
Q+A 29 March 2026: NZ’s foreign policy response to Iran falling short: Labour
4 snips
Mar 28, 2026 Vanushi Walters, an Oxford-educated human rights lawyer and Labour foreign affairs spokesperson, critiques New Zealand’s recent Iran response and defends principled international law. Min-Kyu Jung, a Kiwi ex-lawyer turned Silicon Valley AI founder, talks about building legal AI and scaling abroad. Mike Casey, a cherry farmer and Rewiring Aotearoa CEO, pushes electrification amid fuel shocks. Feletti Teo, Prime Minister of Tuvalu, stresses climate threats and ties with Taiwan.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Chair Policies To Grow Secondhand EV Supply Quickly
- Target policies that accelerate fleet turnover and second-hand EV supply to widen access.
- Casey suggests removing FPT on EV novated leases and using accelerated depreciation so nurses and teachers can access EVs affordably.
Off-Peak Charging Lets EVs Scale Before Big Grid Upgrades
- The grid has unused capacity and most EV charging happens at home off-peak, so near-term EV uptake won't immediately break transmission.
- Casey notes poles and wires run at ~40% utilisation and 85% of EV charging occurs at home.
Finance Electrification Through Long-Term Low Interest Loans
- Use long-term low-interest finance for household electrification to overcome upfront cost barriers.
- Casey promotes a Ratepayer Assistance Scheme where savings from electrification pay loan repayments and yield $1,000–$2,000 annual savings.

