The Salient Unedited Session

Nicola Willis says she was never “a Young Nat or anything” during her time at Victoria University of Wellington. It's been a huge turn around for the MP vying to be New Zealand’s next Finance Minister, who says she “wasn’t even into politics” while studying a BA in English Literature in the early 2000s. The National Party Deputy Leader was, however, a champion debater while studying, and admits that the debating society is the “dorky” way she met her now-husband.“He was the third speaker, I was the second speaker. We went to various international national tournaments together and fell in love, as you do.”Nowadays, Willis is campaigning alongside Christopher Luxon for a change in government, and has her sights set on leading the country’s economy. Salient sat down with Nicola Willis in her office to hear her plan for students.Website: salient.org.nzMagazine Instagram: @salientgramPodcast Instagram: @salient_podcastsThis podcast is a Salient Podcasts Production. Produced by Alex Marinkovich-Josey

When it comes to Te Pāti Māori’s political ideology, co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer says it’s complicated. While the party was formerly “comfortable with National”, she says they now “lean left” in the “Western-centric sense”. But Ngarewa-Packer thinks they’re best described as simply “indigenous”.“We are an indigenous movement. [...] We are the only party that believes in Māori.”It was a hectic day when we visited Te Pāti Māori. Ngarewa-Packer’s co-leader, Rawiri Waititi, was suspended from Parliament for allegedly breaching a court suppression order while speaking in the house, leaving her to pick up all his responsibilities. But she isn’t bothered—“we dont give a shit”, she laughs. Despite the chaos, Ngarewa-Packer invited us to park up on her couch and chat about their goals and aspirations for the upcoming election.Website: salient.org.nzMagazine Instagram: @salientgramPodcast Instagram: @salient_podcastsThis podcast is a Salient Podcasts Production. Produced by Alex Marinkovich-Josey

*CW: Transphobic Comments.*Winston Peters (Ngāti Wai) is a political warhorse: the 78-year-old has been in and out of Parliament since 1978 and held positions such as Treasurer, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Deputy Prime Minister. But after NZ First failed to make it back into Parliament in 2020, Peters has hitched his wagon to inflammatory culture war issues, flirting with climate change denial, vaccine skepticism, and anti co-governance rhetoric. Winston kindly came along to the Salient office for a robust and hostile 30-minute chat peppered with personal insults, including calling me ignorant, a hypocrite, and saying I need to find a new job. Website: salient.org.nzMagazine Instagram: @salientgramPodcast Instagram: @salient_podcastsThis podcast is a Salient Podcasts Production. Produced by Alex Marinkovich-Josey

The Green Party have hit the ground running this election, being the first party to release their full suite of policies, which they say are unapologetically student focused. The Party’s policies include a free universal student allowance, reforming student accommodation, and working towards a student debt write-off. Salient went along to Parliament to sit down with the Green Party co-leaders, Marama Davidson and James Shaw, who managed to squeeze in a hectic and fast-paced 20-minute chat about their top priorities this election.Website: salient.org.nzMagazine Instagram: @salientgramPodcast Instagram: @salient_podcastsThis podcast is a Salient Podcasts Production. Produced by Alex Marinkovich-Josey

We met the Prime Minister at his office in the Beehive — Chippy was 15 minutes late, largely due to a tray of sausage rolls being wheeled into his office (Fair enough).“Hi, I’m Chris,” the PM introduced himself, chipper if not a bit clammy, fresh from National’s tax policy announcement (and Labour’s worst polling results since 2017, dipping into the 20s). We took a seat on one of the sofas in his Beehive office and wasted no time getting stuck in. Website: salient.org.nzMagazine Instagram: @salientgramPodcast Instagram: @salient_podcastsThis podcast is a Salient Podcasts Production. Produced by Alex Marinkovich-Josey

It's the Wan Solwara issue of Salient!Fran and Maia are joined by Porita Fruean, this week's guest editor, to talk about the guest edited issue that celebrates the Pacific Islands and those who hail from them! Website: salient.org.nzMagazine Instagram: @salientgramPodcast Instagram: @salient_podcastsThis podcast is a Salient Podcasts Production. Produced by Alex Marinkovich-Josey

Welcome back to Salient!This week, Salient designer Bella (they/them) takes over as editor and joins the podcast to chat about this week's massive ART issue! Website: salient.org.nzMagazine Instagram: @salientgramPodcast Instagram: @salient_podcastsThis podcast is a Salient Podcasts Production. Produced by Alex Marinkovich-Josey

Fleur Fitzsimons is the picture-perfect Labour Party candidate—black blazer, red scarf, and all—with The Spinoff crediting her look to a Labour MP ‘laboratory’. Fitzsimons has been a Wellingtonian for 26 years, ever since she first moved to study Politics and Law at VUW. She joined the VUWSA executive, alongside the current Prime Minister, then VUWSA President, Chris Hipkins. Fitzsimons succeeded Hipkins' presidency in 2002. “I was Vice President when [he] was student President here,” she admits, “and we did call him Chippy.”She stepped up to the Rongotai seat after the departure of current MP Paul Eagle, as she wants “to live in a New Zealand that has taken action on climate change and looks after the most vulnerable.”After study, and for most of her working life, Fitzsimons worked as a trade union official before becoming a Wellington City councillor in 2017. Her roots in advocacy for both workers and students is something she promises to remember in her candidacy. Fitzsimons joined us in the Salient office to discuss her most important campaign issues: climate justice, housing, advocacy, and cost of living. Website: salient.org.nzMagazine Instagram: @salientgramPodcast Instagram: @salient_podcastsThis podcast is a Salient Podcasts Production. Produced by Alex Marinkovich-Josey

Karunā Muthu describes himself as a “political animal”. He's not lying; rocking up to our interview in his royal blue National Party branded jacket, he jokes that he’s going to be the Prime Minister of New Zealand. The National Candidate for Rongotai is optimistic he’s able to turn Rongotai blue, despite it being a safe Labour seat since 1996. “I'm the underdog, and I don't mind being the underdog. I didn't get to where I am today by being the front runner,” he said.The lawyer and investor has lived in the Rongotai electorate for 23 years after immigrating from India in the 90s with only “$500 in hand” in search of a better life for his children. Ideologically, he’s a “compassionate conservative and social liberal”, and says he’s “always believed in social justice, and standing up for the underprivileged and downtrodden”. While door-knocking around his neighbourhood of Strathmore, Muthu said that people often tell him he’s in the wrong party. “All the parties want the best for the people, but I align myself with the values of the National Party: hard work, family, reward for your hard work, and so on.” He said some members of the community have not been so friendly, with some drivers even pulling the finger at Muthu and his volunteers while sign-waving in the area.He’s keen to get stuck in and fix what he considers to be three biggest issues in the community: cost of living, transport, and employment.Website: salient.org.nzMagazine Instagram: @salientgramPodcast Instagram: @salient_podcastsThis podcast is a Salient Podcasts Production. Produced by Alex Marinkovich-Josey

It's the annual Te Ao Mārama issue! Fran and Maia are joined by guest editor Huy to talk about this monumental issue and the production process behind prodcuing the issue in both English and te reo māori! Website: salient.org.nzMagazine Instagram: @salientgramPodcast Instagram: @salient_podcastsThis podcast is a Salient Podcasts Production. Produced by Alex Marinkovich-Josey

Paddy Gower pulled up to the Student Union building in his old, red family wagon, greeting us with a firm handshake and a chipper smile. The NZ media heavyweight kindly squeezed in an hour of his day to come along to the Salient office, the place where it all began for Gower, and chat about media, politics, and how he got to where he is.A conversation with one of the biggest news personalities in Aotearoa, and a former writer at Salient!Website: salient.org.nzMagazine Instagram: @salientgramPodcast Instagram: @salient_podcastsThis podcast is a Salient Podcasts Production. Produced by Alex Marinkovich-Josey

Julie-Anne Genter regularly braves the cold for a swim in the South Coast’s marine reserve, Taputeranga. “It’s really magic,” she says. So it was an easy choice to film a campaign video there—until a whale visited Island Bay the day of their filming, disrupting their plans. Genter wasn’t disappointed. What a better sign, she thought, for a Green campaign than a whale visiting. She posted on Twitter: “This is basically an endorsement, right?” A Green Party MP since 2011, this is the first time Genter has put her name forward for the Rongotai electorate where she lives with her family. After current Rongotai MP Paul Eagle’s failed mayoralty run led him to bow out of the contest, Genter said “it made sense” for her to stand. “The fact that the incumbent Labour MP is not standing, it meant there was a real opportunity for the Greens, especially I think because [Rongotai is] a very progressive electorate.” The Rongotai seat has been held by Labour since 1996. But in the 2020 election, the Green Party received 23.58% of the party vote in the electorate, shadowing Labour's 52% dominance. “National has no show in the electorate, the Greens have already been coming in second without trying,” Genter says.Is this a serious two-ticks Green campaign? “Definitely,” said Genter. “We are throwing everything at winning the seat.” Website: salient.org.nzMagazine Instagram: @salientgramPodcast Instagram: @salient_podcastsThis podcast is a Salient Podcasts Production. Produced by Alex Marinkovich-Josey

Welcome back to The Salient Unedited Session!Co-Editor Maia is joined by Podcast Manager Alex to discuss the INFLUENCE AND MEDIA issue of Salient!They talk about the editorial photoshoot, the week's media moments, and the fantastic articles in this week's issue! Check it out in stands and online now!Website: salient.org.nzMagazine Instagram: @salientgramPodcast Instagram: @salient_podcastsThis podcast is a Salient Podcasts Production. Produced by Alex Marinkovich-Josey

Dr Scott Sheeran has lived many lives before throwing his hat in the ring for Wellington Central. He went from being “famous for not turning up at school”, and sporting dreadlocks while in a university band, to becoming a published author on human rights law and working multiple stints at the UN. Most recently, Sheeran has been in Abu Dhabi, working as senior legal counsel to the United Arab Emirates Government. Last month, he packed up and moved back to Wellington with his family to try his luck at politics.Despite running for a seat that National hasn't won since 1978, he's confident that he has a chance. “I don't know what's going to happen, but I certainly don't feel like I'm somehow handicapped.”Website: salient.org.nzMagazine Instagram: @salientgramPodcast Instagram: @salient_podcastsThis podcast is a Salient Podcasts Production. Produced by Alex Marinkovich-Josey

During his three years at Victoria University, Ibrahim Omer had a strict ritual every Friday afternoon: getting a coffee from Vic Books and a packet of sushi from MakiMono. Omer looks back at this time with fondness, and expressed immediate concern at the lack of students on campus before we even stepped foot into the Salient studio - “it's so quiet!”Originally from Eritrea, Omer arrived in Aotearoa as a refugee in 2008, graduated from VUW in 2016, graduated from VUW in 2016, and in 2020 was elected to Parliament as a Labour list MP. His work has previously focused on advocating for low-waged workers, migrants and refugees, but now the MP has joined the race for Wellington Central, hoping to follow in suit of his Labour predecessor, Grant Robertson. Website: salient.org.nzMagazine Instagram: @salientgramPodcast Instagram: @salient_podcastsThis podcast is a Salient Podcasts Production. Produced by Alex Marinkovich-Josey

Welcome back to Salient!This week on the Unedited Session, it's the death of academia. News-Coeditor Zoë Mills (they/she) joins the show to talk about the student action to support the university and stand against the widespread cuts. Website: salient.org.nzMagazine Instagram: @salientgramPodcast Instagram: @salient_podcastsThis podcast is a Salient Podcasts Production. Produced by Alex Marinkovich-Josey

Election season has begun! Salient is going to be bringing you the interviews with Wellington's canditades, party leaders, and beyond! Kicking off this series of podcasts, we've got Green's candidate Tamatha Paul. Re-elected last year to Wellington City Council, the 26-year-old Green Party candidate says her time as a student, 2019 VUWSA President, and past four years on Council, allow her to be “a real vocal champion for the things that our city needs”.Listen on for more!Website: salient.org.nzMagazine Instagram: @salientgramPodcast Instagram: @salient_podcastsThis podcast is a Salient Podcasts Production. Produced by Alex Marinkovich-Josey

Welcome to the Unedited Session!This week at Salient, it's the Te Taiao article. Instead of doing one combined environment/climate issues, Salient splits the topic in two to discuss more about the environment beyond the impending climate crisis! Maia is joined by Tessa, feature author of  Te Mana o Ngā Maunga, Te Mana o Ngā Kāhui. They disguss legal personhood of whenua like Maunga and Awa, and the complexities behind this settlement process. Additionally, they shine a spotlight on the rest of this fantastic issue! Find it in stands and online now. Website: salient.org.nzMagazine Instagram: @salientgramPodcast Instagram: @salient_podcastsThis podcast is a Salient Podcasts Production. Produced by Alex Marinkovich-Josey

Welcome back to the Unedited Session!Editors Fran and Maia are joined by Salient's Chief Reporter Niamh to discuss her issue about ableist Immigration Policy in Aotearoa, and this fantastic issue as a whole! Find the Health and Disability issue in stands and online now! Website: salient.org.nzMagazine Instagram: @salientgramPodcast Instagram: @salient_podcastsThis podcast is a Salient Podcasts Production. Produced by Alex Marinkovich-Josey

home-body is a podcast centred around the experience of living with chronic and invisible illnesses and disabilities. home-body is a haven for the chronically ill and disabled bodies that are consistently bound to their blankets and bedrooms.home-body is for anyone who has ever suffered in silence. It will be a channel of voices to uplift the unheard, unseen narrative of living life played at a lower key. A podcast to promote self-care, love, and connection with the hopes of a world filled with transparency and balance. A space for us all to realise we’re allowed to look after ourselves, and health and well-being are not linear.Kia ora, I’m Fran, one of the Salient Co-Editors. You may know me from the editorial or from flicking too far back to the team’s page when you’re searching for the puzzles.For the graduate project in my Communications degree, I created the pilot episode of a podcast project about invisible chronic illness and disability called home-body. I spoke about my own journey, and interviewed five guests about their experience and expertise on the matter.Website: salient.org.nzMagazine Instagram: @salientgramPodcast Instagram: @salient_podcastsThis podcast is a Salient Podcasts Production. Produced by Alex Marinkovich-Josey