Ben Thomas reports from the shitstorm

About this episode

Ben Thomas discusses the implications of a wastewater crisis in Wellington and recent political events in New Zealand.

A catastrophic failure at the Moa Point wastewater plant in Wellington has laid bare a short-term crisis and a crisis of short-termism. Fortified by nothing but the balm of poo jokes, Ben Thomas relates the mood in the city and the measures under way in response. But does it say something deeper about the country and the state of its piping? Plus: a review of events of Waitangi, where the spotlight fell more directly on the parties of opposition than those of government. Just days after its divisions played out in the High Court, Te Pāti Māori's internal struggles manifested on the paepae, while a show of unity from Labour and the Greens was overshadowed by the announcement of Peeni Henare's exit from politics, and the sense of a story not being fully told. We discuss Henare's legacy, and where it leaves Labour's Māori caucus, as well as another big political departure, Judith Collins. What were the highs and lows of her remarkable parliamentary career, and is the step into the Law Commission presidency entirely legit? And finally: Energy minister Simon "Mega" Watts has announced the government will commission a billion-dollar import facility for liquefied natural gas to plug the…

People in this episode

Guest: Ben Thomas

Topics covered

• wastewater crisis
• political analysis
• Te Pāti Māori
• Peeni Henare
• Judith Collins
• energy policy

Keywords

• Moa Point
• wastewater
• Te Pāti Māori
• Peeni Henare
• Judith Collins
• energy policy
• Simon Watts

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Te Pāti Māori, Labour, Greens, Law Commission

Places: Wellington, New Zealand, Moa Point

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