Thoughts & Comments
Thoughts & Comments
Thoughts & Comments brings social commentary to current issues and a faith perspective to the latest news. Hosted by Andrew Urquhart, a seasoned broadcaster with over three decades of experience, chatting with a wide range of guests and experts who bring their wisdom and insight to a huge variety of topics, including politics, psychology, societal trends, theology, geopolitical analysis, social po…
Preaching: A Dying Art In A Distracted Age?
Professor Chris Holmes of Otago University's Theology Department joins Andrew Urquhart to mark the launch of Thoughts and Comments as a live TV simulcast, discussing the true nature and purpose of Christian preaching. He defines preaching as encountering the living Word of God through Scripture by …
13:42
Civil Servants: Who's Really Running the Country?
Andrew Urquhart is joined by John Peachy from Think Farm to discuss whether New Zealand's public servants, unlike elected politicians, are held to account for poor decisions and misuse of taxpayer money. They contrast the New Zealand system, where senior civil servants often remain in place regardl…
10:27
Haiti: Where "Hope Is An Endangered Species"
Andrew Urquhart hears from Anna Hanyadi of Barnabas Aid about the escalating humanitarian catastrophe in Haiti, where gang control of much of the capital, political instability and repeated natural disasters have left over six million people needing aid and up to 250,000 children facing acute malnu…
10:02
Campaign Launches: Energy vs Incumbency
Political analyst Dr Bryce Edwards of the Democracy Project joins Andrew Urquhart to unpack the weekend's National and Labour campaign launches, noting both events felt somewhat staged given campaigning has effectively been underway for months. Dr Edwards observes a marked shift to negative, per…
11:43
Rugby, League & Why Golf Isn't Really A Sport
Host Andrew Urquhart is joined by LifeFMs Morning Wakeup Host, Sela Alo for a light-hearted romp through the weekend's sporting action. They banter about rugby versus league as a spectacle, debate whether golf and yachting even qualify as "sport", and needle Team New Zealand's national credentials.…
09:41
How To Vote Responsibly
Host Andrew Urquhart welcomes Dr Nathan McClellan from the Venn Foundation to discuss his new booklet "How to Vote Responsibly" ahead of the general election. Dr McClellan, an economist and theologian, wrote the guide for Christians - especially younger ones - who feel no party fully matches their …
17:24
"Thoughts on Politics": Escaping Tribal Voting
Host Andrew Urquhart is joined by Nick Holder, director of Shine Television's Thoughts and Comments, to preview a new five-part election series called Thoughts on Politics, launching Wednesday nights on Shine TV. Filmed with around thirty interviews from Wellington, the show mixes commentators, chu…
07:04
Turning The Other Cheek Online
Host Andrew Urquhart talks with Dave Mann of the Hope Project ([www.hopeproject.co.nz](https://www.hopeproject.co.nz)) about how Christians should respond when maligned or attacked, drawing on Nicky Hager's book on the Taxpayers' Union as a live example of public smearing and pushback. Dave arg…
09:52
Nicky Hager's "Dirty Work": Exposé Or Election Hit Job?
Political commentator Dr Bryce Edwards, director of the Democracy Project, joins Andrew Urquhart to dissect Nicky Hager's new book *Dirty Work*, which targets the Taxpayers' Union ahead of the election. Edwards contrasts it with Hager's earlier, more rigorously sourced works like *Hollow Men* and *…
13:54
Nicky Hager's "Dirty Work": Fair Critique or Fanfic?
Jillaine Heather, CEO of the Free Speech Union, responds to being named in Nicky Hager's new election-season book Dirty Work, alongside groups like the Taxpayer Union and Jordan Williams. She argues the book leans on innuendo and guilt-by-association rather than evidence, noting Hager himself conce…
12:01