Live Q&A: New Zealand's Greatest Mistake, the Foreshore Lie and Who's Worst

Hosted by **Phil Goff** and **Chris Finlayson** with special guests **Helen Clark** and **Tracey Martin**, this bonus episode brings together the questions from the live Q&A sessions at both the Auckland Q Theatre and Wellington Hannah Playhouse shows. All thanks to Frank Risk Management, the 100% Kiwi owned insurance brokerage. **The audience asks, the panel answers:** \* **What was New Zealand’s biggest missed political opportunity?** — Phil and Chris are in rare and emphatic agreement: Sir Robert Muldoon winding up the Kirk government’s superannuation scheme in 1975 — for short-term political advantage — is the single most costly decision in New Zealand’s modern history. \* **Energy, health, the Crown-Māori relationship and urgency in Parliament** — The audience covers the waterfront. On energy: all three panellists back pumped hydro over an LNG terminal, and Phil draws a line connecting Malcolm Turnbull’s climate pragmatism to what New Zealand’s current government is getting catastrophically wrong. \* **AI, trans rights, capital gains tax and the Opportunities Party** — The rapid-fire second half covers the issues the audience most wanted answered. On AI: Tracey always says please and thank you to AI, because when they take over the world she intends to be fine; Phil is more concerned about the military applications. Along the way: a four-year term referendum that never happened and probably should have, Chris’s view that the Intelligence and Security Committee should be chaired by a senior opposition MP rather than the Prime Minister, why the UK delegation that came to study New Zealand’s select committee process now has a better system than we do. **Cross Party Lines** exists to lift political literacy and create space for calm, good-faith political conversation. New episodes every Tuesday. If you value thoughtful debate, follow the podcast and share it with someone who might too. 🎙 Christchurch is next — part of the Word Festival, second week of September. Tickets at word.co.nz. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit crosspartylines.substack.com