Hosted by Phil Goff and Chris Finlayson with Sam Collins, Cross Party Lines returns with an episode that moves from homelessness policy at home to war and international law abroad.
There may be many headlines this week — but there is really one global story dominating the conversation.
In this episode:
* Move On Laws and rough sleeping — Are proposed “move on” powers a practical response to visible homelessness, or political theatre dressed up as law and order? Phil argues the answer lies in Housing First and sustained social support, not fines or prison. Chris reflects on the balance between individual rights and community rights — and whether both can be protected without abandoning compassion.
* Local Government under fire — Following criticism of councils at the Local Government Conference, the panel asks whether central government is undermining its own partners. Is local government being scapegoated for cost-of-living pressures? Should the Local Government Act be revisited? And why does funding reform matter more than slogans?
* Iran, Trump and the future of international law — The second half of the episode turns to the US strikes on Iran. Was there an imminent threat? What does the War Powers Act require? And what happens when great powers sidestep the UN Charter principles New Zealand helped shape in 1945? Drawing comparisons with Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya, Phil and Chris question whether regime change without strategy ever delivers stability — and what this moment means for the future of the rules-based international order.
Along the way: reflections on American history, congressional authority, the danger of “might is right,” and why small countries like New Zealand have the most to lose when international law is weakened.
Serious, candid and unflinching, this episode is a reminder that whether we’re talking about Queen Street or Tehran, politics is ultimately about consequences — and who bears them.
Cross Party Lines exists to lift political literacy and create space for calm, good-faith political conversation.
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