Down the List

Getting people off the ACC benefits list seems like a good idea until case managers Malcolm and Jane realise what could happen if they really succeed. Audio

Television viewers love a good story, especially if it's about murder and violence in a family context and is based on reality. Audio

A couple of WINZ workers count the real cost of drug testing for beneficiaries. Audio

Looks at what happens when troublemakers are kept at school. Audio

It's a real problem for any government to sell the idea of selling state assets. Why not use a professional promotions company? Audio

An MP is reluctant to commit over the gay marriage bill. Audio

Political satire, this week The Black Caps. Audio

What are Labour's tactics in opposing the National-led Government? Is it a real tactic to simply hope that National stuffs up so much that it loses the next election? Audio

Funding potholes in the plan for Roads of National Significance. Audio

National List MP Simon Rogers-Flaccid struggles to get his head around child poverty. Audio

The Americans can't understand our Prime Minister's accent. We might have to help them or things could go very wrong in the Pacific. Audio

Ezekiel and his devoted wife have decided to take advantage of the government's 'charter schools' initiative. Audio

In an attempt to save money, government departments are cutting staff. But when some of the departing staff turn up as highly-paid consultants, where are the savings? Audio

What a mess the whole Kim Dotcom spying affair is. Who knew what when and who knew nothing? Who told what to whom and when? Why weren't key people told? It's a can of worms. Audio

A surprise plan to close a number of Christchurch schools has left that already traumatised community reeling from a different sort of aftershock. Audio

John Key is making a quick visit to Hollywood to see if he can drum up more film business for New Zealand. Two Hollywood studio moguls make plans for his visit. Audio

Why, despite warnings about a problem, was no urgent action taken to fix the security systems on the WINZ data bases so clients' private details were safe? Audio

The Labour party are at a bit of a loss to separate themselves from almost anyone on the right. Labour's latest idea to make it more difficult to employ immigrant workers to increase job opportunities… Audio

A National List MP is struggling to explain how the Housing Package differs from policies put forward by other parties, including Labour. Audio

The impact of workplace health and safety deregulation is explored following the release of the report of the Pike River Commission of Inquiry. Audio

Local tourism operators attempt to capitalise on the anticipated flow of Hobbit focused tourists. Audio

Robin Snitcher, Labour List MP, has a stoush with his executive assistant because he believes she is trying to undermine his leadership by changing biscuits. Audio

The Novopay payroll system from Australia was intended to make the paying of our school teachers work better, but so far it seems to have done the exact opposite. Audio

In a recent poll, Labour gained three points and David Shearer improved his standings in the preferred-leader polls against John Key. But how? Audio

Crap FM's crazy morning crew are up to their old tricks doing the prank call routine on Mike's Mad Monday Morning show. Self indulgent, ego driven commercial radio at its best. Audio

Simon Rogers-Flaccid, National List MP, is trying to figure out what is actually required to be offered a ministerial portfolio in the next cabinet reshuffle. Audio

Labour List MP Carmen Hack is concerned about David Shearer's affordable homes promise but comes up with an idea that might just keep building costs down. Audio

If the Maori Party is to move forward and retain it's membership base it has to modernise - it might be that it needs some new, younger faces in the leadership. Audio

Today New Zealand First is in serious damage control after Richard Prosser suggests banning 'Wogistanis' from flying on Western airlines. Audio

Sky City's not-too-transparent tendering process leading to a deal with the Govermenment where the Casino gets more pokies and Auckland gets a new convention centre. Audio

Two impressionable young ACT Party workers try to stay upbeat about the future of the Party and to think of ways to increase its support base from 0.1% to 0.3%. The sky's the limit! Audio

Bastard Insurance is doing all it can to avoid paying out on claims. After all, insurance is a business not some kind of safety net or welfare scheme! It's about the investors and shareholders. Audio

Solid Energy is in trouble. Its finances are anything but solid. Who's to blame? The board of Solid Energy? The National Government? Neither party wants to take the fall. Audio

United Future's Peter Dunne is not getting any support with his revenue raising ideas about taxing perks - certainly not from his coalition boss, John Key. Audio

The public service continues to suffer cutbacks and this time it's the Department of Conservation. How can staff cutbacks be managed without compromising the care of our environment? Audio

Where does the real power in New Zealand lie? That's right, with a bunch of bureaucrats, underlings, officials, and lowly-ranked list MPs that you and I have never heard of. Whether it's in sport… Audio

The GCSB affair is running out of control with accusations of illegal spying explained away as misinterpretation of the law. The solution? Change the law. Audio

The GCSB affair continues. What might be needed is a bit of clarity about what the organisation is actually allowed to do. Maybe the PM's office can fix that? Audio

The Greens and Labour put up a united front with a scheme for delivering cheap power to consumers. But how united are they? Audio

The Nationals are being accused of cronyism with their appointment of certain people from other fields to high level public service positions - squash champion Susan Devoy is now the Race Relations… Audio

An inebriated low-ranked National List MP makes a fool of himself and trouble for John Key by throwing his inconsiderable weight around in a restaurant and threatening the waiter. Audio

Sky City Casino gets a couple of hundred new pokie machines and some black-jack tables in exchange for a new international convention centre. Sounds cheap, but what will be the real cost of this… Audio

The National Government seems to rate the paying of family carers of the disabled as a low priority -- a 'nice to have'. And it doesn't appreciate being legally challenged on its decisions. Audio

Two executives, one from Fonterra and one from Sanitarium, meet at a low decile school as the milk and Weetbix arrive for 'the kiddies'. Audio

The gloves are off in the long run up to the next election. The name calling has started. Maybe it's time The Greens lost their 'nice' image, join the fray and engage in a bit of biffo? Audio

The anti-fluoride movement has been victorious in convincing the Hamilton council to have a fluoride-free water supply. Wellington is their next target. Audio

Elected representatives enjoying corporate hospitality is a contentious issue as four labour MP's found recently. Audio

The Nationals are courting Peter Dunne and Winston Peters as they try to get the GCSB bill over the line. Meanwhile they have done a U-turn on the Auckland rail loop. Audio

In this, the 50th episode and first birthday edition of Down the List, Mana and the Maori Party attempt to join forces for next year's election. Audio

The Mana Party and the Maori Party did not fare well in the recent Ikaroa-Rawhiti by-election, coming second and third. Should they seriously consider joining forces? Audio

The Labour Party leaders seem a bit unfocussed. Could it be that Labour's historically 'robust' internal democratic processes simply make them appear indecisive? Audio

Will the recent welfare reforms even things out and incentivise beneficiaries to put more effort into getting jobs, or will it just add insult to injury for genuine beneficiaries with limited… Audio

Peter Dunne and John Key prove that politics is indeed the art of compromise. Audio

First Kim Dotcom and the GCSB, then the attempt to make it all go away with a law change, then the NSC, then Parliamentary Services and the accessing of journalist's 'phone records. Is the head that… Audio

Fonterra is in damage control after the botulism in the whey it supplies to baby formula manufacturers. Let's hope that there's some way New Zealand's clean-green image can be preserved. Audio

The Nationals are proposing changes to the child protection strategy that include banning parents who abuse their kids from having more kids, and keeping 'suspect' people away from areas where kids… Audio

With all the fuss about the GCSB and David Shearer's resignation other important issues seem to have faded -- like the hard-line welfare reforms and the possibility that New Zealand is shirking any… Audio

David Shearer has bowed out of the Labour leadership. So who is the front runner as his replacement and will the new democratic voting system within the party and its support base ensure the best… Audio

There are some concerns about the quality and intention of some programming on Maori Television and about its processes for appointing a new CEO. Audio

State subsidy is no longer a dirty word... if it's going to a major corporate is the new truth for Simon Rogers Flaccid. Audio

As the renovated and newly amicable David Cunliffe assembles his shadow cabinet of Labour spokespersons some are wondering why they missed out on a place. Audio

The National goverment announces plans to help a very limited number of low-income, first home buyers to buy old, unoccupied state housing stock in small regional centres. How will this actually help?

New Zealand has a shocking record in workplace safety in the forestry industry. Is self-regulation by remote overseas owners really going to fix the problem? Audio

Auckland Mayor Len Brown will need a very good PR company to get him through the extra-marital affair affair. Audio

The Nationals are not doing brilliantly in the polls. Are they running out of coalition partners? And Auckland is like a life sized game of monopoly. Audio

Revelations about Angela Merkel's phone being bugged are explored in a New Zealand context. Audio

The Black Caps suffered what can only be described as a humiliating defeat in the recent series against Bangladesh. What's the problem? Or is it true that we just aren't very good at cricket and need… Audio

With Roastbusters fallout continuing questions are being asked about the way the Police deal with rape complainants. Audio

Considering that the Conservative Party under Colin Craig has not exactly seen eye to eye with Nationals on some important social policies can they really be a possible coalition partner for the… Audio

Is NZ Football run like a suburban tennis club or a highly professional outfit producing results we can all be proud of? Audio

John Banks is, at last, preparing to depart the scene over the anonymous donations issue. The Nationals must be starting to worry about their choices for coalition partners. Audio

Set at the WINZ office Christmas party where WINZ is congratulating itself on a successful year addressing child poverty. Audio

The intended launch of the new Internet Party at Kim Dotcom's 40th birthday party didn't quite go off with a bang. In fact it didn't go off at all. Audio

The Nationals and Labour launch into election year with promises about education and a baby bonus. But whose policy came first? And while we're at it, what about a new flag? Audio

The ACT Party have changed their leadership. Two untried, untested new faces with little or no political experience have taken over. Will it make any difference to ACT's zero polling? Audio

Government moves to cancel passports of New Zealanders intending to join Syrian freedom fighters is meeting with some criticism. Audio

Recent revelations that TVNZ premises were used for Labour Party meetings, political bias in the media is a hot topic. Audio

With Labour making no gains on National, questions are being asked about how committed the team is to supporting the leader. Audio

Do David Cunliffe's hidden trusts erode the public's trust in Labour? Audio

Justice Minister Judith Collins is on notice from the PM over a possible conflict of interest issue relating to a taxpayer-funded trip to China. Audio

Accusations of financial impropriety at the Kohanga Reo National Trust forces minister Hekia 'u-turn' Parata to send in the Serious Fraud Office. Audio

Is the Mana Party seriously considering forming an alliance with Kim Dotcom's new Internet party? What do they have in common politically or philosophically? Audio

With Labour still struggling to gain much traction in the polls the shape of potential coalition groupings are coming into the spotlight. Audio

Prince William, Kate and wee George are touring. What a great platform for electioneering politicians to display their 'nice guy' side. Audio

The road to the elections is getting rougher and rougher. The departure of Shane Jones, apparently head-hunted by Murray McCully from the Nationals, leaves a big pothole for Labour. Audio

There have been a couple of bumps in the road to the election for the Nationals this week - the about face on the legal highs legislation, and Maurice Williamson's resignation. Audio

With Maurice gone and Judith on gardening leave, are National losing their grip on power? Audio

The Judith Collins conflict of interest issue has been swamped by the budget. But Winston Peters, from a party that seems to have a scarcity of policy,continues to snipe even when the ammunition seems… Audio

Winston is looking a bit queasy under attack from Brendan Horan as the lid comes off the can of worms that is cricket match fixing. Audio

Well, the unlikely alliance has been struck between what would appear to be two diametrically opposed movements. Enter, in this election year, the Internet Mana Party! Audio