Thoughts & Comments Podcast

The Free Speech Union is critiquing a renewed attempt to legislate against blasphemy.

Responding to calls for religious criticism to be classed as 'hate speech', CEO Jillaine Heather points out that it's a thinly-veiled attempt to restrict unpopular or divisive opinions, and could be used against minorities. She also questioned the timing of the government's proposed social media ban for under-16-year-olds, saying that the duty of l...

A local documentary by Jo Robertson entitled "What Happened to Sex?" has premiered this week, exposing a hidden darkness that has been stalking increasingly-younger children.

Family advocate and podcaster Brendan Malone says that a generation of youth are learning about sexuality from sources other than their parents, and without cultural, developmental or age-appropriate filters. The LifeNet speaker explains how the self-giving lo...

Civil liberties champion Nathan Seiuli weighs up proposed online laws intended to protect children from internet harms. The founding head of PILLAR argues that a statutory ban risks expanding beyond its original scope, grants power to subjective arbitrators, and removes parental responsibility.

Instead, Mr Seiuli advocates for family-level solutions like New Zealand-made parental control tools (e.g. Safe Surf) over state interventio...

The NZSIS annual report has again identified the Chinese Communist Party as New Zealand's top security threat, and the Asian superpower's reaction is telling.

Nick Hanne of civil liberties group Pillar explains that the intelligence agency pinpointed increasingly pervasive interference beyond local Chinese groups into New Zealand politics, business, and community organisations. He says the Chinese embassy's veiled warning underscore...

For some it's a season, for others, a lifelong calling. And for humanitarian worker Stephen Court, even an ambush on his young family could not shake the conviction that he was exactly where God wanted him. 

World Vision NZ's Director of International Partnerships sees humanitarian work as the holistic outworking of God's vast love, and says the need for global aid is greater than ever. He joined Andrew Urquhart in the studio ...

Is a political candidate's religious affiliation enough to earn your vote?

John Peachey (www.TheThinkfarm.org) discusses how Christians can approach Elections 2026, maintaining that voters should consider evidence of a candidates's professed faith. He highlights three key criteria he finds useful in making an informed and prayerful decision:

• Character
• Competence
• God's direction

The leadership mentor points to renow...

Although last week's leadership turmoil has settled, the election trail remains volatile as more parties get into campaign mode.

Following Te Pāti Māori's low-key campaign launch, Dr Bryce Edwards explains their MMP "gaming" strategy which asks voters in the seven Māori electorates to give TPM their candidate vote, not their party vote. Combined with a surge in young Māori voter registrations, the Democracy Project analyst says...

A former National MP notes Chris Penk's impending departure from Parliament makes him the latest Christian MP to be lost to the cut and thrust of politics.

Minister Penk was stripped of his Cabinet portfolios on Wednesday following his alleged part in the latest challenge to Christopher Luxon's leadership. Ex-Nat Simon O'Connor, now with Family First, discusses the likelihood that the real instigators remain a rot within Christopher...

Sacrificial lamb rather than a lone wolf - is that a more likely description of the National MP singled out in yesterday's Caucus announcement?

LifeNet's Brendan Malone joins Andrew Urquhart to discuss the repercussions of another challenge to the Prime Minister's leadership, focusing on MP Chris Penk's alleged involvement. Both note that the recently promoted Cabinet Minister had accomplished much good across his various portf...

A report shows demand for faith-based schools now outstrips both supply and schools' ability to expand, but is spiritual hunger driving the demand?

Andrew Urquhart talks with Reverend Dr Stuart Lange of the New Zealand Christian Network about whether the prevalence of liberal ideologies is sending parents to the relative safety of faith-based schooling - for example, Christian groups in state schools are now under 20%, compared to ...

Potential trigger warning

New Zealand holds a lamentable world record, being amongst the worst ranked countries by UNICEF for mental health and youth suicide rates.

Leadership coach John Peachey considers the multiple complex factors that contribute to rising psychological distress in children - from technology-heavy lifestyles and social triggers, to over-diagnosis and medication as default treatment.  Are we imposing adult p...

There's a huge leap from verbal sparring to temple riots, and a fine line between hyperbole and inciting violence. Did Brian Tamaki jump it? 

Andrew Urquhart discusses the case and the principles behind it, with Douglas Brown of the Free Speech Union (Free Speech Union: If Brian Tamaki committed a crime, prosecute him. Don't punish speech through the back door. | Free Speech Union NZ).

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Media chaplain Frank Ritchie and Andrew Urquhart discuss elements of social engineering in today's hot-button issues, where consumer trends and social policy are used to inflate differences and orchestrate 'culture wars'.   Rathen than indulge in conspiracy theories, it's a challenge to recognise media hype and market manipulation.

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With the recent conflagaration of public debate over national identity and immigration policies, Andrew Urquhart ponders the Church's attitude to migrants of different cultures and faiths.

Leadership mentor John peachey (www.thethinkfarm.org) comments on the part that media mischief plays in inflaming a hot topic, and turns to the early church model of peaceful engagement.

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The Church in Venezuela is heavily persecuted yet remains resolutely at the frontlines.

CEO of Barnabas Aid NZ Stephanie Johnston tells Andrew Urquhart that despite decades of sociopolitical and religious oppression by government and union forces, Christians are holding out hope for their fellow countrymen as the people rally to find survivors and miracles amongst the rubble of Venezuela's devastating earthquakes. (www.barnabasaid....

You're invited! This July, communities from Dunedin to Whangarei will set the scene for 10 public debates about issues facing New Zealanders this Election year.

Andrew Urquhart caught up with host of the Good Faith Yarns road tour and "Thought Crimes" political blogger Ani O'Brien, whose online article about journalist misconduct - involving Maiki Sherman, Lloyd Burr and TVNZ - exposed inconsistent standards of scrutiny and tr...

It's less survival of the fittest, and more like survival of the strictest - savers instead of spenders.

The National Party's Kiwisaver policy announcement has surprised some, but after nearly 20 years of low Kiwisaver uptake, the logic of a compulsory retirement savings scheme is inescapable.

Andy Milne of Christian Savings unpacks some historical context and the impact of an ageing population on future retirement funds if Kiwsave...

Will the promised cessation of hostilities between Iran and the US lead to peace?

Even as hope builds that the war has ended, media chaplain Frank Ritchie points out that a lack of violence doesn't mean genuine harmony.  He shines a light on the faith-based ministry of Musalaha (Arabic for “reconciliation”), which facilitates reconciliation between ethnic, religious, and social groups through peaceful co-resistance...

Let the oil flow! A geopolitical analyst says the barrel price is one way to gauge if the Iran war has truly ended.

Dr Geoffrey Miller unpacked the multi-point Memorandum of Understanding between the United States and Iran, which promises a host of concessions to the Islamist regime.

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