With the next Māori monarch expected to be revealed at any moment, Tūrangawaewae is the focus of attention.

Tens of thousands have gathered at Tūrangawaewae Marae over recent days for the tangi of Kīngi Tuheitia, who died on Friday morning after 18 years on the throne. Fresh from a visit to Ngāruawāhia, Annabelle Lee-Mather joins Toby Manhire and Ben Thomas to describe the mood on the ground, Tuheitia’s legacy, and the role of the Kīngitanga in New Zealand politics.

After Te Hui aa Motu and koroneihana, this was the third mass gathering at Tūrangawaewae in 2024, as the Kīngitanga movement has become a rallying point for Māori responses to the coalition government’s programme.

Also on the podcast: infrastructure, meta-infrastructure and a rethink on the fast-track bill. Can the big parties ever hope to achieve a bipartisan consensus on the big projects the country needs?

Plus: Shane Jones’ remarks about the judiciary, which have earned him a slapdown from Judith Collins, and from Winston Peters, but why not from the boss, Christopher Luxon?

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