The Front Page

This Matariki is the third time the annual celebration has been an official public holiday. But while this holiday is safe, the future of other public holidays – and annual leave in general – currently sits with Workplace Relations Minister Brooke van Velden. Van Velden is currently seeking feedback on suggested changes to the Holidays Act, with a draft proposal due in September – but, employee ad...

If you’ve been struggling with the cost of living, some good news is in store. While Kiwis have to wait a few more weeks to see the Government’s tax cuts come through, from July 1st, parents, investment property owners and Auckland drivers are due for some relief. It could all be short-lived though, with many councils eyeing major rates increases to tackle their flailing budgets. Today on The Fron...

Over the last year, the term ‘atmospheric river’ has entered our daily vocabulary, as New Zealand sees more intense rainfall hit our shores. From the Auckland anniversary floods, to two months worth of rain hitting the East Coast in just one day, the whole country seems susceptible to increased rainfall. But is this really the case, and if so, what’s the cause? Today on The Front Page, Dr Daniel K...

It may have taken a month to get there, but the Government has fulfilled its promise to fund new cancer drugs. Rather than the 13 promised on the campaign trail, it's giving $604 million for 54 new medicines, including 26 cancer treatments. It's hoped the promised cancer drugs will be rolled out within the next year and a half – with the first becoming available from October. But the back and fort...

The Government is being warned it must invest in New Zealand's ageing infrastructure. It comes after a week of infrastructure woes, with the Defence Force plane breaking down, a track fault cancelling all trains in Auckland, and an Interislander ferry running aground. These are all areas that have been issues before, so what’s stopped us from fixing these problems before they become a catastrophe?...

Thousands of jobs have gone, millions of dollars have been spent on redundancy payouts – and it’s not over yet as the public sector continues to tighten its belt. Budget 2024 set targets for $1.5 billion worth of cost-savings, with estimates for $1b in further savings over numerous financial years. But as the axe falls, there are questions over whether the cuts will hit the front-line – something...

The Australian government is pivoting to a stricter stance on deporting so-called "501s" - people with criminal histories who had mostly grown up in Australia but were born in New Zealand. The new directive, effective from today, takes a U-turn on previous commitments made by the Australian government in 2022 to prioritise considering a person's links to Australia in visa decisions. Between Januar...

30 years ago, five members of the Bain family in Dunedin were found dead in their family home. The one surviving family member, David, was later convicted of murdering his parents and three siblings. He served 13 years in prison before the Privy Council quashed his convictions, and he was subsequently found not guilty on all charges at a retrial in 2009. Despite this, for three decades, this case...

In May 2017, Rocket Lab launched its first rocket into space. Over the last seven years, the company has grown to become a powerhouse in the global aerospace industry, and has driven the growth of New Zealand’s space sector. The company’s astronomical success has seen founder Peter Beck receive a knighthood in the recent King’s Birthday Honours. Ahead of the company’s 50th launch, Beck joins The F...

It’s been five years since social housing in New Zealand was put under the banner of Kāinga Ora. Over that time, questions have been asked about the financial stability of the organisation, and the loaded remit Kainga Ora has to also lead and develop urban renewal projects. The Government made it a priority to investigate the state of the agency, ordering a review led by former PM, Sir Bill Englis...

Losing a loved one is one of the worst things a family can go through. But it can get a lot worse if people start fighting over the will before the body’s even cold. With so many of us relying on inheritance these days to get on the property ladder, being cut out of a will can be a devastating blow – but contesting it can sometimes be more trouble than it's worth. So how should you go about gettin...

There’s no better way to unwind at the end of a long day of work than binging on reality TV. From The Block, to Celebrity Treasure Island, Kiwis have always had a soft spot for the genre. Right now, the country is obsessed with Married at First Sight New Zealand, back for its fourth season after a five year hiatus. And while we may still be mad about the genre, a lot has changed for reality TV sin...

The global economy is still recovering from a difficult few years, and New Zealand is not immune. The NZX 50 has been struggling recently, the recent mini-reporting season saw largely disappointing results for many companies, and the usual investment opportunities are not delivering. In these times of difficulty though, there are plenty of opportunities for new industries to invest in, and differe...

New Zealand is a farming country, and that’s not going to change anytime soon. Agriculture and the primary sector remain central to our international trade, with export revenue hitting a record 57.8 billion in the year to June 2023. That number is expected to dip when the next figures are announced, as the tough economic climate is felt throughout all parts of society. Looking to get the most out...

In recent years, drug busts at New Zealand’s border keep getting bigger, with record breaking hauls getting stopped by officials. But drugs are still getting into the country -- and we all know that what people think they're buying on the street will not necessarily be what they get. And some people may be consuming synthetic opioids without ever realising they're putting their health at risk. Tod...

The parties of the coalition Government were staunch critics of the state of our healthcare system while on the opposite side of the aisle. Now that they are in charge though, the heat is being put on them to sort out everything from months-long waiting times to see specialists, to gaps in the mental health system. And most recently, Budget 2024 did not deliver the much-promised funding of 13 new...

The 1998 deaths of Ben Smart and Olivia Hope remain one of New Zealand’s most talked about cases. Scott Watson has spent the last 25 years behind bars after being convicted of murdering them, despite no bodies ever being found. Now, Watson is heading back to the courtroom four years after his case was referred back to the Court of Appeal, in what is his last shot at clearing his name. Today on The...

Tensions between Māoridom and the coalition Government have been bubbling up since the latter was sworn in last year.  Outrage over the Treaty Principles Bill and cuts to services for Māori has seen multiple protests, mostly recently the ‘Carkoi’ rally across the motu on Budget Day.  That same protest saw this animosity take on a new angle, with Te Pati Māori issuing a declaration of political ind...

Even if you wouldn’t say it out loud, we've all fantasised about winning Lotto. Whether it’s a few thousand dollars or a couple of million, you can’t how amazing taking home a win would be. And the prize pool keeps getting bigger – in 2016, $40 million was still the limit, but now, someone could take home $43 million tonight, and it'd be the second largest draw for an individual ever.  So, what ha...

As the country’s economy continues to take a hit, one of the biggest sectors to struggle has been retail.   Figures over the last few quarters have consistently shown low spending on retail as Kiwis prioritise where they put their money. There’s the closure of physical TradeAid stores, the sale of Torpedo7, the closure of TheMarket.com, and now the end of Auckland icon Smith and Caughey’s and the...

This year’s King’s Birthday holiday is not as celebratory as the royal family would like. While King Charles is start to get back to work after his cancer diagnosis earlier this year, the Princess of Wales remains out of action, with reports that she might not return to work until 2025. In amongst the health crises that have hit the Royal Family, the ongoing tensions between The Firm and Prince Ha...

The coalition Government has unveiled its first Budget, and Finance Minister Nicola Willis managed to deliver on her tax cut pledge.   There was also money found for health and education, while the major tax cuts were funded out of significant cuts to the public sector. The Budget also confirmed that our tough financial times are set to continue until at least 2028, and Willis is putting a cap on...

Budget 2024 has just been unveiled by Finance Minister Nicola Willis -- the first for the coalition of National, Act and NZ First. In this special bonus episode of The Front Page, Chelsea runs through the key stats you need to know about tax cuts, health, school and the economy.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For decades, New Zealand’s persistently high road toll has been a worry for successive governments. 340 people died on our roads in 2023, down from the previous, but still far too high. 2024 is hardly looking any better – there was more than a day a death in January, the Easter road toll was at its highest in three years, while a recent head-on collision left five dead near Hamilton. It’s an issue...

Insurance is becoming an increasingly costly purchase for many households. Whether you are looking to insure your house, contents, car – or even your pets – premiums are skyrocketing faster than incomes. It comes at a time when the threats of the climate crisis and natural disasters are leading some people to give up on paying for insurance all together. Former Cabinet Minister Kris Faafoi is the...