Party People | Season 2 | Episode 13: 17th May 2022

Please note: this Episode has been recorded during the New Zealand orange light settings with all Covid-19 precautions taken. 

Opinions expressed in this podcast are the honestly held views of the panelists. This Episode contains some STRONG OPINIONS. 

Simon Bridges joins the party to discuss life after politics, the latest polls, co-governance, ram raids and the Australian elections.

"If there's a recession, National is going to win. I reckon that's very clear," Bridges said about recent poll results.

"If there isn't, [it would] still be close. I think then it switches as it get tougher and harder and experience comes through ... it's more of a Labour-Green game."

He said Labour seemed to be a weak party at the moment, but National was not hitting the mark either.

As for Māori Development Minister Willie Jackson calling ACT leader David Seymour a 'useless Māori', Bridges said that was "just politics ... just dumb stuff".

The Electoral Commission has revealed the names of the candidates standing in the Tauranga by-election - and Winston Peters is not among them.

Te Pāti Māori is also not standing a candidate, over safety and racism concerns in the region.

But Bridges said Tauranga was no more a hot spot for white supremacy as Tāmaki Makaurau or Christchurch. "I reject that."

"Winston's not standing because he's not going to win. Te Pāti Māori are not standing because they are not going to win. Neither are the Greens, ACT, Labour ... National's going to [win]."

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Usually 6:30pm every other Tuesday (2022), following Checkpoint on RNZ National, RNZ YouTube and RNZ Facebook

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