About this episode

The episode discusses homelessness in New Zealand, government policies affecting housing, and features interviews with political figures including Alfred Ngaro and Tama Potaka.

'Perverse incentive': MSD staff metrics include emergency housing grants Ministry of Social Development (MSD) managers are being told they can face performance management if, among other measures, their staff approve too many emergency housing requests, documents obtained by Q+A reveal. Homelessness advocates say the scale of rough sleeping is unprecedented in New Zealand, and that government policies are part of the reason why. Jack Tame put the documents, obtained under the Official Information Act, to associate housing minister Tama Potaka. Why Labour thinks it can make rapid return to government Labour strategists are hoping for a return to government just three years after one of their worst-ever election results. Campaign chair Kieran McAnulty sets out why he believes there could be a one-term National government. “Prince of the provinces”: On the road with Shane Jones Senior NZ First MPs are on a long tour of town halls around the country, with more than 30 dates planned before the election campaign begins. Reporter Whena Owen went to Kaikōura to see Shane Jones in action, as controversies swirl over recreational fishing, the party’s coalition positioning, and limousine…

People in this episode

Host: Jack Tame

Guest: Alfred Ngaro

Topics covered

• homelessness
• politics
• government policy
• election campaign
• social conservatism
• housing

Keywords

• emergency housing
• MSD
• Labour party
• NZ First
• political strategy
• social conservatism
• election
• homelessness advocacy

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Ministry of Social Development, NZ First

Places: New Zealand, Kaikōura

More episodes of Q+A with Jack Tame

• Chris Penk: Defence workforce shortages · July 18, 2026 · 22 min
• Why Paul Henry thinks ACT can save New Zealand · July 18, 2026 · 17 min
• Alienation in the "ahistoric age": Sarah Irving-Stonebraker · July 18, 2026 · 15 min
• Clark, Ardern senior staffer up-close view of political contest · July 4, 2026 · 34 min
• “Social conservatism”: Why Alfred Ngaro joined NZ First · June 27, 2026 · 14 min
• “Prince of the provinces”: On the road with Shane Jones · June 27, 2026 · 7 min

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