Gone By Lunchtime

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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Toby Manhire (Gone By Lunchtime; Auckland studio) and Bernard Hickey (When The Facts Change; parliament studio) join forces for a budget reaction crossover special. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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". Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Gone By Lunchtime wouldn’t exist without support from The Spinoff Members. Find out how to join at members.thespinoff.co.nz Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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? Gone By Lunchtime wouldn’t exist without support from The Spinoff Members. Find out how to join at members.thespinoff.co.nz Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Gone By Lunchtime wouldn’t exist without support from The Spinoff Members. Find out how to join at members.thespinoff.co.nz Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Gone By Lunchtime wouldn’t exist without support from The Spinoff Members. Find out how to join at members.thespinoff.co.nz Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Vote for Gone By Lunchtime in the NZ Podcast Awards! Visit nzpodcastawards.com to vote. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Gone By Lunchtime wouldn’t exist without the support of The Spinoff Members. Find out how to join at members.thespinoff.co.nz Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Gone By Lunchtime couldn’t exist without the support of The Spinoff Members. Find out how to join at members.thespinoff.co.nz Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Gone By Lunchtime couldn’t exist without the support of The Spinoff Members. Find out how to join at members.thespinoff.co.nz Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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? The Spinoff Members lets our audience contribute to our work and play a role in directing new areas of coverage. If you’d like to support our mission, please donate to become a member today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Gone By Lunchtime couldn’t be made without the support of The Spinoff Members. Find out how to join at members.thespinoff.co.nz Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Gone By Lunchtime couldn’t be made without the support of The Spinoff Members. Find out how to join at members.thespinoff.co.nz Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Gone By Lunchtime couldn’t be made without the support of The Spinoff Members. Find out how to join at members.thespinoff.co.nz Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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! Gone By Lunchtime couldn’t be made without the support of The Spinoff Members. Find out how to join at members.thespinoff.co.nz Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Gone By Lunchtime couldn’t be made without the support of The Spinoff Members. Find out how to join at members.thespinoff.co.nz Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Gone By Lunchtime couldn’t be made without the support of The Spinoff Members. Find out how to join at members.thespinoff.co.nz Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Gone By Lunchtime couldn’t be made without the support of The Spinoff Members. Find out how to join at members.thespinoff.co.nz Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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? Gone By Lunchtime couldn’t be made without the support of The Spinoff Members. Find out how to join at members.thespinoff.co.nz Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices