<p>Hosted by <strong>Phil Goff</strong> and <strong>Chris Finlayso</strong>n, with <strong>Sam Collins</strong>. <em>Cross Party Lines</em> unpacks New Zealand politics so that you don’t have too.</p><p>With Chris absent due to a family bereavement, Sam and Phil dedicate the episode to <strong>public submissions</strong> - listener questions.</p><p><strong>In this episode:</strong></p><p>* <strong>What actually wins elections</strong> — 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.</p><p>* <strong>Urgency in Parliament</strong> — 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.</p><p>* <strong>Money and democracy</strong> — Party donations, disclosure thresholds, public funding, and whether New Zealand should go further to keep vested interests out of politics.</p><p>* <strong>Short-term politics vs long-term country</strong> — 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.</p><p>* <strong>Winston Peters and coalition politics</strong> — Is he keeping his options open or simply maximising leverage? Phil draws on first-hand experience from 1996, 2005 and 2017.</p><p>* <strong>China, the US, and small-country diplomacy</strong> — How New Zealand balances values and interests, why multilateralism still matters, and when engagement crosses into endorsement.</p><p>* <strong>Te Tiriti, representation, and social cohesion</strong> — Why Māori success benefits the whole country, why Treaty issues shouldn’t be weaponised, and how identity and democracy can coexist.</p><p>* <strong>Respect across the aisle</strong> — Phil reflects on political figures he admired from the other side, and why democracy works better when disagreement doesn’t become dehumanisation.</p><p><em>Cross Party Lines</em> exists to lift political literacy and make space for calmer, more constructive political conversation.</p><p><strong>New episodes every Tuesday.</strong> If you value thoughtful politics, follow the podcast and share it with someone who might too.</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://crosspartylines.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_1">crosspartylines.substack.com</a>