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Big Hairy News
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BIGHAIRYNEWS

MON - THURS AT 9PM

Kia ora koutou e te whānau, and welcome to Big Hairy News.

Award winning podcasters Pat and Chewie host a news commentary show that is broadcast weekdays.
Big Hairy News, or #BHN, gives the space needed to cover off the stories covered rather than the two and a half minutes the mainstream media gives guests between weather and the next ad break.



Available on

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Hosts

Pat

Pat


Pat Brittenden is a longstanding radio broadcaster. Pat has won broadcasting awards on four continents and has a passion for making news accessible, relatable and real. Pat's penchant for allegory normally starts with "it's like in rugby when..." Pat is camp mother and father to his fellow BHN broadcasters who is often the one insisting that "if we don't know then it's an opinion ah Chewie?" BHN is Pat's baby and we're excited to see his baby grow up into a badass news commentary teen.

Chewie

Chewie


'Chewie' is a talented storyteller, a trained broadcaster, a war nerd and enthusiastic beer drinker. Chewie has an encyclopedic knowledge of news and if you throw a topic at him he'll know the origins of the story, the main characters of the story and between one and three things you never knew about the topic and didn't know you needed to know. A fan favourite it just 'aint BHN without our little wookie.

Latest

#BHN Labour's Public Transport Policy | Q with Guyon Espiner | Sick children's parents fined

#BHN LNG Terminal to go ahead | NATs unknown future budget cost | Rakesh Naidoo investigation

#BHN Labour MP List revealed | Nicola Willis on homelessnes | National's campaign promises

Shorts

#BHN Chris Penk squirming over nuclear free NZ comments

#BHN Winston got it right - Not because of his morals but because he wanted undermine Luxon

#BHN Willis wants to blame all the economy issues today on Labour and anyone else

#BHN "Explaining is losing Minister"

#BHN Kieran redirects the conversation back to Luxon's desire to publicly support Trump's war

#BHN Luxon is running from many more journalists than just Tova

#BHN Kieran McAnulty spent his money as a young person on booze and racing

#BHN Helen Clark says it's been 'clear for some time' that Winston is the one with the power

#BHN Nicola Willis wants to blame all the economy issues today on anyone she can take cover behind

#BHN Kieran McAnulty makes Bish laugh while killing him with facts

#BHN What if the Green Party members get it wrong when selecting candidates?

#BHN Marama speaks to people like Tania Waikato leapfrogging current MPs on the list

#BHN Chloe Swarbrick 'oil and gas isn't a quick fix

#BHN Will the Greens insist in cabinet positions in a Labour led government?

#BHN Scandinavia still has rich people and they pay 60% tax

#BHN How can Pakeha show up for Māori?

#BHN The poor discipline in National is a reflection of the leadership

#BHN Mariameno Kapa Kingi on her TPM suspension and more

#BHN Luxon seems to think that rolling a PM is not a political story

#BHN Luxon's approval rate over his tenure is shocking

#PWTP What needs to be done with the slew of weather events?

#BHN We need an old man gibberish translator for Winston Peters

#BHN Most important policy as far as Mariameno Kapa King is concerned

#BHN Luxon confirms there are 5 or so MPs that want him rolled

#BHN Trump claiming the image of him as Jesus was him as a Doctor

#BHN Comedian Evie Orpe absolutely ROASTS National MPs

#BHN Maiameno Kapa Kingi on why pick TPM over Labour or the Greens

#BHN Trump is 'not a fan' of Pope Leo

#BHN Why is Mariameno Kapa Kingi the best candidate for Te Tai Tokerau

#BHN Shane Jones' audio of the "butter chicken tsunami" comment

#BHN Tova tells PM his MPs are talking to her

#BHN Chris Bishop's denial of who is spreading rumours is not credible

#BHN Is John Tamihere interested in the individual or the collective?

#BHN Trump supporters usually thnk the words of Jesus are 'woke'

#BHN Emz is Simping for James Meager now

#BHN Luxon thinks Trump's genocidal messaging is 'unhelpful'

#BHN Tax the rich = more working class people = better lives for the rich

#BHN What Ministerial positions do the Greens want in Government?

#BHN Lake Onslow wouldn't work as a public entity, but the private sector sees profits in it

#BHN Comparing Nicola Willis to previous finance ministers

#BHN Where Labour got it wrong during COVID was not generating more revenue through tax

#BHN Marama Davidson on the retirement of Brooke van Velden

#BHN Is the door being left open for NZ to provide military support in Iran?

#BHN The issue around teens and social media is an easy solution, regulate it

#BHN Gary Stevenson explains why we need to care about wealth distribution

#BHN Privatizing profits and socializing losses

#BHN Winston Peters wants to take his country back because of the starfish or something like that

#BHN Goldsmith says the quiet bit out loud and McAnulty smites him

#BHN Tell people what you know, even when it's hard, tell people what you know

#BHN We're not going to celebrate BVV after what she has done to women

Recent Episodes

#BHN Labour's Public Transport Policy | Q with Guyon Espiner | Sick children's parents fined

#BHN Labour's Public Transport Policy | Q with Guyon Espiner | Sick children's parents fined

LIVE Watch on YouTube Youtube

Labour has announced it's first election promise of 2026, capping public transport costs nationwide in a bid to ease the cost of living for everyday people. Qiulae Wong, leader of the Opportunity Party sits down with Guy Espiner to break down some of the party's policies, including full tax system overhaul, citizens income and wanting to be the new 'Kingmaker' and overthrow Winston Peters from his throne. David Seymour's truancy fines for parents whose children are not attending school has affected the parents of children who are disables, unwell and in some cases dying, as reported by the blog 'Emily Writes'.

#BHN LNG Terminal to go ahead | NATs unknown future budget cost | Rakesh Naidoo investigation

#BHN LNG Terminal to go ahead | NATs unknown future budget cost | Rakesh Naidoo investigation

LIVE Watch on YouTube Youtube

National have walked back the levy on gentailers to pay for their backup LNG terminal but will continue to move along the development. Opposition have criticised it is too close to the election for a big costly project to move forward. The 2026 budget has some hidden unknown costs that future govts will have to pay for, essentially borrowing from future budgets which is not allowed. Rakesh Naidoo is under investigation by the police commissioner after it was revealed yesterday he was running for Labour this election and ranking 13th on the Labour MP ranking list.

#BHN Labour MP List revealed | Nicola Willis on homelessnes | National's campaign promises

#BHN Labour MP List revealed | Nicola Willis on homelessnes | National's campaign promises

LIVE Watch on YouTube Youtube

Labour revealed their MP list rankings for the 2026 election, with huge shifts up and down the rankings with many high profile sitting MPs moving position. Nicola Willis on Breakfast this morning was asked about the rise in number of children in housing deprivation, and what he govt plans to do about it. Her office also responds to Chloe Swarbrick accusing the govt of missing millions in their budget to account for the rise in govt contributions to Kiwisaver National have announced a number of election promises, including three days of hospital stay for mothers post-partum, and a boost to the QEII investment fund to please the farmer vote.

#BHN MPs banned from China | Opp Party Non-negotiables | Trevor Noah on  Enshitification

#BHN MPs banned from China | Opp Party Non-negotiables | Trevor Noah on Enshitification

LIVE Watch on YouTube Youtube

Four MPs that visited Taiwan recently in an unofficial capacity have been banned from entering China for one year citing a betrayal of the One-China Policy. Qiulae Wong, leader of Opportunity Party, addresses criticisms of her party but also lays out some non-negotiables for the party should they enter coalition talks. Trevor Noah and Hasan Piker discuss politics and the state of America, echoing much of what is playing out in NZ's democracy.

#BHN Penk vs McAnulty on #milkygate | Brownlee v Stuff | McClure says the quiet part out loud

#BHN Penk vs McAnulty on #milkygate | Brownlee v Stuff | McClure says the quiet part out loud

LIVE Watch on YouTube Youtube

Act MP Laura McClure joined Green MP Ricardo Menendes March on the NZ Herald this morning and accidently said the quiet part out loud confirming the only "minority" that ACT is ever focused on is Māori, which we've always known, but fascinating to hear the list MP publicly state it. Chris Penk joined Keiran McAnulty on Breakfast this morning where Penk spent a lot of time explain what he meant when he spoke of a conversation around NZ's nuclear free status and both members of parliament traded thoughts on the ongoing controversary between Fonterra and the PM's office. The country's political reporters are in a stand-off with the Speaker Gerry Brownlee over his contemplation of a temporary ban of Stuff Digital from Parliament. Brownlee is set to make a ruling on Stuff's access to the Parliamentary precinct after raising concerns about some of its reporting last month.

Clips

#BHN Labour's simply brilliant cost of living election promise

#BHN Labour's simply brilliant cost of living election promise

Watch on YouTube Youtube

Labour has announced it's first post-budget election promise for 2026, capping public transport costs nationwide in a bid to ease the cost of living for everyday people.

#BHN Pulling Nicola's teeth to explain unclassified $1billion future spending hidden in the Budget

#BHN Pulling Nicola's teeth to explain unclassified $1billion future spending hidden in the Budget

Watch on YouTube Youtube

The NZ Herald have uncovered an "unknown" $1billion cost in the 2026 Budget that future Govts will have to pay for, essentially borrowing from future budgets. Nicola Willis when pressed on the matter eventually revealed its in the transport sector, but was quick to deny it was related to the ferries.

#BHN Seems like the energy Gentailers are more conscientious than our Govt

#BHN Seems like the energy Gentailers are more conscientious than our Govt

Watch on YouTube Youtube

Despite the fair criticisms of private energy gentailers, reaping huge profits from NZers year-on-year, they see more sense in continued investment in renewable energy than our Govt does.

#BHN Is Rakesh Naidoo's entry into politics overblown?

#BHN Is Rakesh Naidoo's entry into politics overblown?

Watch on YouTube Youtube

Rakesh Naidoo is under investigation by the police commissioner after it was revealed yesterday he was a Labour candidate and ranking 13th on the party's MP ranking list going into the 2026 election.

#BHN National scrapped the levy to pay for LNG terminal but will fire ahead with it anyways

#BHN National scrapped the levy to pay for LNG terminal but will fire ahead with it anyways

Watch on YouTube Youtube

National have walked back the levy on gentailers to pay for the Govts backup LNG terminal but will continue to move ahead with the development. Opposition have criticised it is too close to the election for a big costly project to move forward.

#BHN The Govt doing half the job and passing the rest onto the private sector

#BHN The Govt doing half the job and passing the rest onto the private sector

Watch on YouTube Youtube

Govt has announced a measly $34m to cover operational costs for new Mums to stay in the hospital for 3 days after giving birth. The announcement quietly left out that the funding won't cover the cost of the extra beds required to meet the demand.

#BHN Govt haven't topped up public sector budgets for increased Kiwisaver contributions

#BHN Govt haven't topped up public sector budgets for increased Kiwisaver contributions

Watch on YouTube Youtube

Green Party Leader Chloe Swarbrick is accusing the Govt of missing millions in their budget to account for the rise in contributions to Kiwisaver for Govt employees. They are expecting ministries to use their existing budgets to pay the new minimum 3.5% employer contribution, which essentially means hidden cuts to meet this new cost.

#BHN National glazing farmers with a lazy election campaign promise

#BHN National glazing farmers with a lazy election campaign promise

Watch on YouTube Youtube

National have announced an election promise to boost to the QEII investment fund to please their true blue National voting farmer voter base.

#BHN Nicola Willis questioned on why her govt is allowing 50,000 more children to slip into poverty

#BHN Nicola Willis questioned on why her govt is allowing 50,000 more children to slip into poverty

Watch on YouTube Youtube

Nicola Willis on Breakfast this morning was asked about the rising number of children in housing deprivation, and what her govt plans to do about it.

#BHN Labour's MP List rankings released for 2026 election

#BHN Labour's MP List rankings released for 2026 election

Watch on YouTube Youtube

Labour revealed their MP list rankings for the 2026 election, with huge shifts up and down the rankings with many high profile sitting MPs moving position down the list, a new candidate already causing controversy a shoe-in at 13th and BHN Podcasters and Labour Candidates Craig Renney and Gary Payinda down at 51st and 49th