outside polling stations on The Spinoff. Can Judith Collins close the gap? Has her caucus reverted to its self-sabotaging leaky ways? How did she fare in last night's third of four leader debates against Jacinda Ardern?
The Gone By Lunchtime trio provide definitive answers on all of these matters, as well as looking at Collins' suddenly visible Christianity: heartfelt devotion, or fiscal holy? Which of the Māori seats hangs most in the balance? And what explains the rush for early voting?
Toby Manhire, Annabelle Lee Mather, Ben Thomas and a very special guest go over what we learned from last night’s Newshub leaders’ debate between Jacinda Ardern and Judith Collins.
It’s a four-person episode of Gone By Lunchtime this week as special guest Mihingarangi Forbes (The Hui, RNZ’s political podcast Party People) joins Toby Manhire and Annabelle Lee Mather, both of whom were in the audience at last night’s Newshub leaders’ debate, and Ben Thomas, who wasn’t.
How was it, what did we learn, and how did Jacinda Ardern and Judith Collins perform? Was democracy the winner on the day? Or Patrick Gower? Also, how much fish should we be eating?
There’s also a couple of new polls to assess, some other debates to look forward to, an SFO announcement – and an election day looming in a little over two weeks.
Election debate season is finally upon us, and the Gone By Lunchtime trio are here to talk Tuesday night’s two big debates. The Hui’s livestreamed Waiariki candidate debate between Hannah Tamaki, Rawiri Waititi and Tamati Coffey, and TVNZ’s leaders’ debate between Judith Collins and Jacinda Ardern. One was raucous, robust, interesting and entertaining. The other was the leaders’ debate.
There’s also, after weeks in the polling darkness, a new set of Colmar Brunton numbers to crunch, and a new multi-billion dollar fiscal hole has opened up. Join Toby Manhire, Annabelle Lee Mather and Ben Thomas as they don their hard hats with the light on top and go exploring for political insights.
– Sign up to The Spinoff's newsletter Rec Room for weekly recommendations along with all our latest videos and podcasts.
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Ben Thomas never attends a party without a whakataukī in his pocket, and he does not disappoint in this week's edition of Gone By Lunchtime.
Along with Annabelle Lee-Mather and Toby Manhire, Ben sprinkles the wisdom on everything from the Māori Party policy to jettison "New Zealand" in favour of "Aotearoa" to the Labour Party policy to suffocate the tax debate in the 2020 campaign.
Are National and Labour about to pull muscles in their scrap for the centre ground? Why can't the Greens make an impression in the space left unclaimed? Does Winston Peters have a point in lambasting the cabinet decision to extend the current alert levels? How excited does the word "Prefu" make you? Plus: why is Jami-Lee Ross?
All this and more on this week's edition of Aotearoa's only(?) politics podcast.
– Sign up to The Spinoff's newsletter Rec Room for weekly recommendations along with all our latest videos and podcasts.
The 2020 election has risen, bleary eyed, from its slumber, and so have Annabelle, Ben and Toby.
This week: Labour are promising a Matariki holiday, National are promising a health-driven response to meth addiction, and the Greens are trying to put the train back on the rails with the aid of several million apologies from James Shaw following the Green School debacle. Meanwhile, Winston Peters has found a path back to power: chugging ciggies, playing ping pong, and calling Jack Tame "James" a lot.
Plus: In an exclusive bonus feature, Toby chats to comedian Alice Snedden about the new season of Alice Snedden's Bad News.
– Sign up to The Spinoff's newsletter Rec Room for weekly recommendations along with all our latest videos and podcasts.
Join the the country's most mellifluous political pod trio, the Alert Level Three, for another late night lockdown edition of Gone By Lunchtime.
Covid-19 continues to dominate the political agenda, with Jacinda Ardern and cabinet having extended level three for the Auckland region until the end of the weekend. Annabelle Lee-Mather, Ben Thomas and Toby Manhire discuss the risks of lockdown fatigue, the new rules around masks, and the general sense of pre-election limbo.
Plus: has the National Party finally worked out the formula for effective opposition in the face of the Covid crisis, with Dr Shane Reti at the forefront? And the definitive answer on whether or not the voting age should drop to 16.
Bonus content: Listen right to the end to hear Ben's review of Mountain Dew flavoured Doritos.
Toby Manhire, Annabelle Lee-Mather and Ben Thomas forget how to record a podcast over Zoom.
Most elements of life under lockdown feel a little bit easier the second time around, but not recording an episode of Gone By Lunchtime. After being held up for over an hour by a confusing tech issue (Ben’s new phone doesn’t have a headphone jack), the renowned podcasting trio finally get stuck into the week’s political issues, of which there are a few.
Topics include: the election date (it’s changed), community transmission (it’s back), Gerry Brownlee, Judith Collins, conspiracy theories, why National should run a Fat Freddy's Drop inspired campaign, and the concept of “political edging”. Ben's a bit mean about Ashley Bloomfield, there’s a bit of Zorb chat, and a nostalgic shot out to Merv and the Bad Boys of Brexit too. Miss those guys.
Merv Lee-Mather, Merv Thomas and Merv Manhire gather to discuss the most pressing issues of election 2020.
With 39 days to go until New Zealand goes to the polls, talkback caller 'Merv' has lit up the election campaign, delivering a deeply unmellow curtain-raiser to the National Party's Auckland Central candidate selection. Plus: the Labour launch, NZ First's terrible poll, and what is Gerry Brownlee playing at?
Toby Manhire, Annabelle Lee-Mather and Ben Thomas denounce new poll results that very slightly contradict their opinions.
The scale of the summit for the National Party? A poll came out last week with Labour at 53%, and that was considered good news for Judith Collins and the Strong Team.
With a month before advanced voting begins, Annabelle, Ben and Toby assess the state of the race, as well as the Act surge and Seymourmania, the valedictory speeches, the state of social liberal thinking in National, the battle for Auckland Central, the Māori seats (which are up for grabs), and the Burnham inquiry.
For the third Politics in Pubs event, recorded live at Meow in Wellington, former National Party leader Simon Bridges joins Danyl Mclauchlan to talk the events of 2020, what the role of the opposition leader is in a time of national crisis is, what he thinks of the election campaign so far, the challenges facing New Zealand politics... and of course baby yaks.
Politics in Pubs is supported by The Spinoff Members (https://members.thespinoff.co.nz) and in association with Verb Wellington (https://www.verbwellington.nz). Live sound by Sam Shallcrass, livestream by Tane Hipango.
Toby Manhire, Annabelle Lee-Mather and Ben Thomas dust off the bazookas scattered around New Zealand politics in this week's Gone By Lunchtime.
A new Newshub poll has put Judith Collins' National Party on 25.1%, Jacinda Ardern's Labour on 60.9%, and many jaws on the floor. Gerry Brownlee has dismissed it as a "rogue poll".
Annabelle, Ben and Toby impersonate Nate Silver and assess the veracity of the thing, and ask: is this the result of the disarray in National or Ardern's performance through the Covid crisis?
Plus: Was the Iain Lees-Galloway appropriately handled or a dirty politics throwback? Marama Davidson and James Shaw launch the Green campaign. Winston Peters lashes out (again). And is the political marriage of Jami-Lee Ross and Billy Te Kahika Jr a serious prospect or a sideshow?
Either download now, subscribe through Apple Podcasts, or visit Gone By Lunchtime on Acast or Spotify
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Toby Manhire, Annabelle Lee-Mather and Ben Thomas on the Andrew Falloon scandal and its implications for a beleaguered National Party, a big weekend for Winston Peters and NZ First, and the chorus calling to charge arriving New Zealanders for their hotel isolation.
Less than two months out from the election, the National Party remains bedevilled by controversy. Just a few days after she became leader, Judith Collins has successfully demanded the resignation of Andrew Falloon, dismissing one of the claims around the circumstances under which unsolicited pornographic images were sent by the first term MP to more than one young woman as "clearly a lie".
The latest saga came to light wrapped up in declarations around the role of mental health. Are these messages reasonable or reprehensible? Did Collins handle the scandal appropriately? Where does it leave the National Party?
Annabelle, Ben and Toby take on these questions, as well as the state of Winston Peters and New Zealand First. With the party languishing well below the 5% threshold in polls, does the weekend's conference and big leader speech suggest there is a way back to parliament for Team Winston?
Plus: both the National Party and the government now look set upon introducing charges of around $3,000 for returning New Zealanders, to contribute to the costs of their mandatory hotel isolation. A fair demand to pay a share in the broad effort of the team of five million, or a breach of the basic right of citizens to come home, born of plain meanness?
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Toby Manhire, Annabelle Lee-Mather and Ben Thomas reel at the announcement that Todd Muller has resigned as leader of the opposition.
At 7.30am, just 53 days after he replaced Simon Bridges as leader of the National Party, Todd Muller announced his immediate resignation from the job.
How did it come to this, and who is likely to emerge as the new leader, with less than 10 weeks to an election? Will deputy Nikki Kaye be promoted by caucus tonight? Is it Judith Collins' time? Can Simon Bridges complete the great arc of redemption? What about Gerry Brownlee or Mark Mitchell?
Or maybe just chuck a baby yak in charge.
Toby Manhire, Annabelle Lee-Mather and Ben Thomas on ministerial resignations in the recent and middle-distant past, a new book from Judith Collins, and the reinvention of Simon Bridges
The Gone By Lunchtime triumvirate convenes to chew on all the issues, or at least some of them. Such as: Judith Collins' new book; the resignation of David Clark as health minister; the Clare Curran interview from the weekend and toxic politics; the Labour Party congress and "let's keep moving"; the social media cult of Simon Bridges; and the departure of Paula Bennett.
And, mostly important, a major mea culpa over vulgar and offensive statements in the last podcast.
In the second of our pre-election events, a collaboration between Spinoff Members and Verb Wellington, Danyl Mclauchlan talks to Chlöe Swarbrick, the MP seeking to tip the table of politics from inside parliament.
The third Politics on Pubs, featuring Danyl with Kevin Hague and Tamatha Paul, takes place tonight, 6pm, at Meow in Wellington. Limited tickets are still available, and there will be a handful of door sales: come early! Details here.
Chlöe Swarbrick first leapt into the spotlight with an audacious, cynic-defying and unsuccessful run for the Auckland mayoralty. After being courted by a number of parties, she ran with the Greens, and has made her mark for, among other things, winning international headlines by dropping an "OK boomer" (at Todd Muller, no less) in parliament and proving comfortably the most lucid political voice in favour of legalising cannabis.
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Ben Thomas, Annabelle Lee-Mather and Toby Manhire on efforts to resolve the failures exposed in the self-isolation system.
As the saying goes, a week is a long time in the response to an unprecedented global pandemic, and so it has proved, with the military called in to fix the issues in border control following the revelation that two women recently arrived from the UK had been allowed early exit from self-isolation despite not being tested and one having symptoms. They later both tested positive for Covid-19.
Plus: Can David Clark hang on to his job? Has Todd Muller rebooted his leadership of the National Party? And what's the deal with the review of Māori media?
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Ben Thomas, Annabelle Lee-Mather and Toby Manhire on Simon Bridges' fight to hang on to the top job in National.
On Friday National MPs gather in Wellington to vote on the future of Simon Bridges and Paula Bennett. After miserable poll results a challenge has been launched, with Todd Muller and probably Nikki Kaye angling to replace them as leader and deputy.
The Gone By Lunchtime team offers a bold and, frankly, mind-blowing verdict on what will go down.
Plus: the budget, and other bits and pieces, such as the Covid-19 crisis.
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In the first of a series of now-virtual events, Danyl is joined by a journalist and a former political staffer to discuss politics and the media.
Two months ago today, Spinoff Members and Verb Wellington cheerfully unveiled a new collaboration: a series of live events at the tremendous Meow bar. And, well, everyone knows what happened next.
But the prospect of Danyl Mclauchlan talking to brilliant Stuff journalist Andrea Vance and the always insightful former chief-of-staff to the Labour leader turned director of Capital Government Relations Neale Jones was too appetising to abandon entirely. So the trio logged on and podded up. As you might expect, it wasn't quite the conversation we'd imagined when we dreamed the whole thing up.
Please pour yourself a beverage of your choice and hit play.
Brought to you by Verb Wellington andThe Spinoff Members.
In the world's first ever podcast undertaken by people in remote locations, it's New Zealand's leading epidemiologists and economists, Toby Manhire, Annabelle Lee-Mather and Ben Thomas.
An exclusive reading by the velvet voiced Jacinda Ardern biographer Madeleine Chapman kicks off the return of Gone By Lunchtime, who will not be muzzled by alert level four.
On the agenda: How has the political leadership fared in the Covid-19 response? Is the international fawning over Jacinda Ardern warranted? What about the domestic opprobrium levelled at David Clark and Simon Bridges.
Ben Thomas, Annabelle Lee-Mather and Toby Manhire are not medical doctors, or in fact doctors of any kind, but here they overcome this minor impediment and solve coronavirus.
The Gone By Lunchtime trio look at the political and economic implications of the outbreak, weigh up Jacinda Ardern's "don't deport your problems" broadside at Scott Morrison in Sydney, and sigh painfully at Shane Jones's latest round of conspicuous xenophobia. Oh, and a completely sober and non-histrionic assessment of rich people getting superannuation.
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Annabelle Lee-Mather, Ben Thomas and Toby Manhire inhale the unsweet aromas of donation scandal enveloping NZ First, National, and by association the prime minister herself.
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Toby Manhire, Annabelle Lee and Ben Thomas are back to kick off the election year with Winston, roads, and serious fraud charges.
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Join various hosts of The Spinoff podcasts Gone by Lunchtime, On The Rag, The Real Pod, Paper Cuts, The Offspin, and Dietary Requirements as we look back at the car crash that was 2019.
In this special end of year podcast hosted by Leonie Hayden, we dissect the country's response to national disasters, the highs and lows of MAFS, international literary scandals, the madness and tragedy of the 2019 Cricket World Cup, Mad Chapman's Pulitzer Prize-winning chip ranking and more, plus we add our entries to the official The Spinoff 2019 Honours and Dishonours board.
Pour yourself a Baileys and settle in.
Check out more of our podcasts here including the pop up pod The Spinoff Book Out Loud (The Spinoff Book is available in stores now). If you want to continue to support the work we do, behind the mic or on the site, check out The Spinoff Members, where you can support independent media for as a little as a dollar a week!
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This month on the politics podcast it's the Gone by Lunchtime Christmas Party and Toby's brought a baggie of oregano.
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But he did play a crucial role in helping Andy Foster knock over Justin Lester. Team Gone By Lunchtime size up the local elections, gaze plaintively at the dramas in the NZ First Party, and ask how bad the new poll is for Jacinda Ardern.
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Area man Hayden Donnell joins Toby Manhire for a bonus edition of Gone By Lunchtime, leading a whistlestop tour of the local elections.
Fresh from an assignment in the Far North, the mayor of the Spinoff’s local elections pop-up section, Hayden Donnell, takes us on a journey from Kaikohe to Dunedin, stopping along the way in Hamilton, Auckland and Porirua.
And he gets fired up. Fired up for democracy.
Guest starring Tina Tiller.
The Spinoff's local elections pop-up section is funded by Spinoff members.
The Spinoff politics section is made possible byFlick, the electricity retailer giving New Zealanders power over their power.
Revelations around alleged sexual assault by a Labour staffer and the party inquiry into his behaviour have dominated the week. Alex Casey and Mihi Forbes join Gone By Lunchtime to survey the damage.
Alex Casey, author of the Spinoff feature published on Monday, "A Labour volunteer alleged a violent sexual assault by a Labour staffer. This is her story", joins Toby Manhire and Annabelle Lee – together with another special guest, Mihingarangi Forbes – to discuss an explosive week for the Labour Party and New Zealand politics.
Also featuring: Ben Thomas's answerphone message.
Recorded on Thursday afternoon, before the resignation of the Labour staffer at the centre of the allegations.
For a timeline of the story, see here.
Annabelle Lee-Mather, Toby Manhire and Ben Thomas feast on the political morsels of the month. including the National Party conference and a challenge to Jacinda Ardern over Ihumātao. Plus: a new jingle.
The Gone By Lunchtime team look at Simon Bridges' efforts to firm up his leadership with just over a year to the election, and his "part-time prime minister" swipe.
Jacinda Ardern is in Tokelau, but should she have made the effort to personally visit Ihumātao, and does the protest movement there presage something bigger?
But first, an overwhelming response to our call for new theme submissions.
In this new edition of Gone By Lunchtime, Toby Manhire, Annabelle Lee-Mather and Ben Thomas weigh reshuffles in senior ranks of both the big parties as well as Oranga Tamariki and David Seymour's End of Life Choice Bill. Plus: a desperate plea to listeners.
Podding against the clock, aka Annabelle's stopwatch, the Gone By Lunchtime trio reshuffle their portfolios, look at Jacinda Ardern's demotion of Phil Twyford from the big housing job and Amy Adams' decision to chuck in the old politics lark.
Also on the slate: Oranga Tamariki and the uplift scandal, and the progression of legislation that would allow assisted dying to its third reading.
Oh, and do you fancy writing us a jingle? It's time for a change.
Was the wellbeing budget truly transformational? Toby Manhire, Annabelle Lee and Ben Thomas size it up, along with the high drama prelude of the so-called Treasury hack. Plus: Is the time ripe for a new Christian Conservative political party?
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In this bonus edition of Gone By Lunchtime, the prime minister talks to Toby Manhire at the Auckland Writers Festival
Last weekend at the Auckland Writers Festival, Jacinda Ardern spoke with Spinoff editor Toby Manhire about the extraordinary election campaign of 2017, and the book it inspired, Stardust and Substance, edited by Stephen Levine for VUP.
Before a packed house at the Aotea Centre the prime minister talked candidly about everything from Andrew Little’s decision to resign and the rush to remake the campaign to the less-than-delighted mood on election night itself.
If Facebook cannot change its ways, will they still use if for advertising in 2020? Why is she a fan of Nancy Drew and Ernest Shackleton – and its lessons for “how not to die on the ice”? All that plus Jacinda Ardern does an impression of Helen Clark.
For more podcasts and videos from the Auckland Writers Festival, click here.
Is the bond of trust and confidence between Mihingarangi Forbes and Annabelle Lee-Mather as strong as that between Judith Collins and Simon Bridges? In the latest Gone By Lunchtime, also featuring Toby Manhire and Ben Thomas, we investigate over a cool, refreshing slushy.
Special guest Mihi Forbes joins the usual rabble to discuss the fallout from Jacinda Ardern's controversial captain's recall on capital gains tax, the ongoing speculation around Simon Bridges' leadership and the rabbits that need to be pulled out of the slushy in Grant Robertson's second budget at the end of the month. They also gargle the icy issues of the crackdown on social media post-Christchurch and bullying at parliament.
In the wake of the appalling act of terror in Christchurch, the Gone by Lunchtime team assemble to asses the event and its political implications. Topics discussed include the impact on an often-marginalised community, the move to change our gun laws, the performance of Ardern and what the event says about the performance of our intelligence services.
The team also discuss the way politicians have blithely aired Islamophobic views prior to now, and Annabelle suggests the media consider the diversity of its newsrooms when it asks what it must do differently in the aftermath.
Annabelle Lee, Ben Thomas and Toby Manhire send their lifeboats into the great capital gains tax minestrone ocean.
Michael Cullen's Tax Working Group report has been published, sending the nation into untold capital gains tax convulsions. The Gone By Lunchtime panel piles in. How is Jacinda Ardern faring in making the case? What case even is she making? Is Simon Bridges suddenly good? What is the Kiwi way of life and are you living it?
Once we've solved all that, it's on to the Golriz Ghahraman bill that seeks to change electoral law, including a threshold cut to 4%, and more high-level discourse about the Year of Delivery &c.
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The Gone By Lunchtime peloton roars into 2019.
Just as you’re wondering whether it’s too late to say Happy new year to people, Annabelle Lee, Toby Manhire and Ben Thomas wish you a happy new year with a return to the Gone-pod.
On the agenda: A hell-poll for National sees Judith Collins casting a shadow over Simon Bridges, Jacinda Ardern begins the “year of delivery” with trips to Davos and Waitangi, KiwiBuild targets take the form of a house of cards, and relations with China go frosty. Like and subscribe, friends, like and subscribe.
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In the last politics podcast of the year, Annabelle Lee, Ben Thomas and Toby Manhire rub their weary eyes and stick out their stockings.
Trevor Mallard has hogged headlines in recent days: first after his commissioning of an inquiry into bullying and harassment at parliament and then over allegations of bias from Simon Bridges. We get into all of that, the Maggie Barry controversy, the wash-up from the Iain Lees-Galloway Sroubek farrago and more. Oh, and we nominate the big winners of the NZ political year. Happy new year!
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Toby Manhire is joined by iconic duo Annabelle Lee and Ben Thomas to rake the leaves of the JLR saga – and the mini-crises confronting the government, too.
The overlord of all successful television in New Zealand, Annabelle Lee, restores equilibrium to the Gone By Lunchtime universe by sitting down with Ben Thomas and Toby Manhire to discuss the Jami-Lee Ross fallout and whether Simon Bridges can survive it, Jacinda Ardern's first Labour Party conference as leader, the pressure on immigration minister Iain Lees-Galloway and the scrap around Phil Twyford's KiwiBuild scheme. Includes sealed section featuring interminable chin-stroking about the US elections.
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Ben Thomas and Toby Manhire assess an extraordinary 24 hours in NZ politics, as a relatively unspectacular expenses leak transmogrifies into the biggest Jami-Lee-based farce since A Fish Called Wanda. Guest starring Sam Brooks with a critique of Ross's incredible dramatic monologue as he quits parliament.
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Kia ora tatou, my name is Toby Manhire and this is Gone By Lunchtime Extra, a special marking the first anniversary of that white smoke moment when Winston Peters appointed Jacinda Ardern the pope of New Zealand.
And as luck would have it our guest star on this podcast special is Jacinda Ardern, prime minister of New Zealand, who pope in to the Gone By Lunchtime studio on Wednesday morning.
You can read the print version of this podcast at thespinoff.co.nz - as ever a thousand thanks to our sponsors Flick - click through from any Politics post on the Spinoff and you can snag a sweet, sweet deal.
I started by asking the PM to cast her mind back to a year ago, the final days of coalition negotiations
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Team Gone By Lunchtime gathers to discuss the important political issues of the day.
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Team Gone By Lunchtime gathers to discuss the important political issues of the day, from Clare Curran getting the boot to Party of Five.
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Gone By Lunchtime is not dead, it's just been sleeping. Toby Manhire, Annabelle Lee and Ben Thomas reunify in an emotional podcast
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Back once again with the renegade bluster, the Gone By Lunchtime team climb many flights of stairs in the cause of NZ political discourse.
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Bookended by revelations of sexual assault at a Young Labour summer camp and calls for broadcasting minister Clare Curran's resignation over a curious meeting with RNZ head of news Carol Hirschfeld, March has presented easily the steepest challenges for the new prime minister yet.
Discussing all this, along with the government's big house-building announcement for the Unitec site, turbulence from NZ First, the Green leadership and also other things, are a record high five podders. Spinoff editor Toby Manhire is joined by Exceltium's Ben Thomas, and three editorial executives from the best television programme in New Zealand, The Hui: Annabelle Lee, Waimihia Rose and special guest star Mihingarangi Forbes.
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The GBLT quartet chew over all the leadership changes.
Coruscating analysis of the new leader of New Zealand's biggest parliamentary party. Hot'n'smoky takes. Terrible but melodic puns. All that and more in a new audio content presentation from Annabelle Lee, Ben Thomas, Toby Manhire and a mostly cross Waimihia Rose.
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🚨🚨🚨 Ben Thomas and Toby Manhire on the English legacy and the contenders to succeed him as National Party leader in this collectible special edition.
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Annabelle Lee, Toby Manhire and Ben Thomas return for the first Gone By Lunchtime of 2018, guest starring a real life baby who reveals all about her encounters with a pregnant Jacinda Ardern.
Your friendly GBLT content providers return to swelter in an obscenely overheated “studio” to splutter out a word or two on the announcement that Jacinda Ardern will produce a brand new human being in the middle of the year, and the prospects of Winston Peters babysitting the nation.
Also: Ardern’s plans to spend five days at Waitangi, the state of te reo, the revamped “progressive” TPP, employment law reform, whether Bill English wants to be leader of the National Party, the Green co-leader race, and the biggest story of the week: why did Ben quit Twitter?
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To punish you all for being naughty this year, The Spinoff made an unholy mash-up of four of its podcasts.
Join Leonie Hayden, Toby Manhire, Annabelle Lee, Ben Thomas, Duncan Greive, Alex Casey, Michele A’Court and Henry Oliver as they discuss the biggest events of 2017 (and Married At First Sight) in a grotesque rat-king of piping hot takes.
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Jacinda Ardern! Bill English! Metiria Turei! Winston Peters! Those are the names of some people who were in the political news this year. Ben Thomas! Annabelle Lee! Toby Manhire! Those are the names of some people who in the last GBLT of 2017 talk about the people above, and conclusively decide how they got on.
May also contain: emotional tribute to Leighton Smith and awkward exposé of a non-disclosed participant in politician's clutches.
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Annabelle Lee, Ben Thomas, Toby Manhire and the land's favourite baby podcaster discuss an embarrassing start for the new government in parliament, Winston Peters' legal blizzard, the state of the National Party "monster" opposition, and Paddles the cat.
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The Gone By Lunchtime team chews over the new government, what it means for Labour, NZ First, the Greens and where it leaves National – and how we got there. Guest starring an exciting new podcasting talent.
With a showmanship to put Dominic Bowden to shame, Winston Peters yesterday took the fate of the next government to the wire, revealing in the deep afternoon (in the evening) that New Zealand First would support Labour over National, and crowning Jacinda Ardern as the next prime minister.
Toby Manhire, Annabelle Lee, Ben Thomas and a very special three-week old guest recap the events, and weigh up the implications for Ardern's Labour Party, Peters' NZ First and the supporting Green Party led by James Shaw.
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The 2017 election took place on Saturday but in reality it may never end. It's all around us, it's in us, it is us. The Gone By Lunchtime team* react in the appropriate way by dissecting it and making more definitely correct predictions of the future.
*Toby Manhire is currently away in an undisclosed location being indoctrinated by a foreign power, so The Spinoff editor Duncan Greive joins Ben Thomas and Annabelle Lee to discuss the small matter of the 2017 election. They farewell the Māori party, discuss the weird situation where all four main parties were plausible winners on the night and lay their predictions down for the next government...
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Has the Jacindaphoria evaporated? Who won the last debate? Are National's attack lines defensible? What happened to NZ First? Who will win the election? The Gone By Lunchtime team fearlessly answer these questions with definitive and irrefutable opinions.
We're leaving together. But still it's farewell. And maybe we'll come back, To earth, who can tell? I guess there is no one to blame, We're leaving ground (leaving ground). Will things ever be the same again?
It's the final countdown, and Ben Thomas, Annabelle Lee and Toby Manhire meet again, in the politics podcast that was around long before every fucker was doing a politics podcast, to chew the juicy fat of an extraordinary campaign. Listen as they debate the legitimacy of Steven Joyce's tactics. Gasp as they probe Bill English's eyelines. Weep as they quite literally carve open their hearts and let the truth spill out.
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DEBATE SPECIAL: Relive the historic first ever Spinoff Great Debate, featuring Paula Bennett, Kelvin Davis, Marama Davidson, Shane Jones, Marama Fox, David Seymour & Gareth Morgan, with Toby Manhire, Leonie Hayden and Simon Wilson
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The Spinoff presents its exclusive poll of the opinions of Annabelle Lee, Ben Thomas and Toby Manhire as New Zealanders flock to vote in chilled out Election 2017.
Toby Manhire welcomes Annabelle Lee of The Hui, Ben Thomas of Exceltium, and the spirit of Newstalk ZB legend Leighton Smith into the penultimate Gone By Lunchtime pod before voting day.
On the agenda: the gobsmacking Newshub poll, whether National's campaign is working after all, Labour's tax pickle, the Greens' encounter with catastrophe, and the fortunes of the Māori Party. Also Gareth Morgan revs past on a motorbike, probably.
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Annabelle Lee, Ben Thomas and Toby Manhire weigh up the first big Bill English v Jacinda Ardern clashes, the shock National target on child poverty, the claims of a massive hole in Labour's numbers and the poll convulsions.
Advance voting opens on Monday, and election day is less than three weeks away. Burning hot with debate fever, the Spinoff Gone By Lunchtimers take stock.
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Was this the feted mother of all scandals? Is it the bastard son of Dirty Politics? How many of Bill English's children were on the stage at the National launch? Is Bob your uncle? This and more in NZ's top genealogy-based election podcast.
Toby Manhire, Annabelle Lee and Ben Thomas take a moment's pause from gaping at the news headlines and social media hyperbole-parody to weigh up the latest chapter in a scandal-bedeviled campaign, as Winston Peters and his pension overpayment transmogrifies into a controversy about the no-surprises policy and anonymous tip-offs.
Plus: Billmania as the National Party campaign launches, a review of the minor party leaders' debate and a preview of the big kids' debate on Thursday.
Listen now before it's completely obsolete.
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The very latest from the Ardernified election campaign, which has claimed yet another leader resignation.
Fresh from having read all 140 pages of the Prefu just minutes after it was published, Annabelle Lee, Ben Thomas and Toby Manhire rest their chins upon their fingers and analyse the issues of the moment.
How is National coping with the Labour momentum under Jacinda Ardern? Is Labour's position on tax a bit crap? How will we remember Peter Dunne? Does anyone give a flying fuck about Gareth Morgan? And just how nighmarish a metaphor can Ben Thomas conjure up to explain what Labour has done to the Greens?
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As the breakneck pre-election pace continues, the Gone By Lunchtime committee convenes to discuss the big issues such as cabbages. With Ben Thomas marooned in Wellington, Duncan Greive pod-hops to join GBLT's Toby Manhire and Annabelle Lee, but we do take a moment to call and sing him a song.
With Metiria Turei having resigned, the Green Party is trying to start over, at once moving on and holding tight to its talismanic former co-leader. We talk that through, as well as the National Party's return to law'n'order tough talk: how does that square with evidence-based social-investment thinking? And how about Labour's water policy?
All that, and more, including Duncan's confession to becoming absorbed in ACT leader David Seymour's new book, and a long Sopranos analogy.
NB Recorded Tuesday at 1pm, shortly before Aussie foreign minister Julie Bishop launched a broadside at NZ Labour.
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Stop the election bus for just one second, please. Toby Manhire, Annabelle Lee and Ben Thomas have new Gone By Lunchtime podcast and it will probably be overtaken by events any moment.
Two third-term Green MPs have in effect jumped ship, saying Metiria Turei is not fit to lead the party. Will that torpedo the party, will it help or hinder a Labour Party re-energised by the Jacinda miracle? What about Bill English's mysterious deleted texts? And just generally, what the bejesus is going on with this election?
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The Spinoff's Gone By Lunchtime trio frantically gather their thoughts following the exit of Labour leader Andrew Little, who has been replaced by Jacinda Ardern, with Kelvin Davis as her deputy, with just over 50 days to an election.
Within seconds of watching Jacinda Ardern conduct her first press conference as Labour leader, Toby Manhire, Annabelle Lee and Ben Thomas bundle into the studio to chat. The disastrous polls, Andrew Little's bizarre decision to announce that he'd been thinking of resigning, the flurry of activity leading up to today's caucus meeting, the Little legacy, the new pair's debut peformance, the Winston factor, and what it means for those accursed billboards: all that, together with a rare insight into Ben Thomas's erotic fantasies.
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With less than two months to polling day, Annabelle Lee, executive producer of The Hui, returns to the GBLT pod salon, joining Ben Thomas of Exceltium and Toby Manhire of the Spinoff to discuss the Green co-leader's headline grabbing admission of benefit fraud, the contrast with tax evasion, Labour's alternative budget proposition, and, inescapably, the latest manoeuvres of the Winston Peters bus.
And in open defiance of the schooling from professional broadcaster and Guy Williams, guest star of the last pod, the confectionery remains, with all its sonorous slurping and spluttering.
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After the best thing about Gone By Lunchtime gets tied up with actual work, three white men finally sit down to talk politics and whether or not some of them should be allowed to talk politics.
Toby Manhire is joined by Ben Thomas of Exceltium and Guy Williams of televised comedy to discuss the Green’s attack on New Zealand First, Winston Peters as rockstar or racist, Labour’s new families package, and whether those who work in politics or PR should be enlisted for political punditry.
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Loaded to the eyeballs on performance enhancing mint chocolate, the Gone By Lunchtime beat combo pick over the remains of a momentous week in New Zealand politics.
As the election build-up lurches through the gears, Toby Manhire is joined by Annabelle Lee, executive producer of The Hui, and Ben Thomas of Exceltium to discuss the scandal that led to Todd Barclay's resignation as National candidate for Clutha-Southland and the resulting mayhen that threw Bill English's "delivering" conference plans into disarray, as well as the volunteer fiasco that enveloped the Labour Party, the relentless march of Winston Peters and Mana leader Hone Harawira's call to execute P importers.
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The Gone By Lunchtime team returns, with more hot takes than a jalapeno thief.
In the latest medium-intensity-hitting Spinoff politics podcast, Toby Manhire is joined by Annabelle Lee of The Hui and Ben Thomas of Exceltium to sigh, pontificate and radio-jingle on a range of subjects including a dramatic UK election and what it means for New Zealand, Labour's freshly unveiled immigration policy, the knighting of former PM John Key, the budget (yes, it's been a while) and what's up with Ngapuhi and the crown.
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Gone By Lunchtime stumbles on a new theme tune to accompany Annabelle Lee, Ben Thomas and Toby Manhire's sleepy reflections on weird court rumbles, Māori places on the Labour Party list, Gerry Brownlee's clumsy start as foreign minister, and Winston Peters bursting out of the electoral traps.
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In this overdue and mildly anticipated podcast, we traverse the vast savannah of topical political happenings. Bill English's pizza? Yes. The Greens and that magazine cover? We have that. The Little-Hagaman defamation brouhaha. Yes. The Hit and Runnon-inquiry. Yup. The already sizzling election battleground in the Maori seats? Also yes, we have that. Renewed calls for an inquiry into abuse in state care? That is another thing we have. A desperate attempt to parrot world-famous podcast S-Town and mysterious hot cross bun scoffing noises? Afraid so.
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In the historic first ever Spinoff Gone By Lunchtime podcast since the arrival of LifeDirect as sponsor of the politics section, we discuss a range of important topical issues, before eventually making it to politics.
On the agenda:
• Bill English announcing a change in superannuation qualifying age a mere 23 years from now;
• the political management of that change;
• calls for an inquiry into abuse in state care;
• Jacinda Ardern's Mt Albert triumph and rise to Labour deputy, the departure of Annette King and the leadership of • Andrew Little (including that kaupapa Māori thing);
• whether the best thing to be in the Green Party today is an old bloke; and
• Are the stars aligning for a storming year for Winston Peters and NZ First?
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With a hiss and a roar and an ear-splitting primal scream, the political year is under way.
Annabelle Lee and Ben Thomas join Toby Manhire to chew over the prime minister's Waitangi decision, the $10k Te Tii charge to media and the hotly anticipated Trump-English dog-and-bone. They debate the first couple of months of Bill English's prime ministership and his perceived sluggishness over the Trump visa ban, and weigh up the surprise announcement that Willie Jackson is to be a high-placing Labour list candidate.
Plus: Is Ben Thomas the Liam Gallagher of Gone By Lunchtime? You decide.
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In this special edition of Gone By Lunchtime, we patch in Ben Thomas from Washington DC, where he's been rubbing shoulders among the crowds on Inauguration Day and the manifestly bigger crowds at the Women's March.
It is done: Donald J Trump is the real, actual president of the world's most powerful country. Ben Thomas, PR guy from Exceltium and Gone By Lunchtime regular, had a silver ticket for his spot on the Capitol and was there to breathe it all in. Toby Manhire Skypes him up to hear about the occasion, the speech, the record-setting balderdash of press guy Sean Spicer, and more.
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An old year, a new prime minister and a very tired world. Toby Manhire, Annabelle Lee and Ben Thomas bedeck themslves with boughs of holly and size up the winners and losers of the year 2016, and what to expect in the next one.
Ho, ho, ho, really, when you think about it.
Ben and Annabelle sit on Santa's knee and tell him what they make of Bill English so far, struggle to remember the previous PM's name and survey precisely everything that happened in politics in 2016. That covered, they move fearlessly on to what 2017 holds for Winston Peters, Marama Fox, Andrew Little and the rest.
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A gaggle of shell-shocked geese, in the form of Toby Manhire, Ben Thomas and Hayden Donnell, splutter hot-take spittle all over the mid-price microphones in the Spinoff podcast studio. Guest starring Annabelle Thomas and José Barbosa.
John Key, the prime minister of New Zealand, has announced his resignation. He's done. He's had it. He's out. An urgently convened podcast chews over the reasons for his departure, the legacy he'll leave, and who the bejesus is going to come next.
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Annabelle Lee and Ben Thomas brave the Spinoff stairwell of doom to join Toby Manhire for another Gone By Lunchtime, the hi-energy Zumba workout of political podcasting.
The Spinoff political podcast trio abandon all good sense and attempt to analyse the auditor-general's report into the Saudi sheep farrago and what it means for Murray McCully even before it is published. They fearlessly assess the legacies of exiting MPs Hekia Parata and David Cunliffe, they recall that day last month when Paula Bennett was running the country and the future leadership of the National Party, they ruminate on Mt Roskill byelection "bribes" and they share every thought they can summon about the Max Key scandal.
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In the Spinoff's monthly politics recap, Annabelle Lee and Ben Thomas join Toby Manhire for a power-walk through the topical rain forest.
If you're interested in hearing what Toby, Ben and Annabelle have to say about the local elections, the excitements of Phil Goff, someone called Tana winning the Porirua mayoralty, voter turnout, a byelection in Mt Roskill, the 20th birthday of MMP, the Hobson's Pledge thing, Marama Davidson's Mediterranean cruise or John Key's analysis of Aaron Smith's toilet fucking, then this is the podcast for you.
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What will Annabelle Lee do when she sees the Labour leader nude on a rug? How will elitist lickspittle Ben Thomas insult Winston Peters? How much fake cocaine will Toby Manhire snort? All these questions answered in a new Gone By Lunchtime.
The Spinoff's unrivalled monthly politics podcast returns with a deep audio dive into the pool of truth. Joining Toby Manhire are journo-turned-political-adviser-turned-PR-flak Ben Thomas and Annabelle Lee, the boss of everyone at the country's leading current affairs television programme, The Hui.
On the agenda: sushi, Winston Peters, cocaine, Andrew Little on a rug, runaway Labour staff, runaway Kevin Hague, Winston Peters, the Maori King and Labour, Tuku Morgan, Winston Peters, John Key descending on the UN, Winston Peters and Winston Peters.
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Parliament may be enjoying the longest recess of all time but the Spinoff's Gone By Lunchtime podcast is 100% sitting, friends. Joining Toby Manhire in the futuristic audio-pod are Annabelle Lee and Ben Thomas
Among the fat being chewed: Auckland Unitary Plan adventure (but only briefly; if you like that sort of thing, there's more UP-podding here), the Māori Party utu-treachery-treason over Helen Clark's bid for the UN top job, the prospects of Māori-Mana Party unity breaking out, Todd McClay's apology to the PM over steel and kiwifruit and that so-called "trade war" with China, Saudi sheep, (non) legal threats and Murray McCully, and the David Bain (non) compensation.
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By Jove, it's only the hotly anticipated return of Gone By Lunchtime, the Spinoff's epoch-defining politics pod with Annabelle Lee, Ben Thomas and Toby Manhire
The Gone By Lunchtime podcast team has been roused from its slumber to fearlessly tackle the big political topics of the day/week/month/etc.
Equipped with nothing but Lemsip, ginger beer, some decidedly odd tasting strawberry champagne flavoured Tim Tams and their cold-addled wit, Spinoff politics editor Toby Manhire, The Hui producer Annabelle Lee and Exceltium man Ben Thomas talk Brexit, Winston Peters, Paula Bennett under pressure over housing, Te Puea Marae, Simon Bridges, Hone Harawira's return, the Shewan review of trust laws, and the Lindauer paintings on shower curtains.
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Going off like a frog in a sock, the third edition of the Spinoff politics pod, featuring Annabelle Lee and Ben Thomas with Toby Manhire
A brand new Gone By Lunchtime is here – unless you’re reading this some time in the future, in which case it will no longer be brand new. On the slate: John Key, the Panama Papers, and a U-turn on reviewing foreign trusts; the continuing struggles of NZ Labour Party as it approaches its 100th birthday; and Helen Clark’s campaign to become the secretary general of the United Nations: not as universally popular in New Zealand as some seem to think.
All that, along with ruminations on the craft beer scene and songs about special rapporteurs and changing nappies, on Gone By Lunchtime.
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In the second installment of Gone By Lunchtime, the Spinoff’s politics podcast, Toby Manhire is joined by Annabelle Lee, producer of The Hui, and Ben Thomas of political PR company Exceltium to discuss Ranginui Walker, Judith Collins and gangs, Pharmac, the flag, and Auckland’s unitary woes. Oh, and John Palino, naturally.
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In Gone By Lunchtime, the Spinoff’s new politics podcast, Toby Manhire is joined by former Native Affairs producer Annabelle Lee and Ben Thomas of political PR outfit Exceltium to discuss the Waitangi kerfuffles, the trade deal row, state of the nation speeches from the four main party leaders, and home baking.
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