The Detail

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Episodes

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Episodes

Fresh blood for our donor service

Around 10,000 new donors could flood into the New Zealand Blood Service after a long-standing restriction is lifted. But if another ban is re-visited that number could rise further As our blood service lifts a restriction that could see an influx of thousands of new donors, it's being urged to have a look at another aspect of its rules that would change things for the gay community. The New Zealand Blood Service has made changes that could bring another 10,000 donors to its doors, but it&#x...

Feb 07, 2024•20 min•Ep 977•Transcript available on Metacast

Democracy in danger when lies go unchecked

When politicians fail to call out a lie by one of their own, it can have a dampening effect on democracy Calling out disinformation is becoming increasingly difficult as it reverberates on social media. That's enough of a problem, but when faulty public perceptions are used to formulate government policy, democracy is in trouble. Politicians and journalists have always had a combative relationship ... but blaming the media for everything now seems to be a national pastime. The rise, rise an...

Feb 06, 2024•23 min•Ep 976•Transcript available on Metacast

Our Search and Rescue heroes

When the text comes, these volunteers down tools to help strangers in their hour of need. But their numbers are shrinking. Search and Rescue operations are not for the faint-hearted. We talk to the 'good bastards' who get out of a warm bed on a cold night to go in search of perfect strangers It took 11 people searching in the dark, dodging streams that had turned to torrents to find a couple who were lost among the alpine cliffs of Mt Ruapehu last week. Wet and exhausted, the two were ...

Feb 04, 2024•23 min•Ep 975•Transcript available on Metacast

Temu is hard sell on steroids

It's spending billions on advertising and draws shoppers in with its questionable tactics. But how can you resist Temu when it's so cheap? Criticism of Temu ranges from data mining to rampant waste production to potentially forced labour use, but that hasn't stopped it becoming the world's fastest growing online retailer in just 18 months. This story has been updated to reflect a reply we have received from Temu. It has been accused of using slave labour, selling customers' person...

Feb 01, 2024•22 min•Ep 974•Transcript available on Metacast

The electric revolution, with or without discounts

Government levers to increase electric car ownership have worked, and now EVs have a toe in the market it looks like even higher user charges won't stop them There's no turning back when it comes to electric vehicles, even without the clean car discount that lured buyers, and new road user costs Being able to start your car from miles away with an app on your phone, voice commands and of course cutting that carbon. Electric vehicles may be the way to a more climate friendly future, but ther...

Jan 31, 2024•24 min•Ep 973•Transcript available on Metacast

The Treaty of Waitangi - articles, principles, changes

There's growing fear and anger from Māori over moves by the coalition government to revisit the rules around the Treaty of Waitangi. Re-visiting the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi would have wide-ranging effects on all sorts of legislation, but even if that doesn't happen, the debate around it is having wide-ranging effects on Māori. "Te tiriti o Waitangi is sacrosanct!" "There's no question about this; this is an attempt to abolish the Treaty of Waitangi." &q...

Jan 30, 2024•23 min•Ep 972•Transcript available on Metacast

A young person's place is in the House

Young politicians around the world are disproving the adage that wisdom comes with age. A fresh perspective? Or a frightening lack of experience? A mentor and her mentee talk about what they brought to politics at the age of 23. All around the world, newly elected politicians are pushing against the idea that wisdom only comes with age. In France, the country's youngest ever president has appointed its youngest ever prime minister. Add up their ages and they are still younger than the curre...

Jan 29, 2024•24 min•Ep 971•Transcript available on Metacast

Auckland's rain-soaked recurring nightmare

A year on from the devastating Auckland Anniversary Weekend storms, the evidence of them remains all over the city Auckland's landscape has changed forever after the storms that hit a year ago - and residents dealing with slips are still living a nightmare. Every night Aleysha Knowles and her son go off to bedrooms she's been warned are too dangerous to sleep in. She keeps a close eye on the cracks in the walls but experts have told her she's safe. "The worst that will ever, ...

Jan 28, 2024•23 min•Ep 970•Transcript available on Metacast

The Year in Detail

The Detail's co-hosts Sharon Brettkelly and Tom Kitchin, and producer Alexia Russell, roll through the highlights of nearly 300 podcasts and long reads in 2023 It's the end of the year for The Detail. In our last podcast for 2023 we look back on the highs and lows Hanging off the edge of a cliff in a storm; the first shocking sight of Esk Valley after the cyclone; the never-ending world of conspiracies; the Israel Hamas conflict ... In 2023, over nearly 300 episodes, The Detail has covered ...

Dec 14, 2023•25 min•Ep 969•Transcript available on Metacast

The Christmas display elves of Queen St

Every Christmas Auckland's big department store creates joy and delight for children in Queen St. We meet the people behind the displays. Thousands of hours of work goes into creating Smith and Caughey's Christmas window displays every year. When mesmerised Christmas crowds stare into the windows of Smith and Caughey's department store on Auckland's Queen Street they have no idea of the thousands of hours of toil and talent that have gone into the hand-made puppets, not to mention...

Dec 13, 2023•20 min•Ep 968•Transcript available on Metacast

A crossroads for netball

As Netball in New Zealand gears up to mark its centenary, strong headwinds are appearing on the horizon. Not a crisis, but a crossroads for New Zealand Netball - one that requires some bold decisions if it's going to survive another 100 years There's plenty to celebrate about the state of netball in New Zealand as it heads into its centennary year. It's still by far the top sport of women and girls with more than 350,000 participants; the Silver Ferns boast numerous world titles a...

Dec 12, 2023•24 min•Ep 967•Transcript available on Metacast

Saving South Dunedin from going under

South Dunedin is one of New Zealand's most densely populated areas but it is also one of the lowest lying. Coming up with ways to save it from repeated flooding is becoming urgent. Sixteen ideas have made the shortlist in South Dunedin's "plan for a plan" over regular flooding South Dunedin's been through the wringer - the area in Ōtepoti colloquially known as "The Flat" or "South D" has faced flood after flood - and the frequency is likely to increase as ...

Dec 11, 2023•22 min•Ep 966•Transcript available on Metacast

Sliding backwards on human rights

A 75 year old UN declaration still holds sway over New Zealand's legislation and conduct. But the Human Rights Commission sees threats around the corner. New Zealand has recognised international human rights laws since signing a UN declaration 75 years ago, but that doesn't mean we're great at upholding them. This week marks the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. But is the agreement New Zealand signed up to at the UN so long ago still relevant? And are assu...

Dec 10, 2023•24 min•Ep 965•Transcript available on Metacast

Long Read: The grief bird

By Ellen Rykers: The bittern's eerie, booming call sounds like a lament, a tangi ringing across the marshes. Now, the birds themselves are in trouble This is The Detail's Long Read - one in-depth story read by us every weekend. This week, 'The grief bird' - a story by Ellen Rykers about the conservation effort to save the Australasian bittern or matuku. You can read the full story, plus see photographs from Craig McKenzie, in the November-December issue of New Zealand Geographic m...

Dec 08, 2023•25 min•Ep 964•Transcript available on Metacast