This week on the Raw Politics podcast: This Govt was going to be push localism but is instead pushing in on cities and regions. Plus: Time for the Greens to rediscover the environment. And what's cooking with Brooke van Velden?

Both Wellington and Otago councils lost a little of their political souls this week as the coalition Government grabbed control of the local levers of power.

Raw Politics asks if the National ministers who promised 'localism' and devolving of power have now drunk the Bowen St kool aid and believe that only they can put things right for cities and regions as well as the nation.

Newsroom senior political reporter Marc Daalder, national affairs editor Sam Sachdeva and co-editor Tim Murphy discuss the twin interventions and some contradictions offered by Local Government Minister Simeon Brown in justifying central government stepping in.

How did it come to this, and should other councils with high debt, high rates and political divisions be worried that their masters in Wellington will claim to know best.

In our second topic, the Raw Politics panel looks at how the Greens regather themselves after the resolution of the Darleen Tana saga - and how they can start to make an impact for their voters on issues that they've been missing in action on.

Finally, the panelists recommend something to read, listen to or watch on the weekend ahead.

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This week's recommendations:


Marc: Nate Cohn in the NYT on polling misses in 2020 and what they mean for 2024

Sam: Newsroom political editor Laura Walters' interview with Cabinet minister Erica Stanford ahead of
the Crown apology to abuse victims

Tim: Maiki Sherman's 1News disclosure that the complainant against MP Andrew Bayly is ex-military

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Raw Politics will be available every Friday here on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube too.

Read more on Newsroom - https://newsroom.co.nz