Email Scandals and Energy Security w/ the Green Party's Ricardo Menéndez March: 10th May, 2026

The revelation of hidden correspondence shared between major NZ polluters and a private email account of someone working in the Prime Minister's Office has sparked a spiralling scandal. 

Why were the emails not revealed when any such correspondence had been specifically requested if it existed? 

Were key law changes made specifically to end a high-profile court case against these polluters? 

How could the government’s failure to provide such emails not be in breach of fundamental transparency rules? And what else might be hidden? 

The Greens are now asking the Ombudsman to expand his investigation into the emails to use the full breadth of the powers availableto him to determine what has gone down.

And this week the government walked back their plan to fund an import terminal for Liquid Natural Gas with a levy, or tax, on Kiwis’ energy bills. While the policy is still going forward, how it will be funded remains an open question.

And following the energy shock caused by the US war with Iran, the Greens highlighted their support for Rewiring Aotearoa’s Ratepayers' Assistance Scheme to provide cheap loans for installing home solar systems, which they say would make widespread solar uptake accessible to more kiwi’s, lowering energy bills and increasing energy security.

So for our weekly catch-up with the Green Party, Host Manny spoke with MP Ricardo Menéndez March about the ongoing scandal over the government's missing emails and energy policy.