This week we give Henry a break, while Jesse and Ben, along with ring-in international correspondent Maddy, delve into local body elections, the challenges of youth unemployment policies, implications of low voter turnout, the impact of centralization on local governance, and the controversial new parental income test for jobseeker support. The episode wraps up with what the gentlemen deem a critical topic - the importance of wearing ties in Parliament.

Infrastructure, more than most policy areas, is profoundly political. Politicians know this instinctively; that’s why they turn up in hard hats and high-vis when cutting ribbons. Infrastructure projects tell a visible story about who they are and what they stand for.

Welcome back to another episode of the Iron Duke Podcast. Our peaks this week include the well-overdue announcement of who our new RBNZ Governor will be, the opening of oil and gas exploration applications, and Brooke van Velden’s reforming of the Holiday Act. Our pits this week felt rather dire, including Treasury’s Long Term Fiscal Statement (it's not looking great), the outdated and expensive National Ticketing Solution, and the results from Mood of the Boardroom. 

This week on the Iron Duke Podcast we discuss our peaks, including the Government pouring in some more funding for bolstering major events in New Zealand, Kāinga Ora selling up their top tier Herne Bay villas and new theories coming out about how we can detangle the web of government agencies and ministerial portfolios. Our pits include the dire Q2 GDP stats, the assassination of Charlie Kirk and the subsequent reaction from around the world, and it's almost that frustrating time of year - daylight savings… tune in and we will see you next week. 

We can’t keep treating housing like our national retirement plan, because what good is your family home doubling in value if your kids can’t afford to live anywhere near you?

Another big episode as a podcasting team of four. This week we take you through changes in animal safety, the big sell off of New Zealand dairy brands, a new route to get more rich listers moving in next door, Peeni Henare's thoughts on gang patches, our thoughts on the big pay day for government board directors, Air New Luxon's chats with the Reserve Bank Governor, the usual yap about super markets and a new CONTENTIOUS topic has just dropped... cancelling Picton for Clifford Bay. 

This week we are delighted to have the newest voice of the Iron Duke Podcast with us, Ben Craven. His soothing voice and hot, sometimes justified, takes fit in well.

In this episode we discuss peace talks, RUCs, electorates, education and the removal of te reo from easy reading books, more building and construction reform and New Zealand’s funky control towers.

This week on the Iron Duke Podcast we talk about the end of modern learning environments, some positive progress on NCEA results, the announcement of the Tāmaki Makaurau by-election date, the for some reason spicy topic of gene technology, further severe weather events and how we are responding to them and the not-so-good unemployment rate for younger people.

This week on the Iron Duke Podcast we discuss our peaks of the week, including the Government’s newly amended Family Boost for childcare policy, the revolutionary AI plan, and the charities that receive funding from crime proceeds. Our pits of the week include Oriini Kaipara seeking the TPM candidacy in Auckland’s Tāmaki Makaurau electorate, Chippy having a crack at the media for being biased, and how little the powers are for our bravest security guards.

We love to complain about New Zealand — the rent, the wages, the price of whatever the media is fixated on at the time — but stacked against the places we flee to in our 20s and 30s, it quietly holds its own.

Back after a little a post-Live Podcast hiatus. Our highs of the week are the new 24/7 telehealth service, Gensis energy looking to build another peaker plant and the harsher penalties for those who assault first responders. Our lows of the week include the Government banning all international online betting sites, potential removal of regional councils and who is pooing in school water supply? 

This week, we bring to you the live recording of the Iron Duke Podcast. Jesse, Maddy, and Henry dive into an interactive discussion with a live audience at the Wellington Club, tackling some of today’s big public policy challenges: the New Zealand energy system, social media, and superannuation.

Note: Our mics couldn’t catch everything, so some audience questions and comments may be a little faint.

This week the team takes you through their peaks and pits of the week. This week we discuss Karen Chhour’s advocacy of safety measures for pets living in households with domestic violence, New Zealand’s first private Building Consent Authority and the post Budget 2025 polls, facial recognition in supermarkets, the future of hydrogen and a potential ban on fireworks.

The Iron Duke Podcast takes you through Budget 2025. The goods, the bads and the uglies.

This week on the Iron Duke Podcast we take you through our peaks including the Government’s new public EV charging infrastructure programme, the Australian election and the Crown now covering the fee to renew licenses for teachers. Our pits are Trump cutting off the universities/colleges, the conclusion of the Early Childhood Education review and the striking of 5000 doctors across the country.   

We should be thinking about this new Government spending as a big opportunity to effectively involve New Zealand industry and build our own private-sector defence industry capability. This should be done in such a way as to enable Kiwi businesses to engage, not just with our New Zealand Defence Force upgrades, but also those that will be taking place in neighbours and allies such as Australia, Singapore and further afield.

This week the Iron Duke team take you through Luxon’s speech on free trade, the shopping list for New Zealand’s new defence spending, Andrew Little entering the race for the Wellington Mayoralty, local government amalgamations, an update on Trump tariffs and this week’s spicy content – pregnant people…

It is instructive to note that on the day President Trump announced his tariffs against Mexico and Canada, every single major US business organisation made public statements opposing the tariffs and proposing alternatives. Those statements were constructive, sober and based on evidence.

All three of your favourite podcasters are back in the studio this week. Making us smile this week are the (marginally) improved education attendance stats, Nicola Willis threatening to drop the hammer on our uncompetitive supermarket duopoly and the King of Rail Winston Peters announcement regarding the Cook Strait ferries. The not so good include Trump breaking records with his approval ratings, LIBERATION DAY and Tamatha Paul’s comments about the poor old beat cops.

Welcome back! This week the team discuss HealthNZ running their financials through a singular spreadsheet, the initial outcomes of Luxon’s Investment Summit, how New Zealand is ascending the rankings in best places to live as an expat, Labour’s continuous flip flop in view on public-private partnerships, the cat fight between Mayor Tory Whanau and Luxon and the the latest results of the Performance of Services index.

We also give you the inside scoop on our first LIVE PODCAST event – listen in to see how you can get yourself some free tickets.