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.

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

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

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

David Seymour joins us for his weekly Tuesday catchup and we get properly into ACT’s climate policy. The Zero Carbon Act, whether New Zealand should keep chasing Net Zero 2050, the Climate Change Commission, the ETS and whether our climate targets should actually depend on what our major trading partners are doing.

We also talk about National picking up versions of ACT policies, the proposed Local Tourism Dividend and then I put David to the test to see how well he actually knows his own ACT candidates 😂

Tama Singh is back for Tama’s Takes. We get into the Greens wanting a publicly owned supermarket chain with KiwiMart, the Lindsay Clancy case and where mental illness meets personal responsibility, the whole “liberal white woman” conversation and another round of Fair Point or Bad Take.

Dom from Avons Butchery joins us for his weekly yarn and we talk about why everyone seems so easily offended these days, mental health, whether the UFC should keep Michael “Venom” Page, illegal immigration into the UK and the big one... is religion a scam?

Then Sana Oladi from Free Iran Unity NZ joins us for a proper conversation about what is happening inside Iran, what ordinary Iranians risk by speaking out, the role of women and young people, Crown Prince Reza’s principles, whether reform is even possible, what a free Iran could look like and what New Zealand should be doing to support the Iranian people.

We also get into whether the IRGC should be designated a terrorist organisation, surveillance concerns for Kiwi Iranians and how to separate genuine information from propaganda coming from all sides.

Climate, supermarkets, mental health, religion, immigration, Iran and plenty more. Episode 102 of Shubz Says So.

0:00 Introduction and chat

3:03 Politics and current events

4:43 Deep dives and reflections

6:11 Personal philosophy

7:34 Government and political debate

9:21 Epstein files and 9/11

12:20 Influencer and elite discourse

15:03 Maori voices and political engagement

17:11 The reality of political systems

19:42 Party policies and transparency

22:15 The ethics of political debate

25:01 Unity versus uniformity

29:32 Call for dialogue

32:46 Historical and religious discourse

37:23 Content creation and history

46:42 Interview with David Seymour

1:07:11 Viewer engagement and technical issues

1:12:13 Personal loss and mental health

1:15:47 Current political landscape

1:20:11 The power of political influence

1:23:33 Real estate ethics and DEI

1:27:42 Mass media influence

1:30:24 The impact of leadership and gender

1:33:20 Climate change and political skepticism

1:37:23 Immigration and national identity

1:42:08 Ideology, faith, and debate

1:47:10 Freedom, expression, and being authentic

1:53:27 Cancel culture and identity politics

1:58:56 Mental health, self-care, and expression

2:02:58 Closing thoughts and community

2:09:20 Political discourse on immigration

2:15:07 Iran: life, struggle, and history

2:35:35 Stream wrap-up and final call

Helen Houghton joins us again and talks about what she says she has been seeing while campaigning around the country, including her concerns about the scale of immigration and communities like Botany changing so quickly they no longer feel like the New Zealand she remembers.

She explains why she wants controlled immigration, why she believes voters are sick of career politicians giving them the same lines, and why Conservatives NZ believes there is room for something different.

Helen also opens up about being a recovering alcoholic, how she turned her life around, her views on modern gender and LGBTQ politics, family values and why she believes Conservatives NZ is the party to back.

Then New Zealand First Upper Harbour candidate Bernadette Soares joins us from the campaign trail.

We talk about why she believes the proposed free trade relationship with India needs much more scrutiny, why she is not a fan of Narendra Modi, the pressure immigration and infrastructure are putting on New Zealand, and why she believes New Zealand First offers the change the country needs.

Then Jimothy joins us to wrap things up with sport, politics and whatever else comes up along the way 😂

Immigration, recovery, identity, trade, politics and two very different candidates making their case. This is Shubz Says So Episode 101.

A proper milestone.

We kick things off reflecting with the chat on the journey so far. From national radio and online streaming to becoming a fully independent streamed podcast, we talk about what we’ve learned, how the audience has grown with us, the mistakes, the wins and what the last 100 episodes have actually taught me.

Then writer, director and Free Speech Union member Dane Giraud joins us for a proper conversation about his creative process, where his ideas come from and what inspires him to write.

Ten years on from Find Me a Māori Bride, we get into what it was like writing Māori characters as a Pākehā Zionist Jew, how he thinks about representation, how he reckons he would write Shubz as a character, the rise of wokeness, free speech and how culture has changed over the last decade.

Then Shubz Says So producer Corina Shields joins us to look back on the first 100 episodes, everything that happened behind the scenes, where we started, where we are now and where this whole thing goes next.

100 episodes deep and somehow it feels like we’re only getting started.

Robert Lee is back for his weekly spill the tea and somehow we end up getting into colonisation, cannibalism, history and a whole lot more.

Karl Thomas from Conservatives NZ joins us to talk about party leader Helen Houghton, working FIFO between the South Island and Australia, life on a remote power station in the Australian outback and why he decided to get involved in politics.

Karl also talks about why the Covid lockdowns, mandates and quarantine period pushed him away from ACT and towards Conservatives NZ, and what he thinks they would actually do differently if elected.

Then Janet Dickson joins us to talk about the fight that has put her real estate career on the line after she refused to complete the compulsory 90 minute Te Kākano course covering Māori culture, tikanga, te reo and Te Tiriti. Janet explains why she refused, why she says parts of the course conflict with her Christian beliefs and why she says she would make the same decision again.

Then South Waikato councillor Zed Latinovic joins us. We talk about growing up in Yugoslavia, escaping war, coming to New Zealand, why he wanted to stand up for ordinary people and the five Code of Conduct complaints he has faced as a councillor.

Different lives, different politics, different opinions and plenty of conversations you probably won’t hear anywhere else.

This is Shubz Says So Episode 99.

0:00 Preparation and updates

4:48 Addressing recent events

10:06 Conversations and viewer Q&A

26:56 Interview with Robert Lee

1:00:24 Interview with Karl Thomas

1:27:03 Community feedback

1:37:25 Interview with Janet Dickson

2:04:03 Interview with Zed Latinovic

Davina Smoulders joins us to talk about being removed from the Te Kuaka committee, the work she’s been doing as a councillor, Māori wards, unelected members around local government and what it’s like now standing as an ACT Party list candidate heading into the general election.

Then it’s Fight Cap Episode 14 with Tanera and me. He checks in on the George situation, we get into rugby, fan questions, Song Yadong’s KO of Nurmagomedov and everything else happening across combat sports.

Later, Louie Chung joins us. Louie is originally from South Korea and now lives in New Zealand, and we have a proper conversation about what Father’s Day means to us, what being a dad actually means, and the pressure that comes with it.

I share a little bit about my own situation with not seeing my children and how I keep pushing forward anyway. Louie talks about his own experience as a father, asks me about the George fallout, and we end up having one of those conversations that goes well beyond politics.

Politics, sport, fatherhood, pressure, resilience and real life.

This is Shubz Says So.

0:00 Stream startup and banter

16:36 Interview with Davina Smolders

48:41 Political and social commentary

1:00:56 Fight cap with Big T

1:40:13 Radio departure and independence

1:59:15 Fathers and family reflections

We start with some of the day’s breaking news before Avons Butchery owner Dom joins us for his weekly catchup. We talk MMA, life, business and the massive amount of weight he’s lost along the way.

David Seymour then joins us for his regular Tuesday segment to talk through ACT’s policies around crypto, fisheries and residency, plus what the party is pushing for and why.

Tama Singh is back for his weekly Tuesday segment too. We get into the conversation around women pilots being called “Tama Tate”, he checks in on how I’m doing after the George fallout, and we talk about Elon Musk’s view that university can be a scam unless you’re going into something where the qualification is absolutely necessary like medicine or surgery.

Politics, business, health, MMA, education, crypto and plenty of random side roads in between.

Another proper Tuesday on Shubz Says So.

We start by getting into the Davina Smoulders situation after she was removed from the Te Kuaka committee, including reacting to her interview with Duncan Garner and the wider conversation around what happened.

Our producer Corina Shields joins us to talk Matthew Tukaki and some of the things she says she has seen and experienced behind the scenes.

We then get into the latest Roy Morgan polling, including The Opportunities Party sitting at 9.5%, before James Christmas joins the conversation.

Former TOP candidate for Taieri Matthew Phillips then jumps on for a proper yarn about why he stepped down, where he sits politically now, why he considers himself politically homeless and why he wants to inspire more men and young boys to become better versions of themselves. We also get into MMA, jiu jitsu, life outside politics and plenty more.

Later we’re joined by Quill Thomas from Young ACT to talk about what Young ACT actually does, why he supports ACT, where he wants to go politically and, because it’s Shubz Says So, even his celebrity crush gets dragged into the conversation 😂

We also cover local news, election polling, the state of NZ politics, party loyalty, political identity and a whole lot more across nearly three hours.

Open conversations, different perspectives and no requirement to agree. This is Shubz Says So.

0:00 Introduction and welcome

2:30 Audience check-in

4:44 Gratefulness and discussion

7:45 Local news roundup

9:02 Previewing upcoming interviews

12:23 Davina Smolders situation

16:40 Interview with Davina Smolders

18:53 Audience interaction and news

25:46 Auntie Heihei on Matthew Tukaki

34:00 Deep dive into political issues

50:33 Election polling analysis

55:52 Interview with James Christmas

1:26:14 TOP Party discussion

1:31:02 Interview with Matthew Phillips

1:47:12 Roundtable and political views

2:28:16 Interview with Paul Thomas

2:47:38 Closing remarks

Then we catch up with Jillaine Heather from the Free Speech Union for our weekly free speech segment.

Each week someone from the union joins us to talk about why free speech matters and whatever issues are happening around the country.Dion Jensen is back for Positive Future Focus Fridays, bringing something a bit different to the show and talking about mindset, growth and how we keep moving forward as individuals.Then Vaughn Taylor, New Zealand First candidate for East Coast Bays, joins us.

Vaughn works inside Rimutaka Prison deciding disciplinary punishments for prisoners who break the rules, spent more than a decade living in South Korea and explains why he decided to stand for New Zealand First.

Politics, free speech, personal growth, prisons, life overseas and plenty more in Episode 95.

0:00 Introduction and setup

4:21 The Ngatai controversy

25:45 Interview with Jolene Heather

53:44 Viewer Q&A and theology

1:02:53 Coaching and life principles

1:27:52 Interview with Vaughn Taylor

1:54:08 Closing remarks

Rotorua Lakes councillor Robert Lee joins us for his weekly spill the tea segment and gives us the latest from local government and what’s happening behind the scenes.

Victor Billot from the Alliance Party joins us to talk about the party’s origins, what they stand for, how they missed the advertising deadline and why he still thinks people should give them a look.

Helen Houghton, leader of the Conservatives NZ Party, comes on to talk immigration, race, what a woman is and why she believes woke politics has gone too far.

Andrew Lesa joins us to discuss the Manurewa Local Board situation and calls for Daniel Newman, Manurewa and Papakura Ward councillor and Action Team leader, to step down amid the local board voter fraud controversy.

Then independent Kaikōura candidate Olly Hughes joins us with a straight up no BS approach to politics, why he refuses to join a party and why he believes common sense and down the line whakaaro is what his electorate needs.

Politics, local government, party leaders, controversy and plenty of different views all in one show.

0:00 Introduction and context

4:45 Reporting on local incident

8:56 Interview with George Ngatai

13:02 Work dispute discussions

22:58 Allegations of exploitation

27:50 Debate on business practices

30:26 Continued confrontation

36:07 Reflecting on the interview

40:27 Interview with Robert Lee

44:31 Local governance concerns

48:56 Council controversies

50:46 Debating local politics

55:45 Reflecting on community issues

1:09:07 Lakeland Queen discussion

1:13:01 Transitioning to new guest

From there we talk about what happened at the radio station, how Shubz Says So ended up becoming podcast only, the politics behind it all, the receipts, unpaid work, media fallout and some of the things we saw behind the scenes.

Neil Waka joins us and brings his perspective as someone who’s been around broadcasting for years. We talk radio, politics, Māori representation, accountability, the media industry and where things go from here.

Then in the final hour our Shubz Says So producer Corina Shields joins us to tell her side of the story and speak on what happened behind the scenes.We also get into business practices, exploitation, integrity, truth in media, sport, personal accountability and plenty more along the way.

A big conversation about closing one chapter and building the next one ourselves.

0:00 Rugby and rivalry discussion

1:47 The greatest rivalry

4:02 Warriors rugby league talk

6:35 Leaving Radio Waatea

9:22 Explaining the show's demise

11:58 Moving online and finding out

14:40 Political connections and candidates

17:59 Political maneuvering and receipts

22:54 Political ideologies and race

26:58 Critique of Maori political figures

29:17 Voting perspectives and engagement

32:25 Debating policy and accountability

35:12 Political party critique

40:20 George Ngatai's resignation

50:54 Extortion and media fallout

53:46 Labor and payment issues

57:30 Governance and corruption concerns

1:02:00 Business practices and exploitation

1:08:40 Political factionalism

1:18:00 Reflecting on truth and media

1:24:10 Personal growth and accountability

1:30:40 Neil's background and early days

1:40:10 Radio industry and experiences

1:45:40 Motorcycling and NZ scenery

1:51:20 Management and looking after people

1:58:20 Communication and fallout

2:01:40 Integrity in business and media

2:13:20 Moving forward and future goals

2:21:40 Final thoughts and closing

Our first episode after radio and the start of Shubz Says So as a fully independent podcast.

We found out through Facebook that our time on radio was over, so instead of stopping we just kept going.

Hannah Tamaki joins us to talk about her life growing up, Brian Tamaki, her journey into politics and why she is running for Vision New Zealand in Papakura at the 2026 General Election.

David Seymour is running late for his weekly segment, so Jimothy jumps in, then Tama Singh joins us and the three of us get into a wide ranging conversation before David finally arrives.

Then for the final hour we switch gears into Fight Cap Sports Episode 13, with Tanera and I breaking down the latest in combat sports and rugby.

Politics, personalities, sport and plenty of unexpected conversations.

This was day one of the next chapter for Shubz Says So.