Episode 6: The Prime Minister Is Not a Person
From Juggernaut 2: The Story of the Fourth National Government by The Spinoff
December 8, 2025 · 1h 2m · Season 2 · Episode 6
About this episode
The episode discusses the tumultuous start of New Zealand's first MMP government and its lasting impact on the country's political landscape.
New Zealand’s first MMP government gets off to a rocky start, beset by boxer-short scandals and lousy poll numbers. Jim Bolger declares “springtime for New Zealand”, but the economic weather won’t play ball. He leaves for Europe oblivious to the plans being cooked up by a small, secretive group of MPs called “The Te Puke Bypass Committee”. When Bolger returns from overseas, Doug Graham is there to deliver the news – Jenny Shipley has the numbers; the game is up. Many are relieved, many distraught. Winston Peters is furious. The frost between Peters and Shipley never thaws, and before long an almighty, unprecedented cabinet conflagration ensues. The final episode of Juggernaut 2: The Story of the Fourth National Government goes beyond the end of that term, to explore questions of legacy – how did this period in our history change New Zealand, for better or worse, and how will Jim Bolger, who died in October 2025 at the age of 90, be remembered? Includes new and exclusive interviews with Jim Bolger, Jenny Shipley, Ruth Richardson, Rob Eaddy, Doug Graham, Tau Henare, Helen Clark, Sandra Lee-Vercoe and more. Click here for full details of archive material used in this series…
Topics covered
- New Zealand politics
- MMP government
- cabinet conflict
- political legacy
- economic challenges
- historical analysis
Keywords
- MMP government
- New Zealand politics
- Jim Bolger
- Jenny Shipley
- Winston Peters
- cabinet conflict
- political legacy
- economic issues
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: NZ On Air
More episodes of Juggernaut 2: The Story of the Fourth National Government
- Episode 5: The Seven Generations Fight · December 1, 2025 · 1h 2m
- Episode 4: One for a Party, One for a Person · November 24, 2025 · 1h 7m
- Episode 3: Bugger the Pollsters · November 17, 2025 · 53 min
- Episode 2: The Mother of All Budgets · November 10, 2025 · 51 min
- Episode 1: A Decent Society · November 10, 2025 · 49 min
- Juggernaut 2: Out now · October 19, 2025 · 1 min
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