Are we really a free country, and would we even notice if that freedom started to slip?
Andrew asks what freedom means in Aotearoa today. Freedom of speech, belief and conscience can feel like the water we swim in, so easy to take for granted that we forget the price already paid for them. What would it cost us to lose them, and are they still worth fighting for?
This is Episode 3 of Thoughts on Politics, a five-part series asking what’s broken in our country, whether we can fix it with politics, and who’s fit for the job as Election 2026 approaches.
Chapters
1:12 Do we have freedom in New Zealand?
3:12 Is freedom still worth fighting for?
5:07 Threats on the horizon
8:52 Why politics is messy
12:20 Freedom for those we disagree with
13:27 The cost of losing liberty
16:28 Free speech and the testing of ideas
18:57 If you could change one law
22:26 Christian freedom and the duty to vote
#Election2026 #NZPolitics #Freedom #FreeSpeech #Liberty
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Under 16s Social Media Ban and NZ's New Blasphemy Law Push: Free Speech Union CEO Reacts
Andrew Urquhart is joined by Jillaine Heather, CEO of the Free Speech Union, to unpack the government's proposed social media ban for under-16s and why it may be more about electioneering than workable policy. They also dig into the resurfacing debate around adding religion to the Human Rights Act's hate speech provisions, effectively a modern blasphemy law, and what that could mean for freedom of belief and expression in Aotearoa.
Got thoughts? Text 8168, keyword Comments, or head to thoughtsandcomments.co.nz to join the conversation.
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Follow us on INSTAGRAM!
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Would you like to pray for others or have a prayer request? 🙏
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Recent videos
Marama Davidson, Green Party Co-Leader | Full Unedited Interview | Election 2026
The full, unedited interview with Marama Davidson, Co-Leader of the Green Party, recorded ahead of Election 2026.
This is the complete conversation, exactly as it was recorded. Nothing has been cut, trimmed or edited.
Marama Davidson is in conversation with Andrew Curtis.
They discuss her time away for cancer treatment, the role of government, the party's record in opposition and its election priorities, and working with coalition partners. They also cover who benefits and who pays under the party's policies, the role of community and faith groups, the proposed wealth tax, a publicly owned supermarket, price gouging and the youth jobs guarantee.
As part of our Election 2026 coverage, we invited the leaders of the major NZ political parties, and the minor parties polling over 5%, to sit down for a conversation.
Every interview is published in full and each leader speaks for themselves.
We'd encourage you to hear from all of them before you vote.
CHAPTERS
0:00 Introduction
3:13 The role of government
10:52 Record and election promises
18:35 Coalition partners
24:29 Trade-offs and the wealth tax
37:02 Supermarkets and youth jobs
44:24 Final word to voters
#Election2026 #NZPolitics #NZElection
Check out our socials:
▶ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shinetv.nz/
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▶ Website: https://www.shinetv.co.nz/
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➡ Like and subscribe to support the channel!
Click HereThis is the complete conversation, exactly as it was recorded. Nothing has been cut, trimmed or edited.
Marama Davidson is in conversation with Andrew Curtis.
They discuss her time away for cancer treatment, the role of government, the party's record in opposition and its election priorities, and working with coalition partners. They also cover who benefits and who pays under the party's policies, the role of community and faith groups, the proposed wealth tax, a publicly owned supermarket, price gouging and the youth jobs guarantee.
As part of our Election 2026 coverage, we invited the leaders of the major NZ political parties, and the minor parties polling over 5%, to sit down for a conversation.
Every interview is published in full and each leader speaks for themselves.
We'd encourage you to hear from all of them before you vote.
CHAPTERS
0:00 Introduction
3:13 The role of government
10:52 Record and election promises
18:35 Coalition partners
24:29 Trade-offs and the wealth tax
37:02 Supermarkets and youth jobs
44:24 Final word to voters
#Election2026 #NZPolitics #NZElection
Check out our socials:
▶ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shinetv.nz/
▶ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shinetv.nz
▶ Website: https://www.shinetv.co.nz/
Contact Shine TV: https://info.shinetv.co.nz/shinetv/contactus/
Support Shine TV: https://donate.rhemamedia.co.nz/?brand=shine
Sign up for free Shine TV on-demand: https://www.shinetv.co.nz/checkout/subscribe/signup
📺 How to watch Shine TV: https://info.shinetv.co.nz/shinetv/howtowatch/
➡ Like and subscribe to support the channel!
David Seymour, ACT Party Leader | Full Unedited Interview | Election 2026
The full, unedited interview with David Seymour, Leader of the ACT Party, recorded ahead of Election 2026.
This is the complete conversation, exactly as it was recorded. Nothing has been cut, trimmed or edited.
David Seymour is in conversation with Andrew Curtis.
They discuss the role of government, what ACT stands for, education, and resource management reform and housing. They also cover tax, spending and the budget, ACT's coalition partners, policy trade-offs, welfare and mental health, wealth and personal responsibility, online gambling regulation, and the Treaty Principles Bill and health funding.
As part of our Election 2026 coverage, we invited the leaders of the major NZ political parties, and the minor parties polling over 5%, to sit down for a conversation.
Every interview is published in full and each leader speaks for themselves.
We'd encourage you to hear from all of them before you vote.
Chapters
0:00 Introduction
2:02 The role of government
10:35 Resource management and housing
15:08 Tax, spending and coalition partners
25:53 Trade-offs and the limits of government
34:57 Wealth and personal responsibility
41:50 Treaty Principles Bill and health funding
#Election2026 #NZPolitics #NZElection
Check out our socials:
▶ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shinetv.nz/
▶ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shinetv.nz
▶ Website: https://www.shinetv.co.nz/
Contact Shine TV: https://info.shinetv.co.nz/shinetv/contactus/
Support Shine TV: https://donate.rhemamedia.co.nz/?brand=shine
Sign up for free Shine TV on-demand: https://www.shinetv.co.nz/checkout/subscribe/signup
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➡ Like and subscribe to support the channel!
Click HereThis is the complete conversation, exactly as it was recorded. Nothing has been cut, trimmed or edited.
David Seymour is in conversation with Andrew Curtis.
They discuss the role of government, what ACT stands for, education, and resource management reform and housing. They also cover tax, spending and the budget, ACT's coalition partners, policy trade-offs, welfare and mental health, wealth and personal responsibility, online gambling regulation, and the Treaty Principles Bill and health funding.
As part of our Election 2026 coverage, we invited the leaders of the major NZ political parties, and the minor parties polling over 5%, to sit down for a conversation.
Every interview is published in full and each leader speaks for themselves.
We'd encourage you to hear from all of them before you vote.
Chapters
0:00 Introduction
2:02 The role of government
10:35 Resource management and housing
15:08 Tax, spending and coalition partners
25:53 Trade-offs and the limits of government
34:57 Wealth and personal responsibility
41:50 Treaty Principles Bill and health funding
#Election2026 #NZPolitics #NZElection
Check out our socials:
▶ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shinetv.nz/
▶ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shinetv.nz
▶ Website: https://www.shinetv.co.nz/
Contact Shine TV: https://info.shinetv.co.nz/shinetv/contactus/
Support Shine TV: https://donate.rhemamedia.co.nz/?brand=shine
Sign up for free Shine TV on-demand: https://www.shinetv.co.nz/checkout/subscribe/signup
📺 How to watch Shine TV: https://info.shinetv.co.nz/shinetv/howtowatch/
➡ Like and subscribe to support the channel!