In Episode 30 of The Good Oil Podcast I sat down with a man who has become a lightning rod in Māori circles. Known online as Shubz, he has built a large following by doing something that apparently enrages a certain class of activist — telling the truth about how millions of dollars meant for Māori communities never seem to reach the people who need it.
Cam sits down with the man causing absolute chaos in Māori social media circles — the guy they call Shubz.
After years of watching his people get failed by the very organisations claiming to represent them, Shubz decided enough was enough. What started as live streams on TikTok has turned into a full-frontal assault on iwi elites, unaccountable millions in Treaty settlements, and the “you’re not Māori enough” gatekeeping that shuts down anyone who steps out of line.
In this wide-ranging conversation they cover:
- His grandmother’s influence and growing up around politics
- Why so many Māori are still conditioned to believe Labour is the only option
- The “waste of Māori blood” attack on Winston Peters and what it really reveals
- The disconnect between the loud activist class and ordinary Māori on the ground
- How Alfred Ngaro’s story convinced him National wasn’t the enemy he’d been told
00:00 – Welcome & Cigar Review (Perdomo Legacy Connecticut Grand Belicoso)
03:40 – Introducing Shubz
06:30 – How Shubz went from live streamer to poking the Māori elite
11:20 – “You’ve come out of nowhere and caused a fair bit of ruckus”
15:50 – Growing up around politics, seeing the hypocrisy first-hand
22:10 – Grandmother’s influence and standing up for the people
28:40 – The “waste of Māori blood” comment to Winston Peters
34:50 – Alfred Ngaro’s story and being told he was “in the wrong party”
41:30 – Why Labour is still pushed as the only option for Māori
48:15 – Iwi elites, funding that never filters down, and real injustice
55:40 – The disconnect between activist class and ordinary Māori
1:02:00 – Final thoughts and where this goes from here