Episode 110 gets into firefighters, free speech, Macklemore, council spending and who actually gets held accountable when things go wrong.

Wattie Watson from the New Zealand Professional Firefighters’ Union joins us after Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden said she had lost confidence in FENZ chief executive Kerry Gregory. A historical issue involving FENZ’s administration of the levy scheme has also been referred to the Serious Fraud Office. We get into what firefighters have been warning about for years, staffing, ageing trucks, equipment, leadership, where the money is going and whether this is finally the point where major change has to happen. FENZ has stressed that Gregory himself was not referred to the SFO.

Then Dane Giraud is back for our Free Speech Union catchup and we get into Macklemore being removed from Ed Sheeran’s tour after his pro-Palestinian comments. Ed Sheeran says the decision came from the promoter, not him, so we ask the bigger question... is that censorship, commercial consequence, or simply a private business deciding what it wants associated with its shows?

Then Auckland councillor Ken Turner joins us.

We talk about the closure of Piha Campground over flood risk, whether mitigation could keep it operating, what closure could mean for Piha businesses and whether Plan Change 120 could have wider consequences for properties and community facilities in hazard areas. Auckland Council says the campground faces significant flood risk, while a recent engineering review identified reconfiguration, relocation or managed withdrawal as possible options.

We also get into Auckland Council’s massive maintenance contracts, whether more of that work should be going directly to Auckland businesses, the role of large contractors and whether ratepayers are getting the best deal. Council says it spends around $195 million a year maintaining parks and community facilities and is currently reshaping the contracts ahead of 2027.

Firefighters, accountability, free speech, Palestine, council money and the future of Piha.

Shubz Says So Episode 110.

Episode 109 gets into family values, religion, council power, democracy and who actually gets to make the decisions in New Zealand.

Bob McCoskrie from Family First joins us after this year’s Forum on the Family. We talk about the strength of the social conservative movement, why he thinks mainstream media largely ignores it, the issues driving people toward it and whether that movement could have a bigger influence on the election than people realise.

We also get into Islam and immigration, Bob’s concerns about the direction New Zealand is heading culturally, whether describing it as an “invasion” is fair or over the top, integration, religious freedom and where the line sits between protecting New Zealand’s identity and treating people equally.

Then Councillor Robert Lee is back for Spill the Tea.

We get into the Lucas Place redevelopment, why demolition is being discussed before all the funding is locked in, what happens to elderly residents and whether councils should be making major decisions before the money is there.

We also get into unelected members voting on council committees, whether only elected councillors should have formal voting power and whether appointed members can still have a strong voice without having the final vote.

Then Alistair Wait joins us.

He once encouraged people not to vote. Now he’s standing for Parliament.

We talk direct democracy, binding referenda, constitutional reform, tikanga Māori, sovereignty, the Treaty, common law and whether a broken system can actually be changed from within.

Family, religion, immigration, council power, democracy and some pretty big questions about who should really hold power in New Zealand.

Fight Cap 16

Shubz Says So Episode 109.

Episode 108 gets into race in education, free speech, politics, Covid data, public sector pay and a whole lot more.

Quill Thomas joins us first to talk about what he says he saw at school and university around ethnicity based scholarships, accommodation and opportunities. We get into whether targeted support creates equity or division, whether socioeconomic need would be a better way to do it and where the line sits between helping people who are genuinely disadvantaged and treating people differently because of race.

Then Conservative Party NZ leader Helen Houghton is back. Helen talks about the recent settlement and public apology following her inclusion in the “Women and the Alt Right” chapter of Byron Clark’s book, why she challenged it and why she sees the outcome as important for her reputation and free speech. The published settlement was an apology and did not amount to a court judgment finding defamation.

We also get into Helen’s own past, mistakes she’s made, accountability, rehabilitation, crime, punishment and whether someone’s worst chapter should define the rest of their life.

Then Barry Young joins us. The former Health NZ database administrator describes himself as a whistleblower after releasing Covid vaccination data and is now standing for the NZ Outdoors & Freedom Party in the 2026 election. We question him on what he believed the data showed, correlation versus causation, privacy, the legal case around the release, whistleblower protections and why he now wants to take the fight into Parliament. The party is currently registered with the Electoral Commission.

And Joe Hotai jumps in with a simple idea that definitely gets the conversation going… should every public servant, right up to the Prime Minister, be capped at $100,000 a year?

Race, equality, free speech, redemption, Covid, whistleblowing, political accountability and taxpayer money.

Another proper Shubz Says So.