Australia: Freebirth concerns, El Niño confirmed, & more
Australia correspondent Annika Smethurst looks at two birth tragedies that have put "freebirths" in the spotlight.
Jun 16, 2026•11 min
Nine To Noon
Smart, in-depth and relentlessly curious, host Kathryn Ryan dives into the stories shaping New Zealand and its people. Interviews and expert analysis from around the world and at home. It’s where big ideas are unpacked and everyday life explored.
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Episodes
From transient radio station to wine bar, now Wellington
Hope St Radio began as a transient online radio station in 2017, broadcasting from restaurants around Melbourne.
Jun 16, 2026•11 min
Solar-powered sensors using AI to detect wildfires
A new fire detection system in the Far North has seen see 250 solar-powered sensors installed across the Waitangi Endowment Forest.
Jun 16, 2026•14 min
Financial struggles push Playcentre to propose overhaul
Playcentre - which is a model of early childhood education where volunteer parents run centres - is proposing to remove roles adding up to 120 full time equivalent employees.
Jun 16, 2026•18 min
Sport with Sam Ackerman
All the latest from the football World Cup in North America, while Kane Williamson announces a sudden retirement from test cricket. The Hurricanes and the Chiefs blow away their oppoinents in the Super rugby semi finals - they meet this weekend in the final in Wellington.
Jun 15, 2026•14 min
Shayne P. Carter on reforming classic songs
Musician Shayne Carter is perhaps most well known for Straitjacket Fits and Dimmer. Now the Music Hall of Fame inductee has collaborated with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra on REforms - ten classic songs reformed with a full orchestra. They're performing the works as part of the Loemis Festival in Wellington this week.
Jun 15, 2026•18 min
Business commentator Rebecca Stevenson
Following its miraculous turnaround from near-collapse in the competitive US market, Wellington-founded car parts platform PartsTrader was sold to a private equity firm Mitchell for $650 million.
Jun 15, 2026•17 min
Around the motu: Jesse Archer from LakeFM in Taupō
Music festival Le Currents is expanding to two days for 2026 while Taupō is joining Harrods as home to one of the world's rarest honeys.
Jun 15, 2026•10 min
Book review: Elemental by Arthur Snell
Phil Vine reviews Elemental by Arthur Snell, published by Hachette Aotearoa New Zealand.
Jun 15, 2026•6 min
Food to help humans survive outside of earth's atmosphere
Surviving and thriving outside of earth's orbit is the aim behind Australia's Centre of Excellence for Plants in Space.
Jun 15, 2026•26 min
USA correspondent David Smith
A framework for a US-Iran peace deal has been reached to ease hostilities and reopen oil traffic.
Jun 15, 2026•11 min
How climate change is impacting young Kiwi athletes
Lead researcher Professor Holly Thorpe talks about the impact "polluted sport" is having on young people.
Jun 15, 2026•12 min
New state-of-the-art hospice funded entirely from the community
The new Nurse Maude Hospice cost around $16m to build and has eleven inpatient beds, including a dedicated paediactric suite.
Jun 15, 2026•12 min
Proportion of kaupapa Maori mental health services funded drops
A report has found Maori, Pacific Peoples, and young people are not being prioritised when it comes to accessing mental health support.
Jun 15, 2026•15 min
Off the beaten track with Libby O'Brien
Libby has dabbled in various things and is currently the Department of Conservation's operations manager for Tongariro.
Jun 14, 2026•8 min
Mediterranean chef putting soups in jars
Lara Hayes was a yacht chef in Europe, before turning to making award-winning dressings, soups and broths.
Jun 14, 2026•15 min
Political commentators Tim Hurdle and Gareth Hughes
Kathryn is joined by Gareth Hughes and Tim Hurdle to look at the week in politics.
Jun 14, 2026•24 min
Around the motu: Torika Tokalau Stuff Local Democracy reporter in Auckland
Around the motu: Torika Tokalau Stuff Local Democracy reporter in Auckland.
Jun 14, 2026•7 min
Book review: His Story by Hans B. Grueber
Gail Pittaway reviews His Story by Hans B. Grueber, published by Writes Hill Press.
Jun 14, 2026•4 min
Why Anthropic's powerful Fable AI model got pulled over the weekend
The US Administration moved this weekend to stop Anthropic's Claude Fable 5 model from being available to any non-US citizens.
Jun 14, 2026•12 min
An honest memoir detailing forced adoptions in the 60s and 70s
Even after marrying and having two further children, Barbara Docherty spent years searching for her eldest two children.
Jun 14, 2026•25 min
Europe correspondent Seamus Kearney
Europe correspondent Seamus Kearney on the upcoming G7 summit, Swiss voters rejecting a population cap, and further protests against a luxury resort in Albania.
Jun 14, 2026•9 min
Igelese Ete on 40 years of the Secondary Students Choir
Tuilagi Igelese Ete got his start in the very first New Zealand Secondary Students Choir in 1986 and now he's returning to help celebrate 40 years.
Jun 14, 2026•9 min
New documentary series What the Hell Happened at Woofingtons?
A luxury dog retreat with a mysterious background is the focus of new TVNZ+ documentary series, What the Hell Happened at Woofingtons
Jun 14, 2026•10 min
The toll of living for years in a motel to be able to get dialysis
Needing dialysis is confronting enough, but for John Jensen's burden was increased by having to live in a motel to receive treatment.
Jun 14, 2026•21 min
Sports editor Dana Johannsen
The Football World Cup is underway, Super Rugby semifinals, ANZ Premiership and fake AI and sports stars. RNZ Sport Editor Dana Johannsen
Jun 11, 2026•11 min
Friday funnies
Michele A'Court and Donna Brookbanks with the lighter side to some of the week's stories.
Jun 11, 2026•15 min
Around the motu: Ian Allen
Ian discusses a debate among Marlborough councillors over the costs of a posssible new by-law for the local appearance industry, the new Coastguard unit in Marlborough has been funded to build a rescue boat for Havelock, plus the school name change and a trek to a summit for Marlborough Boys' College students and Blenheim teams make a splash in an aquabots competition.
Jun 11, 2026•12 min
Book review: Lucky Creatures by Joseph Trinidad
Airini Beautrais reviews Lucky Creatures by Joseph Trinidad, published by Te Herenga Waka University Press.
Jun 11, 2026•4 min
Four brain surgeries, but fighting back to fighting back to run marathons
Now in remission, Nicole White is training for her second Queenstown marathon to raise awareness for Brain Tumour Support.
Jun 11, 2026•22 min
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