September 19: There's only been one major story of the campaign today, and its for an event that hasn't happened yet. NZ Herald political editor Claire Trevett joins Georgina to discuss what to expect from the first televised debate tonight, and how important it could be for the respective campaigns. Host: Georgina Campbell Producer: Ethan Sills See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
An 18-year-old Canterbury woman has died after the car she was riding in crashed while fleeing police. The accident came after police had arrived at the scene of an illegal street racing meetup in Fernside early on Sunday morning. While it has been some time since boy racers have made national headlines, there has been a resurgence in the street racing community in Christchurch after dying down over Covid. This latest tragedy further highlights the difficulty politicians and police have faced ov...
September 18th: It was a quiet weekend for most of the political parties, except for Act, who had their campaign launch hijacked by Freedoms NZ. NZ Herald's Adam Pearse joins Georgina to recap those events. And to today's news, resurfaced comments about fluoride from a National candidate put the pressure on Luxon today, while Labour focused on solar panels. Host: Georgina Campbell Producer: Ethan Sills See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Back in 2020 during our last election campaign, Covid-19 was the top focus for politicians as Jacinda Ardern and Judith Collins argued that their party was in the best position to get us through the pandemic. Three years on and the coronavirus is no longer on the agenda, with the Labour Government removing all restrictions and precautions last month and firmly placing the response in the past. But as candidates out on the election campaign trail argue over how to best improve our healthcare syst...
September 15th: Two debates - the ASB Great Debate and a rural issues debate - drew huge interest last night. Queenstown-based Herald reporter Derek Cheng and debate moderator Heather du Plessis-Allan join the podcast today to give their thoughts on how they turned out. Plus, a slew of new policy promises from National, Labour and Act, one politician promises to resign if a policy doesn't pan out, and a shocking death threat on the campaign. Host: Hamish Fletcher Producer: Ethan Sills Editor: Sh...
Famed filmmakers Sir Peter Jackson and Dame Fran Walsh have been quietly expanding their land empire, spending hundreds of millions of dollars on properties across Wellington and Queenstown. Their recent purchase of land in Wellington’s Shelly Bay has seen a long-mooted new housing development scrapped, with the couple planning to return much of the land to nature. As much of the country grapples with a housing crisis, some critics have questioned why Jackson and Walsh have built up $350 million...
September 14th: Three economists have come out against National's foreign buyer tax plan, saying it is 'beyond comprehension' with the possibility of creating a $2 billion hole in their tax plans. So why won't the party release their workings for it, and will it damage them in the polls? NZ Herald deputy political editor Thomas Coughlan joins Georgina to provide his analysis. Plus, National targets farmers, Chris Hipkins heads to the West Coast, and a climate change debate gets tense. Host: Geor...
After relentless downpours across the North Island for most of the year, the weather in Aotearoa is about to take a rapid turn. Meteorologists are predicting that we will soon see El Niño conditions take hold, bringing warm, dry weather. But those rejoicing about the prospect of a hot summer might want to put the cork in the champagne and reflect on what this actually means. So what’s headed our way, and what all-time records are likely to be broken this summer? Could dry conditions lead to envi...
September 13th: We're over a week into the election campaign, and the steady stream of policy announcements from the major parties is becoming more of a trickle, as parties hone in on their key pledges they hope will woo voters in their direction. However, Labour and Act found new policies to announce today, while National is still being grilled on their tax plans. And as eyes turn towards the debates, are the Chrises ready to face off? Hosted by Hamish Fletcher Produced by Ethan Sills Edited by...
Morocco has suffered its worst earthquake in six decades. Ancient buildings have been destroyed and key transport routes through the Atlas Mountains have been completely cut off since the initial violent shakes at the end of last week. Close to 3,000 have already been confirmed as having lost their lives, with the death toll rising every day as more people are pulled from the rubble. Previous earthquakes in Morocco killed 15,000 people in 1960, and over 500 in 2004. This time around many are sti...
September 12th: It was all about the PREFU - Pre-election Economic and Fiscal Update - today, which arrived with some good news and big warnings. Georgina is joined by NZ Herald Wellington business editor Jenee Tibshraeny to discuss what the fiscal forecasts shows. Plus, Adam Pearse details a weird moment on the campaign between National and the Taxpayers Union. Host: Georgina Campbell Producer: Ethan Sills Editor: Shaun D Wilson See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Cancer is a diagnosis no one wants to receive, but approximately 25,000 Kiwis will hear that bad news every year. Making those numbers even worse is the fact that our public health system doesn’t always go as far as it could to help those afflicted by our biggest killer. Just this week, a Rotorua man told the Herald about having to spend more than $100,000 over the last two years in his fight against bowel cancer. What are the root causes that allow this to happen? And why does Australia seem to...
September 11th: A lot can change in a few days during an election campaign. A rough interview has seen Christopher Luxon take a hit as National's financial policy continues to face scrutiny, while Chris Hipkins enjoys a bounce back after a week of tough questions. Hamish is joined today by deputy political editor Thomas Coughlan to discuss the weekend in policy announcements and performances. Hosted by Hamish Fletcher Produced by Ethan Sills Edited by Shaun D. Wilson For more Election 2023 cover...
Change is needed. According to an independent panel commissioned by the Government, our electoral system is due for some updates. Included in the wide-ranging report are suggestions on the voting age, party donations, election thresholds, and the rules on who should and shouldn’t be allowed to vote. This task has not been undertaken lightly, with any changes needing to ensure that the foundations of our democracy are as strong as they can be. But do any of these suggested changes have any chance...
A scheme introduced by the Government last year meant to end the abuse and exploitation of migrants instead seems to have done quite the opposite. Multiple stories have emerged in recent weeks about migrants, brought here under the Accredited Employer Work Visa, ending up crammed in their dozens inside unsanitary houses, with many now facing eviction with nowhere to go. So how is ir that this one visa change could spark dozens of investigations, and what needs to be done to fix this blooming sca...
The 2023 Rugby World Cup is kicking off this week in France. It marks a big moment not just for the All Blacks, looking to reclaim the world title as well as recover after a rough 2022, but for the sport globally as it looks to grow its international presence. It could make for an interesting tournament, with the draw limiting how many of the top five countries could make this years final match. So which teams could cause an upset, and how will the All Blacks perform after their up and down year...
It's the case that has all of New Zealand scratching their heads. Marokopa resident Tom Phillips and his three children have been missing since January 2022. While Police are still on the hunt for the four, the latest development involves a bank heist with people being shot at in Te Kuiti. To discuss the many bizarre twists in this neverending case, Damien is joined on The Front Page by Newstalk ZB senior reporter Chelsea Daniels. Follow The Front Page on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or ...
Gabon has become the latest African nation to see its leadership overthrown in a coup d’etat in recent years. Minutes after the ailing President Ali Bongo claimed victory in a disputed election last week, military leaders took to national television to announce that the nation was under new management. This is the eighth coup on the African continent since 2020, and comes just weeks after Niger’s government fell in similar circumstances, while military conflict is ongoing in Sudan. So why does t...
SkyCity Entertainment Group could soon have the operator license for their three casinos suspended if the Department of Internal Affairs has its way. It all stems from a complaint related to just a single customer, but this move has already had a huge impact on their share price – and, if the suspension goes ahead, it could be even more damaging. So how unprecedented is this move, and how does it add to woes the company is already facing after troubles in Australia? Today on The Front Page, we’r...
This week marks one year since the passing of Queen Elizabeth II. It also marks a year since the ascension of King Charles III from a lifetime of waiting, into the role he was born to inherit. So how has the last year been for the royals, will the closeness between family members we saw last September return, or have those old wounds reopened beyond repair? Today on The Front Page, Damien is joined by NZ Herald lifestyle editor Jenni Mortimer to hear the latest on the royal family. Follow The Fr...
A years-long dispute between two pensioners and an Auckland property developer reignited over the weekend. Owen and Jane Hayward claim they have trespassed from the surrounding businesses of their Ōrākei apartment for their refusal to sell to property developer Kerry Knight – but Knight says he’s the one being harassed by the octogenarians. Warring neighbours may have been perfect reality TV fodder back in the day, but as more developers seek to make the most of new zoning laws, how can these af...
Day by day climate change is having a clearer and clearer impact on us and the world we live in. While we’re reaching the end of a frosty winter here in New Zealand, July 2023 was the hottest month ever recorded, as heat waves spread across the Northern Hemisphere. Closer to home, wildfires have caused devastation on the Hawaiian island of Maui after being fuelled by cyclonic winds. The Government has recently announced plans to try and make Aotearoa the first country to have 100 percent renewab...
As Parliament wraps up its final sitting week of the term, will next Friday it will formally dissolve as the Governor-General of New Zealand triggers the course of events that lead to the next election. But as politicians prepare their final speeches of the 53rd Parliament, they are already deep in campaign mode, with the rhetoric between the major parties heating up in recent days. So with coalition deals already being fleshed out in public, and fiscal promises and swing voter friendly policies...
It has been 10 years since the collapse of construction company Mainzeal, and for much of that decade the company’s directors have been embroiled in a legal battle between them and creditors over how it went down. That finally ended last week, with the Supreme Court ordering the directors, including former Prime Minister Jenny Shipley, to pay out nearly $40 million. So how did Mainzeal come to this – and what does this mean long-term for company directors, who may now find themselves in difficul...
The centrepiece of our fashion industry is back after four long years away. New Zealand Fashion Week returns with a brand new te reo name; Kahuria, which means to cloak or adorn. The event’s new owners will be hoping to present a refreshed major cultural event after close to half a decade in the darkness. So, what looks will be on display? How is the garment industry coming to terms with concerns around fast fashion, consumerism, and the cost-of-living crisis? And can the smorgasbord of creativi...
Nobody expects their relationship to spill into a long Family Court dispute, but thousands in Aotearoa resort to this measure every year. The experience can be brutal for those involved, with the proceedings often being compared to warfare between people who once loved each other. The impact is particularly harsh on children, who could face years of watching their parents embroiled in bitter disputes with antagonism just growing stronger over time. NZ Herald senior writer Jane Phare has spent mo...
Warning: This episode of The Front Page contains extensive discussion of sexual assault. Danny and Roberto Jaz are now known as two of Aotearoa's most notorious criminals. In 2022, after years of name suppression, the brothers were unmasked as the Mama Hooch rapists. They have 69 charges between them for their crimes against a number of victims who will return to court over the next two days as the brothers are sentenced. But who exactly are these criminal brothers and how did they get caught? T...
Mortgage rates and house prices are two of our favourite topics of conversation in New Zealand, and they are making for grim discussions at the moment. Particularly for those Kiwis who are about to refix their mortgage rate for the first time since the economy really took a turn for the worse. So what’s the best option for those looking to or having to change their rate in the middle of these high interest rates, and is our property fixation about to send jolts through the economy? Today on The ...
Thirteen minutes of extra time would have felt like a lifetime to Spanish supporters on Sunday night, but the FiFA Women’s World Cup has finally ended with a new champion. This tournament, which had expanded to 32 teams, served up all shocks, giant slayings and silky skills one would expect from the best football players in the world. Packed stadiums in both Aotearoa and Australia also put to bed once and for all the long-held notion that people just aren’t interested in women’s sport. But this ...
The modern gambler sits among us. They’re on the sofa in our living room, they’re at our work lunches and they’re the distracted friend at the evening out. Gamblers are no longer relegated to the dark corners of the pokies. With the power of their mobile phone, they can bet no matter where they are. Relentless advertising from the gaming industry offers deals and promotions, encouraging viewers to place bets on everything from online poker to Football World Cup matches. But some countries are no...
