bCasts

Two weeks ago saw the government announcing its budget for 2026, which saw major cuts across the public sector alongside new spending announcements for health, defence, and numerous other sectors. 

The health sector particularly has been under significant pressure over recent years, with healthcare workers consistently calling for more support due to overcrowding and underfunding. While the government committed $6 billion dollars to health earlier in its term, the problem has yet to significantly improve. 

The government has also committed to increasing defence spending, with accusations floating around that New Zealand has been a “freeloader”, dependent on military support from our allies in the US and Australia. The new commitment will see New Zealand’s defence funding expected to rise to 2% of GDP by 2028. 

This budget also saw cuts to the fees free programme, which subsidised tertiary course fees during students’ final year of study. The government says this programme was too expensive, and did not deliver enough value for money. 

Lastly, ACT’s Laura McClure alongside three other MPs from multiple political parties was banned from entering China following a visit to Taiwan. 

For this week’s catchup with the ACT Party, Wire host Castor spoke to MP Laura McClure about each of these issues, beginning with discussions over her recent ban from entering China.

Defence Minister Chris Penk recently tabled New Zealand’s nuclear free stance for debate, when he suggested it could be a topic New Zealand should look into. In an interview with Newstalk ZB’s Heather du Plessis-Allan, however, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon denied that the country’s stance would change any time soon.

While du Plessis-Allan asked about the military applications of nuclear technology, she also mentioned the potential benefits of nuclear energy. It’s an important question, especially as New Zealanders see rising energy prices and seek to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. 

To discuss the benefits of nuclear energy and how it compares to our current energy infrastructure in New Zealand, News Director Castor spoke to Associate Professor at the University of Auckland and co-director at the Geothermal Institute, Sadiq Zarrouk.

New research has been released which found people who spend more of their lives in socioeconomically disadvantaged areas have a significantly higher risk of premature ‘deaths of despair.'

These kinds of deaths include suicide, drug overdoses and alcohol-related diseases. The findings of the report suggest neighbourhood effects frequently operate independently of individual-level factors, indicating expanding public health beyond individual treatment to wider neighbourhood care may be necessary to help those most in need.

To discuss deprived area’s link to deaths of despair and how best to solve the issue producer Thomas talked to University of Auckland Social Sciences Professor Barry Milne.

Jaycee and Oto spoke to band members Nathan and Carvan from Hitokiri about their band, music and who they see themselves in the local music scene here in Tāmaki Makaurau!