Craig Renney on Different Matters, deficits and The Good Economy

Craig Renney is a New Zealand economist and politician. He is the Labour Party candidate in Wellington Bays for the 2026 New Zealand general election. In his recenty published book, The Good Economy, Renney asks what kind of economy we want – and who it should serve. Through an analysis and the vo…

Julie Glamuzina on Different Matters, Hjilmar Dannevill, Lies and Spies

Julie Glamuzina is the author of Perfectly Natural, Out Front: Lesbian Political Activity in Aotearoa 1962-85, and co-author of Parker and Hulme: A Lesbian View. She has also written for the Dictionary of New Zealand Biography, Women Together, and Spiral magazine. In 2021 she published Lies and Spi…

Daniel Kalderimis on Different Matters, Zest, depression and Philosophy

Daniel is a leading barrister who lives with his family in Wellington. He has lived in New York and London, taught at Columbio University, and practises internationally. With degrees in law, English and philosophy, he has always been interested in unravelling the layers of meaning behind ordinary …

Nevil Gibson on Different Mattters, the business of Ron Brierley

Freelance writer and editor Nevil Gibson has been a journalist since 1968, including in the positions of Managing Editor and Editor-in-Chief at the National Business Review, for which he now reviews books. Following a review of Ron Brierly's book, The History of Brierley Investments Ltd, 1961- 202…

Sarah McLaughlin on Different Matters and Authoritarians in the Academy

Sarah McLaughlin is Senior Scholar, Global Expression at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression. She studies the relationship between authoritarianism, free nations, and global censorship. She recently published a book about transnational repression in higher education, titled Authori…

Dr Hartwich on Different Matters, world order, risks to democracy & Donald Trump's role in it.

Oliver is the Executive Director of The New Zealand Initiative. Before joining the Initiative, he was a Research Fellow at the Centre for Independent Studies in Sydney, the Chief Economist at the Policy Exchange in London, and an advisor in the UK House of Lords. In this episode, Dr Hartwich and D…

Dr Matthew Hooten on Different Matters, conservatism, its principles and conservatists in government

Matthew Hooton is a respected centre-right commentator on New Zealand politics and its political economy, including as one of the best-read weekly columnists for the New Zealand Herald. He recently completed his PhD in Philosophy at the University of Auckland on the topic is “Groundwork & Principl…

David Cohen on Different Matters, Jacinda and The Untold Stories

David Cohen is a Wellington writer and the author of eight books. In 2025 he released his political biography, Jacinda: The Untold Stories, co-authored by Rebecca Keillor, in November 2025. After Jacinda turned down Cohen's request to interview her for the book, he decided to create a platform for…

Stephen Rowe on Different Matters, liberterianism, AI in politics and AI in Porn

Stephen Rowe is full-stack digital strategist by profession, innovator by passion, and a storyteller at heart. With over a decade of experience under his belt, he has mastered the art of bridging and blending cutting-edge technology with human connection.  After graduating in 2015, he left Montan…

Helen Joyce on Different Matters, the trans movement and why it is uniquely poisonous

Helen Janeith Joyce is an Irish journalist and gender critical activist. She studied as a mathematician and worked in academia before becoming a journalist. Joyce began working for The Economist as education correspondent for its Britain section in 2005 and has since held several senior positions,…