Hosted by Phil Goff and Chris Finlayson, with Sam Collins. Cross Party Lines unpacks New Zealand politics so that you don’t have too.

With Chris absent due to a family bereavement, Sam and Phil dedicate the episode to public submissions - listener questions.

In this episode:

* What actually wins elections — Door-knocking, street-corner meetings, social media and direct voter contact. Phil reflects on decades of campaigning and why seeing the candidate in person still matters more than almost anything else.

* Urgency in Parliament — Is it being abused? Why select committees matter, when urgency is justified, and how democratic scrutiny quietly disappears when legislation is rushed through at 2am.

* Money and democracy — Party donations, disclosure thresholds, public funding, and whether New Zealand should go further to keep vested interests out of politics.

* Short-term politics vs long-term country — Why three-year terms drive wasteful policy reversals, what infrastructure planning actually needs, and whether New Zealand should finally move to a four-year parliamentary term.

* Winston Peters and coalition politics — Is he keeping his options open or simply maximising leverage? Phil draws on first-hand experience from 1996, 2005 and 2017.

* China, the US, and small-country diplomacy — How New Zealand balances values and interests, why multilateralism still matters, and when engagement crosses into endorsement.

* Te Tiriti, representation, and social cohesion — Why Māori success benefits the whole country, why Treaty issues shouldn’t be weaponised, and how identity and democracy can coexist.

* Respect across the aisle — Phil reflects on political figures he admired from the other side, and why democracy works better when disagreement doesn’t become dehumanisation.

Cross Party Lines exists to lift political literacy and make space for calmer, more constructive political conversation.

New episodes every Tuesday. If you value thoughtful politics, follow the podcast and share it with someone who might too.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit crosspartylines.substack.com