The pre-election books are open – is Nicola Willis right to cheer?
Toby Manhire speaks to Bernard Hickey, fresh from the pre-election fiscal update lockup, to assess the state of our national accounts, and to Chris Schulz about a teaser clip for Nathan Fielder's upcoming documentary.
29 Sep 2026
More about the episode
It’s a milestone day for election 2026, with the pre-election fiscal update – Prefu, to you – staged in Wellington. Bernard Hickey emerges blinking from the lockup to assess the state of the accounts. The finance minister, Nicola Willis, has welcomed numbers showing the deficit this year and in years to come down by many billions of dollars. But how much of that is thanks to “fiscal drag”? Does it give Labour meaningful room to pursue its policies? And how likely is it really that the fiscal squabbles will be staunched?
Plus: In How Good, Chris Schulz is utterly intoxicated by Elizabeth Holmes and Nathan Fielder in the trailer for You Can See Everything.
At Large with Toby Manhire is produced by Te Aihe Butler, Bridget Mills and The Spinoff. Read more at thespinoff.co.nz.
