Clark, Ardern senior staffer up-close view of political contest

Clark, Ardern senior staffer up-close view of political contest

July 4, 2026 · 34 min

About this episode

Mike Munro shares insights from his experience in politics and journalism, discussing the allure of political careers and his new book.

Mike Munro was one of the most senior behind the scenes figures in both Helen Clark, and Dame Jacinda Ardern’s governments. In an interview with Q+A with Jack Tame, he explains why politics is such a seductive profession for competitive people to get into, how the political arena has changed over decades, and what it was like to work in coalition with Winston Peters. Munro also offers insights into his time on other sides of the political divide, both as a press gallery journalist, and government relations lobbyist. His new book is Ringside, and is published by Upstart Press. Join Jack Tame and the Q+A team and find the answers to the questions that matter. Made with the support of NZ on Air.

People in this episode

Host: Jack Tame

Guest: Mike Munro

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Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Upstart Press

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