RNZ - All Programmes

A wrap of the day's big stories

He's back, and no doubt ready to inform, educate and entertain us with an array of eclectic music.

ABC Wantok Program for 2 October 2026.

Auckland's Hannah Bennett is the founder of Thread Lightly and runs community events that are all about helping people donate, swap and take fabric and craft supplies out of the landfill. 

We've seen many a kiwi representing us on the world stage... But what about representing us on a televised singing competition in China?

Tomorrow, New Zealand's biggest model train show pulls into Christchurch's Cowles Stadium.

For years, we’ve been told personality types might come down to whether we’re more “left-brained” or “right-brained." But how much of that is actually true? 

The latest RNZ Pacific news and sport.

As farmers prepare for the impacts of the intense El Niño weather pattern, drought veterans, younger farmers and rural support specialists compare plans, share hard-earned lessons and discuss when to act before dry conditions arrive.

Motorbikes, fencing and gumboot throwing - the Canterbury Clash of the Colleges has it all.

A Nuhaka teacher turns flowers and plants grown in her garden into budget bouquets, balms and healing treatments in her at home Potion Room.

A wrap of news from RNZ's Rural news desk

This week Country Life gets some tips for the coming season from drought-hardened farmers and meets a flower grower turning blooms into bouquets and balms.

In the biggest multi-verse event of 2026, the Caucus podcast has teamed up with Focus on Politics this campaign to take you inside the fight for power.  It's Caucus, but reshuffled - with Jo Moir and Craig McCulloch from RNZ's press gallery team, joining Tim Watkin every week in the lead-up to voting day.   

Tonight, on The Panel, Wallace Chapman is joined by panellists Anna Rawhiti-Connell and Nick Leggett. First we discuss the first debate of the election campaign, The Press Kingmakers' debate. Political commentator Jacqui Van Der Kaay joins the show with her thoughts. Then, The Panel returns to the topic of toilet infrastructure. Why is it so crucial for the regions? We speak to Mayor of Central Ot...

Checkpoint producer Johnny Sutherland spoke to Lisa Owen about Jessica Elworthy. She's an 82-year-old double amputee who gave para ice hockey a go for the first time.

United Kingdom correspondent Lucy Thomson spoke to Lisa Owen about an arrest being made in relation to the incident at RAF Fairford, as well as hundreds of prisoners in England and Wales being released early, as the government tries to stop the prison system from running out of space.

News from the business sector, including a market report.

Two kiwi teammates could be on a collision course for a UFC title. Rising star Navajo Stirling has landed his first main event, where he will take on the fighter who his compatriot Carlos Ulberg defeated for the light heavyweight belt. Sports reporter Jonty Dine spoke to Lisa Owen.

Had a gut full of the working week...well spare a thought for the judges of the legendary sausage roll competition.

Residents of a south Auckland street are feeling deeply traumatised after a number of people, including children, saw a body on the doorstep of a suburban house last night. When police arrived, they found a further two people dead at the property. RNZ has been told by multiple sources that two children lived there, but there is no confirmation whether they are among the deceased. Matthew Theunisse...

There are renewed calls to scrap the death penalty, after the botched execution left a convicted murderer in hospital when efforts to kill her by lethal injection failed. Witnesses say after two doses of the potentially fatal medicine, Christa Pike was still alive, speaking in full sentences to begin with and then snoring. Professor Deborah Denno from New York's Fordham University School of Law ha...

Some MPs have paused campaigning today, to attend former Speaker Adrian Rurawhe's tangi - but not Christopher Luxon, who announced his party's energy policy in Auckland. Act leader David Seymour didn't pause either - organising a whole event to take a crack at other parties' policies to break up the supermarket duopoly - including his coalition partner, National. Political reporter Lillian Hanly h...

All the top stories and other headlines from the day

For years the sound of Christchurch's tsunami sirens have been a signal to get away from the beach if there's an earthquake, but that's all going to change next week. They're being removed, and in their place the council's civil defence chiefs are urging people to rely on their own judgment in an emergency, as well as mobile phone alerts. Rachel Graham reports from New Brighton.