The Citizen's Handbook

New Zealand civics is filled with the weird and wonderful, which leads us to the Citizen's Handbook podcast, a show which finds Robbie Nicol competing against a comedian in explaining New Zealand Civics, told in fact and fiction.

It's The Citizen's Handbook! A game show where comedians try to separate fact from fiction. Episode one kicks off with Robbie Nicol trying to trick comedian Jamaine Ross about He Whakaputanga, and sees Jamaine lying to Robbie about the legendary trickster Māui.

True or false? The man who colonised New Zealand kidnapped a 15-year-old girl, and plotted colonisation while in prison. Find out when Pax Assadi and Robbie Nicol examine Edward Gibbon Wakefield and the battle at Wairau Valley.

How did the New Zealand Government come to be? Robbie talks us through how the 1852 New Zealand constitution gave settlers the right to create laws to do... well, pretty much whatever they wanted. Comedian Laura Daniel flexes all her skills as she talks about Māori Parliament, while Robbie lies about New Zealand provinces.

How do you get five million people in New Zealand to cooperate? Robbie delves into the basic rules and conventions of how a government works, and explains the three branches of government with comedian Donna Brookbanks.

How do you get parliament to do what you want it to? Before a law is a law, it's a bill; and before a bill is passed, it goes through a select committee. Comedian Chris Parker tries to sneak a few past Robbie Nicol, while Robbie lies to Chris about the governors-general.

Robbie informs us of the generations of New Zealand police. From the Armed Constabulary in the 1800s to the New Zealand Police Force of today. Comedian Brynley Stent lies about the police and protests, while Robbie explains your rights.

Not only is Alice Snedden a comedian, but she also has a law degree! This episode finds Alice showcasing her skills while Robbie tries to lie about capital punishment in New Zealand. Alice talks about New Zealand's first woman lawyer, Ethel Rebecca Benjamin.

Robbie looks at the "special token" system that was introduced - replacing the traditional Māori trade system - and what the rules are and how the government of New Zealand is involved. He goes head-to-head with comedian Eli Mathewson, talking about Sir Roger Douglas and Dame Marilyn Waring.

TPPA... CPTP... What does it all mean? Tom Sainsbury explains while Robbie lies about the GDP. We look into how a recession and hyperinflation is avoided, and what this means for us.

The final episode of the series sees Robbie lying about Nuclear Free New Zealand, while James Roque discusses the Mau movement in Samoa.