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.

Episode 107 gets straight into workers, immigration, minimum wage and a few proper unexpected moments along the way.

Gerard Hehir from Unite Union joins us to talk about what Kiwi workers are actually dealing with right now. Gerard is Unite’s assistant national secretary and we get into wages, job security, worker rights and where he thinks the pressure is coming from for everyday people.

Then Bernadette Soares joins us to talk through New Zealand First’s newly announced immigration policy, including cutting non essential immigration, longer pathways to permanent residence and citizenship, tougher deportation settings and the proposed cap on resident visas.

Tama Singh then jumps in for a surprise chat with Bernadette and things open up into a wider conversation about immigration, New Zealand, politics and where the country is heading.

David Seymour joins us later for his regular segment to talk about ACT’s new small business policy, including the proposal to freeze the adult minimum wage for three years.

And of course David couldn’t leave without roasting me about not having a job 😂

Workers, immigration, wages, politics, random crossovers and plenty of shit talking.

Shubz Says So Episode 107.

Episode 106 and this one gets heavy.

ACT candidate James Christmas joins us after landing number 7 on the ACT Party list.

We talk about what that ranking means, being placed ahead of sitting MPs, whether he now has a realistic pathway into Parliament, what he has learned from people like John Key, how you actually connect with voters and whether being high on the list changes the way he campaigns in Tāmaki.

We also get into ACT’s history, the values behind the party, the future of the Waitangi Tribunal and then put James through a Team ACT quiz to see how well he actually knows the people he could end up sitting beside in Parliament 😂

Then our producer Corina Shields joins us and the tone changes completely.

We discuss explosive allegations made against George Ngatai by an alleged victim, what has been claimed publicly, the reaction around it and the wider fallout.

I also get pretty passionate about the whole situation, what we’ve seen, what we’ve been told, accountability, the people involved and why some things are too serious to just brush aside.

We also reflect on the journey, business, what we’ve learned and where Shubz Says So goes from here.

Episode 105 and we go from animal politics to free speech to getting your own head right.

Danette Wereta from the Animal Justice Party joins us to explain what the party actually stands for, why she believes animals deserve a stronger political voice and what they would change around farming, breeding, greyhound racing, animal cruelty, vet costs and plant based eating.

We also get into the bigger question. Where does an animal focused party sit on the economy, crime, immigration and all the other issues New Zealanders vote on?

Then Stephen Franks from the Free Speech Union joins us and we look at some of the stuff happening overseas.

More than 60,000 arrests under communications laws in Britain, the line between an actual threat and somebody simply saying something offensive, women only spaces, gender identity and whether New Zealand should be paying very close attention to where Britain, Australia and Canada are heading.

Then Dion Jensen is back for Positive Future Focus Friday.

This week we talk about how much our environment affects our mindset. The people around us, clutter, work, social media, sunlight, fresh air and how you protect your energy without shutting yourself away from everybody.

We also touch on the news of the day including 9/11 and how those events still echo through the world today.

Animals, free speech, identity, politics and getting your own life in order.

Shubz Says So Episode 105.

0:00 Technical setup and chat

16:27 Animal Justice Party

26:48 Animal welfare debate

38:43 Values and future outlook

54:58 Free Speech Union discussion

1:21:11 Dion Jensen reflection

1:37:00 Closing thoughts and community

Episode 104 and we get into council spending, politics, immigration, free speech, culture and a heap more.

Robert Lee is back for Spill the Tea and straight away we get into his council apparently finding a $2 million solution to something that was being talked about as a $63 million project. We get into how that even happens, council spending, local politics and whether ratepayers are getting value for money.

Then we go down a few different roads around defamation laws in New Zealand compared with Japan, reputation, mana, free speech, whether social media accusations can destroy someone forever and where the line should actually sit between protecting people and protecting open debate.

Later ACT candidate for Papakura Malkiat Singh joins us.Malkiat came to New Zealand from Punjab in 2006 and has built a life here as a robotics engineer, organic farmer, entrepreneur and licensed immigration adviser.

We talk about why he joined ACT, what he thinks Papakura actually needs, crime, infrastructure, immigration, migrant exploitation, welfare rules for new residents, deportation of serious non citizen offenders and whether New Zealand is bringing people in faster than our roads, hospitals, schools and housing can handle.

He also talks about his petitions during Covid, his experience with the immigration system, government waste, farming and whether he would actually stand up to David Seymour if an ACT policy hurt his own community.

Then we finish with a quick fire and a few random side roads like always 😂

Local government, immigration, ACT, council spending, free speech and plenty of straight up conversation.

Shubz Says So Episode 104.

0:00 Opening and general chat

3:48 Tribunal and treaty debate

12:59 Landlords and economic issues

22:03 Council and local politics

26:01 Philosophical and cultural talk

56:28 Political party formation

1:50:54 Interview with Malkiat Singh

Episode 103 goes all over the place in the best way.

We start with the usual catch up, some police and political news, a few community and whistleblower updates, then get into the Billy Brown and Raewyn story that’s been doing the rounds again online. We look at what’s actually out there, what’s rumour, what’s old news being dragged back up and whether someone’s past should keep following them forever once politics gets involved.

Then Peter Rowley joins us for a proper yarn.

We talk about why people seem so easily offended now, whether words like homophobic, transphobic and Islamophobic are sometimes used to shut down debate, free speech versus harmful speech, cancel culture, forgiveness, human nature, social ideologies and whether disagreement now automatically gets treated like hate.

As always with Peter, we end up going down a few random roads too with technology, society, stories from the past and plenty of laughs.

Later we get into some viewer stories and community discussion before switching gears into sport.

Then it’s Fight Cap Sports Episode 15 with Tanera and me. We break down the NFL coming to Australia at the MCG, UFC Paris with Hooker vs Parnasse, WPT Australia Poker in Sydney, Eternal 110 on the Gold Coast, combat sports, rugby and the usual fan questions.

Politics, old stories, rumours, free speech, cancel culture, human nature, NFL, UFC, poker, rugby and whatever else we manage to squeeze in.

Shubz Says So Episode 103.

0:00 Daily catch-up

5:04 Police and political news

10:53 Whistleblower and community updates

17:34 Addressing Billy Brown rumors

29:10 Guest interview with Peter Rowley

39:00 Human nature and social ideologies

43:35 Technology, society, and trivia

52:11 Reflections and closing guest segment

57:37 Reflecting on viewer stories

1:02:57 NFL and sports commentary

1:16:20 Combat sports recap

1:23:45 The nature of professional entertainment

1:29:30 Rugby talk and concluding thoughts