Andrew asks what prosperity really means for Aotearoa. He looks past the economic and fiscal numbers to ask which policies help us flourish socially, culturally, spiritually and environmentally. With the rock star economy gone and the cost of living biting, he asks whether we’re actually any better off.

This is Episode 4 of Thoughts on Politics, a five-part series asking what’s broken in our country, whether we can fix it with politics, and who’s fit for the job as Election 2026 approaches.

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Andrew asks what freedom means in Aotearoa today. Freedom of speech, belief and conscience can feel like the water we swim in, so easy to take for granted that we forget the price already paid for them. What would it cost us to lose them, and are they still worth fighting for?

This is Episode 3 of Thoughts on Politics, a five-part series asking what’s broken in our country, whether we can fix it with politics, and who’s fit for the job as Election 2026 approaches.

Support Rhema: https://donate.rhemamedia.co.nz/?brand=rhema&utm_source=omnystudio&utm_medium=link

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This is Episode 2 of Thoughts on Politics, a five-part series asking what's broken in our country, whether we can fix it with politics, and who's fit for the job as Election 2026 approaches.

In this episode, Andrew looks at justice as more than law and order and getting tough on crime. He asks what the best possible life looks like for you, your whānau, your neighbours and those doing it tough, whether we really have equal opportunity for all, and how the country should respond to people facing barriers to taking part.

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Andrew Urquhart explores identity and politics with policy analysts, theologians, practitioners and everyday New Zealanders. He asks which groups we belong to, from iwi and hapū to whānau, culture and church, and whether those groups shape the way we vote.

Contributors weigh up the history of tribal voting in New Zealand, from class-based loyalties under first past the post to the more fragmented MMP era. One analyst argues voters are now less loyal to parties but more tribal about ideology, and warns of a growing habit of treating opponents as evil rather than simply wrong. Others question single-issue voting, unpack the compromises Christians face when no party matches all their values, and reflect on why every vote carries the same mana.

Episode 1 of 5, asking what's broken in Aotearoa New Zealand, whether politics can fix it and who's fit for the job ahead of Election 2026.

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