4 November 2021
Māori Politics show Party People returns for 26 episodes - broadcast on RNZ National and released as a live Visual Podcast from 9 November
RNZ announces a new series of Party People, produced by Aotearoa Media Collective and funded through NZ On Air's Public Interest Journalism Fund. Rowdier than the debating chamber at question time, Party People places a Māori lens on politics, politicians and their parties and is fronted by award-winning journalist and presenter Mihingarangi Forbes, with former National MP Tau Henare and left-wing commentator Shane Te Pou.
Originally launched as a pre-election podcast in 2020, series two of Party People will be broadcast live on RNZ National, stream live on RNZ's Facebook and YouTube channels, and be released as a podcast. Party People will follow Checkpoint with Lisa Owen, at 6:30pm on Tuesdays with the first episode scheduled for Tuesday 9 November. Each episode will subsequently air on Waatea Radio and Tūranga FM.
RNZ Kurahautū Māori Shannon Haunui-Thompson says that commissioning Party People as a live multi-platform politics show is an exciting innovation.
"Taking Party People into a live setting that's both on radio and streaming as a visual podcast is something new for audiences as well as RNZ, and we're in full preparation mode to launch the series."
"We saw in the first series of Party People that Tau and Shane's contrasting points of view and in-depth and unique understanding of Aotearoa's political stage make for robust and entertaining exchanges, and there's no one better to keep them in check than Mihingarangi Forbes. It will be great to see this kind of Māori-focused political commentary across a full year, rather than just as part of the election cycle."
Shane Te Pou says that while the first series of Party People was all about the election, the new series will focus on the issues facing Māori away from the campaign trail.
"Party People post-election will give us the ability to hold the coalition to account, see how the Māori Party is developing, question the Opposition - and hey you never know witness the return of Koro Winston."
He says he's looking forward to interviewing politicians from across the spectrum and asking the type of questions Party People followers will want asked.
"Tau and I are hard nosed political operatives - we personally know most of the politicians and are not afraid to call people out, but at the same time we don’t take ourselves too seriously."
Party People
6:30pm from Tuesday 9 November
On air on RNZ National
Online at rnz.co.nz/partypeople and RNZ's YouTube and Facebook pages
Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air.
Te Puna Whakatongarewa kua Utua e Irirangi Te Motu.
Party People Photo: RNZ