The Front Page

Over the next three months, more than two million New Zealanders are set to receive a $350 payment from the Government.     That money is intended to help alleviate the cost of living crisis, and comes with no strings attached. Most people don’t have to do anything to get it.   It could have been a surefire political win, but now Labour has had to explain why New Zealanders and migrants who have l...

Imagine waking up one morning and realising the door to almost every public service was shut to you. No matter how hard you tried, you simply couldn’t get in.    That’s the experience for many New Zealanders who have been left behind as the world has moved online.  So how many are being digitally excluded, and how damaging is this in a society so singularly focused on moving everything online?   T...

There’s a growing trend of anti-social behaviour across Aotearoa that’s affecting people of all walks of life. Recently, we’ve seen shocking headlines of random bouts of violence and racism, including an attack on a police officer and a racially motivated assault at a supermarket.   Damien asks organisational psychologist and chair of the Institute of Organisational Psychology John Eatwell about w...

A new threat has got New Zealand’s agricultural community on edge.  Foot and mouth disease, which devastated farming communities in England 21 years ago, has been detected in Indonesia, and has already sparked a biosecurity response to try and prevent it taking hold here.  That’s because if the disease takes hold here, it could cost us one hundred thousand jobs and wipe 16 billion dollars from our...

The isolated religious community of Gloriavale has gripped the nation for years.   The church’s ongoing attempts to project an image of wholesome Christianity have been tarnished many times - from revelations about the founder Neville Cooper, who dubbed himself Hopeful Christian, to more recent stories due to stories of workplace exploitation, and physical and sexual abuse of minors. A new documen...

Monkeypox cases are surging around the world.    The World Health Organisation has now declared the spread a global emergency and countries are scrambling with how to contain the virus.  So what are the warning signs, what should we be doing to stop the spread, and what does this mean for gay, bisexual and queer men, who are currently the most at risk.  Today, University of Auckland associate prof...

The future of Green Party co-leader James Shaw is on the line.   Party delegates have voted to reopen nominations for his position, opening the door for a potential challenge that could oust the Climate Change Minister from his leadership role.  Even if such a move fails, this unfolding crisis exposes some of the tensions within the Green Party, just over a year out from the next General Election....

New Zealand's net migration has been negative since March 2021.      In the year to April, 8500 more people left than arrived, heaping pressure on businesses already battling with a major labour shortage.     Hospitals, schools, restaurants, hotels, banks and tech companies have all been calling on the Government to relax the immigration settings.   But will the Government listen? And how bad do t...

When euthanasia legislation was passed, critics worried that it could result in a slippery slope of people choosing die.    But report suggests that this hasn’t been the case at all – and that New Zealand’s laws might, in fact, be too restrictive.    So is New Zealand’s euthanasia law working as it was intended? Or do we need to broaden it further to give more people access to the procedure? To he...

Emergency department wait times are the longest they’ve been in a decade.   Doctors and nurses are battling against a surge in Covid-19 infections and winter illnesses in an attempt to keep up with demand.    There are concerns that people could die while they wait to receive treatment.    So why is the Government refusing to call this a health crisis? And what can be done to ensure that our docto...

Inflation exceeded expectations to hit 7.3 per cent this week. The highest level seen since 1990.   Everything from construction costs to petrol and food have increased in price, heaping pressure on the economy. New Zealand already ranked as one of the most expensive places to live, so what does this mean for Kiwi families struggling to make ends meet?   Damien speaks to Westpac chief economist Sa...

A new survey has identified New Zealand as the second worst place to move to out of 52 nations. The only country which rated worse was Kuwait.  Is Aotearoa so bad? Have we failed to look out for New New Zealanders who felt isolated while the borders were closed? Or does this point to deeper issues in our society at the moment?  Massey University public relations expert Dr Chris Galloway shares his...

Groans were heard up and down the country on Saturday night when Ireland defeated the All Blacks 32 to 22, clinching a series victory for the visiting side.  The dismal performance adds pressure on coach Ian Foster, who has long battled with the perception that he’s not the right man for the job.     So is there an easy fix to the All Blacks' current slump, or does there need to be some big change...

New Police Minister Chris Hipkins has admitted that tensions between gangs are at a high. As a result, the Government has proposed new legislation targeting gang violence.  It comes after a recent rise of gang activity, which has coincided with a spate of ram raids and random attacks that have jolted the country.  But are these new policies just tough talk from the Government looking to counter cl...

Sri Lanka has been in turmoil for months. Rising food costs, long blackouts, fuel and medicine shortages, and a fertiliser crisis have severely impacted everyday Sri Lankans’ lives.   After four months of protests calling for his head, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa signalled his resignation – but not before protesters stormed his palace in the wake of the country being declared bankrupt.  The impac...

Few things grip the nation’s attention as firmly as an intense weather event. And recently, it seems that those events are becoming more common and more extreme.   This week, New Zealand has been in the path of yet another ‘atmospheric river’ that’s drenched the country, dumping a month’s worth in rain in a matter of hours and again damaging infrastructure.   This comes shortly after Australia fac...

It’s widely accepted that New Zealand needs to build more houses to accommodate a rapidly growing population.  But as a recently Auckland Council vote shows, there remains an ongoing debate between those who want to see development and those who are worried about how intensification might change the character of a city.  Today, NZ Herald senior writer Simon Wilson joins Damien to discuss the debat...

Christchurch could become New Zealand’s next Super City.    Rapid population growth projected over the next few decades has planners mulling whether it might be time to change the way the city is managed.   But not everyone is a fan of the Super City project. Former mayors are divided about whether it has worked in Auckland – and some question whether it will actually deliver better results.    So...

Boris Johnson has officially resigned as leader of Britain's Conservative Party.   He plans to remain as UK prime minister while the leadership contest is held, but this marks the conclusion of a tenure dogged by scandal. So what was about this moment that made MPs decide enough was enough? And is there any chance that Johnson could bounce back as he has so many times in the past.    For this bonu...

Our culture appears to have become dominated by the dreams of the past - whether that’s clinging to the idea of a mythical golden era or just a time when we felt comfortable.  This is reflected heavily in today’s entertainment industry. When executives want a guaranteed hit most invest in, intellectual property has been proven to have a built-in audience.  Netflix megahit Stranger Things has gaine...

New Zealand is being hit by a winter wave of Covid-19. Case numbers are rising rapidly and understaffed hospitals are coming under increased strain.   Modellers are now predicting that things could become worse as we move further into winter and face the cumulative impact of Covid, flu and other illnesses.   Some experts are starting to question whether it might be time to shift back to the red le...

Green politician Chlöe Swarbrick is set to take on the booze business.   Her alcohol reduction bill, recently drawn from the biscuit tin, proposes a range of changes to the sale and advertising of alcohol.  Many councils have already thrown their support behind the suggested changes, but the politician faces a fight against some of the wealthiest lobbies in the country. So, what does the bill actu...

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has announced a major new trade deal with the European Union.  The promise is that it would help grow exports to the EU by $1.8 billion a year by 2035 - it's pleased parts of the business sector, but some in the farming community don’t feel this deal does enough to support their sector.  So who are the big winners and losers in this deal? And will New Zealanders even...

A recent episode of the ever-popular Country Calendar has divided audiences in the rural community. The unconventional methods of businesspeople Geoff and Justine Ross were not appreciated by some online, who lashed out calling it “woke and PC BS”. The backlash was saved for social media for now, but as more urbanites emigrate to the regions, does this case highlight the growing tensions between r...

Today marks the beginning of Aotearoa’s newest ministry.   The newly established Ministry for Disabled People is meant to act as a powerful voice for the needs of those living with disability. A Cabinet paper described the previous system as one that is "fragmented, slow, hard to measure, and hasn't led to the credible policy”.  So how will the new ministry deal with New Zealand’s long and ongoing...