This week on the Raw Politics podcast: Labour rebrands as 'The Chris Hipkins Government', Christopher Luxon faces a tired old rumour mill – and a Budget that makes small points well
A few bits and bobs to ease the cost-of-living crisis and a minor tax change dubbed "housekeeping" by the Revenue Minister were just some of the things on offer when Grant Robertson delivered his Budget on Thursday.
The Opposition didn't like much about it at all but still isn't in a hurry to offer up its own alternatives, and Labour is making its refreshed Government all about Chris Hipkins as it tries out a new rebrand.
The Raw Politics team finds the smart and not-so-smart political moves and murmurings in a week bogged down in numbers and forecasts.
A reader asks is Labour about to spring a surprise in the Ikaroa-Rāwhiti seat?
And the panel recommends for your weekend pleasure a piece from Danyl McLauchlan about the klugeocratic Budget, a beautiful waiata in Parliament for those affected by the Loafers Lodge fire, and some strong words from the Green Party co-leaders on Newsroom in the aftermath of that Wellington fire tragedy.
Just a note that the video version of today's episode is slowly but surely uploading, but in the meantime have a listen.
Every Friday, Jo Moir, Sam Sachdeva and Tim Murphy talk through the big issues and scrutinise politicians’ performances in a lively 25-minute show aiming to take viewers and listeners inside the actions and motivations of our elected leaders.
Moir is Newsroom’s political editor, having been in the gallery for eight years also with Stuff and RNZ, Sachdeva is our national affairs editor, former political editor and was a Stuff political writer and Murphy is Newsroom’s co-editor, a former member of the Parliamentary press gallery and former editor-in-chief of the NZ Herald.
Watch Raw Politics on YouTube, or download or listen to it as a podcast on Spotify, or via Apple Podcasts.
And send your burning political questions to jo.moir@newsroom.co.nz and we’ll endeavour to find the answer and explain the issues.
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This week's recommendations:
* A "kludgeocratic Budget for the ages", Danyl McLauchlan
* A few minutes of beauty and dignity in the House as Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Taonui unleashes a singing voice of great distinction on the day of the Wellington hostel tragedy
* The Greens co-leaders ask the big questions after the Loafers Lodge fire
