First Up Podcast

On today's First Up pod: we head to Africa where Nabil Ahmed Rufai has news of a massive deal for an African TikTok star; our Minister of Fruit and Veggies has his first Fruit of the Week for 2026; we find out why trees in some parts of the USA are exploding and Pokemon cards could be the new rock stars of the investment world...but there is a dark side. First Up - Voice of the Nathan.

On today's First Up pod: we hear how the Mayors of the North Canterbury region are reacting to news the regional council is to be abolished; animal welfare advocate Carolyn Press McKenzie joins us to discuss "alternative" meats and the ethics and legalities around butchering your own animals in these tough economic times and it's four years since Tonga's massive underwater volcanic eruption, we ta...

On today's First Up pod: Welcome to our final show for 2025, well done you've made it - we have a look back at all the wonderful people who've joined us on air; we say happy holidays to Glenn Forsyth, who's here with the supreme winner of FRUIT OF THE YEAR and the young sisters keeping relationships intact with their flatpack building skills... although not everyone's always happy to see them Firs...

On today's First Up pod: Merry Christmas all you rotary-heads - we've got an RX-7 on Trade Me this week; we go to our people around the world for the big global stories - Nabil Ahmed Rufai in Ghana, and Alex Baird in Doha and in boxing, former Disney star Jake Paul is fighting former heavy weight world champ Anthony Joshua this weekend - we ask promoter Dean Lonergan what he thinks. First Up - Voi...

On today's First Up pod: we catch up with Ben Rose from Ronald McDonald House, where they're looking after families with medical needs over the holidays and in Japan, Chris Gilbert reveals the winner of Kanji of the Year. First Up - Voice of the Nathan.

On today's First Up pod: Anita Purcell-Sjölund has her last Europe news update for the year; our reporter Ke-xin Li has a warning over banned batteries which can be a danger to children and we have the latest from Sydney on the shooting at Bondi Beach. First Up - Voice of the Nathan.

On today's First Up pod: we catch up on the week in Parliament with Labour MP Willow Jean Prime; we're getting in the Winter Olympics spirit with New Zealand curler Anton Hood, who's over in Canada for qualifications and in Australia - it's The Incredible Journey all over again - Emma Cropper tells us about an escaped parrot that found its way home. First Up - Voice of the Nathan.

On today's First Up pod: deputy prime minister David Seymour responds to the week in politics; we hear about the unleashed dogs of Kawerau, meanwhile - the bears of Japan are catching people in unexpected places. First Up - Voice of the Nathan.

On today's First Up pod: nuns on the run in Europe; in the US, a Ukranian delegation is in Florida to discuss President Trump's peace plan; the Special Olympics' national summer games in Christchurch are about to kick off and we catch up with the new boss of Surfing New Zealand - 22 year old Jimi Higgins! First Up - Voice of the Nathan.

On today's First Up pod: our Waikato reporter tells us the new mayor in Cambridge has a special reward for the answer to what's going bang in the night there; in Australia our correspondent thas the news of Robert Irwin's victory on Dancing With the Stars, 10 years after his sister's victory and the world's largest expedition race - GODZONE - kicks off today - covering up to 700 kilometres - we as...

On today's First Up pod: in a dominant display, Hamilton cyclist Kate McCarthy claimed back-to-back titles at the UCI Esports World Champs on Sunday - she joins us from Abu Dhabi; we talk school sand and asbestos with deputy prime minister David Seymour and Tokyo correspondent Chris Gilbert tells us about a travel agency's plan for one hour flights from Japan to America. First Up - Voice of the Na...

First Up the Podcast for the 14th November 2025.

First Up the Podcast for Thursday 13th November 2025, First Up - Voice of the Nathan.

On today's First Up pod: we have news from around the world with our correspondents in Africa and the Middle-East; the police handling of sexual abuse complaints against former Deputy Commissioner, Jevon McSkimming and Te Puke firefighter Jodi Purdie and her son Cooper tell us about their success at the Firefighter World Champs in Texas. First Up - Voice of the Nathan.

On today's First Up pod: rain has helped put out the Tongariro scrub fire, we hear from local hapu about what restoration they would like to see; deputy prime minister David Seymour is here to catch us up on the week in politics and his fire station visit went and in Japan our correspondent Chris Gilbert tells us about a beautiful new attraction at Tokyo Airport. First Up - Voice of the Nathan.

On today's First Up pod: the huge fire at Tongariro National Park has been described as 'ecological devastation', we hear from a local ecologist about what's been lost in the blaze; we get the latest overseas news from the weekend and here at home, our reporter Ke Xin Li puts on the red bands - and the sweat bands - and joins a rural fitness bootcamp! First Up - Voice of the Nathan.

On today's First Up pod: Over the weekend two more people have been charged over the jewellery heist at the Louvre in Paris; fresh 'n fruity Glenn Forsyth has the latest from the markets and our producer Ross McNaughton joins the Robin Hoods of Huntly for the bow-hunting Koi Carp Classic. First Up - Voice of the Nathan.

On today's First Up pod: US President Donald Trump has held critical trade talks with Chinese Premier Xi Jinping; it's Halloween and it might not be pumpkin season for us here but Glenn Forsyth is here with his tricks and treats from the fruit n veges market and the All Blacks play Ireland in Chicago on Sunday morning our time, the All Blacks team is named at 5:30, we'll have a look at that with J...

On today's First Up pod: in Australia - an early Halloween surprise for some students sitting exams; there's growing criticism of the changes to the school curriculum - Labour's education spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime with her response and Kariotahi Beach has a new surf life saving club house, local legend Jim Coe tells us about the interruption during the official blessing. First Up - Voice of t...

On today's First Up pod: category 5 storm Hurricane Melissa is making its way slowly to Jamaica; today we get to know a couple of the weirder creatures in New Zealand - ecologist Mark Roper tells us about back yard bat detectors and producer Ross McNaughton gets up close with a crocodile. First Up - Voice of the Nathan.

On today's First Up pod: we've got all the news from around the world overnight - and the latest from around the country - where those red wind warnings have eased now; Otago flanker Will Stodart is ready for the NPC final - he tells us about the perks of the 4pm kick off and we go to calf club in Waikato that services townie kids! First Up - Voice of the Nathan.

On today's First Up pod: Canterbury is in a state of emergency - we have updates from Metservice; White Fern star Amelia Kerr tells Nathan about their World Cup semi final berth; mysterious booms are puzzling Cambridge locals and Labour's Willow-Jean Prime talks about their three new policy annoucements and the mega strike. First Up - Voice of the Nathan.

On today's First Up pod: the Louvre Museum in Paris has been robbed - we find out how; millions have marched in anti-Trump rallies across the United States over the weekend and here in Aotearoa, recreational fishing is banned from a bunch of Hauraki Gulf areas from this weekend - Ross McNaughton talks to some locals. First Up - Voice of the Nathan.

On today's First Up pod: Labour MP Willow-Jean Prime talks through the week in politics; Heartland rugby comes to its glorious conclusion for another season with the Meads Cup final on Saturday - Mid Canterbury Rugby boss Kenny Addison is with us and supercars champ Shane van Gisbergen tells us he's enjoying some freedom in the US. First Up - Voice of the Nathan.

On today's First Up pod: we catch up with a Canterbury University professor who's brought two of his loves together in a new book about Maths and Swimming; Israel and Hamas have agreed to the first phase of a ceasefire and with local elections underway, we look at the licensing trusts in West Auckland and hear from those for and against. First Up - Voice of the Nathan.