Full Show: 4 October 2026

Supermarket boss hits back at 'populist' grocery break-up policies

Every political party - except ACT - is campaigning on a policy to intervene in the supermarket sector to bring down the cost of living. It's a move that's prompted 51 of New Zealand's business leaders to sign an open letter calling on politicians to respect property rights.

Chris Quin is one of them. The Foodstuffs North Island CEO has also commissioned research which casts doubt on whether the household savings claimed in the National Party's Foodstuffs break-up would really materialise.

Local govt leaders call for relationship reset with parliament

What local councils can and can't do has chopped and changed in recent years. As this parliamentary term comes to a close, local government leaders have grappled with new fast-track legislation, a rates cap of two to four percent on the horizon, and after rushing to put together amalgamation proposals, the work has abruptly stopped, with the future uncertain.

Local Government New Zealand president and Mayor of Gisborne Rehette Stoltz, former minister for local government and former commissioner for Tauranga City Council Anne Tolley, and Matamata-Piako mayor Ash Tanner join Simon Mercep to share their experiences of working for ratepayers while operating within the parameters set for them from Wellington.

Election 2026: The first ever debate on far-flung island

The Chatham Islands is home to just 620 people - but in a tight electorate race, every vote counts.

Reporter Whena Owen followed candidates for the Wellington Bays electorate when they flew over to the island for an historic debate.

“Illegal” foundations of NZ constitution: Legal scholar

Legal scholar and Auckland University professor Claire Charters joins Q+A to discuss her new book Sovereignty: The Case for Constitutional Transformation, which argues that the legitimacy of the New Zealand state rests on illegal foundations.

It comes after heated debates over the role of iwi co-governance and Māori decision making.