From celery-juice cleanses to infomercial ab-busting gadgets, society has always been on a diet. It’s a global, multi-billion-dollar powerhouse industry. The latest trend that you would have heard about are GLP1s, or weight-loss injections. Pharmac is seeking advice on whether they should be funded for certain people. Australia’s committed to it for certain patients, taking the cost down to about $29 per script. A drug like Wegovy for instance, costs about $460 per script in New Zealand. But, ar...
Jan 25, 2026•22 min
The Reserve Bank has revealed that the annual inflation rate for 2025 was 3.1%. It puts the inflation rate outside the bank’s target band of 1 to 3%. While it’s slowed sinificantly since the most recent peak of 7.3% in the June 2022 quarter, it has risen every quarter since December 2024. And while economist expect it to sit around 3 or 3.1% -- the Reserve Bank’s November prediction had it at 2.7%. But, what does it all mean? And are dreams of a quick fix in 2026 in the rear view mirror? Today o...
Jan 23, 2026•20 min
A Christchurch woman told friends she was dying of cancer. They grieved and gave thousands to help her. But then, the unthinkable happened. It was all a farce. Nicola Flint is accused of forging medical letters and defrauding a rugby club of more than $100,000. Today on The Front Page, senior crime reporter and host of A Moment in Crime, Anna Leask, has been diving into this case with a special two part series on Flint’s diagnosis deception. She joins us now. Follow The Front Page on iHeartRadio...
Jan 22, 2026•16 min
Australia’s Parliament has been called back two weeks early to push through new gun and hate speech legislation in the wake of the Bondi Attack. The recommendations are reminiscent of those made by the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the March 15 terror attack in Christchurch. Since 2021, successive governments have begun, paused, then stopped all policy and legislative work on hate speech. So, where do our hate speech laws sit today? Are they good enough? Or should we follow Australia’s lead a...
Jan 21, 2026•25 min
It’s all rain and no shine this week across the country. Warm, tropical air sitting north of New Zealand has brought with it thunderstorms and rain warnings for Northland, Auckland, Great Barrier Island and the Coromandel Peninsula. Crews have already been working on clearing slips along State Highway 2, between Ōpōtiki and Gisborne. So, what is the outlook for this week? And when will Mother Nature give us all a break? Today on The Front Page, Niwa principal scientist, Chris Brandolino is with ...
Jan 20, 2026•18 min
European leaders are baffled, as Trump digs his heels in over Greenland. The US President has threatened to impose tariffs on eight allies who remain opposed to his potential takeover of the Danish territory. A10% levy will kick in on February 1, possibly rising to 25% on June 1 – affecting Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, Finland, the Netherlands and the UK. Trump has said the import taxes will remain in place until "such time as a Deal is reached for the Complete and Total purchase of...
Jan 19, 2026•17 min
Last year ended with a promise of the largest economic reform in a generation. It's when the Government unveiled its radical overhaul of resource management laws, which aims to cut the number of consents currently required by 40 to 50%. Led by RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop, the move will see the decades-old RMA replaced with two laws – one focused on planning, and the other on environment protection. They’re due to be passed by the end of this year, and operational by 2029. But what does it a...
Jan 16, 2026•23 min
All Blacks head coach Scott 'Razor' Robertson is out of the role just two years into his four-year contract. After reports of widespread frustration from players and staff and a damning internal review, questions remain – what went so wrong for Razor, what does this mean for our world cup campaign and who will have the job of cleaning up the mess? The All Blacks drama spells the beginning of a huge year for sport. 2026 sees hopes of a record medal haul for New Zealand at the Winter Olympics, and...
Jan 15, 2026•20 min
From takeovers and sales to mergers and disputes, 2026 is lining up to be quite the year for the media world. We might just start seeing some of the biggest changes in New Zealand media ownership in decades – well, that’s according to the Herald’s Media Insider Shayne Currie. Last year, Currie predicted that at least one major media platform would close, a very high-profile TV broadcaster would leave their position, and that an “interesting new shareholder” would emerge at NZME – all became true...
Jan 14, 2026•26 min
New Zealand politics kicks off this year under the shadow of a looming general election. From a continued cost of living crisis and economic recovery to Treaty debates and tensions between coalition partners, this year will see a mixed bag from the Beehive. It comes off the back of a major push for economic growth in 2025, with RMA reform and fast-track approvals dominated headlines. But, will all that pay off? Today on The Front Page, we dive into where each party stands, what they’ve announced...
Jan 13, 2026•19 min
A major online security breach has raised questions about how safe our private information is online. Manage My Health’s health portal systems were compromised over the New Year, putting the data of over 120,000 users at risk. We check in with internet security expert, Blackveil’s Adam Burns, who immediately identified flaws in the website – which isn’t unusual for Kiwi domains. But first on The Front Page, NZ Herald senior reporter David Fisher has been following the breach, and will break down...
Jan 12, 2026•25 min
Mark Mitchell has heralded the government’s promise to be tough on crime. He’s been incredibly clear from the get-go that his primary goal is to make New Zealand an uncomfortable place for gangs to operate. He holds five portfolios: Police, Corrections, Emergency Management and Recovery, Ethnic Communities, and Sports and Recreation. So, how does an MP with so many hats feel about how his government has tackled the big issues? Today on The Front Page, Mitchell joins us to talk cops, corrections,...
Jan 08, 2026•20 min
Act Party leader David Seymour will become New Zealand’s deputy prime minister tomorrow, taking over from Winston Peters. He will be the 19th person to be the country’s second in command. First elected to Parliament in 2014 – the last decade and a bit has seen Seymour’s meteoric rise from being his party’s sole MP to now sitting alongside 10 colleagues after Act’s best ever result in the 2023 election. That result has allowed him to push through big changes around issues like regulation and gove...
Jan 07, 2026•20 min
From entering Parliament in 2008 – to leading the country in 2023 – Chris Hipkins is no stranger to the spotlight. During Covid’s beginnings, he was known as a safe set of hands, tackling Education, Health, and becoming the Minister in charge of the Covid Response for a time. Now, he’s firmly setting his sights on election 2026 – but, is he confident he’ll still be in Labour’s driving seat when it rolls around? Today on The Front Page, Hipkins joins us to discuss the cost of living, vibes in par...
Jan 06, 2026•27 min
A self-described “Prince of the Provinces” - there are few politicians like Shane Jones. He’s Minister of Oceans and Fisheries, Regional Development, and Resources -- and has been in the spotlight recently for spearheading a restart and expansion of oil and gas in New Zealand. Over the years he’s face criticism for his close relationships with industry leaders OVER the environment. Comments like “Goodbye Freddy” when talking about if an endangered frog stood in the way of mining construction pro...
Jan 05, 2026•23 min
Should the ultra-wealthy pay more tax? It’s a debate that’s continued for decades, even centuries. From Ancient Athens to present day, the idea has been a constant when it comes to addressing inequality. Yet, no government has been brave enough to impose one. It’s a staple of the Green Party’s proposed Budget, which promises bold moves to make sure everyone has a warm home, decent kai, and the care and support for a good life. But who pays? And is leaning even more left than centre doing wonders...
Jan 04, 2026•21 min
In the early hours of Monday morning, a man police were hunting for nearly four years was shot and killed in a stand-off on a rural Waikato road. That man was Tom Phillips, who in December 2021 vanished into the Marokopa bush with his three children, Jayda, Maverick, and Ember. There have been numerous sightings over the years of the fugitive father - the last was in August when he and another person believed to be one of his children, were seen on CCTV breaking into a Piopio superette. The Fron...
Dec 31, 2025•16 min
It was February 19, 2013. Maree Schafer was excited to start a hairdressing course at the Eastern Institute of Technology the next day. That night, three cars - a silver Holden Commodore, a blue Ford Falcon, and a grey Nissan Skyline were street racing near Napier. The Commodore continued through an intersection, going well over 180km/hour, when the driver lost control, slid sideways across the road, and crashed into a tree. There were three occupants in that car. One was 18-year-old Maree. She ...
Dec 30, 2025•19 min
French exchange student, Eloi Rolland, was last seen five years ago, today. The then-18-year-old's disappearance has baffled authorities ever since... Was it a murder, kidnapping, an accident, did he get lost in the bush, commit suicide or plan an escape. Is he still alive, does he want to be found? He searches Google Maps for directions to Piha about 5am the morning he vanished. He catches a train. He walks for nearly two hours. He turned on to Piha Road at 9.16am. At 9.48 the battery on his ph...
Dec 29, 2025•16 min
New Zealanders will finally get to experience the labyrinth that is an IKEA store from December 4. The new Sylvia Park site in Auckland is one of the company’s largest in the Southern Hemisphere – about the size of three rugby fields. There’ll be thousands of products available online and in store, and yes, they will be serving up their famous Swedish meatballs in a 426-seat cafeteria. So, why do we get so excited about international brands setting up on our shores? And, is there enough appetite...
Dec 26, 2025•19 min
The mistlestoe's hung, the bells are a'ringing And all through the malls Mariah Carey is singing It's the same old story, told year after year Of Santa and reindeer and widespread good cheer But look a bit closer, and you might see a crack In the stronghold St Nick has had since way back Where once stood a hero, red coat and beard white A sack on his sleigh promising Christmas delight Now stands a figure, towering six foot two tall With a coat of green fur, heart two sizes too small The Grinch w...
Dec 25, 2025•20 min
Marsden Point operated as New Zealand’s only oil refinery for nearly 60 years. At its peak in the 80s, it employed around 1700 people – when it was closed in 2022, nearly 240 lost their jobs. Run by Channel Infrastructure, the site now operates as NZ’s largest fuels import terminal storing and distributing 40% of the country’s fuel. In recent weeks, a slew of Ministers have visited the site, with NZ First in particular floating the idea of introducing our first Special Economic Zone to help pump...
Dec 24, 2025•29 min
Is New Zealand’s largest city dying? Auckland is home to roughly a third of the entire country’s population and is predicted to grow even bigger in the coming years. The City of Sails is, by far, the largest contributor to New Zealand’s economic output, generating about 40% of GDP. But, walk down many of the inner-city streets, and you’ll see vacant lots – with a lot of potential. Today on The Front Page, NZ Herald property editor, Anne Gibson is with us to discuss what can be done to get develo...
Dec 23, 2025•19 min
The coalition Government has unveiled its second Budget. Over 20 billion dollars in savings has been found over the next four years, more than half from controversial changes to our pay equity scheme. There are changes to KiwiSaver contributions, means testing for support for parents, and a major new tax incentive for businesses. Finance Minister Nicola Willis said that it is a “responsible budget”, while Labour has called it an ‘austerity budget’ that leaves women out and is stealing from our k...
Dec 22, 2025•19 min
You might look on Facebook marketplace for a new couch, a lamp, a rug. But, what about class A drugs? Or how about a ghost gun? A Herald investigation has revealed at least 56 listings were circulating on the site offering magic mushrooms, cannabis, and in one case LSD across the North Island and top of the south. And that could just be the tip of the iceberg of illicit sales on social media. So how do we get on top of this? NZ Herald senior investigative reporter Michael Morrah has been looking...
Dec 19, 2025•16 min
It’s been revealed that Police ignored sex allegations against a former top cop, and instead prosecuted a woman for ‘revenge emails’. The woman had emailed police, politicians, and newsrooms accusing former deputy police commissioner Jevon McSkimming of being a sexual predator. The police watchdog has released a scathing 135-page report into how the allegations were treated, and how the “ambitions of a senior police officer were put above the interests of a vulnerable woman”. Police Commissioner...
Dec 18, 2025•23 min
The Corrections Association says New Zealand’s prisons are in ‘crisis’. Last year saw record-breaking numbers of assaults on staff, almost double what they were just seven years ago. There were also more than 15-hundred prisoner-on-prisoner attacks - the highest annual figure on record. All of this comes with overcrowding, tight budgets, and a growing gang and meth problem. Today on The Front Page, NZ Herald senior reporter, Derek Cheng, is with us to dive into the numbers. Follow The Front Page...
Dec 17, 2025•15 min
There are more than 9,000 gang members in New Zealand, and thousands more associates. The coalition government from the get-go promised a crackdown on gangs – they've banned gang insignia in public, handed police greater powers, and created laws to disrupt get-togethers. But, is that all enough? Jared Savage has been a journalist at the NZ Herald for about 20 years, with a focus on organised crime. His latest book, Underworld, is the third in a series of he’s released since 2020 – and the latest...
Dec 16, 2025•24 min
A dark day in Australia, as two gunmen opened fire at a Bondi Beach Jewish event marking the first day of Hannukah. Sixteen people are dead, including one of the assailants. Police have confirmed there were two offenders and they aren’t looking for anyone else. One of them, a 50-year-old man, is dead, and a second, a 24-year-old man, is in critical but stable condition. They were a father and son. There were dozens of people in NSW hospitals overnight, from the ages of 10 to 87. New South Wales ...
Dec 14, 2025•10 min
From geopolitical friction and climate chaos to a cost-of-living crisis and a haka heard around the world, 2025 has been a huge year for news. Trump’s return sparked trade wars, artificial intelligence is getting, well, more intelligent, and we’re rounding out the year with no end in sight for wars in Ukraine and Gaza. At home, Treaty principles were again put under the microscope, a huge blow for the New Zealand Police, and an end to a devastating saga in Marokopa. All of that mixed with a TikT...
Dec 12, 2025•32 min
