Focus on Politics

In the biggest multi-verse event of 2026, the Caucus podcast has teamed up with Focus on Politics this campaign to take you inside the fight for power. It's Caucus, but reshuffled - with Jo Moir and Craig McCulloch from RNZ's press gallery team, joining Tim Watkin every week in the lead-up to voting day. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

The 54th Parliament has adjourned, and politicians have been let loose on the campaign trail. Before they fled the building, political reporter Giles Dexter sat down with the parties and asked what the public could expect from them over the next six weeks.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

National is campaigning to 'pursue' breaking up Foodstuffs, as the party of business surprisingly ponders intervening in private enterprise. Political reporter Giles Dexter shops around political parties' pledges to drive down grocery prices, and looks at how likely it is that National's proposal will actually happen.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

National has offered councils a peace deal after rebuffing their calls for a bed tax. Instead, it's offering to give them a share of the revenue raised by an existing "tourist tax". But some councils say it still falls short. RNZ's deputy political editor Craig McCulloch takes a look. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

The government has found itself cleaning up some legislative mess. Beneficiaries and pensioners having payments wrongly suspended forced a double apology from the Prime Minister and Social Development Minister, while a select committee has told the Justice Minister to water down his controversial move-on orders so kids cannot be prosecuted for sleeping on the street. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details