In Brief
The government says Budget 2026 is about fiscal responsibility. Economist Tayla Forward says its fixation on debt and surplus risks deepening New Zealand's economic woes. The government's 2026 Budget has been sold as a lesson in restraint. Branded a "no sugar hits" Budget, Finance
Undercurrents
Watch the latest episode of Public Interest's fortnightly current affairs show, Undercurrents. For a moment in 2019, it felt like something was changing. Around the world, millions took to the streets demanding climate action, including more than 170,000 students in New Zealand. At last, it felt like
In Brief
As rates rise and infrastructure crumbles, Unions Wellington is calling for council services to be brought back in-house — arguing outsourcing has failed both workers and ratepayers. So, can the privatisation of local government be reversed in the capital? Local councils in New Zealand are trapped in an impossible position.
In Brief
The free fees scheme for tertiary students never went far enough, and its demise highlights chronic issues of underfunding for universities and polytechs, says Tertiary Education Union president. The coalition Government’s decision to scrap the fees-free tertiary education scheme has ignited debate about student debt, access to university,
Undercurrents
Watch the latest episode of Public Interest's fortnightly current affairs show, Undercurrents. If you’ve tried to see a doctor lately or spent hours in an overcrowded hospital waiting room, you’ve probably felt it already – something is going wrong with healthcare in New Zealand. Our system is
Undercurrents
Watch the second episode of Public Interest's fortnightly current affairs show, Undercurrents. It has been two months since the US and Israel launched their war on Iran, triggering an Iranian retaliation that has resulted in the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a key choke point in the
Undercurrents
Watch the first episode of Public Interest's fortnightly current affairs show, Undercurrents. Never before in New Zealand history has there been a one-term National government. Every time a National led government has been elected, it has gone on to win a second, third or even a fourth
Politics isn’t just what happens in Parliament. Public Interest is a new media platform focused on making sense of the bigger picture. Rising prices, crumbling public services, storms that get ever more frequent, a yawning gap between the super-rich and everyone else – every day, it feels like things