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Commentator Brendan Malone joins Andrew Urquhart to dissect the media storm around Nicky Hager's latest election-season book, questioning whether it represents genuine investigative journalism or a recurring pattern of politically timed hit jobs targeting the right. Malone draws a parallel with America's "October surprise" tradition, arguing Hager's repeated conspiracy framing ironically mirrors the very "undue influence" he accuses groups like the Taxpayers Union of wielding. Malone goes on to challenge the Enlightenment assumption that voters are purely rational, arguing emotion, tribal loyalty and media trust (or distrust) shape political choices more than policy analysis. He points to Stuff's fact-check double standards as evidence of uneven media scrutiny, and urges voters to prioritise a candidate's character and virtue over claims to expertise, while ultimately placing trust in God above any media institution. Tune into Thoughts & Comments from 10:00am - 2:00pm on the Rhema Media App. For more from the show, visit the Thoughts & Comments page at rhema.co.nz. Produced using AI tools under human supervision. Support Rhema: https://donate.rhemamedia.co.nz/?brand=rhema&utm_source=omnystudio&utm_medium=link See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nathan Seiuli, founding head of civil liberties group Pillar, reviews the outgoing Parliament's three-year term as politicians head into campaign mode. He grades the National-led coalition a "B at best", crediting them for shrinking a bloated public service inherited from Labour's expansion years, but criticizing moves like move-on orders, gang patch bans, proposed social media restrictions and talk of reviving blasphemy laws as civil liberties concerns that cut across political lines.   Mr Seiuli also unpacks the coalition's contested shift away from ancestry-based service allocation towards needs-based support, arguing genuine Kiwi identity rests on shared values of responsibility, innovation and service to neighbours rather than heritage, while acknowledging fierce external opposition to these changes. He reflects on ACT and NZ First's influence in restraining National, suggests real reform typically takes more than one term, and predicts the coming election will be fought more on opposing rivals than distinct policy visions ([www.nzpillar.com](https://www.nzpillar.com)).   Tune into Thoughts & Comments from 10:00am - 2:00pm on the Rhema Media App. For more from the show, visit the Thoughts & Comments page at rhema.co.nz. Produced using AI tools under human supervision. Support Rhema: https://donate.rhemamedia.co.nz/?brand=rhema&utm_source=omnystudio&utm_medium=link See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Andrew Urquhart speaks with Professor Grant Schofield, an expert in preventative medicine, about New Zealand First's health policy which draws on work from the Make New Zealand Healthy trust. Schofield explains he was part of a scientific advisory team that offered comprehensive health reform policy to all political parties, focused on shifting spending from treating sickness to preventing disease; and rejects claims of plagiarism since the policy was openly offered and only New Zealand First engaged meaningfully with it.   The discussion covers bodily autonomy and informed consent in medicine, the influence of government dietary guidelines on institutions like hospitals, prisons and schools, and whether taxpayers should subsidise healthy food choices similar to existing subsidies for pharmaceuticals and big food. Schofield also raises concerns about Big Pharma's heavy marketing influence within medicine, particularly around weight-loss drugs, contrasting this with the comparatively weak lobbying power behind whole-food and lifestyle-based approaches to health.   Tune into Thoughts & Comments from 10:00am - 2:00pm on the Rhema Media App. For more from the show, visit the Thoughts & Comments page at rhema.co.nz. Produced using AI tools under human supervision. Support Rhema: https://donate.rhemamedia.co.nz/?brand=rhema&utm_source=omnystudio&utm_medium=link See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

TUE 15 SEP ~ Are political bias, bureaucratic stalling and buried incompetencies the hallmark traits of the civil service? Arian Tashakkori from civil liberties group PILLAR joined Andrew Urquhart to discuss recent examples of clashing loyalties and conflicts of interest, including public service unions handing out "change the government" stickers during strikes; and the tension between service continuity versus accountability to elected ministers and the taxpayer. (www.nzpillar.com) Do you think institutional knowledge held by career bureaucrats outweighs the need for integrity and neutrality in serving the government of the day? Text 8168, keyword 'Comments' to share your thoughts. ~~~~ Thoughts & Comments will also be live on Shine TV from Monday 28 September Tune into Thoughts & Comments from 10:00am - 2:00pm on the Rhema Media App. For more from the show, visit the Thoughts & Comments page at rhema.co.nz. Produced using AI tools under human supervision. Support Rhema: https://donate.rhemamedia.co.nz/?brand=rhema&utm_source=omnystudio&utm_medium=link See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Has Kiwisaver become a bit of a political football? Or is it more a tug-of-war? With the original author Labour on one side, and on the other, National's developments for the superannuation scheme, Pillar CEO Nathan Seiuli questions whether Kiwisaver will serve New Zealanders well in retirement. He joined Andrew Urquhart to weigh up the different policy implications for employees and employers, particularly asking if the responsibility to save for retirement is shifting in the right direction. Text 8168, keyword 'Comments' to share your thoughts. ~~~~ Tune into Thoughts & Comments from 10:00am - 2:00pm on the Rhema Media App. For more from the show, visit the Thoughts & Comments page at rhema.co.nz. Tune into Thoughts & Comments from 10:00am - 2:00pm on the Rhema Media App. For more from the show, visit the Thoughts & Comments page at rhema.co.nz. Produced using AI tools under human supervision. Support Rhema: https://donate.rhemamedia.co.nz/?brand=rhema&utm_source=omnystudio&utm_medium=link See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"This is a cost-of-living election," observes a political analyst; and the Green Party may have just found their meal ticket. Dr Bryce Edwards of the Democracy Project unpacks the Greens' proposal that's banking on the people to break New Zealand's supermarket duopoly with a $2.8b publicly-owned chain promising consumer savings. Although the Opposition party hasn't yet calculated the profit and affordability margins, Dr Edwards points out the mere prospect of lower grocery bills will appeal strongly to a population hungry for cheaper food. Text 8168, keyword 'Comments' to share your thoughts. ~~~~ Tune into Thoughts & Comments from 10:00am - 2:00pm on the Rhema Media App. For more from the show, visit the Thoughts & Comments page at rhema.co.nz. Tune into Thoughts & Comments from 10:00am - 2:00pm on the Rhema Media App. For more from the show, visit the Thoughts & Comments page at rhema.co.nz. Produced using AI tools under human supervision. Support Rhema: https://donate.rhemamedia.co.nz/?brand=rhema&utm_source=omnystudio&utm_medium=link See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Faith in the midst of horror, quiet heroes... God with skin on.     A Ground Zero chaplain recalls the moments, days and weeks after terror struck the Twin Towers on September-eleven, 2001.     25 years later, Father Emile Frische still feels the weight of the tragedy as he describes the shock and heartbreaking scenes to Diane Campbell. Hear how God sustained him as he ministered to a grieving city and witnessed the wonder of a common humanity in the rubble of disaster.   Text 8168, keyword 'Comments' to share your thoughts. ~~~~ Tune into Thoughts & Comments from 10:00am - 2:00pm on the Rhema Media App. For more from the show, visit the Thoughts & Comments page at rhema.co.nz Tune into Thoughts & Comments from 10:00am - 2:00pm on the Rhema Media App. For more from the show, visit the Thoughts & Comments page at rhema.co.nz. Produced using AI tools under human supervision. Support Rhema: https://donate.rhemamedia.co.nz/?brand=rhema&utm_source=omnystudio&utm_medium=link See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A tragic, violent and symbolic end to an age of innocence. That's one confronting way to view the September-11 terror attacks on the USA. Brendan Malone reflects on one of the most momentous days in modern world history, when calculated aeroplane hijackings on American soil ushered in a new era of suspicion and division. He recalls the immediate shock, the loss of national innocence, and the lasting fear, uncertainty and mistrust. The media commentator suggests 9/11 in many ways lead to today's political landscape, the rise of meta-narrative conspiracy theories, new atheism, and ongoing instability in the Middle East, to which, he says, the best response is prayerful discernment.   Text 8168, keyword 'Comments' to share your thoughts. ~~~~ Tune into Thoughts & Comments from 10:00am - 2:00pm on the Rhema Media App.   For more from the show, visit the Thoughts & Comments page at rhema.co.nz   Tune into Thoughts & Comments from 10:00am - 2:00pm on the Rhema Media App. For more from the show, visit the Thoughts & Comments page at rhema.co.nz. Produced using AI tools under human supervision. Support Rhema: https://donate.rhemamedia.co.nz/?brand=rhema&utm_source=omnystudio&utm_medium=link See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

WED 2 SEP - Will bad slogans decide the polls and should Ministry staff change with outgoing governments? Family First's Simon O'Connor brings his political insights to bear as electioneering ramps up. The ex-MP discusses party slogans and the likelihood that tax will dominate debate, alongside co-governance and Te Pāti Māori's proposed 'bottom line' policy of subordinating Parliament's sovereignty to the Treaty of Waitangi. Mr O'Connor also shines a spotlight on the apparent lack of accountability and costly bias within the civil service, recalling his past encounters with Ministry staff, as well as the failure to impose consequences for MBIE Chief Executive Nic Blakely's contempt of Parliament.   Text 8168, keyword 'Comments' to share your thoughts. ~~~~ Tune into Thoughts & Comments from 10:00am - 2:00pm on the Rhema Media App.   For more from the show, visit the Thoughts & Comments page at rhema.co.nz.   Tune into Thoughts & Comments from 10:00am - 2:00pm on the Rhema Media App. For more from the show, visit the Thoughts & Comments page at rhema.co.nz. Produced using AI tools under human supervision. Support Rhema: https://donate.rhemamedia.co.nz/?brand=rhema&utm_source=omnystudio&utm_medium=link See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

TUE 1 SEP - A once-devoted mum succumbs to psychosis and commits an unspeakable crime... or did she.    Despite Lindsay Clancy's insanity plea, internet speculation has proliferated like wildfire as her trial draws to a close. Blame aside, the human loss is all but lost amidst the noise of a worldwide web of conjecture.    Brendan Malone joins Andrew Urquhart to reflect on how a horrific tragedy has become internet fodder for amateur sleuths and online mob trials. From the devolution of true crime documentaries to gendered assumptions in public sympathy, he urges a balanced response that spurns baseless gossip and holds both compassion and accountability. Text 8168, keyword 'Comments' to share your thoughts. ~~~~ Tune into Thoughts & Comments from 10:00am - 2:00pm on the Rhema Media App. For more from the show, visit the Thoughts & Comments page at rhema.co.nz. Tune into Thoughts & Comments from 10:00am - 2:00pm on the Rhema Media App. For more from the show, visit the Thoughts & Comments page at rhema.co.nz. Produced using AI tools under human supervision. Support Rhema: https://donate.rhemamedia.co.nz/?brand=rhema&utm_source=omnystudio&utm_medium=link See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 law is to protect people before ideas but that both proposals miss their mark. Text 8168, keyword 'Comments' to share your thoughts. ~~~~ Tune into Thoughts & Comments from 10:00am - 2:00pm on the Rhema Media App. For more from the show, visit the Thoughts & Comments page at rhema.co.nz. Tune into Thoughts & Comments from 10:00am - 2:00pm on the Rhema Media App. For more from the show, visit the Thoughts & Comments page at rhema.co.nz. Produced using AI tools under human supervision. Support Rhema: https://donate.rhemamedia.co.nz/?brand=rhema&utm_source=omnystudio&utm_medium=link See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 love of Christian sexual ethics is key to relational fulfillment, and that families need to have timely, honest and on-going communication to build a positive model of human sexuality. Text 8168, keyword 'Comments' to share your thoughts. ~~~~ Tune into Thoughts & Comments from 10:00am - 2:00pm on the Rhema Media App. For more from the show, visit the Thoughts & Comments page at rhema.co.nz. Tune into Thoughts & Comments from 10:00am - 2:00pm on the Rhema Media App. For more from the show, visit the Thoughts & Comments page at rhema.co.nz. Produced using AI tools under human supervision. Support Rhema: https://donate.rhemamedia.co.nz/?brand=rhema&utm_source=omnystudio&utm_medium=link See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 intervention, stressing that privacy and freedom of speech and conscience remain non-negotiable pillars of democracy. (www.nzpillar.com) Text 8168, keyword 'Comments' to share your thoughts. ~~~~ Tune into Thoughts & Comments from 10:00am - 2:00pm on the Rhema Media App. For more from the show, visit the Thoughts & Comments page at rhema.co.nz. Tune into Thoughts & Comments from 10:00am - 2:00pm on the Rhema Media App. For more from the show, visit the Thoughts & Comments page at rhema.co.nz. Produced using AI tools under human supervision. Support Rhema: https://donate.rhemamedia.co.nz/?brand=rhema&utm_source=omnystudio&utm_medium=link See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 underscores the risk of speaking out, and the need for legislation to disclose foreign government relationships. Text 8168, keyword 'Comments' to share your thoughts. ~~~~ Tune into Thoughts & Comments from 10:00am - 2:00pm on the Rhema Media App. For more from the show, visit the Thoughts & Comments page at rhema.co.nz. Tune into Thoughts & Comments from 10:00am - 2:00pm on the Rhema Media App. For more from the show, visit the Thoughts & Comments page at rhema.co.nz. Produced using AI tools under human supervision. Support Rhema: https://donate.rhemamedia.co.nz/?brand=rhema&utm_source=omnystudio&utm_medium=link See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 ahead of World Humanitarian Day (19 August) to share what led to a career spanning nearly two decades, a hundred countries, and the extremes of human existence.  (www.wvnz.org.nz/CHR) Text 8168, keyword 'Comments' to share your thoughts. ~~~~ Tune into Thoughts & Comments from 10:00am - 2:00pm on the Rhema Media App.   For more from the show, visit the Thoughts & Comments page at rhema.co.nz.   Tune into Thoughts & Comments from 10:00am - 2:00pm on the Rhema Media App. For more from the show, visit the Thoughts & Comments page at rhema.co.nz. Produced using AI tools under human supervision. Support Rhema: https://donate.rhemamedia.co.nz/?brand=rhema&utm_source=omnystudio&utm_medium=link See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.