Newstalk ZB serves up what you need to know, on all things politics at home, and abroad. The show reviews, previews, analyses and challenges the biggest political issues of the week, with all the big players.
Ruth Money: Too many people stay silent on cases they could help solve
The National Party's announced that, if re-elected, they will make it a criminal offence to withhold information from Police when a child aged 12 or under has been killed and adults were present.
National's Justice Spokesperson Paul Goldsmith says the change is aimed at cases where people refuse to speak to police, preventing those responsible from being brought to justice.
The proposed offence would carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, but it also raises a question about how our right to silence can be tossed, and the risk of unintended consequences.
Chief Victims Advisor Ruth Money joins Tim Beveridge to discuss what this proposal means...
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18 Oct 2026
Ginny Andersen: We're offering sport as a healthier alternative to screens
The Labour Party's announced plans to get kids off screens - and get them back to being kids - with better access to after-school activities, placing healthier boundaries between children and their devices, and boosting online safety measures for children.
The party says too many childhood are being spent on screens, with sport, hobbies and other activities being out of reach for many families. So they'll work with experts, educators, and young people to strike the right balance.
Labour's Education Spokesperson Ginny Andersen unpacks the plan with Tim Beveridge...
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11 Oct 2026
Marama Davidson: Graduates are applying for anything, and getting nothing
The Green Party's announced a jobs guarantee programme for young people who've been out of work for 6 months, with unemployment at an 11-year high, and three times worse for younger people.
The party says the country's infrastructure and nature need maintenance and care, but community services are short of the people needed - so they plan to give those roles to younger people.
The policy aims to bring work to 32,000 young people, by scaling up funding for all councils.
Party Co-Leader Marama Davidson speaks to Tim Beveridge to explain how it work...
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Who has been a guest on Politics Central
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Jason Walls
Martin Glynn
Sandy Lau
Ruth Money
Tere Carr
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
YouTube views
7,631,690
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Spotify
5.0 / 5
1 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 82 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
94
Social presence
0
YouTube
93
Engagement
85
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