September 22: Four of the minor party leaders faced off in their first televised debate of the campaign. NZ Herald senior writer Simon Wilson was there and joined Georgina for a rundown of how it all went, and which leader emerged victorious. Plus, Labour and National recommit to free lunches and the economy, Act wants to reverse an over-the-counter drug ban, and more accusations of MPs bullying staffers. Host: Georgina Campbell Producer: Ethan Sills See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy infor...
Sep 22, 2023•16 min
Auckland Airport has hit another bottle neck. Thousands are facing delays and long queues after having to cram into the airport in order to take to the sky during the school holidays. The frustrations are hitting boiling point, with Herald readers calling the airport an “absolute zoo” and questioning how it is that our largest airport can struggle so much. It comes at a time when travellers are already struggling with persistently high airfares. What’s behind these delays? And are there any plan...
Sep 21, 2023•12 min
September 21: Positive economic news released today was interpreted very differently by Labour and National, while Act released their slightly complex alternative budget. New policy promises target foreign students and hospitals, while deputy political editor Thomas Coughlan joins to discuss "one of the most serious claims made on the campaign" around petrol prices and the cost of carbon. Host: Georgina Campbell Producer: Ethan Sills See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Sep 21, 2023•14 min
We are in the thick of the election campaign, but it almost doesn’t matter what policies are being announced – everyone's eyes are on the cost of living. With many households struggling and job cuts and restructuring now being felt, these concerns about our economic prospects are only now getting worse. But what does the latest data show about the state of our economy, are there any positives on the horizon, and what could be the headaches for the winner in October’s election? Today, NZ Herald b...
Sep 20, 2023•18 min
September 20th: NZ Herald editor at large Shayne Currie joins Georgina to recap and review the first televised leaders debate, and declares an unexpected true winner from the event. Plus, Act announces their education policy, there are some Government announcements, and Christopher Luxon milks a goat. Host: Georgina Campbell Producer: Ethan Sills See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Sep 20, 2023•15 min
There’s a consensus across party lines that Aotearoa must forge a better relationship with India. Both Labour and National are vowing to organise business delegations and make trade deals with the world’s most populous country. Chris Hipkins has promised that should he be reinstated as PM he will send a prime ministerial delegation to India within his first one hundred days in office. This comes at a time when India’s Hindu nationalist government is asserting its presence on the world stage, but...
Sep 19, 2023•16 min
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.
Sep 19, 2023•10 min
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...
Sep 18, 2023•15 min
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....
Sep 18, 2023•18 min
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...
Sep 17, 2023•21 min
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...
Sep 15, 2023•16 min
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...
Sep 14, 2023•15 min
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...
Sep 14, 2023•15 min
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...
Sep 13, 2023•19 min
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...
Sep 13, 2023•8 min
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...
Sep 12, 2023•13 min
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....
Sep 12, 2023•16 min
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...
Sep 11, 2023•17 min
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...
Sep 11, 2023•15 min
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...
Sep 10, 2023•20 min
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...
Sep 07, 2023•15 min
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...
Sep 06, 2023•19 min
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 ...
Sep 06, 2023•9 min
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...
Sep 05, 2023•20 min
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...
Sep 04, 2023•16 min
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...
Sep 03, 2023•20 min
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...
Aug 31, 2023•14 min
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...
Aug 30, 2023•15 min
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...
Aug 29, 2023•16 min
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...
Aug 28, 2023•18 min
